The police in Nigeria has destroyed a large expanse of Indian hemp farms at Agbongbon village in Irewole local government area of Osun State and arrested four suspects.
The Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Mr Fimihan Adeoye, said the operation was aimed at cutting the supply of Indian hemp as a way of preventing youths from smoking the weeds and curtail crime from the root.
 

 
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state, Aminu Koji, led the operation in which the Indian hemp planted in the farms were destroyed with herbicides while the dried one that was ready for the market was burnt.
The Commissioner of Police said: “We have declared a total war against Indian hemp cultivation and supply in Osun State. This is necessary to prevent youths from getting the weeds to smoke and this strategy was designed to nip the crime in the bud”.
The state police boss said four suspects including Osasa Ansah, Saliu Koku, Musliu Ibrahim and Salimu Koku were arrested in connection with the farms and that they would face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others.
“Most criminals get energised when they take cannabis and that is why we are trying to cut the supply of India hemp to Osun and other neighbouring states so that they won’t get Indian hemp to smoke. This would surely reduce the crime rate and our youths would be normal and behave well.
“Those planting the Indian hemp are trying to make money at the expense of other people and destroying the lives of many youths. They are also affecting the economy negatively because they don’t allow the economy trees to stay in the areas where the weeds are planted,” he said.
The Police Commissioner commended the state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, for assisting the police in the state to be able to fight crime and provide security for the people of the state.

The National Environmental Standard and Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NESREA) says two iron and steel companies operating in Osun State have failed to comply substantially with environmental rules and regulations.
The Zonal Director of the Agency, Mr Adeleke Ajani, indicted the two companies on Tuesday, while addressing the Osun State House of Assembly, following complaints of environmental pollution levelled against the company by some residents of Ife North and Ifelodun Local Government Areas of the state.
 

 
 
Mr Adeleke, who revealed that his Agency had on several occasions written letters of concern to the companies over the harmful effects their operation is having on the environment and the people, said the steel companies had also failed in fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities.
“We are not satisfied with the operations of the two iron and steel companies at Ikirun and Ife. We have written not less than 15 letter of concern to both companies, stating our displeasure with their operations,” he told the lawmakers.
He said no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was carried out before the establishment of the factories, an action which according to him violates the law.
“The companies were established at their present locations without any Environmental Impact Assessment, which is why they were not issued Environmental Impact Statement.
“NESREA as a regulatory body, is an anti-graft agency and everything we do, we have to take cognisance of the fact that every enforcement action will end in court and so we make sure that we give enough concern letters to the affected establishment,” he explained.
While reacting to the claims of the NESREA’s boss and the complaints of the host communities, the personnel managers of the Ife Steel and Iron Company, Oluwanisola Adeleke, maintained that the emissions coming out of the factory was within the permissible limit.
“We have the best emission control technology in Nigeria. So, I was surprised to see Channels TV crew three weeks ago, about the complaints of the people of the area.
“The technology we have in our facility today is capturing above 85% emission and the world standard is just around 70 to 75%”
They explained that they were mindful of the welfare of the people living in the areas and the environment, claims, which members of the House described as complete lies moulded to mislead the public.
At the end of the plenary, the Speaker of the House, Honourable Najeem Salaam, stated that the state might truly be looking for investors to boost its Internally Generated Revenue, but not at the expense of its citizens.
“In as much as we want industrialists to come to Osun and build industries, we value the lives and well-being of people and under no circumstances will we trade the lives of our people for industrial gains.
“We will deliberate on it and pass our resolution soon,” ‎Honourable Salaam added.

Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Friday said the death of the elder statesman and chieftain of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Olaniwun Ajayi.
In a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola said the late frontline politician believed and worked for the progress of the Yoruba race and the country as a whole.
 

 
 
The governor, who described the deceased politician as a giant and one of the surviving disciples of the Awolowo School of thought.
He said like the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Ajayi advocated for true federalism and resource control as panacea for the political imbalances in the country.
Aregbesola said the late politician was one of the best the country has produced as he never wavered in his political philosophy until his demise.
The statement read in part: “He was a politician of high repute and immense clout. His political horizon spread across the country and beyond. He was a giant in the battle for a better Nigeria.

“All his life, he defined his politics and pitted his tent early in life with the progressive school.
“Even after the demise of the late sage and when others abandoned the Awoist camp for other political philosophy, Pa Olaniwun Ajayi remained steadily on the Awo progressive track.
“He was, till he breathed his last, very consummate about the progress and development of Nigeria as well as that of the Yoruba race.
“To therefore describe him as a top-on-the-shelf politician and Awoist disciple of a first class hue is to aptly capture his essence as a politician.
“Nigeria as a whole and the Yoruba nation would surely miss his wealth of experience,”
Aregbesola also prayed for the repose of the late politician in the bosom of his Lord.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu on Thursday evening eulogized Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun for breathing life into the economy of the state through the promotion of science, technology and innovation.
The Minister said the state has contributed greatly towards enhancing and mobilizing the energies and potentials of the people for general advancement.
 

