The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • STF confirms killing of grandma, 13 others in Plateau

    STF confirms killing of grandma, 13 others in Plateau

    The military Special Task Force in Plateau on Friday confirmed the murder of 14 persons in separate attacks on some rural communities in the state between Wednesday and Thursday.

    The STF said in a statement that among those murdered was a 75-year-old woman in Sara village of Riyom Local Government Area.

    The statement, signed by the STF media officer, Lt. Kingsley Egbo, said: “The old woman was killed along with her three children.’’

    It said gunmen also attacked and wiped out a family of eight at a remote village, near Sop in Makera and two others at Lotton village in Jol, Riyom Local Government Area.

    The statement said the task force had got a lead on the possible attackers and was making efforts to arrest the suspects.

    The STF also said that its personnel had arrested some herdsmen, who allegedly attacked farmers working on their farms at Rarin-Sho village of Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area.

    “When we received reports of the attack, we quickly moved into Sho village and engaged the assailants in a gun battle which led to the arrest of some of the attackers.

    “We also recovered some of their weapons while many others escaped with gunshot wounds. The suspects are currently being interrogated,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted STF as saying in the statement.

    It said a fresh problem arose on Thursday in Barkin-Ladi over the pulling down of the fence of a prayer ground, which had been in contention for some time.

    “During the rampage, a young man was beaten to a state of coma and his motorcycle burnt around Ungwan-Sarki area of the town.

    “The STF immediately moved to the area, rescued the victim and conveyed him to Barkin-Ladi General Hospital while the situation has been brought under control,’’ the statement said.

    The task force warned the people against disrupting the peace and vowed to deal with those who fomented trouble.

     

  • Nigeria will learn from other countries on floods – Okonjo-Iweala

    Nigeria will learn from other countries on floods – Okonjo-Iweala

    The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said that Nigeria would learn from other countries in tackling problems of floods and other disasters in the country.

    Okonjo-Iweala made this known on Friday in Tokyo, while fielding questions from Journalists at the ongoing Annual Meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

    “The question is how do we prevent such flooding and other natural occurrences in future and these are some of the lessons we are going to learn from other countries.

    “As you are aware, Japan has suffered Tsunami, Earth quake and flooding, so they have actually made this Annual Meeting something about disaster management and reduction, by focusing on these issues in some topics or themes at the meeting.

    “And so we are learning a lot as a delegation about what to do and how to do what is necessary in terms of damage control, how to respond to future disaster occurrences and we think these lessons from Japan will be useful when we get back and try to solve our problems,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Okonjo-Iweala as saying to journalists.

    The minister said that the plight of Nigerians was made known at a discussion on “ Climate change and Sustainable Development,’’ adding that government would continue to ensure that proactive measures are put in place to tackle such a situation now and in future.

    “It was a very good session because I was able to share with the international community the fact that Nigeria is undergoing a terrible and devastating flood.

    “As at the last count, 27 out of 36 states are flooded in one way or the other, we have lost 200 lives and about 40 people are still missing and a lot of people have been displaced.

    “I was able to share with international audience what the government is doing to help those affected by the flood,’’ she said.

    According to her, the government has set aside N17.6 billion plus about N1 billion already spent by the National Emergency Agency (NEMA) and the National Refugees commission to ameliorate the situation.

    She noted that the World Bank had been assisting NEMA with technical assistance to evaluate the level of destruction to property.

     

  • Flood sacks banks in Yenagoa

    Activities have been paralysed in five commercial banks in Yenagoa, following the flooding of their premises.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that worst hit was the Swali branch of the United Bank of Africa (UBA), where flood overran the entrance and poured into the banking hall.

    A worker, who identified himself as Kelvin, told NAN that the flood had compelled the bank to move its operations to other safe branches in the state capital where the flood had not reached.

    He said: “We have no choice but to relocate our operations. Many of our customers can no longer enter the banking premises as you can see; the environment is no longer safe for both the bank and its staff.”

    At the Fidelity Bank, on the Sani Abacha Express Road, the menacing flood had overrun its entire premises forcing the bank to halt operation and evacuate its staff.

    A customer, Mr. Bonny Ibeh, who was at the premises of the bank to make withdrawal from the ATM machine, lamented the impact of the flood on commercial activities.

    “This is serious, I had wanted to go in and use the ATM, but look at the premises, I cannot afford to swim in this flood.

    “I need money to evacuate my family to Owerri, because the same flood have overrun my home here in Yenagoa,” Ibeh said.

    Also in the state capital, the only branch of Diamond Bank, located on the Sani Abacha Road, flood waters had overrun its premises, and pouring into the banking hall.

