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Tag: Lokoja

  • NiMet predicts sunny, hazy weather for Saturday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunny, hazy and partly cloudy weather conditions with thundery activities over most parts of the country on Saturday.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook on Friday, in Abuja, predicted partly cloudy conditions over central cities with day and night temperatures of 33 degrees celsius to 38 degrees celsius and 17 to 28 degrees celsius.

    It also predicted prospects of thunderstorms over Nassarawa, Lokoja, Abuja and Makurdi in the afternoon and evening periods.

    The agency predicted that Northern states would experience sunny and hazy morning with sunny conditions in the afternoon and evening and day and night temperatures of 33 degrees celsius to 40 degrees celsius and 17 to 24 degrees celsius.

    Read Also: NiMet predicts hazy weather

    According to NiMet, Southern states will experience partly cloudy and cloudy conditions over the inland cities in the morning hours.

    It further predicted chances of localised thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening periods with day and night temperatures of 33 degrees celsius to 39 and 19 to 27 degrees celsius.

    “Sunny and hazy conditions are anticipated over the Northern region.

    “Partly cloudy and cloudy conditions are probable over the central and Southern cities in the morning with localised thunderstorms over South region later in the day,” NiMet predicted.

    NAN

  • 2019: INEC concludes distribution of sensitive materials in Kogi

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Lokoja, Kogi, says it has concluded the distribution of sensitive materials for the Presidential and National Assembly elections to all the 21 local government areas of the state.

    The Director of Voter Education and Publicity in the Office, Alhaji Ahmed Biambo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lokoja that the distribution of the materials started at about 2 p.m. on Feb. 14 and ended in the early hours of Friday.

    He said that the materials had safely reached the various local government headquarters from where they would be distributed to the 239 wards in the state.

    Read Also: 1. 7 million PVCs collected in Taraba – INEC

    Biambo said that the problem of mixed up and shortage of some materials identified in the course of the distribution had been resolved, saying that all categories of electoral officers had also been dispatched to the various duty posts

    He expressed the commission’s readiness to conduct free, fair and credible elections and urged the electorate to come out and vote for candidates of their choice, announcing that “there are 1,646,350 registered voters in the state.”

    Meanwhile, Lokoja, the state capital has virtually become empty as many residents, including workers in private and public sectors left the city for their various communities to go and participate in the Feb. 16 elections.

    A NAN correspondent observed that many motor parks in the city were flooded by travellers, who board vehicles to their various destinations.

    Nigerians will go to the polls on Saturday to vote in the Presidential, House of Representatives and Senate elections.

    NAN

  • How Pastor Adeboye prayed for me before chopper crash – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has revealed how the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, prayed for him night before the Saturday chopper crash in Kogi State.

    He made the revelation on Sunday while giving testimony at the RCCG, City of Grace, Lokoja, Kogi State.

    According to a statement issued on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo said “On Friday, we went to (RCCG) camp; usually, I attend our Holy Ghost service. We came in very late from Akwa Ibom State. In fact, we arrived just in time for the grace at the end of the service.

    “Thereafter, our daddy in the Lord, (G.O) Pastor Adeboye, wanted to speak to me. He asked me how things were going on, the campaign activities and all that, and I explained everything; what I was doing on the campaign trail and all of that, some of the challenges.

    “He then said, I am going to pray for you. He said a prayer that turned out to be very interesting because usually, as you know, he doesn’t pray for long.

    “He said “Lord God Almighty, I want you to protect this man,” He said it three times and paused, then he continued. “You know how very dear he is to my heart. I want you to protect him.” I found it very funny that he repeated it several times and then he prayed for favour and other things.

    “So, when the crash happened, immediately it dawned on me that the Lord God had led him to say that very special prayer. And the Lord God Almighty delivered us in accordance with His word that, “even when 10,000 fall by our side, no harm whatsoever will come near us.”

    “I just want to thank the Almighty God for His grace and mercy that has been so abundant in my life and in all of our lives who are here,” he added.

    Earlier, the Vice President had called up members of his entourage who were with him in the Chopper and who were in the church to join him at the altar.

    They included Labour Minister of State, Stephen Ocheni; and Mr. Femi Osinbajo, VP’S elder brother. He also called the names of Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser; and Ambassador Abdullahi Gwary, SSA Foreign Affairs/Protocol – although both of them were not in the service.

    Read Also; Osinbajo: we can’t thank God enough for our lives

    Others are Mr. Laolu Akande, the VP’s Spokesman; Dr Biodun Adelowo, Personal Physician; Mr. Doyin Adetuberu, Security Officer; and Ayoola Oladunni, ADC).

    “This is my older brother, the same father, same mother. Our father passed on long ago, but our mother is alive. If both of us had lost our lives on the same day, that would have been an absolute tragedy, but God saved that from happening.

    “We are truly grateful to the Almighty God and we bless the name of the Lord. And for all of you who are rejoicing with us today, your homes will be filled with rejoicing. You will not know tragedy, you will not know harm, all the days of your lives will be filled with rejoicing,” he said.

