NEWS
Elevator Tragedy: Lagos Sacks Facility Managers, Others
The Lagos State Government expressed deep regret over the unfortunate elevator accident that occurred on August 1st, 2023, at the House Officer’s residence of General Hospital, Odan.
This was disclosed in a press statement issued via its official Twitter handle on Sunday.
The incident resulted in the tragic loss of Dr. Vwaere Diaso, a promising young house officer.
The government extends heartfelt condolences to her family and colleagues, and offers prayers for her soul.
The statement reads “The Lagos State Government would like to, once again, acknowledge with deep regret the unfortunate elevator accident of Tuesday, 1st August 2023 at the House Officer’s residence of the General Hospital, Odan, which resulted in the death of Dr. Vwaere Diaso, a vibrant young house officer.
“We commiserate with her family and her colleagues and pray for the repose of her soul. As a Government, we feel the pain of this irreparable loss. May The Almighty console them and give them the strength to go through this difficult time.
“LASG, in recognition of the importance of providing functional and comfortable accommodation for health workers, outsourced the management of the House Officers Quarters to a facility management company.
“The Lagos State Infrastructure and Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA) oversees the activities of the facility management company.
“Following the incident, we immediately set up a panel to look into its likely causes, identify persons who might be culpable, and suggest ways of preventing any future occurrence.
“For transparency, the membership of the panel included representatives of the Medical Guild and six representatives of House Officers. The panel has now concluded its deliberations and submitted its report.
“According to its findings, the incident happened around 6.50 pm. Due to the impact, the elevator doors were damaged and needed to be forced open to rescue the trapped house officer.
“She was extracted at about 7.50 pm and resuscitation commenced immediately. She was wheeled to the emergency room and was immediately attended to by a medical team led by a highly experienced consultant orthopaedic and trauma surgeon.
“The team was assisted by all house officers who were present at the time. The initial objectives were to ensure a clear airway, maintain breathing, and establish circulation.
“The team was also joined by two consultant anaesthetists, including the Medical Director, who intubated the patient. Despite all the efforts, she stopped breathing around 8.13pm and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) commenced. This went on until 8.59pm when she was pronounced dead.
“It is important to state that blood samples for cross-matching had not been taken and there had not been a request for blood at the time CPR commenced; it is not true that blood was not available.
“The State has a strong network of screening centres where blood is available. Besides, there is a register of voluntary donors who can be mobilised at very short notice.
“It is also important to state that the elevator that crashed was installed brand new in 2021.
“Elevator experts working with the Lagos Safety Commission have carried out an initial inspection and will be removing the elevator for further mechanical examination to determine why the safety features that should prevent this kind of accident did not work. Their findings will determine if we have a case with the elevator installer.
“Based on our initial findings the Lagos State Government has taken the following actions:
“We have sacked and blacklisted the Facility Managers.
“The GM of @infoLASIAMA is to immediately proceed on suspension
“The operations and line of reporting of the facility managers have been restructured to involve the hospital management directly
“We have handed the installation and maintenance contractors to the police for further investigation and likely prosecution if they are found culpable.
“The police will also investigate anyone else that might have been found to be negligent
“Engineers are working to unravel why all the safety devices of the elevator failed at the same time
“All our staff are fully insured. We have informed our life insurance providers about this incident.
“The @safety_lasg has been directed to immediately carry out an audit of all elevators in public offices.
“This is besides the usual safety arrangements that have always existed.” It added.
NEWS
Showunmi Urges South-East to Judge Tinubu by Projects, Not Propaganda
Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for 2027, has urged the South-East to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration based on verifiable projects and measurable results rather than political propaganda.
Showunmi made the call in a statement posted on X on Saturday, urging Nigerians to evaluate the government’s performance based on infrastructure delivery, funds committed to projects and their impact on communities.
He said federal infrastructure initiatives targeting the South-East under Tinubu’s administration deserved serious scrutiny and factual assessment, adding that unfulfilled promises should continue to be pursued until the expected results were delivered.
