The Nation Newspaper

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  • You ‘ve a case to answer, DPP tells driver

    The 34-year-old Lagos bus driver, who has been in detention for seven months over attempted murder of a Lagos Judge, Justice Adeniyi Adebajo, has been denied bail.

    The decision followed the advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). The DPP said he has a case to answer.

    Magistrate A.O. Adegbite, who read the DPP advice in parts, ruled that the matter be transfered to the High Court for trial.

    She said: “The DPP’s advice got to the court on (Monday), and from the advice, Kasali has a case to answer.

    “Since the DPP has advised that Kasali has a case to answer and going by the offence he was arraigned for, this court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter.

    “I therefore rule that the matter be transfered to the appropriate court (High Court) for prosecution.”

    Kasali was on March 5, arraigned before Magistrate M.A. Ladipo at Tinubu, on a count of ‘hitting Justice Adebajo with an intent to kill him’, to which the magistrate ordered that he be remanded in prison custody.

    The matter was subsequently transferred to Magistrate Adegbite. At this point, the police amended the charge against Kasali and was re-arraigned on a five-count.

    According to the charge sheet, “Kasali on March 1, at about 11:20am at Moloney Street, being the driver in charge of a commercial vanagon bus marked XA242KLK, drove in a deliberate manner thereby attempted to unlawfully kill Justice Adebajo when he was crossing the road.”

    It said the driver unlawfully intended to harm the judge by hitting him with the bus which caused him injury and grievous harm.

    A tearful Kasali’s wife, Habiba, at the court premises, appealed to Justice Adebajo to forgive his husband.

    She told The Nation that life has been unbearable for her and their new baby since her husband was arrested on March 1, adding that Justice Adebajo should for the baby’s sake, have mercy on Kasali.

    “Things have not been easy for us. I just put to bed and I am not working. We have virtually been feeding from hand to mouth since his arrest.

    “I am begging the judge in the name of God, he should just look at my baby and have mercy on him.

    “I do not know who to run to or where to go for help. I do not even want to know whether he did it or not, the judge should please forgive him and let him return home to his family.

    Kasali was also accused of dangerous and reckless driving on the public highway, without drivers’ licence and without due consideration of other users.

    His alleged offence was said to have contravened Sections 228(2), 242, 243 of the Criminal Laws as well as 29 and 7(1) of the Road Traffic Laws of Lagos, 2011.

    Although the defence counsel, Adedotun Isola-Osobu on several occasions applied for Kasali’s bail, Adegbite did not oblige as she maintained that she lacked jurisdiction to admit Kasali to bail and insisted that she will only take an action after the DPP advice was ready.

  • Cynthia: Fed Govt to ban Rophynol

    The Federal Government may ban the use and sale of Rophynol.

    It was the drug administered in the ‘Facebook murder’ of Cynthia Osokogu.

    Rophynol is a powerful sedative that is illegal in the United States but is used elsewhere for hypnosis and anaesthesia.

    It is popularly known as the ‘date rape’ drug because of its ability to cause unconsciousness and memory blackouts.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chuckwu, said the drug has been banned in most countries due to similar cases.

    He said the appropriate authorities have been asked to guide the Federal Government on the position to take.

    The minister spoke to reporters at the end of yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

    President Goodluck Jonathan was on a visit to Benue as part of his tour of flooded states.

    Chuckwu said:“There is a different body that decides which drugs can be used in Nigeria; this agency is not the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

    “The law that empowers that body allows it to decides which drugs should be banned or used in Nigeria.

    “Right now as the minister, I have directed the appropriate bodies, which are the Nigerian Essential Drugs List and National Drug Formulary Committee, which is established by a separate law, to look into whether or not we should ban the drug.”

    The drug he said has been banned in some countries.

    The FEC approved the Nigeria National Pharmacovigilance Policy, which will proper management of adverse drug reactions.

    The policy is to assist government to monitor and deal with issues of adverse effects of drug reactions in the country.

    The policy, which will be implemented by the National Pharmacological Centre, located within NAFDAC, has been approved by the National Council on Health at its 55th meeting in July.

