The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Makurdi

  • NiMet predicts cloudy weather, thunderstorms for Friday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted prospects of thunderstorms and moderate rains over the Central States such as Minna, Abuja, Jos, Lafia, Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Jalingo and Lokoja on Friday morning.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Thursday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 26 to 33 and 18 to 23 degrees Celsius, respectively.

    It added that there are also chances of thunderstorms over places like Makurdi, Abuja, Mambilla Plateau, Jos, Yola, Ilorin and Ibi in the evening and night hours.

    The agency predicted that the Southern states would experience morning cloudiness with prospects of light rains over the coastal cities such as Ikom, Calabar, Ijebu Ode, Lagos and few cities around the South-West.

    Read Also: NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains in central Nigeria on Tuesday

    It also predicted thunderstorms and moderate rains over Osogbo, Akure, Ado Ekiti, Benin, Asaba, Abakaliki, Enugu and Owerri including the coastal cities like Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Lagos and Ijebu Ode respectively.

    NiMet further predicted that the region would have day and night temperatures in the range of 29 to 32 and 20 to 24 degrees Celsius, respectively.

    According to NiMet, Northern States will experience cloudy to partly cloudy situation with chances of thunderstorms over Sokoto, Gusau and Kebbi during the morning hours.

    “Northern States will also experience day and night temperatures in the ranges of 32 to 36 and 22 to 24 respectively.

    “Cloudy to partly cloudy condition is expected with prospects of thunderstorms and rains with varying intensities over the Country in the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted.

     

    NAN

  • Flood hits Makurdi

    Flood has overtaken some parts of Makurdi, Benue State capital, following Saturday’s four-hour rain.

    The rain, which began about 10pm, lasted till Sunday morning and left residents of Makurdi in tears and pains.

    Areas affected by the flood are Wadata, Wurukum market, Vandeikya Street and Idye village.

    A trader in Wurukum market, Chukwudi, said he returned from Onitsha market but everything was destroyed by water.

    A resident of Idye, Tersoo Anande, said his property in his two-room apartment was submerged in the flood. He appealed to the government to build drainage to channel the water during rainfall.

    Flooding in Makurdi has been a recurrent decimal but the government said the cost of building a drainage in Idye to channel water into River Benue is beyond its finances.

  • NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains on Thursday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted prospects of thunderstorms with rains over the central states such as Makurdi, Jos, Taraba, Kaduna, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Abuja, Bauchi and Gombe on Thursday morning.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Wednesday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 26 to 30 and 18 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

    It added that Bida, Minna, Abuja, Lafia, Lokoja, Jos and Ilorin axis were envisaged to experience thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening hours.

    The agency predicted that the southern states would experience moderate rains over the entire coastal cities and southeast inland such as Enugu, Owerri, Awka and Abakaliki axis in the morning hours.

    It also predicted localised rain/showers over the coastal and inland states later in the day with day and night temperatures in the range of 28 to 30 and 21 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, northern states will experience thunderstorms with rains over Maiduguri, Nguru, Katsina, Kano and Dutse axis in the morning hours.

    “Sokoto, Gusau, Yelwa and Kebbi will have prospects of thunderstorm with rains in the afternoon and evening hours with day and night temperatures of 33 to 37 and 21 to 27 degrees Celsius respectively.

    “There are prospects of thunderstorms and rains over several parts of the country with varying intensities in the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicts.

  • JOHESU strike: Patients complain of intimidation at FMC Makurdi

    Patients at the Federal Medical Centre ( FMC ), Makurdi, have complained of alleged intimidation by members and officials of striking Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) in Benue.

    It was gathered that there was commotion and panic around the main entrance of the hospital following attempts by the union to enforce total compliance to their protracted strike.

    The report said that patients, some health workers and passersby were caught in the commotion, which lasted for about half an hour before it was calmed.

    According to the report, attempts by JOHESU officials to stop their members from reporting to work caused the commotion.
    The commotion led to traffic build-up, thereby obstructing free flow of traffic along the Atiku Abubakar Road directly in front of the hospital.

    Some union officials were heard issuing verbal threats of physical assault to members bent on reporting to work just as some of the patients and relatives said they were also prevented from entering the hospital.

    One of the officials (name withheld) was heard threatening a member “If you enter here I will beat you; try now let’s see” at the entrance.

