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  • Abubakar Jimoh is Access Holdings’ chair

    Abubakar Jimoh is Access Holdings’ chair

    The board of Access Holdings Plc has appointed Mr Abubakar Jimoh, a Chartered Financial Analyst, as its new chairman.

    The appointment followed the death of former chairman, Mr. Bababode Osunkoya, who died on November 21, 2023 after a brief illness.

    In a regulatory filing at the weekend, the board of Access Holdings stated that it unanimously approved the appointment of Jimoh as the new chairman of the board.

    Jimoh, an independent non-executive director, was prior to his appointment the chairman of the company’s board audit committee and board finance and investment committee.

    Jimoh, regarded as a versatile business and finance professional, has some three decades experience in the financial services sector covering client relationship management, treasury, market risk, credit risk management, operational risk management, project and portfolio management.

    He is the Group Managing Director of Trustbanc Group, a leading investment management firm. Prior to his current role, Jimoh had led the transformation of Associated Discount House (ADH) from a failing discount house to a virile merchant bank-Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd.

    Before joining ADH, he was a General Manager and Divisional Head at the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group with responsibility for balance sheet management, market risk and investors relations. He was also the Chief Risk Officer for various business segments including UBA Africa and UBA Capital.

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    Jimoh had worked with the Royal Bank of Canada Financial Group between 1999 and 2005 in various capacities and was the Divisional Chief in charge of private sector portfolio management with the African Development Bank between 2005 and 2008. He was appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the board of Shelter Afrique between 2012 and 2013.

    The new chairman holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Finance from University of Lagos, Nigeria. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accounts of Nigeria and Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. Jimoh is a Chartered Internal Auditor and Certified General Accountant of Ontario and Canada. He has attended several Executive Management Development Programmes in leading institutions including London Business School, Canadian Securities Institute and Lagos Business School

  • Ex-Delta lawmaker distributes 2000 bags of rice, cows, others 

    Ex-Delta lawmaker distributes 2000 bags of rice, cows, others 

    Erstwhile Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Friday Osanebi, has distributed 2000 bags of rice across the state.

     Osanebi, speaking during the exercise in Ashaka, said this was his own way of cushioning the effect of the high prices of food and make Christmas memorable for them.

     According to him,  Yuletide is a season to put into practice the teachings  of Jesus, which is centred around love and compassion.

     The All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy Governorship candidate in the March 18 polls said his decision to always reach out to his people during the Yuletide is not tied to politics.

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    He said whether he holds political office or not, he will always put a smile on the faces of his people during Christmas.

     Apart from rice, 100 cows, 200 goats, 100 cartons of oil, 100 cartons of tin tomatoes, 50 hampers were distributed, among other items.

     Some of the recipients who couldn’t hide their joy, showered encomiums and praises on Osanebi, with many stating he’s the only political leader from Ndokwa nation who gives and empowers without sentiments.

  • Opadokun urges Tinubu to restore constitutional governance

    Opadokun urges Tinubu to restore constitutional governance

    A chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Mr. Ayo Opadokun, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take steps to restore Nigeria to constitutional governance.

    Opadokun, erstwhile secretary of Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, urged President Tinubu to leave a worthy legacy behind by taking measures to see to the implementation of “our restoration to constitutional governance as recommended by the Nasir el-Rufai panel.”

    The NADECO chieftain spoke to reporters in his country home, Offa in Kwara State on the sidelines of this year’s Christmas Carol he organised.

    The theme of the carol is: ‘Praising our saviour.’

    Said he: “In its congratulatory letter to the president after his victory at the Supreme Court, NADECO urged the president to implement the manifesto his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), presented to the public before they were elected into office.

    “Because then President Muhammadu Buhari did not implement the manifesto during his tenure, we campaigned vigorously for its implementation. 

    “As a result, the Buhari administration set up a panel headed by the then governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai and the panel recommended devolution of power to the states. The panel equally recommended fiscal federalism. 

    “It also recommended that states that so wish should be allowed to merge. Another thing it recommended is the creation of state police.

    Therefore, we are asking President Tinubu to take immediate steps to implement the panel’s reports.

    “I know that Tinubu has the capacity to lift people out of the current untenable and unacceptable level of poverty.

