The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

  • FCT bans herdsmen, hawkers, others in Abuja

    FCT bans herdsmen, hawkers, others in Abuja

    The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammad Bello has restated that begging, street hawking, cattle grazing and commercial motorcycle (Okada) remain banned. It said the ban must be enforced by the security agents.

    Bello said this after an emergency FCT Security Committee meeting held in Abuja on Monday.

    According to him, the FCT Administration will continue to collaborate with the security agencies to ensure that the ban is made effective.

    Bello said that the institutions must be strengthened to carry out their statutory duties in line with the Change agenda of the Federal Government.

    He, however, commended the security community in the FCT for the high-level intelligence sharing that had so far assisted the administration to nip in the bud any security breach in the territory.

    The committee condemned the illegal attempt by some criminals who stormed the Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre, Kuchiko in Bwari Area Council, trying to rescue some of the inmates following the arrest of 687 beggars/destitute.

    The committee also decried the illegal use of uncompleted buildings by destitute people, miscreants and criminals in the city, warning that owners of such property would be held responsible for any security breach traced to their property.

    The minister reiterated that owners of such uncompleted buildings must provide security in and around such property and also ensure the cleanliness of the surrounding areas.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, FCT Police Commissioner, Commandant, Guards Brigade, Garrison Commander, heads of Navy and Air Force in the FCT and Director of FCT DSS attended the meeting.

    Others were Chairmen of the six FCT Area Councils, Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) as well as Mandate Secretaries, Ona of Abaji and the heads of para-military organs in the FCT.

  • FG to roll out digital switchover in October – Minister

    FG to roll out digital switchover in October – Minister

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says that the Federal Government will roll out digital switchover in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in October.

    Mohammed gave the assurance when he featured at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

    The minister said that as part of effort to fast track digital switchover in Abuja, government had procured over 200,000 Set-Top boxes that would be used for the project.

    “ We are still hoping to roll out in Abuja in October.

    “ There are three components to digitisation, there is the signal distributor; there is the content provider and there is also what you called the set-top boxes manufacturer.

    “ It is that set-top box which we easily refer to as decoder that will make you be able to receive digital broadcast in your house.

    “ So unless you have that box you cannot receive digital broadcasting.

    “ There are some televisions in Nigeria today that are already digitalised.

    “But less than four per cents Nigerians own that kind of television.

    “So it means 96 per cent of Nigerians will need that decoder.’’

    Mohammed explained that government would spend huge money in providing the set-top box to make them available to the people.

    He recalled that during the launch of the pilot scheme of the digital switchover in Jos, government gave out free boxes to the people.

    “ Now we need about a half a million boxes for the Abuja roll out and as I speak about 200,000 boxes are in our ports.

    “ But we are trying to sort out with the manufacturers some logistics of how to clear them and we are very confident that by October we are going to roll-out in Abuja,’’

    Mohammed said that the government was realigning the business model of the broadcasting industry from what it inherited to make it efficient and profitable to signal distributors and content providers.

  • FCT: Kwali council chair seeks autonomy 

    Chairman Kwali Area Council of the Federal capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Mr. Joseph Shazin Kwali has called for autonomy of local government Councils across the country.

    Shazin said political interference has become a serious issue of concern, preventing chairmen of the councils from performing their constitutional mandates.

    He stated this on Monday when a Network of Civil Society Groups conferred him with the most active area council chairman in the territory, stressing that such freedom would enable them pass their laws without external interference.

    He noted that although the call for autonomy for local government has been a popular struggle, but according to him, some local governments which are not financially viable find it difficult to improve in lots of people at the grassroots especialy in terms of development.

    On the award, he pledged his commitment to do more saying, “The significance of this award is that some people recognises what I have been doing and this would ginger me to up to do more for my people. Most significantly, it tells me that whatever one is doing is being watched by some people we may not know.”

