The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • ‘Suicide bomber’ hits Somali capital

    At least six people have been killed after a suspected suicide attack at a hotel in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.

    Interior Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled told the BBC that 15 people had been injured after a car exploded outside the Hotel Maka.

    The hotel lies on one of the capital’s main roads, which the authorities say is usually safe.

    Islamist militant group al-Shabab was driven out of Mogadishu two years ago but often stages attacks in the city.

    The BBC says a loud explosion was heard in the city’s administrative centre just before 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT).

    The Hotel Maka is on the Maka Mukaramah road which links the presidential palace to the airport, one of the most heavily guarded areas of Mogadishu.

    It is popular with members of parliament and other officials. One report stated that a senior Somali diplomat was among the dead.

    BBC reports that witnesses nearby said they could see the wreckage of a car burning outside the hotel.

    Senior police officer Farah Aden told Reuters news agency that four policemen were among the six dead.

    The agency reported that four cars and two motorbikes were burnt out at the scene.

     

     

  • Jonathan hails world-conquering Eaglets

    Jonathan hails world-conquering Eaglets

    … Hosts team Sunday

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday congratulated the victorious Golden Eaglets who won the FIFA U-17 World cup in the United Arab Emirates.

    Eaglets defeated their Mexican counterparts 3-0 in the final match played at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

    A statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, reads: “On behalf of himself, the Federal Government and all Nigerians, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan congratulates the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria on their 3-0 triumph over Mexico in the final match of the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Soccer Championship played Friday evening in Abu Dhabi.”

    “He joined other happy Nigerians in saluting the glorious achievement of the Eaglets in winning the Under-17 Soccer Championship for an unprecedented fourth time.

    “President Jonathan commended the young Eaglets for the exemplary commitment, dedication, resilience, determination, patriotism and unity of purpose they displayed throughout the tournament to make Nigeria the World’s Under-17 Football Champion once again.

    “In fulfillment of his promise of a heroes’ welcome for the triumphant Golden Eaglets on their return home, President Jonathan will host a grand reception for the team at the Banquet Hall of the State House at 1900 Hours on Sunday, November 10, 2013 in appreciation of the great honour and glory they have brought to their fatherland.

    “The President also urged the leadership of the Nigerian Football Federation to strive to ensure that the world-conquering Eaglets, who have shown such immense potentials as youngsters, are properly nurtured, trained and developed to represent the nation at higher levels in future international football competitions.

    “He wishes the Golden Eaglets and their handlers a safe journey home and looks forward to receiving them in Abuja on Sunday.”

     

  • ‘Nigerian varsities don’t need ranking to prove themselves’

    ‘Nigerian varsities don’t need ranking to prove themselves’

    The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okogie, has said that Nigerian Universities and its products are amongst the best and don’t need ranking to prove it.

    He said, “people have given a bad name and image to the universities so they can kill it but our students or products have always distinguish themselves abroad anytime the opportunity presents itself.”

    Okogie made the statement at the inaugural meeting of the reconstituted board of trustees and the governing council of Bingham University, Abuja.

    He said, “They said that Nigerian universities are not ranked high amongst the first 2,000 in the world and I asked, there are about 6,600 universities in the United States and only 3,000 of them are accredited.

    “So even if you work that hard, with all the facilities, it doesn’t mean that you will be amongst 2,000, so my concern has always been how relevant is your university and the program they run to the environment and the system it supervises.”

    Okogie emphasized that graduates who cannot read or write were never students but individuals who simply buy results from schools and end up making it look like the Nigerian university system is poor.

     

  • Eaglets rule the world

    Eaglets rule the world

    … Lift FIFA U-17 World for record 4th time

    … Wallop Mexico 3-0

    Nigeria on Friday defeated Mexico 3-0 in the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates.

    A ninth minute own goal by Erick Aguirre separated the two sides in a keenly contested first half.

    Nigeria created several scoring changes, but a combination of hard luck and profligate shooting denied them more goals in the entertaining encounter.

    Mexico came close twice too, but Nigeria’s Dele Alampasu rose to the occasion to keep the scoreline in favour of the Eaglets.

    However, the Manu-Garba tutored youngsters changed gear in the second and duly put the Mexicans to the sword.

    Playmaker Kelechi Iheanacho scored the second goal in the 56th minute tapping in after the Mexicans goalkeeper parried skipper Musa Muhammed’s fierce drive into his path.

    Muhammed put the icing on the cake with a superb free kick in the 81st minute to send Nigerians on the stands into frenzy.