    “The much more fundamental matter is the restoration of Nigeria to the federal constitutional arrangement upon which we secured our independence, which the Army subverted, abrogated and substituted with a unitary-centralist government.

    Nigeria has been living a lie by calling itself a federal government. We are nothing of such. Since January 15, 1966 we have been lying to the whole world and lying to ourselves.

    “This is why federal constitutional arrangement is the most suitable for Nigeria. Until we return to it, nothing will happen to our country. 

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    “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was part of us in the trenches. We were together in the trenches. The current Fourth Republic was not secured on gold platter. We paid for it by our sweat, blood, freedom. Some people were detained for several years inclusive of me. My first detention lasted 24 calendar months. 

    “They picked me up again. I was in Ikoyi prison when General Sani Abacha died. Some of us were killed. 

    “President Tinubu, who was part of us in the trenches, knows what we were fighting for— that is restoration of democracy and federal constitutional arrangement.

    “The situation we find ourselves is that no matter how willing, how desirous President Tinubu may want to change the current situation, he is handicapped. 

    “This is because all that we are witnessing is the culmination of prolonged years of wrongly-headed economic policies initiated, promoted and financed by the military and their surrogates. You cannot withdraw them one day and change the situation for the better. That is the unfortunate situation we have found ourselves.”

  • Lagos promises to enforce EIA for projects

    Lagos promises to enforce EIA for projects

    Lagos State Government has promised to intensify efforts at mainstreaming Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) into developmental projects, to ensure sustainability.

    This, it noted, would ensure the continued safety of lives and property of residents.

    Permanent Secretary (Environmental Services), Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Gaji Omobolaji, spoke at a stakeholders’ workshop on how to make EAI more effective and workable. The workshop was to sensitise technical professionals from government MDAs and the private sector on requirements and procedures for conducting EIAs.

    Omobolaji, represented by the Director of Sanitation Services, Hassan Sanuth, described EIA as “a decision making tool that guides developmental projects.

    “It is a form of predicting what are the likely consequences, positive or negative, of any project. It then recommends what should be done to make the project sustainable for the benefit of the environment as well as human being.”

    He added: “Lagos State, in the last two years, has been creating awareness on the importance of EIA. We are also extending it into government projects. The government has conducted EIAs on most of the projects it will be executing from next year; we are doing this so that the government itself is not found culpable of flouting the law.

    “The government is ready to implement and also enforce it. It is a government policy that must be implemented.”

    Director of Environmental Assessment Olasunkanmi Sojunu described EIA as a global tool for environmental management.

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    He said: “Before any project is developed, the law requires that the project be subjected to an early determination of its likely impact, beneficial or adverse. There must also be measures to mitigate those impacts. So, if we must have sustainable development in the state and across Nigeria, EIA must be considered essential.

    “The responsibility of conducting EIA lies in the hands of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources. This is why this stakeholders’ workshop is necessary to sensitise stakeholders. We must equip our workers to be able to sensitise the people to do the right thing.

    We will also be firm with monitoring and enforcement to ensure people do the right thing.”

    A retired professor of Environmental Science, Babajide Alo, who lectured the stakeholders on EIA, said the government should increase its enforcement to ensure projects are executed in tandem with the EAI, to ensure sustainability and safety of residents.

    “If EIA is enforced the way it is crafted, projects will not be sited in the wrong places. So, government should do more now in enforcing EIA. Part of it is to empower the administrators of EIA. If their capacity is high enough, they can fully understand and enforce the implementation of EIA as is done globally.

    “The people also have to be partners in progress. They must ask the right questions about projects coming to their area to ensure it is environmentally- friendly, sustainable and beneficial to them,” he said.

  • Awori hail Tinubu for appointing Sosan into commission

    Awori hail Tinubu for appointing Sosan into commission

    Members of the Awori Welfare Association of Nigeria (AWAN) have hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, into the Federal Civil Service Commission.

    The group also lauded the new appointee for her sterling contributions to the development of the state, particularly Aworiland, saying she would forever be an asset to the people of Aworiland.

    These are contained in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of AWAN, Prince Adeniyi Jafojo, who also urged the new appointee to carry with her, the time honour virtues of the Awori speaking people for excellence and service in her new role.

