THE NATION MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012
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CITYBEATS
Family appeals judgment on Ajah land dispute By Eric Ikhilae
REPRESENTATIVES of the Ajiwe family, a party in the lawsuit over the ownership of Ajiwe community land in Ajah, Lagos, have appealed a judgment given by the state’s High Court, upholding the claim by Chief Fatai Abiodun, the Olumegbon of Lagos as the owner. The Ajiwe descendants, led by Chief Taiwo Elemoro and Latifu Ajiwe, argued in their appeal filed before the Court of Appeal, Lagos that the trial judge, Justice Beatrice Oke-Lawal, erred in her judgment delivered on February 2. The appellants raised five grounds of appeal, first of which was that Justice Oke-Lawal erred in holding that the plaintiffs’ witnesses gave contradictory historical accounts of how and when the Ajiwe ancestors came to inhabit the disputed land. They also faulted the trial court’s decision that the claimants (plaintiffs) were not the settlers on, or founder of the Ajiwe community land. They argued that their evidence and that of the second defendant’s (Chief Abiodun’s) witnesses, which were unchallenged, were to the effect that the claimants’ predecessors were the first settlers at Ajiwe village after the land was granted to them by the Ogunsemo family. The appellants also contended that the judge erred in law when she held the report and recommendation of the tribunal of inquiry into the Ajah land disputes could not be relied upon, having admitted it in evidence, on the ground that there was no state government’s white paper on the report. Respondents in the suit include: Apostle Aba Olarenwaju; Chief Fatai Abiodun; Micheal Ademowo; Godwin Eyoma and Samuel Obolo (for themselves and on behalf of the Landlord Association of Ajiwe Community).
TVC rebrands LAGOS-BASED television station, Television Continental (TVC), a subsidiary of Continental Broadcast Service (CBS) will today unveil the logo and programmes for a new channel called TVC Entertainment. The station’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigel Parsons, said in a statement that the move was to “raise the standard of television experience for viewers in Nigeria and geared towards providing quality broadcast content for viewers. According to the statement, the channel is being re-branded as “TVC Entertainment” and will cater in particular, for women and the youth . The channel will also air two hours of programming for children in the afternoon. “Available on channel 49 on the UHF terrestrial frequency and on the Startimes platform on channel 115, TVC Entertainment will be a one-stop channel for all our entertainment needs. With head offices at 1, Continental Way, off CMD Road, IkosiKetu,” TVC Entertainment according to the statement, will focus on Afro-centric programmes such as drama; Nollywood; re-branded in-house programmes such as Entertainment Splash, formerly known as Lunch Splash, among others.” Before joining TVC, Parsons was a key player in the launch of some television stations in Europe and the Middle East. He was said to have masterminded the launch of Al Jazeera English.
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Policeman arrested for killing Makoko community leader
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POLICE corporal, who allegedly shot and killed the Otun Baale of Egun Makoko Community, Timothy Hunpoyanwa, has been arrested. The suspect, Pepple Boma, allegedly killed the community leader during the demolition of shanties in Makoko water front by the Lagos State Government. Hunpoyanwa was killed last Saturday while trying to make peace between the task force officials and protesting youths. Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ngozi Braide, confirmed his arrest to The Nation. She said the suspect has been arrested and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Yaba. According to her, the deceased was killed trying to broker peace between the task force and the community. The PPRO noted that Boma, attached to Marine Police, Oworonsoki Division, was posted on special duty with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority for the demolition at the waterfront in Makoko area of Yaba. Braide explained that Boma allegedly shot the deceased in the stomach on Saturday afternoon. She said: "The deceased was rushed to the General Hospital, Gbagada, where he was later confirmed dead. The corpse has been deposited at the General Hospital, Ikeja for postmortem examination. Meanwhile, rights activists, Femi Falana (SAN) and Ebun-Olu
•Activists demand prosecution By Jude Isiguzo and Joseph Jibueze
Adegboruwa, yesterday demanded the prosecution of Boma, who was said to have killed Huntoyanwha. Falana said since the killing and the wilful destruction of properties were carried out on the instruction of the state, the government should be held vicariously liable in the circumstance. “Therefore, the killers of (Huntoyanwha) should be immediately prosecuted for murder while the Lagos State Government should pay adequate monetary damages to the dependants of the deceased, whose fundamental right to life has been brutally violated,” Falana said in a statement. Adegboruwa urged the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation to institute a commission of inquiry to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of the deceased and bring all culprits to book, irrespective of their social status. He added that government’s decision to evict Makoko residents without an order of a competent court of law was “illegal and arbitrary.” According to Falana, all those whose houses were destroyed are equally entitled to fair and just compensation. He said: “This is a reckless violation of the provisions of the Lagos State Rent Control and Recovery of Premises, which have criminalised the forceful ejection of any person resident in Lagos State without an
order issued by a competent court and executed by the Sheriff and Bailliff of the court. “The eviction of the residents of Makoko has since led to a mass displacement of people and the disruption of the education of thousands of innocent children. “Unless adequate arrangements are made for the provision of alternative accommodation for other people who may be displaced as a result of the ongoing demolition exercise, the Lagos State Government should halt the demolition and stop sending Nigerians to the mercy of elements during this rainy season. “More so, that a duty has been imposed on the state by virtue of Section 15(3)(b) of the Constitution to “secure full resident’s rights for every citizen in all parts of the Federation”. “Any attempt to capitalise on the poverty of the Makoko people by confiscating their land, develop it with public funds and then turn round to distribute it to some petit bourgeois elements will be resisted by the progressive extraction of the civil society. “The brazen stealing of Maroko under a military dictatorship should not be tolerated under a quasi democtratic regime.” Adegboruwa added that the demolition was an act of “wickedness and barbarism”. According to him, for a government led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria
•Manko
(SAN) to swoop on its own citizens and kill them like animals “is most wicked, evil and barbaric, and does not meet the minimum standard of human decency and respect for God the Creator. He said: “In a democratic setting, it cannot be over-emphasised that there is need to adhere to the due process of law at all times, and any decision that runs contrary to law must be resisted. “In addition, the Lagos State Government has no legal or moral right over Makoko residents and indeed, all residents who are based within 100 meters of the Lagos Lagoon, which is a declared navigable waterway under the National Inland Waterways Authority Act, which is an existing Act of the National Assembly of Nigeria. “Thus, only the Federal Government has jurisdiction over Makoko residents, not the Lagos State Government,” he added.
