The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FCT

  • Why we focus on quality infrastructure – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, in Abuja, reaffirmed that his administration will sustain the delivery of quality infrastructure across the country for investments and businesses to thrive.

    He made the remark while receiving representatives of Trade Associations from the 36 states and the FCT led by the National Coordinator, Prince Paul Ikonne.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari pledged that he will continue to do his best to ensure that the country is safe and secure for everybody.

    The President welcomed the group’s appreciation of government’s efforts in providing and improving critical infrastructure, especially roads and railways, to ensure ease in movement of goods and services.

    He said “These efforts are part of our campaign slogans on security, the economy and the fight against corruption; and on security, it is common-sense that unless the country is secured it cannot be governed.

    ‘‘The best people to comment on the achievements of this administration in terms of security are people who come from the North East where they used to share their local governments with Boko Haram, get ambushed and dispossessed.

    ‘‘Today, we are all witnesses to the commendable efforts of government on security,’’ the President said.

    President Buhari also took note of some major observations by the traders including illegal seizure of good by agents of governments, harmonisation of taxes and charges, and the need for timely completion of rail networks connecting ‘‘South to North, North to the East and East to the West.’’

    In his remarks, Ikonne praised the Buhari administration for instituting policies that are friendly and encouraging to traders, artisans and farmers.

    The National Coordinator declared the Association’s support for the fight against corruption.

    He said ‘‘Mr, President, we must applaud your courage to fight corruption which is restoring Nigeria’s reputation within and outside the country. This, indeed, is an outstanding achievement and we are proud of you.’’

  • NYSC suspends Orientation Course in Kaduna till further notice

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has suspended till further notice, orientation course for the 2018 Batch C Stream I, scheduled to commence on Tuesday, following unfavorable security reports.

    A statement by Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, the NYSC Director of Press, issued on Monday in Abuja, advised prospective corps members posted to the Kaduna state to remain at home until further notice.

    Adeyemi said that current security situation in the state and the consequent curfew imposed by the state government forced the scheme to suspend orientation in the state.

    She however, advised other prospective corps members deployed to other states and the FCT, to report at their various orientation camps on Tuesday Oct. 23, as scheduled.

  • Man bags three months imprisonment for trespass

    A Karshi Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja on Friday sentenced one Harisu Salisu to three months imprisonment for criminal trespass and attempted theft.

    Salisu, 18, who resides in Nyanya in the FCT, pleaded guilty to charges of criminal trespass and attempted theft.

    He, however, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing him.

    Read Also: Two men docked for alleged intimidation

    The Judge, Mr Aliyu Kagarko, who pronounced the guilty verdict after the convict’s summary trial, however, gave Salisu an option to pay N7, 000 fine.

    He advised the convict to be of good behavior.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Babatunde Adeyanju, told the court that one Damasabe Adamu of Kurudu village in Abuja, reported the matter at the Karu Police Station in Abuja on September 16.

    Adeyanju said the convict criminally trespassed into an aluminum company and attempted to steal aluminum materials kept in the premises before he was caught.

    He told the court that the offences contravened Sections 348 and 287 of the Penal Code.

  • FCT APC: Senate, Reps primaries did not hold -CSOs, Observers

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been urged to be cautious about the primary elections into the National Assembly rescheduled to take place over the weekend in the Federal Capital Territory  (FCT).
    The  Civil Society Organizations  (CSOs) and other observers that covered the exercise said the direct primary elections did not hold as officials of the party did turn up for the exercise on Friday and Saturday.
    In a statement on behalf of the coalition of the CSOs under the aegis of Coalition for Change by Aminu Ayam and Mohammed Olayinka Femi of Civil Rights Network (CRN), members of the party that turned up had to return home after waiting endlessly for the party officials.
    They also said fight broke out in several polling areas across the FCT.
    It reads: “We are on behalf of the coalition of observers accredited to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for primary elections into the Senate and House of Representatives seats in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, rescheduled to hold on Friday, October 5, and Saturday, October 6, 2018, wish to state that the exercise did not hold as planned.
    “We observed that while thousands of the APC members in the six area councils turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise, voting did not take place in any of the centres slated for the primary election.
    “The APC members waited in vain for the exercise to take place but no party official was on ground to accredite and count them for the direct primary adopted by the party.
    “After waiting tirelessly and in vain, the APC members had to leave their respective polling units and back to their different homes.
    “When the situation took place on Friday during the conduct of the Senate primary, we thought that the scenario would be different on Saturday. But it was the same story.
    “There was also widespread violence in many of the polling centres. A party agent was stabbed in zone 2, and others were attacked in  Garki , Dutsen Alhaji, Biaji, PW and in so many other polling Centres.
    “It is our belief that the party’s national leadership will take decisive action on what happened.
    “As observers, we only take note of what transpires during such exercise, but we do not have the right or. mandate to challenge anybody on anything that transpires”.

