The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Obaseki, security agencies meet, warn against disturbance of public peace

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has met with heads of security agencies in the state and have warned against actions that could jeopardise public peace.

    The security meeting, which was presided over by the governor, was attended by the  Commander, 4th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, and heads of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Prisons Service, and was convened to review the security situation in the state.

    In a statement, Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, said the state security council resolved to sound a strong warning to individuals and groups who are bent on causing trouble and disrupting public peace.

    Osagie said: “The council declared that the security apparatus in the state will stop at nothing to bring to justice anybody who foments trouble and will rely on the law to prosecute anybody found wanting.

    Read Also: We’re transforming Secretariat Complex into world-class centre, says Obaseki

    “While stating that they are aware that some unscrupulous persons, under the guise of politics, are importing arms and ammunition to cause mayhem, they warned that the state security council is aware of their activities, stressing that the state’s shield stands guard and its sword stands ready to bring to justice anyone found engaging in such criminal activity.”

    According to the security council, “no matter how highly placed these persons are, they will not only be arrested but prosecuted and jailed.”

    The council advised “parents to keep a close watch on their children and wards and prevent them from being recruited by these unscrupulous individuals in the name of politics to disrupt public peace.

    “Individuals or groups found breaching the peace or molesting anybody will be made to face the wrath of the law, no matter who their parents and guardians might be.”

    “Security agencies have also been directed to commence a search for arms and ammunition being stockpiled by these individuals for the purpose of causing trouble and breaching the peace,” he added.

  • Supreme Court judgement a welcome development, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the judgement of the Supreme Court affirming the election of Osun state governor, Gboyega Oyetola will afford the governor the opportunity to focus in his people oriented policies for the development of the state.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu said it welcome the ruling and congratulate the governor for successfully defending the party’s mandate.

    The statement reads: “the All Progressives Congress (APC) welcomes the ruling of the Supreme Court affirming the election of Gboyega Oyetola as the Governor of Osun State.

    Read Also: Oyetola’s victory affirmation of people’s will, says Fayemi

    “Our great party also congratulates Governor Oyetola and indeed the party’s Osun State chapter for successfully defending our legitimate mandate. This ruling now cements the majority status of progressive governors in the country.

    “Undoubtedly a closely-contested election, we commend the apex court’s decision which is in tandem with the choice of the Osun State electorate who voted for continuity and our Party’s Change Agenda.

    “The ruling will now allow the Governor Oyetola-led APC administration in Osun State focus on the core business of governance and implementing the many pro-people developmental plans for the state.

    “We seek the cooperation of all stakeholders in the state; particularly the political actors to support the Governor Oyetola administration in its bid to develop the state.”

  • Immigration issues 20,000 10-year e-passport in one month

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) issued 20,000 10-year enhanced e-passport in the month of June.

    Muhammad Babandede, Comptroller-General, NIS, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday at the official decoration of four senior officers promoted to the rank of Deputy Comptroller- General (DCG), of immigration.

    The figure, he said, covers only Lagos and Abuja.

    Babandede, who stated the new travel document has additional security features in line with the prescriptions of the International Civil Aviation Organistion  (ICAO) ,added that booklet is whether friendly and contains polycarbonate data page that mitigates incidences of damage.

    According to him, having migrated from the Machine Readable Passport to the e-Passport in 2007, the service found it expedient to review the document and it’s administrative processes to further conform to global best practices.

    Read Also: Immigration and poor image of Nigerian embassies

    The existing e-passport will run concurrently with the enhanced e-Passport untill the former expires. Meanwhile, plans has been concluded to roll out the new document in Kano and London between July 8 and 29 respectively.

    He threatened to sanction hoteliers who fail to report foreigners lodging in their hotels for over 90 days, disclosing it may soon commence the registration of Migrants Identity Number as way to curb nefarious crimes and check illegal migration.

    The newly promoted DCGs are: Ogbu, Julius Adadu, Uebari Saro John, Idris Lash Jere and Dibi, Adaeze C.

    On the promoted DCGs, the NIS boss said: “The journey to this day of the elevation to the Rank of DCG of these fine officers started sometimes last year after the conduct of competency assessment and due diligence carried out on each and every one of these officers., President Muhammadu Buhari by the powers conferred in him found them worthy and in his magnanimity approved their appointment to the consolidated grade of DCG.”

