The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Lawmaker distributes N6m uniforms to pupils

    A lawmaker representing Badagry Federal Constituency, Mr. Babatunde Hunpe, has distributed over 3,000 uniforms worth N6 million to pupils in 20 primary schools.

    Distributing the uniforms to the pupils of LA Primary School, Iyaafin, Badagry, on Thursday, he said this was part of his campaign promises to his constituents.

    Hunpe, represented by his wife, Elizabeth, said education was pivotal to the development process of any community.

    “Coming to Iyaafin today to distribute uniforms to pupils of St. Thomas Primary School is part of my belief that children are the greatest assets any society can possess.

    “To achieve a brighter future, we have to pay attention to the progress of our children.

    “This is just a tip of the iceberg; I am still coming with more goodies for you my children.

    Read Also: Constituents roll out the drums for ex-lawmaker

    “I implore you to face your studies, because you are the leaders of tomorrow and future leaders of a greater Nigeria,” he said.

    Hunpe said he had distributed uniforms to other pupils in some primary schools in Badagry West and Olorunda Local Council Development Area (LCDA) before coming to Badagry Local Government.

    “We have distributed the uniforms to pupils at Methodist Primary School, Ashipanu; Salvation Army Primary School, Anlo-Boglo; LA Primary School, Keta West and Gberefu LA Primary School, Apa, all in Badagry West LCDA.

    “Also, we have done the same thing at Anglican Primary School, Ilado; LA Primary School, Mowo; Community Nur/Pry School, Esepe/Mushin/Obele; Morogbo Primary School, Morogbo and Anglican Nur/Pry School, Igborosun.

    “We will proceed to other primary schools within Badagry today and tomorrow to distribute the remaining uniforms to them,” he said.

    The school’s Assistant Head Teacher, Mrs. Victoria Awolesi, thanked Hunpe for the kind gesture, urging other politicians to emulate him.

    A pupil, Funke Ogundipe, thanked the legislator for providing uniforms for them.

  • Guard jailed for stealing N10m jewellery

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court on Thursday sentenced a guard, Amos Dauda, to three years imprisonment for stealing his boss’ jewellery valued at N10 million.

    Mrs. M. O. Ope-Agbe  convicted Dauda after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

    She said despite being “guilty as charged,” Dauda “showed no sign of remorse.”

    Ope-Agbe said: “The defendant is hereby sentenced to three years imprisonment. This sentence takes effect from November 24, 2018, when the convict was arrested. The sentence is without an option of fine.”

    Prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji,  said Dauda committed the offence at about 7am in April 2018, at 5, Shotidaya Close, Masha, Surulere, Lagos.

    He said the defendant worked as a guard for the complainant, Mrs. Mary Kolawole.

    “The defendant was entrusted with the key to the apartment and cleaned the room where the jewellery was kept.

    Read Also: Guard jailed three years for stealing N3m jewelry

    The prosecutor tendered the defendant’s confessional statement, which was admitted in evidence.

    A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court yesterday remanded a  guard, Harrison Lar, pending his sentence after he admitted stealing printing machine parts worth N3.8 million.

    Chief Magistrate Oluwatoyin Oghere ordered that Lar, 47, be kept in Ikoyi Prisons, till July 31.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Modupe Olaluwoye said the defendant committed the offence sometime in April, at Bailey Street, Shomolu, Lagos.

    She said the complainant, Mr. Olusegun Oladogba, bought a Heidelberg speed printing machine and contracted a security company to protect it, pending installation.

    Olaluwoye said the defendant, who was posted to secure the machine, stole the machine parts and a 15amps electrical appliance valued at N5,000.

    “My lord, during investigation, the defendant confessed to the theft of the machine parts, saying he had sold them.

  • Man ‘abducts, defiles girl’

    31-Year-Old man, Kelly Udi, was on Thursday arraigned at an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court for allegedly abducting and defiling a 14-year-old girl.

    He pleaded not guilty to the charge before Magistrate Ejiro Kubeinje.

    Prosecuting Inspector Donjour Perezi said the defendant committed the offence on June 26 at Demurin Street, Alapere-Ketu.

