The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Ekiti proposes medical castration for sex offenders

    By Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado Ekiti

    To curb gender- based violence, Ekiti State has proposed medical castration for sex offenders.

    The government said the proposed stringent measures were to complement life imprisonment through amendment of the Gender Based Violence Prohibition (Law) 2011.

    Wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, is seeking the amendment of the Gender Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2011, to include further capital punishments that could deter the perpetrators at the State House of Assembly.

    At the public hearing of the GVB amendment bill at the Assembly on Thursday, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, said the amendment into the bill may include medical Castration , compulsory psychiatric test and disqualification of offenders from benefiting from any government social investment programmes.

    “We plead with the Assembly to have expeditious and holistic consideration of the amendment into this bill, because it is to provide legal framework for Governor Kayode Fayemi’s zero tolerance for all forms of gender violence .

    “The increasing cases of rape and defiling of little children in Ekiti requires urgent attention. The amendment being sought may include imprisonment and medical Castration of offenders among others not stipulated in the existing law,” he said.

    Mrs. Fayemi said her office had been overwhelmed with complaints bordering on all forms of violence, particularly against women since 2018, saying amendment of the bill becomes imperative to give the victims voices and for offenders to be held accountable.

    Read Also: Why I’m always away from Ekiti, by Fayemi

    The First Lady added that the best form of injustice in any society is for offenders to be let off the hook without justifiable reasons, assuring that strengthening the law will ensure punishment for violators and allow people to take ownership .

    “To make the law effective, we are going decentralise the referral centres and all the local governments will have one each. You don’t need to come to the state capital before lodging your complaints.

    “The GVB Management Committee has been brought back to attend to complaints . I feel distressed to hear when we returned past year that the committee didn’t meet for for four years after we left.

    “I am not the owner of the law but for men and women in Ekiti. We only championed it. It is to protect us , our family and society against all forms of discrimination , so that we can all live life of respect and dignity.

    “Violence against women keeps increasing in Ekiti. We appeal to the House to pass this law expeditiously”.

    Speaker Funminiyi Afuye and the Chairman, House Committe on Women Affairs, Hon Adekemi Balogun, said the law when amended, will elevate gender issues to human rights in the state.

    Afuye added that there was need for people to be proactive to ensure that gender based violence is banished in Ekiti.

  • Kidnappers free NRC Director’s wife

    By Osagie Otabor, Bénin

    Wife of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Director, Mrs. Francisca Okhiria, who was abducted by gunmen in police uniform in Benin City has been freed.

    Edo police commissioner, Mr. DanMallam Mohammed, who confirmed this in a telephone conversation, said she was released unhurt and has been reunited with her family since Wednesday night.

    Read Also: Pegi residents protest in Abuja over kidnapping

    Danmallam said those who carried out the kidnapping were from Delta state and plans were on to arrest them.

    “You know those who kidnapped her we have found out are from Delta state so we are working with our command in the state to locate them,” he said.

  • Charly Boy’s mum dies at 101

    The mother of controversial musician, actor, producer and activist, Charly Boy, has died.
    According to reports, she was aged 101.

    Making the announcement on Facebook on Thursday, Charly Boy disclosed that his mother, Mrs. Margaret Ntianu Oputa (nee Onumonu) died on Tuesday, October 8, 2019.

    According to his Facebook post, Charly Boy was in Auckland, New Zealand when his mother died and wished his mother could have waited to see him.

    He then penned an emotional note to his mother.

    “My dearest Mother,” he began.

    “You couldn’t just wait for me to come back before you sneaked away to the great beyond. Now all I have are beautiful loving Kodak memories of our times together.

    Read Also: Charley Boy: ‘Being in hell after death will be easy for me’

    “You tried for me, for us and many of the people who were privileged to encounter your kindness and your love.

    “Thank you for allowing me take care of you. Thank you for being That Great Woman who gave birth to The Icon, CharlyBoy.

