The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Mob beats up kidnap suspect

    A mob at the weekend beat up a young man suspected to be a kidnapper at Iyana Ipaja, a Lagos suburb.

    He was alleged to have kidnapped a boy, whom he kept in a sack.

    An eyewitness said immediately he was apprehended after people noticed the strange nature of the sack and found the boy in the sack, he was stripped off his shirt and people beat him up.

    Read Also: Mob ‘critically’ injures ASP, two other policemen for shooting pregnant woman dead in Lagos

    He said: “We noticed he carried a sack, which, upon enquiry, contained a small boy. We asked him his mission, but he didn’t respond.

    “People around raised the alarm. A crowd gathered and started beating him up until he was injured.”

    It was gathered that the suspected kidnapper came from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    The Nation learnt that he was later handed over to the police, while the kidnapped boy was reunited with his mother.

  • Police arrest ‘robber’ at church’s retreat 

    A suspected armed robber was last Saturday arrested by the policemen attached to the Ilemba Hausa Police at a church’s retreat in Ojo, Lagos.

    The suspect, Wasiu Kamarudeen, 19, a resident of 8, Olaniyi Street, Iyalode in Ilogbo, Ogun State, was said to have gone to the Jakande open field venue of a three-day retreat organised by St. Patrick Catholic Renewal Church, Ojo around 6:20am with three others.

    It was gathered that members had contacted the police after sighting a motorcycle with registration number Ogun AKM749WP, carrying three suspicious passengers into the retreat ground.

    Although the passengers mingled with the crowd, policemen deployed were able to apprehend Kamarudeen who allegedly had a locally-made short gun with a live cartridge in his possession.

    Read Also: Suspected robbers cart away valuables in Oyo schools

    Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the policemen recovered the operational motorcycle, adding that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has been tasked to fish out other members of the gang.

    A 37-year-old man last Friday allegedly committed suicide in Ikorodu, Lagos over his alleged inability to repay N13,000 debt.

    Seyi Onayemi, a resident of 7th Avenue, Rofo Estate, Odogunyan, Lagos was said to have taken a poisonous substance suspected to be sniper insecticide inside his room.

    It was learnt that the man, who left a suicide note, allegedly killed himself as a result of frustration.

    In the note, the deceased asked his relatives to pay the N13,000 he was owing, lamenting his inability to belong to the elite class as a result of his stubbornness.

    Homicide detectives were said to have visited the scene, evacuated the body and took the note away.

  • Buhari promises more help for Daura flood victims

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will soon deliver additional assistance to Daura community in Katsina State, which was hit by massive floods last week.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said contrary to the allegations that President Muhammadu Buhari has turned his back on the people of Daura, pre-assessment relief materials were dispatched to the victims within 48 hours of the floods.

    He said: “Ten trailer loads of building materials, including zinc, planks and cement, as well as tons of grains, cereals and other edibles have so far been delivered.

    Read Also: Buhari approves release of N800m for flood control in Bauchi

    “The flood victims also received blankets and mattresses.

    “Materials were delivered to and signed for by stakeholders while the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar, welcomed the prompt emergency response from NEMA officials.”

    NEMA, he said, has equally promised that in line with establishment practices all over the country, as soon as the assessment of the damage to the flood-ravaged communities is reported, more food items and building materials would be dispatched.

  • Kenya joins ranks of oil-exporting countries

    Kenya has sent off its inaugural shipment of crude oil becoming the first East African nation to join the ranks of petroleum-exporting countries.

    The shipment was sold to trading company ChemChina UK Ltd as part of a pilot scheme between the Kenyan government and corporate partners including Africa Oil Corp, British oil explorer Tullow Oil, and France’s Total SA.

    Though Kenya is still years away from building the infrastructure necessary to unlock its full commercial oil-producing potential, maiden shipment of more than 200,000 barrels revealed possible tensions over how the nation’s crude wealth should be divided.

    In March, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the Petroleum Act of 2019, which allocates 75 percent of state-designated oil profits to the central government, 20 percent to oil-producing counties, and five percent to local communities.

    But speaking at the sendoff ceremony for the maiden consignment in the port of Mombasa, Peter Emuria Lotethiro, Deputy Governor of Turkana County, invoked the metaphor of a goat to lay claim to what he sees as his region’s share of the spoils.

    “According to our culture as the Turkana people, when we slaughter a goat for a visitor, the owner of the goat must be left with the limbs,” said Lotethiro.” The people of Turkana have instructed me that in this oil deal, the limb should be ours.”

