Author: The Nation

A former member of Anambra Assembly Benson Nwawulu has been abducted by gunmen in Ihiala Local Government Area.

The victim, a two-term lawmaker in the Assembly, was reportedly abducted in his house in Ihiala on Sunday.

Nwawulu, who left the Assembly in 2019, also contested for a seat in the House of Representatives but failed.

Although details of his abduction were still sketchy, a family source said a son of the former lawmaker has reached out to some members of the Assembly who were his father’s colleagues for funds.

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Confirming the incident, Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga said efforts were on top gear towards his release.

He said: “Yes, he was kidnapped on Sunday, and we are working to release him. He will be rescued soon because we are on their trail and efforts are on top gear, and soon he will be rescued.”

An international economist, Dafi Rogers-Halliday has won the 2022 7Up Harvard Business School Scholarship.

Rogers-Halliday – a First class Economics graduate – while recounting her experience in funding her academics said the scholarship from 7up is a major step towards greatness as it would give her the avenue to focus solely on her academics without having to worry about finance.

She expressed immense joy and gratitude to 7Up, promising to uphold the values on which the scholarship was awarded.

She also acknowledged other applicants noting that they gave her a good run for the scholarship and adding that SBC as a brand does make dreams come true.

Rogers-Halliday, while challenging young people to remain diligent, said: “Many eyes are watching so believe that your dreams are valid. I believed it and that’s why I am here. If you want to take a chance at life it means that you have to come ready and part of coming ready is believing in the dreams that you have. I didn’t know that I was going to win the scholarship but I did my part by applying and believing it first, look at where we are today.”

The scholarship recipient unveiled her plans to make a better impact upon the

completion of her education at Harvard Business School.

She expressed belief that by then, she would have gained better insight and all she has done in the past would only be referred to as the tip of an iceberg.

Rogers-Halliday thus becomes the 12th beneficiary of the fully funded two-year programme at Harvard Business School by SBC, joining the likes of Misan Rewane (2011), Olujimi Williams (2012), Mayowa Kuyoro (2013), Oluwasola Olaniyan (2014), Bankole Makanjuola (2015), Chidozie Ibekwe (2016), Ahmed Alimi (2017), Ulunma Izejiobi (2018), Anyanwu Maureen Uzoamaka (2019), and Abdul Rahman Buhari (2020) and Desayo O. Ajisegiri (2021).

SBC’s Managing Director, Ziad Maalouf, emphasised the move as part of the firm’s corporate social responsibility intended to deepen the development of young people.

Maalouf said “We are convinced that the education and development of young Nigerians is crucial to the growth of the nation at large. Hence, the reason behind encouraging and empowering them to aim for their dreams.

He added that SBC is an organisation keen on people, and this has fueled the company’s intention to inspire people not to give up on their aspirations and also take a step forward with them by empowering them.

He admonished Rogers-Halliday to give her best towards graduating with a distinction in Harvard Business School and come to Nigeria to use her skills, knowledge and experience to develop the nation.

Speaking further on the applications for this year’s scholarship, the Chief Marketing Officer, Norden Thurston, said: “As the year passes, many young Nigerians keep doubling the reasons why they are deserving of the scholarship and this year was no different. Their growth is something we are proud of and to continue supporting them is an action we do not intend to stop at Seven-Up Bottling Company.”

Norden added that building great leaders through scholarships as well as other

strides will remain a priority for SBC.

In attendance at the event were key stakeholders and representatives from the company, popular faces in the youth sector, members of the National Youth Corps Service (NYSC), and well-wishers.

The late traditional ruler of Yukuben Chiefdom of Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State, Udeng Ibrahim Yamusa Achilok, was a victim of a conspiracy by his close aides angered by their sack, investigations have stated.

The late traditional ruler and son Musa were abducted last Wednesday in Takum with their corpses recovered two days later.

A reliable source, who pleaded anonymity, said the ruler sacked the main suspects recently, a development that did not go down well with them.

It was alleged they conspired with some others to abduct and kill him.

Taraba Police spokesman DSP Kwache Gambo confirmed the arrest of six suspects in connection with the abduction and murder of the third-class traditional ruler.

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He told The Nation the suspects had confessed to committing the crime and Police were after other fleeing suspects.

“He was abducted along Takum/Ussa axis and two days after, his remains were found somewhere in Ussa local government. We have some suspects with us here. We are still investigating to see if we can get more suspects before we arraign them. We have six suspects in connection with the killing of the late traditional ruler.