    “Thank you for teaching me how to care, to love, to live a simple and humble Life. Thank you for constantly reminding of my pedigree and my very Rich Heritage.

    “I wish you would have waited just one more day, but I guess you didn’t want me to see you go, because as usual I would have talked you out of it, I know we both hate goodbyes. Greet Papa when you see him, tell him I have been holding forth. Gallant as ever.

    “Love you my Darling Mother. RIP.”

    Many fans have expressed their condolences on Charly Boy’s Facebook page.

    Charly Boy’s father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, a former Supreme Court justice, died on May 4, 2014 at the age of 96.

  • Edo to inaugurate boards of EDPA, ECTS, others Friday

    By Agency Reporter

    The Edo State Government will on Friday, October 11, inaugurate the boards of the Edo Development and Property Authority and Edo City Transport Service.

    The others to be inaugurated are the Edo State Health Management Board and the Board of Technical and Vocational Education.The Nati

    In a statement, Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., said the inauguration of the members of the boards whose appointments were earlier announced will hold at the Government House Banquet Hall, in Benin City, on Friday by 11am.

    The EDPA board includes Isoken Omo from Ikpoba Okha as Executive Chairman-nominee, while Hon. Saturday Okosun (Esan North East); Mr Francis Dogo (Akoko Edo); Chief (Hon) Jacobson Nasamu (Etsako Central); Micheal Aigbekaen (Egor); Mr. Patrick Eregie (Oredo); Mr. Steve Oriakhi (Esan South East) are members-nominee.

    Read Also: Edo partners anti-corruption initiative to enhance accountability

    For Edo City Transport Service, Pullen Itepu Osariemen from Esan South East is the Chairman-nominee; while Stanley Otabor (Uhunmwonde); Benson Osifo (Ikpoba Okha); Anthony Eremeh (Etsako Central); Monday Aigbekaen (Egor); Ohikhia Moses (Owan East) Osamudiamen Oriafoh (Esan Central) are members-nominee.

    Dr. Christopher Adesotu from Ovia South West is the Chairman-nominee of the state’s Technical & Vocational Education Board; while Monday Osas Igbinigie (Orhiomwon); Best Oseh (Igueben), and Paul Igili (Owan West) are members-nominee.

    While Dr. Hamilton E. Ehijiator from Esan West is the Chairman-nominee of the state’s Health Management Board, Nurse Sunday Airnugha (Owan East); Raymond Ehikioya (Esan Central) and Efosa Irorere Igunbor (Orhionmwon) are members-nominee

  • Commotion at Abuja Airport over flight cancelation

    By Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja

    There was commotion on Thursday at the Aero Contractors’ stand at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja as dissatisfied passengers of the airline protested cancelation of their flight.

    The Nation reliably gathered that the airline had suddenly canceled their 1:20pm trip of flight 372 to the Osubi Airstrip, Warri, announcing just few minutes before boarding time a new flight for 6:30am on Friday.

    The development infuriated the passengers, who had expected that they deserved better explanation from the officials of the airline at the airport. The angry passengers had to resort to causing a scene at the airline’s stand, leading to a halt in its booking operations.

    Some of the passengers who spoke to The Nation, while the commotion was ongoing, said their anger was about the unconcerned attitude of the officials of the airline, others even threatened legal actions.

    To Miss Choice Egbo, suffering technical hitches for an airliner is not new, but the lack of feeling for the stranded passengers by the officials of the company was what annoyed her.

    “I don’t understand this Aero airline. You are rescheduling of canceling a flight and you are not notifying the passengers of the development.

    Read Also: NCAA warns airlines over flight cancellations, delays

    “This is very terrible because many of us who are here today don’t even stay in Abuja. For instance, I came from Maitama, I got to the airport with N6000 and I don’t have any other money on me. Now I am wondering how I will stay an extra night in Abuja, which I never planned for.

    “They are now telling me that they have a bus that will take me to Area 1 and that I should find my way from there to any other part of Abuja.

