Author: The Nation

A staff of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owo, simply identfied as Tawa and her five- month- old baby have been killed by fumes inhaled from a generator.

Neighbours said the generator was bought last Monday.

The incident happened on Friday at Owo, Owo local government area of Ondo State.

Husband of the deceased was said to be in coma and admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo.

Read Also : Tinubu condoles family, APC over welfare officer’s death

Sources said the couple purchased the generator on Monday and left it on before they went to bed on Thursday evening.

Witnesses said the family was found when their apartment was broken after they did not report for work on Friday.

It was Tawa’s elder sister who could not find both at their place of work that raised the alarm.

It was gathered that some co-workers went to their house in company of the elder sister and broke into the apartment where they discovered the family in critical condition.

The baby was found dead but the parents were lying unconscious.

They were later rushed to the FMC where the wife died few minutes later.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has warned pilots, passengers and the general public to beware of thunderstorms and other hazardous weather events as the rainy season begins in some parts of the country.

A statement on Saturday by the General Manager, Public Relations of the agency, Muntari Ibrahim explained that the expected thunderstorm was in line with its 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction.

“NiMet predicted rainfall onset to be earlier than the long-term average in most parts of the country during the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP).

“The onset is expected to start from the coastal states of Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa-Ibom in early March, progressively followed by the inland states and the Central states.”. It reads.

The statement noted that the recent thunderstorms recorded in parts of the coastal and inland states showed that the Agency’s prediction was on-point, reliable, and accurate.

NiMet cautioned that the thunderstorm could lead to turbulence, lightning strikes, strong winds, heavy rainfall, downdraught, microburst, and hailstones.

“All of these pose significant threats to safety of lives and property.
The effects of thunderstorms are more hazardous to the aviation industry, particularly aircraft operations, and passengers. Thunderstorms can also cause delays, diversion, and cancellations of flights, as aircraft are often grounded in the face of severe weather”.

Read Also : NiMet forecasts early onset of rainfall this year

The agency assured pilots, the aviation industry, and airport users that weather monitoring systems, thunder detectors, satellite receiving ground-stations and Automatic Weather System (AWS) have been installed across the airports and other stations nationwide as part of measures to mitigate the effects of thunderstorms to the aviation industry.

It also stated that it has developed different products and services to help track thunderstorms and attendant hazards.

It noted that the pilot briefing rooms are always available for services.

The agency advised pilots and airline operators to exercise caution during flight operations during adverse weather due to the commencement of the rainy season.

“The rains which are currently prevalent in the Southern parts of Nigeria and occasionally around the Central States, are usually accompanied by severe thunderstorms which are bound to affect air navigation.

“Pilots and flight crew members should obtain adequate departure, en route, and destination weather information and briefing from NiMet offices before flight operations for effective planning in their air navigation operations.

END

No fewer than nine residents have been kidnapped by gunmen at the Grow Homes Estate along Kuchibiyi in the Kubuwa area of the Federal Capital Territory.

The gunmen, numbering about 20, were said to have stormed the estate around 11:30 pm on Friday.

A resident of the community, who identified himself simply as Musa told our correspondent the victims were captured from two separate apartments in the estate.

He added that the incident had caused panic in the community.

He said: ” Yesterday, at about 11:30 pm some gunmen in their large numbers came to carry out an operation at Grow homes estate along Kuchibiyi. We heard the sounds of gunshots, there was panic in the entire community as a result of the incident.

“This morning, we went to the estate and we learnt those gunmen were about 20. They moved from one apartment to the other dispossessing their belongings. They also kidnapped at least nine persons including children and women from two apartments in the estate.

“They escaped through the bush which linked the community to Paze village. The police and the estate security have been searching the bush since morning to see if they can rescue the kidnapped residents”.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the police in Abuja, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident.

She added the police and the estate security are combing the bushes in the area to ensure the victims are rescued.

Read Also : Three die in Ebonyi Police, gunmen shootout

Adeh said: “Upon receipt of the distress call, we immediately deployed our men to the scene. The suspects however abruptly suspended their operations and took some victims with them into the bush.

