The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Osinbajo: it’s time for a new beginning

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the election, the nomination of notable persons from Anambra State into the federal cabinet, and the execution of important projects in the region is ushering in a new beginning, vision and direction for the region and its people, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said.

    A statement by his media aide, Laolu Akande, said Osinbajo spoke in Awka, Anambra State, during an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ summit. He said the foundation has been laid for the region to move to the next level.

    The Vice President noted that President Buhari had shown enough commitment to support the development of the Southeast and Anambra State in particular, through project execution and implementation of policies and programmes.

    The statement reads: “In 2015, people were saying don’t join APC, it is a Northern party or Southwest party. So, some were not convinced that they should belong. It is time for a new beginning; it is time for a new vision, it is time for a new direction.

    “I believe that Anambra has a special place in Mr. President’s heart. First, in his political career, the first two times he ran for President, his Vice Presidential nominees were from this state – the late Chuba Okadigbo (from Ekwueme Ogbunike) and Edwin Ume-Ezeoke (Amichi). Aside from that, I am glad that the chairman of our party has noted that the President has appointed Anambra indigenes and implemented projects – the Second Niger Bridge; Zik Mausoleum, (contract originally awarded in 1996, completed and opened by the Buhari administration); the 18km Onitsha/Awka Road, ongoing Onitsha/Enugu Expressway (Sukuk-funded), electrification project at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (making the campus one of the first Nigerian Universities to be given its own independent power supply provided by the Federal Government).

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    “Anambra is today one of the seven states that has two ministers in the present cabinet. In the Social Investment Programme – under the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme, the number of pupils currently being fed is put at 119,760 in 869 schools, while 1,045 cooks have been engaged.”

    The Vice President, however, clarified that in order to guarantee transparency in the Social Investment Programmes, especially the N-Power programme, they are not executed along party lines.

    “It is for Nigerians irrespective of which party you belong, under the N-Power, candidates have to fill the form online, you do not need to belong to our party. Under the N-Power scheme, Anambra has 16,348 beneficiaries while under the TraderMoni loan scheme, 30,774 loans have been disbursed. Under MarketMoni, 4,340 persons have benefitted, while 7,207 have been paid under the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme,” he said.

    Osinbajo also urged party leaders and faithful to leverage on the good deeds of the Federal Government to work for the party’s growth ahead of future elections. “I am here to open a fresh chapter. Life is dynamic; things are moving on every day. Standing still or not moving is not an option. Anyone or group that fails to move in a dynamic environment will find that you are actually going backwards. Anambra State must move on,” he reiterated.

    The meeting was attended by party leaders in the Southeast, including acting APC State Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike; former Governor Chris Ngige; APC governorship candidate Tony Nwoye and National Auditor Sir George Moghalu. Former President of the Senate Ken Nnamani was represented by Eugene-Odo, former Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly.

  • APC youths express shock over Kwara ministerial nominees

    Kwara North All Progressives Congress (APC) youths have expressed their shock and reservation on the recent ministerial nominees from the state.

    The youths regretted that none of the minsters-designate hails from their senatorial district.

    The youth added that “we are not in contention with the competency and merits of the nomination of Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Senator Gbemisola Saraki, but all we say is President Muhammadu Buhari should look into all of the appointments of Kwara with the tenet of equity, fairness and justice”.

    Addressing reporters at the weekend in Ilorin, the state capital, spokesperson of the group Zubair Aliyu Rogun:  “We wish to express our shock and grievance with the absence of a Kwara Northerner as a ministerial nominee to the notice of the president and the general public.

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    “While we understand that the choice of who becomes a minister to represent Kwara State at the Federal Executive Council is the prerogative of the President, we are, however, seriously pained that this prerogative did not consider the peculiar circumstance of Kwara State vis a vis power sharing since 1999 to date; federal appointments and the 2019 electoral performance analysis among the three senatorial district of Kwara State.

    “In view of the foregoing, we most humbly urge the President as a father of all, to always take equity, fairness and justice in Kwara’s case into a greater consideration going forward.

    “The appointments ratio of Kwarans at the federal level showed that Kwara Central have 62 per cent Kwara South with 30 per cent and Kwara North is just eight per cent.”

  • My daughter’s life is being threatened, says Okorocha

    Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has raised the alarm over alleged threats to his daughter, Mrs. Uloma Nwosu, and other members of his family.

