The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • Chelsea sacks Di Matteo

    Chelsea sacks Di Matteo

    Chelsea has sacked Roberto Di Matteo following the team’s 3-0 defeat to Juventus on Tuesday evening, Goal.com reports.

    The defeat has put the club’s prospects of qualifying for the Champions league knockout stage in doubt.

    A statement on Chelsea’s official website reads: “Chelsea Football Club has parted company this morning with Manager Roberto Di Matteo.

    “The team’s recent performances and results have not been good enough and the owner and the Board felt that a change was necessary now to keep the club moving in the right direction as we head into a vitally important part of the season.

    “The club faces a difficult task ahead in qualifying for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League as well as maintaining a strong challenge for the top of the Premier League while competing in three other cup competitions. Our aim is to remain as competitive as possible and challenge strongly on all fronts.

    “The owner and the Board would like to thank Roberto for all he has done for the club since taking over in March. Roberto helped guide us to an historic Champions League victory and a seventh FA Cup. We will never forget the huge contribution he has made to this club’s history and he will always be welcome at Stamford Bridge.

    “The club will be making an announcement shortly regarding a new first team manager.”

     

  • Jonathan loses brother

    Jonathan loses brother

    Meni, a half brother to President Goodluck Jonathan is dead.

    A statement issued by the President’s media aide, Dr. Reuben Abati, said Chief Meni died on Tuesday morning at the National Hospital, Abuja, after a brief illness.

    The statement reads:

    “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan announces with sadness the death earlier today of his younger brother, Chief Meni Innocent Jonathan.

    “Chief Meni Jonathan passed away at the National Hospital, Abuja after a brief illness.

    “Formal burial arrangements will be announced later by the family.”

     

  • Curb criminal activities or face consequences, IGP tells police chiefs

    Curb criminal activities or face consequences, IGP tells police chiefs

    Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered all zonal Assistant Inspectors General of police (AIGs) to curb incessant criminal activities in their areas of jurisdiction or face the consequences.

    Abubakar, who met with the top brass of the police at the Force Headquarters on Tuesday, decried what he described as increasing spate of lawlessness in certain parts of the country, particularly in the north east.

    The IGP, however, cautioned the officers against high handedness in the handling of the job, saying that the fundamental rights of the citizens must not be trampled upon in the process of enforcing the law.

    Abubakar harped on the need to keep the streets free of criminal elements ahead of the Yuletide celebration.

    He specifically charged Commissioners of Police in charge of Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Kaduna and Taraba to be on their toes against the Boko Haram sect.

    His words: “Given the situation we met on ground, I think there is progress. But we need to state that there are challenges, particularly in Borno, Yobe and Taraba in the northeast and Kaduna and Zamfara States in the northwest.

    “All these incessant killings, kidnappings and armed robberies must stop. We must work on the excesses of our men; we have seen appreciable improvement but we still need to do more.

    “In the cases of bribery and corruption, we have improved but I have observed that there are some states where it seems the issue of bribery and corruption has not gone down. Henceforth, I am going to hold the Commissioners of Police responsible for this.”

    The IGP attributed the delay in trying suspects arrested for acts of terrorism to the delay in passing the Anti Terrorism Bill, but added that the suspects are undergoing intense interrogation.

    He hinted that an inter-agency committee comprising all the security agencies has been set up to properly screen the suspects and determine their culpability, stressing that a Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) is representing the police in the committee.

    Abubakar said the police authorities were still working on the next line of action against the dismissed former Commissioner of Police, Zakari Biu, who was alleged to have taken illegal actions that led to the escape from police custody of a terror suspect, Mr. Kabiru Sokoto.

     

  • Adamawa: Supreme Court upholds Nyako’s victory

    Adamawa: Supreme Court upholds Nyako’s victory

    The Supreme Court on Tuesday in Abuja declared Murtala Nyako of the Peoples Democratic Party as duly elected governor of Adamawa State.

    Delivering the judgment, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi held that the petitioner, Mr. Marcus Gundiri, of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) could not prove the criminal allegation brought against the respondents.

    Ogunbiyi said the petitioner particularly failed to prove the allegation of substantial non-compliance in accordance with the Electoral Act.

    “When the petitioner discovered the complexity involved in proving the criminal allegation he asked the court for severance during the hearing.

    “The court, however, turned down the request as doing so would have amounted to assisting the petitioner to do his case.

