The Nation Newspaper

Category: autopost

  • Police confirm kidnap of three around Port Harcourt Airport

    Police confirm kidnap of three around Port Harcourt Airport

    The Police Command in Rivers on Thursday confirmed the abduction of three persons along a road leading to Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers.

    The victims were abducted on the Obiri Ikwerre Road stretch leading to the airport late on Tuesday.

    SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson of the command, informed the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that police were already in pursuit of the abductors.

    “The Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, has tasked our tactical team commanders and the Divisional Police Officers within the jurisdiction to implement adequate security measures.

    “These measures have been put in place to ensure that the criminals are apprehended,” she stated.

    NAN learned that the victims were traveling from the airport area to the Obiri Ikwerre Road when they were attacked by suspected bandits positioned on the road.

    One of the escapees, Emmanuel Biira, however, told NAN that more than three persons were taken from the taxi he boarded.

    He said of the 10 vehicles ambushed by the criminals, a few of the passengers were whisked away while some managed to escape into the nearby bushes along the highway.

    Read Also: Nigerian diaspora community mourns student killed by Canadian policemen

    “The incident began when our vehicle ran into an ambush near the airport junction roundabout as we were heading to Obi Ikwerre flyover.

    “We encountered an ambush with eight to 10 cars. As we approached the scene, the kidnappers began shooting randomly into the air.

    “As soon as the shooting began, we turned back towards the airport junction, but the kidnappers double-crossed us,” he explained.

    Biira reported that occupants of other vehicles who tried to escape from the abductors were shot at and forcibly taken away.

    “After the hoodlums crossed us, I jumped out of the car to run but there was nowhere to go. But at that moment, the Lord showed me a car to hide behind.

    “So, I quickly hid under the car, and as I did, three kidnappers walked by – dragging a man, while one of them got into the car I was under to turn off the engine.

    “I am alive today because of God’s mercy and covenant of protection over His children, ” he added.

    The ecstatic escapee said that his wife would have been a young widow and his children fatherless if one of the stray bullets had hit him.

    “I am immensely grateful to God alone. Thank you, Jesus Christ,” Biira expressed. (NAN)

  • JUST IN: LASTMA officials arrest three ‘one chance’ robbers in Lagos

    JUST IN: LASTMA officials arrest three ‘one chance’ robbers in Lagos

    Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials have arrested three notorious ‘one chance’ robbers at abule-egba.

    This was disclosed on the official LASTMA’s X page on Thursday, January 4.

    The Director of LASTMA’s Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed in a press release that LASTMA personnel apprehended the suspects along with their operational vehicle, a ‘T4’ commercial bus (APP 406 YE), at the U-turn area of Abule-Egba.

    It was gathered that the robbers were being chased by members of the public after they pushed a passenger who had just been robbed off their bus.

    Read Also: LASTMA officials rescue three passengers in Lagos car crash

    During the chase, they drove recklessly in order to escape arrest before they were eventually caught by LASTMA officials controlling and managing traffic around the Abule-Egba axis.

    The General Manager of LASTMA, Bakare Oki Olalekan however appealed to the public particularly commuters to be very vigilant and stop boarding commercial buses by the road side popularly called ‘So-le’.

  • CAF increases AFCON prize money by 40%

    CAF increases AFCON prize money by 40%

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has  announced a 40 per cent increase in the prize money for the Winner of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Côte d’Ivoire 2023.

    CAF said in its official website on Thursday  that the winner of the TotalEnergies AFCON will receive seven million dollars.

    It said the runner-up will now get 4 million dollars while each of the two Semi-finalists will receive 2.5 million dollars and each of the four Quarter-finalists will get 1. 3 million dollars.

    The President of CAF, Patrice Motsepe said: “CAF has made significant progress over the past two years in increasing the prize money of the AFCON and all its other major competitions.

    Read Also: Multichoice bars AFCON 2023 on SuperSport

    “We have increased the prize money of the AFCON Winner to seven million dollars which is a 40 per cent increase from the previous prize money.

