The Nation Newspaper

Category: Uncategorized

  • Four policemen collapse at parade

    Four policemen yesterday collapsed at the Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin-City, during the pull-out parade of the Edo State Commissioner of Police (CP), Olayinka Balogun.

    The policemen were participating in the parade when they slumped.

    They were attended to and revived by the medical police personnel.

    Balogun, who clocked 60 today, bowed out at the colourful parade after 30 years of service and attaining the mandatory retirement age.

    He said he joined the Nigeria Police with the aim of serving the country and humanity.

    Balogun noted that he served in every sphere of the service and performed what was expected of him.

    He said there was need for the people to assist the police in fighting crime.

    According to him, “we have reduced crime to the barest minimum. Armed robberies and kidnappings have been tackled.”

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, said crime rate has reduced in the state since the assumption of Balogun as the police boss.

    He said the outgoing CP’s devotion to duty was unequalled and unparalleled.

     

  • OAU to admit 10,000 more

    The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has concluded plans to admit 10,000 students next year.

    The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Bamitale Omole, said this at a retreat for management staff at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.

    He said the additional admission would be made possible through the new e-learning platform of the Distance Learning Centre, which has been developed to replace the face-to-face learning.

    According to him, the new e-learning is an upgrade of the current distance learning developed in partnership with the United States-based Venture Garden Group (VGG), which has developed the same learning platform for many universities in the US.

    Prof. Omole said the e-learning delivers contents on electronic medium with the minimal use of the Internet.

    Explaining the rationale behind the project, the VC said: “We decided on this because we realised that any university in the 21st Century must not only be innovative and forward-looking, but must adopt new technologies that can create opportunities for thousands that can not access university education.

    “Only about 20 per cent of those who write the University and Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are admitted yearly based on the available places. So we believe that this retreat is a good sensitisation for the top echelon of the university to make them to be aware of what our distance learning is doing. We began the programme in 2002. It was conceptualised as a result of the inability of some of our workers’ children to gain admission.

    “The new project will give us an expand base of the number of students we can accommodate. Over 70,000 candidates apply to OAU yearly, but we have capacity for about 5,000 students. We believe it should not be so in terms of giving opportunities to different categories of people. This will develop the existing distance learning programme by upgrading it to e-learning. Again, distance learning education is a way to the future. What is happening by and by is that the percentage of the people having face-to-face engagement in learning is dwindling. It is important for us to catch up, to reposition ourselves for the challenges of the future.”

    Omole said the workers are prepared for the task, adding that the university also has the technological base to support it.

    “We have confidence in the ability of our workers in partnership with the VGG. OAU is the most IT-compliant university in Nigeria. Our band is the biggest among the universities. We pioneered Internet use.

     

     

     

  • Akume cheers up flood victims

    Akume cheers up flood victims

    The cloud of despair has lifted in the relief camp of flood victims across Benue State, as Senator George Akume donated materials valued at about N4.2 million.

    The gesture buoyed up the recipients after flood waters forced them from their homes and submerged their farms.

    A governorship hopeful, Mr. Akange Audu led other prominent Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftains to present the materials to the camp commandant at LGEA Primary School, MR. Terumbur Alabam.

    The materials included 200 bags of rice, 200 cartons of noodles, 200 cartons of laundry soap, 300 packs of toilet rolls, 50 bags of sugar and 100 pure water bags. The items were to be shared among occupants of the three camps in the state.

    Presenting the materials, Audu, who represented Akume, said that it was the Senator’s modest contribution to the welfare of those affected by the floods.

    Akume who represents Benue Northwest Senatorial zone, lamented the hardship which the displaced people in the camps are facing.

    He, however, appealed to them to conduct themselves well and take their unfortunate situation in good faith, knowing that all will be well soon and they will return to their permanent homes.

    He equally urged those responsible for the welfare of the displaced people to ensure that the relief materials are appropriately and equitably distributed.

    Responding, Camp Commandant Alabam who received the items described senator Akume as a kind politician, saying the materials were donated not just to the camps but also Benue State government.

    The camp commandant expressed satisfaction with the Senator’s gesture, saying Akume has fulfilled his earlier promise.

    “We are very grateful for the concern he has shown for what the people are going through,” said Alabam.

    Audu visited the camps in the company of Chief Emmanuel Viashima, Awuese Torhee, Edwin Jando, ACN state Director of Publicity, Titus Zam and Mathias Mtserikyaa, among others.

     

  • Victims decry diversion of materials

    Some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in various camps in Anambra State have alleged that they were being shortchanged with the relief materials sent by the state government, philanthropists and organistions.

