Synagogue building collapse: Court grants engineers N20​ ​m​illion​ bail​​

The two engineers who constructed the collapsed seven-storey guest house of the Synagogue Church of All Nations — Akinbela Fatiregun and Oladele Ogundeji — were on Tuesday in Lagos granted N20 million bail.

An Ikeja High Court gave the ruling at the hearing of the bail application for the engineers.

Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo said:”The bail application hereby succeeds and here are the bail conditions.

“The defendants are hereby granted N10million bail each with two sureties in like sum.’’

The engineers have since April 19 been remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Prisons after they had entered a plea of

​”​not guilty​”​ to a 111-count charge bordering on gross negligence and criminal manslaughter.
The Sept. 12, 2014 building collapse left 116 persons, 85 of whom were South Africans, dead.

The Coroner’s Inquest instituted by the Lagos State Government had in its verdict on July 8, 2015 said the building collapse was “caused by structural failure due to a combination of designs and detailing errors’’.

The coroner ordered that Synagogue church should be investigated and proceeded against by the relevant authorities for not possessing necessary building permits, while the two engineers involved in the construction of the building should be tried for criminal negligence.

The judge said the defendants should present a surety who should be a civil servant with a minimum of Grade Level 14 and whose employment shall be verified by the State Head of Service.

“The second surety shall be a house owner with property located in Lagos and also provide utility bills and evidence of tax payment.

“The defendants must deposit their international passports with the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Lagos and the defendants shall be verified by the Chief Registrar.’’

The case was adjourned to May 19, May 20 and June 1, June 2 and June 3 for hearing. (NAN)

SOURCE: Premiumtimesng

Outrage as herdsmen kill monarch, nephew in Kaduna

Suspected Fulani herdsmen have allegedly unleashed violence on the residents of Southern Kaduna, killing the traditional ruler of the Fadan Karshi district in Sanga Local Council, Bala Madaki and his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, in a night attack.

The state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned the killings and appealed for calm . Residents of the Fadan Karshi community who accused the Fulani herdsmen of perpetrating the heinous crime, said the group had launched attacks on them since the 2011election crises, killing about 1,500 people in the southern part of the state.

SUSPECTED Fulani herdsmen have allegedly unleashed violence on the residents of Southern Kaduna, killing the traditional ruler of the Fadan Karshi district in Sanga Local Council, Bala Madaki and his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, in a night attack.

The state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned the killings and appealed for calm . Residents of the Fadan Karshi community who accused the Fulani herdsmen of perpetrating the heinous crime, said the group had launched attacks on them since the 2011election crises, killing about 1,500 people in the southern part of the state.

“Prior to the latest attack, the district head had applied an insecticide in his room and was sleeping outside his big compound when the Fulani unleashed the attack.

“We heard a gunshot and everyone woke up and ran into their various rooms around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. The gunmen followed the district head right inside his room and killed him,” a resident told journalists.

A traditional title holder in the area who pleaded anonymity said that another person that was killed ‘‘was a close relation of the district head. We don’t know what is happening. We hardly sleep here with our eyes closed since 2013 when gunmen invaded our communities. These gunmen speak Fulani. Many people are being killed frequently, including women, youth, children and traditional rulers.
Something must be done urgently.”

According to another community leader from the area, the violence took place around 10:30p.m. last Sunday night.

His words: “It was very hot inside and people were sleeping outside. Around 10:00 p.m., the chief moved into his house with his family. Then some gunmen, who our people said were Fulani, stormed his compound and started shooting. They went into his room and shot him pointblank. They also shot a small boy, Emmanuel Tanko, who was writing his final year secondary school exams. The boy was a nephew of the late chief.

“Right now, Fadan Karshi is deserted. Shops and service centres are shut. People are either staying in-doors or are leaving the town. No one knows what is coming next. Police are patrolling the streets, but I am not sure if they have any clue about the murderers.

“I want you to recall that this was the district head that received former governor, Mukhtar Yero, on September 22, 2014 when our women protested half- naked because of the scale of killings by the Fulani going on at that time.

“Today, the type of killings going on is murdering of isolated people. Cattle are also grazing freely on people’s farms in these areas of Sanga and people are afraid to do anything about it. Now, they are targeting people and eliminating them. What people are saying about the killings of our district head is that he might have been killed by the Fulani who have a grudge with this community and the ruler.”

