Author: The Nation

A new pay TV service provider company Moreplex TV, sets to join the pay TV markets in Nigeria. This was made known recently in a chat with a group of journalists in Lagos.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Moreplex TV John Okorocha, “We are set to break into the existing tough pay TV markets by providing the consumers, in addition to what they are already getting, indigenous contents that reflect the Nigerian tradition and culture at a very reasonable price, we will provide flexible payment that will make it easy for the consumers to sign on, at prices so low and so flexible that they will continue to subscribe, we basically will be giving control back to where it belongs, which are the subscribers.”

“We are focusing on the economics of number to succeed in the Pay TV business. With our platform, there will not be any need for anyone to purchase a decoder and not use it.

“Consumers can also return their decoders for a refund, as long as it is in good working condition, we do not think that it is right for Nigerians to purchase many decoders, only for them not to use them but continue to accumulate dust. We will use price and quality indigenous contents to keep our customers, we are very confident that our product will be so good that no one will want to reject our service, and that is why we are willing to give you back your money after you have made a purchase.” Okorocha explained.

By Kolade Adeyemi, Jos

The Plateau State Police Command Police is currently engulfed in shock and disbelief over the alleged shooting and killing of a truck driver by a police officer in the state.

The unfortunate incident, which happened around 7.30pm, Thursday, at Railway Crossing, Kuru, along Mararaba Jama’ar – Riyom Road, left a motorbike belonging to a revenue officer burnt down by aggrieved motorists.

A police officer from the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the corpse of the truck driver has been deposited in a mortuary in an undisclosed Hospital, while the truck with Ogun State registration number GBE 49 ZC is in police custody.

“The officer, who shot and killed the driver, has been arrested and taken to the CID for detention, while investigation into the incident is ongoing.

“The three officers at the Kuru Railway crossing that day were on a ‘Pin Down Operation’ but how that incident happened still remains a surprise,” the officer explained.

Another source, one Shehu Ibrahim, a revenue officer, with the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS), who confirmed the incident, said he was beaten up by aggrieved motorists, who vented their anger on him and his colleagues.

By AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

Kidnappers of the eight members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Kaduna state, have established contact with the leadership of the church and demanded a N50 million ransom before the victims are freed.

The eight members of the Church, were abducted along Kachia-Kafanchan highway Friday evening.while travelling in the Church’s bus.

Public Relations Officer of the Kaduna Province of the Church, Mr. Alao Joseph told The Nation on Saturday evening that, the abductors had called the Church’s Regional Pastor and demanded for N50 million.

He said, the Church members were kidnapped by the bandits at about 7pm on Friday night along Kachia road.

He said that the bandits took away the church members to an unknown destination while the bus which they were travelling with was abandoned by the roadside.

He added that the church has contacted the security agencies over the incident with the hope that they will help in securing the immediate rescue of the eight church members.

According to him, “I was not the one that was directly contacted, the kidnappers called our Regional Pastor and asked for N50 million. We have reported the development to the security agencies.

“I also went to the scene of the attack today to recover the bus in which the abducted church members were traveling in.”

Meanwhile, the police authorities in Kaduna state said they have launched a manhunt for the kidnappers with a view to rescuing the victims.

The Kaduna State Police Spokesman, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said the command is working with other security agencies to rescue the abducted church members.

By Moses Emorinken, Abuja

The Federal Government on Saturday raised alarm over fake covid-19 vaccines currently in circulation in Africa.

It stated that about 3,000 of the fake vaccines, which were Africa-bound from China have been intercepted.

The Director of Hospital Services of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi, made this known in a letter dated March 26, 2021, to the Chief Medical Directors/Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions.

She said: “The Ministry is in receipt of a letter from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 regarding the arrest of about 3,000 doses of fake COVID-19 vaccines which were Africa-bound from China.

“The report further indicates that the fake COVID-19 vaccines are already in circulation in Africa.

“To prevent the importation of fake vaccines, kindly note that the Nigeria Customs Service has designated Nnamdi Azikiwe international Airport as the only Point of Entry (PoE) for imported COVID-19 vaccines.

“I am therefore to bring this to your notice and dispel any possibility of COVID-19 vaccines being available for sale or being administered by any unauthorized institution. Please accept the assurances of my best regards.”

As of the time of writing this report, The Nation reporter tried to reach Dr Adebiyi via calls to authenticate the said letter, but to no avail.

A text message was sent; still no response.

However, a top source in the FMoH confirmed to The Nation that the letter is authentic, and emanated from the Ministry to the CMDs and MDs of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions across the country.

By Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi State, Barr Onyekachi Nwebonyi and the State Executive Committee of the party, Saturday defected to the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in the state.

Others who defected were chairmen of the 13 local government area chapters, including the chairmen of 171 wards of the party.

The defection took place at the Pa Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki.

Recall that Nwebonyi was sacked by the national executive of the PDP late last year following the defection of the state governor to APC.

But he and other state executives of the party headed to court to challenge the decision.

In February, a high court sitting in Abakaliki quashed their removal and also sacked the Fred Udogu-led State Caretaker Committee installed by the national executive.

The Udogu committee appealed the judgement but the court was yet to rule on the matter.

By Onimisi Alao, Yola

The son of an indigent woman who was accused of witchcraft has testified in Adamawa State how his mother was subjected to “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” by her accusers.

The son told a panel of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sitting in Yola that the accusation which started as a neighbourhood gossip was reinforced by a pastor who was later joined by some of his church members in abusing his mother.

The concerned son, who spoke in Hausa before the NHRC’s Special Investigation Panel on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), said things got out of hand one day when while in church, a pastor of the church said he got a revelation that his mother was a witch.

Continuing, he said the people in the church were also mentioning her name and saying she was the only one who could set them free.

“My mother was tortured, beaten to a stupor, injured, and stripped naked for alleged witchcraft, cultism, initiating children and some members of the community into witchcraft,” the complainant said.

A witness before the panel, who reinforced the charge against the woman, said that she was responsible for the death of his father, his two brothers, and a cousin.

A lot of people from the community, including her blood brothers, were willing to testify that she was truly a witch.

The woman’s son, still not convinced, said his mother had been suffering stigmatization and harassments in the community for accusations she knew nothing about, and urged the panel to intervene.

The NHRC Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, who doubles as the Chairman of the NHRC SGBV panel, told everyone present that according to the law of Adamawa State, anyone suspected of witchcraft or any perceived wrong should be handed over to the police and not paraded publicly or inflicted with any form of injury.

The panel ruled that the respondents be investigated for alleged false accusations and offences relating to torture, inhuman and degrading treatment of the victim.

The panel said the accused woman would be investigated for alleged witchcraft under Section 187 of the Adamawa State Penal Code 2018.

The panel also ruled that the sum of N300,000 be paid by the respondents to the victim for the cost of treatment incurred as a result of injuries inflicted on her by members of the community.

The panel indicated that the NHRC would make a formal complaint to the state commissioner of police to investigate the matter.

The witchcraft accusation case was one of 14 petitions officially scheduled before the NHRC panel which began sitting in Yola on Monday.

Proceedings were conducted in confidence, with names of individuals in the different cases kept out of public knowledge.

The NHRC SGBV panel sitting in Yola is a continuation of a nationwide exercise that has taken place in some other centres, including Kano, Lagos and Enugu.