Metro
Jilted Man Jumps into Lagoon, Rescued
Barely 12 days after a 21-year-old man, Toju Davies Daibo, allegedly plunged into the Lagos lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge, another passenger, Princewell David, jumped into the lagoon on Thursday after his girlfriend reportedly dumped him.
It was gathered that David, a resident of Tajudeen Balogun Street, Igando, Lagos, had ordered a Uber ride hailing cab from his residence to the Lekki area of the state.
PUNCH Metro learnt that on getting to the Third Mainland Bridge around 12am on Thursday, David asked the driver to stop to allow him to urinate.
Our correspondent gathered that the driver, who had learnt about the same tactics allegedly used by Toju, drove to where some policemen of the Rapid Response Squad were stationed on the bridge to alert them, but before he could inform the policemen, David had come out of the Volkswagen Jetta car and jumped into the lagoon.
It was gathered that the 28-year-old, who landed on some floating logs of wood underneath the bridge, was later rescued by the RRS personnel, the Marine Police Unit and some local divers.
The driver of the cab was quoted to have said on the RRS Facebook page that David asked him to drive through the Third Mainland Bridge.
He said, “I conveyed him from Igando and he insisted that I should pass through the Third Mainland Bridge and on getting to the bridge, he asked me whether that was the Third Mainland Bridge and I answered in the affirmative.
“He told me that he was pressed and that I should wait for him to urinate. I was curious. At that point, he was already forcing me to stop the car.
“I pretentiously drove him to the point where the Rapid Response Squad personnel were standing inward Lagos and I told him that I was no longer interested in the trip before I approached the police officers, leaving him inside the car.”
The RRS Commander, Olatunji Disu, told our correspondent that an Access Bank Automated Teller Machine card and the sum of N700 were recovered from David’s pocket, adding that the man was handed over to personnel at the Adekunle Police Station.
Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said David sustained some injuries and was rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
He stated, “We have a report of a man, who jumped into the lagoon. He ordered an Uber vehicle and on getting to the Third Mainland Bridge, he told the driver that he wanted to urinate, but the driver, who remembered what happened recently, did not stop for him.
“He kept on mounting pressure on the driver, but the driver managed to drive to where our men were stationed to explain to them, but before he could do that, the passenger had jumped into the lagoon, but he was rescued by our marine police and local divers.
“David said he jumped into the lagoon because his girlfriend said she was no longer interested in the relationship.”
This incident came 12 days after Toju, a resident of Sosanya Street, Soluyi, in the Gbagada area of Lagos, allegedly jumped into the lagoon after alighting from an Uber cab on February 15, 2020.
On getting to the Third Mainland Bridge around 11am, he was alleged to have pretended that he had stomach upset and begged the driver to stop so that he could relieve himself.
In a jiffy, he reportedly climbed the pavement of the bridge and jumped into the water.
The state emergency management workers, the marine police and local divers have yet to find the man, while the cab driver, Idowu Badmos, was taken to the Adekunle Police Station along with his car.
The Punch
Metro
Ikorodu Security: CP Tijani Launches ‘Command Sweepers Squad’, Deploys Three LSSTF Refurbished APCs
In swift response to the recent security concerns emerging out of Ikorodu and its environs over the nefarious activities of some criminal elements that are tormenting places such as Ijede, Ginti, among others, the Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani personally led a major show of Force across different part of Ikorodu to assert the dominance of the Police and other security agencies to thwart any crimes in the areas. This show of Force was also accompanied by the Inauguration of a special tactical security outfit codenamed ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad,’ which is a temporary intervention security outfit created to address the growing incidents of crimes and criminality within Ikorodu and adjoining areas, comprising of Command Tactical Teams, RRS, Lagos Taskforce, Eko Strike Force, 2 PMF, 22 PMF, and 63 PMF of the Lagos Police Command, alongside personnel from other sister security agencies and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), all working collaboratively to combat and stamped out criminality within Ikorodu and its environs. The Squad has been strategically deployed to identify black spots and criminal hideouts to carry out intelligence-led operations, raids, stop-and-search duties, and confidence-building patrols aimed at flushing out criminal elements and ensuring the safety of lives and property.
Top among the security equipment deployed for the show of force and the temporary Inaugurated ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad’ are the three (3) newly refurbished Armoured Personnel Carriers which were just handed over to the Lagos State Police Command by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF as well as Patrol vehicles.
While Inaugurating the ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad’, the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani assured residents that the operation will be conducted professionally and in line with the rule of law, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant. He warned all criminally minded persons in Ikorodu and its environs to immediately pack their bags because his Command will not hesitate to decisively deal with them. Noting that the Command wasn’t resting on its oars, he revealed that the Squad will continue to patrol all nooks and corners in its bid to flush out all crimes and vices from the area.
Tijani assured law-abiding residents to continue supporting the Command with timely and credible information, through any of the emergency lines: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870, and 09168630929.
He noted that this valuable information will enable the Police to effectively tackle crime and restore public confidence within the area. He also thanked the Executive Secretary/CEO of LSSTF, Dr Ayo Ogunsan for the logistics support including the 3 APCs which have enjoyed immediate deployment.
The Squad is strategically situated in Ijede to ensure swift deployment and easy access to all parts of Ikorodu and adjoining communities for effective crime prevention and rapid response operations.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside the judgment that voided the timelines it issued for the 2027 general elections.
The Commission also applied for the stay of execution of the judgment, pending the determination of its appeal.
In the notice of appeal dated May 25, which INEC filed through its team of lawyers led by Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, the Commission nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.
Aside from its contention that the high court erred in law when it failed to determine a jurisdictional issue it raised, INEC maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.
It argued that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant.
More so, INEC insisted that the high court erred in law when it held that: “It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.
“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.
“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
INEC argued that the verdict of the trial court was against the weight of evidence placed before it by the parties.
Consequently, it prayed the appellate court for an order allowing the appeal and setting aside the judgment
The electoral body further urged the Court of Appeal to strike out YP’s case on the ground that it lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute and maintain the action it said was merely academic.
Suspected bandits have reportedly invaded the Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, early this morning, setting the Emir’s palace ablaze and abducting several residents, including women and children.
It was gathered that the attack occurred late at night when the heavily armed assailants stormed the community, firing sporadically.
According to sources in the area, the gunmen attacked the palace during the invasion, setting parts of the royal residence on fire before whisking away multiple victims.
Residents said the attackers operated for hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community.
Another local source described the incident as terrifying, noting that villagers were caught unaware as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
Sources say Security forces have launched immediate rescue operations to free victims of the Yashikira abduction, which occurred on Sunday night.
Military and police operatives have established a cordon in the area as part of the efforts to rescue about 10 persons who were reportedly taken from the community in an overnight attack on the palace of the Emir of Yashikira.
The police are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The development comes after bandits on Saturday night invaded a prayer ground at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, on the outskirts of Ikiran village in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing three worshippers and abducting 15 others during a vigil.
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