The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • Explosions, gunfire rock Yobe

    Explosions and gunfire rocked Gashua, a town in Yobe State, Tuesday and prompted a military deployment, but there were no immediate reports of casualties, residents and the army told AFP.

    The military said troops had deployed to the town where the Boko Haram sect has previously carried out waves of deadly attacks.

    “There have been explosions and gunfire throughout the town. It all began around 3 am and lasted up to six in the morning,” one resident told AFP.

    He said the unrest and heavy presence of soldiers had forced residents to remain in their homes.

    Another resident said military patrols could be heard in the streets after the shooting and blasts stopped.

    “The explosions and shootings started around 3am and continued for almost three hours,” he said. “Everybody has remained indoors.”

    Military spokesman Lazarus Eli confirmed soldiers were patrolling, but declined to give further details.

    “Our troops have deployed to Gashua this morning, but I can’t tell you the situation in the town now,” he said.

    The northeast has been hard hit by deadly attacks blamed on Boko Haram, leaving hundreds of people dead and prompting a heavy army deployment.

    Violence linked to the sect is believed to have left more than 2,800 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security forces.

     

  • Tiny northeast town casts first votes in U.S poll

    Tiny northeast town casts first votes in U.S poll

    The first ballots of the 2012 White House race were cast in the tiny northeastern town of Dixville Notch Tuesday, with Barack Obama and Mitt Romney each receiving five votes.

    The first-in-the-nation vote, held shortly after midnight, was tied for the first time in its history, another indication of the knife’s edge separating the two candidates in a race that should be decided by the end of the day, AFP news agency reports.

    Tanner Tillotson, 24, who cast the first ballot at 12:00 am (0500 GMT) in the upscale Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, said he voted for President Obama.

    “I hope it will inspire people to get out and make their voice heard,” he said.

    “I think (the result) is very indicative, that this is the first time in Dixville Notch’s history that there is a tie. We’re still a much divided nation and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the country is.”

    The tiny New Hampshire town, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Canadian border, boasts the first vote in United States elections, but is seen as more of a curiosity than a national bellwether.

    Early voting has been under way for several weeks in some states, and recent days have seen long lines outside of polling stations as the two campaigns have carried out intensive get-out-the-vote efforts.

    The Republican candidate has won Dixville Notch in every election since the tradition began in 1960, except for 2008, when Obama won.

    Polls show Obama as the slight favorite, with the two candidates in a virtual tie in national polls but the president holding a narrow lead in the key swing states needed to win the all-important electoral college.

     

  • ‘Nigeria’s floods killed 363 people, displaced 2.1m’

    Nigeria’s worst flooding in at least half a century has killed 363 people since the start of July and displaced 2.1 million people, the National Emergency Management Agency has said.

    Nigeria often suffers seasonal flash floods after heavy tropical rain, but the sheer scale of the devastation this year has shocked people and images of towns and cities under water have filled TV screens, Reuters says.

    President Goodluck Jonathan last month called the flooding, which has submerged parts of the south, a “national disaster” but said it would not trigger a food crisis.

    NEMA said in a statement on Monday that 7.7 million people had been affected by the flooding between July 1 and October 31.

    It said 363 people had been killed and 18,282 people injured.

    From the swampy oil region in the south to the dusty base of the Sahel further north, Nigeria’s 160 million people are spread across a land mass twice the size of California.

    Flooding in the oil rich Niger Delta, where Africa’s third longest river flows into the Atlantic ocean, has disrupted oil production to the tune of around 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) – more than a fifth of Nigeria’s output – according to the Department of Petroleum Resources.

    A cocoa industry body said last month that cocoa output would fall far short of a 300,000 tonne target because of excessive rain.

     

     

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  • Jonathan seeks cooperation to fight terrorism

    Jonathan seeks cooperation to fight terrorism

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday called for the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral cooperation to fight international terrorism.

    Jonathan made the call while declaring open the Regional Conference on Counter-Terrorism with a theme: “Containing Terrorism in West Africa”, held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on Monday.

