The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Four injured as scavengers, miscreants clash in Lagos

    Four persons on Sunday sustained injuries after scavengers and miscreants (area boys) clashed at Ile Epo area of Alimosho, Lagos.

    The clash started at about 2pm.

    Hoodlums looted goods at Oke Odo market. They burned the make shift structures used by scavengers and pelted them with stones and bottles.

    It was gathered that trouble started after a scavenger mistakenly hit an orange seller, causing the oranges to fall off.

    Angered, the seller, said to be a Yoruba boy, allegedly punched the scavenger and he slumped, foaming at the mouth.

    This infuriated other scavengers and northerners, who rushed to the scene, seized the orange seller and took him to one of the makeshift structures near the dumpsite.

    Area boys were said to have mobilised to the tent to rescue the orange seller, which led to a clash between both sides.

    Another account claimed that the scavenger mistakenly hit a young boy rolling a tyre and refused to apologise, which caused a fight between them.

    The violence, which spread to Agbado and Pleasure, was said to have caused traffic jam, as traders and residents fled their shops and homes.

    Our reporter gathered that the violence aggravated, following the bottled up animosity between the Yoruba and the Hausa in the market, caused by the tussle over ownership of the market.

    Read Also: Just in: One dies, seven injured as police, youths clash in Anambra

    It was learnt that tension had been rife following demands of fee by the Hausa community from the traders.

    “The Hausa are always trying to take over the market. They want other traders, including the Yoruba, to pay them. I think this is the genesis of the problem. They just used whatever issue that happened today as a means to vent their anger,” said a resident.

    Contacted, police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said five suspects had been arrested, adding that the timely intervention of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and other police units prevented the violence from escalating.

    He identified the suspects as Kabiru Mohammed, Kabiru Adamu, Bashiru Mohammed, Saliu Madu and Yusuf Amuda, saying they would be charged to court for breach of public peace.

    Elkana said nobody died, adding that four persons sustained injuries.

    He said: “At about 10am, Alhaji Adekunle Habib of Ilepo market reported at the Oke Odo Police Station that there was a misunderstanding between one Hausa scavenger and an area boy from the Yoruba ethnic group. The area boy was carrying some goods on his head and was pushed by the Hausa boy in error. The goods fell down.

    “Arguments ensued between the two parties, which led to exchange of blows. Friends of the two parties joined in a solidarity fight and other miscreants took advantage of the incident to steal and loot. They blocked the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway.

    “What started as a fight between two miscreants almost snowballed into an ethnic crisis, but for the timely intervention of the police. Police teams from Oke Odo Division were the initial responders.

    “The command sent reinforcements from the Operations Department, Rapid Response Squads, Task Force, Tactical Units and Police Mobile Force.  Divisions within the Area Command equally sent reinforcements.

    “The situation was brought under control and traffic was cleared. No death was recorded, but four persons sustained various degrees of injuries and are receiving medical attention.

    “Peace has since been restored. Patrols are ongoing in the affected areas. The five suspects arrested will be arraigned.”

  • PSG lose to Rennes to extend away woes

    Paris Saint-Germain let slip a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 against Rennes in their first away Ligue 1 outing of the season on Sunday.

    Penalty shoot-out winners when these sides met in the Coupe de France final last season, the hosts produced another shock result over the top-flight champions thanks to goals either side of half-time at Roazhon Park.

    Edinson Cavani profited from a defensive error to put Neymar-less PSG into the lead, but M’Baye Niang pulled one back a minute before half-time and Romain Del Castillo headed Rennes in front early in the second half.

    PSG, who triumphed when these sides met in the Trophee des France two weeks ago, have now lost five of their last six away matches in the league.

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    Cavani sent a glancing header crashing off the woodwork with 14 minutes on the clock but he was gifted a goal later in the half.

    Rennes captain Damien Da Silva played a stray pass across his own six-yard box and Cavani beat goalkeeper Romain Salin to the loose ball for a simple finish.

    But the home side levelled things up through their first on-target attempt of the match as Niang controlled Hamari Traore’s cross, swivelled and picked out the bottom-left corner a minute before half-time.

    The comeback was complete three minutes in to the second period when 16-year-old midfielder Eduardo Camavinga sent in a delightful cross from the right, which Del Castillo guided away from the reach of Alphonse Areola.

    Niang was denied by Areola and Jeremy Morel struck a post with his volley as Rennes closed in on a third.