    Read Also: JOHESU strike paralyses activities at LASUTH

    One of the patients, Mrs Rose Audu, said she was shocked at the commotion at the hospital gate, and described it as “embarrassing”.
    Audu admitted that she was harassed by the officials who thought she was a health worker.

    She, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to quickly resolve the contending issues to allow the health workers resume work.

    Addressing journalists at the scene, the state Chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Mr Dennis Nyam, said they would continue with the strike until their demands were met.

    He explained that the union leadership was on a monitoring exercise in all the hospitals to enforce compliance and was determined to ensure 100 per cent compliance.

    Also speaking on the development, the Head of Clinical Services, FMC, Dr Paulinus Abu, said the management was working with the police to ensure maintenance of law and order.

    He regretted that despite all entreaties, the JOHESU members in the state had remained adamant and were recalcitrant on going ahead with the strike.

    He said owing to the location of the hospital, the strike needed to be handled with utmost maturity to prevent miscreants taking advantage of it to wreck havoc on the community.

    Police officers were sighted thereafter, within the vicinity of the hospital to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

  • Benue Varsity staff docked for defrauding students

    Athanasius Adzu, a member of staff of the Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi, on Friday appeared before a Makurdi Upper Area Court for allegedly defrauding students of N84,100.

    Adzu was charged with Forgery and Advance Fee Fraud punishable under Sections 365 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue, 2004 and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Veronica Shaage, told the court that one James Vakaa of the University’s Security unit, reported the matter at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi.

    Vakaa was said to have reported the case on behalf of the institution on Nov. 24, 2017.

    He said that an undisclosed source revealed that the accused person of the ICT directorate of the university, was fond of defrauding unsuspecting students of their school fees.

    Read also : Panic at UNIJOS over cattle grazing

     He said that the accused would collect money from the students and issued them forged school fee receipts of the institution.

    “Police investigation revealed that the accused person defrauded the students the sum of N84, 100.

    “The accused was arrested during police investigation and he confessed to have committed the offence,’’ the prosecutor said.

    She told the court that investigation into the matter was still in progress and asked for another date.

    However, when the case came up for mention, the accused person plea was not taken for want of jurisdiction.

    The judge, Mrs Rose Iyorshe granted the accused person N300, 000 bail and a surety in the same amount.

    She adjourned the matter until June 26, for mention.

  • Buhari approves N10B for Benue, others

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a total of N10 billion for rebuilding villages and communities including farmlands that were attacked in Benue and other affected States.

    Vice President Yemi Osibanjo disclosed this at Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) in Abagena, near Makurdi Benue state .

    The Vice president is on two day officer visit to Makurdi.

    He said the President Muhammadu Buhari is much concerned that those displace should go back to camp immediately.

    He stated further that the government of Nigeria has a duty to protect the people and assured that Buhari’s led federal government will protect every Nigeria .

    ” I want you to have hope and confidence and most importantly to also know that we are not doing you a favour by promising to provide you with security, a place to live and school for our children, it is your right as citizens of this country.” Osibanjo said.

    In his brief remark Governor Samuel Ortom commended President Buhari and Osibanjo for their concern over the plight of the displaced .

  • Gunmen kill two in Makurdi

    Gunmen last night killed two people in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

    The state has been at the centre of killings since the beginning of the year.

    The Tiv social – Cultural Organisation Mzough – U- Tiv raised the alarm on Saturday, on a plan to attack Makurdi.

    The killings occurred around 6pm at Welfare Quarters located on the Makurdi- Otukpo road.

    The attackers stormed the area from Mobile Barrack axis, it was learnt.

    The killings sent shock waves around the town as people were seen running helter skelter.

    The Police did not respond to request for comment as at press time.

  • 30 cows rustled in Makurdi

    Gunmen have attacked a farm behind the Makurdi Minimum Security Prison, Benue State, and rustled 30 cows.

    The farm has a poultry and animal breeding section.

    According to the farm’s spokesman, Terwase Uja, the gunmen operated between 1 am and 2 am.

    He said: “The security men heard some noise and checked the poultry section before they discovered light within the cattle section.

    “As they pointed their lights towards the cattle to know what was happening, the gunmen fired five shots in the air.

    “While the security men ran to the Makurdi prison to call the security men on guard, the gunmen rustled 30 cows and disappeared.”

    Uja put the property stolen at over N7 million, and urged the public to report anyone with suspicious cows to the police.