    Sosan, the deputy governor of Lagos State between 2007 and 2011 under the governorship of Babatunde Fashola, is expected to represent Lagos and Ogun states in the commission.

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    Reacting to the development in the statement made available to reporters in Lagos, AWAN said: “We are glad and elated that President Tinubu has once again considered one of us, Princess Sosan, worthy to serve the country.

    “We are indeed happy that this time, her wealth of experience as a tested public servant is being deployed once again to serve the country and humanity. This is a source of joy to us all in Aworiland.

    “It is also a testament and confirmation of the fact that our homeland has worthy and qualified personnel to man any area or sector of government.”

    The group added that “in this instance, we are urging our darling sister to take along with her, our age long virtue of service, dedication and hard work in her new assignment as she has done in the past.”

  • Troops kill 14 bandits, rescue kidnap victims in Kaduna, Niger

    Troops kill 14 bandits, rescue kidnap victims in Kaduna, Niger

    Troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army in coordinated offensives in Kaduna and Niger states have killed 14 terrorists and rescued several kidnap victims.

    The troops also recovered weapons during the operations, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, the Acting Deputy Director Army Relations 1 Division Nigerian Army, made this known in a statement.

    The operation by troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army(NA) was aimed at ridding the troubled states of violent extremists, insurgents and  criminal elements, Lt. Colonel Yahaya said.

    According to his statement, in Niger State, on December 23, 2023 troops set out to clear the remnant of insurgent elements in the state. Troops made contact at Madawaki,  Shiroro Local Government and neutralised two insurgents with others fleeing with gunshot wounds. “Troops recovered two AK rifles, two AK rifle magazines and one motorcycle in this encounter.”

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    He said further that the troops proceeded to the camp of eliminated insurgents leader, Ali Kachalla, where his foot soldiers cowardly absconded on troops’ approach. Search of the camp led to the rescue of 13 kidnap victims, all men.

    “The victims revealed to have been abducted in Niger State on October 13, 2023. Items recovered from the camp included an international passport suspected to belong to a high profile affiliate of the insurgents. “A few military and warlike accessories were also discovered at the camp. Rescued persons were taken to a military medical facility for medical attention and subsequently reunited with their families.”

  • NDLEA arrests five impersonators in Edo

    NDLEA arrests five impersonators in Edo

    • Agency intercepts 7.5m tramadol pills, 95,400 codeine bottles
    • 70-year-old grandma, son held for drug trafficking

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested five persons impersonating its operatives in Edo State.

    Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, yesterday said the suspects that were putting on the agency’s operational jackets, were arrested with a fabricated gun and pistol carved from wood.

    “In Edo State, five persons dressed in NDLEA operational jackets were arrested with a fabricated gun and pistol carved from wood following intelligence that they were impersonating as officers of the agency and conducting illegal operations.

    “The suspects include: Sebastine Asekiamhe, 22; Raymond Otaru, 28; Emmanuel Wisdom, 23; Solomon Edogamhe, 27; and Bonaventure Oghibui, 22. While some others in NDLEA jackets escaped, a bottle of codeine-based syrup was found with those arrested,” Babafemi said in a statement.

    He said the agency intercepted millions of tramadol 225mg pills, thousands of codeine syrup bottles and bags of Canadian Loud in consignments arriving the country ahead of the Christmas celebration.

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    According to him, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, all tricks employed by the drug syndicates to smuggle into the country 7.5 million pills of tramadol 225mg through the NAHCO import shed of the airport were frustrated by NDLEA officers with the cooperation of men of the Nigeria Customs and other stakeholders.

    He said the consignment, which was taken into custody on December 22 came onboard a Turkish airline with no country of manufacture or origin.

    Babafemi said on December 21, NDLEA operatives raided a house in Mushin area of Lagos where a 70-year-old grandma, Selifat Funke Cole and her son, Babajide Ayorinde Cole, were arrested with 117.900kg of cannabis sativa.

  • Assailants kill 16, injure many in Plateau

    Assailants kill 16, injure many in Plateau

    At least 16 people were reportedly killed on Saturday night, while many others were injured in a gunmen attack on Lisham Kwahasnat community of Mangu Local Government, Plateau State.

    A community leader, who does not want his to be mentioned, told The Nation that the gunmen are suspected to be killer-herdsmen, who invaded the community at about 10:55pm when the inhabitants were preparing to go to bed. 

