Airport Car Hire Driver returns $24,000 forgotten in his car by a passenger

One of the drivers of Airport Car Hire Association of Nigeria (ACHAN), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Mr. Adeniyi Olayinka has returned a sum of N888, 000 and an international passport forgotten by a passenger in his car to the owner.

Olayinka told journalists at the airport that he discovered the items in an envelope left behind by the passenger on the back seat of the car shortly after he returned to the airport from Ibese Ikorodu, destination of the passenger.

The driver who doesn’t have a car of his own, but works as commissioned driver to another member of the association, said it never crossed his mind to covert another person’s belonging to his, because it would put another family in sorrow and it is against the orientation given to every member of ACHAN in the airport.

 “Though it could be tempting to some people to see such money and pocket it,  especially when their income is very poor. As for me, it never crossed my mind to do so. Because it would create sorrow in another family and also such idea is against the orientation we are
given at ACHAN by our leaders,” he said.

Explaining how he found the money and the passport, Adeniyi who has been operating in the airport for fifteen years said: “At about 1:30 am on Monday  I met  this passenger on arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. I negotiated with him and we agreed on N6000 to transport him to his destination at Ikorodu. I returned to the airport immediately I dropped him at his house. But no sooner I arrived and parked my car at the airport I discovered that an enveloped had been left behind on the back seat of my car. I picked
the envelope and opened it. What I saw was his international passport.
I looked further into the envelope and discovered there was another
white envelope inside. I opened the second envelope only to discover that something was wrapped in it. When I removed the wrapper I discovered it contained mint fresh notes of US currency. They were in $100 denomination. I counted and they were 24 in number totaling $2,400.  When converted at prevailing rate of N370 as at Monday morning, it amounted to N888, 000. Based on the orientation and instructions we received from the leadership of ACHAN on weekly basis, I reported the findings to the officer on duty at the arrival car park of the airport. I was instructed to drop the parcel and its contents at our secretariat at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Since I didn’t have the passenger’s phone contact, I had to go to his the place where I dropped him to inform him or his family member of the discovery. But by the time I got to the passenger’s home at Ibese - Ikorodu, I was told he had returned to the airport to look for the lost parcel. As I was leaving the house in Ikorodu, I got the call from our secretariat that the passenger was already in the airport to
report the loss”.

Speaking on the recovery, the passenger, Engr. Dele Ayeni who said he was a living testimony to the advantages of taking cabs from registered point at airports, believed "there is hope for Nigeria in many ways."

" I arrived Lagos, Nigeria from Cairo on July 29, 2019 at about 1:30 am on Monday. My intention when I arrived was to call an Uber operator to
pick me home as soon as step out of the terminal building. But as I was coming out of the terminal, I met this polite driver who agreed to
take me to my destination at Ikorodu at an agreed price of N6000. While on the way, I decided to drop my jacket on the floor  of the car to avoid been notice  as a very important man sitting in the rear seat of the car.  Immediately we got to my house in Ikorodu; I removed my jacket from where I had kept it and also my luggage, without noticing that the envelope in the jacket had dropped on the back seat of the car. Unfortunate enough, I didn’t open my luggage to bring out what I had for my family members until after I woke up in the noon. That was when I discovered that the envelope was missing in my jacket. I exclaimed. I said all my suffering during the trip has resulted to total loss. My wife began to calm me down. She advised that we should look around  the compound to see if it dropped in the compound, but I said no that if it had dropped in the compound I would had seen it as I was bringing in my luggage. I insisted that it didn’t drop in the premises but in the cab. My wife then asked me of where I took the cab; I told her it was in the airport and she advised that I should go to the airport to inquire if it has been found. I told her I didn’t know the name of the driver or the vehicle number.  However, with her encouragement I came to the airport and went to the car park where I boarded the cab. Immediately I approached and complained to one of the drivers, who happened to be the duty officer for that shift. He asked me for my name and I told him. The next thing I noticed on his face was a broad smile; he then told me that the envelope was found in the car and has been deposited at their secretariat. And that the driver who took me home, had gone to my house again to inform me of the discovery. This is a living testimony that Nigeria has hope. We are
not all bad people. I have started campaigning to people via social media to always patronize airport registered cabs. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. The registered airport cab may charge higher than Uber or Kabukabu but you are sure that if you forget anything in the airport cab, you would surely see it again.  I want to thank ACHAN for having this type of arrangement in Nigerian airports.
It is wonderful."