    He alleged that Udi abducted the girl for one week and took her to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, without the knowledge of her guardian, Mr. Chimezie Nwokoro.

    Perezi said the defendant unlawfully detained the victim with intent to have sex with her.

    He said when the victim returned home a week after her disappearance, she told her guardian that the defendant took her to Port Harcourt and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.

    Read Also: Tricycle driver arraigned for stealing 5 tricycles

    Magistrate Kubeinje granted him to N200,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.
    She adjourned till September 19.

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court remanded an unemployed, John Edet, for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s nine-year-old daughter.

    Mrs. K. O. Doja-Ojo made the order following an application by the police. She ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

    Edet was arraigned on a temporary one-count charge of defilement.
    His plea was not taken.

    Prosecuting Inspector Peace Chukwudi alleged that Edet committed the offence at about 4pm on July 9, at Ilasan in Eti-Osa Local Government.

    Chukwudi said the defendant had unlawful sexual intercourse with the child. She said Edet and the girl’s parents were from the same town. “The girl complained of pains in her private parts and told her parents that Edet had been having carnal knowledge of her whenever they were not around,” the prosecutor said.

    The case continues on August 14.

  • Why rape cases are high, by lawyers

    Why is there a rise in rape cases? It is because of moral decadence, seductive dressing, dwindling family bonding and children’s unrestricted access to electronic devices, say some lawyers.

    The lawyers, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday that the crime wave was worrisome.

    One of them, Spurgeon Ataene, said Nigerians should be concerned by the development.

    “Teaching of morals in schools is no longer emphasised. So, at the formative stage, children go astray, as they are allowed unlimited access to all manner of electronic devices.

    “Schools are no longer interested in corrective punishment; male teachers see nothing wrong in showing amorous affection for underage female pupils.

    “Parents see nothing wrong in children dressing seductively, families forget that bonding is key to good upbringing, and that a child needs to talk to parents in a way that confidence is engendered,” he said.

    Ataene said bullying a child would create fear in him or her, making the child unable to confide in the parent even when touched inappropriately.

    Read Also: Boy, 14, arrested for alleged rape

    “Male children read, watch videos unrestricted,” he added.

    Ataene said workplaces and schools should emphasise decent dressing.

    A rights campaigner, Chief Malcolm Onirhobo, blamed the development on poor morals at home.

    “Some parents no longer teach their children what they should know, but focus on business and even spend hours on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media networks.

    “General idleness on the part of the youth also plays a role, as an idle mind is the devil’s playground. Therefore, youths must be meaningfully engaged,” he said.

    Onirhobo called for enlightenment on steps to be taken after rape, such as exhibiting firsthand evidence of semen deposits, bruises and other physical signs on the victim.

    He said rape victims would speak out if well protected.

    Mr. Ayotunde Ologe attributed the problem to “culture of impunity and silence”.

    “Our culture seems to encourage rape, as you often hear some elders refer to underage girls as, `my wife’.

    “The culture of impunity often helps rapists to get away with the crime,” he said, adding that culture of silence often kept rape victims from speaking up.

    He advocated longer prison terms and castration of convicted rapists to curb the menace.

  • Osinbajo: we’re moving GDP to 25%

    The federal government said it plans to move the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) from the current 15 per cent to 25 per cent between the next two and four years.

    Speaking at the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) 62nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo said this will be achieved through the various economic policies put together by the government.

    He said government will intensify efforts on the implementation of the Economic Growth and Recovery Plan.

    Represented by Former Special Adviser to the President on Economic Recovery, Mr Yomi Dipeolu, the Vice President said: “On efforts made so far to reinvigorate the economy, include several economic and fiscal policies, which included rebuilding fiscal buffer, enhancing Forex reserve, improving the ease of doing business and focusing on import substitution, had been undertaken by the present administration.”

    Read Also: Emefiele: Economic diversification option to grow GDP

    The Second Vice President of NECA, Mr Mauricio Alarcon, in his address said challenges of operational hiccups experienced at the port remained one year after the Presidential Executive Order to  promote transparency and efficiency. He called for urgent infrastructural development at the Lagos Port as the country has lost about N6 trillion across different sectors due to the Apapa gridlock.

