The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Two suspected robbers mobbed to death in Delta

    Two suspected armed robbers were on Tuesday beaten to death by an angry mob in Abraka community, Ethiope East council area of Delta State.

    The suspects; Uchenna Ezekonyi, 27 years, and Mbachu Sunday, 30 years, were reportedly beaten to death after a failed robbery attack one Moses Emoghene.

    The deceased suspects, who are from from Oguta in Imo State, had snatched a polythene bag containing the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira (N250,000) from Emoghene, who had withdrawn the cash from the Zenith Bank branch in Abraka.

    Read Also: Police nab suspected robbers in Ondo

    Events went wrong for the suspects when Emoghene, who had drawn the cash on behalf of the parish priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, raised the alarm as he was being attacked by the duo.

    The mob that responded descended heavily on the suspects, beating them so badly that the two of them died before the rescuing policemen could get them to the hospital.

    When contacted, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeyinka Adeleke, confirmed the report, saying, “yes. It happened”.

  • Court stops Bauchi factional speaker, deputy

    A Court sitting in Bauchi has restrained the factional speaker, Bauchi House of Assembly, Kawuwa Shehu Damina and his deputy, Tukur Ibrahim, against parading themselves as speaker and deputy speaker respectively.

    Delivering judgement, Justice A.M. Karin Madaki on Friday granted an order of interim conjunction following an application filed by Abubakar Suleiman and 12 other lawmakers.

    The application was filed against Bauchi State House of Assembly, Bauchi State Attorney Gebeteql, Kawuwa Shehu Damina and 16 others as defendants, on June 21st, 2019.

    Read Also: Updated: Tension in Bauchi Assembly as two Speakers emerge

    “Having listened to the learned counsel to the plaintiffs/applicants, Ben Ogbuchi, ESQ, Mukhtar A.Usman ESQ, O.P Egbe-Okpenge, ESQ. move the Court in terms of their motion Ex-parte dated and filed on 21/06/2019. I hereby ordered that an order of  interim injunction be and is hereby made, restraining the 3rd and 4th respondents/defendants from parading themselves out and / or parading themselves, purporting to act in whatever manner as the speaker and deputy speaker of the Bauchi  State House of Assembly respectively pending the determination of the motion on notice,” the judge said.

    He later adjourned the matter to July, 2nd, 2019 for motion on notice. It would be recall that two speakers emerge at the inauguration of the 9th Bauchi Assembly.

    The Nation had earlier reported that 11 members out of 31 elected a new speaker, Suleiman Abubakar from Ningi Constituency.

  • Navy to operatives: Shun drugs, embrace regular exercise

    The Nigerian Navy (NN) on Saturday warned its personnel to stay away from drugs in order to perform their assigned tasks optimally.

    Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) Rear Admiral Stanfford Enoch gave the warning after the quarterly 10km route march designed to test the physical and mental fitness of officers and ratings of the NN.

    The FOC who was represented by the command’s Chief Staff Officer (CSO) Rear Admiral Idowu Yusuf said the warning was necessary giving the scourge of drug abuse the country was currently battling.

    According to him, the navy must not wait until a became a problem in the service before warning its personnel, reminding them of the peculiarity of the naval force and the need to be psychologically, physically and mentally alert at all times.

    Read Also: Navy unveils first indigenous maritime chart

    Enoch also warned the operatives to avoid practices, actions that could bring the navy to disrepute including flaunting traffic laws in any part of the country especially Lagos.

    He said the command would not hesitate to sanction any of its operatives caught disobeying traffic laws, reminding them that the military uniform does not give them immunity from punishment if they commit any crime.

    On the route march, the FOC said the exercise which brings all units and formations under the command together once a quarter was in line with directives from the naval headquarters.

    He said the aim was to assess their physical fitness, mental alertness, stamina and psychological disposition, applauding the about 1,000 personnel who partook in it for exhibiting combat readiness. The Western Naval Command (WNC) also had its quarterly route march inside Navy Town Ojo which was led by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Rear Admiral Oladele Daji.

