Governance

OSHA Wades into Community, Army Dispute

By Web News 480

By Mojisola Oladele 

Osun State House of Assembly has assured members of Kelebe/Omu Landlord Association in Osogbo the state capital that the complaint brought to the Assembly would be resolved in no distance time.

The member representing, Obokun State Constituency, Prince Adeyemi Adewunmi, under Matters of Urgent Public Importance, informed the House about the peaceful protests held by Kelebe/ Omu Landlord Association who alleged the Nigerian Army of chasing them out of their lands, despite two court injunctions in their favour.

Lawmakers, including Mr Tajudeen Adeyemi, Mr Kanmi Ajibola, Mr Abiola Awoyeye, Mr Taofeek Olayiwola and Mr Femi Popoola suggested that a preliminary investigation Should be taken before further decision on the matter.

In reaction to the issue, the Speaker of the House, Prince Adewale Egbedun, who presided over the plenary, assured the community that their petition would be looked into with possible solutions soon, and urged the members of Kelebe /Omu Landlord Association to maintain calmness.

Similarly, under Personal Explanation, a member representing Ila State Constituency, Alhaji Sikiru Bajepade drew the attention of the House to the hardship faced by people of Ajegunle Community in Ila Local Government following a collapsed bridge which linked the two communities. 

Alhaji Bajepade, who lamented about the situation, called for urgent attention of the State Government to fix the bridge and repair the Ila/ Otan Ayegbaju bad road before the rainy season sets in.

The Speaker called on the Chairman House Committee on Public Works and Transport, Mr. Waheed Abiola to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, The Osun State Senior Secondary Education Board Establishment Bill 2023 and Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board Amendment 2023 have passed through the first reading during plenary.

The Majority Leader of the House, Mr Babajide Kofoworola, a member representing Olaoluwa, Mr Ibrahim Afeez and a member representing Ife Central, Mr Abiola Awoyeye moved the motion for the adoption of the Bills during plenary held at the Assembly Complex, Osogbo.

The Speaker, Prince Adewale Egbedun urged the legislators to carefully study the bills in preparation for the policy thrust.

Also, the legislators dissolved into the committee of the whole House to make amendments to the report of the Public Hearing of Osun State Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Bill 2024, held in September last year.

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Foreign

Explosion: Crimea Bridge Partly Reopens 

By Web News 995

Light traffic has resumed on Russia’s only bridge to Crimea, hours after a huge blast brought down sections of the roadway.

According to investigations, the blast on Europe’s longest bridge – a symbol of Russia’s annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 – killed three people.

Russian officials claimed that, the victims were in a nearby car when a lorry blew up,as the railway part of the bridge – where oil tankers caught fire – has also apparently reopened.

On Saturday evening, Russia’s foreign ministry published a video, seemingly showing cars using the bridge.

The rail and road crossing was opened in 2018 and is a key supply route for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

An adviser to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, did not directly claim Ukrainian responsibility but wrote: “Crimea, the bridge, the beginning.

“Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled.”

Ukraine’s defence ministry compared the bridge explosion to the sinking of Russia’s Moskva missile cruiser in April.

“Two notorious symbols of Russian power in Ukrainian Crimea have gone down,” it tweeted. “What’s next in line?”

The Ukrainian government itself simply tweeted: “Sick burn.”

Russia’s foreign ministry said: “The Kiev regime’s reaction towards destruction of civilian infrastructure is a testament to its terrorist nature.”It is hard to exaggerate the significance, and symbolism, of seeing the bridge – which was opened by President Putin – on fire.

Russia has used the bridge to move military equipment, ammunition, and personnel from Russia to battlefields in southern Ukraine.

As such, Ukrainian authorities said it was a legitimate target, as they vow to retake the peninsula.

Any attack on Crimea, where the Russian army has a massive presence, will be seen as another massive humiliation for the Kremlin.

The bridge is particularly hated by Ukrainians. Social media in Ukraine erupted in celebration on seeing the fire – one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin turned 70.

Local authorities in Crimea organised a ferry service between the Russian mainland and the peninsula, for heavier vehicles that can’t use the partially-reopened bridge.

Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee said: “At 06:07 Moscow time today [03:07 GMT], an explosion was set off at a cargo vehicle on the motorway part of the Crimean bridge on the side of the Taman peninsula, which set fire to seven fuel tanks of a train that was en route to the Crimean peninsula.

“Two motorway sections of the bridge partially collapsed.”

Crimean parliamentary speaker Vladimir Konstantinov blamed the explosion on “Ukrainian vandals, who have finally managed to reach their bloody hands to the Crimean bridge”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed about the “emergency” on the bridge and ordered a government inquiry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. A criminal investigation is also under way.

The 19km, 12-miles bridge across the Kerch Strait, which cost £2.7bn to build, was opened four years after Moscow illegally annexed Crimea.

It was hailed by Russian media as “the construction of the century”. Russian officials previously claimed it was well protected from threats from air, land or water.

The crossing is more than 100 miles from Ukrainian-held territory. One explosives expert said, the fire was probably not caused by a missile.

Putin said, “The lack of obvious blast / fragmentation damage on the road surface suggests that, an air-delivered weapon was not used” .

He said it was possible that “a well-planned attack from below may have been the cause”.

“I suspect explosives on the road bridge and train deck were initiated near simultaneously using coded radio command,” he added.

Kyiv has the momentum in this conflict. The army has reclaimed large swathes of territory, forcing Russian troops to abandon long-held positions.

Amid the losses, Moscow has begun a chaotic military mobilisation – which led to rare anti-war protests in Russia, and a huge exodus of military-age men.

Last month, Ukraine claimed responsibility for a series of air strikes on Crimea – including an attack on Russia’s Saky military base.

Culled /Taiwo Akinola