According to the source, “in May 2014, some Fulani armed men invaded the police station here and seven people were killed. As they were escaping, two were killed in an exchange of gunfire between them and the police.

“The Fulani Association later petitioned the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and copied the then governor. They said that our late district head should be arrested, dethroned and prosecuted for the death of the two Fulani. We still have a copy of the petition. We suspect that his death may be connected to that incident.”

The Kaduna State Police Command spokesman, Zubairu Abubakar, in his reaction, said that he was aware of the incident, but that he was waiting for the divisional police officer from Karshi to furnish him with details.

While commiserating with the family of the victims, El-Rufai urged the people of Sanga Local Council to be calm and support the security agencies to investigate the attack and apprehend the perpetrators.

In a statement, his media aide, Malam Samuel Aruwan, said the governor spoke at a meeting with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the eight local councils of Kaduna South Senatorial District. He said the security agencies were investigating the attack, and were working to apprehend the culprits.

The governor assured the party leaders of his commitment to peace and security in every part of the state.

“It is a sad development. But we will not relent in our duty of protecting our people. We shall continue to strengthen the security agencies to do a better job, as well as encourage harmonious coexistence across our communities.

“The gains made in recent months to eliminate violent communal clashes in the area must be upheld. We must all be vigilant and do our best to maintain the peace in our communities,” the governor said.

“We heard a gunshot and everyone woke up and ran into their various rooms around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. The gunmen followed the district head right inside his room and killed him,” a resident told journalists.

A traditional title holder in the area who pleaded anonymity said that another person that was killed ‘‘was a close relation of the district head. We don’t know what is happening. We hardly sleep here with our eyes closed since 2013 when gunmen invaded our communities. These gunmen speak Fulani. Many people are being killed frequently, including women, youth, children and traditional rulers.
Something must be done urgently.”

SOURCE:  guardianng

800 HOUSES TO GO FOR LAGOS FOURTH MAINLAND BRIDGE

The Lagos State Government disclosed that 2,200 houses will be saved from demolition with the new alignment designed for the construction of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge.

Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ganiyu Johnson said, the old alignment for the bridge was to claim over 3,000 houses which would mean huge economic losses to the economy.

He said with the new design, about 800 houses will now be affected, adding that the affected owners would be compensated by the government.

He explained that the when constructed would drastically reduce traffic volume on Eko, Cater and Third Mainland Bridges.

According to him, “The proposed bridge will traverse from Ajah to North West direction towards the lagoon shoreline to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway via Ikorodu. The approximate length of the road/bridge is 37.9km with a design speed of 140km/h.

“Lagos State Government has held discussions with a consortium of consultants in furtherance of the project,” said the commissioner.

He further explained that the significance and value of the project, saying “this lies in its capacity to rapidly decongest the traffic gridlock within the Lekki corridor and redistribute traffic towards Lagos Mainland which serves to meet increased future road infrastructure demands.”

He attributed the delay on the ongoing work at Badagry express way to paucity of funds, adding that Julius Berger, the construction firm handling the Lot I between Eric Moore to Mile 2, will finish the median lanes and hand over by August this year while CCECC to which the Lot II as awarded will continue construction in phases towards Agbara.

He added that the state government initiated a study to upgrade the network of roads in Ikeja to improve and boost the economic stature of the seat of government to word-class standard commensurate with other capital cities and also to reduce to the barest minimum, traffic gridlock along the corridor.

“This will involve the expansion of Awolowo Way with an elevated highway from the Airport Hotel to Alausa to decongest the traffic gridlock along Allen Round-about, Kudirat Abiola Round-about and Agidingbi Round-about. There will also be an expansion of the Allen/Opebi Road to Odo Iya-Alaro via a link bridge at Ogudu to the 3rd Mainland Bridge.

These networks of roads when upgraded will boost the economic activities in Ikeja being the seat of government,” the commissioner said.

SOURCE: copied

Nigerian Medical Association topshots die in road crash

At least six officials of the Nigerian Medical Association died in a road accident on Sunday, an official has said.

Peter Ogunnubi, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Chapter of the Association told PREMIUM TIMES that the affected executives took off from Ekiti State on their way to Sokoto State.

