The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Senate confirms Okiro as police commission chief

    Senate confirms Okiro as police commission chief

    There was drama in the Senate on Tuesday as the upper chamber confirmed former Inspector- General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, as chairman, Police Service Commission.

    Curiously, the lawmakers rejected the nomination of former Action Aide boss, Dr. Otive Igbuzor despite stringent effort by Senator Babafemi Ojudu to ensure that Igbuzor was confirmed.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Paulinus Igwe, presented the report of the screening of those nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan to serve in the commission.

    They included Mr. Okiro, Chairman, Mr. Yakubu Mohammed (DIG rtd,) (Katsina State) to represent North West, Hon. Justice Olufunke Adekeye (rtd) (Ogun State) to represent South West, Aisha Larai Tukur (Taraba State) to represent North East, Mrs. Comfort Obi (Imo State) to represent South East, Chief Torngee Gem Toranyiin (Benue State) to represent North Central) and Dr. Otive Igbuzor (Delta State) to represent South South zone.

    Though some senators applauded the report, Senate President, David Mark, wondered why there was no representation for the youths among the nominees.

    Mark noted that the Act of the commission specified that the youths should be represented in the commission.

    Senator Ayogu Eze said that Igbuzor who was to serve his second term in the commission represented the youths when he was first nominated in the Sixth Senate.

    Mark also wanted to know what new thing Okiro whom the screening committee rated high would do that he did not do when he was the IGP.

    He wanted to know how Okiro would improve the police force as the committee claimed in its report.

    Igwe explained that the committee believed that Okiro’s position as a former IGP has equipped him to serve better as Chairman of the commission.

    Senator Zainab Kure observed that the dates some of the nominees obtained their qualifications were not captured in the report.

     

  • Mark seeks end to HIV/AIDS discrimination

    Mark seeks end to HIV/AIDS discrimination

    Senate President David Mark on Tuesday called for an end to stigmatization and discrimination against the Human Immuno Virus (HIV) infected persons in the country.

    Mark spoke while inaugurating a public hearing on a ” Bill for an Act to make provision for the prevention of HIV discrimination and to protect the human rights and dignity of people living with HIV and affected by Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and other related matters,” in Abuja.

    The Director- General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Prof.John Idoko, stated that 3.4million Nigerians are now living with the pandemic.

    Idoko added that the country carries the second largest HIV burden globally.

    The Senate President, who was represented by the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi, said people should be educated to know that HIV is like other common diseases which can be contacted accidentally or intentionally.

    He lamented that many HIV positive people are now afraid to carry out tests or access necessary treatment as a result of negative societal behaviour.

    Mark said: “It is important for all to be educated to know that HIV is just like any other disease.

    “Once it is discovered, all a sufferer needs to do is to access treatment and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

    “Infected people are hiding under common diseases like diabetes because of discrimination.

    “They will not tell you that they are HIV positive for fear of being discriminated against in their workplaces, family and religious organizations.

    “When we lose lives because of HIV infection it means we are irresponsible. Infected people are just as important like other members of the society.

    “That somebody is infected does not mean he is not good or morally upright person, or that he should be denied employment or barred from his social networks, “he added.

     

  • Edo to probe UNIBEN student’s killing

    Edo to probe UNIBEN student’s killing

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole has promised to set-up a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the killing of a 500-level student of the University of Benin, Ibrahim Momodu, by policemen.

    Ibrahim, who was in the department of Laboratory Science at the university, was allegedly shot by a team of policemen led by the DPO of Ogida Division, Mrs. Carol Afegbua.

    Oshiomhole said the state government would do everything possible to unravel the circumstances leading to the killing of Ibrahim.

    He spoke when members of civil society groups, students, family members and the family legal team took a protest letter to his office on Tuesday.

    The governor said the corpse of Ibrahim would be exhumed for examination to determine the possible cause of death.

    He condoled with the family of the deceased, assuring that the state government would not allow any unlawful killings in the state.

    Lawyer to the family, Jefferson Uwoghiren, in the letter said Ibrahim was hurriedly buried by the police “to obscure evidence of the illegal killing.”