Speaking while handling the items recovered in the car to the owner, the Chairman ACHAN MMIA, Lagos Elder Olubi Ojo said Engr. Ayeni’s case was just one of the many cases the association handles on regular
basis.

Elder Ojo who recalled that one of his members once returned $15,000 left by a passenger in his car, urged Nigerian passengers to place the
safety and security of their lives and properties above any  amount they may be charged by the registered airport cab operators because
the benefits far outweighs the money paid.

“This is a regular occurrence in this airport, passengers forget many things such as passports, money and other personal belongings in our cabs, but they are very sure of finding them if truly the items are left in any of our cabs. We give regular orientation on why they should return to the secretariat any item found to have been left behind by passengers in their vehicles,” Elder Ojo said.

 L-R: Chairman ACHAN MMIA, Elder Olubi Ojo, the ACHAN driver who discovered and returning the money , Mr. Adeniyi Olatinka  ACHAN
officer on Duty Mr. Soele and the passenger Engr. Dele Ayeni   at the ACHAN secretariat  where he took possession of  the money left in the airport cab on Monday.

FG BAN ACTIVITIES OF SHI'ITES NATIONWIDE

The federal government has officially proscribed the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) led by Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, anounced this at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

 
A federal high court in Abuja had declared the group a terrorist organisation, following an ex parte application filed by the federal government.

The 43-man ministerial list submitted to the Senate on Tuesday by the Pesident  Buhari and confirmed by Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, includes known names like Rotimi Amaechi, Babatunde Fashola, Hadi Sirika, Zainab Ahmed, among others.

The list in no particular order below are:

  

1. Chris Ngige
2. Hadi Sirika
3. Rotimi Amaechi
4. Festus Keyamo
5. Uche Ogah
6. Emeka Nwajuiba
7. Sadiya Farouk
8. Musa Bello
9. Babatunde Fashola
10. Godswill Akpabio
11. Sharon Ikeazor
12. Ogbonnaya Onu
13. Akpa Udo
14. Adebayo (Ekiti)
15. Timipre Sylva
16. Adamu Adamu
17. Lai Mohammed
18. Shewuye (Borno)
19. Isa Pantami
20. Gbemi Saraki
21. Ramatu Tijani
22. Clement Abam
23. George Akume
24. Sunday Dare
25. Geofrey Onyeama
26. Tayo Alasaodura
27. Olorunminbe Mamora
28. Mohammed Abdullahi
29. Adamu Adamu
30. Maryam Katagun
31. Zainab Ahmed
32. Sabo Nano
33. Zubair Dada
34. Paullen Tallen
35. Abubakar Aliyu
36. Sale Mamman
37. Abubakar Malami
38. Muhammed Mamood
39. Mohammed Adamu
40. Rauf Aregbesola
41. Mustapha Buba Jedi Agba
42. Olamilekan Adegbite
43. Mohammed Dangyadi

Senate president after releasing the list said that the screening of the ministerial nominees would start tomorrow (Wednesday).

Oba calls for a redraw of Nigeria's Security Architecture for better result

By. B'okuote Oguntoye

The Towulade Akinale, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, has called for a strong synergy among the various security outfits in Nigeria to suppress the incessant killings of innocent Nigerians by armed bandits.

Speaking while receiving the new Divisional Officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp in Ewekoro local government, Mr. Theophilus Omirin in his palace at Akinale weekend. Oba Ogunleye regretted that the competitive ego of the individual security outfit among the multifarious operatives, has contributed to their ineffectiveness in protecting the citizenry.