    Ultimately it did not arrive but Thomas Tuchel’s men failed to truly test Salin at the other end as Rennes made it two wins from two.

    (Goal)

  • Photos: 63 killed, 182 injured in Afghanistan wedding blast

    A suicide bomber killed 63 people and wounded 182 in an attack on a wedding reception in the Afghan capital.

     

     

  • Be fair to all, PDP stakeholders tell screening committee

    Bayelsa State stakeholders at the weekend appealed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to adopt the principle of fairness in screening aspirants for the governorship primaries of the party scheduled for September 3.

    The stakeholders under the auspices of the PDP Action Group (PAG) said the party must thread with decorum and absolute fairness in the entire process of conducting standardized primaries that would have universal acceptance.

    The group in a statement in Yenagoa by its President, Preye Ekeigha, said any plot to abandon fairness would send wrong signal and cause chaos capable of negatively affecting the party’s chances in the general election.

    Ekeigha asked the party to avoid divisive actions realising that the aspirants for the internal poll were many and qualified in their own rights to govern Bayelsa

    He said the party should not in any way undermine Governor Seriake Dickson in the entire process following his tremendous roles in sustaining the unity and successes of the party in the state noting that without the governor’s deftness and experience, the party would have been history in the state.

    He reminded the party leadership that the PDP is an opposition party at the federal level and should shun any decision that could cause disunity among its members.

    Read Also: Timipre Sylva and APC chances in Bayelsa governorship election

    Ekeigha said: “It is in this light that we admonish the screening committee to ensure due diligence but ensure that non is deliberately witch hunted or screened out to satisfy one personal interest at the detriment of our great Party.

    “The committee and our great Party must note that our leader and Governor,  Henry Seriake Dickson has worked very hard to sustain the unity and success of our dear party, therefore such tremendous and great sacrifices must be appreciated and supported to sustain our victory and unity.

    “While the committee has the prerogative to screen the candidates in line with our laws and conventions, we must be mindful of such decisions that will threaten our corporate existence and collective objective at all times. We cannot mortgage our political future to the opposing party.

    “Our Party must understand that as we begin the process to having a free, fair and standardized primaries that will have universal acceptance, we must thread with decorum and absolute fairness in our conduct.

    “This is bearing in mind that the number of candidates are many and they are all qualified in their own right to become governors of the state.

    “Knowing that we are in opposition at the Federal level, we must ensure that actions and decisions that will not foster and deepen our unity be shunned at all cost.

    “We wish the committee well in the discharge of their duties and hope that their eventual decisions will further endear the party to its members and the teeming Nigerian populace and the Bayelsa people to facilitate our expected victory at the November 16th, 2019 election”.

  • Tiv are indigenes, not settlers in Taraba, says Gov Ishaku

    Taraba Governor Darius Ishaku has broken his long silence over the “settler” status ascribed to the Tiv ethnic group dwelling in Taraba State by his kinsmen – the Jukuns.

    “Tiv are indigenes in Taraba State,” he clearly stated at the weekend during his meeting with Tiv opinion leaders on the ongoing crisis between Jukun and Tiv in southern Taraba.

    The meeting, which sought to find a lasting solution to the Jukun/Tiv communal feud, held in the Government House, Jalingo.

    The Nation gathered that the major cause of the Jukun/Tiv conflict is the claim by Jukuns that the Tiv are “settlers,” not indigenes, in Taraba, and ipso facto, have no ownership right to the land they occupy.

    The Tiv, on the other hand, use the longevity of their stay in Taraba to repel their settler status to claim land ownership, traditional and political rights in the state.

    These seeming claims, passed on to Jukun/Tiv offsprings, generate bloody scenes.

    The Tiv/Jukun crisis is one of the protracted inter-ethnic feuds in Nigeria, reverberating in intervals of 10 and 20 years.

    The conflict first erupted in 1959. It reoccurred in 1980, 1990, 2001 and 2019.

    The ongoing resurgence, which began on April 1, has become a source of worry to the government.

    Many had thought Tiv and Jukun will enjoy the best of their interaction these days, owing to the fact that Ishaku, a Jukun, is  married to Tiv.But the two closely tied ethnic groups are reportedly having the worst of hostilities.

    Many have criticised Governors Darius Ishaku and his Benue state counterpart, Samuel Ortom, for not doing practically enough to stop the crisis.

