The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Delta monarch dies

    The Orosuen of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Prof. Paul Oghenero Okumagba, Idama II, is dead.

    The Nation gathered that the royal father, who received his staff of office about a year ago, joined his ancestors on Monday after a protracted illness.

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    Although the Okere-Urhobo palace has not released any official statement on the monarch’s death, palace sources said chiefs and leaders of the kingdom would meet in the palace today to discuss the development.

    The Prime Minister (Otota) of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom, Chief Wilson Eboh, seemed not to be in a mood to break the news to the media as he shouted on our correspondent who called to speak with him.

    The deceased was a Professor of Sociology at the Delta State University, Abraka, before becoming king. He ascended the throne in October 2017, and was presented with a Staff of Office in November 2018.

  • Principal to refund N12m in Delta

    A secondary school principal, Mr. Ishmael Omolade, has been told to refund N11,124,800.00, being alleged proceeds of unauthorised levies collected from pupils of Otor-Ogor Technical College, Otor-Ogor, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

    He has been removed from office and reposted to headquarters of the Vocational and Technical Board, Asaba.

    Omolade and fourteen others were sanctioned for allegedly collecting illegal levies from pupils in public primary and secondary schools.

    A statement yesterday by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Patrick Ukah, said the sanctions are in line with the findings of a board of inquiry set up by the ministry.

    The board’s reports have been approved by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

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    According to the statement, Omolade has been removed as the Principal of Ogor Technical College, Otor-Ogor, and to refund N11,124,800.00, being money illegally collected from pupils in the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 academic sessions.

    In addition, normal disciplinary procedures are to be initiated for his early exit from the service.

    Also, principals of the five other Technical Colleges in the state will be issued letters of warning for engaging in illegal collection of levies from pupils, and to forestall a recurrence. They are to also refund the money illegally collected.

    The Chief Inspector of Education in Sapele council, Mrs. Patience Ishegbe, will be recalled to the headquarters and queried, just as the Chief Inspector of Education, Oshimili North field office, Mrs. Marian Oju, and that of Isoko North field office, Mr. Fidelis Ogbotobo, have been recalled to headquarters of the Ministry of Education.

    Mrs. Veronica Igbigwe has been demoted from Head Teacher by one grade level and posted out of Okotie Eboh Primary School 1, Sapele. She will also refund the unauthorised levy collected.

    The Chairman and Secretary of the Association of Primary School Heads (AOPSHON), Sapele chapter, Mr. Obukohwo Victor Iguele and Mr. Akpore Umuhurhu, were demoted by one rank/salary grade level and posted out of their present schools. They are also barred from heading any school for the next two academic sessions.

  • ‘Rivers governorship election was free and fair’

    Agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have told the Rivers State governorship election tribunal that the March 9 election was conducted in line with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.

    The ward and local agents of the PDP said the election held in a peaceful atmosphere. They debunked allegationa by the ADP that the election was disrupted by violence.

    Collation Agent for Port Harcourt City Local Government Area Chinyere Igwe, who is a member of the House of Representatives, said he didn’t notice any irregularities during the election.

    He added that the election was conducted peacefully in line with the stipulated guidelines across Port Harcourt City council.

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    According to him, accreditation, election and collation of results were done peacefully and successfully. “Port Harcourt City council Collation Centre was at Elekahia Primary School. I was present at the collation centre and I witnessed the collation of results as the collation agent there. The result was announced by the electoral officer on March 10 about 12 noon. Elections went successful at the 20 wards of the council, and all due processes were followed, the results were announced accordingly, it was at the state level that collation were suspended and not the local government level, he said.

    Dan Nsan, Ward 7 collation agent of the PDP for Andoni council, said he was present at the ward collation centre when results were collated by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He added that he witnessed the collation of unit and ward results into the forms EC8A and EC8B. “INEC officials were present at the polling units, they entered the units results at the form EC8A and also entered the ward result into the form EC8B. I was given my own copy of the results, but I have submitted them to my party,” he said.