    According to the minister, the policy is to ensure that adverse drug reactions are properly managed.

    Also yesterday, the council approved N671million for consultancy services and the design for the extension of the East-West road.

    The contract is for Phase Four work; from Oron, Akwa-Ibom State to Calabar, Cross River State.

    The Minister of State (Niger Delta), Hajia Zainab Kuchi, said when completed, the proposed dual carriage way would reduce the journey time from any section of the East/ West Road to Calabar.

    She said the road would also help open up access to riverine areas and communities and leveraging their full economic potentials.

  • NSE donates software to 12 varsities

    The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in partnership with MIDAS Software has presented 12 universities with licenses of MIDAS Engineering Software applicable in civil, structural, geotechnical, mechanical and special projects.

    The universities are: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Unversities, Bauchi, University of Maiduguri, University of Illorin, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

    Others are: Federal University of Technology Owerri, Bayero University Kano, Ahmadu Bello Univesity, Zaria, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, and University of Benin.

    The NSE President, Mr Mustafa Shehu, at the presentation ceremony, urged other universities that have not benefitted to work towards getting their own from MIDAS Engineering.

    He said, “NSE has selected 12 Nigerian universities across the six geo-political zones as centres for training, application and research of these Midas software applicable in civil, structural, geotechnical, mechanical and special projects.

    “Midas IT is donating 25 license of the software to each university, worth over $1.7million (N272m), for training and research programme. This is special and should be part of history both for the NSE and the Nigerian education sector in promoting engineering education and learning as well as enhancing professional competence and development of Nigerian engineers and students of engineering.”

    The Regional Manager, MIDAS Software, Ravi Kiran said they want to use this medium to expand their business in Nigeria.

    “It is basically a Korean software which we are introducing into the market, we intend to start with the universities because they need it the most right now,” he said.

     

  • Soludo for AUN’s Founder’s Day

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has denied the allegation that students committed arson during their protest against the horrific killing of four undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) penultimate week.

    In a press statement, the Vice President of NANS, Comrade Moreno Ehimemenn, refuted the claims that the students burnt about four houses in Aluu, saying the protest was peaceful.

    “The protest lasted over 12 hours. We, the leadership of NANS in the zone, ensured that it was violence-free. None of our students were involved in the burning of houses. The arson was committed by indigenes of Aluu to gain sympathy from people,” he said.

    The group, however, accused the Federal Government of paying lip service to the indiscriminate killing of students across the country and warned that they would take to the streets if the killers were not brought to book.

    “The Federal Government has failed the Nigerian students for not addressing the incessant killing of students in the country. We have resolved, if drastic measures are not taken to fish out the killers of the over 40 students at Mubi and the four from UNIPORT, we would shut down the educational sector of the country for one week through a peaceful demonstration,” he said

    On his part, the NANS Zone B Secretary General, Comrade Richard Ekutu, blamed the gruesome killing of the four UNIPORT students on inadequate hostel facilities on the campus.

    He said over 75 per cent of the university’s students reside off campus.

    The students called on the Federal Government and management of the institution to provide more hostel facilities to avoid a reoccurrence and put a stop to majority of its students residing off-campus.

    Meanwhile, NANS has thanked the management of the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma for its final decision to conduct the poll on Thursday contrary to insinuations that the election might not be held this academic session.

    The Vice President of the apex students’ body, said officials of the body would monitor the election to ensure it was free, fair and credible.

     

  • Abuja court strikes out Bakassi suit

    A Federal High Court,Abuja, yesterday struck out the suit by some indigenes of Bakassi in Cross River State, seeking to void the Green Tree Agreement which Nigeria signed with Cameroun in 2006.

    The agreement followed the ceding of the oil rich peninsula to Cameroun in 2002 by the International Court of Justice, Hague, Switzerland.

    In a motion ex-parte by their counsel, Festus A. Ogwuche, the applicants sought an order of mandamus that would compel the Federal Government to repossess, occupy and take full legal and administrative control of the Peninsula.

