The Nation Newspaper

Tag: banned

  • Chris Brown banned from fitness centre

    Chris Brown banned from fitness centre

    Controversial American singer, Chris Brown, won’t be stepping foot inside a Life Time fitness centre again, according to the company who just slapped the artiste with a lifetime ban after he went ballistic at their NYC location.

    TMZ who broke the story says “Brown was booted from the gym Friday after getting into it with a manager. We’re told Chris and his crew were on the basketball courts playing loud music, cussing and hurling insults. Witnesses say a manager asked them to leave and Chris lost it … even spitting on the way out.”

    A rep of the company says Chris’ actions, behaviour and aggression toward their staff was completely unacceptable and they’ve got no place for it.

    The singer and his group have been banned permanently from the company’s more than 100 locations.

    Chris is however yet to react to the ban.

  • Cell phones banned in Osun schools

    Cell phones banned in Osun schools

    The Osun State Government yesterday banned the use of cell phones and motorcycles by pupils in public secondary schools.

    Deputy Governor Mrs Titilayo Laoye-Tomori gave the order in Osogbo during the Education Stakeholders Meeting with representatives from five local governments.

    Mrs. Laoye-Tomori said the ban became imperative to instill discipline in public secondary schools.

    She decried the pupils’ poor performance during internal and external examinations, saying the results did not reflect the huge spending in educational reforms.

    The deputy governor urged communities to set up committees that would monitor activities of pupils in their localities.

    She said “due to the unruly behaviour of some pupils, any pupil caught with cell phone, charms or dangerous objects would be expelled”.

  • Banned!

    • It’s not enough to ban the 113 oil vessels, government must lay charges against their owners and their local collaborators

    The focus of the Buhari administration’s battle against impunity and brazen criminality appears to have shifted to the legion of foreign vessels facilitating illicit trade in the nation’s crude. Citing a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in a letter dated July 15, banned 113 crude oil tankers from engaging in crude oil, gas loading activities in any of the terminals within the Nigerian territorial waters. The affected vessels were also barred from movements within the nation’s territorial waters with immediate effect. The letter gave no reason(s).

    However, industry sources listed among possible reasons, alleged sharp practices in outturn figures –differences between the volume loaded and the figures eventually delivered at the port of discharge, and perhaps failures to settle port and maritime charges.

    Indeed, the global oil tanker industry association, INTERTANKO, may have admitted to much of the infractions when in a note to its members, the association’s general counsel, Michele White, observed: “Our current understanding is that these ships may have been targeted due to a failure to provide official outturn figures at their last call and/or commercial differences between load and discharge figures for cargo and free water”.

    Interestingly, the note was sequel to its protest letter to the NNPC requesting that the latter rescind the ban in the absence of “evidence or grounds” for the ban. The relevant portion of the letter read – “INTERTANKO protests in the strongest possible way that these bans should be lifted with immediate effect until grounds and evidence for the ban have been given to each vessel and vessel owner/operator, and the owner/operator has had an opportunity to respond.”

    We think the issues are quite clear. Nigeria as a sovereign country not only reserves the right to determine those who can do business within its territory, but also under what conditions such activities can take place. If merely in the context of the ongoing clean-up of the oil industry value chain, particularly the mess known to attend the trade and transportation of Nigeria’s crude, the measure would seem both apt and timely.

    INTERTANKO’s position is no doubt understandable.  The issue is whether the protection and defence of the rights and interests of its members can be regarded as superior to the strategic interests of a sovereign nation. Would INTERTANKO have preferred that the vessels be allowed to carry on despite what the body itself admitted to as possible corporate derelictions?

    Can INTERTANKO claim to be oblivious of the industrial scale theft of oil that has gone on for so long almost unchallenged in Nigeria’s maritime environment involving its members?  Would it have been too much to expect that the global tankers body collaborate with the Nigerian authorities to end a scourge sapping the nation’s juices while giving its members a bad name at the same time?

    At this point in time, the message must come clear from the Federal Government, that whereas the culture of denial – or playing the ostrich – may have served INTERTANKO and other such vested interests in the past, such has no place under the current presidency.