    Nsan added that he did not receive any report of malpractice or violence from agents as INEC officials were present at the polling units in Ward 7 and witnessed the processes.

    Justice J. A. Orjiako adjourned till July 26 for continuation of defence by Governor Nyesom Wike who opened his defence yesterday.

  • JUST IN: WAEC releases 2019 candidates Friday

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is set to release the 2019 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) result on Friday.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Demianus G. Ojijeogu, WAEC Nigeria’s Head of Piblic Affairs and made available via the council’s official twitter page on Thursday.

    It said: “Candidates who are not indebted to the council will be able to access and check their results online, using the results checker pin on their smart identity cards used during the conduct of the examination.

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    “According to reports, over 1.6million SS111 students sat for May/June 2019 WASSCE nationwide.WAEC Head of National Office (HNO), Mr. Olu Adenipekun will announce the results on Friday at the headquarters of the council in Yaba.

    It was learnt the marking of answer scripts started on Sunday, June 30 and ended July 12 at 86 marking venues including two e-marking venues in Lagos and Benin City.

    The release of the May/June 2019 WASSCE results will end months of anxiety by candidates who require it for the 2019/2020 admission exercise in tertiary institutions.

  • NYSC hails corps member kidnapped during poll

    An outgoing 2018 Batch “B” National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member abducted during the February general election in Anambra State was on Thursday celebrated by the NYSC for her gallantry and resilience.

    The corps member, Onisuru Oghenetega, who worked as an ad-hoc official during the poll, was celebrated during the passing out parade with five others who distinguished themselves in their places of primary assignment.

    Speaking at Ajali in Orumba North Local Government, the State Coordinator, Kehinde Aremu, said he chose the council to appreciate the corps members’ doggedness and commitment to the scheme.

    He said he was impressed by Oghenetega’s determination to carry out her primary assignment despite the bitter experience.

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    Aremu said: “I’m happy to see one of the corps members who was kidnapped during the last general election here with us hale and hearty.

    “One would have expected her to seek redeployment following the trauma she went through after the incident.”

    The coordinator thanked the corps members for their diligence and urged them to practise the skills they had learnt during their assignments.

    He said he was aware that some of them had built relationships during the service, urging them not to be in a hurry to dispose of such contacts, as they would be relevant in future.

    Council Chairman Dr. Ikwueto Obinna hailed the corps members for their contributions, especially in the health care and education sectors.

    “We have corps members who really added values to our health sector and our education sector,” he said.

    Speaking to reporters, Oghenetega said she was not traumatised as expected, adding that she would like to return to the state anytime. She described Anambra as safe.

    Five of the 64 outgoing corps members were rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a standing fan each in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the council.

  • Police nab two fake spiritualists

    Niger State Police Command has nabbed two fake spiritualists, who specialised in defrauding people.

    The spiritualists were said to have been trailed from Akure in Ondo State where they ran to after hoodwinking many people.

    The Nation learnt that their victims were people who came to them for spiritual help and healing.

    The suspects, Olaiya Ojo 52, and Awoyemi Ibrahim, 48, were arrested by policemen from Maitumbi Division following a tip-off.

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    It was gathered that the suspects had been going about defrauding people who needed spiritual healing.

    The suspects confessed to have been in the ‘business’ for 10 years. They were said to have defrauded many families in Ondo State and decided to relocate to Niger State to continue their trade.

    But they met their Waterloo when they were arrested by the police before they perfected their act.

    Speaking while being paraded by the police, one of the suspects, Ojo, said they never thought that they would be traced by the police to Niger State after they left Ondo State.

    Police spokesman Muhammad Abubakar said operatives recovered calabashes, one long rubber tube, white and red cloths and a bell from them, adding that the matter would soon be charged to court.