    “It is the penal sincere disposition that the petition lacks credibility and merit, it is therefore dismissed.

    “The election of Governor Nyako is thereby upheld having been duly elected in the 2011 governorship election,’’ she said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission and the PDP were the other respondents.

    Chief Charles Edosomwan (SAN), counsel to the petitioner, had asked the court to declare Gundiri the winner since the evidence before the tribunal proved that he (Gundiri) polled the highest votes.

    The petitioner, who was the ACN Candidate in the February 4, governorship election, had filed a petition before the State Elections Petition Tribunal over the declaration of Governor Nyako as the winner.

    Gundiri had alleged fraud by Nyako and thus wanted his victory overturned by the Tribunal.

     

  • FG to manufacture military hardware locally

    FG to manufacture military hardware locally

    The Federal Government has concluded plans to localise production of the country’s military hardware.

    The Vice President, Mohammed Namadi Sambo, said the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria will be positioned to handle the hardware needs of the nation’s Armed Forces, Paramilitary services and the Police.

    He spoke on Tuesday during the Presidential Committee meeting on the Review of the Structure, Operation and Activities of DICON, which he chaired in his office at the State House, Abuja.

    He said the committee is expected to come up with a framework that would ensure that DICON meets the objectives of its founding fathers, which was to ensure the local production of the needs of the country’s security forces.

    The Committee was saddled with the task of reviewing the DICON Act with the primary aim to position it to effectively carry out its regulatory function.

    The Vice President, according to a statement signed by his media aide, Mr. Sani Umar, also used the occasion to call for synergy between DICON and its primary consumers.

    Sambo, who expressed his desire to visit DICON, the Army Research and Development Centre in Abuja, the Naval Dockyard and the Air force aircraft maintenance facility in Lagos, used the occasion to congratulate the Nigerian Army for developing and manufacturing a wholly Nigerian made Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), which was recently commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Earlier, the Director- General of DICON, Major General S. U. Labaran, expressed gratitude to President Jonathan for setting up the high powered committee, which was being chaired by the vice president.

    He noted that DICON has the capacity to produce various types of military hardware and other accessories.

     

  • JTF arrests two Shell workers for oil theft

     

    The Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta has arrested two employees of the Shell Petroleum Development Company for oil theft.

    Operatives of the JTF, codenamed Operation Pulo (Oil) Shield, on Monday night, apprehended Messrs. Bori Friday and Young Apahia, who were Shell’s surveillance staff, at Kporgho-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The JTF has handed over the two staff to officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps for prosecution.

    The Public Relations Officer of the 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, Major Michael Etete, said the arrest took place at about 9:30pm on Monday.

    Etete said: “Troops of Sector 2, JTF Pulo Shield on patrol, discovered a pipe break and an illegal connection on SPDC’s pipeline in Kporgho, Gokana LGA of Rivers State.

    “Two SPDC surveillance workers were found at the scene and were suspected to be responsible for the vandalism. The two suspects were arrested and transferred to NSCDC, Rivers State Command, for prosecution.

    “All oil companies are advised to weed persons of questionable character in their employ.”

    The JTF’s spokesman also assured that the security outfit was committed to ending crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta.

     

  • Senate honours Saraki

    Senate honours Saraki

    It was a day of eulogy on Tuesday for late Senate Leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki, as the Senate devoted the entire session to pay tribute to a man the lawmakers agreed was a “shining example of everything good.”

    Dr. Saraki, fondly called “Oloye” died on November 14 in Lagos at the age of 79.

    The tribute followed a motion sponsored by Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba and Senator Simeon Ajibola (Kwara South) entitled: “Demise of Senator (Dr.) Olusola Saraki.”

    Senators battled to identify with Saraki even in death.

    Most of the lawmakers struggled to ensure that the eye of the Senate President, David Mark, caught them to speak.

    For about three hours, one Senator after the other reeled out outstanding attributes and contributions of the late Saraki to individuals and political development of the country.

    Even those in the gallery echoed that it is an honour well deserved as the Senate eulogized the late strongman of Kwara politics.

     

     

  • Alleged fraud: Court stops Polish woman from traveling

    An Abuja High Court on Tuesday refused to grant permission to a Polish woman, Mrs. Dora Gilmaska, to travel abroad for medical treatment.

