The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • 3 Nigerian pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia

    Three Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia have died, Dr Bello Tambawwal, the Head of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria Medina Mission, said.

    Tambawwal made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) in an interview in Medina, saying the pilgrims were from Kebbi, Kano and Katsina states.

    He said the first was a pilgrim from Kano State, who died aboard the plane conveying him and others in the inaugural flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

    He said the others died in Medina from illnesses but added that ” both of them were in their ripe age at the time of their death.’’

    Tambawwal said the Nigerian mission was working hard to ensure that medical services were available to the pilgrims always by operating two clinics in Medina, which rendered services for 24 hours.

    He said the commission was working with the medical teams of state pilgrims’ boards to ensure that priority attention was given to the health- care of pilgrims.

    He commended FCT, Edo, Jigawa, Osun and Kogi states for their zeal and commitment to the health-care of their pilgrims and urged others to emulate them.

    Tambawwal also commended the states for the thorough screening of intending female pilgrims, which resulted to none carrying a pregnancy unlike in the past.

    ”Last year we had nine cases of pregnancy cases, resulting in still birth or safe delivery of the babies but we have no pregnancy cases this year”, he said.

  • Plateau: Slain legislator’s wife wins election

    Kaneng, the wife of the late Majority Leader of Plateau House of Assembly, Gyang Fulani, was elected on Saturday to replace her husband on the Barkin Ladi State constituency seat.

    The seat became vacant following the death of Fulani with Sen. Gyang Dantong, on July 8 in a stampede when gunmen attacked mourners at Maseh, a village in the Bachit District of Riyom Local Government Area.

    Similarly, Mr Gyang Pwajok won the election for Plateau North Senatorial District made vacant by the death of Dantong.

    Both candidates contested the by-elections on Saturday on the platform of PDP.

    The INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Fatima Sawa of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, said Pwajok scored 195,349 votes to beat retired Col. David Dungs of DPP, who polled 38,847 votes and others.

    Sawa also announced that APGA’s Chris Giwa scored 36,245 votes, while Danladi Atu of ANPP got 30,132 votes and Yusuf Pam, of ACN received 27,609 votes in the Senate race.

    She said Lumumba Adeh of LP got 25,527 votes in the election.

    “Pwajok, having satisfied the requirements of the law and having scored the highest number of votes required, is hereby declared winner of the Plateau North senatorial district election,” she said.

    INEC also announced that Kaneng polled 33,549 votes to beat Bulus Bot of DPP, who scored 6,718 votes and Ezekiel Gwom of ACN, who got 4,267 votes.

    The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Plateau, Mr Habu Zarma, in an address, appealed to the winner to be magnanimous in victory and carry others along.

    He attributed the peace that prevailed during the elections to “the hand of God at work in Plateau”.

    The Director-General of Pwajok Campaign Organisation, Mr Abbey Aku, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the results were declared that the PDP victory was for all Plateau people.

    “The victory is for all Plateau people and I wish to call on the co-contestants to unite around the winner so as to get the best from the Senate,’’ he said.

    Before entering the race, Pwajok, a former University of Jos Political Science teacher, was the Chief of Staff to Governor Jonah Jang. (NAN)

     

  • Police search for killers of UNIPORT students

    The Police Command in Rivers State has launched a manhunt of the mob that beat to death four male students: Ugonna, Ilyod, Tekana and Chidiaka of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) on Friday morning and later set them ablaze, after putting car tyres on their necks, for allegedly  stealing mobile phones and laptops.

    The incident occured at Aluu community, beside UNIPORT, where most of the students who could not secure accommodation on the campus reside.

    Residents of the community have started fleeing to avoid indiscriminate arrest by policemen, especially of innocent persons.

    The Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ben Ugwuegbulam, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), in a telephone interview confirmed that four persons were killed on Friday at Aluu for allegedly  stealing, but could not ascertain if the victims were students of UNIPORT or not.

    Ugwuegbulam also stated that the  police command was investigating the unfortunate incident, while warning residents of the state against taking the law into their own hands.