    “That is not nice, if they continue like this, they will lose money and customers. I am not satisfied and I don’t think I am going to fly Aero anymore”, she said.

    Another passenger, who gave his name as Sadiq, said: “I have had this sort of experience many times, when flights will be canceled, but in all I have always seen this arrogance in the airlines; they don’t care, they just announce flight cancelation like, ‘to hell with you, go and sort yourselves out’. One thing I have observed is if passengers are not violent, nobody listens to them.

    “They would not attend to us until passengers had to block their ticketing, that was when the duty manager came. Why should things be happening this way?

    “If you know you don’t have the capacity to carry passengers, tell them early enough, don’t go and open online portal and be collecting people’s money,” he lamented.

    Meanwhile, efforts to get officials of the company, who were on duty to speak was unsuccessful, but they directed The Nation to the Customer Care of the company.

    Speaking in a telephone conversation, one of the online customer care representatives of the company, who gave his name as Emmanuel, explained that the flight had to be rescheduled to Friday because of a technical problem.

    “I believe it was due to technical reasons”, Emmanuel said, adding that the flight had been rescheduled to 6:30am on Friday, adding “we apologise it came on short notice”.

  • FRSC craves attitudinal change for truck drivers/ haulage operators

    By Adegunle Olugbamila

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has urged commercial vehicles and haulage operators to partner with the Commission to bring about a new orientation particularly among truck drivers nationwide.

    The Commission said its findings over the years revealed that most road crashes are traceable to bad attitude of drivers.

    Corps Marshal FRSC Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, who spoke through the FRSC Commander, Lagos State Sector Higinus Omege, described haulage business as great business opportunities for operators play the game by the rules.

    Oyeyemi spoke at the 10th anniversary/conference of Haulmace, a haulage and logistics magazine with the theme: Developing a stakeholders approach to driver management and professionalism for safety in cargo transportation for Nigeria.’

    “If we keep on doing the same thing over and over again, we will keep getting the same result,” Boboye began.

    He continued: “There is the need by commercial haulage operators to change our approach even in the management of our drivers.

    “As much as FRSC has continued to encourage private driving school operators, our findings show that none of them has a driving range earmarked for training of truck drivers. Most of the drivers driving trucks on our roads today evolved through apprenticeship method. They need retraining and reorientation.

    “Our statistics also revealed that about 57 per cent of road crashes is as a result of bad attitude. So we strongly believe that through this orientation, we change their attitude towards the use of the roads.

    Read Also: FRSC arrests 1750 as clampdown on tricycles, motorcycles begin nationwide

    “Crashes occur globally, but what makes the difference is the death rate. So what we are aiming is that even if the crash occurs on Nigerian roads, it should not bring about deaths. Therefore, all commercial haulage operators should join hands with us.”

    He added that the Commission is extending a handshake with stakeholders within the haulage circuit, noting that it will also be willing to partner with them in the aspect of training of their truck drivers.

    Boboye lamented that Nigeria road design was primarily for motorists. This dependence on road, he explained, is a major factor towards the chaotic traffic situation particularly the metropolitan roads.

    “Our road design never takes cognizance of pedestrian walkway, tricycle and motocycle tracks. This is the reason why you will see vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles struggling for survival on the same road resulting in traffic chaos, ”he lamented.

    He nonetheless expressed optimism that the proposed National Transport Policy which is currently before the National Executive Council, would streamline some of the hiccups that have bedeviling transportation in Nigeria.

    National President, Association of Maritime Truck Owners Cheif Remi Ogungbe, bemoaned the deplorable state of the nation highways, adding that ‘rickety roads translates to rickety trucks’.

    He appealed to governments to provide terminals for truck to forestall a scenario where truck drivers park their trucks haphazardly.

    “Government must ensure constant maintenance of our roads,” Ogungbe said.

    “For instance, Tin Can Island is supposed to be one of the best roads because of our operation. But If the roads are not good, what can the drivers do?