Public Complaints’ Commissioner, Federal Controller of Works assess Third Mainland Bridge repairs By Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Political Editor
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OLLOWING complaints that the Third Mainland Bridge closure is hampering socio-economic activities in Lagos, the Federal Commissioner for Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Lagos State, Mr. Funso Olukoga, has visited the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Toyin Obikoya. The visit was to embark on a joint appraisal on the efficiency of the contingency plans made to alleviate the problems encountered by motorists as a result of the ongoing repair on the bridge. Obikoya informed the PCC top functionaries, including the Director of Investigation, Ms. Stellar Ozojiofor; the Head of Information, Mr. Bukola Abayomi and the Head of Adminstration, Mr. Musa Omosun, that prior to the commencement of the repairs, his ministry had taken proactive measures by consulting with all identified stakeholders like the Police; LASTMA; Nigerian Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) para-military; the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other relevant bodies like churches and mosques. According to Obikoya, fliers and other information leaflets were distributed at various locations in a bid to adequately create awareness among residents
of the state. Obikoya disclosed that the repair is segmented into two phases starting with the present partial closure of Oworonsoki to the Lagos Island bound route, which would last for about six weeks, while repairs of the other side from Lagos Island to Oworosoki route would be done after the completion of the first phase. He explained that the total closure of the bridge would be the final phase of the repair and it would last for, at least, 24 hours. His words: ‘’A policy statement shall be issued by the Works Ministry whenever the repair job reaches this particular stage and Public Complaints Commission, Lagos State shall be a worthy partner in this regard.’’ He observed that in spite of the partial closure; traffic situation has remained considerably manageable. Obikoya commended the PCC for showing empathy for the plight of Lagosians. Responding, Olukoga said that part of the duty of PCC was to recognise instances where complaints could be “flagged up”. He said the commission was always ready to prevent the situation if possible.
Cop fails to explain colleague’s mysterious death •Coroner summons three more witnesses By Eric Ikhilae
•Late Omojiade
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E was invited to help resolve the mystery surrounding the death of his colleague, but after testifying for about two hours, Abiodun Oyetade, a police corporal, left everyone in the court confused. Oyetade testified before Magistrate Sherifat K. Metapo, the Coroner conducting inquest into the death of Patrick Omojiade, a police corporal whose death on May 2, was announced to his family through an anonymous telephone call. Oyetade, attached to Adekunle Police Station, Yaba, Lagos, was the first witness when the inquest opened last Friday. He claimed to be on the same team with the deceased on the
day he died. He said Omojiade died after the team was attacked by gunmen in a fast-moving car; but his evidence was replete with contradictions. He told the court that the incident happened on May 1, but when confronted with evidence that the deceased was not on duty on the said day, he recanted and claimed to have forgotten the actual date. “I am sorry I made a mistake, it was actually May 2,” he said. The witness also told the court that he sustained gunshot injury on his left thigh during the incident. According to him, the late Omojiade also died of gunshot wounds. However, on examining the medical reports and x-ray films he tendered, the court observed that his injury was on the right leg. On the claim that the bullet missed his bone, the court noted two perforations on the x-ray films. One went through the bone and the second
was slightly close to the bone. Oyetade told the court that on the said day, his team, comprising four policemen, mounted guard at the Makoko round about. He also said that the team, though left the Adekunle Police Station by 6pm, it got to the roundabout at 8pm. He gave the names of others on the team to include: Inspector Joel Abbah (who led the team); Babajide, a constable and the late Omojiade. Oyetade said soon after leaving the station, they noticed that two of their vehicle’s tyres were flat and Inspector Abbah drove the vehicle to Sabo, Yaba to have the tyres fixed, leaving three of them at the roundabout. He said while he sent the other two officers to the other side of the road, he stood alone on a pavement by the roundabout. He told the court that while standing at the Makoko roundabout, a Toyota Sienna space wagon raced by and shot in his direction. “I fell something hit me and I fell down from the pavement where I stood. The whole place was
later deserted as everybody ran to different directions,” he said. Oyetade said he tried to locate his colleagues, but realised later that he had been shot on the left thigh. He told the court that despite the pains he had as a result of the gunshot, he made effort to locate his colleagues by crossing the road to where he last saw them. “They were not there. By then I was feeling more pains on the leg. As I was about going back to the office when I did not see them, I noticed a black object about six yards near where they had stood. I moved closer and discovered that it was Patrick (Omojiade) lying on the ground. That was on May 1. “He was facing up, his head was on the pavement and blood was coming out from the head. I called Patrick, Patrick, but he did not answer. I became perplexed. There was no one to help me because the place was deserted. I was afraid the people could come back and meet only me. “As I was about to go to the station I saw the nozzle of his riffle. He fell on it. I later removed it from his shoulder, and was about going when I realised that I could no longer walk.”