    The letter reads in parts, “Arising thereof, we demand an urgent exhumation of the body for a proper inquest to determine manner and cause of death.”

    “We demand the immediate suspension and arrest of Mrs. Carol Afegbua, the DPO of Ogida Police Station who carried out the killing.”

     

  • Prosecution tenders ‘items used’ in bombing media houses

    Memories of the April 26, 2012 bombing of three media houses in Kaduna were relieved on Tuesday before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    It was at the resumed trial of Mustapha Umar, a suspected Boko Haram member, charged with terrorism related offences over the explosion which partly damaged the building -SOJ Plaza – occupied by Thisday, the Sun and the Moment, on Kontagora Road.

    The prosecution, led by Simon Labaran, brought burnt remains of a Honda car, marked Kaduna: AL 306 MKA; 12 gas cylinders and a partly burnt black 25Litre jerry can, allegedly used by Umar in his purported attempt to blow-up the building.

    At about 11.30am, the presiding Judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, parties to the case, court officials and others came down from the court room located on the fifth floor of the Federal High Court building to inspect the items brought onto the foot of the building’s main entrance.

    Prosecution witness number Eight, who had spoken about the items, while testifying in the court room, identified them, following which the court admitted them in evidence as exhibits MU7 to 18(the cylinders), the jerry can as MU19 and the car as MU20.

    Earlier in his evidence, the witness, who wore mask, to conceal his identity, said as at the time of the incident, he was an Exhibit Keeper at the Sabon Gari Police Station, Kaduna.

    He told the court how the items were given to him for safekeeping after they were retrieved by the police, from the scene of the incident.

    The prosecution also called two other witnesses- a police bomb disposal expert and an Assistant Police Commissioner, who said he interviewed Umar and made a video recording of the interview session.

  • UNIBEN student was killed in self defence – Police

    Edo State Police Command on Tuesday said the slain University of Benin student, Ibrahim Momodu, was killed in self defence.

    Ibrahim was killed on May 27 by policemen from the Ogida Division and was buried in suspicious circumstances.

    His relatives were not aware of his death until two days later.

    The mother of the victim, Osas Okungbowa has petitioned the Inspector- General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, demanding investigation into the killing of her only son.

    Students and members of civil society organisation took to the streets of Benin City on Monday, protesting what they called extra-judicial killing.

    The police in its first official reaction to the killing said Ibrahim was shot while attempting to bring out a Russian made cut to size double barrel gun.

    The police in a statement said, “Operatives at Ogida Division led by the DPO while on a routine patrol within the area intercepted a cyclist and another with an unregistered motor-cycle at Obayuwana junction in SIluko Road.”

    “The suspect immediately brought out a Russian made cut to size double barrel gun but policemen noticing his action responded swiftly and shot at the suspect later known to be Ibrahim Momodu who died on his way to the hospital.”

     

     

  • Teachers’ strike: NUT officials, students clash in Benue

    Teachers’ strike: NUT officials, students clash in Benue

    There was a bloody clash between pupils sitting for Basic Education Certificate Examination and officials of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) monitoring team in Makurdi and Vande- Ikya local government areas of Benue State on Tuesday.

    The NUT officials stormed some primary schools in the state and insisted that the examination must be stopped in total compliance with directives from the NUT head quarters in the on -going primary school teachers’ strike.

    However, pupils who were in the examination halls in Makurdi and Vandeikya reacted violently and chased away NUT officials with sticks and stones.

    Primary school teachers in Benue State like their counterparts in 11 states of the federation are embarking on indefinite strike to press home their demand for the implementation 27 .5 teachers’ allowance.

    Governor Gabriel Suswam is insisting that before teachers in the state would enjoy the minimum wage, his administration would know the exact numbers of the teachers on its pay roll through a comprehensive teachers’ audit.

     

  • Funsho Williams: Court adjourns trial to June 21

    Funsho Williams: Court adjourns trial to June 21

    A Lagos High Court at Igbosere will on June 21continue the trial of six persons charged with the murder of a candidate in the 2007 governorship election in the state, Chief Funso Williams.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Williams, the People’s Democratic Party chieftain in Lagos, was killed in his Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos residence, on July 27, 2006.