    President Kenyatta seized upon the governors’ remarks to highlight his ongoing campaign against corruption.

    “I have listened to the governors defending their people,” said Kenyatta, “but as the president, I’m going to defend the people of Kenya by saying that I hope a piece of this goat reaches every Kenyan. And that’s why we’re saying we must slay the corruption dragon. So that a few stop benefitting themselves with the national resources and minerals.”

    Source: Aljazeera

  • ‘Prison no longer punitive but correctional centre’

    The Assistant Controller General (ACG), Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), Mr. Tunde Ladipo, has said prisons have become reformative, rehabilitative and correctional centres to inmates.

    He spoke at the weekend at a send-off organised for him by officers and workers of the NCS at the state headquarters in Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Ladipo said many inmates had become self-reliant and better citizens in the society after serving their jail terms.

    Read Also: Buhari changes Prisons Service to Correctional Service

    The NCS boss hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for the change he had brought to the correctional services, saying it would be in line with international standard, which means inmates will not only come to prison to be punished, but also to be educated and trained in skills so that they will be useful and not be a burden on the society.

    “Efforts are being made by the NCS to train inmates in vocational skills so that they will become better persons and be self-reliant in the society.

    “Some of them are allowed to write external exams to gain admission to tertiary institutions,” Ladipo said.

    He said during his tenure, there was infrastructural development at prisons and the state headquarters, adding that he built a synergy between sister agencies, non governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Lagos State Government.

    Ladipo is now the ACG Supply at the national headquarters in Abuja.

  • Zambian president hails Egypt’s efforts to improve Africa’s economy

    President of Zambia Edgar Lungu has praised Egypt’s contribution to achieving social development and economic growth in the African states.

    During his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the 7th Tokyo International Conference on Africa’s Development (TICAD) in Japan’s Yokohama, Lungu said that the Egyptian experiment of economic reform can benefit the Zambian economic reform efforts that targets boosting economic growth.

    Read Also: Africa imports $50b food annually

    Lungu however praised the continuous development of the bilateral relations between the two countries, expressing his big appreciation to the Egyptian people and leadership.

    He highlighted broad prospects for developing bilateral relations and enhancing joint cooperation between the two countries in various fields, especially joint farms, trade exchange, attracting direct Egyptian investments, technical support and joint security and military coordination.

    Similarly, President Sisi praised the strong relations between Egypt and Zambia, stressing that Egypt attaches special importance to enhancing aspects of joint cooperation with Zambia.

    Source: Egypt Today

  • Court clears driver of alleged N806,500 theft

    An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has discharged and acquitted a driver, Richard Tayo Olalere, of stealing N806,500.

    Magistrate Mrs. O. A. Akokhia found Olalere, a National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) member, not guilty, following five-year, one month trial.

    The police arraigned the defendant on April 30, 2018 on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing of N806,500 belonging to a bus owner, Mr. Vitus Nwamafio.

    The police alleged that Olalere and others at large, between April 2013 and March 2014, conspired and stole Nwamafio’s N806,500.

    The offence contravenes sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    Read Also: Court acquits Jonathan’s ex-aide over N1.6b fraud

    During the trial, he told the court that it was a case of a bus hire purchase agreement gone bad and that he had even repaid Nwamafio N577,000.

    According to him, a misunderstanding arose after he refused to assist the claimant to transport his family to the village.

    In a May 30, 2019 judgment made available to The Nation yesterday, the court held that the prosecution failed to prove the charge.

    Magistrate Akokhia held: “I dare say that there is nothing on the oral documentary evidence preferred by the prosecution pointing to a fraudulent taking of the sum stated in the charge. Rather, what can be deduced is that the defendant defaulted in the performance of the Hire Purchase Agreement, which he made with PW1 (Nwamafio).

    “The allegation that the defendant was issuing threatening words was not substantiated anywhere in the evidence preferred by the prosecution, hence this honourable court is unable to arrive at a conclusion that there is an intention by the defendant to permanently deprive PW1 of the said sum or the bus, subject matter of the Hire Purchase Agreement.

    “This honourable court therefore holds that the evidence preferred by the prosecution failed to establish that the defendant stole the alleged sum, rather it is the case that the said sum was being owed not stolen.

    “Accordingly this honourable court finds that the prosecution has failed to discharge its duty of establishing the ingredients of the alleged offence against the defendant.

    “….The defendant herein is hereby discharged and acquitted on the two counts charge preferred against him and I so hold.”

  • Five suspects arrested for allegedly hijacking Taxify car

    Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested five persons in connection with the alleged hijacking of a Taxify Toyota Corolla Sports in Lekki, Lagos State.