    Some of its customers were seen milling around the entrance to the gate, contemplating on the faith that had befallen them, as most of them complained of running short of money to enable them buy food items and relocate their families.

    Mr. John Ebogha, a customer told NAN that he had come to make withdrawal with his cheque, but had not been able to access the entrance, just as he appealed to the bank to make an alternative arrangement to enable the customers make withdrawal.

    “The bank should do something to help the customers. We need money to enable us meet different challenges in this flooding time.

    “I want them to move to a makeshift place, inside the town, at least, put up an arrangement to pay customers,” Ebogha said.

    None of the staff could be reached for comments, as a few of them were seen pacing up and down inside the flood waters that had poured into their banking premises.

     

  • EU wins Nobel Peace Prize

    EU wins Nobel Peace Prize

    The European Union has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for six decades of work in advancing peace in Europe.

    The committee said the EU had helped to transform Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace.

    BBC says the award comes as the EU faces the biggest crisis of its history, with recession and social unrest rocking many of its member states.

    The last organisation to be given the award outright was Medecins Sans Frontieres, which won in 1999.

    Announcing the award, Nobel committee president Thorbjoern Jagland acknowledged the EU’s current financial problems and social unrest.

    But he said the committee wanted to concentrate on the body’s work over six decades of advancing “peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights.”

    The committee president highlighted the EU’s work in sealing the reconciliation between France and Germany in the decades after World War II.

    And he praised the organisation for incorporating Spain, Portugal and Greece after their authoritarian regimes collapsed in the 1970s.

    He said the EU’s reconciliation work had now moved to Balkan countries, and pointed out that Croatia was on the verge of membership.

    Reacting to the award, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on his Twitter feed: “It is a great honour for the whole of the EU, all 500 million citizens, to be awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace prize.”

     

  • Ogun Assembly passes AIDS Control Agency bill

    The Ogun State House of Assembly has passed into law the bill for the state Action Committee on AIDS (OGSACA) to become an agency.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that this followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Health.

    The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Aina Akinpelu, said in Abeokuta on Thursday that the passage of the bill would enable the agency to mobilise resources and coordinate equitable application of HIV and AIDS activities.

    He said the transformation of the Ogun State Action Committee on HIV and AIDS into an agency would ensure effectiveness and attract both local and international development partners to assist the state in its fight against HIV and AIDS.

    Akinpelu said that members of the board of the agency would include two members of the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS, an NGO, and a member of the Nigerian Union of Journalists.

    The Speaker, Mr. Suraj Adekunbi, directed that a clean copy of the bill be sent to the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun for his assent.

     

  • Gbagbo’s general jailed in Ivory Coast

    Gbagbo’s general jailed in Ivory Coast

    A top military commander under Ivory Coast’s former president Laurent Gbagbo was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday in the first trial involving an accused instigator of last year’s post-election violence.

    Reuters says General Bruno Dogbo Ble headed the elite Republican Guard during the brief conflict, which killed more than 3,000 people and erupted after Gbagbo refused to accept his defeat to rival Alassane Ouattara in an election held in late 2010.

    “Dogbo Ble is guilty of complicity in kidnapping, illegal detention and murder … The tribunal condemns him to 15 years of military detention,” lead judge Mathurin Yao Kanga told a court in the commercial capital Abidjan.

    The prosecution had requested a sentence of 20 years.

    A staunch Gbagbo loyalist, Dogno Ble and four co-defendants were charged over the abduction and killing of retired Colonel-Major Adama Dosso in March 2011, at the height of the violence.

    Dosso was leaving Ouattara’s headquarters at Abidjan’s lagoon-side Golf Hotel when he was stopped at a roadblock manned by pro-Gbagbo soldiers. It was widely believed he was planning to throw his allegiance behind Ouattara.

    His body was later discovered beside a motorway.

    While several of his co-defendants admitted to their role in the killing during the trial, Dogbo Ble denied ordering the murder and told the court he was proud of his service during the conflict.

  • Firm tasks designers on customised carpets

    Firm tasks designers on customised carpets

    Manufacturer of Nobel rugs and carpets, Lucky Fibre Plc., has urged professionals in the home furniture, office, and interior design industry to improve on their skills to propel the sector.

    The call was made during the annual specialised exposition and workshop on building, construction and infrastructural development held in Abuja.

    According to the General Manager, Lucky Fibres Plc, Mr Kunal Malhotra, the building, construction and infrastructural development sector demands professionalism to thrive; and customisation has become the rule of the game.

    “In today’s highly competitive business environment where the consumer has become sophisticated, customisation and specification has become the rule of the game for budding players in the Home, Office, and Interior Design business landscape. There has been an increasing focus on customising products to specification of consumers demand. Only professionals who pay attention to specific details and constantly offer innovative products will continue to thrive in the industry,” he said.