“Six of them are already dead” Mr. Ogunnubi said while sobbing over the phone.

The doctors were travelling to Sokoto for the association’s Annual General Meeting.

At the time of filing this report, names of the affected members were yet to be disclosed.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES Sunday night, the immediate past president of the NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, confirmed the incident.

“For now, from my own side, though unconfirmed, there are speculations that five or seven persons have died in the process,” Mr. Enabulele said. “Though there’s no official statement yet, what I gathered is that it was a ghastly motor accident resorting from a burst tyre.

“While trying to manage the situation, the bus hit a culvert. That is the sketchy information available to me right now. But at the appropriate time, there would be official details. But clearly, there was a ghastly accident,” Mr. Enabulele said.

The affected doctors took off from Ekiti State Sunday hoping to arrival Monday in time for the AGM’s opening ceremony on Tuesday April 26.

Mr. Enabulele said it remained unclear yet whether the AGM would be cancelled, saying the mishap would affect the mood of participants.

“My heart goes out to all Nigerian doctors, particularly the team from Ekiti State and I wish them quick recovery. If anyone is involved in the fatality, as in death, I express my condolence to their families and loved ones, He said.

At the time of filing this report, names of the affected doctors remained unknown.

SOURCE: Premiumtimesng

Dara's video mashup

It's interesting to see I could do a video mashup of my first daughter steps at some months old. Anyway, if you see her now, sure she can clearly call you by your name.

Please, watch, share and like.

Bride Found Out New Husband Was Convicted Paedophile One Week After Wedding

Jazmin Cullen’s honeymoon turned from a dream to a nightmare when she found out the man she had just married was a convicted paedophile. 

When Jazmin met Jason Cullen in a pub, she thought he was The One and the pair married within months. 

But she was horrified when her grandmother found child abuse images on a laptop that Cullen had borrowed. 

After reporting him to the police, Jazmin found out that 31-year-old Cullen, a former ambulance call operator, had lied to her about his identity and criminal past. 

Two years earlier he had been jailed for possessing 8,000 child abuse images and exchanging them with other paedophiles. 

He served half of a two year prison sentence and met Jazmin shortly after being released. 

After being reported, police searched the house the couple were staying in and Cullen was charged; he pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images at Sutton Magistrates’ Court in April 2011. 

But after hearing he had already spent 14 weeks in custody since his arrest, he was given an 18-month community order and fined £85. 

The court heard he had allegedly been abused aged 16, but no one was ever arrested, charged or prosecuted.

Horrified Jazmin, from Carshalton, Surrey, said: “He seemed like such a normal and charming man and still to this day I find it very hard to believe it is the same person. 

"I wanted to believe it was all a mistake. At no point did I ever support his actions, but I wanted to believe that it was not true. 

"Seeing him convicted was a mix of relief, complete devastation and disbelief. 

"Divorcing him will be the final step in moving on but so far he has denied me that." 

But the nightmare isn’t over for Jazmin, as she finds herself unable to divorce Cullen because he is refusing to cooperate, dragging out the legal end to their marriage. 

According to Jazmin, Cullen has continued to change his name and whereabouts, making divorcing him impossible. She is now looking into getting a decree nisi divorce, on the grounds they have lived apart for long enough. 

"At one point I wasn’t sure if there was any hope out there, but now I’m doing really well now in my life,” she said. 

SOURCE: Yahoonews

We Almost Broke Up In 2005 –Midnight Crew

This year marks the 15th year that ace gospel group, Midnight Crew, was formed. In a celebratory mood, the group takes a trip down memory lane and remembers how they almost broke up about four years after it was formed unknown to them that God had a lot in stock for them.

The spokesperson for the group, Mike Abdul, shared the story of how the group was almost disbanded.

He said, “Sometime in 2005, we felt that we had spent four years together and things were looking tight and difficult for us. We decided that we should do something about it by letting everybody go. We called a meeting which was meant to disband the group but as God would have it, we found ourselves praying and after the prayer session, we did not discuss about disbanding the group but making it better. God helped us. Imagine if we had disbanded Midnight Crew in 2005, we did not know that we were going to receive a song that would make the whole nation proud in 2008. Igwe was released seven years after we formed Midnight Crew.”

SOURCE: Nigerianmonitor