Picture Of Masari’s Negotiations With Bandits Goes Viral, Sparks Outrage

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August 31, 2019

By Uche Mbah

Governor Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina state’s picture with bandits wielding AK 47 has gone viral, with Nigerian’s reeling in outrage that an internationally acclaimed terrorist group is given red carpet treatment in the full glare of the camera.

Masari had Thursday engaged the bandits at Katsina government house to beg them to stop killing Nigerians-a trend that many Northern governors are adopting which critics regard as worrisome.

The Eight frontline local councils have been under attack by bandits, who kidnap, kill and maim at will. The governor invited them to stop killing his people.

Besides the bandits, the head of security agencies and the deputy governor, Manir Yakubu, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumin Kabir Usman, District Heads, Secretary to the State Government Mustapha Inuwa, and representatives of Miyetti Allah and Fulani Herdsmen were also invited.

But the picture of the governor and the herdsmen has gone viral. Nigerians were outraged that Nigeria has degenerated to a country where terrorists are begged and arm-less people branded terrorists and charged with treason.

One Sadique Umar wrote: “Shame of a nation! This House has Fallen. A terrorist being flanked by the symbols of civilian and military authority. The message here is that there is prestige in being a criminal. You start a business you get harassed and intimidated. You became a terrorist and you get an honorary visit from the State Chief Executive! What a country!”

S amson Tannon Tongman wrote: ‘While southerners are condemning IPOB, northern political leaders are holding bilateral meetings with northern terrorists groups.’

AAG: Flying Eagles Fails To Break 40-Years Jinx, Loses Final

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The Source

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August 31, 2019

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Flying Eagles of Nigeria has failed to break the 40-year jinx that always stopped Nigeria from winning the gold medal at the All African Games.

The Paul Aigbogun-tutored squad lost to Burkina Faso 2-0 in the final of the male soccer event at the on-going All African Games in Morocco.

The two quick first half goals from Burkina Faso saw the Nigerian side disorganised, and could not register any goal till the end of the match.

The Flying Eagles had earlier played the Burkina Faso team in the group stage of the competition, with the game ending in a 1-1 stalemate.

The Aigbogun team came second behind Burkina Faso in the group, defeating South Africa 2-0 and playing a 2-2 draw with the host nation, Morocco, to advance to the Semi-Final where it traded tackles with Mali.

The Malians forced the game into extra time after both teams played goalless draw at regulation time. Both teams were inseparable, as the game stretched to penalties.

Nigeria defeated Mali 5-4 on penalties to book a place in the final against Burkina Faso.

The Flying Eagles settled for the Silver medal to increase Nigeria’s medal haul at the competition.

The last time Nigeria won the Gold medal at the All African Games soccer event for male was in 1979.

The closest the male soccer team achieved was finishing second on the podium at the Abuja 2003 All African Games in Nigeria.

Nigeria lost to Cameroon 1-0 in the finals. At the 2015 All African Games in Brazzaville, Congo, the Nigeria male soccer team finished third.

Samson Siasia led the Nation’s Under-23 team to a bronze medal finish in 2015.

Earlier, the Falconets, the nation’s female Under-20 team had won the Gold Medal in the female soccer event, defeating Cameroon 5-3 on penalties to further announce the nation’s dominance in female football in the Continent.

P&ID Says Malami Is Covering Up Buhari’s Incompetence In The $9.6 Billion Arbitration Crisis

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Uche Mbah

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August 31, 2019

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By Uche Mbah

P&ID, the company at the center of the botched $9.6 billion arbitration case between it and Nigeria that resulted in the seizure of Nigerian properties, has claimed that Abubakar Malami, the Nigerian Attorney General, is trying to cover the incompetence of his boss, Muhammadu Buhari in handling the case by trying to absolve the administration of culpability in the saga.

Mallami was recently in CNBC television to state the Nigerian own side of the story, where he tried to lay the blame squarely on previous administrations, a favorite past time of the Buhar administration.

The company denied any fraud allegation-in fact, it said there was no fraud allegations from Nigeria because “there was no fraud”.

“This is a serious assault on the Rule of Law by a demonstrably dishonest administration”, the company averred.

Below is the full text of their statement.

Malami’s Revisionist History

It is another day, and with it comes another attempt from the Nigerian Government to create a fictional history of the P&ID case.

This week’s series of desperate conspiracy theories point to something deeper: the Buhari Administration is refusing to admit its own role in the P&ID case from 2015-2019 after it came into office.

