The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • NATO ‘to approve Turkey’s missiles request’

    NATO is set to approve the deployment of Patriot missile interceptors to defend Turkey’s border with Syria.

    BBC says a meeting of the 28-member alliance’s foreign ministers in Brussels follows a request from Turkey to boost its defences along the border.

    NATO officials have made clear such a move would be purely defensive.

    Earlier, United States President Barack Obama warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad he would face “consequences” if he uses chemical weapons against his people.

    “The world is watching. The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable,” said Mr. Obama in a speech at the National Defense University in Washington.

    “If you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons there will be consequences and you will be held accountable.”

    A Syrian official has insisted it would “never, under any circumstances” use such weapons, “if such weapons exist.”

    A NATO team has already visited a number of sites in Turkey in preparation for the deployment of Patriot batteries, which could be used to shoot down any Syrian missiles or warplanes that stray over the border, BBC says.

     

  • Ojukwu’s son lied on Will – Lawyer

    Ojukwu’s son lied on Will – Lawyer

    The Will read last Friday by counsel to the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Odimegwu Ojukwu, has continued to generate controversy in the state as his lawyer Mr. Emeka Onyemelukwe said on Monday that one of the late war lord’s son, Emeka Ojukwu Jr. lied with his claim that he (Onyemelukwe) was not his father’s lawyer.

    Ojukwu Jr. had dismissed the Will, saying that it was not his father’s own and vowed not to obey it.

    He also claimed that he was not aware of who Onyemelukwe was, describing the Will read at the Enugu High Court as fake.

    However, backing his long standing relationship with the late Ojukwu with documents, Onyemelukwe said he prepared the late Biafran leader’s Will in July 2005.

    He insisted that Ojukwu had no other Will and that the one read in court last week was incontestable.

    He said, “It was a blatant lie for Emeka Ojukwu Jr. to say that he did not know me and that I was not his father’s lawyer, when I was the person that prepared the legal documents for Ojukwu’s commercial property at No 26 Sokoto road, Onitsha, yielding millions of naira, which Emeka Jr. is managing and collecting rents. I was also the lawyer that handled Ojukwu’s case against the Federal Government from the High Court to the Supreme Court.

    “I was also the master of ceremony, (MC), when Emeka Jr. wedded at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu to the daughter of the late Chief Cyprian Ekwensi. That wedding’s reception was held at Nike Lake Hotel, with Justice Iguh formerly of the Supreme Court as the chairman of the occasaion.

    “Before Ojukwu’s Will was read last week, I was the one that sent text messages to all the parties concerned, including Emeka Jr.

    “I got his two telephone numbers from Mr. Val Nwosu, Ojukwu’s nephew.

    The text reads: The Will of your late father will be read on Friday, 20th November, 2012 at the Probate Registry at the Enugu High Court. Kindly inform Okigbo and Mi Mi (Ojukwu’s other children).

    “I also sent the text to Ebele who is Ojukwu’s daughter from Stella Onyeador, Mark Ezemba who was Ojukwu’s best man during his wedding with Bianca. So the pretence by Emeka that he was not informed about the reading of the Will did not hold water.

    “His claim that I was not his father’s lawyer is also not true. On July 24, 2009, I was the person that registered the power of attorney on Ojukwu’s property at No 7 Forest Crescent, Enugu.

    “I am also in possession of the Certificate of Occupancy, C of O, of Ojukwu’s landed property contained in the Will.”

  • Security agents shoot woman dead in Edo

    An ambush laid by security agencies for some criminals at Iduowina community turned tragic when a woman was shot dead instead.

    The woman identified as Grace Ogiesoba was riding in her husband car when the incident occurred.

    Husband of the victim, Clifford Ogiesoba, who narrated what happened, said he was not aware that security personnel including soldiers were in the locality in search of criminals.

    He explained that as he was driving out of his residence, he heard voices in the bush ordering him to stop but that he thought the voices were those of armed robbers.

    Clifford said he decided to speed out of the area when he heard gunshots and his wife shouted.

    He said his wife died instantly.

    Some members of the community who spoke on the incident said the soldiers threatened to shoot them when they attempted to go near the scene of the incident.

    One of them said, “When we were coming to witness what happen, the soldiers started shooting, threatening to shot us if we come nearer.”

    It was learnt that the house invaded by the security agencies was deserted.

     

  • Dana gives condition for compensation

    Dana gives condition for compensation

    Families of victims of the Dana air crash need to produce Letters of Administration from the probate registry to facilitate payment of the first 30 per cent of their compensation, the airline restated on Monday.