  • Bayelsa guber: Alaibe should first apologise to PDP, says party members

    People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders Friday asked a former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Ndutimi Alaibe to first tender unreserved public apology to loyal members of the PDP before thinking of using the platform to run for any election.

    The stakeholders under the auspices of the Bayelsa PDP Restoration Foot Soldiers (BPRFS) said Alaibe lacked the moral right to vie for the PDP ticket having serially betrayed the party especially at its trying times.

    The group in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Ebi Lawson, said it was against the principles of natural justice, equity and good conscience for Alaibe to be making efforts to harvest in a farm he failed to cultivate.

    The scribe further said it was an insult to loyal members of the party for Alaibe to have gone to obtain his nomination and expression of interest forms at the PDP headquarters in Abuja in the company of persons, who had yet to vacate allegations of anti-party activities against them during the last elections in the state.

    The group said: “Undoubtedly, Alaibe has the constitutional right to contest the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa, but Alaibe without publicly apologizing to all loyal members of the PDP in Nigeria and especially in Bayelsa is not qualified to be called a member of the PDP much less contesting any election on the platform of the party.

    Read Also: Bayelsa guber: Okoko picks N21m PDP forms

    “He lacks the moral right and the locus standing to be found among loyal party aspirants and he will continue to carry that morale burden until such a time he realizes the importance of loyalty and commitment to a political party.

    “It is on record that Alaibe betrayed the PDP when the party needed men of character, will and purpose to survive the hurricane of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Immediately the APC emerged at the federal level, Alaibe abandoned the PDP, jumped to the APC and tried to become its governorship candidate in Bayelsa.

    “At that moment and for the purpose of realizing his ambition only, he fought the PDP joining forces with the APC to uproot and dismantle the PDP in Bayelsa. He complicated the efforts of Governor Seriake Dickson and his dedicated restoration PDP members to fight for the survival of the PDP in Bayelsa. But Dickson and his team survived the volcano and nurtured PDP back to life.

    “But Alaibe also failed in APC because of the principle of justice. The loyal APC members resisted him and frustrated his plan to contest an election on the platform of a party he contributed nothing at its foundation level. Immediately he lost the chance, Alaibe melted away like ice from the APC and disappeared from every engagement of the party both at the Centre and in the state.

    “But after we have made sacrifices under Governor Seriake Dickson’s leadership to stabilise the PDP, Alaibe noticing the strength of the party he abandoned at its trying moment in the state, returned to our great party.

    “He came back last year and since then had done nothing but to scheme his way to grab the governorship ticket of our party. And on July 4th’ we saw him at the Wadatta Plaza obtaining the forms of our party. To us his journey to Wadatta plaza will end in fiasco because any aspiration of Alaibe in Bayelsa PDP is a failed project.

    “We want to advise Alaibe to first and foremost apologize to the party for serially betraying it and joining forces with our detractors to end our existence. After the apology, Alaibe should exercise patience and show commitment in building a political party before thinking of using the party to run for an election. Alaibe must know that there are consequences for disloyalty”.

    The group added: “So far, with his trajectory, Alaibe is telling the world that a political party is only good as a platform to realize his ambition and that even without working for the party, he can walk into the party and become its candidate.

    “In fact, to worsen his case, Alaibe was accompanied to the headquarters by some expired self-serving politicians and the so-called leaders who have yet to clear themselves of allegations of anti-party activities in the last election that distracted the PDP and caused the manipulation of elections in some parts of the state, which landed our party in court to recover two House of Representatives seats and one senatorial seat.

    “They are the same PDP leaders who secretly sponsored candidates of other parties such as the All Progressives Congress (APC), Accord Party (AP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against those of their party in Bayelsa during the last general election. Alaibe provided the funds.

    “The actions of these PDP chieftains who are known associates of former President Goodluck Jonathan and his clique pitched them against the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, and top loyal leaders of the PDP in the state.

    “Therefore, it is against the principle of natural justice, equity and good conscience for Alaibe to even think of contesting the primary election of our great party. If the governor and his loyal team had not fought to build Bayelsa PDP at its trying moment, would Alaibe have gone to obtain PDP forms to run on the platform? In PDP Bayelsa, there is no room for disloyalty”.

