The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Reports

  • Shettima, Wike, others for Abuja’s private sports, recreational centre launch

    Shettima, Wike, others for Abuja’s private sports, recreational centre launch

    An exciting chapter in Abuja’s recreational landscape is set to unfold as Monoliza Sports Centre prepares for its grand launch on Saturday, April 27.

    Vice President Kashim Shettima will grace the occasion as the special guest of honour, marking a significant milestone in the capital city’s leisure and sports scene.

    Located at the centre of Abuja, between Asokoro, Garki, and Central Area, the launch event promises to be the epitome of excitement, drawing a diverse crowd of sports enthusiasts and fun-seekers from across the capital city.

    Among the distinguished guests expected to attend are; the Honourable Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike, who will serve as the Guest of Honour, and the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh will be a special guest.

    Read Also: Damagum’s survival not defeat for Atiku or victory for Wike, says Abba Moro

    Also, the minister of women affairs, Hon. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, and minister of youth, Jamila Bio Ibrahim, will grace the occasion as special guests.

    Notable personalities such as Lola Ade-John, Honourable Minister of Tourism, and Hon. Ayodele Olawande, Honourable Minister of State for Youth, will also be in attendance, adding to the event’s prestige and significance.

    In a statement released by Mohammed Jammal, the Managing Director of Monoliza Centre, anticipation for the grand opening of Abuja’s multi-billion Naira state-of-the-art sports and recreational facility is palpable.

    Jammal emphasized that the centre is meticulously designed to offer family-friendly entertainment and a recreational experience, catering to the diverse needs of the Abuja community.

    Mohammed Jammal further elaborated that the sports arena includes, but is not limited to, a 5-aside football, running track, swimming pool, multipurpose playground for basketball, volleyball, Padel Tennis, tennis courts, mini-golf court, horse riding, PaintBalling, Amusement Park and a massive events centre of over 600 people. This comprehensive array of facilities underscores Monoliza Sports Centre’s commitment to providing a holistic recreational experience for visitors of all ages and interests.

  • NGO seeks end to plastic pollution in Nigeria

    NGO seeks end to plastic pollution in Nigeria

    Determined to ensure a toxic-free future, a non governmental organization known as CFEW has launched campaign against the dangers associated with plastic recycling and pollution in Nigeria. 

    The NGO said the time is ripe to put an end to use of plastics and recycling of plastic across the country.

    It said Nigerian citizens have over the last century exposed to all mannar of toxic chemicals emanating from usage and recycling of plastics.

    Read Also: How plastic pollution endangers our lives, by expert

    Briefing reporters in Jos, a research associate of CFEW, Stanley Okwara, noted that the federal ministry of environment is already spareheading the campaign against environmental pollution. 

    He said: “From the beginning, it was thought that it was convenient to use plastics in our daily activities, but we have realized we are already in danger of environmental disaster. 

    “Now our environment is flooded with plastics, our efforts to manage and recycle these plastics is getting us into more trouble as we exposed to more to all manner of toxic chemicals.

    Okwara called on Nigerians to intensify campaign against proliferation of plastic to reduce the harmful chemical in our environment.

  • Louis Ekere emerges vice president, as ship owners elects new excos

    Louis Ekere emerges vice president, as ship owners elects new excos

    The Group Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited and Welled Healthcare Limited, Dr Louis Ekere, has emerged Vice President in the newly elected Executive Council of the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN).

     The Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) inaugurated New Executive Council (NEC) members into its fold on Friday at an event held at the Oriental Hotel, in Lekki, Lagos.

    Ekere’s induction has been widely acknowledged by stakeholders in the sector, as an honour well deserved, with pundits citing his accomplishments as a resourceful entrepreneur.

    Ekere has been hailed as a true visionary, change-maker and revolutionary, who has demonstrated a bold entrepreneurial spirit that continues to leave indelible marks on the Nigerian and African shipping circuit. He is expected to leverage his business acumen to disrupt the status quo and entrench delicate balance in one breath.