    The suspects, Michael Sosa, 27, Nelson Benson, 24, Idowu Dauda, 30, Owolabi Shobayo aka Daju pa, 29 and Biliaminu Abu alias Gengen, 43, were nabbed in Ijoko and Ota in Ogun State last week for allegedly hijacking and selling a Taxify car in February.

    The Nation gathered that they allegedly participated in the selling of the car to a dealer in Republic of Benin for N250,000.

    It was learnt that Sosa, in company of Dosumu, now at large, sometime in February converged on Elegushi Beach, Lekki where they hatched the plan to hijack a Taxify car, move it to Ogun State and sell.

    Sosa, a suspected ‘yahoo–boy’, after waiting till 10pm, ordered a Taxify ride from Agungi Estate to Lagos Island. In the car with him were Dosumu and Dauda.

    Read Also: Police arrest man, woman for hijacking N2.7m beer

    The police quoted Sosa as saying: “On Abraham Adesanya Estate, Lekki, I told the driver I wanted to urinate. We alighted. While I pretended to be urinating, Dosumu poured dried pepper on the driver. He screamed and jumped out of the car. He started shouting for help. I got on his seat and drove the car away.

    “I drove to the road leading to Alpha Beach where we stopped for some hours because we suspected we were being trailed. At about 4am, I proceeded to Agege, dropping Dosumu at Omole. I picked Benson at Agege Stadium. Nelson was to direct us through the routes that prevented us from encountering the police and to Ijoko.

    “At Ijoko, I took the car to Alfa Mouka’s house. He was my spiritualist. I told him the car was stolen. It was at that point we began to source for buyers. We were introduced to Daju pa and Gengen. They are dreaded cultists and notorious criminals in the area. I told them I wanted to sell the car for N300,000. We later discovered that the car had no papers. This made it difficult to sell.

    “We got a dealer who asked us to bring it to the Republic of Benin. Gengen and I took it there around 11pm after changing the number plate

    “We sold the car for N250,000. We would have sold it at a higher price but for the papers that were not available. I took N190,000. I gave N60,000 to Gengen and N40,000 to Eniba (Dauda) to give Michael. Although, I got to know that it was N30,000 that got to him. Our link to Benin Republic got N13,000. That was how we shared the money.”

    Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu said any criminal who thinks he can escape with nefarious activities perpetrated in Lagos needs to think twice, as the command is at alert and will arrest any criminal in any part of the country.

    The suspects have been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for further investigations.

  • Kenya loses fight to place UN sanctions on ‘al-Shabaab’

    Six UN Security Council members has blocked a move to label Somali jihadist group ‘Al-Shabaab’ as a terrorist organization similar to groups such as ‘Al-Qaeda’ that are under international sanctions.

    Several NGOs and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently stepped in to oppose the classification, which would have effectively kept humanitarian aid away from millions of Somalis living in Al-Shabaab-controlled areas.

    The Kenya government wanted sanctions against Al-Shabaab since late last year. The call grew even louder following an attack by the group at a Nairobi hotel in January which left 21 people dead.

    The country had wanted an amendment to UN Resolution 1267, which sanctions Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State group and their affiliates.

    Germany, Belgium, Poland, France, Kuwait and the United States were the six countries whose votes blocked the implementation of the new sanctions.

    Critics of the defeated sanctions have said including Al-Shabaab in the Resolution 1267 designations would have effectively criminalized UN and other assistance to people in Somalia who depend on it.

    And Somalia recently told the Security Council that taking actions that could interrupt aid would “play into the Shabaab’s narrative and self-image as a de-facto government in areas where state reach is limited”.

    Source: CGTN Africa

  • Teenager jailed three months for stealing fowl

    A Magistrates’ Court in Minna, Niger State, has sentenced a teenager, Yakubu Dahiru, to three months in prison for stealing a fowl.

    Sentencing the teenager, Magistrate Binta Rijau said she would be lenient on the accused person as he was remorseful.

    Rijau ordered him to pay a fine of N3000 or serve three months in prison in the event of a default.

    Read Also: Banker accused of stealing customers’ N11m

    Dahiru had been charged with joint act, house breaking and theft, to which he pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.

    Prosecuting Inspector Thomas Peter had told the court that two men, Yusuf Mohammed and Christopher Yahaya, jointly reported the matter at the police station on May 2.

    Peter quoted the complainants as alleging that the accused person and two others, now at large, broke into their compound and stole a fowl valued at N2000.