Appearing on CNBC Africa, Attorney General Abubakar Malami sought to wipe his hands and the hands of the Buhari Administration clean when he stated, “[t]he government as a unit was delicately involved. And that was the government in 2010, the award was in 2012, and then three years thereafter the current administration under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari came into place. So the time when this administration came to place in 2015, the award was over three years, there was no appeal, no application for execution, no application to set the award aside.”

Attorney General Malami seems to have a case of amnesia.

Let’s set the record straight:

May 3, 2015: P&ID offers to settle the dispute with the Nigerian Government for $850mm. President Goodluck Jonathan indicates they are handing over the negotiations to the incoming Buhari Administration.

May 29, 2015: Muhammadu Buhari is sworn in as the 15th President of Nigeria, but fails to appoint a cabinet for five months.

July 17, 2015: The Arbitration Tribunal found in favor of P&ID (i.e. – the Liability Award). The new Buhari Administration did not make any attempts at settling or negotiating with P&ID, and did not make any effort to challenge the decision.

November 11, 2015: Attorney General Malami was sworn in November 11, 2015, just under three months after the Liability Award.

May 27, 2016: The Arbitration Tribunal wrote to the Nigeria Government confirming that: “As the parties will be aware from Procedural Order No 12, the Tribunal has decided that the seat of the arbitration is England. It follows that the Federal Court of Nigeria had no jurisdiction to set aside its Award.” Neither Attorney General Malami, nor any representative of the Buhari Administration did anything in response other than continue with the proceedings, thereby tacitly accepting the analysis of the Arbitration Tribunal.

June 24, 2016: Having failed to set aside the Liability Award by falsely claiming the seat of arbitration was in Nigeria; not England, Attorney General Malami wrote personally to the arbitrators to say “my office has taken over the handling of the above arbitration on behalf of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.” He asked for and obtained an extension of time to file a defence to quantum, and appointed his own legal team in place of the Ministry of Petroleum Resource’s legal team.

August 30-31, 2016: The Quantum Hearing (i.e. – amount of damages payable) takes place in London. Attorney General Malami’s legal team conducted Nigeria’s defence at the quantum hearing. Expert witnesses as to quantum were called to give evidence and were cross-examined.
After the Quantum Hearing, Attorney General Malami instructed his lawyers to request a standstill agreement, which would take effect from the date of the Award.

This fact has never been publicly reported until today.

January 31, 2017: The Arbitral Tribunal issued a final award, ordering Nigeria to pay P&ID $6.5 billion plus $2.3 billion in uncollected interest as of March 2018.

February 17, 2017: The Award on Quantum was delivered to the parties on February 17, 2017. Despite the 60-day standstill having been agreed by P&ID, Attorney General Malami made no attempt to negotiate with P&ID during the 60 days following the handing down of the Quantum Award.

April 28, 2017: After the 60 days had expired, Attorney General Malami instructed his lawyers to write to P&ID’s lawyers and explained that “The delay was occasioned by the bureaucracy of the Federal Government in a bid to determine a reasonable strategy after receipt of the Arbitral award.” The Attorney General’s lawyers added: “we now have the authority of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to meet with the Claimant to negotiate the Terms of the Arbitral award.”

Today: In the lead up to the judgment by the English Commercial Court, Attorney General Malami allowed the time for acknowledging service in both the United States and London to lapse without filing any response. In both jurisdictions, Nigeria’s lawyers Curtis Mallet had to apply for ex post facto extensions of time and make the necessary apologies and explanations to the court.

In London, a senior Curtis Mallet partner explained that the Claim Form was “immediately filed and not passed up the chain of command” at the Ministry of Justice. The partner pleaded that “the delay was neither deliberate nor intended to be disrespectful to the Court.”

In the US, Curtis Mallet explained that the deadline was missed because they were in the process of being formally retained by the Nigerian Government and had been instructed to enquire about the potential for a settlement

The Attorney General’s pronouncements in the Nigerian press are a clear attempt to cover up his own incompetence and that of the Buhari Administration. This is a matter, which could have been settled shortly after he took office in November 2015 for $850 million. Instead, he personally took the decision to gamble on the arbitration and turned an $850 million liability into a $9.6 billion liability.

And at no time since has Attorney General Malami assumed responsibility has he raised any allegation of fraud or scam, either in the arbitration or in the subsequent enforcement proceedings. The reason for this is that there was no fraud. All of this raises serious concerns for foreign investors in Nigeria, whether you are investing in a commercial enterprise or buying Eurobonds. Not only will Nigeria deliberately refuse to pay an international arbitration award backed by an English Court, but they are prepared to launch sham investigations and character assassinations when all else fails.

This is a serious assault on the Rule of Law by a demonstrably dishonest administration.