  • Journalists to benefit from $150,000 award

    Nigeria broadcast journalists will soon be awarded monetary benefits totaling one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000). The award which recognizes radio and television broadcasters will be made open to the public for voting before the final awardees are selected.

    Chairman Radio and Television Personality Awards Nigeria (RTPWN), Dr. Samuel Wilcox, said that the money will be distributed amongst different categories.

    Wilcox said this in Abuja at a press conference where he said that the intention is to appreciate the great men and women in broadcasting.

    Read Also: Monarch advocates media salary structure for journalists

    His words, “It is an award that has been in West and East Africa, it appreciates the broadcast industry in terms of award, it is called the Radio and Television Personality Awards Nigeria (RTPWN awards) what we intend to do is appreciate this great men and women in broadcasting by also making them road models.

    “The award is going to be in stages, next will be the unveiling of awardees after which Nigerians will be made to vote from the 19th of September to the 8th of November which is the Eve of the grand finale where the awards will be given. Now we have what we call best overall on radio and best overall on TV, the best overall on radio goes home with $30,000, the best overall on TV goes home with $50,000 and the winner for each category goes home with a plague and $5000, the different categories will all be decided by the judges but as it stands we have a budget of $150,000, to be disbursed at the award.”

  • DPO, girlfriend arrested over death of housemaid

    The Katsina State Police Command has arrested a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Mashi Local Government Area of the state, Garba Talawai, and his girlfriend, Sadiyya Alhaji Danyaya, over the death of their 16-year-old housemaid.

    The spokesman for the command, Gambo Isah, said in a statement in Katsina that the arrest followed a complaint by a politician.

    He said: “A councillor in Mashi Local Government, Abubakar Haruna, reported to the DPO Garba Talawai that a corpse was seen at a bush path in Mashi.

    “The DPO and his team went to the place and evacuated the corpse which was deposited at Mashi Primary Healthcare Centre.

    “Later, the corpse was identified as that of Rabi Abdullahi, 16, a housemaid to one Sadiyya Alhaji Danyaya, a girlfriend of the DPO.

    “Some health personnel on duty also identified the corpse as having been brought the previous day to the health facility by the DPO and another policeman where it was confirmed dead in a Toyota Carina II, red in colour, identified as the car of the DPO.”

    Read Also: Fake suspected medical doctor in Osun arrested by Police

    He said that investigations indicated that the said Sadiyya reported to the DPO that the teenage girl had been missing for two days after she rebuked her for carrying an unwanted pregnancy and sleeping outside the house.

    “Preliminary investigations indicted the DPO for concealment of facts on the possible cause of death of the deceased,” he said.

    The PPRO said that the Commissioner of Police has already directed for a thorough, meticulous and comprehensive investigation on the matter.

    He further said that both the DPO and his girlfriend were helping detectives to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased.

    He said that another DPO has already been posted to the area as his replacement.

    “The commissioner of police, Sanusi Buba, assures the parents of the deceased and the public that the command will not leave any stone unturned until justice is done in the matter,” he said.

  • Troops kill 50 terrorists in Lake Chad

    Fifty members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) involved in the insurgency around Lake Chad have been killed by the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in a renewed offensive against the terrorists, the task force announced yesterday.

    The Chief of Military Public Information of the MNJTF, Colonel  Timothy Antigha, said in a statement in Abuja that the insurgents met their Waterloo during a clearance operation on the Lake Chad Island on Friday.

    Some other suspected terrorists escaped with gunshot wounds, Antigha said and described the losses suffered by the insurgents as the heaviest on their side in the last six months.

    “At about 6am yesterday, 21 June 2019, troops embarked on clearance operation to Doron Naira (an island in Lake Chad), in a bid to disrupt ISWAP’s activities on the island and adjoining localities,” he said.