The traditional ruler cautioned against trivializing the criminality of the incessant killings by engaging in polemics over whether the culprits were bandits or herdsmen as being flaunted by the Police over the brutal murder of a prominent woman in Ondo state.

"There is need for Nigeria to redraw our security architecture and make all security outfits operate as if we are in a state of emergency so that all of them, the Police, Army, Navy, Air force, Civil Defence and other state security apparatus, to be deployed to all cronies of the country for vigil", Oba Ogunleye insisted.

He commended the Civil Defence Corp in the Ewekoro local government for their quick response to nib in the bud any surfacing security challenge in the area.

The Divisional Officer expressed appreciation to the traditional ruler for cooperation and support for security outfits, particularly the Civil Defence, accommodated in Akinale. Mr. Omirin pleaded with the traditional ruler for  further assistance on various infrastructure that could enhance their performance in the zone.

Ooni of Ife, Soyinka counsels Nigerians to defend their ancestral land against intruders

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, have called on Nigerians across state demarcations to defend the sanctity of their ancestral lands against usage for Ruga cattle settlements.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued on Sunday to document highlights of last Thursday’s meeting between the monarch and Soyinka at the latter’s home in Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The meeting focused on the state of the nation.

Oba Ogunwusi and Soyinka made the call just as the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum raised the alarm that the Federal Government was plotting to repeal the Land Use Act, which conferred the power to control lands in states on governors.

The Ooni of Ife and the Nobel laureate, in the communiqué on Sunday, said their call on Nigerians to defend themselves became necessary as the Coalition of Northern Groups gave a 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to implement the Ruga project for Fulani herders despite its suspension after a public outcry against it.

The communiqué stated, “In this regard, the recent ultimatum delivered by a sectarian order to the President of this nation to set up the so-called Ruga cattle settlements across the entire nation within a stipulated time, despite the national outcry, should be acknowledged as an entitlement under the bounty of freedom of expression.

“In return, we exercise ours, and call upon Nigerian nationals across state demarcations to defend the sanctity of their ancestral lands. This birthright has never been annulled, not even under colonial occupation.”

The Ooni and Soyinka, who is the Akogun of Isara and Akinlatun of Egba, noted in the communique that the colonial contraption known as Nigeria could not survive another upheaval in the nature of the civil war of the Biafran secession.

They advised that all efforts must, therefore, be made to anticipate and douse socio-political flare-ups advancing the chances of a recurrence of such a conflict, no matter how reduced in scale, its devastating effects on the Nigerian humanity.

The traditional ruler and the Nobel laureate added, “Among such issues of urgent import are the ongoing insurrectional movements that derive from religious fanaticism and intolerance, exemplified by Boko Haram and allied tendencies, as well as aspects of commercial enterprise, in which some groups consider themselves especially privileged, singular, and above the laws and entitlements that are binding on other sectors of commercial and industrial undertaking. We have in mind destructive forms of social transactions that characterise groups such as nomadic cattle herdsmen, and their umbrella groupings in the nature of Myetti Allah.

“We confess ourselves increasingly distressed and appalled, that the hitherto harmonious cohabitation, even routine collaboration, among the productive arms of society that Nigerians have taken for granted even from pre-colonial times, have deteriorated to unprecedented levels of barbarity, contempt for human lives and a defiant trampling on the civic entitlements of other productive sectors such as farmers, the providers of both food and cash crops. This abhorrent, yet consistent pattern of sectarian, and homicidal arrogance is obviously not merely counter-productive but inhuman, criminal and divisive.”

Besides, they re-affirmed their commitment to the rights of every individual, community, collectivity of human beings as primary and pre-eminent above other parameters of human development or formal associations.

They further called on Nigerians to recognise that the internal colonisation project was ever recurrent and that there were backward, primitive, undeveloped minds that failed, and continued to fail to overcome delusions in the antiquated belief in sectarian domination as the key to social existence.

They charged the Nigerian people, both at state and community levels, to convoke a series of frank encounters, across various interests and concerns to debate and determine in full freedom the future structure of the nation.

