The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ilorin

  • Digital TV will generate N100bn for Nollywood – Lai Mohammed

    Digital TV will generate N100bn for Nollywood – Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says that Digital Television will generate N100bn annually for Nollywood through FreeTV distribution network.

    The minister made this known on Wednesday at the launch of digital switch over at the premises of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Ilorin.

    He said that Nigerians have watched Nollywood moved from VHS tapes to VCD to DVD, adding that the whole world has moved to digital consumption of content with its attendant benefits and democratisation of distribution.

    Nigerian TV viewers, the minister said have been constrained by limited penetration of internet in their homes.

    “With the middleware in our `Set Top Boxes’; homes will be able to buy and watch the latest Nollywood movies without the need for internet.

    “Imagine a film released on Monday morning being immediately available to all the households in Kwara at the touch of a button. That is the kind of experience we are talking about,” the minister added.

    Mohammed added that FReeTV has the capacity to grow TV advertising market by 400million dollar per annum through audience measurement.

    “In this regard, permit me to use this opportunity to throw the weight of the government behind the NBC in its efforts to create a viable currency by which producers of content and channels can be re-numerated,” he said.

    The minister said that the digital switch over will create tens of thousands of jobs through Technical and Manufacturing opportunities.

    “`Set Top Box’ assembling and ultimately manufacturing is an irreversible mandate by the government to the industry.

    “We expect this to extend very quickly to local Smart TV and Tablet manufacturing.

    “With our strong consumer base, we can quickly become the supplier of these equipments to the whole of West Africa,” the minister added.

    Mohammed added that Electronic Programme Guide will also be a platform for App developers to create products that will make life easier for the home consumers.

    “For the people of Kwara, we welcome the publishers of Apps to start looking for how to make living easier and commerce easier, using the technology that sits on these boxes,” he added.

    Mallam Ish’aq Modibo Kawu, Director General, National Broadcasting Commission ( NBC ), in his remark said the switch over in Ilorin was the third since inauguration in Jos, Plateau State.

    Kawu said that one of the reasons for choosing Kwara in the North Central was the presence of old broadcasting house and its closeness to international borders.

    He said the switch over will be done in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country, adding that Kaduna will be next to switch over to digital TV.

    The DG added that the Federal Government has imported 600, 000 Set of `Top Boxes’ at subsidised price.

    He said that when the 600, 000 boxes are exhausted, there will be no subsidy for subsequent ones as the boxes will be manufactured in the country.

    NAN

  • Mob set ablaze suspected female kidnapper in Ilorin

    Mob set ablaze suspected female kidnapper in Ilorin

    A suspected female kidnapper was lynched and set ablaze by angry mob at Offa Garage area of Ilorin on Monday.

    It was gathered that the woman had gone to fetch a set of twins from an Arabic school in Kilanko area of Ilorin.

    NAN gathered that the woman had approached the school on the pretext that their mother had asked her to pick up the twins from the school.

    A source in the Arabic school, who pleaded anonymity, told our reporter that luck ran out of the suspected kidnapper when the twins mother was contacted and denied sending anybody to pick up her children.

    The source said the mother of the twins hurried to the school and confronted the woman that she did not sent her to take custody of her twin.

    An eye witness told NAN that her outburst attracted passersby to the school where the suspect was still being held.

    The eye witness said the passersby later pulled the suspected kidnapper out of the school premises and marched her to Offa Garage.

    It was learnt that efforts by residents around the Arabic school to prevail on the mob to hand over the suspect to the police fell on deaf ears.

    It was gathered that the suspected kidnapper was then lynched and set on fire at about 11 a.m.

    When NAN got to the scene of the crime, charred remains of the lynched woman were still lying on the road.

    When contacted, Kwara Police Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the incident.

    He told NAN on phone that the police were on the trail of persons responsible for the the killing.

    “Before we got the information, the deed had been done and as we speak, policemen are already there making effort to arrest the culprits.

    “I can assure you we are going to do just that because it is lawless for people to take life of another human no matter the offence,” Okasanmi said.

    The police spokesman, therefore, warned residents not to take laws into their hands by not indulging in jungle justice.

