The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MAN

  • Man, two boys ‘defile’ six-year-old girl

    Man, two boys ‘defile’ six-year-old girl

    •We’re innocent, say suspects

    The police have arrested a 22-year-old man, Osholo Samuel, his 17-year-old friend (name withheld) and a 10-year-old boy (name withheld) on an accusation that they sexually assaulted a girl, aged seven (name withheld).
    The Nation cannot reveal the identity of Samuel’s alleged accomplices as well as the victim because they are minors.
    The alleged sexual assault occurred last Friday evening in the Adaraloye area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
    First defendant Samuel and his second defendant teenage friend, both tile and Plaster of Paris (POP) setters, were accused of cajoling the 10-year-old third defendant to lure the girl into a room where the trio took turns on her.
    It was alleged that they promised to give both children money if they didn’t tell anyone, but the girl told her younger sister, who later told their mother.
    Narrating how the alleged incident occurred, the 10-year-old boy said the child was the only girl in the building that evening when the other suspects sent him to call her.
    Speaking in Yoruba, he said: “They came to work in the house. They fix POP. The girl lives in our compound. They told me to invite her to meet them in the room and I did. Then they asked me to go and get a cloth and paper. They set the paper on the floor and laid the cloth on it. Then they ordered me to take off her pant and do my own. So, I took off her pant and did my own. Then they began to do their own with the girl. The girl began to cry and they covered her mouth with their hands. I felt sorry for her. I told them to stop, that she would die, but they refused. They said she would not die, that nobody would know. They promised to give me money and they would give her money too.”
    The Nation learnt that after the incident, the girl was taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital for examination.
    But Samuel and his friend told The Nation on Monday that the allegation was false. They provided an alibi for their whereabouts that evening. They had left Adaraloye for Eruwen in Ikorodu, they said, some hours before the incident.
    Samuel said in Yoruba: “I don’t know anything about what happened. We work at Adaraloye, near Ikorodu Club. There’s a room in a house there where we sleep. There’s a two-storey building there that is being renovated, so we were asked to do POP there. We don’t know the room where the incident happened. The girl is lying against us.”
    His friend agreed. He suggested that they were the victims of a conspiracy by the girl’s family.
    “Recently there was a misunderstanding between the girl’s father and my elder brother. They fought and the girl’s father broke a bottle and threatened to stab us. When outsiders wanted to settle the matter, the girl’s father called his child to one side and spoke with her secretly. We don’t know what they planned. Afterwards, he brought the girl back,” he said.
    The girl’s father, Afeez (surname withheld) said he and his wife were away when the incident occurred. He confirmed that their last child told his wife about the incident.
    He said: “I was at work and my wife had gone to Oyingbo Market when the incident happened. My wife later called me that evening to tell me what happened and I quickly rushed home.”
    Afeez begged the police to come to his aid. He alleged that unnamed persons had threatened him with eviction from his rented apartment in Adaraloye, if he did not persuade the police to drop the case.
    The three suspects were arraigned by the Ikorodu Police Station, Igbogbo on Tuesday at the family court section of the Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.
    They are standing trial before Chief Magistrate A.A Oshoniyi on a seven-count charge of conspiracy, indecent assault and unlawful sexual intercourse.
    According to the charge marked, 11CD/A/IKD/2016, the defendants “conspired to commit defilement”, “used their hand to cover her mouth and forcibly removed her pant” as well as had “unlawful sexual intercourse with” the six-year-old child.
    The alleged offence is contrary to and punishable under Sections 134(2), 137 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
    Apart from the victim’s and defendants’ immediate families and their four lawyers, the trial was closed to the public, including journalists, because of the age of most of the parties.
    Samuel and his teenage friend pleaded not guilty to the charge but their 10-year-old co-defendant pleaded guilty.
    The Nation learnt that Chief Magistrate Oshoniyi required the registrar to painstakingly read and explain the charge to him before she entered his plea of guilt.
    The court granted Samuel N200,000 bail with two responsible sureties in the like sum among other requirements and ordered that he be remanded in Kirikiri Prison, Lagos pending his fulfilment of the bail terms.
    Oshoniyi remanded the second defendant in Borstal Home, Adigbe, Abeokuta, while the third defendant was remanded in Boys Remand Home, Oregun, Lagos.
    She adjourned the case till January 26.