“They confessed that they aided in the abduction and killing the late Chief. We are still investigating to see how we can apprehend some of the fleeing culprits,” Gambo stated.

She added that the Police were cautious in handling the matter as it may be politically motivated.

Takum and Ussa local government areas are experiencing attacks from suspected bandits leading to several deaths, destruction of property and a humanitarian crisis.

Photo: Late Udeng Ibrahim Yamusa Achilok

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has invited his Lagos counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to inaugurate the newly completed Orochiri-Worukwo (Waterline Junction) flyover in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Wike spoke on Wednesday when he inspected some ongoing projects in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt local government areas of the state.

He said the next round of project inauguration would commence on August 8 and last for two weeks, adding a former Sokoto Governor Aliyu Wamako, would also inaugurate the Ogbum-Nu-Abali Eastern Bypass road.

Wike urged the people of the state all to join the government in thanking God Almighty for the accomplishments of his administration.

He said the capacity of his administration in inaugurating more projects while also embarking on new ones was unique.

He said: “And I think you can’t hear anything happening in most of the States. But for us, we will end our services to the people on the 29th of May, 2023.

“Like I said no project will be left abandoned and that is why we have taken priority to make sure that the finances are there to back up these projects. If we don’t have the money, there is no need of awarding contracts.”

He said though the quantum of civil construction work undertaken by his administration might be cost intensive, the overall benefits remained a driving force.

Wike explained that the inspection became necessary to ascertain the impact the projects would have on the socioeconomic life of the residents within the areas.

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He said: “One of the reasons why we came was to see the impact of the roads and the flyovers. Of course, when the valuers brought the compensation report, we felt that it was too huge. So, we decided to go and see things for ourselves.

“But when we got there, we understood that a lot of buildings will be impacted and that requires us to compensate the owners of those houses heavily. But it is worth it in order to give Port Harcourt the facelift required and to transform the landscape of the area.”

The Governor said despite the attendant cost implication of undertaking the projects, his administration had paid 80 per cent for the road dualisation to the contractor.

He said: “We have been able to fulfill our part to Julius Berger Nigeria PLC. This place now (Illoabuchi Road), we have paid eighty percent for the dualization of Azikiwe Street/Ilaobuchi Road as at yesterday.

“By Monday, we want to start paying for the compensation to owners of the buildings so that Julius Berger can start demolishing the affected structures.”

The Governor appealed to the residents in the areas, particularly in Mile 2 Diobu, Port Harcourt to show understanding and endure the inconvenience they would suffer while the work lasted.

Wike expressed delight in the show of excitement by the people, who trooped out to meet him.

He said the various projects would create employment for a good number of youths within the areas.

The leadership of the Senate is meeting with Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and other heads of security agencies.

The meeting was at the instance of the body of principal officers of the Red Chamber according to Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

He said the meeting would after the opening session go closed door to enable the top security hierarchy to speak with no holds barred.

He told the Service Chiefs that in view of the enormity of the present security challenges, that it is expected that they act swiftly to bring about dramatic changes.

“We had hoped that by this time the security situation in the country would have been better going by the level of resources already invested by the present administration,” Lawan said.

He said that the session was meant “to look into where we are today and probably this current position where we are is most frightening because it is like there is nowhere to hide or nowhere to hold.

‘’Insecurity is everywhere and especially it is coming to the point of dislocating the security situation where the head of government or where the government is headquartered.

“So we really have to review and see what more we have to do and how differently we have to do,” Lawan added.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, in his opening address before the meeting resolved into an executive session said: “Quite a lot has happened and quite a lot is being done to redress the imbalances within the security environment.”

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Irabor said: “I like to very specially thank the President of the Senate and the Senate leadership for this invitation which I consider to be an in-house discussion based on mutual concern regarding very urgent matters that bother on our nation.

Principal Officers of the Senate present at the session include Lawan, Senate Leader Ibrahim Gobir, Deputy Leader, Ajayi Boroffice, Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda and Senate Minority Whip, Chukwuka Utazi.

Other Senators at the session include Aliyu Wamakko, Yusuf Yusuf, George Sekibo and Ibrahim Danbaba.

Aside the CDS, other Service Chiefs at the session included the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Ishiaka Oladayo Amao.

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, Director General of the DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, Director General of NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, are at the meeting.

The National Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno was represented at the session as he was said to be attending the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.