    The president, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, said the collaboration became imperative in view of the transnational nature of terrorist activities.

    He said already, Nigeria had strengthened bilateral and multilateral cooperation with countries in the region.

    “I have had extensive discussions with most of my brother Presidents on the issue of collaboration on security matters in the region and we have constantly stressed the need for better collaboration among all our security agencies.

    “Indeed, this conference is indicative of the high level of collaboration among security agencies across the region.

    “Accordingly, as you go into in-depth deliberations, my charge is that you should come up with a comprehensive regional counter-terrorism strategy.

    “I urged you to view the developments in the region as potent threat to Africa and indeed the global community and proffer practical policy options that would assist West African States to overcome our current security challenges,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the president as saying at the forum.

    He, therefore, expressed the hope that the conference’s deliberations would advance the cause of preventing, combating and eliminating terrorism in all its forms in West Africa.

    On the national front, Jonathan identified the militancy in the Niger Delta region and the Boko Haram insurgencies as the main security challenges facing the country.

    The president, however, expressed delight that normalcy had been restored in the Niger Delta region after the Federal Government proclaimed the amnesty programme and embarked on a number of initiatives in 2009, to address the grievances of the people.

     

     

  • FG, Senate disagree over amendment of Customs laws

    FG, Senate disagree over amendment of Customs laws

    Amendment of the Nigeria Customs Service laws ended in a deadlock on Monday as the Senate and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala disagreed over the proposed amendment.

    While the Senate described the laws governing the operations of the Customs Service as “archaic” and wanted a wholesale amendment of the laws, Okonjo-Iweala objected to some provisions of the proposed Bill.

    The occasion was a public hearing on Customs Service Bills 2012 and Company Income Tax Act 2004 (amendment) Bill 2012, held by the Senate Committee on Finance.

    Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, who represented the Senate President, Senator David Mark, regretted that various reforms and reorganizations in the past failed to critically consider and address archaic laws that govern the service.

    Ndoma-Egba said that the 7th Senate is making history by transforming the Customs Service through repealing the Customs Act 2004 and other Customs and Excise laws to establish the administration and management of Nigeria Customs in conformity with international best practices.

    He said the Companies Income Tax Act, 2004 (amendment) Bill 2012 when passed will generally boost the economic activities that would be generated through tax cessation and hence provide the much needed employment opportunities for Nigerians.

    He assured that the Senate has not taken a position on any section of the proposed bill.

    But speaking at the event, Okonjo-Iweala objected to the proposal to erode the powers of the President to grant waivers, appointment of members of the Customs board and the fusion of both policy and executive powers in the Customs administration as proposed in the new bill.

    On his part, a member of the Committee, Senator Isa Galaudu noted that the proposed bill has become necessary as the Customs Service lost about N58.7billion to waivers last year alone.

    The minister in her response said it was the Federal Government that lost the revenue to waivers and not the Nigeria Customs Service.

     

  • 100 arrested for illegal assembly in Enugu

    The police in Enugu on Monday arrested at least 100 people parading themselves as members of the Biafra Zionist Movement, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement in Enugu on Monday that the people were arrested following a tip off.

    Amaraizu said the people, led by one Ben Onwuka, were arrested at Akwata on Agbani Road at 6.45am.

    According to him, police recovered 61 Biafran and other flags, 13 berets, three bands and eight registration forms from the group.

     

  • Oil dispute: Jonathan seeks truce between Bayelsa and Rivers

    Oil dispute: Jonathan seeks truce between Bayelsa and Rivers

    President Goodluck Jonathan has requested Governors Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers to end their media war over the Soku oil wells’ dispute.

    The request is contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

    The statement said the president urged the two governors and leaders of the affected communities to ensure that no further spiteful or inciting comments were made against each other.

    The president noted that the media comments could pollute the right atmosphere for constructive dialogue and brotherly reconciliation which he is striving to promote for the amicable resolution of the dispute.