    The state government had set up 26 camps to accommodate the displaced persons.

    The IDPs spoke when the Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, visited the St. James’ Church camp at Odekpe in Ogbaru Local Government Area.

    They noted that because of the action of such people, items distributed to them were always in short supply.

    One of the IDPs, Mrs. Hannah Nwolise, alleged that her household was in the camp, following their evacuation from Agwe settlement.

    She said the residents near the camps, mostly women, besieged the place with their children and shared the materials with victims.

     

  • Disabled man donates N30,000 to Anambra flood victims

    A gesture by a physically-challenged man, Simon Ozoemenam, yesterday evoked emotions in Anambra State.

    The Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Prof. Stella Okunna, could not hold back the tears when she collected N30,000 from Ozoemenam for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    The commissioner collected the money on behalf of the state’s Flood Disaster Committee set up by Governor Peter Obi.

    Prof Okunna, amid tears, said the donation would ginger the committee to work harder.

    She said: “We do not know how to say this or how it will sound that such a person has donated to the displaced persons.

    “With this kind of donation, we will be spurred the more to serve this state and make sure that these displaced persons are adequately catered for. This state will ever remain grateful to you.”

    The commissioner urged the residents, especially the wealthy, to emulate Ozoemenam.

    The donor, who hails from Nibo community in Awka South Local Government Area, said the money was his quota to Obi’s call for assistance to the flood victims.

    He said: “It is not big, but anybody who worships God must be touched by the conditions of these our sisters and brothers from various communities. Nobody knows tomorrow. Everybody should rally round to save souls.”

    The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Oselloka Obaze, yesterday warned those in charge of the materials to avoid diverting them, or risk going to jail.

    The SSG spoke on a local television programme, Face the Press.

    He was answering questions on IDPs in the state.

    Obaze said the government would jail anyone found to have diverted relief materials meant for the flood victims.

  • Oyo Governor sues PM News

    Oyo Governor sues PM News

    •Demands N1b damages

    OYO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has sued the Independent Communications Network Limited, publishers of PM News, for libel.

    The governor is demanding N1 billion damages.

    PM News yesterday published a piece entitled: “Anxiety over Florence Ajimobi’s alleged arrest in UK”, which it claimed was written by an online agency, Newsleak.

    The publication claimed that the governor’s wife was arrested in London with a money.

    In a statement yesterday, Ajimobi’s media aide, Mr. Festus Adedayo, said it was the government’s responsibility to ensure that the media do not become an instrument in the hands of blackmailers.

    He said: “We state unequivocally that the report is not only wicked, but a figment of the writer’s imagination. Mrs. Ajimobi was never arrested for any offence.

    “Even though our investigation has shown that the report was the work of some arrowheads of the opposition, it was done in such an amateurish way that beats the imagination of any responsible reader.”

    Adedayo said though the government had much respect for the media, PM News must explain details of the report in court.

    Ajimobi’s lawyers denied the report.

    One of the family’s lawyers, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) of Adeniyi Akintola and Co. Chambers, described the report as “untrue, malicious and wicked publication intended solely to injure the good reputation of the Ajimobi family.”

    Akintola said Mrs. Ajimobi was not arrested anywhere, “either at home or abroad”. He said she was in her Ibadan home, attending to visitors during the Sallah festivities on the Saturday the report claimed she was held in London.

    Akintola faulted the claim that a renowned lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), secured her bail. He said Olanipekun has not left the country since last week.

    Akintola said Mrs. Ajimobi travelled to the United Kingdom (UK) on Sunday because her child was to be given the country’s naturalisation certificate on Monday.

    He said she would return today.

    The lawyer said: “We do not know where they got the malicious, wicked and untrue rumour from. She was never arrested by any security agency, either in the UK or anywhere. She is not in custody anywhere and has always been a law abiding citizen. She is on her way back home as we speak and will be inaugurating some projects at home today.”

    Akintola said his colleague, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), was taken aback when he heard about the untrue report. He said Falana, who was with him when he received the information on the telephone, later spoke with Mrs. Ajimobi, who denied the allegation.

     

  • NGO holds anti-corruption seminar

    As part of the efforts to reduce corruption in the country, a non-government organisation, West Africa NGO Network (WAGONet) has held a stakeholders’ forum at Peninsula Hotel, Lekki, Lagos.

    The event brought together media practitioners, lawyers, social media experts, civil society groups, government agencies and other institutions working against corruption.

    The programme, which focused on four thematic areas – technology accessibility, media and publicity, government policies and processes and legal, was interactive and educative.

    Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of WAGONet , Tunji Lardner, said that the fight against corruption in Nigeria cannot be effectively won by government alone but with support from informed civil society groups at the grassroots.

    Lardner said that the ACID portal is designed to bring to the public a collaborative presentation of information from activities embarked upon by CSOs, agencies , media houses and citizens that makes up the real network.

    He added: “We want to drive public to the website so that government and other institutions can effectively engage the tool that would help act as watch dog to individuals and institutions in the public sphere”.

    Lardner noted that dealing with the scourge of corruption within the system in Nigeria must be executed by a continuous cycle of stakeholders who understand the proper running of government with transparency and accountability as guiding light.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    He suggested that 21st century technological platforms “have availed us the opportunity to mobilise and effectively facilitate engagement and it is imperative that Nigerians leverage on the opportunity to stage its “antigraft fight”.

    He restated that the portal will help provide information on corrupt cases to Nigerians, researchers and journalists can access relevant information on past and present corrupt cases and an opportunity to engage Nigerian on better way to fight graft in Nigeria.

    At the break out session, participants agreed to close lose end in the portal, stories on the portal will be edited to avoid slander or sedition, individuals or groups that provide relevant and proven corrupt cases should given a national applause among other issues.

     

  • Akeredolu’s wife leads campaign against breast cancer

    The wife of the governorship aspirant in the Ondo State election, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has begun a four -day campaign against breast cancer in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    Mrs Akeredolu, who is also the president of Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN), said the symposium which hasUniting to End Breast Cancer as a theme, is the second of its kind in Ibadan, and it’s intended to raise awareness about the significance of early detection of the disease.

    Speaking at the BRECAN office in Ibadan, Mrs Akeredolu noted that the symposium was set to become the largest forum in the country that brings together breast cancer specialists, clinicians, researchers, nurses, and other healthcare workers involved in breast healthcare. Its primary objective is to eradicate or minimise the scourge of breast cancer in the country.

     

    Mrs Akeredolu said women were the most vulnerable to cancer and as such they decided to form the organisation to educate women and girls on early detection, prevention and cure.

    According to her, the organisation had succeeded in rescuing about 200 women who either had cancer or their cases had been detected early and forestalled.

    Akeredolu described cancer as a dangerous disease that could wipe out an entire family, which is not restricted to any gender, even as she said that it affects both male and female. She added that women were the most vulnerable.

  • Abia warns Aba landlords against building on waterways

    The Abia State Government has said it would not rescind its decision to demolish about 1,800 buildings that were built on waterways in Aba.

    The government urged the landlords and tenants of such buildings to start parking out.

    Addressing reporters in Umuahia, the state capital, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ugochukwu Emezue, said the government was warning the affected owners and occupants of such buildings for the last time.

    He said the government should not be blamed if it starts the demolition any time.

    Emezue said several notices had been issued to building owners through the media within and outside the state.

    He stressed that the government wants the residents to be aware of the exercise before it rolls out its demolition machines.

    The governor’s spokesman said it is not true that the government does not have the will to go ahead with the demolition.

    Emezue said: “We want to ensure that everything is put in place to avoid people hijacking it and using the period to demolish other people’s houses and causing trouble for the government.”

    He denied the allegation that the government was owing its workers.

    Emezue said it is only a local government area that is owed.

    He explained that this happened “because of its inability to submit its workers’ payment vouchers after the biometric data capture”.

    According to him, once the council complies with the biometric system, “its money is there in the bank and the workers will be paid without delay”.

     

  • Gunmen kill 18 in Zamfara village

    •Village head among victims 

     

    Scores of gunmen yesterday killed at least 18 people, including the village head of Kabaro in Dansadau, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

    It was learnt that the gunmen, carrying guns and other weapons, stormed the village and started shooting towards different directions.

    The reportedly urged the residents to remain indoors and keep money and other valuables within reach.

    Eyewitnesses said the village head, simply identified as Alhaji Maiyara, pleaded with them not kill anybody.

    A resident, Sani Abdullahi, said: “He was killed instantly when they felt that he was disturbing them with his endless pleas. He was warned to keep off but he did not heed the warning.

    “They fired shots from different places and they killed whoever dared to escape. That was how they took several innocent lives.”

    Another survivor, Haruna Kabir, said he heard gunshots from afar.

    According to him, the gunshots were bad omens for the community.

    He said he and his wife as well as three of their children escaped into the bush.

    Kabir said: “We had escaped before they arrived. We dashed into the bush and hid. We could hear the screaming of the people from where we hid.”

    It was learnt that the assailants were after the money the villagers reportedly made from their farm produce during last week’s Sallah celebration.