“Operatives of the Police and the estate security are still combing the bushes in the area to ensure they are rescued unhurt.”

She urged residents of the area not to panic, calling on them to help the police with credible information that could lead to the arrest of the assailants.

Adeh said: “We urge the residents to remain calm and assist with useful information that could lead to the swift arrest of these criminals”.

There was panic at the popular Enugu nightclub, Ballroom, at Otigba Junction, Enugu on Saturday when fire engulfed the clubhouse.

It was gathered the fire reportedly started from the side of the kitchen around 5.10pm when preparations for the night activities were ongoing.

The fire was said to have engulfed the other parts of the club and forced fun seekers to rush out of the premises, while other guests, who parked their vehicles on the premises, abandoned them.

Read Also : 25 die in Oyo, Enugu, Lagos accidents

Eyewitnesses said that about three fire engines mounted by the men of the state fire service, were on ground to fight the fire which spread fast from inside.

There was no human casualty, but property worth millions of naira was destroyed by the inferno.

One of the customers told our correspondent, that the cause of the fire was still unknown, adding that from the direction of the smoke, it must have come from the kitchen.

“I heard that one of the workers was going towards the kitchen side and noticed heavy smoke coming out of the kitchen side where preparations for the night business were going on.

“The worker, who first noticed it, raised the alarm and immediately the fire alarm was activated and all customers ran out for safety. While the workers were in the process of extinguishing out the fire, more flames came from inside, forcing the manager to call the nearby fire service. And they responded promptly”, the customer said.

The state chief fire officer, Engr. Okwudili Ohaa, confirmed the incident, adding that he and his men arrived promptly to avert further damage.

While disclosing that the cause of fire was unknown because fire fighters were still working, Ohaa said the number damages could not be ascertained yet until after the interventions.

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow political parties run their affairs while it concentrates on electoral management.

Reacting to the Supreme Court judgement asking the commission to accept Senator Rufai Hanga as the senatorial candidate for Kano Central in place of former Kano Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, National Publicity Secretary of the said INEC should not involve itself in who become the candidate of the parties.

INEC refused to accept Senator Hanga as the candidate, declaring Senator Shekarau on the platform of the NNPP as the winner of the election even when he had left the party.

But in a judgement on Friday, the Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal and directed the Commission to accept Hanga as the candidate for the election

Major said: “Our victory at the Supreme Court was not unexpected because it is not INEC’s responsibility to determine political party candidates. Their responsibility is to engage in election management and not to decide who the candidate ot a political party.

“The truth is that from the beginning, we have never been afraid of that case all along right from the High Court to the Appeal Court and now, the Supreme Court. We have defeated them roundly in these three courts.

“We knew all along that we would win because INEC is not a member of our political party and cannot be telling us who should be our candidate and who should not.

“Remember, the history is that Shekarau participated in the first primary and got the ticket. Shortly after that, for reasons best known to him, he decided to leave the party.

Read Also : UPDATED: Supreme Court replaces Shekarau with Hanga as NNPP senatorial candidate for Kano Central

“He wrote to the party withdrawing his membership as well as his candidacy and copied INEC and so, it was like a done deal. We conducted primary that produced Senator Rufai Hanga to replace him and INEC said no. We don’t know why they refused to replace Shekarau with Hanga.

“We felt that there were some political undertone and decided not to let them have their way. We approached the Federal High Court to compel them to accept our candidate.

“We got judgement asking them to accept Senator Hanga as our candidate, but they refused and went to the Appeal court. We followed them there and the Appeal Court also gave judgement in our favour and they went to the Supreme Court abd the apex court has finally put the matter to rest.

“The lesson from it for our people is that INEC should allow the parties run their affairs the way they like. It would have been a different issue if we did not conduct another primary to replace Shekarau. But that was not the case.

“So, it was not unexpected and the Courts have done what they need to do and has asked them to accept Senator Hanga as our candidate. So, they should concentrate on what they need to do as election monitoring body.”

One of the contenders for the position of Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North), has hosted over 70 Senators-elect to cultivate the needed bond and friendships ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.

It has been learnt that over 70 Senators-elect attended the luncheon at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja last Tuesday.