    Nigeria had earlier lifted the cadets’ world Cup in 1985, 1993 and 2007.

     

     

     

     

  • Half of people don’t know they are diabetic

    Half of people don’t know they are diabetic

    World Diabetes Day is held on 14 November each year. A staggering 50 per cent of sufferers do not know that they are diabetic and the nearly silent disease is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and limb amputation.

    Diabetes is responsible for one death every seven seconds and accounts for more than 4.6 million deaths per year. The rate of developing diabetes has increased by 700 per cent in the last five decades and can be largely traced to poor personal habits.

    Unknowing victims are commonly diagnosed incidentally through blood or urine tests associated with other active health conditions. A diabetic diagnosis is frequently associated with obesity, insufficient physical activity, smoking and poor diet.

    Type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 90 per cent of all cases of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes has also been called non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes. The name adult-onset diabetes is rarely used anymore as many children and teenagers are now developing the condition.

    Diabetes is a chronic, life-long condition that can lead to blindness, kidney damage, poor circulation and nerve damage. It is the leading cause of blindness and damage to the blood vessels that can increase the risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack.

    Good diabetes care generally means keeping one’s blood sugar levels within the normal range. There is no one cure for diabetes, but effective treatment and management strategies do exists. A person with diabetes should be able to lead an active, healthy life and reduce the risk of complications with proper self-care.

    Physical activity is also one of the most important aspects in maintaining a healthy body weight and preventing type 2 diabetes. Maintaining one’s body weight improves insulin control, keeps blood sugar in check and reduces harmful cholesterol and blood pressure that is linked to life threatening conditions such as cardiovascular diseases.

    Unhealthy diets, especially the excessive consumption of energy, saturated fat, trans fat, salt and sugar could cause at least 40 per cent of all deaths from diabetes and approximately one quarter of all deaths. To
    prevent or reverse diabetes – reduce sugar intake, eliminate processed food items, reduce portion size and increase consumption of vegetables.

    Smoking can promote the development of diabetes by at least 30 per cent. Smoking is one of the leading causes of inflammation, scarring of the arteries and atherosclerosis – leading risk factors for heart disease,
    stroke and premature death.

    The World Diabetes Day campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation and its member associations. It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness. To prevent diabetes and help support a local campaign, please visit: http://www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday

    Dr Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and global health care education. Views do not necessarily
    reflect endorsement. He can be reached:     Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com, Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard, Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

  • Night journeys, drug abuse major causes of accidents – FRSC

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Friday identified night journeys and drug abuse as major causes of road crashes in the country.

    The Deputy Corps Marshal, Operations, Mr. Boboye Opeyemi said this in Kaduna at the flag-off of a special patrol operation, code named “Operation Octopus.”

    According to him, most of the crashes occurred in the night, as such the 24-hour patrol is meant to reduce accidents on major roads in the country to the barest level.

    “Most drivers now are youths, and you find them taking different hard drugs and narcotics before embarking on their journey. This is another reason why we have high record of crashes.”

    Opeyemi said the FRSC was collaborating with the Army and the NDLEA to ensure the success of the operation, which would last throughout the ember month.

    According to him, they are also working hard to re-certify existing driving schools in the state to ensure efficiency.

    “We want to record zero fatality during this ember month, because the fatality rate have reduced by 66 per cent, and we are calling on all drivers to stop over speeding and the use of hard drugs so as to make it successful,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the FRSC official as saying at the forum.

    He advised motorists to drive carefully, avoid over speeding and respect traffic laws at all times to ensure safety on the roads.

    The deputy corps marshal commended the FRSC Command in Kaduna State for the introduction of routine patrols and banning the conveyance of passengers in the boots of vehicles.

     

  • Jonathan approves $4b for electricity transmission

    Jonathan approves $4b for electricity transmission

    President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the sum of $4 billion to boost electricity transmission in the country.

    The Minister of Power and Steel, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, disclosed this on Friday at the official commissioning of 1 X 150MVA, 330/132kv Transformer at Ayede 330/132kv Substation, Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    Nebo added that the president had also approved a master plan for a national grid which will provide power to all rural areas in the country.

    This, according to him, will have a national transformation impact on the country’s electricity supply.

    He said, “Not only will the national grid be a lot more reliable, but will be a lot more effective in places where there is no power before in Nigeria. It will also have a huge impact on the entire Nigeria populace.”