  • Suspected twin kidnapper lynched in Ilorin

    Suspected twin kidnapper lynched in Ilorin

    Angry mob Monday hacked suspected female kidnapper to death in Ilorin, Kwara state.

    The incident was said to have happened at the Offa Garage end of Ilorin-Offa Road.

    The mob after lynching the suspect allegedly dropped her corpse on the median of the road close to a popular petrol station and close to the NURTW motor park.

    It was gathered that the suspect attempted to kidnap twins  in a Muslim school within Kikanlo area of Ilorin on the pretext that their mother had asked her to take custody of the babies.

    The source added that when the mother of the twins was contacted she denied sending anyone to bring home the children.

    She was said to have rushed to the school, screaming that she never sent anybody.

    Source further said that people who heard the lamentation of the mother followed her and pounced on the suspect and ragged her along to the road to the Offa Garage end of the Ilorin-Offa road set her on fire.

    Attempts by some people to prevent the mob from lynching her were unsuccessful.

    Spokesperson of the state police command Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed that the suspect was set ablaze before the arrival of the police officers.

    He noted that the police had rescued people from lynching along the same area who were falsely accused of committing one crime or the other.

    He warned residents to stop taking laws into their hands, adding that they should report suspects to the police for necessary action.

    He also said three people had been arrested in connection with the incident.

  • Kwara to reduce youth unemployment through SMEs

    Kwara to reduce youth unemployment through SMEs

    The Kwara Government says it is determined  to reduce youth unemployment by engaging them in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises ( SMEs ).

    The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor  on Youth Empowerment, Alhaji Zakariyau Babatunde, gave the assurance on Monday in Ilorin.

    According to him, more youth-oriented programmes will commence next year.

    He said much attention would be focused on SMEs and agriculture, describing these as crucial to  the agenda of the present administration in the state.

    Babatunde also disclosed that the state government through his office would begin the registration of unemployed youths in order  to establish  a reliable data bank.

    Read also: Kwara 2019: APC, PDP in battle for the south

    This, he said, would assist the government in creating a reliable platform for  identifying the different categories of youths  that are  unemployed and  areas to engage them.

    He assured the people of the state that government would roll out different programmes next year that would have direct impact on  youths.

    NAN

  • Eight die in Kano, Ilorin accidents

    Seven members of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria died yesterday in an accident at Rikolo, on the Kano/Kaduna Expressway, it was learnt yesterday.

    The deceased were delegates at a meeting of Federal Health Institutions Medical and Health Workers Forum in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

    Their vehicle ran into a ditch, about 3 pm.

    Chairman of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital branch of the union Comrade Serki Adamu Musa said six persons died instantly; the seventh person died at Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Chika.

    The deceased include an executive member from the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Dala, Kano State, and Secretary of the union at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Comrade Muhammad Ya’u Ibrahim.

    Others are from the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, Yobe State; Federal Medical Centre, Azare, Bauchi State; Federal Medical Centre, Birnin-Kudu, Jigawa State, and Federal Medical Centre, Katsina State.

    Comrade Ibrahim was buried at 9 am yesterday; the other bodies were taken to their states for burial.

    Also, in Kwara State, one person died and another injured in an accident involving a commercial vehicle (DAF 65 CF) and truck in Ilorin, the state capital.

    The bus was allegedly over speeding when he rammed into the moving truck.

    The accident happened, about 5.15 am, at Ogbo-Ilo on the Eiyenkorin/Ilorin Road.

    The driver, whose name could not be ascertained, died instantly.

    Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Sunday Maku, attributed the accident to dangerous driving.

  • Kwara CJ grants 16 inmates pardon

    Kwara CJ grants 16 inmates pardon

    The Kwara state Chief Judge, Justice Sulyman Kawu Thursday granted pardon to 16 prisons inmates Ilorin.

    Speaking after a visit to the Nigeria Prisons Service located at Oke Kura and Mandala prisons, Ilorin, the state, the CJ said that the exercise was carried out on the request of the federal government through the state government to effect prison decongestion in parts of the country.

    Justice Kawu said that the exercise was not aimed at short-crcuiting court trial.