The meeting held after the presentation of certificates of return to the lawmakers, it was further learnt.

No fewer than 98 out of 109 senators-elect were presented with Certificates of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), at the International Conference Centre last Tuesday.

A total of seven political parties won Senatorial seats with APC topping the chart with 57 seats.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 29 seats; Labour Party won six; New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) won two; Social Democratic Party (SDP) also won two; the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) got one each.

The meeting, which lasted for over an hour, saw Barau, a third-term senator at the red chamber and fourth-term lawmaker at the National Assembly – having served at the House of Representatives between 1999 – 2003, setting up the move that will allow the senators-elect to begin to form the needed bond amongst themselves to make the 10th Senate very successful.

Read Also : Kano APC crisis: Shekarau, Barau, others petition IGP over office attack

Barau, who is regarded as a party man and ardent supporter of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is the only senator on the platform of the APC elected to to the 10th National Assembly from Kano State.

A Senator-elect, who attended the meeting, said the attendance was not limited to senators-elect of the APC. He said senators-elect who are members of other political parties attended the party.

“As a second timer at the red chamber, I know Barau because I have interacted with him previously.

“He has a thorough understanding of parliamentary proceedings and he is an easy-going fellow.

“He has my vote come June when the 10th Assembly will be inaugurated,” a lawmaker, who is from the southern part of the country said.

A Senator-elect from the South-South zone, who is going to the Senate for the first time, said: “Senator Barau will surely have my vote for the Senate Presidency, he is a fantastic lawmaker with good leadership qualities.

“He has been supportive of us from when he was elected to serve as the chairman of the APC Senatorial candidates forum till date.”

An aide of the lawmaker said Senator Barau, who chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriations, organised the event to enable him to interact with his colleagues.

“It was to enable him to interact and familiarise himself with his colleagues and nothing more,” he said.

After swearing in on May 29, the incoming President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will in the second week of his tenure in June, transmit a proclamation letter to the National Assembly to terminate the Ninth Assembly and kick-start the 10th Assembly. This will give room for the emergence of new presiding officers for both the red and green chambers.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the judgement mandating it to allow those with Temporary Voter Cards(TVCs) to participate in the March 18 Governorship/Assembly elections. 

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the electoral body should allow those with TVCs vote in a suit filed by Koforwola Olusegun and Wilson Allwell. 

The plantiffs requested for a ruling ordering INEC to allow them and others with TVCs vote on March 18. 

Read Also : Army recovers 1,000 PVCs, ballot papers in Lagos apartment

Justice Obiora Egwatu of the Federal High Court granted the request by the plantiffs to use their TVCs instead of their PVCs. 

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi affirmed that the suit had been received by the body. 

He said the body will appeal the judgement.

Oyekanmi, in a statement on Saturday, said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission has been served a copy of the judgement delivered today by the Federal High Court, Abuja Division which ordered it to allow two Plaintiffs to vote with their TVCs. We will appeal it.”

The Special Adviser to Lagos Governor on Drainages Joe Ibokwe has predicted that the President Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will complete two terms. 

He was responding to a troll who challenged him for supporting the re-election of Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu . Igbokwe had written: “President-Elect ASIWAJU BAT is a good friend of the Igbo and he did his best for prominent Igbo businessmen and women in Lagos including me. 

“This is payback time and we should do this by voting for GOV SANWO OLU en-mass on March 18.”

Replying,  the troll, a certain Ejike wrote: “Dash him your wife and daughters and enthrone him as your family deity. That’ll be adequate payback”.

Igbokwe, who was clearly angry over the statement, said Tinubu will return second term and hand over to a northerner because the Igbo race is not playing the right politics. 

Read Also : Amaechi more Igbo than Joe Igbokwe – Ohanaeze

He said: “When I see the level of despicable abuses and calling of names coming from the South East young people I run away with the thinking that we did not do our duties as parents. Shame has enveloped me from head to toes.

“Ejike Akunna jisieike, mark my words here: Asiwaju from 2023 to 2031 and another Northerner from 2031 to 2039. We will still be children of anger and children of hate and life goes on. We will be onlookers because we refused to play politics. Dazzol!!!”