    That is not to say that the Federal Government does not have more work to do in this regard. Indeed, the ban can only be a first step. We expect the Federal Ministry of Justice to lay out specific charges bordering on economic crime against the offending vessels and their local collaborators, either locally or in foreign jurisdictions. The justice of it demands that the owners and their collaborators have their days in court. The same goes for functionaries in the NNPC, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the maritime security agencies. For once, the nation wants to see the lid lifted on the activities of specific functionaries whose roles contributed to bringing the economy to the current state.

  • Why I banned street begging, hawking -El-Rufai

    Why I banned street begging, hawking -El-Rufai

    •Beggars threaten to sue governor

    Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday said the recent ban on street begging and hawking was for the safety of beggars, hawkers and others following suicide attack that rocked Sabon Gari Local Government secretariat.

    Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, the governor’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan, explained that, the ban of hawking and begging was necessitated by security situation in the state and to ensure maximum protection of lives and property.

    El-Rufai, who expressed sadness over the Sabon Gari attack, said he will never unleash pains on beggars and hawkers in the state, adding that government decision was not aimed or targeted at the vulnerable group but to protect citizens.

    However, the beggars yesterday took their case to the Kaduna State Council secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ). They said the governor’s ban is a gentle way of calling them terrorists hence the need to take legal action against the governor for defamation and to seek redress.

    But the governor appealed to the people to see reason with the ban and cooperate with the government for the safety of citizens in the state.

    According to him, “Kaduna State Government’s decision to ban hawking and begging in the state followed last week’s bomb attack that killed 26 innocent citizens and injured 32 persons.”

    The special assistant said “the government is a responsible government and conscious of its constitutional role to protect citizens and to ensure law and order for common good. The state government will not fold its arms and allowed citizens to be killed via terror act and break down of law and order hence the decision”

    The beggars dared the governor saying they will remain on the streets, until the government gets them gainful employment.

    They insist they have the constitutional right to stay wherever they wish to stay saying until their demands are met, the government should prepare their graves that they would fight the battle to the finish.

    The beggars who thronged out in their numbers, both men and women, old and young, said they are giving the authorities three days to rescind its decision or risk been victims of spell they would profess against them.

     

  • Adamu: Blatter banned me to block London probe

    Adamu: Blatter banned me to block London probe

    Former FIFA and CAF Executive Committee member, Nigeria’s Dr. Amos Adamu, has declared in Lagos that he was banned for three years by a Sepp Blatter influenced FIFA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee to prevent a possible probe of his corrupt involvement in the failed London bid for the 2018 World Cup.

    Adamu who is also a former president of the West Africa Football Union (WAFU) said all through his stay in FIFA he never asked for cash in return for his vote the way the FIFA boss and his other top placed executives had done for years as exposed by the FBI probe and Chuck Blazer’s confessional statements.

    “It is an accepted norm in FIFA for countries bidding to host the World Cup to make promises to develop football facilities in affiliate countries which lack development. And London voluntarily chose to do that for Nigeria. The opposing bid country also made the same promises. On this I asked London to purchase all the materials for the artificial turf stadiums and send to me and never asked for money.

    “Blatter banned me for two things; to pacify the angry London Bid Committee not to investigate him further and also due to a $30million debt owed the FIFA Security Committee by the Nigerian government incurred ahead of the 2009 U-17 World Cup. The surety to pay was signed by late President Umaru Yar’Adua, while former president Goodluck Jonathan refused to pay.”

    Adamu noted that Blatter’s decision to resign as FIFA president was a tactical move to prevent any possible move to investigate him deeper. “There is a FIFA Regulation under the Swiss Law which says once you resign all investigations against you stops. The Swiss government has also been having problems with Blatter on issues of corruption but they are incapacitated, as there is another law that prevents them from investigating any international organisation domiciled in the country.”

    Adamu whose return to CAF duties was announced last week noted that Blatter’s resignation and decision to leave office in March 2016 are aimed at covering some obvious corruption tracks together with the double standard FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke who shockingly defended the $10million collected from South Africa as money for football development.