    Okorocha, through his Personal Assistant, Ebere Nzewuji, accused a top Imo State government official of ordering thugs to attack Mrs. Nwosu in Owerri.

    According to him, a trending video showed the thugs holding Mrs. Nwosu hostage, claiming they were given special order to seize her vehicle until the government official arrives at the place. He said the incident, which happened on July 26, threw people into panic.

    He said: “Few days ago, members of the Imo State Recovery Team went to her shop and looted her goods on the claims they were government property. They also went to the former first lady’s shop and carted away some containers. These were gift items and souvenirs she gives to first ladies and dignitaries during her annual August meeting, including items sold in her furniture shop.

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    “These things happening in Imo State is very serious. It will lead to a total breakdown of law and order if care is not taken. We have reported to the police, even from the last incident, and we don’t think any serious action has been taken so far. We call on the authorities to do something about it before there is a breakdown of law and order.”

    But Governor Emeka Ihedioha dismissed the allegation as unfounded. He noted that the blackmail by Okorocha would not deter him from recovering movable government assets allegedly stolen during the last administration.

    His media aide, Steve Osuji, insisted that no appointee of the Ihedioha-led administration assaulted Okorocha’s daughter as claimed.

    “We are not aware that such thing happened. We are not unruly like them. If they are sure of what they are saying, let them go to court. They know the right thing to do,” he added.

  • Kwara governor mourns ex-Offa Poly Rector Kawu

    Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Sunday condoled with the Offa community over the death of the former Rector of Federal Polytechnic Offa, Dr. Muftau Olatinwo.

    “The death of this fine administrator came as a shock. We commiserate with the entire Olatinwo lineage, the Olofa of Offa Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II and the academic community over the sad demise of Dr. Olatinwo,” AbdulRazaq said in a statement by his spokesman, Rafiu Ajakaye.

    The statement said Dr. Olatinwo would be remembered for his outstanding community service and contributions to make a positive difference during his years as Rector of the FedPoly Offa.

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    “We pray the Almighty God to forgive his shortcomings and comfort his family and the Offa community at large,” the statement added.

    The governor also condoled with the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Mallam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu on the death of his sister, Hajia Dupe Kawu.

    “Her death is one other sad incident too many and we can only pray to the Almighty Allah to halt further depletion of our young ones,” the statement said.

  • Soldier stabs driver to death in Edo

    Edo State Police Command has arrested a Lance Corporal, Moses Oguche, attached to the 4 Brigade, for allegedly stabbing a driver to death.

    The deceased driver, simply identified as Mr. Ogbimi, worked with the Big Joe Motors, Benin and had gone to Okene in Kogi State to alongside a mechanic,  repair a broken down vehicle belonging to the company when the incident occurred.

    Witnesses said trouble started when the towing van driven by the deceased had a collision with a silver colour Nissan Premera marked Abuja- KWL 811-AP, belonging to the suspect.

    The soldier, who was said to be in mufti, stabbed the driver during an argument that ensued between them and later fled the scene, to prevent being attacked.

    He was said to have been pursued by passersby and he later abandoned his car and ran into a bush at Agbede in Edo State.

    Read Also: Woman stabs brother to death in Kano

    Policemen in the area were alerted and they took him into custody with his vehicle at Agbede Divisional Police Headquarters.

    It was gathered that some armed soldiers stormed Agbede Police Station in two Hilux vans to rescue their colleague, but were prevented by residents and policemen.

    Sources said Police Commissioner DanMallam Mohammed ordered the transfer of the suspect to the police headquarters in Benin City.

    He said justice will be done, as nobody is above the law.

    “The case is under investigation. It is a case of murder. He is a Nigerian and he is not above the law.

    “I assure that justice will be done in this case,” DanMallam said.

    The Public Relations Officer for 4 Brigade, Capt. Maidawa Ibrahim Mohammed, said the loss of life was regrettable.

    He said: “The loss of life in this controversial circumstance is highly regrettable. This is certainly not in line with the professional disposition of the Army, which places high premium on the sanctity of human lives. As alleged, this unfortunate circumstance will be thoroughly investigated and if established, justice shall take its course. I want to assure the public of the safety of their lives and property.”