    “I am confident that a portion of the prize money will contribute to developing football and also benefit all the football stakeholders, as well as assist our member associations with their administrations,”he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2023 AFCON will kick off on Jan. 13  to Feb. 11 in Cote d’ Ivoire with 24 nations participating.(NAN)

  • Daniel Bwala commends undercover reporter who exposed Togo, Benin varsities’ certificate fraud

    Daniel Bwala commends undercover reporter who exposed Togo, Benin varsities’ certificate fraud

    Daniel Bwala, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has commended investigative journalist, Umar Audu, whose report unravelled a Cotonou-based University, which issued him a degree certificate within six weeks.

    Audu, on Wednesday, shared more information on how simple it was to obtain a certificate, noting that the certificate was delivered like pizza after payment was made.

    He also revealed a thriving certificate racketeering syndicate in neighbouring African nations like Benin Republic and Togo, which specializes in selling university degrees to willing buyers in Nigeria, in his investigative report titled “How Daily Nigerian reporter bagged Cotonou varsity degree in 6 weeks.”

    Read Also: How undercover reporter enrolled twice on NYSC portal, by spokesperson

    However, Bwala, while reacting on X(formerly Twitter) to Audu’s efforts in his undercover, said he should be given an award as Man of the Year by all Media houses, stating that he just saved Nigeria.

    He also urged President Tinubu to personally invite, congratulate, and honour him.

    He wrote: “That journalist that went undercover and exposed fake degree certs by a Benin Republic University which caused a major government policy decision should be given an award as Man of the Year by all Media houses. He just saved Nigeria.

    “He has also helped the minister of Education to score a serious pass mark in the performance index assessment.

    “Tinubu should personally invite him and shake his hands to congratulate him and honour him.

    “The next stage is to weed out the so-called graduates from all employment and services they are contracted to; and boy oh boy, it will shock you to know where they are and what positions they occupy at the moment.”

  • JUST IN: Fubara’s ally Ehie withdraws suit against 25 Rivers Assembly members

    JUST IN: Fubara’s ally Ehie withdraws suit against 25 Rivers Assembly members

    The former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who represented Ahoada East Constituency II, Edison Ehie, has dropped his lawsuit alleging contempt against 25 of the 27 members who defected from PDP to APC last year.

    Ehie’s action seemingly brought an end to the political unrest gripping the state.

    The seats of 27 members were declared vacant by Ehie, a close ally of the state governor Siminalayi Fubara, in December due to their switch from the PDP to APC.

    However, two of the lawmakers later rejoined the PDP, and the group of five lawmakers loyal to the governor, was led by Ehie.

    Fubara on the other hand has been engaged in a heated political struggle with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister.

    Previously, Ehie filed a contempt case against 25 of them at the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, challenging their meetings and legislative actions.

    Read Also: Ehie was never Rivers’ House of Assembly Speaker, says Clerk

    However, in an intriguing turn of events, Ehie resigned from the House of Assembly when Governor Fubara and Wike struck a peace agreement.

    The claimant’s attorney, Mac-Barango Esq., told the court of a Notice of Discontinuance submitted by his clients when the case came up for hearing of petitions standing before the court today.

    He requested that the court implement the aforementioned Notice.

    This request wasn’t challenged by the defendant’s counsel and as such was struck out by the judge.

  • NRC official arrested over alleged ticket racketeering

    NRC official arrested over alleged ticket racketeering

    A Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) official was arrested earlier on Thursday, December 4, at the Ebute-Metta Train Station for alleged ticket racketeering.

    The accused who’s still unnamed was taken by security officials after stranded passengers protested over alleged racketeering of tickets by the officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

    In a video shared by TVC on its official X (formerly known as Twitter) page, security officers who appeared to be Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) operatives, were seen shoving the yet-to-be-identified official into a room where he was detained.

    Read Also: NRC to restore freight train, increase trips in 2024

    This alleged action by the NRC official comes despite an initiative by President Tinubu’s administration that made train services free from December 21, 2023, to January 4, 2024.

    Recounting her experience, an eyewitness told TVC that the NRC official informed them that some personnel were offering to sell a standard class ticket to her for N3,000, instead of N3,600.