    The minister also disclosed that Nigeria has a metering gap of three million, adding that it is a huge market for meters manufacturers to tap into.

    Commenting on the fate of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria workers, he noted that:”over 40,000 of the 47,000 PHCN workers has been paid off, saying the government is also working hard to ensure that the remaining 7,000 workers whose bio-metric capturing was not perfect were attended to.”

     

  • NBA, Sagay back extension of emergency rule in northern states

    Some prominent lawyers on Friday in Lagos expressed support for the extension of the six-month emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the lawyers said the prevailing situation in the North-East zone of the country had justified the extension.

    The Senate had on November 7 approved the extension of the emergency rule following a letter to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Jonathan had sought the approval of the lawmakers to extend the emergency rule imposed on the three states experiencing insurgency.

    The expiration of the initial six months declared on May 14 had necessitated the request.

    A constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), told NAN that the declaration of emergency rule in the states had positively affected the fight against the insurgents.

    Sagay said, “It has resulted not only in decimating their numbers; it has resulted in reducing their attacks and the danger to which the innocent civilian population has been exposed to.

    “The extension of emergency is justified, it has been effective, the work is not done and so they need more time to complete the job.’’

    The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Mr. Onyekachi Ubani, said the president acted constitutionally by sending the request to the National Assembly.

    “They have realised that they have not achieved the optimal result and that is why the state of emergency is being extended.’’

    He, however, urged security agencies to redouble their efforts toward bringing the insurgency to a quick end.

    Speaking in the same vein, a human rights lawyer, Mr. Fred Agbaje, noted that the federal government had the constitutional duty to protect the lives and property of its citizens.

    “If the extension is for another five years and it will bring sanity to these areas so be it.

    “ I would have been disappointed if the National Assembly had not granted the request.

    “It would have meant that they are in support of the wanton killings being perpetrated in these states by these insurgents,’’ Agbaje said.

     

  • Kwankwaso wants state police

    Kano State governor, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, has advocated the creation of state police in the country, saying the existing police force has veered from serving Nigerians to protecting the interest of occupants of the Presidential Villa.

    Kwankwaso, who had hitherto opposed the creation of state police, lamented that what, happened last week, when the police walked in and asked five out of the G-7 Governors to disperse from a justifiable meeting at his lodge in Abuja, demonstrated the inclination and ineptitude of the nation’s police.

    Receiving the Senate Committee on Police affairs, led by its chairman, Chief Igwe Paulinus Nwagu, who visited him in Kano, the governor described the police disruption of the meeting as upsetting and an insult on the people who voted them into power.

    “I am not advising the police to pitch their tent with any side. They should be seen as neutral. The police and other security agencies must not be used by anybody to intimidate others or perpetuate injustice,” governor Kwankwaso said.

    Lamenting that the Nigerian police is recklessly being involved in national politics, the governor warned that such action will not augur well for national unity and will continue to erode the integrity of the institution.

    He maintained that even though the Federal Government is taking largest share of the total national revenue at the moment, state governments are the major financiers of the police in their respective states.

     

     

  • Oyinlola: PDP goes to Supreme Court

    Oyinlola: PDP goes to Supreme Court

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will proceed to the Supreme Court to challenge Wednesday’s Appeal Court’s reinstatement of former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, as its National Secretary.

    The Deputy National Publicicty Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo, disclosed this to journalists in Gombe, on Friday.

    Jalo said the party’s legal team was already preparing papers to appeal the judgment, adding that Oyinlola would not be sworn-in.

    “Now, we are going to apply for a stay of execution. Oyinlola should not be allowed to even go close to Wadata Plaza, the national secretariat of the party.

    “He cannot go there; we are appealing against the decision,” he said.

    He, however, added that “we respect what the judiciary has done and it is an act of courage, and whoever is the Judge that did it, he did it within the premise of the law and we have taken it in good faith.

    “But we are appealing against the decision of the court and this is the decision of PDP,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the PDP official as saying to journalists.

    On claims by the Alhaji Kawu Baraje-faction of the party that it has taken over Gombe State, Jalo dismissed it, saying it was contemptuous, because there was a court judgment nullifying the new PDP.

    He said the National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, who was credited with the claim, was neither in Gombe nor knew Gombe and was therefore not qualified to make statements on the state.

    “When somebody makes this kind of statement, even a layman will know that it is contemptuous.

    “The law enforcement agencies should have even arrested them because it is a flagrant abuse of court process.

    “There is a valid court judgment which has not been appealed against and it is a substantive judgment,” he said.