    The accused are Bulama Kolo, Musa Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imerabo.

    They are all male.

    Justice Ebenezer Adebajo adjourned the trial after a brief evidence by a prosecution witness, DCP Ovie Oyokomino, in charge of Forensic Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    Oyokomino, who was cross-examined by the Defence Counsel, Mr. Agbara Okezie, testified that the responsibility of the unit was to provide forensic evidence and not to charge suspects to court.

    He made the clarification while responding to a question by Okezie as to whether he directed that the suspects be charged to court.

    Prosecution Counsel, Mrs. O.A. Akin-Adesomojo, apologised for the absence of the other witness – Mr. Adedayo Adeoye, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police.

    She promised that the prosecution would produce Adeoye in court on the next adjourned date.

    Oyokomino had told the court on April 29 that some exhibits for the trial got damaged due to epileptic power supply.

    He said the exhibits, brought by a pathologist during a post mortem on the deceased in 2006, included blood samples.

    NAN reports that the accused persons were arraigned on March 1, 2013 on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    According to the police, they conspired and murdered Williams on July 27, 2006 at 34A, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi.

    The offences contravene Sections 316 and 324 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2003.

     

  • Police confirm killing of Sokoto lawmaker

    The Sokoto State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the killing of a member of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Murtala Wauru.

    The command’s spokesman, DSP Al-Mustapha Sani, said the deceased was killed by gunmen on Monday at about 8.45pm in Mabera area of Sokoto.

    The News Agency of Nigeria learnt that the legislator was on his way home after attending a meeting at Minanata area of the city.

    Sani said the assailants went away with the deceased’s car, and promised that the police would apprehend and prosecute them.

    Until his death, Wauru had represented Gada West constituency in the assembly since 1999 and was the chairman of the House committee on finance and appropriation.

    His funeral, at Wauru village on Tuesday, was attended by the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Abubakar Tureta, the Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Faruk Malami and the local council chairman, Alhaji Altine Kyadawa.

     

  • We will get the desired result in Kenya – Mba

    We will get the desired result in Kenya – Mba

    The Super Eagles midfielder, Sunday Mba, believes the players on ground will get the much needed victory against the Harambee Stars on Wednesday, Goal.com reports.

    Mba is one of the players that Coach Stephen Keshi will be relying upon to get a win against the Harambee Stars on Wednesday at the Moi Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.

    The undoubted hero from the last Africa Cup of Nations believes that though the team is shorn of some of its star players, the current squad will get the result needed against Kenya.

    “Yes, we will be without some of our top stars for the qualifiers as well as the Confederations Cup,” Goal.com quoted Mba as saying to FIFA.com.

    “We would have loved to have them with us, but we hope that we still get the results we need even without them.

    “We have set a standard and Nigerians do not expect anything less,” he concluded.

     

  • Chemical weapons used in Syria – UN

    Investigators have “reasonable grounds” to believe chemical weapons have been used in Syria, according to a United Nations report.

    The organisation’s human rights group said they had received allegations that both the government and rebels had used limited quantities of toxic substances, but most testimony related to their use by state forces.

    Paul Pinheiro, the chair of the commission, said: “It has not been possible, on the evidence available, to determine the precise chemical agents used, their delivery systems or the perpetrator.”

    Sky News says the inquiry examined four reported toxic attacks in March and April, interviewing victims, medical staff and refugees who had fled the affected areas.

    The 29-page report on human rights abuses in the ongoing civil war also described war crimes and crimes against humanity which have reached “new levels of brutality.”

    Leaders of Syria’s military and government were accused of “a concerted policy” of violations, including the bombing of cities and executing of civilians, which investigators said they must be held accountable for.

    The conflict has now raged for 26 months and claimed more than 80,000 lives.

    The UN report blames both government and rebel forces for carrying out murder, torture and rape, but said that that the intensity and scale of the crimes committed by the state outweighed those committed by opposition fighters.