    Read Also: Troops kill more terrorists in Borno

    “Troops effectively suppressed ISWAP and successfully conducted the clearance operation. At the end of the engagement, the following statistics were recorded:

    • 42 terrorists neutralized, several others escaped with gunshot wounds.
    • Two Gun trucks destroyed.
    • Three Motor cycles destroyed.
    • Two Light machine guns recovered
    • Two AK 47 Riffles recovered.

    “Unfortunately, the MNJTF lost a soldier while 10 others were wounded in action,” he added.

    Antigha said earlier in the week, ISWAP also met a similar fate when they attempted to attack MNJTF troops in Sector 1 Forward Operation Base (FOB) in Ngouma in Cameroon.

    He said in that engagement, ISWAP lost five terrorists, while one was captured.

    The MNJTF spokesman also said that 13 AK 47 rifles and 2 hand grenades were recovered from the encounter.

    Similarly, he said the MNJTF also conducted air interdictions in Arege and Malkorony where several terrorists were killed as the headquarters and logistics base of a top ISWAP commander, Abu Talib, was targeted in that operation.

  • Gbajabiamila seeks cooperation to better Nigeria

    The Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Saturday, sought the support and cooperation of Nigerians on the need to move the country forward.  He said there was much work to be done.

    The Speaker gave the remarks at the palace of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiola, during a courtesy visit, adding that he was in Lagos to thank the people for supporting him during the legislative years as a member of the House of Representatives.

    He explained that being the Speaker of the House would entail four years of hard work, commitment to the rule of law and dedication to solving the challenges of insecurity in the country.

    Gbajabiamila said the combination of his experience and that of the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, as lawmakers would serve as advantage in solving the problems facing the country.

    The Speaker said he would work with members of the House of Assembly to ensure that Lagos State property confiscated by the Federal Government is returned.

    Read Also: I will use my office to benefit Nigerians — Gbajabiamila

    He stressed that the House would equally ensure that other parts of the country facing similar challenges would be addressed.

    In his welcome remarks, Akiolu said the House and the country did not make a wrong choice in electing Gbajabiamila the Speaker of the House.

    According to him, the Speaker had all that it takes to make the country proud, noting that his leadership would work in the interest of the people.

    He urged Gbajabiamila to prevail on the Federal Government to release Lagos property excised by military fiat.

    He said: “When people started saying that the House will become a rubber stamp under Gbajabiamila, I said they did not understand. I know that God has given the House a brilliant Speaker, full of intelligence and wisdom.

    “I know the security challenges will take ample place in the House discussion. Again, not all the Fulani Herdsmen are bad, only a few of them who have been atrocious in their livelihood are hell bend in fomenting trouble in the country.”

  • Why we sacked Intels – NPA boss

    Fresh facts have emerged on why the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) terminated the services of Intels Nigeria Limited, especially from the eastern ports of Calabar, Delta and Port Harcourt.

    The company, co-owned by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, provides comprehensive integrated logistics services for the Nigerian oil and gas industry and has 30 years of experience in port management and support services in shore bases across Nigeria.

    The Managing Director of the NPA, Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman, told The Nation that the decision to terminate the services of Intels was informed by the latter’s inability to remit over $140 million to the federal government’s coffers, being the accumulated revenue it generated for a period of time.

    “Intels was providing a service of collecting revenue for port operations and they were not remitting as and when due,” she said.

    She recalled that soon after she came on board as NPA MD, she  signed “a supplementary agreement which required all revenues generated to be paid into the single treasury account (TSA).”

    Read Also: NPA redeploys Port Managers

    Hajia Usman said Intels however reneged on the agreement it had with the NPA and the corporation was left with no option than to cancel the contract outright.

    Her words: “following the agreement, Intels has been very difficult in making payments to us.  They owe us over $140million that they have not remitted. So, we felt such non-compliance and such level of impunity should not be accepted, hence we issued a notice of termination to them.”

