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Tag: lagos

  • Lagos suspends new guidelines for safe abortions

    Lagos state in Nigeria has suspended new guidelines on safe abortion to allow for more consultations, its health ministry has announced.

    The guidelines were developed over four years for the healthcare profession on how to provide safe and lawful abortion services within existing laws.

    But religious leaders said they were not consulted.

    Earlier this week, the Catholic archbishop of Lagos was quoted as saying that the guidelines would legalise abortion through the backdoor.

    On Thursday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said further sensitisation of the public and stakeholders was needed to ensure a clearer understanding of the guidelines.

    Lagos state law allows for the therapeutic termination of a pregnancy – this means medical professionals can terminate a pregnancy where the life of the mother is in danger or the foetus’ chances of survival are considered minimal.

    Source: BBC

  • Long queues amid fuel shortage in Lagos

    Long queues have been witnessed at petrol stations in most parts of Lagos state in south-west Nigeria after a decision by some fuel marketers to shut their operations.

    The queues that surfaced on Monday continued on Tuesday morning causing panic buying of fuel and black market sales.

    It comes as some members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) say they can no longer operate in an unconducive environment.

    The association chairman, Akin Akinrinade, told journalists that while the government had fixed 165 naira ($0.40; £0.30) for a litre of petrol, the current realities showed that the minimum price should be 180 naira to profitably sell the product.

    He cited the high cost of transporting the product and the diesel used in running the petrol stations as another reason for the withdrawal of services.

    This development had added more pain to the suffering of Lagosians.

    The long fuel queues have led to more traffic jams that the city is known for.

    The cost of transportation has also doubled and most business premises are shut due to their inability to access fuel to power their electricity generators.

    Many Nigerians use generators for power as electricity supply is not steady in the country.

    Source: BBC

  • Lagos apartment owner died in the collapsed building – Reports

    Local media outlets are reporting that the owner of the high-rise building that collapsed in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, was killed in the accident.

    Rescuers working at the site found the lifeless body of the project’s owner, one Olufemi Osibona late Thursday.

    He was the owner of Fourscore Homes, the luxury apartment agency that was in charge of the collapsed project.

    As of Thursday, November 4, 2021, the death toll stood at 36 whiles nine others have been found alive.

    Over 50 people are believed to have been in the 21-storey facility when it came down on Monday.

    The Lagos State government has inaugurated a board to probe the reasons for the accident.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Helicopter crashes into Lagos building, kills two

    Residents living in the Opebi area of Ikeja, Lagos were thrown into panic after a helicopter reportedly crashed into a building.

    The incident is reported to have occurred around 12pm.

    According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), two persons died as result of the crash while one person survived.

    The hospitalised victim is in the Intensive Care Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital while the bodies have been deposited at the morgue, Vanguard reports.

    Speaking at the scene of the crash, the Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu told Vanguard that “the agency got a distress call concerning a privately operated helicopter that crashed into 16A Salvation Road, Opebi, Ikeja and immediately activated the emergency response plan.”

    He confirmed that three passengers were on board the flight,” the helicopter was carrying three passengers; one is in the intensive care unit at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital while the bodies of the two killed on impact have been deposited in the mortuary.

    “We are on top of challenges especially crowd control while operation is ongoing.” he added.

    Source: mynigeria.com

  • Two die in Lagos helicopter crash

    Two people have died after a helicopter crashed into a residential building in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, the authorities say.

    Friday’s accident happened in the Ikeja district, a congested part of the state popular for its businesses and residential apartments.

    Head of the state emergency agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, told local media that there were three people in the helicopter when it crashed and the third person was severely injured and has been taken to hospital.

    A video posted on social media shows onlookers gathering around and what appears to be part of the wreckage.

    It is not clear who owns the helicopter and what led to the accident, but Nigeria’s busiest airport, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport is situated in the area and is used by small aircraft and private jets.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Lagos mosques reopen

    Muslims in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, will hold their Friday prayers in mosques for the first time in nearly four months.

    Churches will resume services on Sunday.

    All places of worship were closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the reopening was a sign of progress in Nigeria’s fight against the disease.

    The places of worship are only allowed to hold 50% of their full capacity.

    Worshippers must also adhere to safety measures, including wearing face masks and social distancing.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Lagos mosques reopen

    Muslims in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, will hold their Friday prayers in mosques for the first time in nearly four months.

    Churches will resume services on Sunday.

    All places of worship were closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the reopening was a sign of progress in Nigeria’s fight against the disease.

    The places of worship are only allowed to hold 50% of their full capacity.

    Worshippers must also adhere to safety measures, including wearing face masks and social distancing.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Lagos to reopen Mosques, Churches from Aug 7

    Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has announced that places of worship (Mosques and Churches) in the state will be reopened from Friday, August 7.

    Sanwo-Olu disclosed this during a briefing on COVID-19 at the Lagos House in Marina area of the state.

    While mosques will be reopened next week Friday, the governor said churches will follow suit on Sunday, August 9.

    According to him, religious leaders must make available hand sanitisers, handheld thermometer checks, adding that the state government will ensure that social distancing is maintained.