    TheChief Executive Officer, Dana Airline, Mr. Jacky Hathiramani, gave the position in a press statement released to aviation correspondents in Lagos.

    The statement was given out by the airline’s spokesman, Mr. Tony Usidiamen.

    Hathiramani said that to date, Letters of Administration had been produced by only a small number of claimants.

    According to him, the letters also need to be verified by the probate office which issued them.

    “Subject to verification, full compensation will be paid to those properly entitled in accordance with the law and available evidence, at the earliest opportunity.

    “The present position is that 80 advance payments of 30,000 USD have been processed by virtue of documentation supplied, demonstrating familial links and kinship.

    “Our insurers are continuing to deal with all other claims in accordance with the applicable law,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the Dana chief as saying in the statement.

    He assured the families that as soon as the letters were received and verified by the airline, they would be paid the compensation.

    Hathiramani said that Dana Air had no control over the speed with which the probate office dealt with the verification process, although maximum pressure was being exerted to expedite it.

    He said that the airline was following the customary procedure in order to ensure that just compensation was only paid to those entitled.

    The airline chief was, however, silent on when the airline’s insurance company would begin payment of the remaining 70 per cent of the claims to the families.

     

  • Subsidy fraud: EFCC re-arraigns two oil marketers

    Subsidy fraud: EFCC re-arraigns two oil marketers

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday re-arraigned two oil marketers, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Habila Theck, on an amended charge of N976.6 million fuel subsidy theft.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the marketers were re-arraigned alongside their company, Fargo Petroleum and Gas Limited, before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja.

    The defendants are facing a 10-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery, uttering and use of forged documents among others.

    EFCC counsel, Mr. Francis Usani, alleged that the defendants conspired with one Olugbegan Adesanya (still at large) to fraudulently obtain N976.6 million from the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    Usani alleged that the defendants obtained the money as subsidy payments from the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) for the purported importation of 13.6 million litres of Premium Motor Spirits (PMS).

    He said the PMS was purportedly purchased from one Seatac Petroleum Limited and imported into Nigeria through MT Diplomat Ex MT Milleura.

    Usani further alleged that the defendants had on October 14, in Lagos, forged a document entitled Certificate of Origin, Port of Loading Antwerp, Belgium, which was used to facilitate the fraud.

    Usani added that the defendants falsely claimed that the document was issued by Seatac Petroleum Limited.

    According to him, the offences contravened Sections 1, (sub-sections 1,2,3) and 8 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

    Usani also said the offences contravened Sections 363 and 364 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

     

  • My Pikin: Bid to remove firm’s name from suit stalled

    My Pikin: Bid to remove firm’s name from suit stalled

    Manufacturers of “My Pikin’’ teething mixture, Barewa Pharmaceutical Company, has asked a Federal High Court, Lagos, to strike out its name from the ongoing case over alleged manufacture and distribution of adulterated drug.

    The company’s counsel, Mr. Osaro Eghobamien, made the application at the resumed hearing of the case on Monday.

    Barewa Pharmaceutical Company, the fourth defendant; its CEO, Gbadegeshin Okunlola; and two of its staff – Adeyemo Abiodun and Egbele Eromosele, have been facing trial since March 8, 2009.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control is prosecuting the accused persons.

    Okunlola, a pharmacist, however, died on October 27 at the age of 58 compelling the court to strike out his name from the charge.

    Eghobamien prayed the trial judge, Justice Okechukwu Okeke, to strike-out the name of the company following the death of the first accused Okunlola.

    He also asked the court to strike out the name sought to replace that of the deceased CEO, arguing that the offence for which Okunlola was charged was based largely on personal intent.

    According to him, nobody should be made to stand trial in place of the late CEO.

    The counsel noted that though the company was a legal entity, the director who was primarily responsible for the offence was now dead.

    Eghobamien submitted that the death of Okunlola should ordinarily have brought the case to an end.

    Rejecting the argument, Justice Okeke said that such argument could not be made at this stage of the proceeding, when no person had been produced to replace the deceased.

     

  • Court remands ‘Ladipo market leader’ in prison

    The embattled factional leader of the Aguiyi Ironsi International Market, popularly called “Ladipo Market”, Mr. Jonathan, was on Monday returned to Ikoyi Prison following the unavailability of legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution.

