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  • Dad ‘defiles’ daughter, 2

    The police have arrested a man, Peter Adida, for allegedly defiling his two-year-old daughter.

    Adida, of 9, Oyetayo Olafisoye Street, Westwood Estate, Badore, Ajah, Lagos, was arrested on November 17 by the Langbasa Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ada Okafor.

    Preliminary investigations showed that the baby penetrated and was infected with Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).

    The police said the victim pointed at her father when she was asked who defiled her.

    Read also: Only one out of ten rape cases are reported in Yobe CP

    “She described the sex positions she was involved in with her father,” said spokesman Chike Oti.

    He said Commissioner Imohimi Edgal had directed that the matter be transferred to the Gender Unit for investigation.

    “Edgal advises parents and guardians to watch their children and wards, as rapists are on the increase,” said Oti.

  • NSCDC deploys 2,000 men for Buhari’s visit to Jigawa

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed about 2,000 personnel in Jigawa State ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-day visit, it was learnt yesterday.

    Spokesman Adamu Shehu, who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse, said: “The Jigawa State Command of NSCDC is prepared for the President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-day visit. The command is deploying about 2,000 Special Tactical Operational Squad and Intelligence officers, from the state command and neighbouring formations in Kano and Bauchi states, to assist in providing security.”

    Shehu explained that the officers would be stationed at strategic places in areas the President would visit.

    He added that intelligence officers will also be deployed for intelligence gathering and reporting, to complement other security agencies.

    “This will give the command an edge in understanding and combating threats where possible. It is on this note that the command enjoins the public to cooperate with the officers to ensure the  smooth and safe stay of Mr President,” he added.

    Buhari is expected to inaugurate five regional roads and five township roads, among other activities, during the visit.

  • Police recover 2,753 illegal firearms from 13 states

    THE Force Headquarters’ Joint Task Team, led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Joshak Habilla, has recovered 2,753 illegal firearms from 13 states.

    Following what was described as an impressive turnout of the exercise, Inspector General (IG) Ibrahim Idris has extended the ultimatum for recover of illegal arms to April 30.

    The IG initially gave a 21-day ultimatum, which began on February 22 and will elapse on March 14, for members of the public to surrender illegal firearms in their possession.

    Force spokesman ACP Jimoh Moshood, while parading the firearms at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, said the Joint Task Team was still collating the firearms from the states.

    He said 425 illegal firearms arms were recovered by the team in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during raids, stop and search operations carried out by the team’s personnel.

    Items recovered, according to him, are: two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), 114 AK47 rifles, eight SMG rifles and 301 other assorted guns.

    He added that Abia recorded 1,380 recovered firearms so far followed by Lagos with 200 and Katsina with 198.

    Moshood said: “So far, 1,380 firearms have been recovered from Abia State and that happens to be the highest recovery made. We recovered 200 from Lagos, 198 from Katsina State.

    “Forty-six firearms were recovered from Benue, 32 from Borno, 70 from Kaduna, 35 from Nasarawa, 78 recovered by the FCT Command, 56 from Taraba, 140 assorted firearms from Rivers and 67 from Kogi.”

    Moshood added that 14 firearms were recovered from Adamawa and 12 from Delta.

    He also said the arms recovered would be investigated by the Force Armament Unit to ensure that the arms were not used for criminal purposes in the past.

    Moshood said: “The Police Joint Task Enforcement Team, in compliance with IGP’s directives and working on actionable intelligence, swung into actions and embarked on mop-up, seizure and recovery of all illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition from wrong hands, suspected militias, militants, criminal/unlawful gangs through search, raid and seizure from identified premises, hideouts, dwelling houses, buildings and sites where these illegal/prohibited firearms were kept based on reasonable suspicion and intelligence…

    “This operation, which is still ongoing among other purposes, is aimed at the full enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping-up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired weapons, will enable the Nigeria Police Force deal decisively with herders and farmers clashes, kidnappings, armed robbery, cattle rustling, militancy and terrorism.”

    The Force spokesman, while noting that the operation would continue, urged the public to report to the police anyone suspicious of bearing the prohibited firearms across the country through the following lines; DIG, Department of Operations: 08037025670, O/C IGP Monitoring Unit: 08032451594, O/C IGP Special Tactical Squad: 08036783383 and O/C IGP Intelligence Response Team: 09098049333.