    “I saw Sepp Blatter in Cairo during the CAF Elective Congress some weeks back and I told him his time in FIFA would soon be up, he didn’t believe me.”

  • Why we banned Fifty Shades of Grey, by Censors Board

    Why we banned Fifty Shades of Grey, by Censors Board

    The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), has cited ‘public interest’ as reason it has banned a foreign film,Fifty Shades of Grey, from Nigerian cinemas.

    The film, which had earlier started showing in Nigeria, has also been outlawed by the movie regulatory agency of Kenya.

    In a statement released at the weekend, the NFVCB further reaffirmed its resolve to attend to submitted movies with utmost dispatch and the display of due diligence in its role as the industry gatekeeper.

    According to the agency, a total of 23 movies were approved in December, 2014 and January, 2015.

    It explained that out of the movies approved for home viewership in December, 2014, English Language productions topped the list with five films while Bini Language films were four, followed by two Yoruba films and one Hausa Language film. Three of the combined NFVCB approvals were rated “15” while the rest got the “18” rating.

    In January, 2015, English Language movies were 10 out of the 11 approved movies, leaving one for Yoruba Language category. Three of the films were rated ‘15’ while the rest had ‘18’ classification.

    Among the approved English Language movies for the two months under review are: Here We Stand, The Invisible Bond,Twins Apart, My Brother, My Enemy, Adadioranma, The Baby Must Not Die and Second Burial.

    The Bini Language movies include,  Ogue Nozutu and Odumamwen while the Yoruba Language movies include Ayo Igbalaand Aye Keji. Bugu da Kari is the only Hausa Language movie.

    All approved movies, the NFVCB said, are to be released with appropriate consumer advisory regarding imitable technique, strong language, violence, drug abuse and fetish rituals.

  • Motorcycles may be banned for public transportation

    The National Council on Transportation (NCT) has proposed a ban on the use of motorcycles, popularly known as Okada or Achaba for commercial purposes.

    The proposal, seen as one of the measures aimed at the provision of safe and secured transportation across the country, was one of the major issues at the National Council on Transport (NCT) retreat at the Nike Lake Resort, Abakpa Nike, Enugu State.

    A communiqué, which was co-signed by the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar and the Kogi State Commissioner for Transport,Abdulraman Wuya, said “All states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been advised to establish a public transport system that ensure strict regulation of the operation of public passenger transportation through a well articulated management system for enhanced safety, security, effective and efficient service delivery.

    “The states are to also develop master plans for the development of Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to facilitate the development and management of their transport operations in line with emerging trends and global best practices.”

    It was also agreed that all commercial vehicles should be properly registered in each state; their enumeration should be carried out periodically to enhance safety and security.

    This year’s theme: “Providing safe and Secure Transportation: Building Stakeholders’ Confidence” examined transportation on the nation’s waters and directed that the Ministry of Transport should develop a national minimum standard framework on safety and security on the nation’s inland waterways.

  • No hiding place for importers of banned products in Oyo,says Customs boss

    No hiding place for importers of banned products in Oyo,says Customs boss

    The battle between men of the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) and  smugglers in Oyo state is yielding positive results. OSEHEYE OKWUOFU reports on the recent seizures of goods worth several millions on naira by a crack team of Customs men in the State.

    It was a moving scene at the Abaja forest, near Igbeti in Olorunsogo Local Government Area of Oyo state, the site of the seizure of smuggled goods made by the Nigeria Customs Service  Oyo/Osun Command last Thursday .

    The villagers along the route to the forest were stunned on seeing the presence of security operatives comprising soldiers, policemen, DSS, men of the Directorate of Civil Defence and Customs officers. The route which was a familiar one to the villagers and smugglers had remained hidden to security men for long until last week when the arrest and seizure was made.

    One of the villagers, an elderly man who gave his name as Kabiru, a Fulani cattle tender confirmed that the narrow path in the forest has been serving as the route for the smugglers for more than 5 years until the discovery by Customs men who acted on a tip-off.

    Kabiru who spoke Yoruba fluently said “this is good for us because of the intimidation we receive every day from the smugglers here. When they are coming mostly in the late hours they crush whoever was found on the way. Our children were always asked to remain indoors when they were passing in convoy because they are very dangerous. We don’t have rest of mind here as we live in fear because of their intimidation”.