  • Kogi approves immediate recruitment of doctors

    Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi has granted express approval to the Governing Boards of Kogi State Hospitals Management Board (KSHMB) and Kogi Specialist Hospital, Lokoja (KSSH) to employ more doctors.

    Dr Haruna Saka, Kogi Commissioner for Health, disclosed this on Friday in Lokoja while reacting to the exit of some doctors from the state’s civil service over the past three years.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) on Monday called on the governor to reverse the ‘current internal drift’ of doctors and other healthcare workers in the state.

    The Kogi NMA Chairman, Dr Kabiru Zubair, said over 88 medical doctors had left the state public service under the current administration.

    The commissioner however said that the doctors left because they secured Post Graduate training in Federal Government’s teaching hospitals, adding that the bulk of them were those recently employed by the state.

    “Majority of them had passed the primary examination of the National Postgraduate Medical College and West African Postgraduate College.

    “So ab initio, we never expected them to stay for long before commencing their training.

    “It has been a recurring trend to see doctors leave state public service once federal government opportunity presents itself such as lift of ban on employment of resident doctors.

    “Doctors who have intention of undergoing postgraduate training usually migrate towards federal service because till date, only very few states have the capacity to train resident doctors.

    “To make working condition conducive for doctors in Kogi, the government has taken further measures by giving approval to the state specialist hospital to commence internship training for doctors.

    “The specialist hospital will also acquire capacity to train Resident Doctors with immediate effect,” Saka said.

    The commissioner added that the governor had also approved welfare packages for new doctors, including interest free loan facilities to help them acclimatise when they come in.

    He further said that the governor had approved an arrangement for doctors in federal institutions in Kogi to also provide services in state health facilities that were understaffed.

  • Buhari to commission Baro River Port

    President Mohammadu Buhari GCFR will on Saturday, inaugurate the just completed Baro River Port in Niger State.

    The river port project which was undertaken by the Chinese firm, CGCC Global Project Nigeria Limited, at the cost of N6 billion, is equipped with a mobile harbour crane, a transit shed, an administrative block, fire hydrant system, water treatment plant, reach stacker, 100KVA power generating set and three forklifts of various tonnages, among others.

    The General Manager, Corporate Affairs, National Inland Waterways (NIWA), Tayo Fadile, in a statement issued in Lokoja, Kogi State, said that the Baro River Port is among those built to support the dredging of the Lower River Niger project.

    “The Onitsha River Port has already been rehabilitated, while Oguta and Lokoja River Ports are nearing completion,” he added.

    Read Also: It won’t be first time, if I lose February Polls – Buhari

    According to him, the Baro River Port, will aside helping to keep off the road several heavy duty trailers and trucks, thereby extending the life span of our roads, is expected to create at least two thousand direct jobs and hundreds of thousands indirect jobs.

    “During the colonial era, Baro used to have a thriving river port and a railway line which were used for evacuation of farm produce and mineral resources. It was a trading point between Nigeria and neighbouring countries through the inland waterways transportation mode. Here is hope that the old rail lines used in the colonial days will be revived and the road network linking the port is already being upgraded,” he said.

  • Why we took Melaye to DSS, by Police

    Senator Dino Melaye’ temporary relocation to the Department of State Security (DSS) on Friday was part of preliminary arrangements for his coming trial in Lokoja, Kogi state, the Nigeria Police Force has explained.

    Speaking exclusively with The Nation, police spokesman, Moshood Jimoh, an acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, stated that Melaye was taken by policemen to the medical facilities of the DSS and not their cell or detention facilities.

    He said despite claims by the embattled Senator, the police medical team has been unable to find anything to confirm he has any infirmity that could delay his trial in Lokoja.

    “On the 9th of January, 2019 we got a High Court Remand Warrant to keep him in police custody for fourteen days.

    “The police medical team at our facility examined him and concluded that he was okay to stand trial but he is insisting that he is not okay; that is why we are taking him to another government hospital.

    “He has been taken to the DSS hospital and he will be returned to us after their medical examination because he does not have any case with SSS.

    Read Also: Masked policemen whisk away Senator Dino Melaye

    “He only a case with the police and we are going to take him to court within the period covered by the Remand Warrant.

    “He will be taken to court within the period because the Remand Warrant is from an FCT High court, which gives us the permission to keep him in police custody for 14 days.

    “He was only taken to their (SSS) hospital; he is not in their custody.

    “Our people have examined him and we want another government hospital to also examine him and give a medical opinion.”

    While promising to issue an official statement later on Friday night, the police spokesman also dismissed claims Melaye was taken away from police medical facilities by masked men.

  • 269,000 PVCs yet to be collected in Kogi, says INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) said on Thursday that 269,000 out of 1.6 million registered voters in Kogi State have yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

    Mr Ahmed Biambo, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity in the state INEC office, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lokoja.

    Biambo said that only Nigerians with permanent voter cards would be allowed to vote in the forthcoming general elections.

    He urged those that registered before and during the continuous voter registration exercise yet to collect their PVCs to go to their local government headquarters to collect them.