    However, the council chairman appealed to elected leaders in the nation, to continue to give dividends of democracy to the electorates to effect positive change based on the Change Mantra and the manifestos of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    On his part, the group’s National President Ayanfe Somoye said; “It is pertinent to note that the history of Nigeria cannot be complete without mentioning the courageous and outstanding contributions of Civil Society Groups before and after independence.

    “Civil society groups are stakeholders in nation building, and we remain dogged in our resolve at repositioning and rediscovering genuine commitment, aimed at better the well-being of Nigerian citizens for the purpose of achieving a holistic and everlasting peace and  economic development of our great communities, states and country at large.

    “We are aware that you have been working day and night for the sustenance of peace and unity among the various ethnic and religious groups in Kwali Area Council.”

    He stated further that, the organisation was aware that ‘honourable Shazin is a magnanimous and philanthropic leader to numerous indigent students in Kwali Area Council in particular’.

    He urged other Area Council Chairmen in the territory and beyond to be worthy leaders.

  • NHRC summons FCT’s CP for impeding investigation

    NHRC summons FCT’s CP for impeding investigation

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has summoned the Commissioner of Police (CP) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Mustafa over alleged obstruction of its investigation into allegations of rights abuses.

    Mustapha is expected to appear before the commission today.

    The commission’s invitation to the Commissioner of Police, FCT was informed by the alleged denial of access, by some policemen, to some NHRC’s investigators who had gone to investigate allegations of rights abuses contained in a petition by members of Wuye Market Traders Association.

    Spokesperson of the commission, Uche Mebrim said, in a statement, that policemen from FCT Command denied the investigation team led by the Commission’s Director of Human Rights Monitoring, Tony Ojukwu access to the Wuye market despite explanations that the visit was a fact finding.

    He said the petition was received Wednesday by the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe.

    The petition, he said contained allegation to the effect that the authorities of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) dispossessed them of their shops despite giving them allocation papers and that in the process of protesting for their rights, they were manhandled by the Police.

    Mebrim said, after its encounter with policemen at the Wuye Market, the NHRC investigation team later went to Maitama Police Command, where some of the arrested traders were detained.

    He said the Area Commander, Abiodun Alamutu, who received the team, said there was a directive that nobody should access Wuye Market. He admitted that 20 men and four women were detained and later the four women were released while the men have been taken to court in Wuse, Abuja.

  • Cricket association suspends Summer Camp

    Cricket association suspends Summer Camp

    The Rivers State Cricket Association on Thursday said that its annual Summer Camp Clinic would not hold due to the ongoing renovation at the state’s Sport Complex, Port Harcourt.

    Tonye Timinade, Head Coach of the association told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that the programme which started few years ago was initiated to enhance cricket development.

    He said that the body would use the opportunity to prepare its players for the National Youth Game scheduled to hold in Ilorin from August 24 to Sept. 1.

    NAN reports that athletes under the age of 16 from 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will participate in 22 sports, with cricket featuring as demonstration sports.

    “We organise summer camp for children every August and a lot of them have benefited.

    “Unfortunately, it won’t hold this year and we urge parents and their wards not to be discouraged because of the development.

    “We have a lot of programmes in stock to promote the sport at the grassroots,’’ he assured.

    He appealed to corporate bodies and individuals in the state to complement the effort of the association in moving the sport forward.

  • Killings: Christians should defend themselves, says CAN

    Killings: Christians should defend themselves, says CAN

    … Urges Govt to bring perpetrators to justice

    The national leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) yesterday described the killing of Christians across some states especially the recent one in Abuja as brutal and unacceptable.

    CAN said: “authority’s inaction is becoming unbearable and may not be tolerated anymore.”

    It called on Christians all over to always be ready to defend themselves against further attacks.

    One of such attacks was the murder of a 42 year old Christian mother of seven children, Mrs. Eunice Elisha, who on Saturday July 9, 2016, was brutally killed while on Christian evangelism.

