The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Man held with 17 bags of suspected Marijuana

    The police in Ogun have arrested an alleged illegal substance dealer caught with 17 bags of suspected Marijuana.

    Daniel Elimuya, a resident of 9, General Hospital Street, Iyana-Ira in Agbara, was arrested around 6:30pm on July 28 at Ibafo.

    It was gathered that the suspect had starched the weeds inside a vehicle he rode in from Delta State enroute Lagos.

    The Nation gathered that the police received tip off on the vehicle and its content, laid ambush for the described vehicle with registration number GGE782EX and intercepted it.

    Read Also: Man arrested for hiding in bank’s ceiling in Kebbi

    Confirming the arrest, police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) said the bags were well hidden inside the vehicle and were discovered after thorough searches.

    He said the suspect was promptly arrested and he confessed to have been a Marijuana distributor and was going to Lagos Island to deliver the bags to one Kofo.

    “The Commissioner of Police Bashir Makama has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect and exhibits to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for further investigation.

  • Fidelity bank rewards loyal customers

    Over 6,000 customers have been rewarded to a tune of N2.6bn in the last four years by Fidelity bank Plc.
    This according to the bank is part of its continuous culture of giving back and rewarding its loyal customers.
    This was disclosed in Abuja on Tuesday by the Regional Manager of the bank (Abuja), Vanessa Mordi, during its campaign in Lugbe market.
    According to her, “In the last four years, over 6,000 customers have been rewarded under the Fidelity Personal Savings Scheme (FPSS), and over N2.6 billion has been given back to our customers across the country.
    “For us in Fidelity, we believe in giving back to the society. Lugbe is a place where we have a base. This has crystallized to the setting today for which three winners have emerged. It is something that we will continue to do from time to time to keep our customers and us close together.
    “We want to reach out to our customers and find out what their needs are and what we can do to meet it.”
    She further added, “If the GDP of our country has to change, we cannot do without Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs). As a financial institution, we have come up with products to support and help SMEs grow.
    “We have also set up the ‘Manage SME Desk’ to advise small and medium scale businesses in their business activities.”
    Three winners emerged during the draw; two customers won N500,000 each while the third winner (a child) operating the sweet Account won the sum of N150,000.
    Once you have an account opened with the bank – either a Savings Account or a Sweet Account (children’s account), and you operate it very well, you are a prospective winner. Customers can do this with as low as N10,000.
    According to a winner in the raffle draw, Mrs. Nneoma Agatha Nmadu, “I started using Fidelity in 2017. I operate other banks as well, but in Lugbe here, Fidelity is the best. I was not surprised to be picked as a winner in the draw because I know they never disappoint.”
    Another winner, Mrs. Stella Onuoha, expressed her delight and surprise that the bank sticks to its promise of rewarding loyalty.
    The third winner, Ms Deborah Enedubiojo, who operated the children’s account, went away with the sum of N150,000.

  • Two policemen nabbed over N60,000 bail fee extortion

    Anambra State Police has arrested two officers of the command for allegedly taking money for bail.

    The officers, an Inspector and a sergeant were arrested following an alarm raised by a journalist on a police WhatsApp platform where the state Commissioner of Police, John Abang is a member.

    Police authorities had repeatedly insisted that bail is free.

    The Nation learnt that the officers were found guilty following a discrete investigation ordered by the CP after reading the message on the platform.

    Confirming the incident, the Police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed said the officers allegedly extorted the sum of N60, 000 from one Mrs. Love Mbachu and two others.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Policemen, naval officer, others nabbed for kidnapping, robbery

    He said the said sum had been recovered and handed over to the victims.

    He said, “Recall that on the 29/7/2019 following the report that Policemen attached to Ogidi Area Command allegedly extorted the sum of #60,000 from one Mrs. Love Mbachu and two others in which the Commissioner of Police CP John Abang directed Acp X SQD to recover the money within 12hours, investigate and ensure justice and equity is done to the matter.

    “I am happy to inform you that in compliance with the CP’S directives, the policemen involved have been arrested, defaulted and the money sum of #60,000 was also recovered and handed over to the victims.

    “All cases are under investigation after which the defaulters would be tried in orderly room.”