    Read Also: U.S varsity honours businessman

    Observers in the industry have also described Dr. Louis Ekere as an individual with a high level of professionalism, with an innovative and proactive approach to solving problems in the industry and the nation at large.

    Ekere’s story has elements of what we think of as a typically Nigerian story — of passion, ingenuity, and, ultimately, honest industry, a member remarked.

    A seasoned professional, Ekere, is a recipient of the National Recognition and Achievement Award for the Officer of the Order of Niger (OON) conferred on him by the Federal Government of Nigeria for service to humanity and important contributions to the maritime, oil and gas, and healthcare industries in Nigeria.

    He is also a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award conferred by former U.S President Donald Trump in 2019 and was also conferred with an honorary doctorate degree by the Trinity International University of Ambassadors Georgia, United States. He is a member of the Institute of Directors Nigeria (IOD).

  • Conflict-affected Adamawa communities trained to tell own stories for intervention

    Conflict-affected Adamawa communities trained to tell own stories for intervention

    Communities affected by conflicts around Adamawa State have received training on how to tell their own stories of need, so that they can attract intervention projects from government and development agencies.

    Under the programme, Vulnerability to Changes in the Water Systems in Conflict Affected Communities in Adamawa State, the focus is on poor water systems and how participants who are locals of affected communities can tell their own stories through photographs and videos.

    Mr Adebayo Oke of International Water Management Institute (IWMI), one of the organisations involved in the programme, said the training workshop, which took place in Yola, is about how to build capacity of people facing water scarcity to speak for themselves, using digital resources.

    “Representatives of the focus communities have been here these past few days receiving training on communicating their own challenges by themselves,” Mr Oke said, adding that conflict situations such as insurgency attacks and communal clashes may have reduced, “but when it comes to access to water, there are still a lot of challenges.”

    Read Also: NIS train coaches, administrators in Adamawa

    He explained that the training, otherwise termed Photo Voice Workshop, is so called because the idea is to enable people in conflict-affected areas to capture their real-time situations.

    A liaison officer of IWMI, Dr Ahmadu Tafida, further explained that the workshop is part of the larger project on Vulnerability to Changes in Water Systems in Conflict-Affected Areas targeting 10 of Adamawa’s 21 LGAs.

    Tafida, who is a lecturer with the Modibbo Adama University, Yola, said the idea was to train people who will return to their communities and over time document their challenges with water, and by so doing, develop a robust data-base that will provide entry points to international development agencies.

    A communications specialist connected to the project, Mr Dayo Ibitoye, said the bigger programme, Vulnerability to Changes in the Water Systems, focuses on communities that have been impacted by conflicts because such communities were made vulnerable and placed in need for intervention.

  • Climate change advocates canvass fund to meet evolving needs

    Climate change advocates canvass fund to meet evolving needs

    The Director General, National Council on Climate Change, Salisu Dahiru has appealed for finance to meet urgent and evolving needs amongst others in climate change, with a new target on tripling renewables and doubling energy efficiency by 2030.

    Dahiru made this appeal at a one-day national workshop on review of the outcome of the 28th session of the conference of parties of United Nations framework Convention on Climate Change in Abuja, noting that with the adoption and operationalisation, there will be need to scale up adaptation in finance to meet urgent needs.

    The DG said, “It is critical to note that these actions include an unprecedented reference to transitioning away from all fossil fuels in energy systems. This should be done in a just and orderly way, equitable manner in this critical decade to enable the world to reach net zero emissions by 2050, in keeping with the science.

    Read Also:Geoscientist Ige talks climate change adaptation, others

    “Our participation at COP 28 through statements, negotiations and other engagements reaffirmed the need for strengthened collective climate change action across three pillars of Adaptation, Finance, and Mitigation.  Also, in other cross-cutting areas of technology and capacity development.

    “As an oil producing and developing nation, the agreements forged during COP28 pose the need for a strategic review of our national actions and climate goals. Hence, this workshop presents a pivotal opportunity for us to reflect on these outcomes and chart a path forward towards sustainable solutions as we speed our transition to a climate-resilient future”.

