A retired Permanent Secretary and an indigene of Lagos Island, Mrs. Boladele Dapo-Thomas, was appointed by the governor to chair the statutory body pivotal to preservation of professionalism in the civil service.

The five-member commission was constituted, on Tuesday, at a ceremony held in the State House, Alausa.

Each member was nominated from each of the five traditional divisions of Lagos.

Other members of the Commission are Mr. Fatai Olalekan Lasisi; Mr. Lateef Yahaya Olawale; Mr. Afolabi Olatunji Sobowale and Mr. Rufus Adekoya Adedapo.

Inaugurating the commission, Sanwo-Olu noted that the ceremony demonstrated the commitment of the state government to uphold the principles of integrity, fairness, and efficiency essential to the efficiency of Lagos civil service and the progress of the state.

The governor said the appointment of members reflected the confidence in their ability to lead the civil service toward excellence, urging the appointees to honour the trust with dedication and wisdom.

He said: “As leaders of the Civil Service Commission, you bear the responsibility of ensuring that Lagos civil service operates with discipline and meritocracy. Your decisions will affect the quality of public services that millions of Lagosians depend on daily for quality services in different areas of life, ranging from education and healthcare to security and infrastructure.

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“I urge you to lead with transparency, to foster innovation, and to create opportunities for growth within the civil service. Above all, you must be accountable to the people you serve, putting their interests above all else. While you are being entrusted with responsibility to carry out the challenging tasks, you must remember the solemn duty placed on your shoulders.”

Congratulating members of the commission for approval of their nominations, Sanwo-Olu expressed confidence that the state’s civil service would continue to be a beacon of excellence and catalyst for positive change.

He said the commission should employ innovation, integrity, and efficiency to drive its activities and make Lagos public service the best model in the country.

Head of Service, Mr. Bose Agoro, who read the citations of the nominees, said the Sanwo-Olu administration’s ability to always put round pegs in round holes set the state’s civil service on the path of numerous accomplishments which made it the most vibrant public service among the sub national.

“Lagos has always ensured highest standard of excellence is upheld in the service delivery of our public service. I am confident that the expertise and experiences of these new members of the Civil Service Commission will go a long way in bringing valuable insights that will continue to shape establishment policies in our public service,” Agoro said.

Giving a note of assurance on behalf of the commission members, Mrs. Dapo-Thomas thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in them to serve the state at the level.

She said: “I would like to assure the governor that we will put everything we have within our capacity to push the vision of this administration forward and make the state’s civil service a competent workforce. Our core values will be key into the agenda of the governor.”

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Ojukwu – a third year Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos – and one Quadri Adedapo were arraigned before Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos  State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, on Lagos Island.

They were arraigned on a nine-count charge alongside Ojukwu’s sister, Chioma Egbuchu, from whom the late Ataga’s iPhone 7 was alleged  to have been recovered.

When the court registrar read count one –  conspiracy to murder  –  to Ojukwu and Adedapo, Ojukwu pleaded not guilty, while  Adedapo pleaded guilty before pleading not guilty.

Registrar: “Are you guilty or not guilty?”

Adedapo: “Guilty!”

Realising his error, he quickly changed his plea to not guilty.

The charge was dated August 31, and filed by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi.

Ojukwu, 21, and Adedapo  are the  first and second defendants in the suit.

They are defendants in counts one to seven, while Ojukwu is the sole defendant in count eight.

Egbuchu is a defendant only in count nine.

In count one, Ojukwu and Adedapo are charged with conspiring to murder Ataga, contrary to Section 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

In count two, the duo is charged with Ataga’s murder.

They allegedly stabbed him several times on the neck and chest with a knife.

In counts 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the duo is charged with conspiracy to commit forgery, forgery and making documents without authority.

They are specifically alleged to have procured false Access and UBA bank account statements of Ataga.

They also allegedly forged an international passport and a driver’s licence in Ojukwu’s  name.

In count eight, Ojukwu  is charged alone with stealing two iPhones –  iPhone 7 and  iPhone 11 – one Apple MacBook Laptop and Automatic Teller Machine  cards of Access Bank  and GTBank, belonging to the late Ataga from which the sum of N380,000 was subsequently withdrawn.

In count nine, Egbuchu was charged with being  in possession of a stolen property, the iPhone 7 belonging to the late  Ataga.

Ojukwu allegedly murdered Ataga in an apartment at Lekki, Lagos State.

According to prosecution, the offences contravene Sections 411, 233, 365 (2)b, 280, 329 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Ojukwu, Adedapo and Egbuchu, however, pleaded not guilty.

Mr. O. Egwu appeared for Ojukwu, Mr Babatunde Busari announced appearance for Adedapo, while the Director, Office of the Public Defender, Dr. Babajide Martins, appeared for Egbuchu.

Justice Adesanya remanded the first and second defendants in prison custody.

Following an unopposed application by Martins, the judge allowed Egbuchu to continue on the bail granted her by a magistrates’ court.

She adjourned the case until November 9 for trial.

According to prosecution, Usifo was found dead with multiple stab wounds on June 16 at a short-let apartment on Adebowale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase I, where he had checked in with  Ojukwu.

Ojukwu was consequently arrested on June 23 in her father’s house at Yaba, Lagos.

The 50-year-old deceased was buried on July 30.

Source: NAN

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