    The suit was endorsed by nine executives of Free Bakassi Association, Prince Imoh Ukpa Imoh; Godwin Ukpong; Chritian A. Umoh; Anthony Achibong Ukong; Kingsley Edu; Etim Ekpeyong Ndong; Offiong Anying Ekpeyong; Bassey Okon Osua and Bassey Ikoedem Antiga.

    Delivering ruling on the motion ex parte, Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that what the applicants were seeking for were more of political considerations.

    He said it was clear that the applicants’ counsel had a misconception of what he was pleading for.

    The judge added that the grounds stated by the applicants were not that of public administration but of politics.

    Justice Kolawole further held that the exparte brought by the applicants was not supported by any affidavit and this made the application incompetent.

    He held further that the reliefs pleaded in the application bordered more on political doctrine rather than that of public policy.

    According to him, “applicants’ motion ex parte is incompetent because issues brought are political which this court does not have jurisdiction to entertain.

    “The application is hereby struck out for lack of jurisdiction.”

    The applicants are seeking an order of mandamus, compelling the Federal Government, President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation, to “unilaterally resile from, withdraw, rescind, repudiate and/or revoke Nigeria’s obligations under the Green Tree Agreement entered into between Nigeria and Cameroun in Green Tree, New York, USA on June 12, 2006

    The applicants, argued that the ICJ gave its judgment based “on archaic and anachronistic colonial declarations, and communications between colonial officers.”

  • 21-day hand hygiene campaign for Lagos schools

    Pupils of Ire Akari Model Nursery and Primary School, Isolo Lagos, joined about three million school-aged children that Reckitt Benckiser Nigeria Limited, makers of Dettol anti-germs soap, has educated about hand hygiene in the past four years.

    Many more are billed to join in what remains of the 21-day hand washing campaign flagged off last Monday – on the Global Handwashing Day (GHD).

    The organisation employed the fun method to attract the pupils’ attention in learning the six steps of handwashing.

    After Project Manager for Touch Point Ms Omowunmi Mumuni addressed the pupils about the significance of handwashing, another facilitator, who introduced herself as Ms Ronke to the pupils, and a cartoon character modelled after Dettol soap, taught the pupils when to wash their hands and the techniques to use.

    Some pupils were selected to demonstrate the techniques.

    Communications Consultant to Reckitt Benckiser Mr Israel Opayemi said care was at the heart of the school hand hygiene initiative. He said since 2009 when the company started the hand hygiene education, millions of children, families as well as teachers have been availed the right knowledge which they need to know to be free from germs and diseases.

    “To increase participation of kids and families and make the habit of hand washing a way of life, Dettol encourages children to wash their hands regularly and keep good hygiene to prevent illnesses that can stop them from being active,’’ he said.

    Commenting on the initiative, Head Teacher of the school, Mrs. Victoria Oluropo, praised Reckitt Benckiser for teaching the pupils to imbibe a good habit in an interesting way.

    She said: ‘‘We love the fun-filled initiative that we have seen here today because it makes hand washing a fun that kids will love to practice.’’

    Speaking in a similar vein, when the Dettol team reached Queensland Academy, Okota, Mrs. Iyabo Olopade, affirmed that health education was integral to grooming children.

    Therefore, this hand hygiene programme by Reckitt Benckiser is in line with our commitment to making our pupils live healthy. Dettol’s presence here today reinforces our message that good health is indeed in our hands.’’

     

  • Two Auchi Poly students held for ‘kidnap’, ‘rape’ and ‘murder’

    Two Auchi Poly students held for ‘kidnap’, ‘rape’ and ‘murder’

    The Edo State Police Command has arrested two students of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Henry Onoriode Edewo (21) and Emmanuel Isiekhuieme, for the alleged kidnap, rape and murder of Miss Mercy Peters (21).

    The late Mercy was a student of Auchi Polytechnic and was in the same department with the suspects.

    She became missing on July 29.

    It was gathered that the late Mercy was abducted by the suspects and taken to a forest at Ugbor in Oredo Local Government Area, where she was raped.

    She was said to have been killed four days after the abduction.

    The suspects allegedly buried her in a shallow grave in the forest and started demanding ransom from her family.