  • Man commits suicide on wedding eve

    a 28-year-old man has committed suicide in Mushin, Lagos, on the eve of his wedding.

    Shakiru, popularly called Jarule, was found hanging from the ceiling of his 56, Oduduwa Street, Mushin home.

    Relatives told The Nation yesterday that the father of two was being expected in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Saturday for the event. Shakiru was said to have sent a suicide message to his sister, Mariam, which reads: “I’m sorry. Forgive me.”

    Mariam had reportedly insisted on his arriving early for the event on  noticing his attitude of late. But when the message came in around 6:30pm, she did not read it immediately. When she did, she tried to reach some of his friends, but all to no avail. She then got their elder sister who lives near him to go and find out what was happening. His sister found his room locked from inside indicating that he was at home.

    But when he did not respond to her knocks, she called Mariam, who asked her to look through the window from where she found his lifeless body dangling from the ceiling.

    Mariam said: “I called him several times to urge him to get to Osogbo on time but he told me he would arrive probably on Sunday or even Monday. I asked him what he meant by that when he knew the wedding was slated for Sunday. He quickly changed it and said he was on the way, that he would be there. I was expecting him till I got his message late at night. I called people close to his area but it didn’t go. Later I called my aunt to help me check him up. That was when she found out what happened. I had stopped calling him at a time because of his unresponsive attitude.”

    The late Shakiru also left some notes in his jotter,  bordering on love and his life trajectory. They included “I’m Done”, “If you are reading this, it’s too late.” He also wrote phrases such as “I love you” on the pictures of his two children.

    Some relatives described his death as embarrassing and unfortunate. They said he was an introvert who hardly picked their calls. It was learnt that his wife is about eight months pregnant. He was said to have proposed an abortion which his doctor warned against because “it was too late.”

    His niece, who didn’t mention her name, believes he committed suicide over financial difficulties.

    According to her, he became frustrated after the death of his mother three years ago.

    “I don’t know what he has encountered in life that should warrant suicide. Since his mother died, he has been finding it difficult to cope with life because she pampered him a lot and he didn’t lack anything. She always supported him out of love for her children. He didn’t acquire any skill that could sustain him. After her death, he was dejected. Sometimes he would complain of not eating regularly, his job was not paying much and that he was getting tired of life.

    “But I don’t understand his problem because even his children are not under his care. It is the family that has been catering for them. This wedding we ought to be doing now is not on him. All we required was of him to make himself available. We even sent money to him when he complained he didn’t have money. The wife’s family has been complaining that he was not doing anything on her.”

    Another relative said he didn’t believe the late Shakiru committed suicide because of financial constraints. The deceased, he said, just received N36,000 from a thrift society the previous week.

    The Nation learnt that the police are detaining four persons living with the late Shakiru.

  • This man needs help

    This man needs help

    He came into our Abuja office looking every bit like a man in desperate need to save his life. Oguche Enechojo Joseph is troubled by a badly aching ear.  A secondary school teacher, he has spent his wages on treatment but has got little relief.

    Oguche, 51, is suffering from Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, (CML), which has affected his hearing for the past six years.

    One had to repeat what was said severally before he could understand what was said.

    He has spent more than his monthly salary to fund his medical expenses. According to him, feeding his family has become difficult thereby looking for assistance to either get an additional job or financial assistance to avoid further crisis.

    He explained how it all started: “My name is Oguche Enechojo Joseph. I am 51 years old. I am a teacher by profession at a private junior secondary school in Gwarinpa. I teach basic technology. My problem is that I have been suffering from cancer for the past six years. Last year they changed my drugs and it has been affecting me and I am spending 90 percent of my salary. My salary is N70,000.

    “I have been buying one injection since last year’s September for N20,000. And after two weeks I could not afford it again. It continued like that to the extent that I was transfused with two units of blood. I have been borrowing money since my predicament started.

    “Immediately I receive my salary it all goes into buying of drugs. That is why I came for help to either for good-spirited Nigerians to help me. I want to do something extra to feed my family and also meet my health needs. Since this incident I have not been taking care of my family.

    “I have three children and because of this situation I lost my one-year-old son last year to a heart-related problem, remaining two. I could not take him to India as suggested by doctors. They asked me to pay N3 million for surgery which I could not afford. My wife is over 30 years. She is a mini-fashion designer. The eldest, a boy, is 10 years while the other female is eight. The boy wants to go to secondary school but there is no fund for that.

