The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MAN

  • Maritime varsity bill tears presidency, lawmakers apart

    Maritime varsity bill tears presidency, lawmakers apart

    The federal government’s plan to upgrade the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, Oron, into a university may have hit a brick wall with the rejection of the Federal University of Maritime Studies, ( FUMS ) bill by the National Assembly.

    Findings by The Nation revealed that the proposal to upgrade MAN into a university has pitted several government agencies and lawmakers against each other with many of them working at cross-purposes such that admission into existing programmes for this year’s enrolment may be jeopardised.

    Investigation by our correspondent further revealed that the rejection of the bill by the lawmakers informed the setting up of an ad hoc technical committee with members drawn from the House of Representative Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, the Nigerian University Commission, NUC and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.

    Informed sources confided in our correspondent that at the public hearing in Abuja, NIMASA reportedly kicked over the upgrade of MAN into a university, arguing matter-of-factly that MAN should maintain its current status as there was already a newly accredited Maritime University at Okerenkoko in Warri South, Delta state.

    NIMASA’s objection, informed sources further said, may have been fueled by the paucity of funds, a argument it has canvassed to show lack of interest by the Presidency to commit funds to two maritime universities under the present administration, which considers the ongoing ‘strong reforms agenda’ at the Academy as the first step to repositioning the institution towards achieving a reconnect with its lost mandate.

    Speaking in a telephone interview with our correspondent, Preye Kinsley, an alumnus of the Academy seems to share the same sentiments with NIMASA, noting that the Academy should focus on its core mandate of providing seafarers for the maritime sub-sector.

    NIMASA’s reluctance notwithstanding, members of the House Committee and some stakeholders including the government of Akwa Ibom state and various Oro nation socio-cultural and political unions have expressed support for the upgrade.

    Expectedly, this year’s admission was put on hold by the restructuring Committee in addition to delay in the resumption of National Diploma and Higher National Diploma students, as directed by the six-man Committee on the Restructuring and Repositioning of the Academy.

    The Nation was reliably informed that there is a committee working on the restructuring and repositioning of MAN, with a mandate to identify a number of concerns, one of which is the poor and unacceptable hostel accommodation for cadets amongst others.

    Our source, who is very well informed on developments at the Academy also told us that of the over 700 personnel in the staff roll, junior staff is only 100 and the rest senior cadre, “how do you explain that?” he asked.

    Our source revealed that personnel of the Academy, particularly the senior management level are on the same page with the reforms agenda and are cooperating with the Committee. He assured that the committee is composed of professionals who are beyond witch hunt or petty, personal agenda.

    Findings further revealed that ship owners have for a while become reluctant in recruiting MAN Oron graduates of nautical science, based on curriculum reservations and perceived poor teaching quality and lack of basic training facilities/equipment at the Academy.

    However, one time rector of MAN, Chief Nseyen Ebong agreed that quality has become a major challenge in the certification of cadets of the Academy, he debunked claims that products of the institution were unmarketable and uncompetitive. The former rector noted that cadets of the Academy are on top in academics and practical endeavors in many maritime institutions across the world.

    “I have said it many times before that some of our cadets excel and are leading in both academic and practical training exercises in most maritime academies in Europe, Asia and America. But when those in power begin to play politics with funding of the Academy, there has arisen a gradual fall in standards and quality, you cannot take that away as a natural consequence. So what we have at MAN today is the crime of political recklessness and arrogance,” he said.

  • Man killed for alleged adultery in Abia

    Man killed for alleged adultery in Abia

    A middle aged man (Emma Oji) has been reportedly murdered at Alayi Community Village in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State for alleged committing adultery with a married woman in the area.

    According to eye an witness account who said that the woman had informed her husband of her brief visit to her parental home but only to be sighted in another man’s house closed to the community a couple of days after.

    The youths of the area who regarded the incident as an abomination invaded the man’s house and whisked him away for punishment.

    The man was later found dead while the woman was said to have fled to unknown destination.