  • Youths protest direct primary in FCT

    Irate youths who claimed to be indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday stormed the APC Secretariat in protest against the use of direct mode for the conduct of party primaries in the FCT.

    The protesters who claimed that all contestants for the various positions in the FCT agreed for the use of indirect primary and wondered why the National Working Committee would impose a direct mode on them.

    They claimed that the party was planning to impose a particular aspirant on them, pointing out that through the indirect mode, they are sure that an indigene of the FCT will emerge as the candidate of the party.

    The irate youths who became violent started pulling down the security wire around the Secretariat and destroyed the billboard in front of the secretariat while locking up the entrance into the secretariat while daring the police to open fire on them.

    The arrival of the Commissioner of Police in the FCT however prevented what would have turned into a brutal confrontation between the police and the irate youths who chanted anti-Oshiomhole slogans.

    They however dispersed later threatening to come back within two hours if the NWC does not reverse the mode of primary from direct to indirect primary.

    About nine aspirants are contesting the Senatorial primary in the FCT.

    No party official was on ground when the protesters stormed Secretariat and chased away the security men at the gate.
    Heavily armed policemen have taken over security in and around the APC Secretariat.

  • Offa robbery: IGP directs service of summons on Saraki

    *Court fixes Oct 3 for report of service

     

    The Inspector General of Police ( IGP ), Ibrahim Idris has directed that court summons and other processes issued by a court in Abuja in relation to a criminal complaint brought against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki be served on him.

    To this end, the IGP has detailed a unit within the Nigeria Police Force’s Legal Department, Force headquarters, Abuja to ensure the prompt delivery of the court processes on Saraki before the next date, October 3 this year.

    A lawyer, E. S. Marcus, disclosed this development on Monday at the resumed proceedings in a criminal complaint made against Saraki by an Abuja-based lawyer and rights activist, Oluwatosin Ojaomo, in relation to the ongoing investigation by the police into the April 5, 2018 bank robbery incident in Offa, Kwara State.

    In the complaint marked: CR/196/2018, filed under Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Ojaomo argued that Saraki’s alleged refusal to honour an invitation allegedly sent to him by the police, in relation to the Offa robbery investigation, amounted to the offences of “obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful responsibility.”

    The judge handling the case at the Grade 1 Area Court, Aco Estate, Lugbe, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Justice Abdullahi Garuba Ogbede had, on September 10 this year, ordered the issuance of summons on the IGP following Saraki’s absence in court when the case, in which he (Saraki) is listed as the sole defendant, was called.

    The judge had summoned the IGP to attend court on September 17 to show cause why Saraki was absent in court and what efforts he had made to ensure his appearance.

    On Monday, Marcus, who is Ojaomo’s lawyer, told the court that although the IGP and Saraki were absent in court, he was informed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Legal Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, identified as Mahmoud that the IGP has directed a unit to ensure the delivery of all processes in relation to the case on Saraki.

    He said: “The defendant is not in court. At the last date, the court issued a witness summons on the IGP to come and show cause why the police failed to effect service of the criminal summons, warrant of arrest and other processes on the defendant.

    “The witness summons was served on the Nigeria Police Force by the court’s registry.

