NEWS
CCII, Stakeholders Charge Gov Seyi Makinde to Activate Waste To Wealth Project
By Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan
Oyo State government has been urged to start work on the Waste to Wealth project which was part of cardinal programmes of the Seyi Makinde-led administration to bring to a barest minimum, the problem of indiscriminate refuse dumping in the State.
The call was made by the President of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Yemi Soladoye and other stakeholders at an advocacy meeting organized for Stakeholders by the government to sensitize the populace on immediate solution to the menace of poor waste disposal culture, pervading the State.
Soladoye noted that before long, waste collectors would be paying those that generate the waste instead of collecting money from them whenever waste recycling begin in the State.
He called for haste in the implementation of the Orita-Aperin recycling project, which he said has suffered abandonment overtime.
The CCII President said: “While commending the efforts of the State in its unrelenting stride to eradicate poor waste disposal culture, I need to call on our Governor to start work on the Waste to Wealth project so as to not only beautify our environment but to also create wealth for the populace and generate more revenue for government.
“I have travelled far and wide but there was a time I found it so difficult to come home to Ibadan because of the culture of filth then. Today, the story has changed and we have a clean environment which needs to be sustained.
“Imagine a time that we allocated a parcel of land for Olubadan’s palace but within short time, people turned the land to refuse dumping ground. We invited the police and they left within a week as they were frustrated.
“We need to do more advocacy and enforcement especially at all local communities while I want to reiterate the call for the commencement of the waste recycling project in Oyo State. Soon, you will see people collecting money instead of paying to dispose refuse.”
In her remarks, the Head of Service in Oyo State, Mrs Ololade Agboola who presided over the meeting said the people must spread the gospel of collective responsibility in order to stop the poor waste disposal culture.
Ololade who applauded what she called an impressive attendance by stakeholders at the gathering declared that the State government has concluded all preparations to kick off the operation of environmental mobile courts in the State.
She also reminded the people of the interest of the present administration to bring in as many foreign investors as possible as well as create enabling environment for local business to thrive especially in a clean environment.
She said: “This meeting is at the behest of the governor of Oyo State who was worries over the state of filth in the State and various meetings have been held with other sectors and strategic members of the society to achieve more understanding about the need for a clean environment which will engender good health and promote business.
“Soon, Oyo State Mobile Court will be in operation to dispense express justice to sanitation offenders and deter the poor attitude to waste disposal. Also, the Orita-Aperin Waste to Wealth project will soon begin work to complement other efforts at imbibing good environmental culture.”
Contributions were made at the event by members of the steering committee on environment in Oyo State which include the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr Olusoji Oguntola, his colleague from the Ministry of Works, Mr Olusola Oyedele and Mrs Christiana Abioye, of Ministry of Women Affairs.
Others are Iyabo Olaleye, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Bashir Olanrewaju.
Various groups and organizations that were represented at the meeting include the National Council of Women Society (NCWS), Community Development Association, NGOs and royal fathers from different communities.
CRIME
Troops arrest 10 Robbers, rescue 3 Victims in Kaduna

By Gom Mirian, Abuja
The military high command, yesterday said its troops deployed on internal operations in Kaduna state has arrested ten armed robbery suspects at Kafanchan town in Jema’a local government area of the state.
A statement issued by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Bernard Onyeuko stated the names of the arrested suspects as: Messrs Manga Ismail, a 22 – year-old, Idris Haruna (Ban Sambo), 20- year-old, Sani Bali, 19- year-old.
Others are Shamsudeen Ladan, 25 – year-old, Abdulmajid Yau (Sele), 22 – year – old , Abubakar Hassan, 23 – year-old, Abbas Aliyu, 15 – year-old, Mohammed Umar (Jazuli), 17 – year – old, Jonathan Vincent (Bamai), 19 – year-old and Stephen Joseph, 25 – year-old.
According to him, items recovered from the criminals include: TV, DVD, gas cookers, Mattresses, woofer, phones, scissors, among others.
Gen. Onyeuko also said on the same day, troops acting on intelligence reports, conducted a cordon search operation at Fanock Village, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State and found a Toyota Corolla car with registration number ABUJA KUJ 452 AZ with no occupant.
Onyeuko explained that Troops conducted search operations in the surrounding bush and rescued 3 kidnaped civilians comprising two females and a male.
Speaking further, he said :”Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN in a sustained effort to eliminate criminals elements in their Area of operation on 28 June 2022 based credible intelligence conducted clearance operation in conjunction with vigilantes at Kan Duniya Village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Plateau State, neutralized notorious bandit and kidnapper.
“Similarly, on the same day, troops on fighting patrol sighted 2 x suspected kidnappers around Sara High Ground Mangu Local Government Area Plateau State on a motor cycle, suspects abandoned their motor cycle on sighting troops and fled.
” Troop exploited area and recovered 2 AK47 rifles, 101 rounds of 7.62mm special, 5 magazines, 1 motor cycle, 1 iron digger and 2 black jackets amongst others”, he said.
Foreign News
Husband of Slain Kenyan Runner Tirop Seeks Plea Bargain

The husband of slain Kenyan distance runner Agnes Tirop is seeking a plea bargain after initially denying a charge of murder, his lawyer said yesterday.
Tirop, a rising star in the world of athletics, was killed last October in her home in Iten, a high-altitude training hub in western Kenya for top runners.
Emmanuel Ibrahim Rotich was arrested after a dramatic late-night chase the day after Tirop’s body was found with stab wounds, and has been in custody ever since.
The 41-year-old denied a charge of murder at a November court appearance.
But in the latest twist in the legal saga, his lawyer Ngigi Mbugua told the Eldoret High Court that Rotich was willing to plead guilty to a lesser charge in the hope of attracting a more lenient sentence.
The prosecution said it was not against the idea of a plea bargain but wanted Tirop’s family to be involved in the process.
A hearing on Rotich’s request will take place on 22 September.
NEWS
HEDA Petitions ICPC over Allegations against Ex-CJN

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the allegations against the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Chairman, HEDA, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, yesterday in Lagos.
Suraju, in a letter to the Chairman of ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, urged the commission to stand tall over the allegations of corruption, maladministration and incompetence leveled against Muhammad.
“As a leading anti-corruption organisation in Nigeria and non-partisan human rights and development league, we call on the ICPC to commence investigation into the budgetary allocation, utilisation and development process of the judiciary with a view to sanitisation of that critical arm of government,” he said.
Suraju said it was widely reported that the immediate past CJN responded to the allegations brought against him by 14 Justices on the aforementioned allegations.
“It is unarguable that the judiciary is the last hope of the helpless and its judges are only meant to be heard and not seen.
“However, these allegations made by fellow Justices of the apex court against the CJN cannot be overlooked as it is weighty and must be diligently investigated by the commission in order to protect that vital institution.
“If the Supreme Court of Nigeria is infested with corrupt persons, then our democracy is doomed, ICPC and others relevant bodies should rise and act fast to redeem the temple of justice from possible collapse,” HEDA said. (NAN)