    Mrs. Elisha was murdered in Kubwa area of Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in the early hours of the day.

    CAN advised authorities both at the states and federal level to do everything possible to bring the perpetrators to justice before the crisis gets out of control.

    A statement issued in Abuja by the General Secretary CAN, Rev. Musa Asake: “The unprovoked attacks on Christians and the authority’s inaction is becoming unbearable and may not be tolerated anymore, inasmuch as we will continue to call on Christians to remain tolerant and law abiding, it is becoming inevitable to also call on them to buckle up and be ready to defend themselves against these incessant unprovoked and mindless attacks.

    “The National leadership and the entire members of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have received with rude shock and disbelief the report of yet another religious hatred murder of a dedicated 42 year old Christian mother of seven children, Mrs. Eunice Elisha, who on Saturday 9th July, 2016, was brutally killed while doing Christian evangelism.

    “Mrs. Eunice Elisha was murdered in Kubwa area of Abuja, FCT, in the early hours of the day. Her neck was slashed and she was also stabbed in the stomach. About a month ago in Kano, Mrs. Bridget Agbaheme, a 74 year old Christian was murdered at Wambai market due to an altercation with a Muslim man who came to the front of her shop to perform ablution. Her offence was that she objected to the Islamic washing rite in front of her shop.

    “Just last week a clergyman of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Reverend Zakariya was killed by attackers suspected to be Fulani Herdsmen in Obi LGA of Nasarawa state. They attacked him on his farm, cut off his arms and legs, then they chopped his head with a machete. Another fresh but sad news reaching us is that of the Fulani herdsmen militia that is back on rampage killing 81 people in multiple attacks in Logo and Ukum local government areas of Benue state in central Nigeria.

    “In recent times, there have been multiple cases of attacks by Fulani herdsmen on various Christian communities, all over the nation. In the South East and in the South South zones, there have been gruesome attacks on IPOB members and on Christian communities in the Niger Delta. All these are in addition to the relentless attacks of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt and southern Borno.

    “The Christian Association of Nigeria commiserates with the families affected by these mindless orgies of death and destruction as well as with the entire Christian community in Nigeria. We pray that God in His mercy shall comfort and strengthen the families of all the Nigerians affected in these unwarranted murders unleashed upon the nation by religious extremists.

    “The recurring decimal of violence and murder of innocent Nigerian citizens on the basis of religious intolerance demands specific and relevant response from all concerned citizens in the country more so when the government in power seems to have adopted an attitude of lukewarm response to the evils being perpetrated in Nigeria in the name of religion.

    “The discrimination against non-Muslims in Nigeria under the Buhari Administration is assuming a dangerous dimension that should not be left to the vagaries of time and circumstance to resolve.

    “You will agree with me that with these happenings and the lukewarm attitude by the authorities concern toward putting an end to it, Nigeria is dancing a macabre dance of death, both for the nation and for its citizens. It is time to stop the beat and let common sense guide the nation out of the present quagmire. A stitch in time saves nine.

    “Before the situation escalates into an unmanageable national crisis, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is calling on the authorities both at the states and federal to do everything possible to bring the perpetrators to justice if the confidence of Christians on this government must be maintained.”

     

  • Buhari calls for end to child marriage, exploitation

    Buhari calls for end to child marriage, exploitation

    President Muhammadu Buhari, has called for an end to all forms of abuse and exploitation against the child, including abduction and forced early marriage.

    Buhari made the call Friday during the National Children’s Day Celebration at the Eagle Square, Abuja; saying there is urgent need for all stakeholders, including parents and communities at all level to protect children against any form of violence.

    The president who was represented at the occasion by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, said the Federal Government was resolute in its efforts at rescuing all the missing Chibok Girls.

    He cited the recent rescue of Amina Ali Nkeki and Sarah Luka all of Chibok, as evidence that government was unwavering in its resolve in that regard.