    Read Also: Bribe seeking cop shoots two drivers in Kogi

    He said that the INEC had also embarked on aggressive media campaign to educate the people on the need to collect their cards, noting that this would enable them to carry out their civic duties.

    “The INEC office in Kogi State has been holding meetings with security agencies in the state to ensure violence-free elections.

    “The commission is read to conduct free, fair and credible elections that will be acceptable by all contestants,” he said.

  • Bribe seeking cop shoots two drivers in Kogi

    A police inspector identified as Mohammed Usman on Tuesday allegedly shot and wounded two drivers in Lokoja, Kogi State over alleged refusal to give bribe.
    The incident was said to have occurred at the Ibro Motor Park, opposite the Lokoja International Market.
    Ibrahim Yakubu, the branch chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), said that trouble started when one of their drivers was stopped by a police team at a checkpoint in Zango area on the Lokoja-Okene highway and ordered to offer them a bribe.
    According to him, the driver refused and continued on his journey towards Lokoja.
    He, however, added that the policemen chased after the driver to the Ibro Motor Park.
    According to him: “We were just sitting at the park at about 11am, when we started hearing sporadic gunshots. The next thing, we saw one of our fellow drivers run to the union office.
    “The next thing, we saw two policemen follow him. Our union officials addressed them and they left.
    “The driver said he left his vehicle by the roadside and when we went there, we met a police inspector inside the vehicle.
    “We told him that we are taking the vehicle to the park and he followed us inside. On getting to the union office at the motor park, we told him that we had already settled the matter with the other two policemen.
    “Upon hearing that, he (Inspector Mohammed Usman) became furious and brought out his gun and first shot on the ground. As he continued his sporadic shooting, a bullet hit one of our drivers, Mohammed Attah, on the leg, while another driver, Emmanuel, was hit in the stomach.
    “Following the incident, the other policemen stationed outside drove into the park with their hilux bus, and quickly rescued the inspector and drove out.
    “We then went to B Division Police Station to report the matter and the DPO followed us with the victims to Federal Medical Centre and from there we went to the state police command, to report the matter.
    “The CP has ordered that the policemen involved should be detained until the outcome of victims in the hospital.”
    The spokesman of the Kogi State Police Command, William Aya, who confirmed the incident, explained that the policemen who were on stop-and-search operation stopped the driver, but that he refused, and as a result, they pursued him, on the suspicion that he might be carrying incriminating items.
    He added that the driver got to a town near a motor park and abandoned his vehicle by the roadside and ran into the park.
    He said one of the policemen went after him, and that in the process, there was a misunderstanding which led to accidental discharge.
    Aya said that the policemen involved have been detained, while the matter is being investigated by the State CID.
    He added that appropriate sanctions would be taken against those found wanting, at the close of investigation.

  • Photos: ‘Sick’ Dino unwilling to leave for court

    Senator Dino Melaye(Kogi West), who surrendered to the Police authorities after a seven-day standoff, on Monday refused to leave his hospital bed for appearance in a Lokoja court over charges of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide.

    The Police alleged the controversial Melaye committed the offences on 19th July 2018 with his armed thugs who attacked Police personnel, shot and wounded SGT Danjuma Saliu on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.

    Melaye fainted on Friday in front of the waiting police team.

    He was revived of a suspected asthma attack before being taken to a Police hospital.

    When Police operatives arrived to pick Melaye, who has been in custody at a Police hospital, he claimed he was sick and unable to stand up.

    Details later

     

    Read Also: Drama as Melaye surrenders to Police

  • Institute to revive campaign to deepen Insurance penetration

    The Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), on Monday said it would step up its campaign to attract more Nigerians to embrace Insurance to protect their property in 2019.

    The President of the CIIN, Mr Eddie Efekoha told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that less than three million Nigerians had no type of insurance cover.

    He said the campaign would enlighten Nigerians and assist them to take up insurance policies.

    According to him, the campaign will also tackle financial exclusion and other related challenges.

    Efekoha said that in spite the long existence of insurance in the country, its penetration had not grown beyond 1.19 per cent.

    He said that as part of the agenda to commence the campaign, the institute would pay homage to traditional rulers of some towns and cities.

    The CIIN president explained that the essence of the courtesy visits was to enable the institute receive royal blessings and permission to embark on the campaign in their domains.

    According to Efekoha, the campaign is expected to boost insurance penetration by 300 per cent before the first quarter of 2020.

    “The boost will also engineer the insurance industry to increase its quota to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),’’ he said.

    Read Also:UNILAG trains students on entrepreneurship development

    The CIIN president said that the institute had already paid homage to His Royal Highness, Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji in Dec. 2018 to solicit his support for the campaign.

    “Other cities slated for visits by the institute include Oyo, Ilorin, Ado-Ekiti, Lokoja, and Okene among others,’’ he said.

    Efekoha further said that for insurance to be viable like others sectors of the economy, stakeholders must also embrace retail insurance business that has been neglected.

    According to him, operators have over the years abandoned the insurance retail market thinking that there is no business in the sector.

    “However, they forget that people within the bracket contribute more to the economy,’’ he said.