The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MAN

  • Two held for ‘stabbing’ man at viewing centre

    Two men, who allegedly stabbed another man at a football viewing centre, yesterday, appeared before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court in Lagos.

    The accused – Akinbo Toyin, 29, a printer, and Adekunle Olaniyan, 29, a barber are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and assault.

    Prosecuting Officer Donjor Perezi said the offence were committed on August 8 at a football viewing centre at Amikanle, Alagbado, Lagos.

    According to Perezi, a fight ensued at the veiwing centre over a petty argument and the accused stabbed one Abayomi Akapo, on the neck, head and jaw, causing him a very deep injury.

    “The victim was rescued by people at the centre, who quickly rushed him to the hospital, else he would have died,’’ he said.

    The offence, according to the prosecutor, contravened Sections 171 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate O.A. Akinde admitted the accused to N100, 000 bail each, with two sureties in the like sum, and adjourned the case till September 28.

  • Man tells court: I only threatened my wife with hot water

    Man tells court: I only threatened my wife with hot water

    A 40-year-old trader, Salau Kehinde, has admitted beating up his wife, Mrs. Salau Shakirat Olaide, over sex, but denied planning to pour hot water on her.

    Kehinde, of 9, Fatai Oloko Street, Haruna, Ikorodu, was dragged by his wife to a customary court sitting in Ikorodu, Thursday, for dissolution of their marriage.

    He agreed that he used to beat Olaide up whenever she denied him of sex and if she came home late from her trading business, but that he “merely boiled the water so he could threaten her with it.”

    “I had no intention of bathing her in the water,” he told the court.

    Kehinde continued, “She refused to cook for me when she was pregnant. She also said I should look for another wife.”

    Speaking earlier, his 32-year-old wife, Olaide, of 1, Azeez Aremu Close, Ibeshe, Ikorodu, told the court that they got married 10 years ago and had two children together, but had been living separately for over two years now.

    “He always refused to give me money and this made us quarrel and fight a lot,” she said. “I had to leave him when he kept threatening to pour hot water on me.”

    “His friend advised him to beat me up and he became fond of beating me. He would beat me whenever I returned from work, he would beat me when I told him I was too tired to have sex, or for any flimsy excuse.”

    She added that Kehinde also lacked respect for her family.

    When the court’s president, Olu Adebiyi, asked her what she wanted, Olaide replied: “I want this court to dissolve our marriage and grant me custody of our children.”

    Kehinde, however, promised to stop beating or threatening her and said he was willing to take her back if she wants to stay with him.

    The court adjourned the matter to September 13, for possible reconciliation.

  • Man, 32, held for using pepper to snatch cars

    The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 32-year-old man, Peter Okpe, for allegedly using pepper to snatch vehicles.

    Okpe was held after a car he allegedly snatched ran into a ditch on the Benin-Lagos Expressway.

    The police said he and other members of his gang hired a cab and blew some ground pepper into the eyes of the driver to snatch his vehicle.

    The suspect was said to have boarded a cab at Okada Junction and asked the driver to stop.

    He was said to have blown some pepper into the driver’s eyes and pushed him out of the car.

    Luck ran out on him when the car ran into a ditch and he was arrested by a combined team of vigilantes and policemen.

    Police spokesman Stephen Onwochei, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), described the trend as new among criminals in the state.

    He said the police would probe the matter to arrest other members of the gang.

  • Man jailed for theft

    An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court has sentence a 25-year-old man, Uzoma Duru to two months jail for stealing an electricity generating set.

    Uzoma, a resident of Ondo Street, Ebute Meta on August 16 stole Honda electricity generating set worth N80,000.  The defendant pleaded guilty to two count charges on stealing and forcibly entering.

    Police prosecuting Inspector Moses Uademevoi told the court that defendant broke into the house of one Mr Segun Thomas to steal the set.

    Magistrate Fowowe-Erusiafe sentenced the defendant to two months jail term with 100 hours of community service as option of fine.

  • Man charged with N1.8m electronics ‘theft’

    A generator repairer, Rafiu Adeyemi, was yesterday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court, for alleged conspiracy, burglary and stealing.

    Adeyemi, 38, a resident of Musa Street, Ijoko, Ogun State, allegedly broke into a warehouse and carted away electronics worth N1.8 million.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offences on September 2, 2014 at Anikulapo Street, Agege, Lagos.