    The President said, no child or indeed any other Nigerian should be put through the brutality of abduction, violence or forced marriage in whatever form, stressing that every girl has a right to education and choice of life.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, Buhari while emphasizing the commitment of his administration to protecting the rights of children as enshrined in the Child Rights Act, 2007 as well as in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, said his government would continue to fight the scourge of child abuse, child abduction, child labour and child trafficking among others.

    He directed the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to liaise with other agencies to work out appropriate programmes including actions and measures that would help in tackling violence and abuse against children.

    While wishing children happy celebration, the President urged them to be responsible citizens by respecting constituted authorities as well their parents, teachers and elders.

    He called on parents to teach their children to live a life of honesty, dedication and love for the country.

    In her address, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Jumai Alhassan who was also represented at the occasion by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Hajiya Binta Adamu Bello assured that the government would not leave any stone unturned in protecting the rights of the children.

  • 34 athletes confirm for CCSF taekwondo training workshop in Abuja

    34 athletes confirm for CCSF taekwondo training workshop in Abuja

    34 athletes drawn from the six geo-political zone, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja will be part of this year’s Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) Training workshop holding on May 11 to 15.
    The workshop series, which began in 2010 and has since become a watering ground for upcoming future taekwondo champions, with the programme specifically designed to complement the fantastic work being done by coaches all across the country in raising young athletes, by increasing the technical and tactical knowledge of participants.
    According to the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of CCSF, Chika Chukwumerije, “the singular philosophy upon which the CCSF Training Workshop is based is that Nigeria’s young upcoming athletes, despite their seeming clumsiness and gawkiness, possess incredibly explosive sporting and intellectual abilities that only needs to be properly ignited at this tender age in order for these abilities to explode to blinding limelight in a couple of years. To this end, participants are rightly treated like the champions they are, and exposed to the latest equipment/techniques/tactics that they need to excel in the sport.”
    The three-time Olympian added: “It has become easier to highlight the undeniable progress of the program’s vision with recent successes of past participants like 18-year- old Adamu Abubakar Isah and 17-year- old Shola Olowookere (presently Commonwealth Gold Medalists). Yet still, some of the other ex-participants have won the National Youth Games and battle head-to- head with older and more experienced athletes at the various National competitions available in Nigeria. It is also important to note that all participants are in school or strongly encouraged to continue their educational programs, which is in line with CCSF’s vision that prospective champions must also be educated during their journey to becoming champions.
    The Beijing 2008 Olympics bronze medalist said that this year’s edition would continue with its tradition to exposing young athletes to the best training taekwondo drills practised in international circuits, in addition to inspiring the athletes through organizing their interactions with past and present champions in inspirational lecture series.
    Top experts expected to handle proceedings at the five-day event are Chika Chukwumerije, Africa’s first three-time Taekwondo Olympian, and other established National past and current Champions, like 2-time African Champion, Mrs. Margaret Elizabeth Binga and 2-time National Champion and 3-time NUGA Gold Medalist, Sani Lawal.
    The feeding and accommodation of the participants would be catered for by CCSF with only U-20 athletes expected to make it to the event holding in Abuja.
  • Dasuki’s aide begs Abuja court for bail

    Dasuki’s aide begs Abuja court for bail

    • Court to rule Monday

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Jabi has fixed March 14 for ruling on an application for bail brought by Colonel Nicholas Ashinze, former Special Assistant (SA) to ex-National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.

    Justice Yusuf Halilu gave the date on Tuesday after listening to Ashinze’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) argued his client’s application. The respondents, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Chief of Army Staff (CAS) and Nigeria Army were not represented.

    Ashinze, in his fundamental rights enforcement application, wants the court to, among others, declare illegal, “his arrest and continued detention from 23rd December, 2015 till date, by combined operatives of the EFCC and the Nigeria Army, without being given any reason and without granting him administrative bail within 24 hours, or 48 hours of his arrest and detention.