 
Dr. Onu stated this while addressing the people at the 14th conference of the National Council on Science and Technology, at Atlantis Civic Centre, Osogbo, Osun state.
Onu who described Governor Aregbesola as an unusual Governor, running unusual government, said his great interest in science and technology has placed the state above its counterparts.
Onu said the nation was aware that the state government of Osun led by Governor Aregbesola has succeeded in bringing innovation to governance as being reflected in the countless number of his policies and programmes.
He attributed his successes to the great interest he has in the well being and welfare of his people irrespective of socio-economic, political and religious affiliation.

Onu added, “I appreciate you on your irrevocable commitment to innovate the state through your consistent application of science, technology and innovation.
“I am not only appreciating you on giant strides recorded over the years as the Governor of this state, but most importantly, your undaunting determination in creating a knowledge based society for the citizenry.
“We are aware of your immense contributions to science and technology as we are consciously aware that your government brought science, technology and innovation into governance through the promotion of quality and functional education, infact, this is the right state in the right direction.
“Your administration’s determination to e-learning devices provided for public school students and home-grown feeding scheme have been a paradigm of innovation in governance as these laudable feats had encouraged millions of pupils to education.
“I can say this over and over again that Osun through Mr. Governor’s innovative ideologies has revived the lost glory, rot and decadence in education system of this country as his administration widely opened doors of the schools to all children without being influenced by any socioeconomic, political and religious tendency.

“He (Aregbesola) believes that every child is entitled as enshrined in our constitution to benefit from quality, functional and qualitative education just as his administrative philosophy is based on the need to ensure that every child is educated, knowledgeable, literate and westernised in order to contribute meaningfully to national growth and development.
“We know you, and we knew that within six years of your administration, Osun has reenergized both human and capital potentials in building an ideal society greatly conscious of science, technology and innovation.
The minister disclosed that Osun state social intervention programmes have taken priorities in the agenda of the Federal Government just as many of these intervention programmes have been implemented by President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.
“Your social intervention projects are now being implemented by Federal Government. This include; School feeding programmes, youth empowerment programmes, among others.
“So, when we talk of moving our nation from a resource based economy to a knowledge based economy, we can’t achieve this until we eliminate illiteracy, and this is what Governor Aregbesola has been doing in Osun as he has been banishing the scourge of illiteracy and mediocrity by promoting science and technology”, the Minister stressed.

He commended Governor Aregbesola for assigning science and technology to his Deputy, saying the move was a clear manifestation of the Governor’s appreciation of the importance of education, science and technology to nation building.
“Though Aregbesola is an Engineer but there are so many Engineers who cannot do what he has done. He has proven to the world that no country, state, local or society moves forward without being grounded in science and technology”, Onu buttressed.
Speaking on the theme of this year conference: “Role of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Diversification of the Economy”, the Minister said the theme was symbolic especially at this time of economic doldrums.
He said the economic challenges facing the nation requires urgent action to diversify the nation’s economy in a sustainable and competitive manner by deploying science and technology as an instrument for national rebirth.

The Visitor to the Osun State University and Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has approved the appointment of Prof Labode Popoola as the new Vice Chancellor of the University.
 

 
The appointment follows the recommendation by the Council of the institution which was signed and forwarded to the Visitor by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Yusuf Ali (SAN) after considering the report of the Selection Board.
The Appointment takes effect immediately.

The Atlantic Bond Initiative Group led by its president, Mr. Rotimi Vaughan paid Governor Aregbesola a courtesy visit.

The Atlantic Bond Initiative Group is a United States’ friendship organisation based in Oyotunji, Sheldon city. The group seeks to promote cultural interaction and representation between South Carolina, U.S.A and Nigeria.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola said “This initiative will generate foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria, as many Africans in the Diaspora will be visiting Nigeria. This, in turn, will improve the Nigerian economy and create a strong cultural bond between Nigeria and America.”

According to Vaughan, the group aims to reconnect black people in the diaspora with their original African roots. He also said that there are plans to hold a festival in Lagos and Sheldon come December.

Vaughan says the theme of the festival is child trafficking, an evil reminder and legacy of the era of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade.

He also said that he was in Nigeria on behalf of the group to establish and maintain strong cultural ties between Nigeria and Sheldon.

To formally unveil the Atlantic Bond Initiative (ATBONDI), a tourism workshop will be hosted in Badagry on October 29, 2016.