The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 30

  • Man, 30, remanded in prison for ‘assaulting his father’

    A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, yesterday remanded Clinton Doneh for allegedly assaulting his own father, Chief Roland Doneh.

    The 30-year-old suspect reportedly assaulted his father at Elekahia Housing Estate in Port Harcourt Local Government Area at 9 p.m on September 9.

    He was charged with four-count charge bordering on assault and threat to life.

    The prosecutor, Inspector Wilson Isaiah, told the court the suspect violated sections 86, 451, 355 and 390(9), of the Criminal Code Cap 37, Volume 2, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

    Clinton pleaded not guilty to the charges and he was not represented in the sitting by any lawyer.

    The documents obtained from the court showed that the suspect allegedly stole two stabilisers valued at N60,000, jewellery valued at N100,000, a generator valued at N85,000 and N28,000 cash, totalling N263,000, all property of his father.

    The suspect’s father was absent in court.

    The court’s document also alleged that the suspect “wilfully and unlawfully damaged his father’s ivory chain door valued at N50,000 and sat on his father’s body, hitting him on the ground”.

    The magistrate, Sokari Andrew-Jaja, ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison custody.

    He adjourned the matter till October 17 for bail consideration.

  • Man, 30, docked for alleged abduction of ‘girlfriend’

    A 30-year-old man, Idris Usman, who allegedly abducted his 16-year-old girl friend, was docked yesterday before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Usman, a resident of 25, Muricals Street, Agege, is on trial for alleged kidnapping, to which he pleaded not guilty.

    The Prosecutor, Inspector Chinalu Uwadione, told the court that the accused committed the offence on June 16 on Railway Line, Ikeja, the state capital.

    Uwadione said the accused hid the girl from her mother because she did not consent to the relationship.

    “The accused took the teenager to his sister’s place in Ondo State where she was until she was found,” Uwadione said.

    He added that the offence contravenes Section 2 of the Kidnapping Prohibition Laws of Lagos State, 2017.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr O. O. Olatunji, granted the accused bail for N200,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

    Olatunji said the sureties must have proof of evidence of tax payment to the state government in the last three years.

    He adjourned the matter till October 24 for mention.

     

  • Businessman in $30,840 forex ‘scam’

    A businessman, Anthony Okonji, was yesterday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court  for allegedly fraudulently obtaining $30, 840.00 (about N11.1 million) from Yusuf Zakanji.

    Okonji, 31, was said to have collected the cash from  Zakanji under the guise of supplying him the naira equivalent.

    The defendant is standing trial before Magistrate W. B. Balogun.

    Prosecuting Superintendent Susan Ezema alleged that the defendant committed the offence between last May 23 and 25 in Lagos and Kano.

    She said after obtaining the $30,840 the defendant failed to supply the naira equivalent to Zakanji.

    Okonji pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Balogun granted him N5 million bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    The case continues on May 17.

  • ‘30,000 rescued from Boko Haram in two years’

    ‘30,000 rescued from Boko Haram in two years’

    MINISTER of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali yesterday said no fewer than 30,000 women and children have been rescued from Boko Haram by the troops of operation Lafiya Dole in Sambisa Forest in the last two years.

    Speaking during a town hall meeting on military and security operations in Maiduguri, Dan-Ali said the military had recorded remarkable success in degrading Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast.

    “It is pertinent to state that the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and its air force component inflicted heavy casualty on the Boko Haram during the recent ‘Operation Deep Punch II’ in Sambisa forest,” he said.

    Minster of State, Budget and National Planning,Mrs. Zainab Ahmad, said no fewer than 300,000 Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram insurgency are taking refuge in Cameroun, Chad and Niger republics.

    She spoke at the Special Town Hall Meeting.

    She said 8.5 million persons were displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast and that 80 per cent of the displaced persons were from Borno.

    She explained that 30 per cent of the people were taking shelter at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, while 70 per cent of them were staying in host communities.

    The minister said the Federal Government, in partnership with the United Nations (UN) and humanitarian actors had initiated various programmes to address the effects of crisis in the region.

    Zainab said government had distributed 30,000 tonnes of grains under the Emergency Food Intervention Programme, adding that the government, in concert with World Food Programme (WFP), was providing food assistance to over one million people on monthly basis.

    Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, said Federal Government had signed a tripartite agreement with Cameroun and UN-Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to facilitate safe and voluntary return of refugees.

    Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammad, Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, members of national and state houses of assembly, emirs, humanitarian and community-based organisations, as well as civil society organisations attended the meeting.

  • Pioneers give back to alma mater 30 years after

    The pioneer set of the State GrammaSchool, Itolo, Surulere, Lagos State, have donated items worth about N4 million to their alma mater 30 years after graduation.

    The 1986 set built a fully equipped e-library for the junior and senior arms of the school each, renovated structures and provided two generators to power the school, among others.

    Chairman of the planning committee, Mr Stanley Bassey, said: “Today we are giving back to our school, because it is right. This school started with us 30 years ago. We want to set an example for the upcoming alumni, that is, the current students, to note that it is good to give back.