    He wants the court to order the respondents to release him, his personal effects, including documents and other items, which he claimed were unlawfully seized from him without any warrant, during his arrest and continued detention since 23rd December.

    Alternatively, Ashinze is seeking an order granting him bail on self-recognizance or in the most liberal terms as the court may deem fit in the peculiar circumstances of this case. He also wants the court to direct the respondents to tender a public apology to him and pay him N500million as exemplary damages for the alleged violation of his rights.

     

  • el-Rufai deserves prayer not anger- Atiku

    el-Rufai deserves prayer not anger- Atiku

    The Media office of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has accused Former Federal Capital Territory  Minister, Malam Nasir el-Rufai of writing alleged fiction for self-glorification at the expense of truth.

     Reacting to el-Rufai’s book entitled, “The Accidental Public Servant,” Atiku’s Media office  dismissed el-Rufai’s  book as a collection of fiction, half-truths, exaggeration and reflection of selective memory.

     The Media Office in a statement said it was particularly piqued by  el-Rufai’s claim that he  almost resigned as the former Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) because of alleged persistent pressure and interference by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was then the Chairman of the National Council on Privatization.

     Atiku’s Media Office expressed disbelief that the former FCT Minister forgot soon what he said at the Senate Public Hearing on BPE August 8-13, 2011. That Adhoc committee was headed by Senator Ahmed Lawan.

     It recalled el-Rufai as saying that he had special relationship with former President Obasanjo, which gave him direct access and the discretion to bypass the Council on Privatization headed by Atiku in order to get the approval of the President.

     The Media Office wondered how el-Rufai could reconcile his threat of resignation with the accounts he told the Senate about the latitude of freedom he enjoyed at BPE because of his closeness to former President Obasanjo.

     In the testimony, el-Rufai was quoted as telling the the Senate : “Thank you very much Distinguished Senator. Mr. Chairman, as a matter of principle Mr. Chairman, I am reluctant to judge my successors.  So, whenever I do a job, I move on; I don’t comment on what my successors have done. All I can say is this. Mr. Chairman, if you go through my tenure in BPE, you will see that we try to do everything by the rules, by the book. And we resisted every attempt at political interference. There is a process; step by step. Privatization is a mechanical process. Once you have the process published, every step should not be missed. And there was never a time that we deviated from that process.

    “We took everything we did to the privatization council. That’s how we ran the place. And I swear to God, I am under oath. Except for one time that the vice president called me and said; look I’ve got calls from A and B to help this guy win this, I said Mr. Vice president you know the rules, tell him to bid the highest price because the highest price wins and he said yes I know, I am just telling you in case they contact you.  And I don’t want them to say I didn’t pass on their requests. That was the only time. But no one tried to interfere with my work. There were attempts to block it. President Obasanjo blocked the privatization of Nigeria airways practically. Okay because Kema Chikwe will go and tell him stories. And what is the result today. The company is dead.”

     On the claim by el-Rufai that former President Obasanjo went on bended knees before former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to seek his cooperation for second term bid in 2003, the media office dismissed the claim as a figment of el-Rufai’s wild imagination.

     It said such claim lacked any credibility because Atiku and Obasanjo were alone together behind closed doors and that they alone knew what actually transpired between them.

     The Media Office wondered whether el-Rufai was a fly on the wall to discuss the details of a private meeting between the two leaders.

     Rather than el-Rufai feeding the public with such fabrications, the statement said the former Minister should have provided or quoted the authority for such claim since he was not at the private meeting between former President Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

     The statement also added that for a man like el-Rufai who has a notorious reputation for disparaging religions and their icons, including lately Jesus Christ, the attack on Atiku was the  least surprising.

     It noted that if he could go to such irreverent extent to disparage religious icons, who is an ordinary mortal like Atiku Abubakar.

     According to the statement, any man that can cross the boundary of reason and decency, deserves prayers rather than anger.