Meanwhile, P&ID is now focused on vigorously enforcing its legal rights in the UK, including seizing Nigerian assets to satisfy the award. This will begin as soon as possible.

At Last, FG Begins Pencil Production At Enugu

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Uche Mbah

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August 30, 2019

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By Uche Mbah

The federal government finally fulfills its election promise to start pencil production by the end of 2018. Although the APC led administration said the finished products would be available on or before 2018, government is only beginning to install the machine for the production.

They are using the Project Development Institute, PRODA, for the production.

Speaking to newsmen in Enugu, the Project Manager, Daniel Onjeh, said the project was the first of its kind in West Africa, with its target of 15 million pencils per annum when completed. Agency reports indicate that the project will have one hundred percent local content.

“The project is aimed at 100 per cent local content, including graphite, clay, wood and waste paper” he said.

“We are expecting experts from China in October to install the machines that will produce pencils with waste paper.

“Pencils are in high demand, which is why we are emphasising pencil production.

“The pencil factory will create employment and also support the economic polices of the federal government.”

PRODA intends to test-run the project before the end of the year, though skeptics believe it will be a miracle if it is completed in four years going by the pace of projects of the current administration.

“One of the projects, which we are keenly seeing to completion is the Round House Project, which is the main edifice of the institute”, he said.

“We intend to further upgrade the monument from the institute’s allocation in the 2019 budget,”

“We noticed a remarkable increase in the funds allocated to the agency in the 2018 and 2019 budgets and we look forward to progressive increment in the coming years,” he said.

Recall that Ogbonnaya Onu, in his first coming as a minister of technology, listed pencil making as one of his priority projects. he could not achieve it in his first term as minister.

The PRODA boss had indicated he is instrumental to this new efforts.

N1.6 billion Fraud: Court Acquits Jonathan’s Aid

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Uche Mbah

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August 30, 2019

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By Uche Mbah

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aid, Waripamo Owei-Dudafa, has been discharged and acquitted by a Federal High Court in Lagos of allegation of Fraud to the tune of N1.6 billion.

The presiding Judge, Justice Mohamed Idris said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, failed to prove the 22 count charge beyond reasonable doubt. The charges were against Owei-Dudafa and a Heritage Bank worker Joseph Iwejuo, who the anti-graft agency dragged to court on an alleged fraud amounting to N1.6 billion. He said the agency based their entire case on suspicion. According to him, suspicion cannot take the place of hard evidence. Besides, the anti-graft agency failed to call the two very vital witnesses-Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. Dasuki has been incarcerated since the inception of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

In a landmark Judgment that ran into 190 pages, the judge submitted that the EFCC could not prove that the bag that was handed over to former president Jonathan was filled with dollars. According to him, that has not been proved. “How did the EFCC know the bag contains dollars? (And) Why did the prosecution fail to call Sompre Omiebi to testify?” he queried.

Omiebi was cited in the case by the EFCC but was not summoned to testify.

He concluded that the investigations by the Agency were not thorough.

Kogi: Bello Emerges APC Flagbearer, Plots PDP Downfall

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The Source

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August 30, 2019

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By Akinwale Kasali

After the rigorous All Progressive Congress, APC, primaries, incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello has emerged the APC Flagbearer for the November 16th 2019 Kogi State gubernatorial elections.

The incumbent defeated the likes of Blessing Ekele, Hon. Hassan Baiwa and Engr. Bashir Gegu to emerge the Candidate of the party against all odds following challenges from the Mandate Group that ousted Akinwunmi Ambode from power in Lagos.

Governor Bello secured 3,127 votes out of the 3,596 delegates accredited for the primary, leaving other contestants with little or no votes to share.

Imo Orders Okorocha’s Arrest

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The Source

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August 30, 2019

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By Gideon Njoku

An order has been given for the arrest of the immediate past governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha, by the Imo State Government.

The order for a citizen’s arrest placed on Okorocha was given on Thursday at a press conference jointly addressed in Owerri by the Secretary to the IMSG, Barr. Uche Onyeagocha and the State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo.

Both men announced that a Citizen’s arrest order has been placed on Okorocha. The implication is that any Imo citizen has been given the order to arrest Okorocha anytime he steps on Imo soil.

The order was consequent upon a near fatal attack on Hon. Jasper Ndubuaku, by scores of youths, alleged to be thugs at Okorocha’s residence at Spibat, Owerri.

Ndubuaku, Special Adviser to Governor Emeka Ihedioha on Security, is also the Chairman of the Task Force set up by the Imo State government to recover alleged looted properties of the state by Okorocha in the dying days of his administration.

