The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • Senate moves to reduce vehicles’ importation

    Senate moves to reduce vehicles’ importation

    Senate President, David Mark, on Wednesday said the country should take advantage of the National Automotive Design Bill when signed into law to design and build Nigerian made vehicles.

    Mark stated after the consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Investment on a Bill for an Act to repeal the Centre for Automotive Design and Development Act 1992, the National Automotive Council Act 1993.

    The repeal of the two Acts paved the way for the establishment of the National Automotive Design and Development Council and for other matters connected therewith, 2012.

    The Senate President, who commended Senators for passing the Bill said that the essence of the Bill is to de-emphasize heavy importation of goods especially vehicles.

    He said, “With the passing of this Bill the business of emphasizing so much on importation should be reduced drastically.

    “The essence of this Bill is that things should be designed and produced in Nigeria.”

    He mandated Chairman, Senate Committee on Investment, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, to emphasize the need for “design and produced in Nigeria” during her committee’s oversight function.

     

  • Saudi amputates Nigerian’s hand over theft

    Saudi authorities on Wednesday chopped off the hand of a Nigerian man convicted of theft, in compliance with the Islamic sharia law strictly applied in the kingdom, the interior ministry said.

    Mohammed Ahmed Ibrahim was convicted of theft and sentenced to having “his right hand amputated” the ministry said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency.

    The punishment was executed in Mecca where the theft took place, it said.

    The AFP news agency says the kingdom applies the Islamic sharia law, including executions by the sword for people convicted of rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking.

     

  • Senate faults IGP on anti-terrorism law

    Senate faults IGP on anti-terrorism law

     

    The Senate on Wednesday faulted the claim of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, on existence of anti-terrorism law.

    Abubakar was reported to have blamed the inability of the police to fight terrorism in the country on absence of enabling law.

    The IGP was also reported to have said that though he does not know the number of arrested Boko Haram members, the absence of enabling law has made it difficult to prosecute those arrested.

    But the Senate said the IGP is ignorant of the law.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, at a press conference in Abuja faulted Abubakar’s claim.

    Abaribe said the Senate was surprised to hear that Abubakar claimed that there is no law to enable the force prosecute those involved in terrorist acts.

    He noted that the Senate and House of Representatives passed the Terrorism Prevention Bill on June 1, 2011.

    The Bill, he said, was transmitted to President Goodluck Jonathan on June 2, 2011 and signed into law the following day.

    He said, “Let me say that the Senate was very surprised and indeed flabbergasted that the Inspector General of Police would say that there is no anti-terrorism law.

    “It is called Terrorism Prevention Act of 2011.

    “It was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 1, 2001 and on June 2, it was transmitted by the Clerk of the National Assembly to the President.

    “To show how important it is to the President, he signed it into law on June 3, 2011.

    “I have the Bill here and it makes elaborate provisions for prevention of terrorism and for prosecuting those who have committed terrorism act.

    “I think that the IGP has not been briefed properly by his legal staff of the existence of a Bill that has been here for a year and five months after its passage.

    “What happened is that even on top of the Bill that has already been passed, the Senate went ahead to pass an amendment of this Act on October 17 this year to expand part of the provisions on that Act.

    “Everything that you need to fight the war against terrorism is already in the Act.

    “We are going to send a copy of this Act again to the IGP.

    “We find it very difficult to believe that an arm of government could say that it does not have a law that has been signed by the President more than a year ago.

    “I think there is something that is wrong there.

    “So, it is not true that we do not have anti-terrorism law.

    “We actually have an anti-terrorism law, which has been passed since June and signed into law by Mr. President since June 2011.

    “I am saying that there is a law, nobody can say that there is no law and I have shown you the law and I have told you when it was signed.

    “What I have here is a copy of the President’s signature on the law, singed on June 3, 2011.

    “We don’t think that such should be an excuse.

    “There is enough in our law to prosecute anybody who has committed a terrorist act.”

     

  • Nigeria to get direct flights to Pakistan

    Nigeria to get direct flights to Pakistan

    Nigeria and Pakistan may soon commence direct flights, going by the ongoing talks between both countries.

    President Goodluck Jonathan and his Pakistani counterpart, Asif Zardari, on Wednesday held bilateral talks in Islambad, Pakistan.

    Jonathan departed Abuja Tuesday night for Islamabad to attend the summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight Developing Nations (D-8).