    “Places of worship in Lagos will now be opened from Friday, August 7 for our Muslim worshippers and on Sunday, August 9 for our Christian worshippers.

    “We will only be allowing 50 per cent of their capacity at either the church or the mosque. Churches that have Saturday worship day will also be allowed to start holding their Saturday worship.

    “We must reiterate that places of worship are only permitted to have their regular once a week service on designated days.

    For the avoidance of doubt, there will be Friday worship for our Muslim followers and Sunday worship for our Christian followers,” he said.

    “In addition, the following conditions must also be fully met by all our religious centres; regular gatherings are permitted to hold but vigils and other services should still be on hold for now.

    “We recommend and seriously appeal to our senior citizens if you are aged 65 and above, you are still strongly advised not to attend these places of worship. Please stay back at home.”

    Sanwo-Olu advised religious leaders to consider holding services in open spaces and well-ventilated areas “as circumstances of faith and tradition permit”.

    “We should still ensure that no face masks policy are maintained throughout the duration of the services. They should ensure that regular cleaning and disinfection of the facilities are carried out to maintain a clean and hygiene environment before, during and after the services.

    “It is mandatory to provide handwashing facilities and hand sanitisers at the various worship places. Handshakes, hugs, high-fives are not permitted during gatherings and should be emphasised and displayed at the various places of worship,” he added.

    Source: mynigeria.com

  • Lagos schoolchildren to get radios for homeschooling

    The state government for Lagos in Nigeria is planning to distribute 10,000 radio sets to pupils for homeschooling.

    The state education commissioner Folasade Adefisayo said the state would partner with telecommunication firms to provide free data to schools for online teaching.

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the re-opening of schools for final year students in primary and secondary students to enable them prepare for crucial examinations.

    The rest of the learners will continue staying home.

    Lagos state had announced plans to start an education radio station to ensure students do not miss out on learning during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

    Ms Adefisayo said the state government would support learning from home.

    Lagos governor’s wife Joke Sanwo-Olu on Monday tweeted that she had received a donation of radios:

    Source:bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Lagos to begin trials for anti-malarial drug

    The Nigerian authorities say trials are due to begin to see whether an anti-malarial drug is effective against the Coronavirus.

    The Commissioner for Health in Lagos state said healthcare workers as well as people in close contact with someone with the virus would be either given chloroquine or a placebo.

    A second trial is to be launched in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO).

    Officials say results should be known within two months.

    US President Donald Trump caused controversy earlier this week when he told reporters he had been taking another anti-malarial drug – hydroxychloroquine – despite warnings it might be unsafe.

    While the trials are taking place in a controlled clinical environment, the WHO has warned that some individuals are self-medicating and risk causing themselves serious harm.

    Chloroquine has not yet been shown to be safe and effective in the prevention or treatment of coronavirus and can cause dangerous heart arrhythmias.

    Lagos Health Commissioner Prof Akin Abayomi also said the government was trying to transition to home-based isolation, admitting that some patients who tested positive for the virus were absconding and reluctant to be admitted to isolation units.

    Source: bbc.com

  • I did not test positive for coronavirus Lagos health commissioner

    Lagos State Health Commissioner, Prof Akin Abayomi, says he is not infected with coronavirus.

    The commissioner had earlier on Thursday announced that 10 persons associated with the Lagos State Government House, Marina, tested positive for the virus.

    But he stated on Friday via Twitter that he did not test positive for the disease while urging the public to disregard false reports claiming otherwise.

    “I hereby implore the general public to disregard the fake and misleading news circulating in the media to the effect that I have tested positive for COVID-19 infection. It is evident that the fake news is calculated at causing panic and unnecessary anxiety amongst the populace,” Abayomi wrote while urging Lagosians to remain vigilant and continue to play their role by wearing masks in public places, avoiding crowd as well as observing good hygiene and social distancing in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Thursday night announced three-digit cases in the state, the highest in a day for any state in Nigeria.

    The Centre said 183 new infections were reported in Lagos, bringing the total cases to 1491 including 406 recoveries and 33 fatalities.

    Source: punchng.com

  • Nigeria coronavirus: Cases reach 782, Buhari wants prisons decongested

    117 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported by close of day April 21 according to NCDC tallies. Of the figure, 59 in Lagos, 29 in FCT and 14 in Kano.

    6 in Borno, 4 in Katsina, 3 in Ogun and one each in Rivers and Bauchi States. “As at 11:25 pm 21st April there are 782 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria,” NCDC said in a tweet. Discharged tally stood at 197 with 25 deaths.

    President Buhari has meanwhile written to the chief justice asking that certain categories of cases be expedited to allow for decongestion of prisons in the light of the danger congestion presents amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The presidency on Tuesday issued a statement that quoted the president as saying: “From available records, the inmates population at various custodial centres across the country presently stands at about 74,127 out of which 52,226 are Awaiting Trial Persons (ATPs).

    “Most of these custodial centres are presently housing inmates beyond their capacities and the overcrowded facilities pose a potent threat to the health of the inmates and the public in general in view of the present circumstances, hence the need for urgent steps to bring the situation under control.