    However, the man’s death did not go down-well with his relatives and close friends who felt the tradition only permits some level of punishment to anyone found in the act but not murder.

    The disagreement resulted in the deceased kinsmen invading the resident of one of the youths suspected to have spear-headed the whisking away of the deceased man and burnt down his house including motor and other personal belonging.

    Reacting on the incident, chairman of the area Chief Gabriel Okereke Elendu who visited the scene accompanied with Police Divisional Officer (DPO) condemned the act, pointing out that both those involved in the murder of Emma Orji and setting ablaze of houses and property will made to face the wrath of law.

    Elendu maintained that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration frowns at violence and crime of any form and declared that security agents must fish out prime suspects to serve as deterrent to others in the Area.

    He warned youths to desist from taking laws into their hands and vowed to get to the root cause of the crisis, just as he observed government has been doing everything possible to promote peace as well as protection of lives and property of citizenry in the state.

    Speaking at the scene, Special Adviser to the governor on Security matters Capt. Awa Udensi (Rtd) warned that government will no longer tolerate such act, stressing that those involved in the crisis will be brought to book.

    He said the state government condemned the unholy act by youths of Alayi, noting that lives and property of the people remain paramount to the present administration hence government will use all avenue at its disposal to get those on the wanted list.

    Meanwhile father of the deceased, Elder Orji has thanked the state and government delegation that came to commiserate with his family and regretted the gruesome murder of his son by hoodlums.

    He tasked the government to endeavour to fish out the killers to face the appropriate sanction.

  • Man arraigned for ‘stealing goat’

    A 35-year-old man, Michael Olanrewaju, was yesterday arraigned at an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court in Ekiti State for allegedly stealing a she-goat.

    Police prosecutor Oriyomi Akinwale told the court that the defendant committed the offence on September 25, about 7 pm., at 94, Kajola Area, Ado-Ekiti.

    He alleged that the defendant stole a she-goat, valued at N26,000, property of Usman Oriye.

    Akinwale said the offence contravened Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Vol. 1, Laws of Ekiti State 2012.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty. His counsel prayed the court to grant him bail in liberal terms, promising that he will not jump bail.

    The prosecutor objected, saying goat stealing was becoming rampant.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. Taiwo Ajibade, granted the accused bail at N50,000 with two sureties. She said one of them must be a resident of Ado-Ekiti.

    Ajibade adjourned the case till October 17 for further hearing.

     

  • Security men arrest ‘man with weapon in Kanu’s compound’

    Security men arrest ‘man with weapon in Kanu’s compound’

    •Banned IPOB leader’s brother: soldiers remove our personal items

    Soldiers amd policemen returned to defeunct Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Leader Nnamdi Kanu’s family compound in Afaraukwu, Umuahia yesterday in search of arms.

    Troops of Operation Python Dance on September 14 entered the compound; thereafter, Kanu’s whereabouts have been unknown.

    The Desk Officer of Operation Python Dance in (Abia State) said “somebody was arrested with weapon in the compound”.

    The Army officer, who preferred to be simply identified as Desk Officer for the operation, said it was jointly carried out with the police. He said our reporter should direct further enquiries to the police.

    He denied the claims by Nnamdi Kanu’s brother Emmanuel who accused “the invading soldiers” of taking away household items like television sets, generating sets and clothes among others.

    The officer said the operation was based on intelligence that arms were hidden in the compound.

    He said “the things removed may be technical items.”

    Emmanuel urged the international community to prevail on the Army to stop raiding their home and to produce his bother.

    Spokesman of the the Police in Abia State Geoffrey Ogbonna did not pick calls put across to his phone.

    He also did not respond to a text message sent to his phone as at the time of filing this report last night.

    Commissioner of Police Anthony Ogbizi also did not pick his calls even though it rang out twice.

  • Man gets N5m bail for forex ‘fraud’

    An Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, has granted a 45-year-old man, Ighomrore Raymond, N5million bail following his arraignment for an alleged $388,372,29,000 (about N139,814,204) foreign exchange scam.