    Police sources said the family paid some money to the kidnappers, but the hoodlums insisted on N1 million.

    Police spokesman Anthony Airhuoyo said the suspects were arrested on October 17.

    Airhuoyo said the suspects took the police to where they buried Mercy.

    He said her remains had been exhumed for an autopsy.

    A third suspect, simply identified as Charles, is still at large.

  • Winners of Robotic competition for Malaysia

    Winners’ International School, Bayelsa and Alofos Foundation, Surulere, Lagos, will represent Nigeria at the World Robotic Olympiad in Malaysia, next month.

    The schools defeated 45 others that competed at the national level competition held at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Winners’ International school emerged winner in the regular category for Elementary schools while Alofos Foundation School won in the Open and Regular Categories for Senior High schools.

    Tayo Obasanya, managing director of Arc Light Limited, the firm that organised the competition on behalf of Lego, noted that the essence of the programme is to engage children aged 0-19 years in robotic education to promote their knowledge of science and technology which will make them more competitive in future.

    He said: “Whether you like it or not, in the next few years, the world is going to be different and one of the changing factors will be science and technology. Today our children are exposed to science and we are hoping that with events like this, we will grab their minds and engage them early.”

    Commissioner for Science and Technology, Lagos State Adebiyi Mabadeje while commenting on the programme said the competition which cuts across the three arms of school, primary, junior secondary and senior secondary, stimulates pupils to get ideas on how they can do things creatively, adding that it will improve their reasoning and thinking.

    Mabadeje said Lagos State would support any initiative that stimulate pupils scientifically.

    “The government will always be in support of any cause that is geared towards developing the knowledge base of the children. One of our focus is to strengthen the educational sector and this is one way we hope to do that. We partner with the private sector to do so because government cannot do it all alone,” Mabadeje said.

    On her part, General Manager, Arc Light Limited, Adebusola Adeniyi said pupils should ditch rote learning for practical skills.

    “The students should not just cram to pass. They should be able to build things and solve problems. They should know the solutions to these problems without having to cram. This is what Lego education is doing.”

    She called on corporate organisations to support disadvantaged children participation adding, that there are more potential competitors in public schools but who have no sponsors

     

  • What is the best treatment for heat rash?

    The best treatment for heat rash is to provide a cooler, less humid environment. Keep the affected area dry. Dusting powder may be used to increase comfort.

     

    What is psoriasis?

     

    The most common type of psoriasis is called plaque psoriasis. It causes a thick, patchy, red rash with silvery, white scales. It can appear anywhere but most often occurs on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. The condition is not contagious, and it’s fairly common, affecting two to three per cent of Americans. Psoriasis is more common in adults than children.

  • Firm creates result-processing program for schools

    Better days are here for primary and secondary schools interested in computer programming. A new application has been developed by Think First Technology Ltd. It is called Remarks.

    The application processes results in primary and secondary schools and can adapt to any grading system.

    Speaking with journalists recently in Lagos, its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Akinyele Victor Olubodun said what distinguishes the application from others was that any school can just log on to it. Besides, there is a trial period interested partners can use before paying.

    Akinyele, a 2007 graduate of Pure and Applied Mathematics,at the University of Lagos, said he had a bias for programming while in school. He said another feature the application has is the back-up.

    “Our server is in three countries and can be replicated. If one fails, another one can replicate it”.

    Speaking on the unique features of the application, Akinyele who won the World Youth Summit award in November last year, said: “There is free registration and instant setup, you can start using it from the very first day, it has graphical result rules with definition setup and cheapest student result access rate; it has customised report and access areas; it enables schools to create a detailed debtors list; it has easy to read and understand user manual or guide; you can choose your student access mode; you can pay for only the number of students you want to access the result.”

    On the mode of usage, he said the schools will determine whether they want to use scratch cards for the results of their students or be given pin to log in.

    “The school sends notification to parents after publishing the results of their wards.

    They will check the link and follow instruction and after that, they can access the results of their children.

    “The inherent advantage is that they don’t have to visit the school of these children before knowing their level of performance”

    Akinyele has plans to develop another application for tertiary institutions as well.”