    “It has become imperative for Your Lordship to request State Chief Judges to embark on immediate visit to all custodial/correctional centres within their respective States to identify and release deserving inmates where that has not been done already.”

    He also suggested to the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria to “at this stage, consider taking immediate steps as appropriate to ensure the setting up or designation of Special Courts in all States, including the FCT, to try cases of armed robbery, banditry, kidnapping and other serious offences, in order to facilitate speedy trials.”

    “There is the need to ensure that the Chief Judges of States and FCT High Courts direct lower courts to comply with requirements of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act/Law in issuing remand warrants in criminal cases especially in cases which are not within their jurisdiction.”

    Source: africanews.com

  • Police shoot man protesting against property take over in Lagos

    A man was shot by police on Monday in Isheri Oke, Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

    Seun, who is a son of the head of the market (Iya Loja) in the area, was shot in his left hand while he was protesting the takeover of the community by one Prince Michael.

    The incident occurred at about 1pm, while youths in the area attempted to prevent police officers and a court sheriff from placing an order allegedly from a Lagos High Court.

    The court sheriff yesterday placed a public notice in the area, notifying residents of the area that possession of the land in Isheri Oke and environs, near Olowora, had been taken.

    The notification which was sequel to a judgment in suit No ID/1352/2001, between Prince Micheal Adesegun Bakare and two others, versus O. Asafa and eight others, was delivered by Justice Candide Johnson of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on May 3, 2016, Vanguard reports.

    The public notice which was placed in the area, dated February 17, 2020, reads:

    Public Notice to the general public is hereby notified that the land lying being and situated at the Isheri Oke and Environs near Olowora in the Kosofe Local government area of Lagos state which land is described and verged, Blue On Survey plan No BO/LA/DISP.02A/2011 dated 07/09/2011, drawn by Surv. B.O. Oyeleye tendered as exhibit in suit No ID/1352/2001, between Prince Micheal Adesegun Bakare and two others versus O. Asafa and eight others, by virtue of the judgment delivered by Justice Candide Johnson of the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Judicial Division dated 3rd of May, 2016 and the enrolment order granted for consequential relief of possession of all that parcel of land lying, situate and being at Isheri Oke and environs, near Olowora, in the Kosofe local government area of Lagos state, as shown in the above-mentioned survey plan.

    All persons who are on the land through unauthorized families or entities are hereby warned that their act and or continue stay on the land is illegal unlawful and malafide. Contact the undersigned within 14 days from the date of this notice.

    Possession taken today 17/ 02/2020, by order of court.

    Residents alleged that the police and the court sheriff came with some thugs, thereby prompting youths in the area to resist the move.

    An eye witness, Mrs Temitope Shittu, told the publication, “When the court Sheriff and policemen, with the thugs were trying to place the notice, youths in the area tried to stop them and in the process, they (youths) hauled stones and bottles at the Police.

    “Some shots were fired by the Police, a bullet hit Seun, who was rushed to Mayflower hospital. But he was rejected there. He was then taken to another hospital: Tomade hospital in Ojodu Berger where he is at the moment.”

    Eyewitnesses also said that the police fled the scene, abandoning, three of their vehicles.

    Source: lindaikejisblog.com

  • Schoolgirl shot as violence erupts in Lagos over ‘Okada Ban’

    A schoolgirl was hit by a stray bullet at Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, on Wednesday during a violent clash between a mob protesting the ban on ‘okada’ (commercial motorcyclists) in certain areas and security operatives of the Lagos State Task Force.

    The girl, who is yet to be identified, was promptly taken to Peak Health Hospital where she was stabilised before she was referred to the General Hospital, Orile Agege for treatment, a medical officer at the former told PREMIUM TIMES.

    The violence, which broke out on Wednesday morning, was as a result of a restriction placed on the operations of motorcycles and tricycles by the state government. Videos circulated on social media revealed how people were scampering for safety as the clash erupted.

    The protesters also shattered glasses of vehicles and lit bonfires on the highway, disrupting movement and business activities. Vehicles belonging to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were also burnt by the protesters.

    ‘No life lost’- Police

    The Lagos State police spokesperson, Bala Elkana, told PREMIUM TIMES that the victim of the stray bullet was hit at Aboru when a faceoff occurred between operatives of Lagos State Task Force and miscreants.

    Mr Elkana said the operatives of the task force and police officers carried out the enforcement exercise in the area and 86 motorcycles were impounded.

    “The riders of the impounded motorcycles and thugs in large number advanced to Iyana-Ipaja and attacked police officers on duty at Iyana Ipana roundabout, Alaguntan junction and Aboru junction,” he said.

    Mr Elkana said no life was lost in the attack, “but Salifu Umar, an Inspector of police was injured by the hoodlums.”

    He said one LASTMA vehicle and two Neighbourhood Watch patrol bicycles were burnt by the hoodlums.

    He said 34 suspects were arrested in connection with the violent attacks and will be charged to court.

    A similar violence occurred at Ijora area of the state on Monday when a mob protested the restriction. The police said 24 suspects were arrested during the said attack for blocking major roads in Ijora, “burning tyres, looting and stealing from unsuspecting road users and causing obstructions in the area.”

    Source: premiumtimesng.com