    “They (Ishaku and Ortom) have not visited the scenes of slaughter since the crisis began over five months ago.

    “Both Jukun and Tiv want the two governors, hand in hand, to be visiting the affected homes and affected persons, seeking truce. They have not done that,” one analyst posted on his Facebook wall.

    Mike Msuaam, who led the protest by the Tiv Youth Council Worldwide (TYCW) in Abuja, had accused Governor Ishaku and former Defence Minister Theophilus Danjuma, of orchestrating the crisis for their prolonged silence over the attacks and killings in the state.

    It was gathered that the Jukun/Tiv crisis, with cases of kidnapping and other insecurity issues in Taraba state, is gradually obscuring the landmark achievements of Darius Ishaku.

    Read Also: Tiv/Jukun clashes: activists, Tiv youths plead with Buhari to end crises

    Hundreds of lives have been lost and properties, including economic trees and food stuff, estimated in billions of naira destroyed.

    The Federal University Wukari is shutdown as killings spilled to the varsity.

    Several homes have been razed, plundered and reduced to rubble. The scenes of destruction are gory and scary.

    Jukun and Tiv have raised militia groups who are responsible for the hostilities.

    The axis is on a powder keg, as armed criminal elements hack into the feud.

    The consequences are so much that Jukuns no longer travel to the east or south through Katsina Ala-Makurdi Road.

    They follow the Ibi-Nasarawa route.

    Similarly, Tivs going to Jalingo, from Makurdi, are passing through Jos.

    Those who were unlucky were fetched from vehicles on the highway and massacred.

    Concerned Tiv and Jukun persons who have borne the brunt of the crisis want it to end.

    But profiteers of the conflict are stocking the fires of war.

    It was gathered that Governor Ishaku who is at a crossroad between his inlaws and kinsmen also want the crisis to stop.

    Ishaku had on Saturday, through the House of Assembly member from Wukari II Constituency, Josiah Aji, invited the Tiv community for peace talks.

    The lawmaker, it was learnt, met with former Commissioner for Environment, Rebecca Manasseh, who came up with a list whose composition was purely civil servants in the state, as directed by the governor.

    The Governor’s wife, Anna Ishaku, also selected some “Tiv sons from the villages” who joined in the meeting with the governor.

    Tiv stakeholders at the meeting included: Dennis Orkuma Nev, David Mtuem, Rebecca Manasseh, Jime Yongo, Stephen Ikyaa, Emmanuel Orabunde and Goodman Dahida. Also in attendance were Josiah Aji -the House of Assembly member from Wukari II Constituency, and Douglas Ndatse, representing Donga in the State Assembly.

    The selected Tiv delegation had cut across Ibi, Wukari, Donga and Tukum local government areas, where Tivs have high population density.

    In the meeting, Tiv presented their grievances to the governor.

    “Our Jukun brothers do not want the Tiv people to be identified as bonafide indigenes of Taraba, in spite of the long history of our existence, numerical strength, sociopolitical and economic contribution to the development of the state.

    “The refusal to issue to Tiv persons the Certificate of State Origin since the beginning of the conflict (in 1959) and the renaming of Tiv villages, as well as the non- recognition of our traditional institution in the state are the problems.

    “The way forward: there should be an attitudinal change on the ‘settler’ status by our Jukun brothers.

    “Jukun should have confidence in us, recognise and accept us as their own brothers,” they said, while pledging to be committed to Ishaku’s Rescue Mission, with his slogan: “Give me Peace and I will Give You Development.”

    The governor thanked his guests for “being frank” on what borders them. He stated that the Tiv were indigenes in Taraba.

    “Tiv have been in Taraba for long. They are indigenes. That is why I appointed them as commissioner, Special Advisers and Senior Aides in my cabinet,” he said.

    He added:  “Tiv are indigenes in Taraba State, that is why they have been able to rise in the ranks and files to become permanent secretaries in the state’s civil service.”

    On why he did not appoint Tiv among the traditional rulers of Taraba, Ishaku said the Tiv community has no documentary records of traditional rulership in the state.

    “Nevertheless, I will look into the matter, following the due process,” he promised.

    The governor, who had earlier spoken to his kinsmen, urged Tiv to sheathe swords for peace to reign.

    The pronouncement by Ishaku that Tiv are indigenes in Taraba is believed to end and settle the century ‘settler’ question and cause of conflict for the two ethnic groups to cohabit in the State without suspicion.