    Dahiru assured of inclusive participatory process to motivate actions towards seeking higher ambitious goals for the nation’s transition to low carbon economy and to create a forum for government, businesses, states and other stakeholders to continue to shape and strengthen the climate action processes in Nigeria.

  • Despite apology, Bauchi Police arrest student for defamation on Facebook

    Despite apology, Bauchi Police arrest student for defamation on Facebook

    Operatives of the Bauchi Police Command have arrested one Usman Adamu, a 34-year-old final-year student of Law at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, for alleged harassment and defamation of character on Facebook.

    The Nation reports that Adamu, a native of Kyata village in Burra district of Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, was accused of defaming a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the State, CSP Danladi Mohammed, on his Facebook page.

    The police alleged that the suspect identified with Facebook user name, Adamu Usman Kyata, made some defamatory comments posted on his page against a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Danladi Mohammed.

    Narrating the incident that led to the Facebook post, a statement by the Spokesman of the Bauchi State Police Command, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil on Saturday, revealed that, “A complaint was received by Burra Divisional Police Headquarters on April 2, 2024 about an incident that occurred on the same date at about 1200hrs.”

     “One Abdulmumuni Liman, alias Kwakiya of Kyata village via the same Burra District, invited some members of a volunteer group popularly known as “Babeli,” led by one Yahaya Zomo from Toro LGA, Bauchi State to the Dangarfa village.

    “The complainant alleged that Abdulmumuni Liman assaulted and inflicted various degrees of injuries on him over a land dispute.

    “The detectives visited the crime scene and took the victims to General Hospital, Burra for treatment. To further the investigation and unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, the Divisional Police Officer invited the suspect (Abdulmumuni Liman) for questioning over his action, but he vehemently dishonored the invitation.”

    The PPRO added, “The suspect’s action also sparked an outcry that led to a mob mobilising in solidarity with the complainant against the said Abdulmumuni Liman, which escalated into a physical confrontation between the two sides.”

    He said the situation was promptly resolved by a team of policemen, led by the DPO, and suspects were arrested during the ensuing melee and transferred to Ningi Area Command for further investigation as directed by the Commissioner of Police.

    According to SP Wakil, to prevent misinformation and its consequences to the peace and security of the community, Usman Abdulmumin’s son was arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet investigation alongside other suspects involved.

    Read Also: Abia Police Command arrests killer cop

    He stated that Usman made a confessional statement, disclosing that he made the online publication based on hearsay and without having in-depth knowledge of what had transpired in his father’s case, while regretting his action, and asked the authorities and the DPO in particular for forgiveness.

    The apology published on Adamu Facebook page on April 8, 2024 prior to his arrest partly reads: “We all make mistakes. It matters not what profession is your calling, what faith, or law you adhere to, what color is your skin, or what gender you are, or where you are born, or by whom, the level of your education, past experiences, and all of sorts. As long as you are a human being, you must make mistakes. Infallibility is to God, fallibility is to human beings….

    “I write here specifically to say that I sincerely apologize to the D.P.O. I said so many things that I feel utterly sorry about, and here I am as a human being capable of not always doing things- making mistakes- to say that everyone that came across my write-up should disregard them.

  • Taraba: 170kg fish highlights Nwonyo int’l fishing festival

    Taraba: 170kg fish highlights Nwonyo int’l fishing festival

    Hudu Abubakar has emerged winner of the Nwonyo International Fishing Festival with a catch of 170kg fish and a car gift.

    He was followed by Samaila Yakubu, who caught a fish weighing 150 kg and Yusuf Abubakar, with a catch weighing 120kg.

    The event, which was last held in 2010, featured a boat regatta, swimming competition and fishing competition in the Nwonyo Lake which borders the River Benue.

    Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas, noted at the event that the festival was one of various ways his administration was promoting justice and peace among the different groups in the state.