    Moshood added: “They can also report such violations directly to the Commissioners of Police in various commands across the country through their phone contacts, attached hereunder.”

    On the extension of the ultimatum, he said: “The IGP has graciously extended the ultimatum for another 21 days with effect from Monday, April 9, 2018 -April 30, 2018.

    “This is as a result of impressive compliance by Nigerians across commands in the country and also to grant public request for an extension as recorded in some states of the federation.”

    He allayed fears that the police would arrest anybody who willingly surrenders the weapons during the extended grace period.

  • NDE trains 2,500 IDPs on income generation

    NDE trains 2,500 IDPs on income generation

    The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Adamawa has commenced the training of 2,500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on income generation in the state.

    Speaking at the launching in Malkohi Camp near Yola, the Acting State Coordinator of  the directorate, Mr Kenneth Maigida, said the beneficiaries comprised of IDPs in camps and those settling in host communities in the state.

    “Our concept, framework and approach in training the IDPs in income generating activities is a direct response to their peculiar situation, the relevance and the potential effectiveness of the skills they will acquire.

    “These skills sets were carefully selected based on the needs assessment and baseline survey and analysis conducted by the directorate,” Maigida said.

    He lauded the support and cooperation the directorate was getting from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) as well as the military, Red Cross and other international organisations in facilitating the take-off of the programme.

    Maigida also announced another ongoing training of 2,000 unemployed youths across the 21 local government areas of the state, adding that some of the youths had graduated while some would graduate in April.

    “Arrangements have been concluded to provide them with soft loans that will enable them to start practicing the skills they learnt,” he said.

    Speaker, Adamawa House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa, commended the directorate for supporting the IDPs, adding that the house was committed to making necessary legislation that would ensure sustained support for IDPs.

    Mijinyawa advised the IDPs to take full advantage of the training to enable them set up their businesses as they struggled to pick up their lives once again.

     

  • ‘2,000 killed in Benue in two years’

    NO fewer than 2,000 people have been killed in Benue State, and property worth billions of naira destroyed by marauding Fulani herdsmen between 2017 and 2018, it was learnt yesterday.

    Commissioner for Information Lawrence Onoja, who addressed reporters, said Governor Samuel Ortom has called for the removal of the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, for his failure to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of the “heinous” crime.

    According to him, the figure represents the official recorded number of people killed within the period, noting that other deaths were not recorded.

    He said: “The leaders of Miyeti Allah Kautal Hore have neither been arrested nor invited for questioning. Rather, different strategies have been devised to divert attention from the real issues.

    “When those entrusted with protecting life and property resort to placing unjustified blames on the good intentions of the Benue State government, then such people have unknowingly or knowingly become part of the problem.

    “Recall that the Senate gave the IGP two weeks to arrest and bring to book perpetrators of the New Year attacks on Benue communities, which he has failed to do till now.

    “I insist that Ibrahim Idris, by his comments, has demonstrated his incompetence as a police chief, and we have lost confidence and trust in him, since he either lacks the capacity to apprehend these Fulani militia, or by his inaction and utterances, portrayed himself as complicit in the plot to disposes our people of their ancestral land.

    “We call on the Federal Government to relieve Idris of his position as he has failed woefully in his duties.”

    Governor Samuel Ortom has lifted the curfew imposed on Gboko.

    Ortom, who spoke at a meeting with leaders of the Benue Motorcycle Association and heads of security agencies at the Benue Peoples House, condemned the Gboko motor park attack. He, however, said the culprits were not Fulani as reported.

    The Governor insisted that the criminals who carried out the condemnable act would be apprehended and prosecuted.

    He urged the people not to take the laws into the hands but report infringements on their rights to the appropriate authorities.

    Ortom thanked the association for their pledge to assist in tackling the security challenges in the state.

    A dusk to dawn curfew was imposed on Gboko on January 31 following security threats in the area.

  • NDE trains 2,170 youths in Anambra

    NDE trains 2,170 youths in Anambra

    No fewer than 2,170 unemployed youths benefitted from the various training programmes organised by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Anambra in 2017, the state Coordinator, Mr Joseph Iroegbu, has said.

    Iroegbu, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on yesterday in Awka, said the beneficiaries had concluded their training and were awaiting take-off later this year.