    A worker in the transport firm, who pleaded anonymity, said the management and the bereaved family have been invited by the police at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID).

  • Guards nabbed with guns in Anambra

    Two suspected robbers were on Sunday arrested by the police for alleged robbery in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    The suspects, Ogbang Clement and Udeh Orji, said to be private security guards at Independent Layout Estate, Nkwelle Ezunaka, were said to have robbed their victim at gunpoint.

    The Nation gathered that a locally-made pistol loaded with bullets was recovered from the suspects.

    Confirming the incident, police spokesman Haruna Mohammed said the suspects were nabbed by the detectives attached to 33 Division.

    He said: “Police detectives attached to 33 Division arrested Ogbang Clement, 34, and Udeh Orji, 21.

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    “They are private security personnel attached to Independent Layout Estate, Nkwelle Ezunaka.

    “The suspects conspired and robbed Ogbonna Usulor of Nkwelle Ezunaka of his phone and other belongings.

    “Exhibits recovered in their possession include a locally- made pistol loaded with live ammunition and the stolen items.”

    Mohammed also confirmed the arrest of Obi Alexander by the police attached to 33 Division, Onitsha.

    He said the suspect conspired with Felix Ekuneme, 48, of Holy Trinity Estate, now at large and stole a Toyota Camry car belonging to Ozoemana Madu of Tobis Estate, where it was parked.

    Mohammed said efforts were on to arrest the fleeing suspect.

    He assured residents of the command’s preparedness to reduce crime.

    Mohammed urged the public to report suspicious persons or movements to the nearest police station.

  • Man jailed for stealing phone

    A 43-year old man, Alexander Iyere, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment for stealing a Hot 5 Infinix phone worth N45,000.

    The phone was said to belong to Mr. Atokoh Daniel Uche.

    Iyere was arraigned on a one- count charge of stealing punishable under Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 48 Vol II Laws of defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976 as applicable in Edo State.

    He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Read Also: Guard jailed for stealing N10m jewellery

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Patrick Agbonifo, who called two witnesses, told the court that Iyere belonged to a gang that terrorised people around the New Benin axis.

    He said the convict tricked the victim by telling him that he needed to use his phone to make an important call, as his wife was at the point of death in hospital.

    He said Iyere ran away with the phone, but the victim recognised him after one week.

    Magistrate Ivie Akere found the accused guilty of the one-count charge and sentenced him to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.

  • ‘How agent intended to use housemaid to steal employer’s money’

    Operatives of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad have arrested a housemaid agent, Francis Okputu, for allegedly intending to use a housemaid, Joy Onoz, to steal her employers’ N450,000 and a set of jewellery.

    Okputu, 37, was said to assist people to get housemaids with the motive of using them to abscond with the money, jewellery and other belongings of their employers.

    The Nation learnt that Francis’ mode of operation and agreement with the job seekers was to help them get housemaid jobs. They would work as house help and domestic workers. He would collect half of their salary for the first month as commission fee.

    He has been doing this since 2003.

    Okputu confessed to the police at the weekend that he initially helped people to get housemaids as an agent and he collected half of their first salary as commission, “but I changed my mode of operation after my financial burden increased.”

    Said he: “I have been helping Lagosians to get house helps and everybody in my neighborhood knows this. But sometime in May this year, a friend directed Joy Onoz to me to help her get a housemaid job, which I did. All was fine until the following month when she called me that her mistress does not like her and she wants me to help her do something about it.

    “When I realised that Joy’s employer is wealthy, I began to think of ways to swindle her. I called Joy one day and told her not speak English language throughout our conversation. I told her to steal her madam’s money, jewellery and also help get her picture and deliver it to me at an undisclosed place.

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    “I told Joy that the gold jewellery would be replaced with copper and I would take the picture to a prophetess who would help bewitch her and make her not to question any of Joy’s action after stealing her things.”

    Joy said she informed the police about her agent’s plan to swindle her employer. She said she also told her mistress about Francis’ plot and they played along with his arrangement.

    The mistress gave Joy some hard currencies, jewellery and her picture and told her to contact Francis that she had successfully gotten some valuables.

    It was gathered that Francis, unknowingly, instructed Joy to meet him at Iyana-Ipaja, a Lagos suburb, to handover her loot to him and that he would arrange how to get fake jewellery across to her, which she would give her mistress.