    In his goodwill message, the Namibian ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Godfrey Gesset, acknowledged the relationship between his country and Nigeria, which dates back to the days of the Namibian liberation struggle. He said Namibia is a great fishing nation after mining and that Africans can grow their tourism by cooperating with one another.

    Read Also: Tinubu in Kebbi, vows to boost agriculture,revive Argungu Fishing Festival

    In his goodwill message, the Federal Minister of Tourism, Tony Ojeh, said the festival has provided “us the platform to showcase our culture” and celebrate our collective identity. He added that it was a reminder of the importance of preserving our natural resources.

    Other goodwill messages were delivered by the Rivers State Commissioner of Tourism on behalf of his colleagues from across the country and senator, representing Taraba Central in the National Assembly, Haruna Manu. According to Manu, he and his colleagues at the National Assembly will serve as ambassadors of the festival and that they will strive to make it an international event.

    The festival was graced by visitors from within and outside Nigeria.

  • Kano: 45 CSOs ask EFCC to investigate, prosecute Kwankwaso

    Kano: 45 CSOs ask EFCC to investigate, prosecute Kwankwaso

    Forty-five Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the platform of Justice for All (JA) have written the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the tenure of a former Kano Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, with a view to prosecuting him if found wanting.

    Kwankwaso, the current national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), governed Kano State from 1999 to 2003 and 2011 to 2015.

    Justice for All (JA), in a letter to the EFCC, co-signed by Auwalu Ibrahim and Dr. Dave Ogbole as chairman and co-chairman, respectively, on behalf of the 45 CSOs, said its call became necessary to ensure that the resources of Kano State are accounted for given the unprecedented hardship that the people of the state are facing.

    The letter explained that the EFCC investigation being demanded would help bridge the gap in ensuring that incidences of corruption under past administrations are investigated since the incumbent state government is covering the years after Kwankwaso’s tenures.

    The petition reads: “Justice for All ( JA) is particularly demanding that the EFCC focuses attention on the management of local government allocation under Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s, internally generated revenue during his tenure and the utilisation of allocations from the Federation’s Account.

    “In 2015 alone, the 44 Local Government Areas of the state received N107.29 billion in Federal Allocations but there is nothing on the ground that showed this amount was judiciously spent. The feelers in the state were that the council bosses at time remitted the money to the governor on his instructions.

    “We are also seeking an investigation into the sales of Kano State Government’s assets especially the identities of those who bought the assets, the correct valuation of the assets as at the time of sale, confirmation that buyers paid for the assets, and how the proceeds from the sales of assets were spent.

    “Our request for this investigation follows the discovery that the administration in question might have been involved in grand that allowed the resources of the state to be looted on a mind-boggling scale. We have cause to believe that Kwankwaso, his family members and associates might have illegally benefitted from this aberration. 

    “We have also noted that the state has not demonstrated a willingness to investigate the suspected corruption and theft of government resources by the past administration. The immediate past government of Abdullahi Ganduje failed to investigate Kwankwaso’s tenure(s) and the incumbent government of Governor Abba Yusuf has also not demonstrated a willingness to do so,” the group wrote in the letter.

    JA urged the EFCC to do all that is necessary to make the Kwankwaso administration accountable for how Kano State’s resources were managed during the tenure similar to how it has gone after the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

    Read Also: Revisit Kwankwaso, Ganduje’s disagreement, Lukman appeals to Tinubu

    It said, “Justice for All (JA), hereby gives the EFCC a 48 hours ultimatum to open investigations into the tenure(s) of former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso given the serious allegations of corruption that have been levelled against his administration.

    “We see this as a unique opportunity for your Commission to redeem itself as a non-politicised entity that acts on citizens’ petitions to investigate cases of corruption as opposed to being the wrong impression that people hold of the organization as an attack dog that the federal government set on those it is opposed to.

    “As a show of good faith, we expect the EFCC to immediately freeze all accounts linked to Kwankwaso and his family until he returns every single penny taken from the treasure of Kano state,” the group stated.