    She said: “When we arrived here, the guy said we can book a ticket from him online, that he is going to sell it for us N3,000 — instead of N3,600 — that there is no available ticket now.”

  • Reps considering bills to establish 47 new federal universities, 56 FMC

    Reps considering bills to establish 47 new federal universities, 56 FMC

    The 10th House of Representatives (Reps) has passed for second reading bills seeking to establish not less than 47 new federal universities in various states of the federation in its first six months.

    The House has also passed for second reading not less than 56 bills to establish Federal Medical Centres (FMC) in various parts of the country.

    The Nation’s findings revealed that the bills are part of about 962 bills which were passed by the House for first reading in the last six months since its inauguration.

    The House is also considering various bills to establish about 32 Federal Colleges of Education, 11 Federal Colleges of Agriculture and Five Federal Polytechnics in addition to the already existing institutions.

    Currently, there are 45 Federal Universities, 22 Federal Medical centres, 27 Federal Colleges of Education and 40 Polytechnics across the country.

    The Nation discovered that some of the bills which were passed during the 9th Assembly, but either did not get concurrence. The Senate or not signed by the President have either been reconsidered and passed or are. Currently awaiting consideration by the House.

    Several others are awaiting a debate on the general principles and passage for a second reading when the House resumes from its Christmas break.

    The universities being considered include conventional universities, Universities of Science and Technology, Universities of Agriculture, Universities of Medical Science, Universities of Sport, and Aviation among others.

    In addition to these institutions, the House is considering various bills to establish colleges of vocational and skill acquisition, colleges of entrepreneurial studies, and Cancer research centres among others.

    A study of the House order paper listing the institutions and other bills under consideration revealed that Lagos State for example has requested for the establishment of three new Federal Medical Centres in addition to the already existing one.

    While addressing members of the House before embarking on the Christmas break, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen disclosed that the House received and considered nine hundred and sixty-two (962) bills, five hundred (500) Motions, and one hundred and fifty-three (153) petitions in six months.

    The Speaker said that of these numbers, one hundred and Twenty (120) bills have passed the Second Reading stage and are currently undergoing further review and refinement to address some of the concerns raised during the debates.

    He said further that another one hundred and twenty-two (120) bills have been referred to committees for in-depth analysis.

    He said: “We have also successfully passed many other bills, which have been transmitted to the Senate for concurrence.

    “Notable among these bills are the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Federal Audit Service Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Oath Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2023.

    Read Also: Reps speaker Abbas commissions 80 bed-room general hospital in Lagos

    “Other critical bills passed by the House include the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill, 2023, Federal Fire and Rescue Service Bill, 2023, Administration of Criminal Justice Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2023, Niger Delta Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Nigerian Medical Research Council (Establishment) Bill, 2023, Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill, 2023 and more recently, the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023.

    “The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2023 that we passed was assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 23rd November, 2023.

    “It repealed the 1964 legislation and replaced it with a more contemporary legislation that empowers the Defence Corporation to manufacture, store and dispose of ordinance. All these bills are intended to provide immediate relief and long-term solutions to the challenges that have plagued our society.

    “Through these bills, we aim to empower our citizens, enhance social justice, promote economic growth, and promote peace and security.”

  • Elon Musk, nine others make top 10 world richest people on earth

    Elon Musk, nine others make top 10 world richest people on earth

    As of January 1, 2024, the 10 richest persons on the planet are worth nearly $1.47 trillion.

    Seven of the billionaires had a significant rise in their net worth with a cumulative growth of nearly USD 30 billion in just one month.

    Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg is one of the top gainers as he jumped from the seventh spot on 1 December 2023 to the fifth in January 2024, surpassing Bill Gates.

    LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, too, experienced an upward trajectory as he netted a rise of USD 9.4 billion from his 1 December standing, owing to the increase in share prices of his company.

    Read Also: Top 10 richest men in Africa at the start of 2024

    Tesla, X (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX boss, Elon Musk continue to reign at the top. Although he trailed behind Arnault for most of the first half of 2023, Musk overtook the luxury goods tycoon in June.