    “Thirty youths graduated from Basic Business Training, while one person out of the 50 that were trained on Own Your Business course qualified for grant of N800, 000 for submitting a bankable proposal.

     

     

  • Nigerians live in huts – Donald Trump (2)

    In 2015, China’s President Xi Jinping went on an authentic world shuttle diplomacy.  He travelled to the far-flung continents of the world to help change the global image of China as the world’s producer – of substandard goods which it forces down the world’s throat!

    My reading of his new message was that China was a willing and able world development partner.

    And so from the United Kingdom to the United Nations, Mr. Xi was given royal treatment, and his message was received with universal acceptance (the result: in 2017 the respected American journal  Time called Xi the world’s most powerful man).

    Specifically, the capstone of the 1 year diplomatic shuttle was the 2015 Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCON) in South Africa.

    That meeting was actually a summit in which 50 African Leaders including President Buhari met with the Chinese President and his top officials.  There, President Xi doled out 60 billion US dollars across the African Countries in far-reaching development aid different from classical aid handouts.  Recall that during his UNGA address same year, President Xi had offered $100m to the AU for a standby force against any emergencies in Africa.

    During the CGTN (then CCTV) coverage of FOCON, I watched with my two little eyes where the presenter of a discussion panel expressed has dismay at how Africans spend all day dancing in the streets when at ‘home’ they ‘lived under trees’.  His sentiment was shared by other discussants; they all feared for the judicious use or otherwise of the funds from China to the African countries.

    That Chinese presenter’s description of Africans living under trees is effectively a signpost of the failure of Nigeria’s ex-president’s shuttle diplomacy junkets.  I daresay it not only gives a global voice to a universally held nation, but it actually makes Mr. Trump’s assertion very charitable: that Nigerians live in huts; and why do Americans want all these Africans over there.

    It is just that Mr. Trump has become to Africans, The Man To Hate by his graphic description of African countries (sh—holes); I’d rather call them hell holes, here!

    This TrumpHate Cause I call it was further strengthened a fortnight ago when a new book Fire & Fury was released which seeks to question Mr. Trump’s mental health.  But it turns out that the book was filled with detected lies and inaccuracies.  The writer Michael Wolf was interviewed recently on CNN.  The man came across as a mumbling, bumbling off beat and quirky fellow; seemingly unstable himself!

    Donald Trump on the other hand is a universal icon and an international brand.  The American presidency is simply an additional feather to his cap-NOT his introduction to the world stage.  And so it is a given that whatever Trump says will ALWAYS receive international attention, so, his ‘hellhole comment’ needs to examined without sentiment and in its context for its merits as well as its demerits; for the sake of correction, and action.

    First off, on the level of diplomacy the statement could be taken as a faux pas.  But MIGRATION THE WORLD OVER HAS FAR OUTPACED DIPLOMACY!  IT IS WAY PAST TIME FOR A NEW WORLD ORDER!!

    In any case for the purpose of this topic the lingo is Love The Message, Not The Messenger.

    I got a whatsapp post recently titled Donald J. Trump’s Definition for a Sh—hole Country.  It listed 11 qualities, I will sight just the first 2.

    (1) Your leaders steal your money and hide it in other countries.

    (2) Your children can’t find jobs so they cross the desert, get sold as slaves or make it to the Ocean and cross in dinghies to Europe to do menial jobs…

     

    Nigerians: does THAT SOUND FAMILIAR?

    Mr. Trump’s actions on Immigration might surprise a casual observer but he is in fact guided by statistical data from his Domestic Policy Adviser.  It is no wonder that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, after his time as Nigeria president said that he had a battery of advisers – who had all the while given him useless advice.

    Well, when people who could have been included in positions of political appointment are overlooked, the ‘useless ones’ appointed can only give a President what they have!

    Mr. Trump also works with the U.S Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration of the State Department.

    All this talk of America one might say: yes, that’s because at some point we Nigerians need to recall that we are practicing the American Presidential system of Government.

    May I ask, does the Nigerian Ministry of the Interior have ANYTHING on migration?

    Nigeria is CURRENTLY flooded by Cameroonian migrants – is anything being done about that beyond one head count, months after their arrival? Nope, I know because I live right by them!

    Can the Interior Minister tell us our current population figure?  You guessed right again – Nope!

