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Lagos to observe Car Free Day tomorrow

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The Lagos State Government says it is collaborating with the Lagos Urban Development Initiative (LUDI) to observe the first ever ‘Car Free Day’ in Lagos on Sunday.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, said this in a statement through the Deputy Director, Public Affairs Unit of the Ministry, Mrs Bolanle Ogunlola, in Lagos on Friday.

He said that the initiative was to encourage road users and motorists to set aside their cars for a day.

Oladeinde said they were, on that day, encouraged to take up active and inclusive means of transport such as cycling and walking, known as Non Motorized Transport (NMT).

“Traffic will be diverted around Alausa/Ikeja as cyclists will utilise Governor’s Office Road, through Mobolaji Johnson Ave, Billings Way, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Aromire, Adeniyi Jones, and Oba Akran Way for bicycle rides to mark the event. “About 400 metres of the Governor’s Avenue will be closed for the event.

“The aim of the initiative is to create awareness about the benefits of Non Motorised Transport, including reduced environmental pollution.

“The initiative will also reduce insufficient physical activity and sedentary behaviour to promote health of the people regardless of their ages,” Oladeinde said.

He cited the significant drop in air pollution recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, when movement was curtailed and many private cars and public vehicles were off the roads. The commissioner said that this resulted in reduction of vehicular carbon emissions into the atmosphere, thereby improving the quality of air, as well as increase in physical exercise and improved health practises.

“Vehicular emissions have now become a global issue. In Nigeria as well as other developing countries, 25% of the air pollution problems are as a result of automobile exhaust.

“This is very evident in the number of unroadworthy, smoky vehicles plying our roads on daily basis, causing not just health issues but visibility problems and sometimes accidents,” Oladeinde said.He also mentioned that the event provides cities and governments opportunity to do more in advancing public transport systems which could be run more efficiently through provision of viable, reliable alternative to the cars in the urban areas.

The commissioner said that this could also be done by implementing Non Motorised transport, whereby walking, cycling and inclusive mobility were given priority.

Oladeinde said that the event was coordinated by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation along with other Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Lagos Urban Development Initiative.

He said that the event was necessary to continuously enlighten the citizenry on the importance of environmental health.

Oladeinde urged motorists to prepare to join the rest of the world in observing the Car Free Day, adding that hundreds of people were expected.He urged participants to be at the Alausa, Ikeja venue where many fun and exciting activities such as cycling, cycling training, cycling competitions, skating, stretches, music, dance would take place.

Oladeinde said that Lagos State Traffic Management Authority would work hand in hand with the Nigeria Police Force to manage vehicular movement on the diversion routes.

He pleaded with the motoring public to cooperate with the interventions put in place to minimise inconveniences.

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FCT court discharges, acquits Adoke in OPL 245 trial

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Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the FCT high court has dismissed the charges of fraud, bribery and conspiracy filed against Mohammed Bello Adoke, former attorney-general of the federation, by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ruling on the “no case” submission made by Adoke, Kutigi said the EFCC failed to prove its charges of fraud, bribery and money laundering and ruled that the defendant has no case to answer.

He discharged and acquitted the former minister on all counts.

The judge said the allegation of illegal tax waivers granted to Shell and Eni was not corroborated by the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) or any authority in government.

On the alleged N300 million bribe said to have been given to Adoke by Abubakar, the court ruled that the EFCC did not provide any evidence to prove its case.

Nigeria has now lost virtually all the cases it filed or joined in Italy, the UK and Nigeria.

This is expected to finally bring litigation over the OPL 245 saga to a close.

The EFCC had earlier conceded that it did not have sufficient evidence to oppose the applications by Adoke, who was listed as first defendant, and others — although it insisted that Rasky Gbinigie had a case to answer over the alleged forgery of company documents to remove the name of Mohammed Abacha as a director.

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DHQ declares eight wanted over murder of army personnel in Delta

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The Defence Headquarters has declared eight persons wanted in connection to the killing of army personnel in Okuama community, Delta state.

The 17 army personnel were killed on March 14 during an operation in the community.

DHQ named those declared wanted as Akeywiru Omotegbono, Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Oghenerukevwe and Reuben Baru.

The names of the deceased soldiers are A.H Ali, D.E Obi, S.D. Ashafa, U. Zakari, , Yahaya Saidu, Danbaba Yahaya, Kabir Bashir, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Bulus Haruna, Sole Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Adamu Ibrahim, Hamman Peter, and Ibrahim Adamu.

After the killing of the army personnel, President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

On Wednesday, the personnel were buried at the military cemetery in Abuja and were posthumously conferred with national honours by President Tinubu.

The president also offered scholarships to children of the late officers.

Speaking during the burial ceremony of the late personnel at the military cemetery in Abuja, Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff (COAS), said it was “highly demoralising” that the soldiers were killed by those they were equipped to protect.

The army chief added that it took over 72 hours of searching to recover the vital organs of some of the deceased soldiers.

He added that the Nigerian Army exercised “a lot of restraint” in the search for missing arms and body parts of the deceased soldiers.

The army chief also said some of the widows of the slain officers are pregnant.

“The Okuama killing has added to the care of the Nigerian Army and, by extension, the Nigerian state, 10 widows, three of whom are four, five, and eight months pregnant, 21 orphans, and many other dependents, which include parents,” Lagbaja said.

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Flights disrupted as protests rock Port Harcourt airport

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Flight have been disrupted at the Port Harcourt International Airport, after the people of Omagwa and Ipo communities in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, barricaded the entrance while protesting lack of power supply and other amenities.

It has grounded operations at the airport and passengers are stranded.

The situation has also caused a gridlock stretching from the Airport Road to adjoining communities.

The protesters, who trooped out as early as 7am on Wednesday, lamented that despite hosting the international airport and suffering from noise pollution daily, they are not paid any form of compensation and there are no good schools in the area.

One of the protesters, who gave his name as Oki, accused the airport authorities of neglect, saying, “We in Omagwa and Ipo don’t have light for over 10 years. We want compensation for the noise pollution coming from the airport every day. We are tired. That is why we are here. ”

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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