    He added that the inmates were granted freedom either for unlawful arrest and detention, or civil cases that required no detention.

    It was gathered that the Oke Kura prisons with 121 capacity had a total of 425 inmates, while that of Mandala prisons had 160 capacity with 239 inmates.

    The CJ, who said that he would pay regular visit to the prisons to effect prison decongestion, advised those freed to find something doing.

    Said he: “We observe over time, that most of the inmates have skin disease and we urge the authorities of the prisons to take steps arrest the situation before it spreads to other inmates. Whatever we feel the state government can do for you as you requested earlier, we will try our best to contact the state government to fulfill its promise of providing vehicle for you and to take urge steps to provide medical inputs to treat those inmates who are sick.

    “We have gone through the list of a total of 182 inmates consisting of convicted and awaiting trial and we have come to a decision, upon examination that 15 inmates are deserving of being released in custody today. The basis of our decision to release them is mainly because we are of the view that their detention is manifestly unlawful.

    “We have seen that some of the cases are civil in nature and not criminal which will not attract any arrest or detention.

    “We also observed that in some cases the instruments of arraignment are either defective or not available. No proceeding can issue out of invalid instruments. So we have taken steps to release these inmates.

    “We also observed that there are some juveniles detained for belonging to a gang of thieves, through the facts contained in the First Information (FR). We are of the view that the facts do not support the allegations contained in the FIR. So we have ordered they be released forthwith.

    “I just want to seize this opportunity to urge you to go and find something to do, because i will not want to find you back in the next one or 10 years. Please do not involve yourselves in any criminal act again.

    Earlier, the officer in charge of Ilorin Prison, DCP Adeyinka Adebayo, said that facilities in the prisons were overstretched, adding that overpopulation situation had resulted in different kind of diseases like scabies, craw craw etc.

  • Kwara polytechnic debunks rumours of fee hike

    Kwara polytechnic debunks rumours of fee hike

    Authorities of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, yesterday denied allegations of hike in the tuition fee of the school.

    The rumors have generated a serious tension in the state, as some members of the public were reportedly asking the students to resist the hike while many students were reportedly preparing for a showdown with the management of the institution.

    The rumour had it that a new tuition fee of N75, 000 as against N58, 000 charged the students last session has been pasted on the  portal of the school.

    Both the state government and management of the institution condemned the brain behind the rumour and those allegedly inciting students to cause crisis over the matter.

    The state commissioner for Information and Communications, Babatunde Ajeigbe, alongside Registrar of the Polytechnic, M.O Salami briefed briefed on the matter as representatives of students at the briefing corroborated the explanation of the authorities.

    Ajeigbe who said that a government delegation led by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Amina Mohammed met with management of the institution over the matter explained that their findings showed that it was just a rumour spread by social media and about  which some people in the state were making mischief.

    He said that there was no increase of fee for the returning students who are now either HND 2 or ND 2 students and this was corroborated by an HND 2 students at the meeting who said he paid the same N58,000 he paid last session when he was an HND 1 student.

    Ajeigbe however explained that the institution has not yet determined what tuition fee of students with fresh admission for ND 1and HND 1 would be saying this would be determined by realities on ground.

    The institution Registrar who expatiated on this said though the school has spent more money on accreditation of its courses this year it would not allow that to be a major influence on  the amount to be paid by fresh students.

  • Sahara Reporters v Saraki: Court declines contempt hearing

    Sahara Reporters v Saraki: Court declines contempt hearing

    An Ilorin, Kwara state High Court Thursday declined to entertain application filed by Senate President Bukola Saraki against the Publisher of online newspapers, Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore.

    The judge, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye therefore referred the application to the Chief Registrar of the state Ministry of Justice for re-assignment.

    The same court had in May this year awarded N4 billion against Mr. Sowore for defaming the character of Senator Saraki.

    But, Mr. Sowore (defendant) approached the court praying for stay of execution of the judgement.

    While, the case subsists in court, Senator Saraki through his lawyer, Babatunde Olomu accused the Sahara Reporters publisher of scandalous publications against the court.