  • 10,000 Police Job: PSC short-list 80,724 for aptitude test

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) said it has shortlisted 80,724 from its screening exercise conducted for applicants who applied nationwide for the position of Constable in the Nigeria Police Force.

    Those who scaled through the screening process are scheduled to sit for an aptitude test on the 3rd of August, 2019 across the country.

    The aptitude test is part of the requirement by the Commission to recruit 10,000 Nigerians into the Nigeria Police Force for year 2019 as mandated by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Read Also: Police shortlist over 1,600 candidates in Ebonyi

    At the close of the Commission’s recruitment portal on January 11th, 2019, a total of 315,032 applications were received but 210,150 applicants were shortlisted for the screening exercise.

    The Commission in a statement in Abuja by its Spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani stated that the Commission is currently sending SMS to the telephones lines of the shortlisted candidates with a view to inviting them for the aptitude test which is scheduled to start by 8am.

    Candidates have also been advised to check the comprehensive list from the Commission’s website,www.psc.org.ng or visit the State Command headquarters in their states where the comprehensive list will be pasted.

    The Commission however warned candidates to avoid any form of examination malpractice as culprits will be apprehended and punished accordingly.

  • Senate releases 69 standing committees’ chairmen

    The Senate has announced the release of 69 standing committees’ chairmen and their deputies.

    President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan made the announcement at the plenary on Tuesday.

    Sen. Jubril Barau (APC-Kano) is the Chairman, Appropriation Committee,

    Sen. Adeola Olamilekan (APC-Lagos); Finance Committee and

    Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti); Judiciary Committee.

    (NAN)

  • Ayade, Ikpeazu, others plant one million trees in Cross River

    Cross River Governor Ben Ayade on Tuesday joined by his Abia counterpart, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, led thousands of Cross Riverians to plant one million trees in the state.

    The event tagged: “Cross River State wet season green carnival,’ with the theme: “Calabar Green Canopy Scheme” has the objective of planting one million trees across the state.

    Flagging off the event at the Botanical Garden along Mary Slessor Avenue in Calabar, Ayade said it was driven by the People’s generational core process for the future.

    He explained planting of young trees “is very critical for Carbon dioxide assimilation, so Cross River will be the carbon dioxide reservoir, the headquarters of the absorption of carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere.”

    Ayade noted: “Cross River has 58 percent of the entire forest cover of Nigeria and by our designation and plan, our strategy is to grow that to 68 percent,” adding that, “the reclamation of our rain forest remains pertinent to avert climate change.”

    Read Also: Ethiopians `break’ world record for trees planted in one day

    He said the construction of the 274km Superhighway where 28,000 trees, would be fell, has made it more imperative for the planting of trees.

    “We are planting one million trees as a justification to support the afforestation process, not only for the superhighway but for the industrial farms that are yet to come because we cannot create industrial farms without deforestation,” he said.

    The governor, who enjoined young Cross Riverians to take advantage of the business opportunity created by the Green Carnival to start growing nurseries for the next year event, remarked: “There is an intellectual, physical, financial and economic component to the action.”

    Ikpeazu, applauded Ayade for the feats recorded in Cross River, even as he described Ayade as “a generational politician,” and the event as “another futuristic event like no other in this country called Nigeria.

    “Many politicians in Nigeria are regarded as elections politicians but Ayade is a generational politician who is not looking to the next election but thinking about not only Cross River of tomorrow but indeed Nigeria and the world.”

    The Abia governor intimated that “Cross River is giving us a superhighway that will take out only 28,000 trees, but in return, this digital governor is planting not 280, not 560 but 35 times the number of trees he is going to fell. One million trees to replace 28,000, this has put Cross River once again on the global map.”

    He used the occasion to announce the intention of his state to procure rice seedlings from the Cross River Rice and seedlings factory in a few weeks, in order to compete the major rice producers.

    “From the rice basins of Bende in Abia, we are coming to Cross River in the next weeks to purchase the seedlings that we will use to begin to compete amongst the major rice producers of this country,” Ikpeazu disclosed, adding that “the beautiful thing about Abia Rice will be that we know its source and origin, we are not going to accept seedlings that we don’t know their parents. We know the parents of Abia Rice, they come from Cross River.”