    “However, we received a call from DSP Mahmoud of the Legal Department of the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, that the matter has been assigned by the IGP to a particular unit of the NPF to effect the service of the summons on the defendant and arrest him.”

    Marcus urged the court to grant a short adjournment to enable the police effect service of the processes on the defendant.

    Justice Ogbede acceded to Marcus’ request and adjourned the case to October 3.

    The criminal complaint by Ojaomo reads: “Criminal complaint brought pursuant to Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. Please, cause a summons for a direct criminal complaint on the defendant on the following terms:

    “That you, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on or about the 24th day of July 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did refuse to honour the invitation of the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force to report at the police headquarters in FCT, Abuja to answer to an allegation involving the investigation of some criminal suspects involved in a case which the Nigeria Police Force is currently investigating, thereby obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful responsibility .

    “You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 136 and 149 of the Penal Code Law. Whereas, the complainant is praying the court to charge the defendant accordingly.”

    Ordinarily, the service of the processes on Saraki ought to be effected by the complainant, but Marcus explained that when his client could not serve the defendant as ordered by the court, he applied, under Section 122 of the ACJA, to the IGP to help effect service on the defendant.

    He said the IGP was required, under the law, to either produce the defendant in court or attend court to explain why the defendant was absent, a position that informed the court’s September 10 order on the IGP.

  • Man docked for stealing phone

    A Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court in the FCT on Thursday sentenced one Mohammed Abdul‎ to four months in prison for stealing a cell phone.

    Abdul, 27, residing at Arab Road in Kubwa was found guilty on charges, bordering on criminal trespass and theft.‎

    The Prosecutor, Mr Babajide Olanipekun, had told the court that a complainant ‎reported the matter at the Kubwa Police Station on Sept. 5.

    He said ‎that Abdul trespassed into the shop of the complainant and stole the man’s Techno 7 cell phone, valued at N32, 000.

    Olanipekun said that the offence contravened Sections 342 and 287 of the Penal Code.

    Abdul pleaded guilty as charged but pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

    Judge Abdulwahab Mohammed, however, gave Abdul‎ an option of fine of N20, 000 and ordered him to pay N32, 000 as compensation to the owner of the phone, identified as Mr Nana Hawal.

    Mohammed warned Abdul to desist from committing crimes or to be ready to face the consequences.

  • House of Reps aspirant to canvass state status for FCT

    An aspirant for the House of Representatives for Bwari/AMAC Federal Constituency in the FCT, Hassan Musa Mohammed has said if he is  given the opportunity to represent the area, he will work with others to ensure that the territory is accorded the status of a state.
    Mohammed who is capitalizing on the not-too-young bill to contest the seat asked the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure a level playing ground for those seeking the party ticket for various offices in the forth coming general election.
    Mohammed who spoke after obtaining his nomination form said “I believe that FCT has contributed a lot to the political development of Nigeria. That is why I will work with other lawmakers to agitate for the Territory to be given the status of a state. I believe this is a long deserved issue that need to be looked at passionately.”
    While noting that a fair and level playing can guarantee victory for the party during the election, he refused to be drawn into the controversy of direct or indirect primary.
    He said whichever mode the party adopts for it’s primaries, the key issue will be to ensure that all aspirants are given equal treatment and same access to those who will select the party flag bearers.
    The party has scheduled the House of Representatives primaries for September 29, with every aspirant for the ticket expected to pay N3.85 million for nomination and expression of interest form.
    Mohammed said he was inspired into the contest by the youth friendly policy of the Buhari-Led government which has enhanced youth participation in politics.
    Chairman of the APC in the FCT, Alhaji Abdulmalik Usman assured that the party will be fair to all those aspiring for various offices within the territory, adding that the party has always given all it’s members a level playing ground.
    Usman said the party in the FCT has already put it’s house in order ahead of the elections and has prepared ground for a free, fair and transparent primaries, stressing that the chapter executive of the party will not take sides with any aspirant.
    He said  that the party leadership want to ensure that anybody who  emerge winner will be a true Representative of the people who will ho ahead to win the general election.