    In a motion of notice dated September 11th, 2017, Mr Olomu sought for “an order for Omoyele (2nd respondent) to appear in court in person and show cause why he should not be committed for contempt of court in respect of publications made scandalizing this court; an order refusing audience to the defendant/respondent in respect of their pending applications before the court until they purge themselves of the said contempt.”

    Saraki counsel based his application on “the provision of order 47 of the Kwara state High Court (civil procedure) rules 2005, empowers this court to punish a person for contempt of court by an order for committal; the 2nd defendant had published on several platforms on the World Wide Web, contemptuous and derogatory remarks of this honourable court and the person of the presiding judge, calculated to scandalize the court.”

    In his ruling, Justice Oyinloye said “I do not want to be a judge in my own court. I hereby direct counsel to Senator Saraki to redirect the contempt application to the registry for reassignment.”
    In his oral application after the ruling, Olomu urged the court to give his application over and above the remaining applications of the defendants.

    He prayed the court to “stay further proceedings on other applications pending the outcome of the reassignment of the contempt application by the registry.

    Counsel to Sowore, Stanley Imhauaor said the oral application was strange and improper, saying it was an indirect way of arguing the application just referred to the registry for reassignment.

    Said he: “The oral application is an attempt to ambush the decision of the application referred to the registry; his application is not proper. This is a very serious application with very serious business.

    This court ought not to have entertained this oral application. “Courts are enjoined not to speculate on issues that are not before them. Contempt is quasi criminal in nature. We urge you to discountenance the application.”

    In his ruling, Justice Oyinloye said that “I cannot entertain any further proceedings on this matter until the application for contempt of court I referred to the registry is resolve.

    “I therefore fixed 24th of November, 2017 for report on the progress made. I also direct the registrar of this court to make sure the application is expeditiously attended to in the next two Weeks at the registry.”

  • Kwara Election: Cleric warns youths against violence, hooliganism

    Kwara Election: Cleric warns youths against violence, hooliganism

    Pastor Segun Olawale of Divine Favour Chapel, Ilorin, has warned youths against violence and hooliganism in the Nov. 18 Local government election in Kwara state.

    Olawale, who gave the warning in Ilorin on Monday while speaking said that youths must say no to violence as election draws near.

    He said youths must not allow themselves to be use as thugs to scatter polling units during election.

    The cleric also advised them to shun violence and be disciplined

    “Youths must be seen as symbol of peace. They should go out to use their thumb to elect their favourite representatives instead of being lure into violence by politicians.

    “Youths must not turn themselves to violence tool. Politicians don’t worth sacrificing life for.  Pursue your dream and shun violence, “he said.

    The cleric, however, advised politicians to accept whatever may be the outcome of the election.

    “Politics should not be a do or die affair as thought by many politicians. We must learn to accept defeat and work together for the growth of the society, “the pastor said.

     According to the state electoral timetable, the election would hold on November 18.

    NAN

  • UNILORIN graduates 9,018 students

    UNILORIN graduates 9,018 students

    The Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin ( UNILORIN ), Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, on Friday reminded the 9,018 graduating students of the university to brace up to the new challenges providence might likely bring their ways.

    Abdukareem said this during a convocation lecture preparatory to the 33rd Convocation for the 2016/2017 Graduation of the university in Ilorin.

    “As you step out of this hall, probably thinking erroneously that the struggle has ended.

    “I must caution that the majority of you, especially those of you that have humble background, will begin a life of another struggle.

    “But you should not fret, but be prepared to brace up to the new challenges of life.

    “The only way to win the struggle is to be purposeful and ingenious,’’ he advised.

    The don further said the graduating students must gear up to persevere, adding that gone were the days employers waited on convocation arena with assorted job offers.

    He explained that the university produced 89 First Class graduates, 1,932 Second class Upper Division, 3,727 Second Class Lower Division, 1,309 Third Class, and 117 Pass.

    Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of the institution, Dr Abdullahi Oyekan, said the university had good reasons to celebrate in view of its monumental success records.

    Oyekan, therefore, urged philanthropists, well meaning Nigerians, and non-governmental organisations to contribute to the development of the institution in order for it to serve the country better.

    He also called on the graduating students to use the knowledge and skills acquired from the university to improve themselves and their society.

    NAN