    The police spokesman urged members of the public to always make useful information about criminals in their midst available to the command, while assuring that their identities would be well protected.

    It was learnt that the owners of the expensive mobile phones, including BlackBerry and the laptops at the off-campus hostel, complained to their friends over the loss of the items, thereby raising the alarm, which attracted indigenes of Aluu and passers-by.

    The missing phones and laptops were later reportedly  traced to the killed students, who were young men in their early 20s, and were said to have denied knowledge of the development. Without being given the opportunity to defend themselves, they were beaten to death and set ablaze by the angry mob.

    The horrible and blood-soaked corpses of the victims were later deposited at the morgue of an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

    UNIPORT’s Deputy Registrar, Information, Dr. Williams Wodi, when contacted yesterday for his reaction on the incident, said: “Right now, I am not in a position to confirm to you that the alleged victims are bona fide students of UNIPORT, as is being widely speculated.

    “The alleged incident took place at Aluu village, about two kilometres outside our main campus. We do not have responsibility for security in Aluu communities, which are beyond our jurisdiction. The relevant security outfits are working with our security department to establish the true identities of the victims and what actually transpired on the day of the reported incident.

    “The Dean of Student Affairs (of UNIPORT) is also working round the clock to establish their identities as students of UNIPORT. The university will certainly issue a statement once preliminary facts are laid on the table.”

     

     

  • I felt like killing myself when we lost to France – Goal-keeper

    Flamingoes’ goal-keeper Gift Andy said she felt like killing herself after her side lost 3-5 to France in Thursday’s quarter-final match of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan.

    Nigeria’s Flamingoes lost through penalty kicks following a goalless regulation time.

    During the spot-kick, she was unable to save any of the five shots from France’s players leading to the Flamingoes’ elimination from the World Cup.

    The goal-keeper told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on the team’s return from Azerbaijan on Friday night, that she almost saved one of the spot-kicks.

    “During the penalty kicks, I thought that I had the ball in my hands, but it slipped into the net.

    “When that happened, I felt like killing myself and have been crying ever since.

    “I feel sad because I should have saved some of the shots but I couldn’t.’’

    She said she was further saddened because the team missed the opportunity to win FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan.

    “It is most painful to me because I am 17 years old, which means I cannot play in the next U-17 World Cup.

    “I have to graduate to U-20, So, I just feel very bad about missing the World Cup,’’ she said.

    The goal-keeper told NAN that she felt bad for falling short of the expectations of Nigerians.

    “Nigerians only want good results and, knowing this, I was determined to excel but luck was not on our side,’’ she said.

    It would be recalled that while the goal-keeper failed to save the spot-kicks, a Flamingoes’ striker missed her shot.

    In her reaction, Sarah Nnodim, the striker who lost her penalty kick, told NAN that she was haunted by the guilt that she gave the victory to France.

    “Taking the penalty kick on Thursday, I was confident that I had selected the right angle, but I do not know what happened and the ball went wide.

    “Because of losing my penalty kick, I felt from that moment as if I had given our opponents the victory,’’ she explained.

    The striker, who scored four goals in her team’s victory over Colombia and host Azerbaijan at the group stage of the Women’s World Cup, said she felt her team had already lost to France the moment she missed her spot-kick.

    “The truth is that, it is very difficult for any goal-keeper to catch a penalty.

    “So, the moment a player misses the spot-kick, it will be difficult for the team to recover.’’

  • Distiller condemns adulteration of alcoholic beverages

    A Port Harcourt-based distiller, Mr. Isaac Agbana, has advised those in the habit of adulterating alcoholic beverages to check their action for the health of the consumers and the nation.

    Agbana, who gave the advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Port Harcourt on Friday, said adulteration of such spirits could cause terminal sickness such as cancer.

    Agbana, an Operations Manager, Intercontinental distillers, decried the high rate of adulteration in the production of alcoholic beverages in the country.

    According to him, diseases like cancer that can kill faster than HIV/AIDS can be as a result of adulterated spirits.