    ”Survey by the OPS showed that Nigeria lost about N3.06 trillion on non-oil export and about N2.5 trillion earnings annually across the different sectors due to the Apapa gridlock,” Alarcon said.

    He said the now that the general election was over; the government should look at reforms that would significantly impact on the economy.

    ”There is need to fast-track infrastructural development at the Lagos Port, diversification programme, a market driven foreign exchange management, sustain and significant reduction in the cost of governance.

    “Government should also fast-track the passage of Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, a market driven electricity supply and billing system,” he said.

  • ‘We will improve community policing’

    The Nigerian Policing Programme (NPP), a British Council Funded Programme, is aimed at improving community policing, it was learnt on Tuesday.

    At an event held at the Area G Police Command in Ogba yesterday, Lagos State Intervention Officer of NPP, Ivy Basil-Ofili, said the programme is focused on improving community policing.

    She said: “One of the programmes is stakeholders’ police accountability forum whereby CSOs come together to hold police accountable and also improve the community relationship between the police and the community.

    “For today’s event, we are looking at strengthening the gender unit of the police, looking at the family support unit whereby they can interface with the heads of these units and the commands on how they can relate issues of gender to the police.

    Read Also: Cultism, drug abuse: Police to sensitise communities

    “We have representatives of all the DPOs in the area command and they will share their contacts with the community members, talk to them so that when they have issues they can easily call them.

    “Part of the whole sensitisation is for communities to know their rights, especially when it comes to dealing with the police.”

    Founder, Women’s Right and Health project (WRAHP), Bose Ironsi said she is happy “women are beginning to speak out and men are beginning to understand why violence is not the way” but we still have a lot to do.

    “Before now, people didn’t understand the laws or know where to go to, so what we have done over the years is to give them information on where to get result. We have covered a large number of people because we are on television, newspapers and other social media handles where we interact with people and we have contributed significantly to the society in one way or the other,” she noted.

  • Kwara governor laments poor state of education

    Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has lamented the poor state of education, saying a new dawn has come and all that needs to be done will be put in place to regain the lost educational glory.

    Abdulrazaq, who was the special guest of honour at the Thomas Adewumi International School, Oko, lamented that “Kwara used to be number one in Northern Nigeria, now Kaduna has overtaken us. Long term planning is essential and that we are doing,”

    The governor hailed the entrepreneurial accomplishments of Dr. Johnson Adewumi, the Asiwaju of Oko-Irese and Founder of TAICO and TAUO. He added that Adewumi’s vision matches his government’s vision.

    Read Also: Shun drug abuse, Kwara urges youths

    He said: “I promised in my manifesto to promote enterprise. This is a good example of it. I had been depressed by what I had been seeing during my inspection of government institutions, but my visit to this place, and with what I have seen, has lifted my spirit.”

    The governor also lauded the communal spirit of Adewumi, saying ”you are building a huge community here, but not just only Oko community but attracting investments from other institutions. You are a serious entrepreneur; we shall partner with you”.

    Adewumi, in his remarks, said: “I’m speechless. It is a new dawn of leadership in Kwara. You are the first Kwara governor to come here, and we are highly honoured. We are praying for you so that the story of Kwara will be re-written for good.

  • Seven ways to beat, survive Lagos traffic

    Lagos is notorious for its traffic gridlock. There are so many cars on the roads from private cars, commercial buses (Danfo), taxis, the Keke NAPEP (tricycles) and motorcycles (Okada).

    The traffic would have been more bearable but for the addition of impatient drivers and riders, impatient pedestrians. A combination of all these factors really makes the heavy Lagos traffic unbearable.

    Sadly, a brief journey which shouldn’t last for long might end up taking you longer time to travel to and fro a destination within the city.

    But one thing about traffic in Lagos is that it occurs especially at specific times of the day and it can be unpredictable.

    So therefore, by observing the day-to-day flow of traffic, you can get to understand the best times to leave your location and get to your destination faster.

    Here are few tips on how to survive the traffic in Lagos:

    * Make sure to leave home early: This is how the traffic has defined the life of many Lagosians. The routine is leave early and arrive late to avoid and survive the gridlock.