Both of them said, “We consider it a primary imperative of nation existence that the constitutive parts of the nation take steps to preserve and enhance their distinct cultural identities, including tested and relevant pre-colonial values, their spiritual apprehension of phenomena and worship, all without detriment to the principles and ideals of mutual co-existence.

“To this end, we undertake to create state-of-the-art ethnic museums for our people both at home and in the Diaspora, where present and future generations can access their histories and cultures vividly, as living expressions of their very humanity, not simply as relics of eras vanished for ever or irrelevant to the present.”

FG planning to repeal Land Use Act, SMBLF raises alarm

However, the SMBLF said there was a surreptitious plan by the Federal Government to repeal the Land Use Act and take over the control of lands from state governors.

This, it said, was to enable the government to subsequently implement the suspended Ruga project.

The forum said it gathered that the Federal Government suspended the Ruga settlement programme due to the Act which restricted its access to land, adding that the government might move to repeal the law in order to facilitate the implementation of the Ruga grazing scheme.

The SMBLF, therefore, cautioned the southern lawmakers in the National Assembly to be vigilant and to guard against the introduction of any bill intended to repeal or amend the Land Use Act.

The forum said this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday by its co-spokespersons, Yinka Odumakin (South-West), Prof. Chigozie Ogbu (South-East), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-South), Dr Isuwa Dogo (Middle-Belt).

The group stated that it was not any way impressed by the suspension of the Ruga settlement project, which it declared as an expansionist agenda on behalf of the Fulani nomads.

The statement partly read, “It is being alleged that there will be moves to repeal the Land Use Act in the (Ruga) suspension period so the Federal Government can have authority over land which is currently under the states.

“We therefore call on all our members in the National Assembly to be vigilant about any surreptitious bill that may be introduced to tamper with control of land and thwart such without any waste of time. The 2014 National Conference debated this issue at length and resolved to retain the Land Use Act in the constitution.”

The forum further warned the lawmakers against passing the ‘Bill to establish a Regulatory Framework for the Water Resources Sector in Nigeria,’ sponsored by the executive, noting that it was meant to give the Federal Government the sole authority and control over the nation’s rivers and underground water.

The group added, “When this obnoxious Water Bill is taken alongside the Ruga programme and the speculated assault on Land Use Act, the internal colonialism agenda is complete.

“It is pertinent to ask why the Federal Government is not going ahead with Ruga in some northern states that have accepted the policy if the whole idea was not about land-grabbing in the South and Middle Belt states.”

The political pressure group stated that the Federal Government’s support for local government autonomy was hinged on the Ruga scheme to allow aliens to take over allotted land under the programme.

It vowed not to relax its opposition to the project, stressing that only outright cancellation of the initiative was acceptable to the forum.

“The whole policy has equally opened our eyes to the reason why the President has been harping on local government autonomy now and then,” the group stressed.

Be vigilant, CAN advises southerners

On its part, the Christian Association of Nigeria in southern Nigeria warned the people of the area to remain vigilant, adding that the Ruga project was not over.

In a statement on Sunday, the Secretary of CAN in the 17 southern states, Dr Joseph Ajujungwa, said despite its suspension, government was still working on the project.

Southern CAN called on every southerner “to be watchful,” stressing that “even as we pray, we don’t need to keep quiet.”

The statement partly read, “We do not have any land to give to anybody as a grazing field or a colony and we call on the South-East governors to maintain their stand that they do not have such a place. Do you know what it means to give 10 hectares of land to herdsmen? We say no to that.”

“As CAN, we will preach it from our pulpits, every Imam should peach from the mosque and the traditionalists should stand against it. Nobody should relent. No land should be given. Any traditional ruler that does that should be dethroned.

“In the North, they have largest hectares of land. Very vast land that nobody is occupying. Why are they not building the ranches or Ruga there? They can come here, take grass and go, and we buy cows in exchange, just like the governors said.”