    Gilmaska, who allegedly issued a dud cheque, was arraigned before Justice Abubakar Umar of the Abuja High Court on a one-count charge of fraud.

    She prayed the court for an order to have the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission release her international passport to enable her renew it.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the EFCC is prosecuting Gilmaska, the Executive Officer of Icon Media and Marketing Agency Limited, for forgery and issuance of a dud cheque for N9 million to one Tayo Olugbemi.

    She pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Umar while delivering a ruling in an application filed by Gilmaska, through her counsel, Mr. Chris Okoye, held that granting of such application was left at the discretion of court.

    He also said that in granting such a leave, the court would look at all credible evidences presented by an applicant, in order for such application to be granted.

    “Yes, the applicant presented a letter from Nisa Premier Hospital, dated July 1, 2011, saying that she needed to undergo a Laparoscopy.

    “The letter said that the hospital in Abuja does not have the facilities to carry out such a diagnosis.

    “But the letter did not say whether the same medical (Laparoscopy) procedure could be done in Lagos, Ibadan or elsewhere within Nigeria,’’ he said.

    Umar held that the accused failed to tell the court the consequences of non-renewal of her passport.

    He also held that she failed to place any cogent material before the court to say whether the ailment she had was a life threatening one.

    Umar therefore held that the application for permission to travel lacked merit.

    “I refuse to grant this application.

    “I will, however, order an accelerated hearing into this case,’’ he said.

     

  • Health Minister leads Nigeria´s delegates to WHO meeting

    Health Minister leads Nigeria´s delegates to WHO meeting

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, on Tuesday, led Nigeria’s delegation to the 62 session of the World Health Organisation Regional Meeting scheduled for Luanda, Angola.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the meeting which has the theme: “Leadership for Better Health’’ has in attendance ministers of health from the 46 member states in the continent.

    The agenda of the meeting include a range of health issues; disaster management and strategy for the health sector in the African region.

    Delegates will also discuss human resources for health, roadmap for meeting the needs for universal access to health care, consideration and endorsement of the Brazzaville Declaration on non communicable diseases.

    Others are health promotion strategy for the African region, HIV / AIDS, strategy for the health of the region and human rights, current situation and the way forward for the region.

    The agenda also showed that regional committee will deliberate on the implementation of international health regulation (2005) in the African region, the African health observatory and strengthening health information systems through national health observatories.

    Expert working group on research and development, financing and coordination, optimising global health initiatives to strengthen national health system will also be discussed.

    The establishment of African Public Health Emergency Fund would be similarly discussed at the forum.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the WHO African Regional Meeting started on November 19 and will end on November 23.

     

  • Oil Spill: NOSDRA, Mobil disagree on use of dispersants

    Mobil Producing Nigeria and the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency have disagreed over the use of dispersants in containing the November 9 oil spill.

    NOSDRA maintained on Tuesday that the 2006 Act empowered the agency to coordinate the implementation of oil spill contingency plans.

    The NOSDRA Director, Oil Spill Response, Mr. Musa Idris, told News Agency of Nigeria that the agency never issued any approvals to deploy dispersants in the oil spill clean-up process.

    ”No approval was sought from the Director-General of NOSDRA as specified and recommended in the NOSDRA Act; the DPR approval letter is questionable and we should see it,” Idris said.

    However, Mobil’s spokesman, Mr. Nigel Cookey-Gam, told NAN that the company obtained the approval from the Department of Petroleum Resources.

    According to a statement from Mobil signed by the General Manager in charge of Government and Public Affairs, Mr. Paul Arinze, the oil firm was making progress in the mop up of the spill.

    He said that heavy equipment, including oil spill booms, pumps, aircraft, spill response vessels and some 500 response workers were deployed during the exercise.

    Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN), operator of the NNPC (NNPC/MPN) Joint Venture provided the following update on clean-up operations in Akwa Ibom.

    ”We are working closely with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment and local community leaders, in a joint team to determine coastal shorelines that might have been affected,” the statement quoted Mark Ward, MPN Managing Director, as saying.

    ”We thank them for their cooperation and support and for the understanding of the local communities that may have been affected in one way or another.

    “Dispersants approved by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) had earlier been used to disperse the oil offshore.

    “Mobil Producing Nigeria is committed to a speedy and comprehensive cleanup; our oil spill response plans have been quickly implemented in line with this objective,” the oil firm said.