    She said the NPA plans to engage the services of another company to replace Intels.

    “We are going to advertise for a replacement company that would offer such services at a cheaper cost because Intels is charging the Nigerian government 28 percent for revenue collection and typically such commissions are limited to 10-15 percent. You hardly see where an agency is charging 28 percent. So, we have issued a notice of termination and we are also going to court to ensure that those monies not credited by Intels are paid back,” she said.

    The terminated contract was to run till 2020.

    • (Full text of interview next Sunday.)

  • 14 Brigade hosts 82 Division Army Inter-Brigade competition

    The 14 Brigade Headquarters of Nigerian Army,  Ohafia, Abia State, barring any last minute change, will be playing host at the 2019 edition of Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commission Officers 82 Division Inter-Brigade competition.

    Some of the personnel who will be competing in different events were drawn from different army formations including 82 Division Garrison, 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Imo State, 13 Brigade; Akim Barracks, Calabar, Cross River State and the host, 14 Brigade, Goodluck Ebere Jonathan Barracks, Ohafia.

    A statement signed by the Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, Major Aliu Kadiri, stated that the competition would last between Monday June 24 and Friday 28.

    Read Also: Army restates commitment to manpower development

    According to Kadiri, the competition is among the army headquarters training directives for 2019, which he stated was aimed at improving the leadership and organisation abilities of the warrant officers and the senior non-commission officers with the view to preparing them for more challenging responsibilities.

    The 14 Brigade spokesman, who stated that there will be influx of soldiers in the community, appealed to the general public to go about their normal duties without  panic when they sight the mass movement of military personnel and equipment  within Abia State during the period of the competition.

    The Nation recalls that the 14 Brigade Headquarters, Ohafia, since its reactivation by former President Goodluck Jonathan, has not only become a Mecca of some sorts, it has also contributed its quota in crime fighting in Abia State.

  • Army arrests suspected cultists in Abia Poly

    A four-man gang of gunmen suspected to be members of a yet-to-be named secret cult operating in Aba and its environs have been reportedly arrested by personnel of the 144 Battalion, under the 14 Brigade of the Nigerian Army with its headquarters in Ohafia, Abia State.

    Sources within the army in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state, hinted The Nation that the suspects were arrested after they had managed to gain entry into the school premises unnoticed to carry out their nefarious act.

    Information gathered from students of Abia State Polytechnic has it that the gunmen struck the school while afternoon examination papers were yet-to-be concluded for the day.

    According to them, the incident which generated exchange of gunfire by rival cults caused pandemonium in the school as everyone including staff and students scamper for safety.

    While unconfirmed reports has it that there are casualties in the shootout, a staff of the school who spoke anonymously debunked the claim and stated that the timely intervention from both police and army personnel from Ngwa High School repressed the situation that had already caused the mood in the school to be tensed.

    Narrating the incident, one of the students who gave his name as Philip said that he was coming out from the exam hall when gun shots started rending the air, causing some of them who couldn’t pick the direction of the gunfire to take to safety.

    Read Also: Abia poly workers protest 11months unpaid salary arrears

    “By the time we came out from our hiding places, we saw four guys that were being frog-jumped to a waiting military van near the school gate from the Chief Security Officer’s office.

    “Some of the people nearby were able to identify one of them as an ex-student of our school (Abia Poly).

    “It wasn’t funny. People who had the temerity to cross the school gate were asked to raise their hands before they could cross. For some of us who couldn’t summon the courage, we all had to wait for over 30 minutes before we could start going home.

    “This is the first time that I am witnessing this and from what I was told, it is not a regular case here. I am sure that the internal security didn’t see it coming, but with the help of police and army, the situation was nipped in the bud before it took another dimension.”

    When contacted, a source at the Ngwa High School Forward Operation Base of 144 Battalion who confirmed the arrest of the suspected cultists said that they have been handed over to police for proper profiling and continued investigation.