     Here is a list of the top 10 world’s richest people as of January 1, 2024 (Name, worth, source)

    1. Elon Musk $251.3 Tesla, SpaceX

    2. Bernard Arnault $196.9 LVMH

    3. Jeff Bezos $174.2 Amazon

    4. Larry Ellison $135.3 Oracle

    5. Mark Zuckerberg $125.3 Facebook

    6. Bill Gates $119.6 Microsoft

    7. Warren Buffett $118.6 Berkshire Hathaway

    8. Larry Page $117.2 Google

    9. Sergey Brin $112.4 Google

    10. Steve Ballmer $112.2 Microsoft

  • How undercover reporter enrolled twice on NYSC portal, by spokesperson

    How undercover reporter enrolled twice on NYSC portal, by spokesperson

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has provided details of how an undercover reporter, Umar Audu, who was mobilised for the compulsory one-year programme in 2019 repeated the process in 2023.

    Speaking on  Channels Television on Thursday, January 4m the Director of Public Affairs, NYSC, Eddy Megwa, noted that the reporter changed his email address and phone number to be drafted again into the scheme.

    He said: “It is not that we don’t have checks and balances in place to detect possible breaches of the system. When the undercover reporter first put in his data, the system rejected him because he had served in the scheme before. He later changed his email address and his phone number which made the system accept him and he was initially posted to Osun state.

    “He did that because he was out for a particular purpose. We are looking at the situation and ensure that it does not happen again. We don’t have a database of graduates to serve in the scheme. We only rely on the lists sent to us by the Senates of the various universities, stating the number of graduates to expect from them.”

    According to Megwa, the National Identification Number (NIN) has been in use for three years now.

    He expressed confusion over why the discrepancies in the reporter’s personal information, as recorded in the NIN database, adding that what was provided for his second mobilisation was not enough for the scheme to detect that he had already enrolled before.

    Read Also: My Cotonou degree was delivered like pizza – Undercover reporter

    On measures the scheme intends to take to know whether people with foreign certificates are qualified to take part in the scheme, he said: “It is not our duty to assess their certificates, but we have resorted to inviting foreign students and giving them test to know their abilities.

    “In the course of doing that, we have made startling discoveries. Ask some of them to write a simple essay, you will be surprised at what you get. I have some of such materials that I can show you. NYSC is an elite scheme, not for illiterates and the means of communication is English Language.

    In 2006, the then DG of NYSC, Brig.- Gen. Yusuf Momoh, went to an orientation camp and asked a supposed corps member the title of his final project, the answer he gave was incredulous, and further investigation revealed that his name was smuggled into the list of graduates from a particular university.”

    Megwa said the scheme is partnering with the Federal Ministry of Education, Foreign Affairs Ministry, and other agencies to track people going for foreign studies and when they are back with their certificates.

  • IGP orders immediate suspension of POCACOV’s activities

    IGP orders immediate suspension of POCACOV’s activities

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun has ordered the immediate suspension of the activities of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV).

    POCACOV is a community policing initiative and public relations tool within the Force Public Relations Department of the Nigeria Police Force.

    He said the decision comes as part of a strategic effort to conduct a comprehensive review of the unit and reposition it for heightened efficiency and enhanced service delivery.

    A statement issued on Thursday, January 4, by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said: “Acknowledging the crucial role of POCACOV in advancing community engagement and tackling social vices, the Force recognizes the necessity of halting all pending programs and outreaches, initiated by the present national coordinator, CSP Ebere Amarizu, to facilitate a thorough assessment and restructuring of the initiative to spread across the six geopolitical zones, each with its respective coordinator.

    Read Also: IGP to improve on police officers’ pension scheme 

    “This temporary suspension aims to realign POCACOV’s strategies, ensuring they effectively address contemporary security challenges and holistically serve Nigerian communities better than its present localised and ineffective campaigns.

    “During this period of suspension, the Nigeria Police Force reaffirms its unyielding commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the nation.”

    The police said the revitalization of POCACOV seeks to reinforce its role as an integral community policing instrument, strengthening the bond between the Force and our communities.

    The Force Headquarters said updates regarding the resumption of POCACOV programmes and outreach activities will be communicated to the public in due course as the Force continues to prioritize safety, security, and community partnership.