    The event featured planting of trees throughout the 18 LGAs of the state as well as street procession and parade by Ministries, Departments and Agencies round the designated carnival routes and terminating at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

  • 59,000 candidates for UNILORIN post UTME screening

    No fewer than 59,306 candidates are expected to sit for the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) post Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME).
    The four-day screening exercise for the 2019/2020 academic session, which commenced on Monday will end on Thursday spokesperson of the institution Kunle Akogun has said.
    Speaking on the conduct of the exercise, Akogun said that the exercise commenced on Monday simultaneously at the university main campus and Lagos centre.
    He said that the breakdown of the figure showed that 51,868 are UTME candidates while the remaining 7,438 are Direct Entry candidates.

    Read Also: Unilag sets date for 2019 Post UTME screening

    The vice chancellor of the university, Prof Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, had put the carrying capacity of the university for the 2019/2020 admission at about 10,000 students
    He said that the screening exercise, which commenced at 7am was very peaceful, adding that the candidates had comported themselves in orderly manner.
    However, some parents had complained that requirements to sit for the CBT test should be spelt out to candidates in the future, saying that so many candidates were disturbed when asked to produce certain documents before they could sit for the test.
    The people urged the institution’s management to provide adequate transportation into and outside the university campus, saying that large population of candidates and their guardians had compounded transportation challenge.

  • Idrissa Gueye joins PSG for $36.5 million

    Idrissa Gueye has finally completed his transfer from Everton to Paris Saint-Germain, for a fee believed to be $36.5 million.

    The Senegalese midfielder has been an awesome destructive force since he arrived in the Premier League at Aston Villa in 2015 and moved to Everton in 2016.

    He made 108 appearances for Everton and Gueye was one of the PL leaders each season in categories such as most interceptions and tackles made.

    Everton confirmed the departure of the 29-year-old on Tuesday and thanked him for “always giving everything” for the Toffees.

    Read Also: Chelsea ban fan for life for racial abuse

    “Thank you! Since my arrival I have felt at home at this club, you have welcomed me and my family with open arms,” Gueye said in a statement on social media.

    “Everton FC gave me the opportunity to continue in the Premier League and the last 3 years… I have had some amazing experiences which I will cherish forever.

    ‘’I am grateful to have had the love and support of you all throughout this journey and I must say no matter the weather or performances the support was always there.

    “As you know I am about to start a new journey, a journey that I have dreamed about since a kid and when this opportunity presented itself I couldn’t turn it down. To my teammates and coaches I will miss you and will continue to support you. Everton… we are family and will continue to be and for me Merseyside will always be BLUE.”

    Gueye will now be playing for PSG in the UEFA Champions League and Everton really couldn’t stand in his way.

  • Flood sacks over 1,000 residents in llorin

    Heavy flood accompanied rainfall that lasted over three hours, had rendered over 1,000 residents of Odota area in llorin, the Kwara State capital, homeless.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent reports that the rainfall started at about 11.p.m on Monday and lasted until 1a.m on Tuesday.

    However, when NAN visited the affected areas on Tuesday, some of the victims, including traders were salvaging their damaged belongings from the flood.

    Several of them including children and aged have moved to houses of neighbours who were not seriously affected.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Flood kills pupil in Edo

    Some of the items damaged by the flood included clothing, furniture, household utensils, electronics and other assorted materials.

    The Chairman of the Landlords Association in the affected areas, Alhaji Yahaya Olowo-Beki, who spoke with NAN attributed the flood to lack of drainage after the completion of the Geri Alimi under pass.

    He said: “the flooding has become constant occurrence being experienced in the area since the completion of the under pass.”

    Olowo-Beki appealed to the Kwara State government to provide drainage at the sides of the under pass to curb the constant flooding in the area.

    Alhaji Al-Amin Amasa, the permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Environment, while reacting to the incident, attributed the flooding to lack of proper layout in the affected areas.

    He said the flooding was not as a result of the construction of the under pass, but as a result of the failure of the affected residents to create water ways when building their houses.