  • Benue killings: Protest rocks Makurdi

    Youths in Makurdi have staged a peaceful protest against Fulani killings in Benue state.

    This week alone suspected Fulani herdsmen have killed more than 50 Tiv farmers in Logo, Makurdi, Gwer- West and Guma Local Government areas in the state.

    This is apart from the killing of seven Mobile Policemen in an ambushed in Ayilamo, Tombo ward, Logo Local Government area in Benue state in Makurdi.

    The youths decked in an all-black attire with placards and banners March through major streets, after taking off from busy Wurukum round about in Makurdi

    Leader of the Youths Comrade Orngu Angu told The Nation that the killings are being on the increased and there seems to be no response from the Police high command.

    Comrade Orngu stated that the killings have taken a new a generous dimension with police men being killed like ordinary men.

    He warned that if nothing is done to stop the killing, there may be no country call Nigeria.

    He specifically noted that Tiv people are at the receiving end of the killings saying the peaceful protest is to draw the attention of the federal government and international community to stop the genocide.

    At press time the protesters who were peaceful in their conduct were heading to the Benue State Police Command to see the Commissioner of Police Fatal Owoseni.

    Read Also: Herdsmen killed 5 MOPOL, set two patrol vehicles ablaze in Benue

  • Benue to privatise 11 companies – Commissioner

    The Benue Government said on Thursday in Makurdi that it had identified 11 state-owned companies for privatisation.

    Prof. Tersoo Kpelai, the state’s Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, disclosed this while briefing newsmen.

    Kpelai identified the companies as Benue Links Transport Company Ltd; Makurdi Modern Market; Taraku Mills; Mega Foods and Beverages Processing Company Ltd; Benfruit Nigeria Ltd; and Benkims Plastic Nigeria Ltd.

    Others are: Katsina Ala Yam Flour Factory; Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) Ltd; Fertilizer Blending Company Ltd; Otukpo Burnt Bricks; and Benue Roof Tiles Ltd.

    He said that the decision to privatise the companies was taken based on recommendations by the State Council on Privatisation and Commercialisation of Public Enterprises.

    According to him, privatisation will help to revive moribund companies in the state and those performing below average.

    He said the advertisement for the privatisation of the companies was published in a national newspaper of April 10.

    “It may interest you to know that all the 11 enterprises listed for privatisation were established for over a decade but most of these enterprises have not been operational in the last six years.

    “Even the ones that are operating sparingly do so by incurring losses without making any profit.

    “Privatisation has, therefore, become the only option since government currently has developmental challenges with slim resources,” he said.

    According to him, privatising the enterprises will ensure efficiency and effective performance as investors will invest funds, introduce new technology, skills and better management expertise.

    “These enterprises, if run profitably, will provide job opportunities for our teeming youths, create wealth, boost the state internally generated revenue and create value chain across the diverse sectors of the Benue economy,” he said.

    for Industry, Trade and Investment, disclosed this while briefing newsmen.

    Kpelai identified the companies as Benue Links Transport Company Ltd; Makurdi Modern Market; Taraku Mills; Mega Foods and Beverages Processing Company Ltd; Benfruit Nigeria Ltd; and Benkims Plastic Nigeria Ltd.

    Others are: Katsina Ala Yam Flour Factory; Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) Ltd; Fertilizer Blending Company Ltd; Otukpo Burnt Bricks; and Benue Roof Tiles Ltd.

    He said that the decision to privatise the companies was taken based on recommendations by the State Council on Privatisation and Commercialisation of Public Enterprises.

    According to him, privatisation will help to revive moribund companies in the state and those performing below average.

    He said the advertisement for the privatisation of the companies was published in a national newspaper of April 10.

    “It may interest you to know that all the 11 enterprises listed for privatisation were established for over a decade but most of these enterprises have not been operational in the last six years.

    “Even the ones that are operating sparingly do so by incurring losses without making any profit.

    “Privatisation has, therefore, become the only option since government currently has developmental challenges with slim resources,” he said.

    According to him, privatising the enterprises will ensure efficiency and effective performance as investors will invest funds, introduce new technology, skills and better management expertise.

    “These enterprises, if run profitably, will provide job opportunities for our teeming youths, create wealth, boost the state internally generated revenue and create value chain across the diverse sectors of the Benue economy,” he said.