    At the bilateral, the two leaders agreed to energise the Nigeria-Pakistani Joint Commission to promote trade relationships between the two countries.

    Consequently, a bilateral air service agreement between both countries was signed.

    The agreement, according to both countries, would translate into direct flights between the two countries.

    Though there are other areas of cooperation between both countries, especially in the area of security, the two leaders insisted that the air services and banking are areas that need more attention.

    “The distance between the two countries is not a barrier. Both countries are doing a lot in military and security matters,” the President said.

    Jonathan arrived the military Airport base in Islamabad at about 1.30pm local time with some top government officials.

    He was received at the airport by Pakistani officials and the Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ambassador Dauda Danladi, among others.

     

  • ‘We lost 12 pastors to Boko Haram’

    The President of Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Rev. Soja Bewarang, said the Church lost at least 12 of its pastors and several members due to the activities of Boko Haram.

    Rev. Bewarang made this known while presenting the Church annual report to the General Church Council held at COCIN headquarters in Jos on Wednesday.

    “As if the great loss we suffered as a church in the last 12 months is not enough, only last week we heard the brutal killing of Rev Elisha Kabura in his house in in Borno State.

    “No doubt, as a church our hearth is broken over the loss of our reverends in Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Maiduguri. These victims would have been here with us for this general council meeting if not for their untimely death.

    “We call upon the Federal Government to take more serious proactive measures to safeguard lives and properties of all citizens of Nigeria especially in Kaduna, Yobe, Borno and Bauchi States respectively.

    “COCIN as a single denomination has suffered greatly due to Boko haram activities and flood disaster,” Rev. Bewarang said.

    The COCIN president, however, expressed confidence in the unity and progress of the country despite the security challenges facing it.

     

  • Senate urges NJC to immortalize Eso

    Senate urges NJC to immortalize Eso

    The Senate on Wednesday urged the National Judicial Council to immotalize late Justice Kayode Eso.

    This followed a motion entitled: “Demise of Justice Kayode Eso” sponsored by Senator Babajide Omoworare and 14 others.

    The Senate resolved to observe a minute silence in honour of the late jurist and to send a delegation to commiserate with his family and the people and government of Osun State.

    All the Senators who contributed to the motion paid glowing tribute to the late jurist.

    Senate President David Mark said the contributions of late Justice Eso would remain evergreen in the memory of the people.

    He said: “Once they hear the name of Justice Kayode Eso, most Nigerians believe that there will be fairness and that there will be justice.

    “I think that that is very important. From those of you who knew him personally, clearly he was a very courageous Justice and he was fair to all irrespective of tribe and tongue.

    “And that is what we want, let justice be given in a manner that even those who lose out will acknowledge that they have been fairly treated.”

     

  • Nigeria to partner with Pakistan on textile industry

    Nigeria to partner with Pakistan on textile industry

    The Federal Government is exploring ways of partnering with Pakistani entrepreneurs to revive the ailing textile industries in the country, a top official has said.

    Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dauda Danladi, disclosed this in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital on Wednesday.

    NAN reports that President Goodluck Jonathan is in Islamabad to attend the eighth-summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight Developing Countries (D-8) being hosted by Pakistan, the third largest exporter of cotton materials in the world.

    The envoy said Nigeria would exploit the opportunities and the knowledge base of Pakistan especially in the area of textile manufacturing.

    “We are already in touch with the Pakistani Chamber of Commerce and we are looking at the possibility of a joint-venture between the industrialists here in Pakistan and the textile industry in Nigeria.

    “Interestingly, Pakistan does not produce cotton, it imports cotton for its textile industry.

    “We have the capacity and the manpower to produce cotton in Nigeria. I think all that is required is the technical competence and the financing. This we can tap from Pakistan which is the third largest textile exporter in the world.

    “And what we are going to do is to impress on the major industrialists here in Pakistan to come to Nigeria, see areas of collaboration with some of our textile companies and see how we can resuscitate the textile industry,’’ Danladi said.

     

  • Collapsed building kills two sisters in Lagos

    Collapsed building kills two sisters in Lagos

    A two-storey building, Block M20, at Church Street, Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos, on Wednesday collapsed at about midnight killing two sisters.

    The sisters in their mid-20s were pulled out from the debris dead, while their mother was seriously injured and had been taken to the hospital.

    The News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who visited the scene reported that at about 6.15 am, some officials of the Nigerian Red Cross Society came and took the corpses away.