  • ANA to Wike: Reconsider your decision to close down ICC

    ANA to Wike: Reconsider your decision to close down ICC

    The Arewa New Agenda (ANA) has urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike to reconsider his termination of the International Conference Center’s (ICC) management contract for renovation, citing concerns over due process and potential negative impacts on investment, tourism, and the economy.

    ANA emphasized at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday that the abrupt revocation and the threat of closure could trigger a series of problems, especially since the center is booked for activities throughout the year.

    ANA’s Deputy Chairman, Prof. Adamu Usman, dismissed the Minister’s reasons for the action as unsubstantial, pointing out that the Center’s managers, Integrated Facility Management Services Ltd (FMSL), had already transformed the facility into a flexible venue that can cater to clients’ specific needs.

    Noting that due process was jettisoned by the Minister, Usman said, “As it stands today, the ICC is in its best form delivering first class and five-star services to its clients. To embark on a so-called renovation at this time is to engage in a wasteful exercise.

    “If it is not broken, why mend it? We hasten to state that the ICC is managed by Integrated facility managers under a subsisting management contract with Abuja Investment Company Ltd, that has provisions on how the contract could be terminated. Without recourse to the management contract provisions on termination.

    “These bookings of the ICC- are for the whole year ending December 2024. The threat of the Minister to close down the ICC has impacted negatively on these bookings which are third-party contracts with clients locally and internationally.

    “The action of Minister Wike amounts to economic sabotage and should be so seen by his employer. It is worth noting that the facility managers of the ICC – Integrated Facility Management Services Ltd, has remolded the ICC to meet global standards.

    “ANA has been engaged in the support and promotion of good policies and actions of the Tinubu Administration under the leadership of our convener, Sen. Ahmad Abubakar MoAllahyidi who incidentally is the MD of Integrated Facility Management Services Ltd (IFMSL) – the contracting firm managing the International Conference Center in Abuja.

    “The FCT Minister cannot do what he is threatening to do because it is against the law, fair dealings and has no place in governance and service delivery”.

    Read Also: Union appeals to Wike over staff housing problems

    The group appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and rein in the Minister’s actions, cautioning that his actions could undermine the ongoing efforts at reengineering, which the President has been steadfastly pursuing since taking office.

    “The FCT Minister’s despotic and nepotic profiling of the north, going after the businesses and social interest of individuals and groups that are Bonafede APC members is unhelpful to the Tinubu administration and paints the picture of one undermining his master in a veiled effort to feather his political nest against 2027”, Usman noted.

    He however revealed that ANA would explore legal recourse against the Minister if all attempts to resolve the issue cordially prove unsuccessful.

  • Lai Mohammed mourns ex-lawmaker Rafiu Ibrahim

    Lai Mohammed mourns ex-lawmaker Rafiu Ibrahim

    Former Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has expressed deep regret over the demise of a former Kwara South Senator,  Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim.

    Ibrahim transitioning was announced in a statement yesterday.

    In a statement by the former minister, on Thursday in Abuja, described Ibrahim as quintessential gentleman, whose unwavering dedication and commitment to public service were evident.

    The statement reads in part: “It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I received the news of the death of Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, who represented my Senatorial District of Kwara South in the Senate between 2015 and 2019.

    “I convey my deepest condolences to the family, friends, constituents, and colleagues of Senator Rafiu Ibrahim on his untimely passing.

    “He was a quintessential gentleman, whose unwavering dedication and commitment to public service were evident throughout his tenure as a Distinguished Senator of the Republic. 

    Read Also: Lai Mohammed seeks partnership with NCDMB

    “His relentless pursuit of progress for Nigeria and Kwara State in particular has left an indelible mark on our nation’s political landscape. He will be sorely missed. 

    “During this time of mourning, our thoughts and prayers are with Senator Ibrahim’s loved ones as they navigate this difficult period of loss.

    “May they find solace in the fond memories of his remarkable life and the enduring legacy he leaves behind. I prayed to God to repose his soul and grant him eternal rest.”