    Okoli, 50, was arraigned on November 5 before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, on a seven- count charge of riots, attempted murder, illegal possession of fire arms, assault and demanding of property with menace, among others.

    The prosecutor, Mr. Chukwu Agu, who is the officer in charge of the Legal Department, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, had told the court that the defendant with others at large, on March 5 at about 11am at Ladipo, caused terror to traders within the market and the neighbourhood.

    He said Okoli attempted to kill one Ejike Maduchukwu by inflicting several  machete cuts on him.

    Agu said the alleged offence contravened Sections 409, 45(2), 228(2), 229, 410, 51 and 166(d) of the Criminal Law as of Lagos, 2011.

    Okoli’s pleas were not taken at his arraignment because the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and he was remanded in custody.

     

  • Three injured in Kano blast

    Three persons, including a traffic warden, were critically injured in an early morning bomb blast at Kantin Kwari junction near the famous Kantin Kware Textile Market in Kano.

    A witness to the explosion, who preferred anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano that the bomb went off around 8.45 a.m. on Monday.

    It was suspected to have been planted near the traffic junction.

    “The incident happened when most of the people were still at home, otherwise many people, especially traders would have lost their lives,” the witness said.

    It was gathered that soon after the blast, the Joint Task Force operatives arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Magaji Majiya, confirmed the incident.

    He said the bomb was planted near the Eid praying ground very close to the Kantin Kware junction in the metropolis.

    He said the incident happened around 8.30 a.m. and that three persons sustained injuries.

     

  • Eaglets are future of Nigerian football – Green

    Eaglets are future of Nigerian football – Green

    The Chairman, Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Christopher Green, said on Monday that the U-17 National team would be groomed to become future Super Eagles players.

    The Eaglets defeated their Malian counterparts 2-0 in Mali on Sunday to qualify for the African U-17 Championship, scheduled for Morocco next year.

    The team qualified for the tournament on a 4-0 goal aggregate, having earlier defeated the Malians 2-0 in Calabar.

    Green told the News Agency of Nigeria on phone from Port Harcourt that the team’s victory against Mali was commendable and a sign of good things to come.

    According to him, the team played well and showed that they had good future for football in the country.

    He said, “Well. I want to thank God for what He has done for us. This is an experiment that we started long time ago, an experiment that started over eight months ago, where we put these boys together and started nurturing them, and this is the result.

    “Real under 17 players, playing together as a complete unit.

    “I want to say that they played marvellously well and that they have actually shown that they have future for football in this country because the way they played and the way they have gone through this qualification series showed that, by the grace of God, our future for the Super Eagles is very very bright.”

    Green said the Eaglets would go on break and later get back to camp to prepare for the African Youth Championship.

    On the protest against the over aged Malian team, Green said the NFF was keen on the outcome of the decision of the Confederation of African Football.

     

  • Mobil spends N70m on oil clean up

    Mobil Producing Nigeria said it has spent more than N70 million to clean up the recent oil spill from its facilities in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom.

    The company, in a statement on Monday in Ibeno, said that the amount was used to pay youths engaged for the cleanup.

    MPN, a subsidiary of United States oil firm ExxonMobil, had earlier confirmed that 200 barrels of crude was discharged into the Atlantic from its operations on November 9.

    According to the statement, signed by the General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mr. Paul Arinze, MPN engaged 500 youths from its host community for the cleanup.

    NAN gathered that the youths received a daily wage of N7, 000 each for 20 days that the exercise lasted.

    Although company sources did not disclose the cost of the coastline cleanup, one of the community contractors said that the N70 million was just for wages.

    He explained that the amount did not include materials and machinery deployed for the mop up.

    Mr. James Etim, one of the youths engaged for the cleanup, confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria that he received N7, 000 daily for his labour.

    “The 500 people assigned for the cleanup got N7, 000 daily, but we do not know if Mobil is paying higher than that.

    “Our concern is that the job is temporary one and has been schedule to last for 20 days.

    “We hope that they will extend the period at least for another 10 days to enable us do a thorough cleaning.

    “But a lot depends on the progress of work and the assessment of the regulators,” Etim said.

    NAN reports that a team of oil spill response workers, equipment and crude dispersing chemicals were also dispatched to the spillage site located 20 kilometres from the Atlantic Coastline in Ibeno.

    MPN attributed the spill to a ruptured 24 inch pipeline between the Qua Iboe Fields and crude processing facility in Ibeno.

    The situation compelled the oil firm to declare a “force majeure” on its crude streams.