    Please note that these questions are not being raised to put any minister on the spot, far be it from me; it just that I believe that even a working figure of the number of jobless youths would help in knowing how to tackle the ongoing Libya desert Nigerian migration and consequent African slave trade.

    Prof. Timothy Nubi, a lecturer in Housing says in Nigeria, the slum population is about 70%.  The Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun says the housing deficit is 17 million (To put that in perspective, that’s about the size of 5 other African countries).

    Shouldn’t we in Nigeria be terribly bothered about the awful way we live in Nigeria?  What is being done to ameliorate the housing deficit?

    This column did say it a long time ago that with the astronomical national housing deficit, there is a burning need to split up the current Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

    Criss-crossing Nigeria back during the last presidential campaigns, I was privileged once to be one of the speakers to campaign on a podium where the current Sports Minister; Mallam Shehu Sani (now Senator Sani) and myself all spoke for the then presidential hopeful Muhammadu Buhari. On Tuesday on the Senate floor, Senator Sani said Senators won’t say anything because they were only after their re-election (speaking on the Benue Killings).

    But all of this should constitute cause for concern not cause for pouncing on an American President who is taking whatever steps that are needed to protect his own country.

    • 07055547031 Whatsapp/SMS

     

  • Corps members from three states to camp in Kaduna

    Corps members from three states to camp in Kaduna

    A total of 2,235 2017 batch ‘B’ (Stream II) corps members deployed to Kaduna, Niger and Kogi States by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are expected to camp in Kaduna for the orientation exercise between Tuesday, 16th January to Monday, 5th February 2018.

    The need for the joint orientation course for the batch was not stated by the scheme but may not be unconnected to fewer number of prospective corp members deployed to these states – Kaduna 1,235, Kogi 500 and Niger 500.

    Assistant Director, Public Relations Department of the scheme, Sam Nkwopara in a statement said, the state has made adequate preparation to host these young Nigerian graduates at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, kilometers 16, Kaduna-Abuja highway by Sabon Gaya, Chikun local government area of Kaduna state.

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai is expected to preside over the swearing ceremony for the course participants on Thursday, 18th January while Chief Judge of the state, Justice Tanimu Zailani will administer the Oath of Allegiance on prospective corps members.

    He however called on employers who desire the service of corps members deployed to Kaduna State to apply now stating clearly the number of corps members, course/discipline required and the welfare provision put in place for them.

    Orientation course is the first of four cardinal points of NYSC followed by primary assignment and community development service while passing out parade signifies the end of one year mandatory service to motherland by fresh Nigerian graduates whether schooled within or outside the country.

  • 2,000MW wasting away, says minister

    2,000MW wasting away, says minister

    ABOUT 2,000 Megawatts (MW) of the 7,000MW of electricity generated in the country are unable to be distributed due to weak transmission, Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola said yesterday.

    He said it was important to devise means of taking the unutilised 2,000MW to Nigerians, who needed power, noting that “we cannot afford to keep power; that is not good for business, especially those who invested in it.

    “One of the steps we are taking with the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPH) is to try and complete some of the distribution projects under the Nigerian National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) projects,” Fashola said.

    The minister said on completion of ongoing projects next year,

    an additional 1,129MW will be generated to add to the present 7,000MW.

    He explained that he had contacted the President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to discuss how its members could key into the undistributed power.

    Fashola said: “Director Generator, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and other chambers of commerce had been contacted on how to take up the 2000 unused megawatts.

    “We are also working on how Distribution Companies (Discos) could benefit from the entire process.”

    The minister, who said the sector had made progress on power generation and transmission, added that distribution issues would also be cleared soon.

    The minister spoke at the 22nd monthly meeting of stakeholders in the power sector at Geregu, Kogi State.

    He said: “The Azura power plant will give us another 450MW; I know that we will also get 10MW of wind power from Katsina State.

    “I know that we will get 115MW from Gbari and 30MW from Kashimbila.

    “From Afam III, we will give 240MW of power in 2018, while Gurara is working to deliver 30MW, as Dadinkowa in Gombe will provide 29MM and Kaduna will generate 215 MW.

    “All these power plants do not involve the mini grids and solar systems that are coming.”

    “In Kogi, the distribution project that will affect the people positively are the ones in Okene, Igba, which will be completed in the first quarter of 2018.”