    It was also gathered that the governor might have consulted his godfather, Theophilus Danjuma, before making the pronouncement, which is going to be legally gazetted that Tiv are indeed indigenes in Taraba State.

    The Tiv urged the governor to fast-track the process that will enable displaced persons to return to their ancestral homes “unconditionally.”

  • Amaechi gets highest Catholic Knights promotion

    A Minister-designate Rotimi Amaechi has been promoted to the highest rank in the Catholic church under the order of the Knights of St. John.

    The Exemplification honour of the Knights of St. John from Grand Master, Nigerian Temple Noble and Exalted Knights of the Holy Cross Knight of St. John International was conferred on the former Transportation Minister for his service to the Order and humanity for over 20 years at the Pope John Paul II catholic Centre  in Abuja.

    While speaking, Monsignor Kenneth Enang  in charge of the Pope John II Catholic Centre explained that the promotion was premised on his support towards the growth of the Catholic church.

    Read Also: Amaechi: elite must stop fanning embers of discord

    “We want to thank you Knights of St John’s, all the other knights, college of knights for the work you are doing for the church, for support we get from the Knights in many areas not only the financial support but the moral support.

    “The Knights of St Colombo’s built the seminary we have now at Kuje when Cardinal Ekandem was alive and many of the Knights have built churches and handed over to the church.

    “We ask God to bless you and your good works and let your labours not be in vain.”

    An elated Amaechi who is a committed catholic and a member of the Knights expressed joy for the promotion

    He said:  “For our leaders, our grand master here present thinking that we are qualified, my friend  Collyns and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, we are very grateful and happy for considering us worthy of this great position. Thank you and God bless you.”

  • APC UK chapter disclaims factional group

    The United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disclaimed the factional group led by Ade Omole saying “he does not represent APC UK as a leader, chieftain or whatsoever title he wishes to appropriate to himself”.

    In a statement on Sunday, Dr. Philip Idaewor said the party’s UK chapter which was approved by the National Executive Council under his leadership had put out series of public statements in the past.

    Idaewor made claims of advising the party leadership as regards taking steps to verify the authenticity of persons coming from the UK who lay claims to representing the party.

    He lamented that despite these actions and previous statements from the chapter, the individuals have continued their activities of misrepresenting the chapter with actions that tend to portray the party to the public in bad light as existing in factions.

    Read Also: APC stalwart tasks Nigerians on collaborative efforts to halt insecurity

    He said “the fact of the matter is that there are no factions of the party in the UK, but a group of individuals who are simply determined to not obey the rules as set by the party.

    “The UK chapter of APC has a clear structure that recognises branches across the UK as well as Nigerian geopolitical Caucuses

    “APC UK chapter exists as a chapter of the party recognised by the NEC of our party having satisfied the requirements set by the party’s leadership. Our chapter is one of the twelve approved Diaspora chapters of the party.”

    He urged the party leadership to call to order all those individuals within the Diaspora locations who think, behave and act bigger than the party.

    He also appealed to the party leadership under Adams Oshiomhole in using his good office to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to restore confidence in the diaspora chapters.

  • UI announces date for Post-UTME Screening

    The University of Ibadan, UI has fixed Friday 06 and Saturday 07, September 2019 for its post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME) screening into all courses/programmes for the 2019/2020 academic year.

    This was contained in a statement issued by the school’s Registrar, Mrs Olubunmi Faluyi.

    Read Also: No, UI, no!

    She advised the prospective students who registered for the post-UTME exercise to check the Admission portal for information on the specific date when and venue where they will be screened with effect from Monday, 02 September, 2019.

  • NAFEST 2019: Edo intensifies preparation

    As Edo State prepares to host the 2019 edition of the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) scheduled to hold in Benin City, bronze casters and other stakeholders in the hospitality and tourism sectors are strategising on how to attract over 2,000 art lovers and culture enthusiasts expected to be in the state for the event.

    A cross-section of bronze casters on Igun Street, Benin City, which is famous for bronze casting and a popular tourist site, said they are fully prepared to take advantage of the opportunity of the state hosting the event to make brisk sales.

    Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Osazee Osemwegie-Ero, said the state government is putting the necessary logistics in place to ensure the seamless hosting of the event.