Members of the Task Force led by Ndubuaku had gone, with a court order, to recover a number of the looted items which, according to the Chairman, include:

20 government vehicles, four speed boats, one movable Crain and power generating sets.

But on arrival at the gate, scores of dangerously armed youths pounced on them, and according to Ndubuaku, shot at, and matchetted him severally, even though he admits none pierced his body.

But a video which has gone viral showed Ndubuaku being beaten severely, stripped of his top, and pushed into a gutter by many of the youths. At least, two of the attackers could be heard ordering that he be killed there.

This attack comes days after the former governor, while addressing his supporters, who had gathered to welcome him to Owerri, on his first visit since leaving officer, incited them to beat up anybody who accosts any of them to retrieve any alleged looted property. “Harrass them back, beat them up and treat them as armed robbers. They are armed robbers”.

He also told them to await the real governor – his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, who he told them, would soon reclaim his “victory”, and be sworn in as governor.

Apparently, neither the Task Force team, not the state government took Okorocha’s order seriously. As they dealth with Ndubuaku, policemen stationed in front of the former Governor’s residence, watched without intervening.

But, speaking on the attack on Ndubuaku on Thursday, Sam Onwuemeode, Media Adviser to Okorocha, said those who attacked the team were no thugs, but youths sympathetic to his boss.

He also alleged that the team had no court order, and had refused to make the list of what they were looking for public.

A couple of days ago, some traditional rulers in the state had threatened to embark on a street protest against Okorocha, and so did some Imo elders who warned him at a press conference, after his inciting speech, that: “Enough is Enough”.

Kogi Election: PDP Plots Bello’s Fall

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The Source

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August 29, 2019

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Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State — Yahaya Bello

By Chidiebere Onyemaizu

In a bid to oust Governor Yaya Bello from power, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is weighing several options, thesourceng.com has been informed.

The party, it has been learnt, will be putting into consideration, the ethno-religious and cultural configuration of Kogi state as well as the present political realities in the state in picking its flag bearer for the November 2019 governorship election.

The incumbent governor who is from Ebiraland, one of the minority ethnic groups, is most likely to clinch the All Progressives Congress, APC ticket.

Sources say the governor is also most likely to pick an Igala as running mate to replace his estranged Deputy, Simeon Achuba, an Igala himself. The decision to retain the Deputy governorship slot in Igalaland which is the most populated ethnic stock in Kogi, it was learnt, was to attract a large haul of Igala votes.

However, the PDP, credible party sources inform, is leaving all options open. One of the options is to leverage on Governor Bello’s ethnic minority status to pull the rug from his feet. Another is to exploit APC’s disqualification of the two sons of the late Governor Abubakar Audu from participating in its guber primaries.

The late Audu who ruled the state between 1992 and 1993 and again between 1999 and 2003 was on the cusp of a historic third time tenancy at the Government House in the November 2015 guber election in the state which he was contesting on the platform of the APC before he suddenly died, hours before his virtual victory was announced.

His death created a constitutional crisis which was later resolved via the fielding of Bello who came a distant second in the APC primaries in the ensuing run supplementary election with the then incumbent governor, Wada Idris of the PDP.

Even in death, Audu is still loved by his Igala ethnic group. Many from that area looked forward to seeing one of his sons fly the APC ticket for the November election.

However, the disqualification of the Audu scions by the APC, this magazine, gathered, is not going down well with the people, including some APC eggheads from the area. Many of them have, therefore, vowed to punish the party at the polls.

PDP is reportedly making overtures to the Audus. The party wants the Audu family to team up with it to wrestle power from Bello. According to an insider, in the event that the party picks an Igala as flag bearer, the Audus are expected to work assiduously to return one of their own to power.

There is also the possibility of the Okun Yoruba and the Igala teaming up to upstage Bello in the election, party sources told The Source.The party, it was gathered is pondering either an Okun Yoruba as candidate and an Igala as running mate and vice versa.

Among the prominent Okun Yoruba sons gunning for the PDP ticket is Senator Dino Melaye while the former governor Wada is one of the prominent Igala sons in the race for the party’s ticket.

Wada’s supporters and some party stalwarts argue that the former governor is PDP’s bet for the ticket since he will only do a term in office, and yield power to an Okun Yoruba in the spirit of justice, fairness and equity.

The magazine, however, understands that there are some die-hard Igala and PDP irredentists who are insisting that the party fields a candidate that will rule for eight years.

Apart from Bello and with the exception of military governors, the Igala has ruled Kogi since its creation.

