The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has appointed Mr. Oladele Oyewale as its spokesperson.

Acting Chairman of the commission, Abdulkarim Chukkol, approved the appointment of the multiple award-winning jurnalist as Head of Media and Publicity of the agency with immediate effect from Thursday, September 28, 2023.

Oyewale is taking over the role of the anti-graft agency from Wilson Uwujaren, who is now the acting Director of Public Affairs.

It would be recalled that Oyewale was appointed Spokesperson of the anti- graft agency in May 2020 by former Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu. He was, however, redeployed to Port Harcourt after the suspension of his former boss.

But the new management re- appointed him to the same position last week.

Oyewale, a versatile writer started his journalism career with the Independent Communications Network Limited (ICNL), publishers of The News, Tempo, PM News. He later joined Tell Magazine.

His meteoric rise in the profession can be traced to his discipline, hard work and dedication, the virtues that have set him apart from the crowd.

He won the Nigerian Media Merit Awards as the Industry Reporter of the Year 2002 and 2003, the Business Reporter of the Year 2003 and 2005, the Aviation Reporter of the Year 2004 and 2005 and the Banking and Finance Reporter of the Year, 2005 among several others.

Oyewale holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the Nigeria Institute of Journalism.

He also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Oyo State.

The new spokesperson was also at the London School of Management in 2011 for a programme on Public Relations Planning.

It was a lucky escape for three people on Sunday night after a 40ft container fell on a Toyota Corolla car in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos State.

According to reports, the incident happened around 8pm.

It was gathered that the container-laden truck was ascending the bridge when it tripped, fell off and crashed on the vehicle with the number plate JJJ-811-FV.

The Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, in a statement, said the trapped victims include two male adults and a female.

The statement read in part, “The rescue alert which was triggered at 20:45 hours Sunday had the Sari Iganmu Rescue Crew of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service among other State Emergency Responders, including sympathizers rescued alive two male adult and a female adult who are occupants of the car while trailer driver with assistant escaped.”

“The three victims are being attended to at the Lagos State Accident and Trauma Center after being administered first aid on the spot of the accident,” the statement added.

The Lagos State Government has asked owners of shanties along the Blue Rail line to leave.

This directive came from the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs Kunle Adeshina said,

“Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab in furtherance of the directives of Mr Governor on Sunday supervised the removal of shanties on the setbacks and rights of way of Lagos Blue Rail line corridor from Orile to Iyana Iba urging those all those concerned to either move behind the road setback or relocate outright,” Adesina said in a Sunday statement.

He quoted the commissioner as saying this in Orile during an inspection of some of the infractions in the corridor.

“The Commissioner said the enforcement becomes imperative following the expiration of the one-month notice given by Mr Governor to all street traders, squatters, and occupiers of shanties and abandoned vehicles presently on the stretch of Lagos – Badagry Expressway from Orile up to Iyana-Iba,” the statement added.

THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab in furtherance of the directives of Mr Governor on Sunday supervised the removal of shanties on the setbacks and rights of way of the Lagos Blue Rail line corridor from Orile to Iyana Iba urging all those concerned to either move behind the road setback or relocate outright.

The Commissioner who spoke alongside the chairman of the Special Intervention Team for the restoration of the Blue line Right of Way, ACP Bayo Sulaiman at Orile during an inspection of some of the infractions on the corridor said there is a need to ensure a complete restoration of the right of way.

He added that in addition to the Blue Line rail right of way which has been infringed, the Lagos Badagry Expressway is an international highway whose setback must be observed.

The Commissioner said the enforcement becomes imperative following the expiration of the one-month notice given by Mr Governor to all street traders, squatters, and occupiers of shanties and abandoned vehicles presently on the stretch of Lagos – Badagry Expressway from Orile up to Iyana-Iba.

Accompanied by Permanent Secretary Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji, and his counterpart in the Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Lekan Shodeinde and GM LASPARK, Toun Popoola, the Commissioner said he is moving around to ensure that the right-of-way is secured and illegal trading sites and settlements along the corridor are pulled down.

He particularly mentioned the illegal settlement at Agboju where squatters have built up shanties and have occupied government setbacks, saying Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) would move in after the squatters have been removed to commence work on the beautification and landscaping of the whole stretch.

He explained that the right of way for the Lagos Badagry Expressway stands between 90 to 120 meters, therefore any structure that falls between will not be allowed to stand.

He advised some recalcitrant occupiers of sheds and settlements under the bridge before Abule Oshun who are still staying put to move before the enforcement team moves in.

He urged all commercial vehicle operators on that corridor to maintain their designated Parks, saying henceforth any vehicle seen picking up or dropping passengers at undesignated bus stops along the road would be towed away and the owners prosecuted.

He emphasized that the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu intends to restore the greenery and beautify the Lagos-Badagry Expressway corridor as well as other parts of the state including Agege, Lagos Island, Ikeja, and other areas where illegal traders have encroached on the right-of-way.

In his words: “The Special Intervention Team, is cleaning up the Lagos Badagry to rid of all environmental nuisances and black spots. The exercise would be sustained to ensure that ejected squatters do not return to rebuild these shanties”.

He restated his warning to street traders in different parts of the state that no area encroached upon would be left out of the clean up urging traders at Afolabi Ege Market, Iyana Iba to relocate within 7 days as they are the causes of the man-made traffic bottlenecks along the axis.

Wahab warned residents against creating illegal dumpsites with particular reference to one noticed at the Eric Moore end of Surulere, saying that the government is determined to find a lasting solution to illegal dumpsites and gave a directive of evacuation of the black spot within 24 hours to the State Waste Management Authority.

The General Manager of Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency LASPARK, Mrs. Adetoun Popoola, and other directors from the ministry were also part of the inspection exercise.

Signed
Kunle Adeshina
Director Public Affairs
MOE &WR