    He noted that if the ongoing renovation work on the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium is completed ahead of the 2019 NAFEST, the opening ceremony will hold at the stadium, while the University of Benin Sports Complex will serve as the alternate venue for hosting the opening ceremony.

    Read Also: Non-indigenes in Edo laud Obaseki’s devt’al strides

    “The Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre will be the festival village. We intend to make the festival take full advantage of streets between Sokponba Road and Igbesanmwan. They will be open only for pedestrians.”

    A bronze caster, Samuel Uyi, said most bronze casters are ready to give discounts to encourage tourists visiting the state for the event, to purchase their bronze works.

    He said, “We are fully prepared for the 2019 NAFEST holding in the state from October 19 to October 26. We have improved our production of bronze which we plan to put on display during the event. Some of these works are already on display in most stores here on Igun Street.”

    Recall that Governor Godwin Obaseki assured of the state’s readiness to host a world-class NAFEST, to raise the profile of the cultural expo.

    According to the governor, Edo State has huge cultural assets to showcase to the world at the festival, and noted that the agitation for the repatriation of the over 6000 artefacts looted during the Benin Expedition of 1897 was ongoing.

  • Presidency queries FIRS boss over N12.6tr tax collection

    The Presidency appears displeased with the taxes the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has collected in the last three years.

    This is despite the fact that the FIRS generated the largest revenue in the nation’s tax history when it collected N5.3 trillion in taxes in 2018 and is targeting N8 trillion in 2019.

    The Presidency conveyed its displeasure at the FIRS’ collection efforts in a query issued to the Executive Chairman of the FIRS Mr. Tunde Fowler by the Chief of Staff to the President Alhaji Abba Kyari.

    The query circulating in the social media titled: “RE: Budgeted FIRS Collections and actual collections” reads: “Your attached letter (FIRS/EC/ECW/0249/19/027 dated 26 July 2019) on the above subject matter refers.

    “We observed significant variances between the budgeted collections and actual collections for the period 2015 to 2018.

    “Accordingly, you are kindly invited to submit a comprehensive variance analysis explaining the reasons for the variances between budgeted and actual collections for each main tax item for each of the years 2015 to 2018.

    The query marked “Restricted” added that “we observed that the actual collections for the period 2015 to 2017 were significantly worse than what was collected between 2012 and 2014. Accordingly, you are kindly invited to explain the reason for the poor collections.”

    Kyari directed Fowler “to respond by 19 August 2019.”

    Read Also: Buhari ‘ll take decisive actions on killing of three policemen, says Presidency

    The development has raised questions over the propriety of the query given that there is no Minister of Finance and did the query come from the Permanent Secretary of the ministry.

    In January 2019, Executive Chairman of the FIRS Mr. Tunde Fowler announced in Lagos that the Service broke its collection records by generating N5.3 trillion from taxes collected and is targeting N8 trillion for 2019.

    According to Fowler, the N5.320 trillion collection is considered to be the highest revenue ever generated by FIRS in history.

    The highest in FIRS was N5.07 trillion generated in 2012 under Ms. Ifueko Omoigue.

    Fowler said “FIRS’ generation of N5.3 trillion is significant as it was at a period when oil prices averaged $70 per barrel. Oil price was at an average of $100 to $120 per barrel between 2010 and 2013.”

    In realizing this milestone, the FIRS boss noted that the non-oil component of the N5.320 trillion is N2.467 trillion that was (53.62 per cent), while the oil element of the collection was N2.852 trillion (46.38 per cent). From audit alone, the FIRS collected N212,792 billion from  2,278 cases with a huge reduction in audit circle.

    Inspite of this achievement, Tunde Fowler lamented that: “while we have been steadily increasing revenue collection over the years, our cost of collection has actually been going down. In 2016 we collected N3,307 trillion, in 2017 we collected N4,027 trillion and in 2018 we collected N5,320 trillion.

    “Meanwhile, the cost of collection as a percentage of actual taxes collected has been reducing; in 2016 it was 2.6%, in 2017 it was 2.49% while in 2018 it was 2.14%.” The FIRS is entitled to 4% cost of collection.

    He added: “The Service has been making tremendous efforts in also increasing the amount of non-oil revenue it collects. Non-oil collection has contributed 64.99% in 2016, in 2017 it contributed 62.25% and in 2018 it contributed 53.62%.

    “This represents the government’s focus on increasing non-oil sources of revenue and the diversification of the Nigerian economy.”