How Police Thoroughly Beat Me Up – Orji Uzor Kalu

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The Source

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August 29, 2019

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By Gideon Njoku

For, allegedly, insulting former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Police thoroughly beat up former Governor of Abia State, who is now the Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu.

Kalu made this shocking claim at a Federal High Court, Lagos Division, on Wednesday, where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, dragged him to, before the Hon. Justice Mohammed Idris.

He is being tried for, allegedly, defrauding Abia state, when he was the governor, to the tune of N7.2 billion.

But while vehemently denying the allegation, Kalu said the state had no such amount of money for him to steal.

Giving the impression that he was richer than the state, he claimed that for the first six months of his regime, he ran the state with his personal money, a claim for which many Abia Stakeholders have given him 48 hours to withdraw because, according to them, not only is the claim a lie, it is insulting to the state and its people.

But Kalu insisted that the balance sheet of his company, SLOK, was better than that of the Nigeria Brewries PLC.

Meaning: the former governor is richer than NB PLC.

He also claimed that when Obasanjo came out from prison, having been jailed on trumped up charges by late Head of State, General Sani Abacha and, was drafted to run for the Presidency, he freely gave the former President, the sum of N100 million. He also disclosed that if the PDP was a company, he, Orji, would own 90 per cent of its shares.

On his ordeal in the hands of the EFCC, Senator Kalu revealed that he was treated very badly by the Commission.

Kalu: “When I learnt that they were looking for me, I called Ibrahim Lamorde that I was in the United States, and that I would show up upon my return to the country.

“But when I returned to Nigeria, they were waiting for me at the airport and, whisked me away to their office. After I was beaten up thoroughly by police officers, I asked them what my offence was, and they told me I had been insulting President Obasanjo. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Ibrahim Lamorde later came to apologise to me”

He, also, said that he made all his statements to the EFCC under bad treatment from some police officers.

Kalu’s lawyer is, Prof Awa Kalu, SAN.

Hearing in the case continues on Thursday.

Clampdown On Okada, As LASG Reads Riot Act

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The Source

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August 29, 2019

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By Akinwale Kasali

Following the refusal of commercial motorcyclists to yield to the warnings of the Lagos State Government not to ply restricted roads, mostly highways, the government has read a riot act.

Operatives of the State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Agency have, therefore, commenced a clampdown on illegal motorcycle operators plying restricted areas, which include highways, and some inner streets across the State.

This move was imminent following the high rate of accidents involving motorcyclists, in which many have lost their lives, while others are in the hospital after sustaining life threatening injuries.

The government had earlier read a riot act where it warned that any motorcyclists that go contrary to the law would be severely punished, while the government would also take possession of their motorcycles.

Yet, the motorcyclists remained defiant, not yielding to the warnings and laid down laws.

On the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, Cele-Mile 2 expressway, Badagry-Iyana Iba axis, the Lagos-Abeokuta axis, motorcycles in their thousands flood the highway, conveying passengers from Oshodi to Ikeja, down to Sango-Toll gate axis, despite the warnings of the government.

The Chairman of the Agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed that the clampdown which started on Wednesday, had 125 motorcycles impounded for flouting traffic regulations around Ejigbo and Cele bus-stops.

He stated that the Agency was compelled to embark on the crackdown, sequel to series of complaints received on daily basis from innocent members of the public on the criminal activities perpetrated by the illegal commercial motorcycle operators, particularly, early in the morning and late at night.

He said: “We are going to make sure that there is total compliance with the Lagos Traffic Regulations by all commercial motorcycle operators in all our Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.

“In accordance with the Traffic Laws, every motorcycle operator must wear crash a helmet, be above 18 years, not ride on kerb/median/road-setbacks, avoid restricted routes, not carry more than one passenger/pregnant woman/Adult with baby/Child below 12 years, not install any musical gadgets, must wear an apron, not operate beyond 10pm, operate with a rider’s permit and, have their motorcycles registered with Government”, he added.

According to the Chairman, research conducted by the government revealed that most riders of the illegal commercial motorcycles are not from Nigeria but from neighbouring countries, adding that some of them are also involved in criminal activities in the State.

He, therefore, warned all commercial motorcycle operators to ensure that their motorcycles are duly registered with the Government as anyone caught would be seriously dealt with in accordance with the law.

He, also, insisted that only government registered motorcycles are permitted to carry passengers.

While warning the general public, especially motorists to ensure that their valuable items are safely kept while in traffic, the Chairman solicited for the cooperation of all residents in providing useful security information about criminal activities around them to security agencies through the Lagos State free Emergency Toll Lines 112 & 767.