  • FCT minister suspends mining, quarrying activities in affected areas

    All quarrying/mining activities and borehole drilling have been suspended forthwith in parts of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister Muhammad Bello, announced yesterday.

    It was in reaction to the earth tremors in the territory.

    Affected by the quarrying/mining and borehole drilling suspension are Mpape, Gwarimpa and Garki districts.

    The suspension will subsist pending the outcome of investigations on the causes of the tremors.

    Bello yesterday paid an on-the-spot visit to Mpape, the epicentre of reported incidents of earth tremors in parts of Abuja recently.

    Speaking for the minister, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, assured residents that there was no cause for alarm.

    He said Abuja does not lie in any major seismic danger zone.

    The minister’s Chief Press Secretary, Cosmas Uzodinma, said preliminary reports on the tremors indicated that rock blasting from quarrying, mining activities and proliferation of borehole drilling might have caused the situation.

    Consequently, he stressed, it became necessary to suspend all quarrying activities in various sites of Abuja, especially Mpape, Garki, Gwarimpa and contiguous areas.

     

  • FHA to invest N9b in FCT mass housing

    The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) said it would invest N9 billion in the ongoing construction of its Abuja Mass Housing Project of 550 units of houses, located in Zuba, Abuja.

    Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin, Managing Director of FHA, made this known on Friday while fielding questions from journalists after an inspection of the Zuba pilot scheme construction site, Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inspection on the 50 per cent completed estate was conducted by the FHA Board of Directors, led by the Chairman, Sen. Lawal Shuaibu.

    Al-Amin said that for government to encourage affordable houses and off-taking at its completion, none of the houses would be sold above N5 million.

    He also said that if interested off-takers would go through government mortgaging system, especially the FHA mortgaging, they would not pay for the housing equity.

    “Initially, if you are paying for a house through mortgage system in the country, you will pay 30 per cent equity but government has wiped away the equity to zero equity for houses below N5 million.

    “The project started three and half months ago, it is a mixture of one, two and three bedroom flats and a total of 550 units are to be produced and every side is at different stage of construction.

    “We are expecting to invest N9 billion in the project.

    “We have the money in our account, government has approved and given out the money and we are releasing it according to the details of public procurement act.

    “This is not the only place in Abuja that we are doing this, we have opened Kwali, in the next two weeks, and we are opening phase two of Lugbe housing estate for low income earners in Abuja.

    He said that another aspect of the project was that the FHA had to know the level of income of off-takers, with a view to ascertain the kind of flat their income could enable them to obtain.

    He further said that the authority decided to use affordable building materials to give the houses value and utility deserved.

    According to him, locally produced materials are also being used in the housing construction.

    Al-Amin noted that the sustainability of the mass housing scheme was very important, adding that in order for off-takers to access the houses, the authority had gone far to mobilise the off-takers.

    “For Zuba social housing scheme, we are targeting communities around that area and spare parts dealers and other Nigerians who cannot stay in the heart of Abuja but stay in Zuba.

    “Those are the people we have profiled.

    “We have FHA mortgage bank which is willing to create mortgages for them, the demand for that estate is high.

    Speaking on the poor state of the access road, he said that the estate had a direct road from Lokoja express way.

    He added that FHA had awarded the contract for road infrastructure but asked the contractor to stop because of the raining season.

    Al-Amin further explained that the Zuba project was meant to be a pilot project of “President Muhammadu Buhari Bricks“ which essentially entailed having houses for all categories of Nigerians.

    NAN reports that the board members also inspected the FHA first phase of commercial housing estate which include luxury houses and duplexes in Apo, Guzape District, and Abuja.

    According to him, the commercial housing estate which is 90 per cent completed is meant for higher income earners in Abuja.

    Al-Amin noted that the authority had two types of housing productions: commercial and social housing in Abuja while in the remaining parts of the country it had commercial houses in each state capital.

    He added that in other locations in states, the authority had social housing which could be let out as site and services.

    “We want to ensure that every sector of the country is covered and every Nigerian, irrespective of status, has option to take.

    This is  based on the United Nations New Urban Agenda which emphasises housing inclusiveness.