    “My consultant is at Obafemi Awolowo teaching hospital Ife, every month I go to the national hospital in Abuja here foe blood counting. And because of transportation fare I go to Ife every three months for medical checkup. Because of my hearing problem I cannot travel along, I go with my wife and transport to Ife for two is not easy. I am always barrowing and if I continue like this at this my age I will have nothing to save for my children and would not be able to train them properly.

    “My consultant said if I keep on taking my drugs properly that the nerves which are affected will grow and I will start hearing properly again. They showed my people with similar problems which have been rectified with some time. They said I should be patient and be prayerful. It all started through an infectious disease called CML then at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

    “I am lucky that all our drugs are being given to me free but the entire test we pay for it at the National hospital and every day they change the course of test for me. I was buying one unit of blood N7,800 and screening N7,000. I am not asking for luxury but money to take proper care of myself and family.”

    Oguche Enechojo Joseph’s phone number is 08036503137. And his account number is: Oguche Enechojo Joseph, Zenith Bank. Account number: 2086432106 and Ecobank: 2202091999.

  • Banks not co-operating with CBN on forex, says MAN

    Banks not co-operating with CBN on forex, says MAN

    Banks are not co-operating with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on forex policy, Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) President Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs has said.

    Dr Jacobs said the CBN was sensitive to the plight of the manufacturing sector, but it was unfortunate the apex bank’s good intention were being frustrated by those who didn’t share the same passion for manufacturers, in particular, or the nation.

    He cited the CBN’s directive to banks to allocate 60 per cent of available forex to manufacturers for the importation of raw materials and spare parts, which the banks had not implemented.

    He told The Nation that the CBN also released about $414 million  recently, with provisions for another $500 million for allocation to manufacturing and other critical sectors, but regretted that banks were not co-operating, thereby frustrating a critical policy.

    Jacobs debunked the allegation that the CBN ‘settled the manufacturing sector with $330 million, saying the CBN announced the release of $314 million but he did not know who benefitted from it.

    Acknowledging that manufacturing was the worst hit by forex scarcity, Jacobs said the case of those included in the list of items excluded from the inter-bank forex was more worrisome.

    But manufacturers and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) had argued that the CBN should not have excluded  the 41 items as some  things in the list were actually raw materials and input for industries.

    On the embedded power supply proposed  by manufacturers  to save their businesses, he said the project was ongoing as planned.

    “We have made remarkable progress in this direction by receiving bids from power companies, and have carried out tariff evaluation following the opening of the bids from which we have shortlisted three companies that we’ve adjudged to be competent. We have also selected four clusters for the pilot project. They are Henry Carr Street, Isolo, Amuwo Odofin and Ilupeju. As I said, these are tentative arrangements which have not been finalised. It must be said that we have not started actual operations yet.”

    On the implication of the planned relocation of a major tomato paste manufacturer, Erisco Foods Nig. Limited to China and some other African countries, the MAN boss said the issue of closure and planned relocation was for the company alone to decide.

    He said the decision of the company to shut its operations in Nigeria would have serious implication for the economy in terms of further job losses at a time that the unemployment rate was soaring.

    He said the planned closure would send wrong signals to potential investors, adding that the action would lead to loss of revenue.

  • MAN shortlists three firms to generate power

    MAN shortlists three firms to generate power

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has shortlisted three companies to deliver on the electricity needs of its members.

    MAN President, Dr.  Udemba Jacobs, said the group is determined to safeguard the businesses of its members who are daily faced with the need to provide power for themselves.

    Jacobs said MAN has made remarkable progress in this direction by receiving bids from power companies and have carried out tariff evaluation exercise following the opening of the bids from which three firms have been shortlisted having been adjudged competent.

    He was however silent on the identities of the companies and cost, saying those facts were not available as the deal has not being completed.

    He said: “Though they are tentative arrangements which have not been finalised, it must be said that we have not started actual operations yet.”

    The MAN chief said four clusters have also been selected for the pilot project located at Henry Carr Street, Ikeja, Isolo, Amuwo Odofin and Ilupeju, all in Lagos.

    The Chairman, Manufacturers Power Development Company Limited, Ibrahim Usman, said manufacturers have come together  to change the ugly tide that has put some of them out of business with the resultant effect of job losses and its attendant security challenges.