    “ Part of the challenges facing distilling companies is the danger posed by illegal producers to the consumers.

    “For instance, producing the wrong type of Chelsea dry gin for consumers or even dark rum is very dangerous.

    “These drinks are done under strict adherence to set out stipulations; adulterating them will definitely harm consumers,” he warned.

     

     

  • South Korea, U.S to boost missile capability

    South Korea, U.S to boost missile capability

    South Korea and the United States have reached an agreement on extending the range of Seoul’s ballistic missiles to counter the threat from North Korea, local media reported on Saturday, citing unnamed government officials.

    Reuters reports that under an agreement signed in 1979 and then revised in 2001 between the two military allies, the range of South Korean missiles is limited to 300 kilometers (186 miles) and a payload of 500 kilograms (1,102 lbs).

    But Seoul has long urged Washington to amend the pact enabling the South to produce missiles that could reach anywhere in North Korea to deter the communist state’s cross-border provocations.

    A government source told the influential Chosun Ilbo daily on Friday that the two countries had wrapped up negotiations on extending the range of the ballistic missiles to 800 kilometers to cover all of North Korea.

    The unnamed government source was quoted as saying the two sides have also agreed to maintain the payload limit at the current level of 500 kilograms.

     

  • New Deputy Governor sworn-in for Taraba

    New Deputy Governor sworn-in for Taraba

    Alhaji Garba Umar, a businessman and politician, has been sworn-in as the new Deputy Governor of Taraba State.

    Presiding over the ceremony at the Dome of the Jallingo Motel on Friday, Gov. Danbaba Suntai urged the new deputy governor to live up to the dictates of the oath of office he swore to.

    He said that it was the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Taraba State and urged all to rally round government to ensure that the interest of the state was put first.

    Suntai said that as the number two officer in the State, Garba was expected to carry the people along in harmony with the PDP, the ruling party in the State.

    In his acceptance speech, the new deputy governor pledged total loyalty to the Governor as well as the people of the State.

    NAN reports that Garba’s appointment followed the impeachment on Thursday of the former Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sani Abubakar, based on allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by the State lawmakers.

    The State’s Acting Chief Judge, Justice Josephine Tuktur, administered the oath of office on Garba at a crowded ceremony amidst tight security. (NAN)

  • EFCC arraigns 13 new oil marketers for N4.6 billion subsidy fraud

    EFCC arraigns 13 new oil marketers for N4.6 billion subsidy fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned 13 new oil marketers at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja for fuel subsidy fraud in the sum of N4.6 billion.

    The EFCC alleged that they obtained the money by false pretence and using fake documents.

    Ten of the oil marketers, made up of six persons and four companies, were arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru while the remaining three, made up of two individuals and one company were arraigned before Justice Lateefa Okunnnu.

    The six indicted oil marketers and their four companies were arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru on an eight- count charge.

    The charges bordered on “conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy to forge documents and uttering false documents”.

    The EFCC alleged that the marketers and their companies had conspired to and also obtain huge sums of money from the Federal Government of Nigeria, purporting the sum to be payment for subsidy under the Petrol Support Fund for the purported importation of Premium Motor spirit from Europe to Nigeria.

    Those arraigned before Justice Abiru are Anosyke Group of Companies Ltd, Ifeanyi Anosike, Dell Energy Ltd, Emeka Chukwu, Ngozi Ekeoma, Downstream Energy Sources Ltd, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Maula, Rocky Energy Ltd, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel.

    According to the charge sheets, Anosyke Group of Companies, Ifeanyi Anosike, Dell Energy Limited, Emeka Chukwu and Ngozi Ekeoma were arraigned on an eight count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain by false pretence; forgery and uttering false documents to the tune of N1,537,278,880.82( One Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and

    Eighty Naira, Eighty-Two Kobo), being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported supply of 15, 000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit.

