The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Minna

  • EFCC raids ex-governor Aliyu’s residence in Minna

    EFCC raids ex-governor Aliyu’s residence in Minna

    Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Thursday raided the private residence of former Niger state Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and his farm in Minna, Niger state.

    The Nation learnt that the officials arrived at the residence located along Peter Seriki road in Tunga early in the morning and searcher the house; some witnesses around noted that the officials spent about two hours in the house.

    The raided residence of Aliyu was the house he stayed all through his eight years tenure as the governor of the state.

    After the search of the residence, the EFCC officials then proceeded to the multi-million naira farm of the former governor which is located along Mandela road in Minna.

    Efforts to get some of his family members and his media aide to speak proved abortive as none of them were ready to make any comment

     

     

  • Keep children, wards off streets – Commissioner advises

    Mrs Roseline Abara, the Commissioner for Women and Gender Affairs in Niger, has called on parents to keep their school age children and wards off the streets. ‎

    Abara, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Minna, said that girl-child could be victim of abuse.

    “A girl-child, if not raped can be knocked down by a ‎hit and run vehicle. The female children are mostly affected.

    ‎”These days, some people have turned themselves into animals and have no regard to any gender, be it male or female,’’ she said.

    Abara ‎said that girl-child has so much potential if given the opportunity to harness them via the school system.

    “We cannot afford to have illiterate children, not at this age and time. It should be condemned; we will not tolerate this in Niger.

    “For the premium we attach to child education, we have embarked on sensitisation and do jingles on radio in three different languages, Hausa, Gbagi and Nupe.

    “The girl-child is vulnerable and teenage marriage has the likelihood of causing vesico virginal fistula (VVF) during childbirth,” she said.

    Abara appealed to the teenagers to accord their education priority before marriage, saying that she went to school and graduated before thinking of marriage.

     

  • Don wants Paris Club loans refund channelled to education, agriculture

    A lecturer at Federal  University  of Technology, Minna, Dr Thomas Arabi  has advised state governors to channel the  Paris Club loans refund to the development of education, agriculture and health care delivery.

    Arabi, Head, Educational Services, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Minna.

    NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari directed the release of the money to the governors.

    Buhari told the governors to use part of the money to pay the arrears of workers’ salaries and benefits of retirees.

    The don said that it was only through the diversification of such funds to the sectors that Nigerians would feel the impact of the loans.

    Arabi said that provision of basic drugs and improved atmosphere for learning would enable the public to feel the impact of the political change mantra of the present administration.

    According to him, part of the funds should be used to procure assorted farming inputs for sale to farmers at subsidised rates.

    He said the provision of farming implements would encourage more Nigerians to venture into farming.

    “Nigerians should thank God almighty for making the Paris Club loans refund available at this crucial stage of the economic recession.

    “Our governors should judiciously invest the refunds in the areas of agriculture, education and prompt payment of salaries,’’ Arabi said.

    He said that proper investment of the funds would also attract foreign investors and create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.

  • Dam construction at FUT Minna will end perennial water scarcity – VC

    The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Musbau Akanji, says the ongoing dam construction in the university  will end perennial water scarcity being experienced by students and staff.

    In a statement signed by Mrs Lydia Legbu, the university’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Minna on Friday, Akanji appealed to the host communities to support the projects so that it can completed in time.

    The Vice-Chancellor was quoted to have made the appeal during a stakeholders meeting with the 10 villages in and around the university.

    The vice-chancellor was represented by the acting Director, Physical Planning and Development Unit, Mr Idris Alhassan, Akanji told the villagers to serve as trustees of earth dam project by providing the much needed support and cooperation to the contractor handling the project.

    He, however, warned that farming and grazing of animals within the project site will no longer be tolerated, admonishing the villagers to steer clear of the demarcated areas.

    “I want you all to see the earth dam project as your own by protecting it against destruction,” Akanji said.

    Responding, the Garatu village head, Alhaji Abdul Garatu commended the management for siting the project within their communities.

    He noted that the earth dam project will address the problem water scarcity facing the communities.

    He, however, appealed to the management to provide them with temporary source of water since the river, the only source of water supply to the communities, has been taken over.

    Garatu also appealed to the contractor to employ some of their youths to work at the site.

     

  • FUT Minna receives licence for mining activities

    FUT Minna receives licence for mining activities

    The Federal University of Technology, Minna has been granted licence by the Federal Government to engage in mining activities.

    This was disclosed in a statement by Mrs Lydian Legbu and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Minna on Thursday.

    It said that the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Musbau Akanji, received the Reconnaissance Permit and Exploration Licence issued by the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office.

    Akanji said at the event that, the institution applied for the licence a year ago, to checkmate illegal mining on its land.

    He said that the university would partner with investors in the sector, and commended the Department of Geology for its efforts in actualising the issuance of the licence.

    The vice chancellor explained that the university would undertake environmental impact assessment before venturing into exploration.

    He said that by diversifying into mining activities, the university would widen its revenue base and open up new vistas for academic development.

    In a remark, the Director, University Ventures, Prof. Shehu Ma’aji described the development as a landmark achievement for the institution.