  • Man arrested for ‘bestiality’in Ondo

    A middle-aged man, Mr. Afolabi Bamidele was, at the weekend, allegedly caught having sex with a goat at Irun-Akoko, Akoko North West Local Government of Ondo State.

    It was learnt the goat died in the process.

    The victim was arrested by the police after one of his neighbours, who saw him in the bush, reported the matter.

    A resident, Badmus Akinoye, said Bamidele was caught by somebody who went into the bush to defecate.

    Akinoye said: “He picked the goat from a neighbour’s house and took it into the bush. He took his clothes off and started having sex with it.

    “When he finished, he brought out a handkerchief to clean up when he was caught by somebody who called on neighbours.”

    He said the suspect was about to be mobbed but was rescued by the police.

    Police spokesman Femi Joseph said: “The divisional police officer in Ikare Akoko has not briefed me about the incident, I will let you know when I’m briefed.”

  • ‘Make MAN world-class institution’

    The Federal Government has been urged to make the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, a world-class institution to contribute to the national economy.

    Its Acting Rector, Mkpandiok Ante Mkpandiok, said the institution needed money to surmount its cash challenges, perform effectively and export seafarers.

    The challenges, according to him, include inadequate training equipment, vessels, simulation, access- to-sea time experience by cadets and underfunding.

    Mkpandiok said he would be happy when the country starts to export the academy’s seafarers to boost its economy.

    He urged foreign and indigenous ship owners to support the government by placing the academy’s cadets on board their ship for training.

    According to him, South Africa has a maritime training agreement with the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) to train it cadets.

    Mkpandiok said the academy was owing some contractors for some projects executed in the school.

    He said the contractors have petitioned the Presidency, Police and the National Assembly. He promised to pay them when cash is available.

    “The school with over 40 management staff has one mind. We have decided to work together to move the school forward and if the government grants approval to the plans that we have, in the next two years we will transform the institution to an enviable status,” he said.

  • Upholding the dignity of man

    Upholding the dignity of man

    The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has held a week-long activities to mark its 56th Founder’s Day. INYA-AGHA EGWU, JAMES OJO and ORJI SYLVESTER (400-Level Mass Communication) report.

    It was Princess Alexandra of Kent who laid the foundation of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in October, 1960. Yearly, staff, students and the alumni gather at the spot where the foundation was laid to celebrate and rededicate themselves to the visions of the founding fathers, one of whom was the first Nigeria’s President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

    Apart from bringing back memories of the university’s formative years, the event known as “Founders’ Day”, provides a platform for the university administration to update the alumni on the developments and challenges of their alma mater.

    At this year’s Founders’ Day, there was a touch of innovation in the activities marking it. For one week, the campus bubbled with activities, including exhibition, lectures and a debate where students won prizes.

    The event featured a lecture with the theme: Science, technology and innovation: The way forward. It was delivered by Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.

    Onu observed that the neglect of science, technology and innovation in previous decades inflicted unprecedented harm on the country’s development, noting that the nation had been trailing behind less-endowed countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

    He said: “We must aim to use science and technology to create wealth and reduce poverty. We must deploy it towards eliminating abject poverty, build an inclusive, competitive,  sustainable and diversified economy.”

    Chief Judge of Anambra State Justice Peter Umeadi delivered a paper at the Dignity of Man Lecture held during Founders’ Day.

    Justice Umeadi, who spoke on Rule of Law as the foundation of any nation, called for the domestication of Child Rights Acts by states, saying the laws must reflect the changing times and development in the country. He advised members of states’ legislatures to prioritise the passage of the law to eliminate discrimination against children and minors.

    He said: “It should always be borne in mind that the good of the people and strengthening of the foundation of the nation ought to be the purpose of legislation, which is then enforced by the ordinary courts.”

    The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Emmanuel Ojukwu, noted that corruption was the major impediment to the observance of the rule of law, which, according to him,  was often recited in theory but absent in practice.

    In his address, the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Benjamin Ozumba, said the university under his watch had been making giant strides in line with the vision of the founding fathers.

    He outlined part of the achievements of his administration in the last two years to include improved global ranking of the school by Webometrics, which placed the UNN first in the country and among the best in Africa. He also said the university struck collaborations with foreign varsities to expose staff and students to international best practices.

    He said: “Despite economic challenges in the country, we are resilient and resolute in giving the UNN a facelift. Such was the spirit of our founding fathers.”