  • APC suspends another lawmaker-elect in Edo

    The member-elect for the Edo State House of Assembly for Oredo West constituency, Hon Chris Okaeben, has been suspended by the All Progressives Congress in Oredo local government area.

    Okaeben was last week issued a 48-hour ultimatum to apologise to Governor Godwin Obaseki for misconduct but he replied that he did nothing wrong.

    Okaeben is one of the 12 members-elect insisting the inauguration of the 7th Edo Assembly was illegal.

    He was suspended for violating provisions of Article 21 of the APC constitution which stipulates disciplinary actions for erring members.

    The suspension of Okaeben was announced on Friday at an enlarged meeting of Oredo APC members in Oredo Local Government Area of the state after adopting recommendation of a five-man panel set up in July 1, to investigate Okaeben’s misconduct.

    Chairman of APC in Oredo LGA, Mr. Godwin Alabi, who read the report of the panel to members of the party, said Okaeben failed to honour several invitations extended to him to ascertain his grievances against the party.

    Alabi thanked the committee members for their objectivity saying the party has complied with the recommendation of the panel which includes the suspension of Chris Okaeben, who was elected to represent Oredo West Constituency in the state assembly.

    Read Also: APC suspends lawmaker-elect in Edo

    “Following his utterances, the APC in the council area asked him to apologise but he refused to comply with the party’s directive, rather he threatened the life of the chairman of the party in the council area, Godwin Alabi.”

    Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area, Hon. Jenkins Osunde, said the party’s attention should now be focused on supporting Governor Godwin Obaseki to deliver the dividends of democracy to Edo people.

    Jenkins stated the decision taken on Okaeben was final

    A leader of the party in Oredo Ward 7, Mr. Tony Alile, who moved the suspension motion, said Okaeben violated the party’s rules and was subsequently suspended for his action.

    “If he retraces his steps and apologises, the party will treat his apology and take a decision,” he added.

    Martins Osakue of Oredo Ward 2 said the suspension was in order, as there was need to put members in check from time to time, assuring that Okaeben could be forgiven if he apologises.

    Reacting to the suspension, Okaeben said he was not bothered because those that suspended lacked the powers to do so.

    Okaeben described the action as an act of irresponsibility

    “Who are those suspending me? What powers do they have to suspend me?

    “Why did it take them a long time to suspend me after the expiration of their 48 hours expiration?”

  • Become next Dangotes of Africa, SGF tells IDP trainee graduates

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has told young internally displaced persons (IDPs) who were trained on different job skills in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, to make the best of their new skills and grow to become the next Aliko Dangote of Africa.

    The SGF gave the charge to the one hundred and seven trainee IDPs who were selected from IDP camps in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states and who were given starter packs during their graduation ceremony in Yola on Friday.

    Boss Mustapha who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Polycarp Tshambo, told the IDP trainee graduates that the surest way to grow wealth is not to work for government or some other employer but to put one’s skills to work, adding, “I hope that in a few years we will start seeing Dangotes among you. Be honest Nigerians creating jobs and spreading wealth.”

    The internally displaced youth trainee graduates who are mostly women and who received intensive training for three months on leather works, bead-based jewelry making, soap and detergent making, mobile phone repairs, and plumbing in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, displayed some of their finished products, including laptop bags, pen holders, hats, table mats, toilet soaps, disinfectant and room freshners at the venue of the graduation ceremony in Muna Hotel, Jimeta.

    Read Also: Power supply: SGF expresses confidence in TCN 

    The training and empowering of the 107 internally displaced youths who consisted of 45 from Borno, 36 from Yobe and 26 from Adamawa, was conducted jointly by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative.

    Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr Simbi Wabote, said NCDMB’s interventions in the Northeast, including the training and giving of tools to the 107 young IDPs, were anchored in the board’s social responsibility commitments.

    “You’ve been well trained. It’s now your responsibility to use your knowledge to earn a living for yourself and create opportunities for others,” he told the youths.

    One of the trainee graduates, Jamila Kabir, who spoke on behalf of all of them, said they were selected for the training at a time when they lived in their respective IDP camps with no hope, but that with their training and the starter packs they were to receive,  they have hope even for the immediate future.

