The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abuja

  • Leadership journalists arraigned in Abuja

    •Granted N500,000 bail, a surety each

    The Federal Government yesterday arraigned two journalists with the Leadership Newspapers in Abuja.

    But Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted each of them them bail with N500,000 and a surety.

    They were arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy, forgery and publication of false information.

    The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

    Justice Adeniyi granted bail to Tony Amokeodo, the paper’s Group News Editor and Chibuzor Ukaibe, the Political Correspondent.

    Both sureties, the judge held, must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court and must also have legitimate means of livelihood.

    Prior to the arraignment, the court ruled that because of the recent Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Ralph Nwazurike and others, the accused were not entitled to witness statements before their trial would begin.

    Following the court’s ruling, which granted the accused bail, defence lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) said he was challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the court.

    The judge told the parties that the defence could not raise an objection at this stage. He ordered the defence to formally file an application to that effect.

    Justice Adeniyi adjourned the matter till May 16 for further hearing.

  • Onions: A remedy for many ailments, says dietician

    A Dietician at the Garki Hospital, Abuja, Miss Yemisi Olowookere, on Monday recommended the consumption of onions as a remedy for many ailments.

    Olowookere told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that consumption of onions was important because of its therapeutic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and other beneficial properties.

    According to her, onions is a vegetable that gives an excellent taste to dishes and can be found in different colours such as yellow, red and white.

    Olowookere said: “It also has low calorie, while proteins are present in small portions with negligible fat content.

    “Onions help prevent thrombosis, a formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system.

    `This is because they have anti-platelet adhesiveness both in fresh onions as well as cooked onions.”

    She said that onions had been found to be very good for people suffering from high blood pressure, adding that onions were diuretic as they could increase secretion of urine, as well as alkalise foods.

    “They help reduce inflammation and are beneficial for those suffering from neuritis; vertigo and bronchitis as regular consumption of onions also prevents colon cancer.

    “They contain essential oils that are responsible for onions typical odour,’’ she said.

    Olowookere explained that the vegetable fibre diminished the absorption of cholesterol and anti-diabetic action which delayed the passage of sugar into the blood stream.

    She said onions were also good for people who had diabetes and would improve the hair, finger, toe nails and the eyes.

    “They have anti-allergy properties; they are slight laxatives and help the body in destroying worms and other parasites. Researchers have revealed that onions prolong longevity,” she said.

    The dietician said that extracts from onions were rich in a variety of sulphides and provided some protection against tumour growth.

    She said that onions stimulated the detoxifying function of the liver as well as improved the activity of other digestive juice producing glands.

    Olowookere, however, said that studies had shown that people, who eat onions and garlic, had much lower risk of developing stomach cancer.

    “Therefore, abundant onions consumption is fully justified as a cancer preventive and as a complement to the treatment of certain type of cancer such as that of the stomach and the colon.

    “Eating raw onions can stop or relieve an asthma crisis because of its anti-allergic and broncho-dilator properties which effects can last up to twelve hours.

    She said that inhaling the essential oil in onions was beneficial and more appropriate for children.

  • Falana visits Jonathan at Villa

    Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana  on Friday visited President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Even though he did not give details of his visit, he told State House correspondents that it was a private visit.

    According to him, he is a stakeholder in the Nigeria project and has the right to visit the Villa.

    The brief encounter with journalists went thus:

    Why are you here?

    “It is a private visit, it is a private visit.”

    You are a lawyer to Leadership newspaper, is there a negotiation going on?

    “It has nothing to do with that at all, on a very serious note.”

    Has it got anything to do with 2015?

    “No, No, No, it was for the affairs of our country, am a stakeholder, you know that.”

    Falana had recently declared that President Jonathan’s attack on the media was worse than experiences during the military era.

    With the arrest of journalists of Leadership newspapers, he had maintained that the nation was witnessing the progressive proscription of free speech in spite of the much touted respect for the fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

  • Fire engulfs ICT building at INEC

     

     The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reported a fire incident at its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) building in Abuja on Monday.

    A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Kayode Idowu, said that the incident occurred in the office of the former Director, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), located in the ICT Building.

    Kayode said that men of the Fire Service attached to the Commission had since put off the fire, adding that the incident did not affect the commission’s facility.

    He also said that an initial assessment had indicated that incident might have resulted from an electrical fault, adding that all the relevant agencies had started investigation into the cause of the fire.

    An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the fire started at about noon, razing the ADR office.

    NAN reports that the commission’s staff members were seen loitering around the building, while a security man was directed to inform Zenith Bank officials occupying a section of the building to evacuate.