  • Police: we will rescue those kidnapped on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    Ogun State Police Command last night expressed confidence that its special force comprising Anti-Kidnapping, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and detectives would rescue those abducted on the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway.

    The command, through its spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told The Nation that “we are closing in on the abductors following intensive search for them.”

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    Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), added that Commissioner Bashir Makama, along with the Anti-kidnapping Unit and SARS had visited the scene of the kidnap to assess the situation and strategise on how to arrest the suspected kidnappers.

  • Gunmen shoot policeman in Calabar

    Gunmen on Thursday shot a police traffic warden, who was controlling traffic at Etagbo Road, opposite Ujimco Filling Station, Calabar.

    Fortunately he did not die. He was rushed to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.

    Read Also: Gunmen abduct 18 traders in Niger

    It was gathered that the policeman, whose identity could not be ascertained, was shot while at his duty post by gunmen, who were in a vehicle. They sped off immediately.

    It could not be ascertained why the policeman was shot, but it was suspected to be cult-related.

    Police spokesperson Irene Ugbo confirmed the incident.

    She said some suspects had been arrested.

  • Police rescue kidnapped victims

    Abia State Police Command has rescued two kidnapped victims in Aba.

    Our reporter gathered that the police, after pursuing the abductors, recovered a Hyundai Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) belonging to one of the victims, which they (the hoodlums) abandoned while fleeing.

    The rescued victims are Ndukwe Patrick and Chika Aniere, all residents of New Umuahia Road, off Ogbor Hill, Aba.

    A police source said the victims were kidnapped at about 10pm on Wednesday.

    Read Also: Kidnapped women will be rescued, says Edo CP

    It was learnt that a distress call was sent to Police Commissioner Ene Okon, who instructed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in-charge of Ohuru Isimiri, under whose division the incident happened, to go after the kidnappers and ensure they didn’t escape with the victims.

    The prompt action of the police was said to have foiled the kidnap attempt.

    Okon confirmed the rescue of the victims, stressing that the prompt action of his men from Ohuru Isimiri Division helped to prevent the kidnappers from achieving their aim.

  • ‘I committed suicide to escape disturbances by mum’

    27-old man, Nsisong Okon Etim, has committed suicide at Efiat Ikot Edo community in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    He was said to have killed himself on Tuesday over alleged frequent disturbances by his mother, step-brother and landlord.

    The deceased, a graduate, disclosed the reasons for taking his life in a suicide note he dropped before hanging himself.

    In the note, the late Nsisong said: “I am ending my miserable life to escape from constant worries and disturbances by my mother, step-brother and the landlord, whose shop I rented to sell cooking gas.”

    The suicide has continued to shock residents of Ukpong Edet Street in the Effiat Ikot Edo Offot community where the deceased lived with his mother.

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    Family sources said the deceased completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme last year and went into the business of selling cooking gas on the Old Ring Road, Uyo, “because of inability to get a job.”

    The deceased, one of the sons of the late village head of the community, Chief Etim Eton, according to her sister, Miss Edidiong Okon Etim, “was very discreet and always kept to himself.”

    “He rarely ate our mother’s food. He usually cooked for himself.”

    It was gathered that the deceased, after returning from shop in the evening, locked himself in his room, removed his clothes and wore boxer shorts. He broke the ceiling, tied a rope to the rafters and strangled himself.”

    His mother, Mrs. Patience Eton, who was in tears on Wednesday morning when his remains were being lowered from the rafters for ritual and burial, was too shock to speak.

    The youth leader (Obong Effak) of Umoebet\Esuene streets, Comrade Godwin Okon Sunday, expressed sadness about what he described as “an unfortunate incident.”

    “I saw him recently. He was an introvert.

    “I think based on the content of his suicide note, he was frustrated following the hardship in the country,” the youth leader said.

    He urged the government to create what he called “economic windows and social security palliatives, to cushion the effect of the prevailing harsh economic realities caused by high unemployment rate in the country.”