    On the other hand, the commission arraigned Downstream Energy Sources Limited, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Maula, Rocky Energy Limited, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel Morah on an eight count charge also bordering on conspiracy to obtain property by false pretence; conspiracy to forge documents, forgery and uttering false documents to the tune of N789,648,329.25( Seven Hundred and Eighty Nine Million, Six Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty Nine Naira, Twenty-Five Kobo), being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported supply of 14,273,0227 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

    The EFCC claimed that all the defendants at various times, forged different bill of ladens for Premium Motor Spirit, PMS not supplied all in a bid to claim the federal government subsidy on fuel.

    The ten accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges and their counsel applied for a date for hearing of bail application for them.

    They also prayed the court to order that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody as against prison custody.

    Justice Abiru granted the request of the defendants as he ordered that they be remanded in EFCC custody.

    He thereafter adjourned the matter till October 19, 2012 for hearing of their bail applications.

  • JTF arrests 20 Ghanaians, 6 Nigerians for alleged bunkering

    JTF arrests 20 Ghanaians, 6 Nigerians for alleged bunkering

    The Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta said on Friday that it arrested 20 Ghanaians and six Nigerians over alleged illegal bunkering.

    Brig.-Gen.Tukur Buratai, the Commander, Sector II of the task force, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt.

    Sector II of the task force comprises Rivers and Bayelsa States.

    Buratai said the task force had also destroyed seven barges loaded with crude oil, adding that the barges were impounded in September at Abonnema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The task force commander, however, did not disclose the quantity of the crude oil impounded by the task force.

    Buratai, who is also the Commander, 2 Brigade of the Army in Port Harcourt, said the arrested Ghanaians and Nigerians had been handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for prosecution.

    Cue in audio

    ‘’ There were some arrests and they have all been handed over to the civil defence for prosecution.

    ‘’ And, as you are aware, these barges have been operating within this area. They take advantage of the creeks, the difficult terrain, to sneak into the area and then steal the crude oil.

    ‘’But, luck ran out for them, we were able to intercept them.’’

    Cue out audio

    He said the difficult terrain had made it difficult for its gunboats to penetrate the creeks because some areas had shallow water.

    ‘’ But, by and large, we have taken full control and we are able to take on the oil thieves squarely.’’ (NAN)

  • CAN condemns killing of students in Adamawa

    CAN condemns killing of students in Adamawa

    Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has condemned the killing of over 40 students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, and the School of Health Technology in Adamawa.

    Oritsejafor, in a statement on Thursday said CAN rejected the theory of election dispute as responsible for the massacre of over 40 students, having regards to the manner it was reportedly carried out.

    “It believes that the reason is phoney and that such a theory, arrived at in haste, can only serve to shield the real culprits and cover up their motives.

    “We are, however, consoled by the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan that security agencies should promptly arrest the killers of the students.

    “CAN is of the view that the Federal Government should go beyond this directive and ensure that those caught are made to face the full weight of the laws of our land.

    “It is unacceptable to CAN that students whose parents have spent fortunes on their education, would be cut down by some elements in the society whose trade-mark is blood and sorrow.”

    Oritsejafor noted that it was gratifying that some arrests had been made by the Police.

    “We call on the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that those arrested are the real culprits, so that the innocent would not suffer for the sins of villains like the gunmen.

    “The Police should not arrest those fleeing in the name of making a breakthrough.

    “Security agencies must fish out the gunmen and there should be no cover up,” he added.

    The cleric said CAN believed in the oneness of Nigeria– in accordance with her secular status– and would, therefore, kick against any divisive actions of groups or individuals.

    “ It is for this reason that we call on all men and women of goodwill in Nigeria to join the government to fight what may snowball into a religious or ethnic war on account of the siege on her.

    “We plead with the National Assembly to speed up the bill on anti-terrorism and to introduce clauses that would discourage those with penchant for murder, bombing and other terrorist activities.

    “CAN vehemently condemns the barbaric act of the gunmen,” he said.

    Oritsejafor said CAN commiserated with families who lost their loved ones, students and the authorities of the affected institutions.(NAN)