‘Ruga not dead’

Also, the Akwa Ibom State chapter of CAN said the suspension of the Ruga project by the Federal Government was not a guarantee that the programme had been cancelled.

It said the overwhelming rejection that greeted the policy across the country was enough reason for government to completely cancel it and not to announce its suspension.

The state chairman of the association, Rev. Dr Ndueso Ekwere, in a statement on Sunday, said the Federal Government could revisit the programme.

According to the statement, Ekwere stated this when he led other members of the association on a visit to the OkuIbom Ibiobio, Solomon Etuk.

Ekwere said, “The recent suspension of Ruga settlements by President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is not a guarantee that Ruga is dead or is done away with. The policy can still be resurrected with a full force anytime.

“We are, therefore, calling on the OkuIbom and his council to lend voices to the aspiration of Christians in the state and other parts of Nigeria to persuade the Presidency to withdraw Ruga permanently.’”

He said farmers in Akwa Ibom State would not surrender any part of their lands for Ruga.

He also called on the OkuIbom to advise traditional rulers and their subjects in the state to stop selling lands to strangers in their communities.

Coalition’s ultimatum to govs senseless – IYC

Meanwhile, the President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Eric Omare, said the ultimatum issued by the northern coalition was senseless.

Omare said, “With respect to the ultimatum given to the governors, I think it is a senseless ultimatum. In the first place, they are a faceless group that has not demonstrated any capacity to do anything.

“They (northern coalition) should be completely disregarded. The ultimatum is a voice from an inconsequential element.”

On the assurance given by the group that it would resolve the crisis between the herdsmen and farmers, the IYC president said, “A problem that cannot be resolved by the Federal Government cannot be resolved by an inconsequential group from the remote part of the North.”

However, the Coalition of Niger Delta militants called on southerners in the northern part of the country to consider returning home or be ready to defend themselves.

The coalition of militant groups in the Niger Delta in a statement on Sunday described the threat by the northern group as ill-advised.

It said, “We are earnestly waiting for the northern youths to start the fight and see what would happen. Any killing would be responded to. We are not afraid of your threat.

“Our land is not for Fulani herdsmen. We therefore advise all the southerners in the North to return home or be ready to defend themselves. We also advise all northerners in the South to either leave or be ready for any eventuality.”

The statement was signed by General John Duku, the Leader of the Niger Delta Watchdog and Convener of the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators and 12 others.

Threat, not a solution to Ruga crisis, says ACF secretary

But the Secretary-General of the pan-northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, Mr Anthony Sani, said the threat was not the solution to the crisis over the Ruga settlements programme.

Sani, added that the suspension of the Ruga programme was not the solution to the crisis.

The ACF secretary appealed to the northern youths to withdraw their ultimatum. He also berated those that were opposed to the programme on the grounds that it was entirely a private enterprise.

Sani said, “They (those opposed to Ruga) should not feign ignorance of government’s involvement in many private ventures like former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Almajiri’s schools which the administration had hoped would solve the problems of banditry as well as herdsmen and farmers’ clashes.

“We know governments have been involved in the establishment of river basins and dams in support of private agricultural ventures. Government has subsidised tractors and fertilisers.

“While I can understand the basis of the group’s’ anger that those who oppose open grazing by nomads are the ones that are opposed to government’s involvement in establishment of ranches, I do not think the ultimatum is the solution to the crisis. Therefore, I appeal to the youths to withdraw their ultimatum in favour of due process of overcoming such challenges.”

Abiodun urged to compensate victims of herdsmen’s incursion

Meanwhile, in Ogun State, a social development advocate, Gbenga Akinwande, has urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to begin the process of compensation of farmers who lost their crops to the incursion of herdsmen in the Ogun West Senatorial District.

Akinwande also appealed to Abiodun to establish farmers’ resuscitating fund as a way of compensating farmers who lost their farm produce to herdsmen.

Akinwade, who made the call in an interview with journalists in Abeokuta on Sunday, claimed that farmers in Yewaland were mostly affected by the activities of the herdsmen, hence the need for the government to establish the fund.

Source:Punch