    NAN further reports  that the entire floor of the building were water logged as smoke filled the air and the commission’s staff members were evacuated from the building.

    NAN recalls that a similar incident occurred on Jan. 7, razing the office of the commission’s Director of Voter Registry in the same ICT building.

    Similarly, on May 16, 2012 the INEC Electoral Institute went up in flame. (NAN)

  • PHCN installs 232,466 free prepaid meters in Abuja

    The Abuja zonal office of the PHCN installed pre-paid meters free of charge for 232,466 consumers in March, its spokesman, Mr Debo Adegoke, has said.

    Adegoke told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that more consumers would still benefit for the free installation scheme.

    He explained that out of the meters installed in March, 19659 went to consumers in Apo; 21203 to consumers in; 13390 went to consumers in Gwagwalada; 14142 went to some in Gwarinpa; consumers in Jabi got 17509, while those in Karu got 78416.

    In Keffi, consumers got 442 pre-paid meters; those in Kubwa got 34155; in Lokoja, they got 114; Minna got 8403; Suleja got 24, Wuse got 24,995, Bida got 11, Lafia got 2, while Okene got only one meter, he added.

    On frequent power outages in the country, Adegoke explained that there were only two reasons why there could be power outage in the PHCN’s Network and he gave the causes as follows-

    Cue in audio

    “There are two major reasons for power outage, it could be a planned power outage or it could be a forced one.

    “Forced in the sense that we were not expecting it, so it could come as a result of equipment failure or as a result of load shedding from the national grid.

    “So if it is load-shedding from the grid, we do not have control over it or if it is equipment failure, equally we do not have control over it.

    “It is only planned outage, what we mean by planned outage is we want to maintain our equipment, so we shut down or there is going to be construction along some lines thereby we require taking off light to be able to do that construction or to do that plan.

    “When it is planned, we have the ample time inform our customers of our intention to shut down.

    “But when it is forced on us we have no control over it; really at the end of it when everything is normal we can now apologise to them for what has happened and tell them the reasons”.

  • South African President official visit to Nigeria

    South African President official visit to Nigeria

  • Suspected kidnappers use Abati’s name to lure Igbo youths to Abuja

    Suspected kidnappers use Abati’s name to lure Igbo youths to Abuja

    Twelve Igbo youth leaders lured into Abuja by kidnappers who disguised as Special Adviser to the President on Media Dr. Reuben Abati, relived their ordeal yesterday.

    The National Secetary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, who led the group to the journey, told our reporter: “ The circumstances that led to the incident are bizarre and shocking. Somebody who claimed to be Dr Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to Mr President on Media, invited us to meet with Mr President on Thursday April 11, by 4.00pm.

    “The so-called Reuben Abati purported that Mr President wished to dialogue with Igbo youth leaders having done so with the Arewa and Yoruba youth leaders . We travelled to Abuja on Wednesday April 10, after clearing with some of our elders.

    “In Abuja , the representatives of the so-called Abati lodged us in a hotel at Gwagwalada. In the morning of Thursday April 11, three vehicles came to the hotel to purportedly take the youths leaders to Aso Rock. But instead of heading for the Villa, the vehicles sped off to Suleja.”

    The youth leaders, he said, querried the driver on the destination and argument ensued between them and their “captors” along the way.

    While the argument was on, they ran into security men at a checkpoint.

    “Rather than stop, the drivers veered off into the bush and abandoned us and the vehicles. We had to trek back to the checkpoint and narrated our ordeal to the security agents,” said Isiguzoro.

    The security men went into the bush where they recovered and towed the vehicles to their base. The police in Abuja, according to Isiguzoro, are investigating the incident.

    “Nobody knows the intentions of the so-called ‘Reuben Abati’ but it is suspected that it was a set up to wipe out some Igbo youth leaders.

    The real Reuben Abati should take up the matter immediately as what happened showed that some people have been impersonating him,” the youth leaders said.

    Dr. Abati said last night. “They have been doing that. I tell people to report to the police. Even last year, a man was convicted for using my name to get a job. The man said he was desperate. People open twitter accounts, bank accounts in my name. The public should be vigilant. I’m not the only person; they do it to many people in government.

    “I don’t do contracts; I’m an intellectual and I don’t invite people to see the President.

    “God has exposed these people who want to tarnish my hard earned reputation.

  • Edo LG poll: Police whisk ACN candidate to Abuja

    Edo LG poll: Police whisk ACN candidate to Abuja

    •PDP disrupts electoral officers’ training, alleges plot to rig

    Policemen from Force Headquarters in Abuja have arrested the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for Estako Central Local Government in next week local government elections, Emmanuel Momoh, over the killing of two persons in a clash between supporters of ACN and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the locality.