    The Nation learnt that officers, who had been contacted by the employer, swung into action and ambushed Francis at the agreed location. He was arrested after receiving the loot.

    After his arrest, RRS officials visited some housemaids whom Francis had ‘planted’ in parts of the state to ask them if he (Francis) had asked them to bring their employer’s belongings.

    They advised them not to do anything against the law.

    The police also visited the prophetess who was to allegedly help Francis to hypnotise Joy’s mistress and she said the last time she saw him was in February 2018 when he came for prayer and asked her to help hypnotise a woman who employed one of his clients, but she refused to accede to his request and sent him out of her church “because I don’t indulge in such a practice as a servant of God.”

    Recovered from Francis were $15 notes, gold jewellery worth N450,000 and a picture.

    Police Commissioner Adamu Muazu directed the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Intelligence Investigation Department (SCIID) office and advised Lagosians to be conscious of who they employ as domestic workers, to prevent  theft.

  • Court jails 29 for sanitation offences

    A Mobile Court in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has sentenced 29 persons to one month imprisonment each for violating the environmental law of Ekiti State.

    They were sentenced for roaming about and transacting businesses at locations during last weekend’s environmental sanitation exercise.

    Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi, who monitored the exercise in Ado-Ekiti, decried the non-challant attitude of residents to their civic duty of keeping their surroundings clean.

    Egbeyemi, who monitored the exercise alongside Head of Service Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi and Chairman Ado-Ekiti Local Government Mr. Olufemi Bamisile, advised the people to maintain a hygienic environment, to avoid outbreak of epidemic.

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    Those selling local gins, bean cakes among other goods during the sanitation were arrested on the instruction of the deputy governor.

    At the court presided over by Magistrate T. A. Abe, 29 offenders, who were convicted, were sentenced to one month imprisonment each.

    The offenders, who are mostly commercial motorcyclists, were given an option of N3,000 fine each, while one of the accused persons was discharged and acquitted.

    Addressing reporters, the Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Mr. Tunde Balogun, said the violators were apprehended in Ado-Ekiti.

    Balogun, who expressed displeasure at the level of residents’ compliance to sanitation, called for a change of attitude.

    Other areas where the deputy governor monitored the exercise were Odo Ado, Ureje, Idolofin, Oke-Ila/Housing and Faelgan/NTA Road.

  • Kidnappers free expatriate in Akwa Ibom

    Four suspects allegedly linked to the kidnap last week of an expatriate engineer working for Al Majdal Construction Company in Akwa Ibom State, have been arrested by the police in neigbouring Rivers State.

    The engineer, whose nationality is yet to be ascertained, was abducted while two soldiers were shot dead by gunmen in an operation that occurred on a road construction on Ikot Ibritam, Inen Ekeffe-Ikot Akpan-Afaha Ukanafun axis.

    Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred when the engineer was on a routine inspection at the road construction project site awarded by the Akwa Ibom State Government.

    An eyewitness told our correspondent that after the expatriate had spent 18 days in the kidnappers’ den, he was released last Friday night at the same spot where he was abducted.

    “About 8pm last Friday, the hoodlums brought him (the expatriate) from the creeks in a speedboat. They blindfolded him and dropped him at the same spot he was kidnapped. He then called their project office in the community before he was picked up by heavily armed soldiers for treatment.”

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    The clan head of Inen, the border community between Oruk Anam and Ukanafun where the incident occurred, His Royal Highness Obong Johnson Obosi, confirmed that the abducted expatriate had been released by the abductors.

    He said: ”Yes, the Chairman of Oruk Anam Local Government, Prince Ubong Idiong, called me this morning, informing me that the abducted expatriate had been released by the abductors.

    Obosi said although the expatriate had been released , the council of chiefs would not rescind its decision to use traditional means of invoking native injunction against the perpetrators of the crime, “so that the government can continue the development projects in our community with confidence.”

    “Despite that the abductors have freed the expatriate, we will still meet tomorrow to explore traditional means by invoking native injunctions against the gunmen and their collaborators so that the government will continue in the development projects in our community.”

    The monarch disclosed that four persons have been arrested in Port Harcourt, including the son of a village head, in connection with the kidnapping of the expatriate.

    He said the village head was arrested and detained, but he was later released, adding that the son was nabbed by the police.