    In the Abaja forest, about forty security operatives stood guard to protect the seizure which included forty vehicles and over 2000 bags of rice.

    The smugglers, it was gathered numbered over 100 and were fully armed with sophisticated weapons and assorted charms which were used to confront the Customs officers who had laid a siege in the forest five days before the attack.

    Describing the sound of guns as deafening and frightening the night the smugglers engaged the Customs men in a gun duel, one of the villagers, a farmer, Adesuyi Nasiru praised the security men for their gallantry and pointed out that it was very rare to defeat the smugglers in the area because of their weapons .

    “Now, we have peace in these villages and we can now sleep with our eyes closed unlike before when we live in dread”, Nasiru said.

    The seized items which were displayed before senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service from Abuja headquarters was described as a great feat in recent times.

    The  squad leader, DSC Alajogun Joseph narrated how his team was able to discover to route in the forest and subsequent defeat of the smugglers.

    He said that for over four days his men were in the forest, anxiously waiting for the smugglers with the hope that they would pass as usual.

    According to him, the squad went through many hardships in the forest that had to be endured for many days before we saw the smugglers.

    Alajogun said “we got wind of the smuggling of rice through some informants, and through intelligence gathering for over two weeks. So, when we got information that they were coming in the early hours of Tuesday September 9, 2014, we have already taken our position in the forest and after some shoot out they fled because of our intense fire power”.

    Also, a similar seizure was said to have been made by men of the Customs, which was displayed  last Saturday. The squad intercepted imported poultry products worth over N14million concealed in two trucks, along Bakatari axis of Ibadan-Abeokuta Expressway.

    Addressing newsmen on the seizure on behalf of the Comptroller of the Oyo/Osun command Mr Richard Oteri,  the Deputy Controller of the Command, Mr   Usman Buwa  said the  seizure of the two trucks  carrying poultry product with over 2000 cartons of frozen poultry, was made by a  task force led by Assistant Comptroller Mohammed Adamu Ibrahim on 11 September, 2014 at about 4.30am.

    The seized poultry product, consisting of frozen turkey and chicken, according to the Customs boss was being imported from Brazil into the country before it was intercepted in Ibadan along Bakatari, in Ido local government area of Oyo state by officers of the command.

    He listed reasons why the importation of banned poultry products must be discouraged, stating that poultry product remained on the list of contraband.

    He said:” As we all know, poultry products are contraband and their importation is prohibited by the federal government.

    “The reason behind the ban is to protect local poultry farmers thereby securing employment for the citizenry and consequently facilitate economic growth.

    “Also, consumption of imported poultry products is injuries to health of individuals. This is not only due to period of long storage, but also the chemical used in its preservation and the long distance it covered before coming into this country. “

    For instance, the Customs boss said this particular “seizure is from Brazil, so you can imagine the distance it covered.

    “So, we will continue to advise the general public to stop patronizing imported poultry products, so as to discourage smuggling of imported poultry products,” he stated.

    The seized poultry products were later buried at a dump site in Arapaja Village,  Oluyole local government area of Oyo state before newsmen ,DSS and NAFDAC officials.

    The Controller of the Oyo/Osun Command, Mr Richard Oteri who led officers of the Command and other security personnel into the forest last Thursday , a journey of over four hours ,was optimistic that the war against smuggling would soon be over as the operators of banned imported goods are fast losing the battle.

    Oteri , who commended the crack squad for the wonderful feat said the estimated Duty Paid Value of the 2000 bags of rice is N20million , while the market value of the seizure is N18million.

    “ It is worthy of note to recollect that a similar seizure of twenty one assorted vehicles also loaded with rice was made early last month. The command will continue to engage in aggressive patrol activities in all areas of the command and ensure effective blockage of the entry of all illicit goods.

    “It is worrisome that some Nigerians remain unrepentant even as they continue to lose. Not even Federal Government’s visible efforts in transforming the agricultural sector, especially in the area of rice production have touched their conscience to avoid rice smuggling”, he said.