    He said the gunmen, on entering the community, opened fire on the residents at random and shot anyone, adding that in the operation, which lasted about an hour, 16 people were gunned down, while those who sustained injuries were taken to Mangu General Hospital for treatment. 

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    It was gathered that the 16 persons were given mass burial yesterday. The National President, Mangu Development Association (MDA), Sir Joseph Gwankat, who confirmed the incident, said the latest attack on the people of Lisham Kwahasnat community was a shock to peace-loving people of the council and the  state. 

  • 11 die in Jigawa auto crash, say police

    11 die in Jigawa auto crash, say police

    No fewer than 11 persons lost their lives at the weekend in an auto crash at Kwanar Gujungu town in Taura Local Government of Jigawa State.

    ASP Lawan Shiisu, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), JIigawa Police Command, confirmed this in a statement in Dutse yesterday.

    Shiisu said the accident occurred on Saturday at about 12pm, when two vehicles, a Honda saloon with registration number NSR 469 AE, and a Golf wagon with number plate AUY 292 XA had a head-on-collusion.

    He said the Honda car was conveying five passengers and the driver identified as Abdullahi Muhammad, while the Golf wagon conveyed four passengers and the driver identified as Safiyanu Mamu.

    “On Saturday, at about 1200hrs, the command recorded a fatal motor vehicle accident, which claimed eleven lives at Kwanar Gujungu town, when two vehicles had a head-on-collision, as a result of which all the eleven people in both vehicles answered the supreme call on the spot,” he said.

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    He said a team of personnel from Taura Divisional Police Headquarters, rushed to the scene and conveyed the victims to the General Hospital, Taura, where a medical doctor confirmed them dead.

    “The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ahmadu Abdullahi, on behalf of the officers and men of the command, expressed his heartfelt condolence to the immediate deceased’s families, relatives and well-wishers in this trying moment.

    “He prays to Almighty Allah to have mercy on them, forgive their shortcomings and prevent the occurrence of such ugly incidents,” Shiisu.

  • Lagos govt shuts Quilox for causing traffic congestion

    Lagos govt shuts Quilox for causing traffic congestion

    Lagos State Government has shut popular nightclub, Quilox, on Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island.

    The Nation learnt it was closed down for causing severe traffic congestion in the vicinity.

    Lagos State Environment Update – @enviupdatelasg via ‘X’ on Sunday had tweeted: “This is Quilox Club as of today, the 24th of December, 2023. At 7.30 am….

    “When the government takes a FINAL decision on the traffic and environmental nuisances caused by this club, nobody should cry a witch-hunt.”

    This is not the first time the state government will be shutting down the club.

    On December 26 last year, the popular nightclub was closed down over non-compliance with the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency’s (LASEPA’s) directive and organising events without obtaining a sound control permit.

    Last month, it was also sealed off for noise pollution and other environmental infractions.

    LASEPA officials then stated that the club was shut due to multiple concerns, including severe traffic congestion in the vicinity and a flagrant disregard for the agency’s directives infraction

    However, the government later opened the club following a commitment by its operators to adhere to safety rules.

    Officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSC) on their official X handle on Sunday, confirmed the latest shutdown.

    According to LASEPA, both agencies have warned social centres to ensure that their operations do not affect the safety and wellbeing of other citizens and vowed to sanction any of such erring.

    LASEPA added that Quilox Restaurant Bar Night Club had been found in non-compliance with essential environmental regulations set by the agency.

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    The agencies also warned Sol Beach, The Good Beach and Landmark Beach over environmental violations and safety measures.

    LASEPA tweeted: “Lagos State Government Seals Quilox, strongly warns Sol Beach, The Good Beach and Landmark Beach over Environmental and Safety infractions.

    “A joint enforcement operation between the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSC) sealed Quilox nightclub over environmental and safety infractions.

    “Recall an earlier press release, where both agencies have warned social centres to ensure that their operations do not affect the safety and wellbeing of other citizens and vowed to sanction any of such erring.

    “The agencies also warned the operators of Sol beach, the good beaches, landmark beach and other social centres across the State to ensure that adequate considerations are made towards the safety and wellbeing of their neighbours and citizens of the State during the Yuletide.”