    “Governments perhaps need to have dedicated lanes for the trucks. Imagine a road that is not supposed to accommodate more than 5000 trucks, but you see more than 200,000 trucks on the same road.

    “There is also need for constant engagement with the drivers. It is not about bringing task force to harass us every time. They need to also check on us regularly, know our pains and challenges. It might interest you that the bottom line of our problem is lack of enough terminals. Thank God that the terminal in Tin Can which was once used as motor park has now been returned to us.”

    He said over the years, the human population and that of vehicles have increased, thereby putting more pressure on the highways. He suggested that government should introduce automation into haulage operation to make the challenges experienced on roads more flexible.

    Earlier Convener of Haulmace Alfred Okugbeni, craved more organised haulage industry from government and stakeholders.

    Going down memory lane, he recalled the magazine, through the annual conference, has over the years succeeded in popularizing the haulage business in addition to bringing about a confluence between the private and public operators, among others.

  • Group offers 5 million exercise books to Lagos pupils

    By Adegunle Olugbamila

     

    A non-political and non-religious organisation-Ibile-Eko Forum has commenced distribution of five million exercise books to pupils in public schools in Lagos State.

    The distribution of the books, which has already commenced on Friday, 27th of September, has so far reached about 5,000 beneficiaries.

    General Coordinator of the group Felix Olasunkanmi Odusanya, told The Nation that pupils at the basic levels would be prioritized considering how important the foundation level is to the overall development of the child.

    Odusanya said: “The attention on primary schools education is because that cadre serves as the bedrock and foundation of any education system. A lot of school-aged children in Nigeria do not have access to basic education.

    ”Besides, the quality of education is also much to be desired. Factors contributing to this include: Inadequate teacher preparedness and low motivation; lack of quality teaching and learning materials; insufficient funding to education; and inadequate parental and community support.”
    Odusanya said the group is hopeful its education intervention programme tagged: Ibile-Eko forum education assisted project would compliment government’s efforts at making the Lagos State education system stand out among other states in Nigeria, while also empowering children in Lagos compete favourable with their counterparts anywhere in the world.

    “The project at the moment is to provide about five million exercise books to all pupils of public primary schools in Lagos State.

    “The program seeks to improve access and quality of education for over one million primary school age children in the state. It is also our firms belief that this project will return the out-of-school children back to school.
    Odusanya continued: “Our research has revealed to us the enormous problem threatening primary education beyond the provision of exercise books to the pupils; but we shall confront the challenges one after the other depending on our available resources.”

    Odusanya said the second phase of the intervention would be provision of learning tools such as school bags, mathematical sets, among others, in addition to organising vocational and skills acquisition trainings for youths across the 57 local councils in the state.

    Read Also: Almajiri Education: Ganduje recruits 600 teachers, spends N200m

    According to him, some schools which have already benefited include: St. Micheal Primary School 2,; Local Authority School 2, Isashi; and Community Primary School, all in Ojo Local Government Area.

    Other beneficiary schools were: Ansarud-Deen Primary School, Araromi-Ale in Olorunda LCDA; Methodist Primary School 2, along, Owode-Apa road, Badagry West LCDA; as well as Local Authority Primary School 1 and 2, Badagry.

    Odusanya assured the ongoing distribution would touch other areas of the state. He thanked the aforementioned schools visited, for the ir warm reception

    “The joyful expression of satisfaction expressed by the pupils and all staff of the schools visited so far cannot by quantified. It was indeed a restoration of lost hope for many. Our commitments to the project remain firm and we shall not stop the distribution of the exercise books to the pupils of public schools in the state until the last child receives his own.

    He described the group as a non-political and non-religious body with the mandate to help improve the lot of Lagos residents, thereby gradually attaining an egalitarian society.

    “The idea is to empower and equip our members and all Nigerian citizens living in Lagos State with basic knowledge of how to live better lives.