    Raymond, of Enodobi Street Ipaja, Ayobo, Lagos, was accused of absconding after obtaining $388,372,29,000 from a bureau de change operator under pretence that he was going to give him the naira equivalent.

    He is standing trial before Mrs A. A. Adetunji on a three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining, and stealing preferred against him by the police.

    Prosecuting Inspector Francis Igbinosa said Raymond committed the alleged offence at about 2:30pm, last September 4, at Airport Road Ikeja Lagos.

    He alleged that the defendant and his accomplice at large conspired to obtain the said money.

    Raymond was accused of “fraudulently and dishonestly obtaining the sum from the complainant, Alhaji Nurudeen Abdulahi, but never paid the naira equivalent.

    Raymond pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Adetunji admitted him to N5million bail, with two sureties in the like sum.

    She adjourned till November 2.

  • Man arraigned for ‘stealing’ girlfriend’s tablet’

    A 20-year-old man, Akeem Alhassan, who allegedly stole his girlfriend’s tablet

    valued at N45,000 and sold it, has been arraigned at a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State.

    The accused, whose address is unknown, is facing a charge of stealing, to which he pleaded not guilty.

    Police prosecutor Akpan Ikem said the accused committed the offence on September 18 at J5, Seme border between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

    He said the accused’s girlfriend, Beatrice Agbor, gave him the tablet for keep when she was travelling.

    “The accused sold the tablet and used the money to buy cartons of biscuits.”

    Ikem said the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    The Magistrate, Jimoh Adefioye, granted bail to the accused at N100,000 with a surety and adjourned the case till October 25 for mention.

  • Man gets two years for stealing church property

    A 27-year-old driver, Ishaq Bala, who broke into a church and stole drums and iron rods, has been jailed two years.

    A Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court in Nasarawa said Bala, who lives at Mararaba, was found guilty of the three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, housebreaking and theft.

    The Judge, Mr. Albert Maga, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the defendant was guilty.

    “He is hereby sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for the three-count charge,” he said.

    Maga, however, gave Bala an option of N10,000 fine, warning him to desist from crime.

    The accused was first arraigned on August 18 on a three-count charge, to which he pleaded not guilty.

    Police prosecutor Agabi Auta told the court that Pastor Habila Dasat of Cocin Church, Base 4, Aku village, Mararaba, lodged a complaint against the accused on August 15 at `A’ Divisional Police Station.

    He said the accused and three others at large, broke into the church through the fence and stole a set of drums and iron rods.

    “The security guard apprehended the accused, others ran away, but the stolen items were recovered from him.”

    The offences contravene sections 97, 288 and 347 of the Penal Code.

  • Spare the snake, kill the man! (2)

    Spare the snake, kill the man! (2)

    Ibadan City is the largest   in the West Africa, this I read from Akomolede, a Yoruba book written by Oba Adekunle Aromolaran of Ijeshaland, as pupils in the primary school back then in Jebba, an ancient town near Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State. It was so fascinating that I was eager to visit the city one day. Our Yoruba Language teacher , Mrs Jegede , a funny character went ahead to tell us about ‘Layipo’,  an idiomatic expression for ‘deceit’. Layipo is the people’s word  for Bower Tower, a tourism site in Ibadanland. To me, then, it was more than being funny and coming from a funny character and to cap it all in a funny way. Hmmmmm! Semiu indeed showed me the real meaning of “layipo’ in a queer way. I will spare the snake and will kill the man. Let me continue to repeat. I don’t care! He blew my nostrils into pieces while I thought he was cleaning it. It’s just an idiomatic expression.

    We bought the land with both names inscribed on the receipts. I was waiting for Semiu to collect his own contribution from the thrift society so that we can start building the house, but no word or action came from his side.      Months went by  and one day he came and said that he had collected the money. I heaved sighs of relief and I quickly asked from him if I should call the bricklayer , Baba Mosudi who built Madam Ololade Supermarket, he said no.