    He said that the accused and one other now at large, burgled the warehouse of one Mr Richard Olumide, and ran away the items.

    Olatunde said: “The accused, a security guard employed by the complainant to guard the warehouse and one Micheal Daniel, (who is still at large) broke into the store of the complainant and stole his goods.

    “The accused stole 22 pieces of different sizes of LG LCD televisions, two pieces of DVD recorders and 20 microwave ovens valued at N1.8million.

    “Adeyemi and his accomplice came with sophisticated weapons, broke the burglary proof and damaged the padlocks and gained access into the store.

    “The complainant went to his warehouse to take inventory after the security guard quit the job, only to discover that his goods had been stolen.’’

    Olatunde said that the complainant received a tip-off from a neighbour that the accused was sighted with a vehicle load of the items.

    Olatunde said that the offence contravened Sections 285, 305 and 410 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    The accused pleaded not guilty and was granted N250, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    Magistrate Aka Bashorun adjourned the case till August 26.

  • Manufacturers spend over N4b on diesel yearly, says MAN

    Over N4billion is spent yearly by manufacturers under to procure Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), the President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Frank Jacobs Udemba, has said.

    Udemba told The Nation that the manufacturing sector spends the huge cash on diesel  monthly, adding that the figure translates to an average of over N4billion when multiply by 12 months of the year.

    He said manufacturers invest on power devices such as UPS and inverters to keep some equipment working and further prevent loss of valuable data because power supply in the country is unreliable. He added that their members spend a chunk of that money on fuel to power their generators to stay in business.

    He said low metering coverage and the consequent dependence on estimated billing from distribution companies (DISCOs) has resulted in rise of costs in the power sector.

    He explained that low electricity generation is affecting power distributed to consumers, stressing that  when  electricity generation improves, supply would also improve.

    Udemba said: “The country generates less than 5,000 megawatts (Mw) of electricity for its over 160million population.  In a big country like Nigeria, we still struggle, fumble and wobble on 4000 megawatts and below. This does not and cannot go anywhere in meeting the energy requirements of the teeming populace. The sector would be able to employ more people if reasonable electricity supply is made available to them. But there is nothing like that for now.”

    According to him, the sector is yet to guarantee power supply, two years after private investors bought the unbundled assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN),  adding  that the operation of the  power firms is fraught with problems including technical and commercial, among others.

    Penultimate week, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo held a meeting with Dr Sam Amadi,  chairman, National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), representatives of power Ministry, MAN and other stakeholders on the need to develop a  framework for the creation of micro grid for industrial clusters across the country.

    At the meeting, a special committee with nomination from the Commission will be coordinated by MAN since its members will be the major beneficiaries of a stable power supply.

    This happened, amid announcement by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) of increase in generation from 4,517 megawatts to 4,545 megawatts in two weeks.

  • Woman, others arraigned for drug trafficking

    Woman, others arraigned for drug trafficking

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arraigned five persons, including a woman, at the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly dealing in 1072.51 grammes of cocaine without lawful authority.

    Prosecuting counsel, Fingere Dinneys said one of the accused persons was trying to export the banned narcotic, while the others imported it.

    Four of them – Patricia Nwaobilo, Cosmos Ezeh, Ugochukwu Alexandre and Chukwuma Udemezue – were arraigned Wednesday, while Prosper Nzom was arraigned on Tuesday.

    The agency said Nzom was arrested on May 22 during the outward clearance of Air France to Holland via France at the screening point of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja.

    He was caught with 255 grammes of cocaine which the agency said he “exported” without lawful authority.

    Nwaobilo was arrested on May 30 during the inward clearance of Qatar Airline passengers from Daha. He was accused of importing 150 grammes of cocaine.

    Ezeh was caught with 1.220 kg of cocaine on June 2 during the inward clearance of Emirate Airline from Brazil at the airport’s ‘E’ arrival hall.

    The agency said Ugochukwu, on May 31, during the the inward clearance of Arik Air from Angola, imported 1.290kg of cocaine without lawful authority.

    NDLEA officials arrested Udemezue on May 18 during the inward clearance of Etihad Airline from Abu-Dhabi via Brazil with 665 grammes of cocaine.

    The alleged offences contravene Section 11 (a) and (b) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

    The accused persons, who were arraigned separately, pleaded not guilty to the one-count charges.

    Dinneys told the court that the agency was ready to proceed with their trial.