    Lucky Fibres also offered its clients and prospective customers a stage-by-stage demonstration of the processes involved in the manufacture of their world class Nobel Carpets and Rugs range.

    “We pride ourselves on the high quality of products being manufactured by Lucky Fibres as the production facilitiesare world class and have received many awards.It was quite delightful taking customers through the painstaking process involved to manufacture our rugs and customised contract products,” Malhotra said.

  • Family of slain monarch seeks justice

    The family of the Ajalaye 1 of Ofefe land in Odigbo Kingdom, Ondo State, His Royal Majesty Oloja Ajihan, has urged the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar to intervene and monitor the investigation of the brutal killing of their patriarch last December at his residence.

    Addressing reporters in Akure, counsel to the Ajihan family, L.K. Dare and Co. Legal Practitioners said it has become a matter of urgency for the IGP to personally monitor the proceeding of the case because the police officers handling the matter at Akure were not doing justice to it.

    Dare said: “Our brief is to call the IGP to personally intervene in this matter and to call the general public and well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the IGP to show interest before the situation escalates.”

    The solicitor explained that petitions were written to the IGP over the murder of Ajihan by some gunmen who also allegedly stole his N200,000. The petition was approved and sent to SAR Lagos for investigation following which three arrests were made.

    He said further: “Lagos SAR swung into action immediately and have arrested three suspects two of whom actually shot Oloja Ajihan dead on December 1, 2011. The principal suspect was invited by the SAR Lagos, but rather than honour police invitation in January 2012, he went to X-squad in Akure.”

    Dare stated that the X-squad has no business with the investigation, “It is our information that X-squad can only deal with members of police force where cases of bribery, abuse of office or fraud are involved and can only report to provost for discipline.”

    He maintained that some of those who were arrested in the course of the investigation have now become friends of the police, making all information in their petition available to them and equally telling them what to avoid.

    The body of the late Oba which is still lying in the mortuary would only be properly interred when full investigation and justice have been done in the matter as it was currently in the court.

    He added: “The body of the murdered Ajihan is still in mortuary and that our two petitions are now being frustrated, truncated and scuttled by CP X-squad, and some officers of the police force.”

    Earlier, A High Court ordered the Ondo State Police Command to continue with the investigation into the death of slain Oba. Justice Isaiah Adegbenro granted an order of mandamus compelling the IGP, the Police Service Commission and Commissioner of Police to continue with the murder case of Ajihan.

     

     

    The Judge had berated the police for discontinuing the investigation as alleged by the family. “Application for an order of mandamus to compel the respondent to continue police investigation into this case from where the original investigation stopped is granted as prayed.”

     

  • Keystone Bank MD resigns

    Keystone Bank MD resigns

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Keystone Bank Limited, Mr. Oti Ikomi has resigned his appointment.

    Ikomi according to a statement by the Head, Corporate Communication of the bank, Dafe Iwvurie resigned on Thursday based on personal reasons.

    A seasoned professional banker with a wealth of experience spanning over two decades, Ikomi was appointed CEO of Keystone Bank in August 2011.

    The Chairman of Keystone Bank, Mr. Moyo Ajekigbe has convened a meeting for friday to review the development and appoint a successor.

    Keystone Bank is an insured, full service commercial bank granted banking licence on 5 August 2011 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and wholly owned by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

     

     

  • Mother of twins commits suicide, jumps into Osun river

    A few days after she was delivered of a set of twins, Mrs Shekinat Abdurazaq, 27, allegedly committed suicide on Wednesday when she jumped into the Osun River in Ede.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred at about 3.30 p.m. on the Osun River Bridge on the Oke Gada Road.

    NAN learnt that the woman, who hailed from Ede in Osun, delivered the twins 11 days ago.

    An eyewitness account revealed that shortly before Abdurazaq jumped into the river, she reportedly prayed and gave alms to beggars around the bridge head.

    One of the eyewitnesses, who identified himself as Selia Mojeed, told NAN that people did not know that Abdurazaq wanted to commit suicide, else they would have prevented her from doing so.

    Although efforts to speak with her husband failed, it was said that the woman had no outstanding problems with her spouse, family or neighbours before the incident.

    Efforts by sympathisers and passersby to rescue the woman failed as she was said to have drowned immediately.

    Shortly after the incident, her husband who also attempted to jump into the river was prevented from doing so by onlookers.

    NAN reports that the police later whisked away the deceased’s husband and placed him under safe custody at the Police “A” Division in Ede.

    Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Folasade Odoro, confirmed the incident.