    “ What of Tao the son of Alfa Quadri at Isale Foko. He is trustworthy too” I told him.

    “No, I don’t want any of them” he replied.

    “Who else do you want?” I asked calmly, though I was a bit annoyed, but I refused to show it in order not to have any excuse.

    “Hmmmmmm! Let me  think very well so that I can give you the best answer.”

    “ No problem, after all, we are both living in this house” I finally said as I got up to enter the kitchen to serve his food.

    Throughout the night I didn’t sleep. I was in a state of confusion, I was annoyed, irritated and in fact, I didn’t know what to really say. In my inner mind, I knew something was wrong but that thing was what I couldn’t fathom. I wished the day would break so that I could fill my mind with many positive things.

    The evening of third day, market boomed and I was happy. I was preparing to go home when Semiu came to my shop to meet me.    Such a visit was not unusual due to the way we exhibited love, though he has not done so in the recent times, nonetheless, I was happy that he came.

    “Do I offer you drink or food daddy Vincent?” I looked straightly into his eyes and caressed his moustache, not minding that some of my customers were still around.  About three of them looked at us while the remaining pretended as if they didn’t notice anything.

    “This moustache, don’t ever allow any woman in Ibadan to touch it.  It is meant for me alone” I said as  I brought out a small comb to comb out it. I applied a little drops of olive oil and combed it romantically.

    “Nobody can take you away from me. I am all yours” Semiu told me to the envy of the people.

    “Mama Vincent, I better be going home before you corrupt my mind with   your love in Tokyo meningitis “  mummy Bimbo, one of my influential customers whose husband was a retired Chief Justice.

    “Aunty, you better wait to guide me more , because you taught us how to do this” I told her smiling.

    “….. Yes, we taught you, but you have known this more than those you met on the job” she replied me amidst laughter.

    “ Mama Justice, let’s be going together. My husband too will be waiting for me to come home and comb his beard. Nobody can flaunt her husband’s moustache to me while mine is three times her own” Mrs. Janet Malboro who resided in Jericho GRA told us as got up abruptly feigning to be annoyed.

    She ran after the justice’s wife, and one by one, they all got up and left; leaving me and my husband alone.

    “Now that the coast is clear, can we talk now darling?” Semiu asked me.

    “ I am all ears, my love” I replied him.

    “Though, we   have an agreement on how to spend my own money. But kindly allow me to use it for another thing…….”

    “ Another what?” I cut him short.

    I was so annoyed that I didn’t bother to allow him to finish before I sprang up on my feet in readiness to go home. Having sensed my mood, he got up to be on his way out. I cared less because my policy is that promise is a debt. Even when my own mother was on her sick bed and needed money as instructed by my siblings, I didn’t send money from the contributions collected. I had to sleep in the office sewing dresses to earn enough to send home. This is all because Semiu had instructed that we should use the money to buy land.

    We got home and he apologised. He didn’t tell me anything about the money again which I learnt he had even collected three months before sitting me down to tell me what to do with the money. He pretended that all was well and I, in my in my quest to build a happy home and make something tangible out of it did not suspect anything until the day the bubble burst!

    I was preparing to take orders from the Hausa Community in Shasha when  the telephone rang and the voice at the other end asked for my identity and I agreed.

    “ Please come quickly to the  Maronu Hospital because your husband was rushed in few hours ago” the female voice whom I suspected to be that of  a nurse told me.

    “Rushed in? Why? When? How? Haaa!……” I was just shouting to the roof because the voice had already thinned out.

    I called my next door neighbor and explained what happened to her and begged her to deliver the good for me while I went to visit him in the hospital. By the time I got there, I was shocked to see his pale figure lying on the bed. He has emaciated beyond description, nobody would believe that Semiu who woke up that morning , prepared  his own breakfast of ogi (pap) and  jogi was the person on bed. I was just looking at him.”

    “ Madam , why didn’t you advise your husband to come to the hospital on time. Imagine, if not because of a good Samaritan that saw him where he slumped at the bus stop, we would have been saying another thing by now.