    Two houses including cars were burnt in the clash that occurred at Fugar, headquarters of Estako East.

    The two persons killed were parents of youths involved in the clash.

    Momoh was whisked to Abuja after the policemen told his wife they were taking him to Benin City for questioning.

    Several other suspects were arrested

    The state chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih, said one of those killed, Oboareye Ibharue, was a retired teacher who recently defected from the ACN to the PDP.

    Orbih alleged that the fracas was caused by the ACN to harass and intimidate their members before next week local polls.

    He said PDP members were daily harassed because of their refusal to join the ruling party.

    According to him: “Our party members were returning from a campaign rally when they ran into some ACN members that blocked the road and prevented them from proceeding. Both sides engaged in a fracas.

    “Later in the night ACN member went to the residence of our leaders and members and started attacking them and the retired teacher was killed.

    “The man was not at the scene of the incident. The only reason he was attacked and killed was because he came to join us.”

    Orbih urged members of his party to be calm and wait for police investigation into the matter.

    The state secretary of ACN, Chief Osaro Idah, said the killings were part of the PDP plans for elections not to be conducted in the locality.

    Idah said it was a member of the PDP that drove a vehicle into a rally of the ACN and injured seven persons.

    He said their members went to the PDP member house and during a fight somebody died.

    The ACN scribe said the PDP regrouped and burnt properties of the ACN chairman in the locality before policemen were mobilised to the scene.

    “Our members were on a peaceful procession distributing leaflets when Odion Agbabi drove into them just as Boko Haram used to attack churches.

    “Instead of the police to arrest everybody involved, they arrested our candidate and took him to Abuja for interrogation.

    “The man they arrested was not in Fugar that day. He even paid condolence visits to the family.”

    Idah said the PDP want to use federal might to intimidate their candidate because of their low popularity in the locality.”

    Also, members of the PDP disrupted a training programme for ad hoc staff and electoral officers recruited by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) for the local elections next week.

    The PDP members stormed the training centre at Ekpoma in Esan West Local Government and demanded to be included in the training over alleged recruitment of ACN members.

    Orbih confirmed PDP members disrupted the training at Ekpoma.

    He directed them to visit training centre across the state to be included since investigation showed card- carrying members of ACN were recruited as adhoc staff.

    He listed Ovia North East, Uhunmwode, Akoko-Edo as areas where ACN members were recruited.

    Orbih urged EDSIEC to recruit teachers in public schools to serve as ad hoc staff, adding that the ACN was not prepared to conduct free and fair elections.

    Idah dismissed the PDP allegations and challenged them to prove their claims.

    The chairman of EDSIEC, Solomon Ogoh, told The Nation in an interview he did not know whether those recruited had any political affiliation.

    Ogoh said: “During interview, I asked them if they are party members and they said no. How do I know they are not?’

    He confirmed the disruption of the training programme at Ekpoma and called on the security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities.

  • Abuja to host Islamic fashion show

    The third edition of the Muslim Identity (MID) Fashion Show will hold on Sunday at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, it was learnt yesterday.

    In a statement in Abuja by the Chief Executive Officer of MID Kollections, the organisers of the event, Adetona Abdulhameed, said this year’s event would be “bigger and better” than last year’s because of the high profile designers of Islamic fashion.

    “This year, we have local and international designers, who have carved a niche for themselves in the ever-expanding global fashion industry, coming to showcase their products,” the statement said.

    Among the products and designers that would be showcased the statement said, are: Islamic sportswear by Capsters (Netherlands), Friniggi sportswear (Botswana), Modestly Active (UK), Bridal Gowns by Jenebu, African Textiles by Vlisco (Netherlands), Abayas by Aab (UK), Jilbabs by Islamic Design House(UK), Thawbs by Lawung (UK) Top & Skirts by Mybatua(India), Hijabs by Bokitta (Lebanon) and Wedding Gown by Jenebu.

  • INEC retires 20 Directors in major shakeup

    INEC retires 20 Directors in major shakeup

    Six out of the 26 Directors in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters survived the ongoing shakeup in the commission

    A dependable source at the INEC headquarters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday that the commission had 67 directors nationwide

    The source said that the affected directors were either retired or redeployed and assigned to lower offices,

    The source pointed out that the exercise was aimed at re-positioning the commission to meet the emerging challenges.

    According to the source, some of the affected directors with two years left in service are advised to retire with full entitlements or be redeployed to lower offices.

    The source said some of the directors accepted the options while some rejected it and threatened court action.

    Meanwhile, April 12, has been slated as the handing over date, the source said.