    But Justice Mohammed Yunusa ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison pending when he will rule on their bail applications.

     

  • Buhari may review economic policies before 2016 Budget

    Buhari may review economic policies before 2016 Budget

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday declared that he will gladly reverse or abandon some inherited economic policies if it will lead to creation of more jobs for Nigerians.

    He made the remark during a meeting with Executive Members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    President Buhari also directed the Ministries of Industries, Trade and Investment, and Finance, and the Central Bank of Nigeria and other relevant government agencies to evolve new policies to boost domestic manufacturing before next year’s budget.

    The President in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said: “We are in difficult times economically, but we’ll continue to do our best for manufacturing to pick up. We must begin to behave as if we have no oil at all.

    “We will gladly have policy somersaults, if it will mean more jobs, particularly for youths. I campaigned on three major planks. To effectively secure our country, provide employment through revamping of the economy, and wage a relentless war against corruption. I intend to keep faith with these promises.”

    He lamented that the textile industry that employed about 320,000 people in the past now only parades about 30,000.

    “It shows the carelessness of past governments, if almost 300,000 people lose jobs in a single sector. We have a clear idea of how we can stimulate employment and we will work very hard to do so,” President Buhari told the MAN delegation.

    The MAN President, Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs, had appealed for a review of policies that stifle the manufacturing sector, noting that the importance of a robust manufacturing sector for the general well-being of the economy cannot be over-emphasized.

     

  • Photo: President meets with MAN officials

    Photo: President meets with MAN officials

    L-R President Muhammadu Buhari (centre) with Chairman Plastic Sector of Nigeria Dr. Bashir Abdullahi, Managing Director Jacobs Wines Ltd. Dr. Frank S. Udemba Jacobs, Vice President Lagos Zone, Rev.Isaac Agoye and other members of the MAN after the meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria with the President at the State House Abuja yesterday.
    L-R President Muhammadu Buhari (centre) with Chairman Plastic Sector of Nigeria Dr. Bashir Abdullahi, Managing Director Jacobs Wines Ltd. Dr. Frank S. Udemba Jacobs, Vice President Lagos Zone, Rev.Isaac Agoye and other members of the MAN after the meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria with the President at the State House Abuja yesterday.

  • MAN urges govt to accelerate disbursement of N300b real sector fund

    As funding challenge continues to confront real sector players, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to expedite action that will facilitate the disbursement of N300 billion Real Sector Fund launched earlier in the year.

    Manufacturers in Africa’s largest economy face poor funding access, particularly long-term finance, which prevents them from producing to an optimum capacity and creating sufficient jobs.

    Speaking in Lagos at  a press briefing, the President, MAN, Dr Frank Udemba Jacobs, said this call had become necessary given the key role played by finance in propelling manufacturing and economy.

    “The CBN should expedite actions that will facilitate the disbursement of the Real Sector Fund, as no loan has been granted under this financial window despite huge applications for it,” Jacobs said at a press conference held in Lagos.

    “The CBN should also make operational the Development Bank of Nigeria launched early in the year by the former president, Goodluck Jonathan,” he said.

    According to MAN’s president, the Federal Government should issue a statement on policy consistency to give confidence to the private sector that is propelling the economy, while bearing huge burdens.

    He said the policy should be backed by appropriate gazette that would put the implementation into phases over a reasonable period of time to safeguard the huge capital investment associated with manufacturing.

    “The CBN should remove raw materials that are not available locally from the list of items not valid for foreign exchange and allow reasonable time for affected manufacturers to embark on backward integration process before relisting the affected raw materials,” Jacobs said, in response to the apex bank’s exclusion of importers of 41 items from accessing foreign exchange from the Nigerian markets.

    MAN helmsman further recommended an appropriate mix of monetary instruments to promote reduction in lending rates to single digit while also effectively managing exchange and inflation rates.

    The association of Nigerian manufacturers’ president admitted that real sector players are aware of the need to arrest the dwindling value of the national currency and the role of the CBN in addressing the situation by taking deliberate steps to shore up the naira, but said it is also necessary that genuine cases presented by manufacturers be given some level of consideration.

    “This is to avoid creating more socio-economic problems of unemployment and crime that could emanate from the closure of factories. If the productive sector continues to find it difficult to procure necessary raw materials and spare parts within the next few weeks closure and retrenchment may become inevitable,” he said.