    “ Doctor, he was hale and hearty when he left home this morning . Though, I was still sleeping because I was tired, he was healthy  enough to prepare his own breakfast and gave the left over to the children.”

    We were saying this when an elderly woman whom I later knew to be the matron sauntered in and  what she said baffled me.

    “Is this Mama Vincent”? She asked and   the doctor said yes. I was dazed again because I didn’t know how they got to know my name.

    Events unfolding later confirmed that Mama Vincent was the other wife he had outside our matrimony. He cunningly named the children of the woman the same name that my children are bearing to cover his clandestine activities. This same woman was the one that he gave that money in question to.

    What happened was that before I got to the hospital, the woman was there before me. She has been called by that name by her friend who came in there and this was after she identified herself as Semiu’s wife.

    Vincent, Jolaade, Ibiwumi and Lolade were my children’s names. And this was how Semiu named those children the other woman they had within five years. Yet, Semiu gave no clue that he was cheating on me.

    That day, I did not know what was on the ground. I came in later in the evening to give him food and I saw the same type of plate that I brought in. I was wondering who was so close to him in Ibadan City to bring in food. Well, I felt may be some of the family friends.

    But on my way out, I overheard a  male nurse telling his colleague how  Mama Vincent was so friendly and caring despite the fact that the man was just recovering from shock. I went my way thinking it was co-incidental. As I was going out, something just told me to go back , but I felt there was no need since I was going to go back the following day.

    Trying to open the gate, there came  a woman who was in her late 30’s and was wearing the type of the cloth Semiu and I bought to celebrate  Oke Badan festival. I looked at her and a three year old child she was holding. The resemblance was like that of Jolaade, my last born when she that age. Something in me told me to greet the woman and  carry the baby. I just whispered to myself “to mind my own business”.   Can you imagine what I found out later again, that was Semiu’s last born from the woman. If I was going out  from the hospital, the woman would be going in. Semiu is a devil,  no story about that. Despite the fact that he was on his sick bed, yet he was still able to perfect his devilish act!

  • Man commits suicide in Edo

    A motorcycle spare parts dealer in Auchi, Estako West local government area simply identified as Muhammed has committed suicide.

    His body was found on Sunday morning dangling at his apartment where he hung himself.

    Some neighbours said late Mohammed has been behaving in a manner that suggested that he was having spiritual problem.

    He was said to be have complained of having sleepless nights for several weeks.

    A source said the deceased told some people that he was tired of life and that it was time for him to go.

    “At a point he attempted to drink rat poison but his wife sighted him and prevented him from drinking it,” the source said.

    The source claimed that late Mohammed spent some time with his family that night  only for his corpse to be discovered in the morning.

    When contacted, Edo State Police Public Public Relation officer, DSP Moses Nkombe, said the matter was not reported to the police.

  • Task force arrests wanted man, 75 miscreants

    The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Task Force) has arrested 76 miscreants around Oshodi and Iyana-Ipaja areas during an enforcement operations tagged ‘Eradication of Criminal Hideouts’.

    Amongst those arrested at Iyana-Ipaja during the operations is a ‘wanted criminal’ and a ring leader of a notorious cult group ‘Omije Boys,’ Mr Franklin Anyawun.

    Anyawun, 28, who lives at 11,  Oremeji Street, Iyana-Ipaja, was caught with bags of Indian hemp and allegedly confessed to be a ring leader of a notorious cult group ‘Omije Boys’ who robbed people at Iyana-Ipaja and its environs.

    Task force chairman Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said Anyawun confessed to be selling illicit drugs to miscreants around Oshodi, Fadeyi, Idi-Oro at Mushin and Bariga.

    Also arrested, Olumide Sanni, 19, is said to be specialised in snatching bags and phones around Railway-lines at Oshodi.

    Egbeyemi, who confirmed that the enforcement operations would be continuous, said the Commissioner of Police had directed that those arrested be charged to court for prosecutions.