    NAN also reports that some other buildings around the vicinity were noticed to have severe cracks.

    The buildings were erected about 30 years ago.

    A man living in the neighbourhood, Mr. Opeyemi Fagun, told NAN that they noticed that the building had been sinking gradually for about a year.

    He said the occupants had been warned to evacuate the building over a year ago when the walls started cracking.

    According to him, occupants of one of the floors in the building had packed out early this year while the others remained.

    “The building was already sinking, shaking with cracked walls and they have been warned to pack out.

    “When we heard a huge bang and a cloud of dust, we ran out and heard screaming from inside the rubbles; so, we went to dig the people out with our bare hands.

    “But our efforts were futile as the girls were already dead,” he said.

    Another neighbour, Kidochi Okonye, said that when they came out at about 12.30 am and saw what happened, they called the National Emergency Management Agency, the fire service and the Red Cross, but none of them came.

    He said that Red Cross officials eventually came by 6 am when the dead sisters had been pulled out and their corpses carried away.

    The branch secretary, NRCS, Lagos State, Mrs. Ijeoma Nweke, told NAN that the corpses had been deposited at the Isolo General Hospital.

     

  • Jonathan leaves Abuja for D-8 summit

    Jonathan leaves Abuja for D-8 summit

     

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday night left Abuja for Islamabad, Pakistan to participate in the summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Eight Developing Nations (D-8).

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Jonathan was seen off at the Presidential wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, around 11.57 p.m. by Ministers of FCT, Sen. Bala Muhammad and Mrs. Olajumoke Akinjide.

    Others at the airport were the Minister of Police Affairs, retired Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Edem Duke and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammad Abubakar, among other top government officials.

    The president was accompanied on the trip by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

    Besides participating in the summit of the D-8, Jonathan will also hold bilateral meetings in Islamabad with the Presidents of Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Egypt whose countries also belong to the group.

    The 2012 Islamabad Summit which coincided with the 15 years of existence of the group is expected to enhance member-countries’ share in global trade by 15 per cent by 2018.

    The D-8 countries’ share in global trade was reported to have increased from 67 billion dollars in 2008 to 137 billion dollars in 2011.

    Other Heads of State and Government expected at the Islamabad Summit, which opens on Wednesday, are Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Susilo Yudhoyomo of Indonesia, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran and Prime Minister Recep Erdogan of Turkey.

    Malaysia is expected to be represented by its Deputy Prime Minister and Bangladesh by its foreign affairs minister.

    The D-8 group was established in 1997 to foster developmental cooperation among member-countries which are Nigeria, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Egypt.

     

  • HIV infection: UN report identifies reduction in Africa

    HIV infection: UN report identifies reduction in Africa

    A United Nations report said there has been reduction of more than 50 per cent in the rate of new HIV infections across 25 countries in Africa.

    The report made available at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday said that the reduction was an indication that unprecedented acceleration response to HIV issues had produced results.

    “We are scaling up faster and smarter than ever before; it is the proof that with political will and follow-through we can reach our shared goals by 2015,” the report quoted the Executive Director of Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), Michel Sidibe as saying.

    It said that UNAIDS increased HIV treatment by 75 per cent in the last two years by ensuring that 1.7 million people had access to life-saving treatment.

    According to the report, in some of the countries which have the highest HIV prevalence, the rates of new HIV infections have been reduced drastically since 2001.

    It explained that it reduced by 73 per cent in Malawi, 71 per cent in Botswana, 68 per cent in Namibia, 58 per cent in Zambia, 50 per cent in Zimbabwe and 41 per cent in South Africa and Swaziland.

    The News Agency of Nigeria, quoting the report said sub-Saharan Africa also recorded low AIDS-related deaths in the last six years and increased the number of people on antiretroviral treatment by 59 per cent in the last two years.

    It also revealed that countries were assuming shared responsibility by increasing domestic investments in the response to the virus, adding that more than 81 countries increased such investments by 50 per cent between 2001 and 2011.

    It stated that in Burundi, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Togo and Zambia, the number of children newly infected with HIV fell by 40 per cent between 2009 and 2011.

    “Antiretroviral therapy has emerged as a powerful force for saving lives,’’, the report noted, adding that in the last 24 months, the number of people accessing treatment had increased by 63 per cent globally.

    It further said that in sub-Saharan Africa, 2.3 million people had access to treatment, while China had increased the number of people on HIV treatment by nearly 50 per cent in the last year alone.