  • No room for errors against Cameroon- Rohr

    Cutting out individual errors will be a priority for Nigeria when they take on holders Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations in Alexandria on Saturday.

    A defensive lapse from centre back Leon Balogun saw Nigeria concede early and go on to be upset 2-0 by Madagascar in their last group game.

    It was result that relegated Nigeria to second place in the group and effectively set up a meeting with their neighbours and arch rivals in the first knockout round.

    “I’m scared of us committing individual errors and I hope we won’t have individual errors again tomorrow that will cost us,” said Coach Gernot Rohr, who is hoping the hiccup against the Malagasy might yet turn out to be a positive.

    “The match against Madagascar was a little deception but we and the fans have learnt to be humble.”

    Read Also: Eagles Won’t Lose Sleep over Cameroon AFCON Match, says Rohr

    He said the team wanted make amends after that disappointment.

    “There were changes in the team to play some players and keep them in the rhythm of the competition but now the best team has to start against Cameroon to do their best and make Nigeria proud,” the coach added.

    Nigeria and Cameroon have a long history of struggles for hegemony in the African game, with the Super Eagles having the upper hand in their last contest, in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

    “You know when you hear Cameroon and Nigeria there is always a sense of revenge,” he said.

    “We know that Cameroon are very strong with good footballing education in France and we hope we can find their weak points,” he added.

    “It is now that the real tournament is starting for us and we have seen the fixtures. All eight games are very difficult for everybody. Even for Egypt and of course for ourselves.”

    Rohr confirmed captain John Mikel Obi is ruled out of the game because of injury. (ESPN)

  • Kenyatta flags off Safari rally

    Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta said the country’s expectation was to see the Safari Rally return to the World Rally Championships on Friday when he flagged off the 51 cars competing.

    Kenyatta said the Safari Rally is held in high esteem in Kenya and is very much part of the national psyche, started in 1953 as part of the coronation of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.

    It was part of the World Rally Championship for many years until 2002, when it was axed for lack of finance and government support.

    However, the president of International Automobile Federation (FIA) has sworn its support during a visit Kenya 2015 thus the event is now running as a Candidate race for the WRC this year.

    Read Also: Kenyatta outlaws abuse of people on social media

    Kenyatta said that after this hurdle, the Safari rally will be back in the 14-leg WRC starting 2020.

    “Rallying has deep roots in Kenya’s national psyche.

    “Many generations of Kenyans were raised against the background of impressive rally races, criss-crossing our nation, and looking up to motoring legends.’’ said Kenyatta on Friday in Nairobi.

    Kenyatta added that he was confident that not only will Safari Rally being a full series event for the WRC, but also the Kenyan flag will feature on the winning podium.

    “I can confirm that the government through the ministry of sports is eager to lend a hand wherever the industry and sponsors may require.’’ (Xinhua/NAN)

  • There is a sponsored campaign against JAMB – Oloyede

    Registrar Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said he was sure of a sponsored campaign against the efforts of the board.

    Oloyede said this on Thursday in Abuja while presenting another suspect to newsmen, Kokowa Cletus, a 20-year-old, who allegedly falsified his Unified Tertiary Admissions Examination (UTME) result.

    The board had on June 24, presented a 19-year-old Adah Eche, who allegedly falsified his UTME result, yet wrote a letter of complaint to the board for presenting him with two results.

    The registrar frowned at the fraudulent trend, saying that it was unfortunate that the board was making efforts to serve the public yet it was being discouraged by detractors.

    “This is especially when cases that were meant to be investigated were not appropriately done.

    “We believe that there is an organised and sponsored campaign against JAMB for whatever reason.

    “We have no apology, but will want the public, who might be misinformed to always know the situation at hand and the gravity of what we do.

    “This campaign going on against JAMB is done by people who knowingly or unknowingly, are inadvertently employed to do this.

    “At the appropriate time, we will come out to tell the people what is really going on but there is a personal war, you will see that soon,’’ he said.

    Read Also: JAMB apprehends another UTME candidate for upgrading score from 162 to 206

    He noted that many of such campaigns were done through complaints of the board issuing out double results to candidates who sat for the 2019/20 UTME among other complains.