    At an exhibition held at Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, departments and faculties showcased their inventions and research achievements. On display included solar water heater with fibre-reinforced plastic storage tank, incinerator for converting solid waste into energy for domestic hot water generation, Biomass cooking stoves, thermo-syphon water heater, paintings, fabrications and textile materials.

    The Princess Alexandra Auditorium (PAA) was filled to be brim for the debate tagged: Dignity of Man.

    The debaters, who were students, stood before a panel of 10 judges. They took turn to flaunt their literary prowess and push their logics to either support or oppose the topic of the debate: This house regrets the rise of million-dollar babies.

    No sooner had the VC declared the event open than the debaters started to argue their points.

    About 83 jostled to participate in the debate, but the number was pruned to four teams of eight students each.

    At the end of the debate, the duo of Sunday Orji, a 400-Level Mass Communication student, and Henry Uwakwe, a 400-Level Veterinary Medicine student, won the debate.

    The VC’s wife, Mrs Chinelo Ozumba, presented all the eight finalists with new Android smartphones, while other participants were given certificates of participation.

    The Department of Music staged a night of musical concert. It played various symphonies— from western dance, African chorus to instrumental. The concert was followed by a drama by the Department of Theatre Studies entitled: Iyi Uwa.

    The drama captured the story of Ogbanje, a myth in Igbo folklore where a girl dies and reincarnates repeatedly until the umbilical cord linking her with the spirits is severed by a ritual called Iyi Uwa.

    The week-long event ended with a thanksgiving at the Chapel of Redemption.

  • Declare state of emergency in manufacturing, MAN urges Buhari

    Declare state of emergency in manufacturing, MAN urges Buhari

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the sector to save it from total collapse.

    Its President, Dr. Frank Jacobs, said there was an urgent need to pay attention to the sector to avoid its imminent collapse and attendant consequences on the economy.

    He said this had become imperative in view of the sector’s high capacity to transform the economy, create jobs, transfer technology and improve the living standards of Nigerians.

    Udemba told The Nation that the manufacturing sector could have very high trickle-down effect on many  sectors, pointing out that it had the ability to catalyse other sectors, such as agriculture, solid minerals, petro-chemical and forestry, that could produce the needed raw material inputs to be engaged by industry to grow the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    He said the Federal Government was compelled to re-strategise and take a serious look at the option of diversifying the economy due to the decline in the price of crude oil at the international spot market where most oil exporting countries, especially those that rely mainly on crude oil have been caught up in revenue crisis.

    Describing diversification as the next option for Nigeria, Udemba said the economic downturn had proved that economic diversification is key to pulling the economy out of recession.

    He said a number of sectors have been identified for the diversification programme, including agriculture, solid minerals and manufacturing.

    “Nigeria unfortunately became a mono-product economy with the discovery of crude oil, after allowing the erstwhile foreign exchange earners, including cocoa, groundnut, and palm oil to die,” he said.

    “Alongside this, the industrial sector which had started to show great potentials and which was making steady progress in the past was also neglected.

    “Unfortunately, income from the export of crude oil was not utilised in developing the necessary superstructure which would have set the pace for the development of an enduring industrial sector,” he said,  adding that the solution to recession lies with private sector investment,

    Udemba urged the government to support private sector investment by providing the enabling environment.

  • MAN, govt to dialogue on policies, private sector concerns

    MAN, govt to dialogue on policies, private sector concerns

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) will, tomorrow, host President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki, chief executives and others to a dialogue on scaling up productivity with robust policies and tackling critical private sector concerns.

    The guest speaker, President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, will speak on “Diversifying Nigerian Economy: Role of Government in Manufacturing”.

    MAN President Frank Jacobs said government should show commitment in eliminating bottlenecks in the operating environment.

    He said an appraisal of the economic setbacks and progress areas in the last one year will be on focus.

    “We believe diversification of the economy can best be driven by the private sector, especially manufacturing. We also know that government has to create enabling environment for manufacturing. What we are trying to do is call attention of the government to the fact that the manufacturing sector has a role to play and government has to function. We are hopeful that government would continue to adopt home grown policies and strategies that have the capacity to offer required economic fillip to the sector,” he said.

    Notable heads of international organisations, diplomatic officials, including the minister of Trade and Investment are expected at  the event, which is an opportunity to showcase made-in-Nigeria products, among others.