    Fashola said the narrative must change from not enough power to how unutilised power could be distributed.

    He attributed the success recorded in the sector so far to government policies, “especially the provision of N701 billion assurance guarantee fund that enabled the payment to gas suppliers by Generating Companies (Gencos)”.

    “The assurance guarantee brought confidence to power production business, which resulted to increased power production which took us to all-time high of 7,000MW power availability.”

    “As at December 5, 2017, power supply stood at 5,019MW, which was below the 5,074 MW achieved in January 2016.

    “However, grid supplied power peaked at all-time high of 5,155 MW on December 8, an increase over the January 2016 figure of 5,074 MW.”

    He said the success was due to teamwork and leadership provided by President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbanjo and other stakeholders.

    He then urged stakeholders to join hands in solving the problems in the sector.

    The Managing Director of Geregu Power Plant Plc, Mr. Aderemi Adenuga, said owners of the company injected $94 million to overhaul and upgrade the plant.

    He said the company was comfortably running the three turbines in the plant and thanked Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) for payment of the electricity generated to the company.

     

  • Maintaining purity in courtship (2)

    Dear Reader,

    Last week, I started this teaching on how to maintain purity in courtship by showing you the purpose of courtship. However, this week I shall continue with that teaching.

    Some Christians begin in the Spirit and end up in the flesh. The Word of God lists all the various works of the flesh: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

    Some begin quite well in the Spirit, but mess up half way by engaging themselves in the works of the flesh. All categories of uncleanness are referred to as the works of the flesh. Since courtship is not marriage, you have no marriage rights over the other until marriage is contracted. The Bible says: Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled (Hebrews 13:4). Marriage is an honourable thing when the bed is undefiled. Once the bed is defiled, that marriage has lost its honour. What you do with the bed during courtship amounts to laying a foundation for what your marriage will be like when you get into it. The law of sowing and reaping still holds here. The Bible says: Whilst the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest shall not cease… (Genesis 8:22). Since the earth is still remaining, whatever a man sows, he will reap. When the bed is defiled, the seed is sown and you can be sure that it will produce and when harvest time comes, it will manifest.

    Discuss your visions and goals together

    In other not to engage in the works of the flesh, this is the time to discuss about your visions and goals together. This is a very important point to note. Goals and plans for the future ought to be made clear to each other. Marriage is for help, not hurt. It is a decision made by you to help the other party fulfill his or her goals and vision in life and vice versa.

    Before I married my husband, I had known what direction he wanted to take. I had known his depth of love for God, his character and his integrity. Ours was quite a long courtship but I have no regrets. It has really helped me in being able to understand the kind of person he is and because of that, we have enjoyed every bit of our marriage. Just a word of caution “A broken courtship is better than a broken marriage.” When you discover differences that show incompatibility, it is wiser to dissolve the relationship instead of being another number on the divorce list.

    Check for maturity

    Since the period of courtship is a time of proving all things, it is wisdom to prove his or her maturity. In God’s concept, marriage is for men and women, not for boys and girls. The Bible says: The rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man (Genesis 2:22). The Word of God also says: Therefore shall a man…cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Take particular note of these words ‘man’ and ‘woman’ in the above passages. Maturity is required before marriage. One needs to be matured spiritually, physically and emotionally and this must be addressed in courtship.

    However, maturity can be determined from two viewpoints: age and ability to handle life situations. These two put together, help in determining how mature an individual is. One that is mature for marriage should be able to assume responsibility for his or her actions, and take up the welfare of his or her spouse and children. If you are not mature enough to be a parent, then you are not mature enough for marriage. Adulthood is a basic requirement for success in marriage.

    When you are spiritually, emotionally and physically mature for marriage, you will be able to control various aspects of your life and also, you will be in control of your emotions. Wild emotions or impure emotions can lead to defilement of the marriage bed in courtship. You will discover, therefore, that God’s concept of courtship is quite different from man’s concept. Everybody has a choice to make – whether or not to accept man’s concept or God’s. However, it should be noted that God, who is the sole designer of courtship and marriage, has the correct view. His view must be taken, if we desire to reap the full reward of honour in marriage via pure courtship.

    If you desire more counsel, ask God in prayer. For your prayer to be answered, you need to accept Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. If this is your desire, say this prayer in faith: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

    Congratulations, you are now born-again! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).