    Also, the Head of Geology Department, Dr Idris Abdullahi said that with the issuance of the licence, the university has the option of going into direct mining or bringing in other experts.

    He explained that after feasibility studies, more areas owned by the university would be placed on mining lease, valid for 25 years.

    NAN reports that the Reconnaissance Permit is valid for one year, while the Exploration Licence has three-year validity, renewable for two further periods of two years each.

    The area covers 130 Cadastral Units and 26km2 in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State.

     

  • FUT Minna gets four associate professors – official

    FUT Minna gets four associate professors – official

    The management of the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, on Monday announced the promotion of four senior lecturers to the position of Associate Professors.

    This was contained in a press statement signed by the university’s Public Relation Officer (PRO), Mrs Lydia Legbu, which was made available to newsmen.

    The statement said: “the council at its 122nd meeting held on Thursday March 9, 2017, approved the promotions of the following from Senior Lecturers to the rank of Associate Professors with effect from October 1, 2015.

    “Jimoh Richard Ajayi, Department of Building, Onuigbo Chukwudi Ifeanyi, Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, Udoudoh Samuel-Jimmy, Department of Library, Information Technology and Muriana Rasheed-Aremu, Department of Mechanical Engineering.

     

  • Updated: 2 blind men bag 6 years for sexually abusing 2 boys

    A Minna Magistrates’ Court on Thursday sentenced two blind homosexuals to a total of six years imprisonment without an option of fine for sexually abusing two boys.

    The Magistrate, Hajiya Hauwa Yusuf, handed down the verdict after the duo of Idris Usman popularly called Bagobiri and Abubakar Sadiq pleaded guilty to the charge.

    She sentenced each of them to three years in jail.

    Earlier, Police Prosecutor Abdullahi Mayaki told the court that the accused committed the offence sometime in December 2016.

    Mayaki said the accused had enticed two boys of ages 10 and 12 with N50 and N100 respectively before assaulting them sexually.

    The offence, he said, contravened Section 19 of the Niger State Child Rights Law (Sexual Abuse and Exploitation).

    Mayaki said under the law the accused should have been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment but noted that the sentence was reduced to six years because the accused persons had pleaded guilty and asked for leniency.

    The Director General of the State Child Rights Agency, Hajiya Mairam Kolo, who was in court, applauded the judgment.

    She commended the magistrate for ensuring that justice was done which, she said, would serve as a deterrent to others.  (NAN)

    RIS/ORO/DA

  • FUT Minna fines students for damages

    FUT Minna fines students for damages

    …Shifts resumption date

    Students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna have been fined N4,950 each for damages on properties during the students the demonstration by the students which occurred two weeks ago.

    The University has also postponed the resumption date to the 18th of March, 2017.

    The decision of the management was contained in a circular issued by the office of the Registrar of the university, Mrs. Victoria Kolo.

    “The extension is to enable management carry out some repairs and replacements of properties damaged during the unfortunate students’ unrest of Wednesday, February 15, 2017”, the circular read.

    It will be recalled that on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, the students went berserk during their demonstration after the death of their one of their colleague at the University clinic where they alleged that the clinic staff did not attend to the student on time. In turn, the already agitated students burnt down the university clinic and destroyed a lot of properties in the Bosso Campus.

    The students have been mandated to pay a restitution fee of N4,950 and bring an undertaking to be of good behaviour which must be written and signed by their parents.

    “Each student is to pay a restitution fee of N4,950.00 only between Saturday, 4 and Saturday 11 March, 2017, through the University portal. Students are to obtain letters of undertaking to be of good behavior written and signed by their parents/guardians, which must be supported with a sworn court affidavit.

    “Students are to submit to their appropriate School Secretaries evidence of payment, letter of undertaken and court affidavit”, the circular read.

  • FUT Minna announces mid-semester break, mourns student

    FUT Minna announces mid-semester break, mourns student

    The management of   Federal University of Technology, Minna, on Thursday announced a two-week mid-semester break for all students.

    The spokesperson of the university, Mrs. Lydia Legbo, said in a statement in Minna that normal academic activities would resume on March 2.

    The statement also announced the death of a 300-level student in the Department of Chemistry Education, Yeye Emmanuel Olalekan, who slumped on Wednesday while playing football on the pitch at the Bosso Campus of the university.

    Olalekan, 23, an indigene of Kwara, was rushed to the University Health Centre where he was certified dead.

    The statement said the institution’s management at its emergency meeting on Thursday directed that all necessary steps be taken to determine the circumstances surrounding the student’s death.

    It extended the management’s condolences to the bereaved family, students and the entire university community, praying God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

     

  • Motor park clash: Police arrest two suspects in Minna

    Motor park clash: Police arrest two suspects in Minna

    The Police in Niger state  have arrested two suspects in connection with a misunderstanding between two transport unions at the Abdulsalam Abubakar Motor Park, Minna.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the squabble, which Occurred on Oct.22, resulted to the death of one person.

    The fight happened between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and their counterparts of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria.

    The Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, ASP Bala Elkaina, confirmed the arrest in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Minna.

    Bala said investigation into the fracas had commenced, and that the command would ensure diligent prosecution of the culprits.