    “Whatever we have become today, this is our foundation. We need to also educate the students and inspire them to persevere, study hard, remain focused and be diligent.”

    President of the association, Mr Zacharias Egbunu, charged the pupils to imbibe good character.

    In a speech culled from the school’s motto themed: ‘Knowledge is Light’ and titled: ‘Knowledge and good character: Essential keys to human advancement and development,’ he said: “Students must embrace the fact that to be successful, attain excellence, they must acquire knowledge. Education is paramount to your developmental process. Students must also imbibe good character, which entails- diligence, cleanliness, obedience, listening and carrying out instructions marshaled out by your teachers, as well as self discipline, which is to study regularly, be it at school or at home.”

    Tutor General/Permanent Secretary (TG/PS) of Education District IV, Mrs Lola Are-Adegbite, who was represented by the district’s Director of Co-curricular and Technology Education, Mrs Muinat Abimbola, thanked the donors.

    “I am always happy to hear about such gesture, because it shows students are appreciative and the reward of teachers is no longer only in heaven but on earth. Your kind gesture would inspire the children to strive to be like you. I also congratulate the principals, staff and students for maintaining good conduct. Students, it is important to be studious and submit yourselves to authority.”

    Inuagurating the projects during their reunion, the Olumegbon of Lagos Chief Fatai Lawal who was the father of the day, lauded the group for the feat and called for other old students to emulate them.

    Head girl, Zainab Usman was excited about the new developments in her school and promised to ensure that pupils maintained the items donated.

  • N7.5m reward for 30 entrepreneurs

    N7.5m reward for 30 entrepreneurs

    No fewer than 30 entrepreneurs have shared a total of N7.5m, being their prize for participating in a radio programme organised a brewery. Life Continental Beer gave out the cash on its radio programme Life Progress Booster Show targeted at innovative businessmen and women in the Southeast.

    The presentation of prizes to the entrepreneurs took place at Mimi’s Bar All Season Avenue, Owerri, where 20 winners selected on the radio show and another 10 chosen for their outstanding business proposals at the venue, were rewarded with N250,000 each for their business ideas.

    Earlier in June, the brand presented N7.5m to 30 winners in Enugu.

    Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, NB Plc, Funso Ayeni said at the event, “We believe in the strength and capacity of the people of the Southeast to thrive even amidst hardship and a recession, but we also believe progress can only be achieved with support, especially for excellent business ideas. We have a lot of people with those wonderful ideas with us here today so there is a need to connect with them to ensure they make progress with those ideas. That’s why the Progress Booster show was specially created for the people of the South-east.”

    “We started with 50 winners in 2015, and this year, we are targeting 200 winners. So far, we have had 60 winners. We still have room to receive, select and support more viable business ideas,” he added.

    Some past winners at the event shared their experiences and achievements with the audience thanking Life Beer for supporting their businesses. They encouraged the new winners to make good use of the support given to them, and also implored the audience to participate in the competition.

    Other participants at the venue went home with various consolation prizes.

  • Abia Poly to move in 30 months

    The Chairman of the newly-inaugurated Governing Council of the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, Abia State, Chief Chuku Wachuku has assured students, teachers and the state government that construction work at the permanent site of the institution would be completed in the next thirty months. It is located in Osisioma, off Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.

    Wachuku gave this assurance after paying an unscheduled visit to the permanent site with some members of the council.

    He allayed fears that the project would be stalled or abandoned as a result of drop in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and Federal allocation to the state, pledging to complete the campus in record time through Public, Private Partnership (PPP).

    He assured that the infrastructure would be built according to international standards such that they would promote teaching and learning.

    While thanking Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu for appointing professionals as members of the council, he praised the efforts of past governments and rectors in the development of the institution.

    Wachuku promised to work harmoniously with the management, staff and students of the institution to sustain the dignity of the school.

    He said his dream is to see that the school produces not only employable graduates who compete favourably at the global market with their contemporaries, but students that will create jobs.

    “We are going to transform the institution from what it used to be to a modern college of technology that brings out students who are not only employable, but would be able to create employment by being self employed. By the time we are through with this, we are going to encourage and insist on certifications so that we will be able to create manpower for both government and the private sector.

    “We are going to also form linkages. We are aiming to set a high standard because we want to make Abia Polytechnic and its products the best in the Southeast and the country as a whole and so, whoever cannot measure up or fit into this standard and vision would be shown the exit,” he said.

  • 11 fishermen re-arraigned over pipeline vandalism

    11 fishermen re-arraigned over pipeline vandalism

    Eleven fishermen on Wednesday re-appeared before a Federal High Court in Lagos over pipeline vandalism.

     

    The accused are Sidi Egbayelo, 31; Sunday Shadrach, 41; Edem Okon, 32; Godwin Kofa, 30; Rosemon Neito, 32; Ejona Kpamkpam, 25; and Moses Victor, 30.

     

    Others are Chris Sunday, 31; Peter Gay, 23; Remo Uchugwu, 25; and Mike Sabato, 31.