    (NAN)

  • Your action could set Edo ablaze, SSG tells Senators, Reps

    The Edo State Government has warned the National Assembly its resolutions on the Edo House of Assembly could set the state ablaze.

    It described Tuesday’s resolution of the Senate directing the Governor to issue a fresh proclamation for the inauguration of the Edo House of Assembly as unconstitutional and a flagrant disregard for the Principle of Separation of Powers.

    Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Osarodion Ogie, who stated this in a press briefing, advised: “powerful persons not be allowed to set our State ablaze merely to satisfy their thirst for power and control.”

    Ogie insisted that “this illegality will not stand”.

    Ogie noted that there was nowhere in the Nigeria Constitution particularly Section 11(4) which enabled the National Assembly to “take over” any House of Assembly or in this respect, the Edo State House of Assembly.

    He stated the move by the Senate was not unexpected in the light of the enormous political pressure brought to bear on its Officers and Members by highly placed and powerful persons whose intent to foisting their will and choices on the good people of Edo State.

    The Edo SSG said the Chairman and Members of Ad-Hoc Committee of the Senate which visited Edo State were made aware of the existence of at least three (3) suits pending before various Courts wherein the factual and legal dispute regarding the Edo State House of Assembly inauguration have been submitted to the Courts by both contending parties for resolution.

    Ogie insisted the power to issue a proclamation for the inauguration of a House of Assembly as set out in Section 105(3) of the Constitution was duly and completely complied with.

    He said it was not within the power of the Governor to recall same once issued or to perform the same act multiple times.

    Read Also: Edo Assembly crisis: Senate gives Obaseki one week to issue fresh proclamation notice

    According to the statement: “The Edo State Government watched with alarm today as the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in a step that was not totally unexpected, purported to pass a resolution in the following terms: – Directing the Governor of Edo State to issue a fresh proclamation for the inauguration of the Edo State House of Assembly, and Ordering a fresh inauguration of the Edo State House of Assembly within one (1) week from the date of the said Resolution.

    “This is borne out by the recorded statements made by one Seid Oshiomhole (a Member-elect and younger brother of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Comrade Adams Oshiomhole) wherein he boasted that both the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila have been instructed on what to do in this matter.”

    It went on: “The Ad-Hoc Committee also failed to inform the Senate of the existence of a valid injunction in Suit No FHC/B/OS/70/2019 wherein the Federal High Court restrained various parties from interfering in any manner with the activities of the Edo State House of Assembly which said order had been brought to their attention in the course of their visit to Edo State.

    “In point of fact in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/159/2019 the National Assembly, the Clerk of National Assembly, the President of the Senate and Speaker of House of Representatives amongst others were specifically ordered by the Federal High Court to maintain the Status Quo as at 25th July, 2019.

    “The Edo State Government is further aware that in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/815/2019, wherein the Clerk and the National Assembly are defendants before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the National Assembly and the Clerk have not only been duly served with the processes but have entered appearance in the matter.

    “It is unfortunate that the Distinguished Senate would act in flagrant breach of these various Court Orders and purport to come to factual and legal conclusions concerning a matter in which the parties are already before the Courts and therefore subjudice.

    “We are also concerned that the Members of the Distinguished Senate appear to have very scant regard for the principle of separation of powers as enshrined in our Constitution which is manifested by their taking over the functions of the Judiciary in dispute resolution and giving directives to a Governor of a State who is certainly not subject to the supervision of the National Assembly.

    “It is the duty of the Clerk of the House of Assembly to inaugurate the House of Assembly and he has since performed that task. He has further approached a Court of law to seek a validation of his actions.

    “The pronouncements of the Distinguished Senate on the subject (with respect) is clearly misconceived and would amount to interference in the role of the Courts which may in fact constitute contempt with which the Governor would not wish to be associated.

    “The Government of Edo State firmly believes that our State is not a colony or a vassal of any person or persons exercising power in Abuja and we shall take all necessary steps within the ambit of the law to defend and validate our position and actions on this matter.

    “We call on all persons of goodwill to call the powerful wielders of “power and authority” in Abuja and elsewhere to refrain from acts which are clearly unconstitutional, undemocratic and a flagrant disrespect for the principle of due process and separation of powers.”