    “The Presidency has noted with concern the rather unbecoming, unnecessary and unhelpful media war between the Bayelsa and Rivers State Governments over the rightful ownership of some oil wells.

    “The Presidency believes that this media war, which appears to be escalating with each passing day, can only hinder and negate efforts already initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan to achieve an amicable resolution of the dispute in the best interest of the affected communities, the two states and the nation.

    “President Jonathan, therefore, requests the governors of both states to facilitate and help to create the right atmosphere for the successful conclusion of the peace process by ordering an immediate stoppage of all acrimonious public comments against each other over the dispute,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Dr. Abati as saying in the statement.

    The president noted that having already had very useful discussions with the Rivers State governor and Kalabari elders, he intended to take the process forward at another scheduled meeting on Friday.

    President Jonathan, according to the statement, will hold a meeting with the governors of the two states, leaders of the affected communities and all concerned stakeholders.

     

  • Boko Haram has killed 3,000 since 2009 – COAS

    Boko Haram has killed 3,000 since 2009 – COAS

    At least not less than 3,000 people have been killed by the Boko Haram sect since 2009, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika has said.

    He stated that the sect activities had affected people and businesses in the northern part of the country.

    The COAS spoke on Monday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital while declaring open the third inter-division and headquarters map reading competition organized by the Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC).

    Ihejirika, who was represented by the General Officer, Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Mohammed Abubakar, added that the current security challenges in the country require collective and extra efforts to tackle.

    His words: “The changing nature of threats to Nigeria’s national security environment has manifested in the militancy, kidnapping, violent extremism and terrorism. It is a known fact that terrorism worldwide is characterized by extremism, violence hatred, lack of respect for human dignity and constituted authority.

    “The spate of bombings in parts of the north had necessitated the Nigerian Army to review its doctrine with a view to updating our training and operational procedures in order to fulfill our constitutional mandate. Success in this pursuit, therefore calls for renewed and concerted efforts and initiative.

    “I therefore urge all of us to remain resilient to be able to overcome the miscreants and terrorist attacks on our psyche and our beloved country through conscientious effort for the country to make good progress. It is in this line, that I commend the determination of NAEC to write and publish a book on ‘terrorism.

    “This will no doubt positively contribute to our determination to fight the present security challenges. The book will also serve as a reference material for researchers on NA viewpoint and strategy against domestic terrorism.”

    Earlier, the Corps Commander, NAEC, Major-General Lucky Banjiram, said the current security challenges in the country had continued to undermine national security.

    He added that the challenges had thereby placed great strains and demands on the Nigerian army’s resources.

     

  • Edo: Tribunal begins hearing November 14

    Edo: Tribunal begins hearing November 14

     

    The reconstituted Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal will begin proper hearing of the Petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the state gubernatorial election, Major-General Charles Airhiavbere on November 14.

    Airhiavbere is challenging the outcome of the election won by Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

    The Chairman of the new three-man panel, Justice Muazu Pidinga, gave the date on Monday during inaugural sitting of the tribunal in Benin City.

    Other members of the tribunal are Justices Abubakar Idris Kutigi and A.A Ajileye.

    Justice Pidinga in his speech urged counsels to give their maximum cooperation in order to meet the target date.

    He urged the counsels to be diligent in handling their cases, noting that petitioner has 14 days to conclude his case while the respondents have 10 days each.

     

  • Two killed in Bahrain explosions

    Two foreign workers have been killed and a third seriously injured by bomb blasts in Bahrain, officials told the BBC.

    Police said there were five explosions caused by home-made devices in two areas of the capital Manama on Monday.

    One of the men died at the scene when he kicked a device in Gudaibiya. The second died in hospital after being injured by an explosion near a cinema.

    A third explosion in Adliya injured another man working as a cleaner. Officials said the victims were Asian.

    Their nationalities are not known, but the biggest expatriate communities in Bahrain are Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi.

    The head of Capital Governorate Police urged all residents of Bahrain not to touch strange objects and to notify the authorities if they saw one.

    An investigation into who caused the blasts is under way.