    Oloyede said that some of the people who make the claims are aware of the Nigerian factor where most accusations were not properly investigated before undergoing public judgements.

    The registrar said instead they preferred to go elsewhere to cry foul instead of approaching the board.

    He said Cletus was invited to the board’s headquarters from Bayelsa, after he wrote a complaint to the board for issuing him two results and subsequently he was apprehended.

    “He came with his uncle who fortunately, is an army officer and we investigated the matter together before the members of the board.

    “He presented two results; one was 206 and the other was 162.

    “We found details of transactions on his phone between him and the syndicate, including a video on how to process result upgrade and negotiations were made on the phone too.

    “There was also a screenshot of an imposition result of 206, yet, he had the guts to claim that JAMB sent him two results while we also discovered that he checked the results 15 times via `55109’, Oloyede added.

    The registrar explained that the suspect did not know that once a result has been checked, a copy was being sent to the candidate, another was copied back to the board with the date and time of check.

    He also narrated how the father of the suspect had written a letter to the board, expressing disappointment at the board’s incompetence.

    Oloyede quoted the letter as saying, “your inability in swift response to address the issue has led to my son’s forfeiture of his Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) admission opportunity.

    “However, am craving your indulgence to quickly rectify the result in affirmative to enable him have a good chance for the second choice of the institution.’’

    The registrar said that the board would stop at nothing to expose the syndicates working against it, noting that about 80 of such cases were already being prosecuted nationwide.

    He assured that others would be apprehended in no time, adding that the board would have to focus on admissions process for now.

    According to him, the suspect’s result will not be cancelled but be invalidated, while he will be handed over to the police to face the law.

    The suspect told newsmen that his parents would be disappointed at his actions.

    He said that he did not believe his original result was a reflection of his performance and so, decided to approach the board for a proof.

    This, he explained, was because he thought he did better than 162 as the UTME questions he answered were not so difficult believing that the second result is not his.

    “Someone sent an mail to me saying that they can upgrade my result, so I asked them to send me a proof that they could do it and they sent me 206.

    “The person now asked me to pay N10, 000 but I told him I didn’t have that kind of money, he then promised to make things hard for me.

    “When I checked later via `55109’, I got 162, then I decided to complain to JAMB to know if my scores were actually changed or not,’’ he said.

    Cletus said that he knew upgrading scores was a criminal offence and did not expect the syndicate to be successful, yet he believed that it was JAMB that sent the 206 result to him and wanted to be sure. (NAN)

  • Annual dairy imports reach $1.3b – FG

    Nigeria’s annual imports of milk and other products is currently estimated at US $ 1.3 Billion, the federal government has declared.

    Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. Mohammed Umar, stated this in Abuja during the kick-off of a two- day 4th Global Dairy Congress Africa with the theme “Accelerating Investment and Cooperation of Dairy in Africa.”

    Mohammed, who was represented by Director, Department of Animal Husbandry Services, Mr. Bright Wategire, said the congress is an opportunity for the government and stakeholders to interact and explore business opportunities, discuss critical issues targeted at resolving the multi-faced problems bedeviling dairy sector and also improve on it for the progress of agricultural sector.

    He added that challenges facing Nigeria dairy sector borders mostly on infrastructure development, processing, dairy husbandry, quantity control, product development and industry.

    Read Also: How dairy industry can thrive

    Mohammed further disclosed that Nigeria cattle contribute a conservation estimate of 50,000 liters of milk daily in supply and consumption which is less than 20% of local potential.

    Nigeria’s milk production, according to him, accounts for only 13% of West Africa production and 0.01% of global dairy output.

    He further stated the nation’s daily requirement is largely met by 60 percent imports and 40 percent local production.

    He urged all stakeholders to uplift Nigeria dairy sector in order to fight against malnutrition and achieve zero hunger in Nigeria.

    The Permanent Secretary said that Nigeria is in the process of evolving a national dairy policy that will articulate a clear road map for our developmental aspirations and strategies involving broad spectrum stakeholders and multinationals in order to improve our dairy sector.

    Vice President of Arla Global Dairy Products Mr. Steen Hadsbjerg said Nigeria must achieve the United Nation global nutrition target of zero hunger and malnutrition by 2030, all stakeholders in Africa must currently come up with sustainable development plan.