    The Customs boss further explained that already the Comptroller General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi has ordered a thorough investigation with a view to prosecuting all those connected with the illegal act, adding that the command remained poised in her resolve to arresting saboteurs and make them face the full wrath of the law.

    He revealed that his men had all what it requires to flush out smugglers because of the incentives from the management of Nigeria Customs Service, coupled with the provision of new patrol vans and ammunition that are more superior than the ones used by the smugglers.

    The Command boss said: “You can see the guns we have are not just guns but automatic AK47 assault rifle. So my men were well kitted. We could not have done anything less, because the Comptroller General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi has indeed raised our morale and we are going to win the war against smuggling . As you can see, there is no hiding place for sabotuers .”

  • Ebola: Filipino seafarers banned from landing in Nigeria, others

    Filipino seafarers will not be  allowed to disembark in Nigeria and other countries in West Africa with confirmed cases of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease. The measure is intended to prevent further spread of the deadly disease that has killed over 1,000 persons, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), has said.

    POEA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said the agency has issued guidelines for seafarers and ship manning firms to arrest the spread of the virus.

    “There will be no shore leave for seafarers and no crew change in the ports of these countries in the meantime,” he said.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern” after confirmed cases in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria reached 1,776 as of August 6, this year.

    The death toll hit 961, prompting the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to issue the guidelines aimed at protecting seafarers who would dock at those infected countries.

    “The guidelines are issued for our seafarers’ welfare and protection. They could be vulnerable to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) due to the unavoidable circumstance where they have to interact with shore-based personnel who come on board ships to perform their respective duties,” DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said in the statement.

    DOLE had also previously banned the deployment of new hires after the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) raised crisis alert level 2 (restriction phase) on July 2.

    POEA guidelines also state that crewmen should be given protective equipment.

    Any signs or symptoms of the disease must be immediately reported to the ship’s medical officer.

    “They shall report those who have fever, headache, intense weakness, joint and muscle pains, and sore throat to their principal/employer who, in turn, are required to coordinate with appropriate international marine medical providers to seek their guidance on ways to manage an EVD contamination on board,” Cacdac said.

    Cacdac further urged ship manning agencies to adopt the following guidelines from several international maritime workers’ organisations:

    The Master must ensure that the crewmen are aware of the risks, how the virus can be spread and how to mitigate the risk;

    The ISPS Code requirements on ensuring that unauthorised personnel are not allowed to board the ship and should be strictly enforced throughout the duration of the ship’s stay in port; and after departure, the crew should be aware of the symptoms and report any occurring symptoms immediately to the persons/authorities in charge of medical are onboard.

    Philippines is the largest supplier of seafarers in the world. There were 460,000 Filipino seafarers as at the end of 2013.

    Filipinos are employed as seamen worldwide, more than any other nationality.

    One out of every five seamen in the world is a Filipino.

  • MAXIMUM CONCENTRATION: Agbim banned from Facebook

    MAXIMUM CONCENTRATION: Agbim banned from Facebook

    • Keshi stops goalkeeper from receiving calls

    The Super Eagles’ technical crew has banned goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim from going online to update his Facebook page or receive calls for the duration of the Championship of African Nations (CHAN), where Nigeria is expected to beat Morocco today at 4pm.

    Super Eagles Team Psychologist, Robinson Okosun, on Thursday said Agbim was restrained from taking many calls and visiting the social media to avoid distractions capable of lowering his morale.

    “By and large, I think he is coping so well. Also, like I said, I still maintain my restriction on him from visiting Facebook. And, of course, to also reduce the level of calls he takes. The calls I expect him to take are the ones from his parents and his friends, and not the ones that will discourage him.

    “But, by and large, I think he is coping fine, he is responding very well to the psychological tuning given to him. For the general team, after the South Africa game, I had a session with them, to appraise, tell individual players what I discovered in the match.

    “But having said that, I am going to have the last and final session with the team on Friday (yesterday) and they are ready to go.’’

    He also said other members of the Super Eagles were also responding to confidence-building. Okosun said the players were told that the task ahead would not be easy.