SEE ALSO: 2027 Election: ‘Look Beyond the Noise’ – Showunmi Urges Nigerians to Give Tinubu More Time
“Our message is clear: We will not trade facts for propaganda, nor accountability for political loyalty!” he said.
The political figure challenged critics of the administration to provide evidence to support their claims, while urging those defending the government to present the projects and demonstrate their impact.
He also called on government officials to publish relevant figures, disclose project timelines and provide measurable results, insisting that no public official should be exempt from scrutiny.
According to Showunmi, the South-East deserves infrastructure that supports economic growth, including roads that connect markets, investments that create jobs and policies that expand economic opportunities.
He maintained that political representation must translate into tangible benefits for citizens, stressing that public office should deliver value to the people.
As part of his call to action, Showunmi urged Nigerians to scrutinise government records, challenge misinformation with evidence and demand the completion of outstanding projects.
He further called for public commitments to be matched by measurable delivery, arguing that leadership should be assessed by facts and results rather than political rhetoric.
Ending his statement with the slogan, “Asiwaju is a goal,” Showunmi called for accountability and greater inclusion of the South-East in Nigeria’s development.
Showunmi is associated with The Alternative and is a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections.
NEWS
Lagos: LASTMA Announces Traffic Restrictions Along Route to Toll Gate
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Saturday announced a temporary road closure near Apostolic Church, inward Toll Gate, to allow engineers to install a beam on a height-restriction structure.
The agency said the installation was aimed at preventing high-rise trailers from accessing the newly constructed pedestrian bridge.
ALSO READ: LASTMA Alerts Motorists to Traffic Delays on Ogunnusi Road
“Currently, one lane has been occupied to facilitate the ongoing construction work, while the remaining two lanes are available to motorists,” LASTMA stated.
The agency advised road users to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of its personnel deployed to the area.
“Road users are advised to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of our personnel who are on ground to ensure the smooth flow of vehicular movement,” the statement added.
LASTMA also urged motorists to remain patient while the installation work continued.
“Motorists are encouraged to exercise patience while the installation work is in progress,” the agency stated.
NEWS
‘Oseni Rufai Helped Me, Not NiDCOM’ — Ekene Chukwuma on Return to Nigeria
Nigerian national Ekene Chukwuma has said he returned to Nigeria with assistance linked to Oseni Rufai rather than the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), while renewing allegations against the commission’s chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, over his travel documents.
Chukwuma made the remarks in an interview in which he explained how he returned to Nigeria after spending months at a deportation camp in India.
RELATED NEWS: Rufai Oseni Row: NiDCOM Breaks Silence on Nigerians Detained in India, Addresses Ekene’s Case
“My name is Kenneth Chukwu, from Enugu State,” he said, introducing himself before explaining how he returned to the country.
“I came back here with the assist of Osini Roufai, a good friend of him,” he said.
Chukwuma denied that NiDCOM facilitated his return, alleging that the commission had published false information about his case.
“NiDCOM made a lots of false, uh, news acquisition against me, which is still in Abike Dabiri handle in Twitter,” he said.
He also accused Dabiri-Erewa of sharing his expired international passport and a travel certificate he claimed was issued six months after he entered the detention camp.
“He also, she also posted my international passport that expired. He also, she also posted my TC that issued after 6 months,” he said.
His comments renew questions surrounding the handling of his case and the circumstances under which he obtained the documents needed to return to Nigeria.
Chukwuma’s detention in India previously sparked a public disagreement between ARISE News presenter Oseni Rufai and Dabiri-Erewa over NiDCOM’s response to reports of his situation.
Oseni raised concerns about Chukwuma’s detention and the commission’s handling of the case, while Dabiri-Erewa defended NiDCOM’s position and explained the process for submitting information to the commission.
NiDCOM subsequently issued its account of Chukwuma’s detention, stating that he had been arrested in India over a visa overstay and addressing the circumstances surrounding his travel documents.
The differing accounts prompted public debate about the commission’s response to Nigerians facing immigration difficulties abroad.