    * Always listen to traffic radio/programmes: The Lagos State Government on May 29, 2012 launched the Lagos Traffic Radio 96.1FM to give Lagosians situation report on traffic. It offers information on alternative routes and locations where the gridlock is worse. They work in conjunction with the Lagos State Road Maintenance Agency (LASMA) and it is a reliable platform to get traffic information.

    * Always wind up your car windows: This is a safety tip to ward-off ‘snatch and run’ thieves. Traffic jams are the perfect cover for a lot of pickpockets who pretend to be beggars, or street hawkers.

    * You don’t always need to drive: For those who have the luxury of BRT buses around where they reside, it is advisable that you take public transport as an option. You actually don’t have to drive every day of the week.

    * Have an insight on when and where traffic builds up: It is very important to have a little knowledge of the times of day and week when traffic is at its peak this would go a long way.

    * Monitor the traffic situation on social media: There are some Twitter handles that provide authentic traffic updates daily, follow them and monitor their tweets religiously. With these updates, you can map your routes.

    * Shake your head to the melodious tune of your music player: When you’re stuck in traffic, staring in space while waiting for the line of vehicles in front of you move forward, you can occupy your mind with music while you wait. Great music will soothe you and reduce the mental stress you go through in traffic.

    In case you are stuck in the traffic, just relax. You’ll get home sooner or later. Anxiety or impatience won’t clear the roads or accelerate the vehicle.

  • Customs intercepts N1.26b contraband drugs, vehicle

    The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday said it intercepted contraband worth over N1.26 billion.

    The Area Controller of the Unit, Mohammed Aliyu, listed the seized items to include six vehicles – Toyota Tacoma; two Lexus ES350; two Toyota Highlander and Toyota Hilux with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N242 million.

    Others are 541 cartons of Original chest and lung tablets; 211 cartons of Analgin Injection; 238 cartons of Really Extra Diclofenac; 158 cartons of Double actions Labimol Diclogenac potassium capsules.

    Also intercepted were 1, 698 cartons of Powerman tablets, 671 kg of pangolin scales and 5, 226 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice all with a total Duty Paid Value of N1.01 billion.

    Read Also: Tin Can Customs makes N179b

    He said: “Within a week, because of the motivations we just got which made some impact, we have intercepted six cars worth over N242 million at various border points and various car mart.

    “The vehicles are Toyota Tacoma worth N47.8 million, Lexus ES 350 at N16.5 million, Toyota Highlander worth N47.5 million and another Lexus ES RX 350L at N34 million. Other vehicles are Toyota Hilux with Duty Paid value of N41.6 million and Toyota Highlander at N54.5million.” Aliyu, however, said some of the vehicles are on detention pending when the owners present documents of payment of customs duties.

    “They are on detention pending the provision of proper documents. We detain them, when you bring your proper documents we release it, but if you don’t, we seize it. Note that when we flag you we ask for documents and if you provide, you are allowed to go. There are procedures and that’s why they are under detention,” he added.

  • Firm wins advertising awards

    Sodium Brand Solutions, a leading experiential marketing company in Nigeria, emerged the biggest winner at the EXMAN Awards 2019 held at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island.

    The agency won four Gold for its creative and innovative ideas. The categories for the awards won include Best Activation of an Entertainment Property, Best use of Props in an Event and Best Event (B2C), all for Coke Studio and Best Activation of a Sporting Property for the Coca Cola Golf Tournament.

    Read Also: FlinkBox set to launch Nigeria’s first incentive-based mobile advertising App

    The EXMAN awards for excellence is designed to identify and celebrate outstanding member agencies, individuals and teams in the experiential marketing industry. It is organised by the Experiential Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (EXMAN), the industry body of forward thinking agencies in the marketing communications industry.

    General Manager of Sodium Brand Solutions Mrs. Titi Seun-Oremade said: “The awards are an affirmation of our agency’s dedication to making our clients’ marketing initiatives stand out. The extensive support of our clients is highly appreciated. We have over the years consistently aimed to surpass our clients’ expectations, and we are glad that our efforts are now being awarded. The awards coincidentally came at a time that we are positioned and ready to do more than we have ever done in the industry.”