     

    They are standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy, vandalism, stealing, and unlawful possession of petroleum products.

     

    The accused were first arraigned on Feb. 7, 2013 before Justice Musa Kurya and they had all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

     

    Justice Kurya had granted them bail in the sum of N2 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

     

    The court had then commenced trial of the accused.

     

    However, the accused were on Wednesday, re-arraigned before a new judge, Justice Rabiu Shagari, following the transfer of Kurya from the Lagos division of the court.

     

    All of them, again, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

     

    Justice Shagari, ruling on the bail application of the accused, allowed them to continue with it on the conditions earlier granted by Kurya.

     

    He subsequently adjourned the case to June 13 and June 14 for trial.

     

    In the charge, the accused are said to have committed the offences on Dec. 21, 2012.

     

    The prosecutor, Mr Justin Enang, said that the accused were apprehended at 1.00 a.m. on the same day at Atlas Cove in Lagos, where they allegedly engaged in unlawful extraction of petrol.

     

    According to Enang, about 220 drums of petrol were recovered from the accused, who allegedly obtained the product from a vandalised pipeline for illegal sale.

     

    He said that the product was valued at N5.3 million.

     

    The prosecution indicated that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 390 and 516 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004 and Section 7(a), (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2004.

  • 30 % food produce lost to waste annually

    NIGERIA losses over 30 per cent of its food produce to waste annually, experts have said.

    Duro Kuteyi, Managing Director, Spectra Industries Limited, a food production company who made this disclosure during an interactive session lamented that at least 30 percent of crops are wasted due to non-availability of processing facilities, adding that before food crops are moved from one part of the country to the other a lot of it would have been wasted.

    While urging the federal government to re-examine the possibilities of processing agricultural products to save Nigerians from further wastes, adding it is the only way wastages can be eliminated.

    According to him, the equipment should be enough collateral for agro processing.

    He said: “Nothing is wrong with our local food, nonetheless non-professionals have spoilt the market” adding that it is time for the professionals to actually come out and do what they know best.”

    The company boss informed that Spectra Industries has introduced Hybrid food a new brand of product that would provide the nutritional value for man’s daily need into the market.

    Also the company General Manager, Olusoga Awonuga stressed the importance of creating awareness for people to understand what they actually eat.

  • NGO’s empowerment programme lifts 30

    NGO’s empowerment programme lifts 30

    A three-day empowerment programme organised by the Caring Hands International (CHI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), in conjunction with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, was a dream come true for about 30 unemployed youths.

    As graduates of various tertiary institutions, some, if not all of them, have similar experiences. They have not had jobs since they graduated.

    For some of the beneficiaries, including Afolayan Adefunke, a graduate of Federal College of Agriculture Ibadan, Oyo State; Adewumi Adedokun who graduated from the School of Heath Technology, Ilesa, Osun State; Olukoga Solomon who graduated from the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State and Bello Lateefat who graduated from the College of Education, Ila-Orangun Osun State, the programme was a realised dream.

    They sought for jobs to; at least, practice what they studied in school. But their orientation changed after they had participated in the three-day vocational/skill acquisition programme which, they said, will enable them to set up their own businesses as well as make them employers of labour.

    While praising the organisers of the programme, the participants said the knowledge they acquired would enable them to become self-reliant.

    Skills learnt during the training included events management, baking, bead-making and decorations.

    The Executive Director of the NGO, Mrs Fehintola Obilomo Toyin said she decided to organise the skill acquisition programme to complement the state government’s efforts in providing employment for the youth in the state.

    “The level of unemployment among Nigerian youths motivated the Caring Hands International to put up this programme, with the expectation that some will become self-reliant and prosperous,” she said, adding that the free programme was funded by the Trustees of Caring Hands International.

    Lamenting the huge number of graduates tertiary institutions churn out every year, and who have no hope of getting employed, she said the issue of youth unemployment has become a threat to socio-economic stability. She noted that her organisation is willing to encourage youths to develop their full potential and earn a living by doing some legitimate businesses.

    Toyin praised various efforts of the Federal Government who target are to empower the youth. These, she said, include the Youth with Initiative in Nigeria, (YouWIN), Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), Graduate Empowerment Scheme (GEMS) and the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme which is the brainchild of Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led administration that aims at addressing unemployment among youths.

    She, however, frowned at a situation in which, despite government’s efforts, not much impact has been made as more graduates join the labour market every year.

    Toyin said her NGO intends to monitor beneficiaries of the skill acquisition programme to ensure that the objectives for which it was organised are realised.

    The NDE Coordinator in Osun State, Mr Sola Daramola who was represented by Head, Department of Small Scales Enterprises Mr. Olusegun Odebiyi praised the NGO for organising the skill acquisition programme for the youth. He urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity in order to begin their own businesses.

    Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Mr Biyi Odunlade, who declared the skill acquisition workshop open advised the youth to be focused and enterprising rather than complaining of lack of jobs, as government alone cannot employ everybody.