    “We try to inculcate in them the leadership skills that will enhance the desired transformations that will guarantee us an acceptable society. It is the dream of the movement to give educational and entrepreneurship breakthrough with financial freedom to all,” Odusanya concluded.

  • Court remands siblings in prisons for allegedly killing teenage boy

    By Adebisi Onanuga

    A Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere Thursday remanded two brothers, Saheed and Ayodeji Obadimeji for allegedly killing a teenage boy, one Joseph Makinde, by cutting off his head.
    The head of their victim was to be sold for N200, 000.

    Saheed, 19 and Ayodeji, 20, resident at Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit murder and murder before Justice Adedayo Akintoye.

    The State Prosecutor, Mr. Tunde Sunmonu, told the court that the defendants and others at large committed the alleged offences on November 27, 2018, at 8.30 p.m at an uncompleted building in Sapati town, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

    He said that the defendants waylaid Makinde, while going on errand he was sent by one of their neighbours.

    Sunmonu said the defendants lured him into an uncompleted building and killed him.

    Read Also: Police deny alleged killing of three farmers by herdsmen in Anambra

    He said the defendants thereafter cut off the head of the victim to sell at a price of N200, 000.

    Sunmonu said that the offences contravened Sections 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    They pleaded not guilty.

    The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendants in prison and for a speedy trial.

    Justice Akintoye consequently granted his request and ordered the defendants remanded in prison.

    She adjourned the case until November 18 and 19 for trial.

  • Fear grips Abia Community over earth tremor

    By Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

    The people of Isiaku, Alayi in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State are said to be living in palpable fear following what many described as earth tremor that hit the community.

    Information has it that the people of Elugwu, Amato, Obuofia, and Obuchie communities; which are the communities that make up Isiaku Alayi are now living in fears that the incident might occur again.

    Sources in the area report that a similar incident had occurred at Elugwu Amankalu Alayi where economic trees, cash crops, farmlands and the community’s only source of potable water have been polluted.

    The sources while calling on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Federal Government, Distinguished Senator representing Abia North Senatorial Zone and Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu whose community is close to the crisis area to come to the rescue of the victims especially by sinking borehole for them as their only source of water supply is polluted.

    Speaking on the need for experts to visit the community to ascertain whether they should relocate or not, one of the sources added that the state and the federal government should assist the villagers who are agrarian in any way possible as the tremor damaged their cash, economic trees, and plantations.

    Road Also: Erosion: 200 homeless in Onitsha

    He said the villagers needed help to open up a new road to access their farmlands “because hunger and starvation now stare at their faces.”

    The source who stated that it was wrong to hold the impression that the government had not been informed about the incident said: “It’s just that we are waiting for their reaction.”

    Some other residents who spoke to our correspondent said they were afraid of an outbreak of water-borne diseases in the community.

  • Thousands displaced as Bandits attack three Niger communities

    By Justina Asishana – Minna

    No fewer than 1,200 people have been sacked from their homes in a fresh attack by armed bandits on three communities in Shiroro local government area of Niger state.

    The incident took place on Wednesday morning in Gyaramiya, Bataron Jatau, and Bataron Waziri communities.

    The Nation learnt that the bandits came with motorcycles and forced the residents to vacate their homes and leave for Alawa town in the same local government area.

    The residents were also dispossessed of their valuables.

    The District Head of Alawa, Ibrahim Salihu confirmed the incident, stating that the community is currently playing host to over 1,200 displaced people from the three communities.

    He stated they had to lodge the displaced people in a school while they are looking for means of getting adequate food appealing to the state government to come to their aid.

    Read Also: Bandits release another 15 kidnapped victims in Katsina

    However, the Niger state Police Command is yet to confirm the attacks.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abubakar Muhammad, said that he was yet to receive official reports of the attacks from the Divisional Police Officer in the area.

    The fresh attacks came barely one month after armed bandits attacked seven communities in the same area, killing two women and displacing a thousand others.