The Nation Newspaper

Tag: News Agency of Nigeria

  • 15,694 Nigerian pilgrims now in Saudi Arabia, says NAHCON

    No fewer than 15,694 Nigerians are currently in Madinah and Makkah, Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    The pilgrims, who started arriving in the Holy Land on July 21, were transported by Max Air Limited, FLY NAS and Medview airlines in 38 flights from various destinations including Abuja, Lagos and Kano.

    The figures were provided in a NAHCON flight statistics obtained by NAN on Monday in Madinah.

    The latest flight by FLY NASS on Monday transported 218 prospective pilgrims from Kebbi to Madinah, while 2,707 of the total number of the pilgrims are already in Makkah to begin the formal Hajj rites.

    Transportation of pilgrims from the six designated airports in Nigeria continues.

    Meanwhile, officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), headed by its Madinah Coordinator, Alhaji Ahmed Maigari, on Monday returned the Basic Traveling Allowance (BTA) to a Nasarawa State pilgrim, Nuhu Musa, who lost the money.

    Musa had lost 606 dollars and N10,000 cash in his hotel accommodation; but one of the hotel workers, who found it, promptly handed it over to the management which in turn alerted the NAHCON leader.

    Maigari cautioned pilgrims against careless handling of their BTA.

    He advised them to be vigilant and careful in transacting business deals and commended the hotel workers for being honesty.

    Maigari handed over the amount to Alhaji Ahmed Yusuf, an official of Nasarawa State Pilgrims Board, who gave it to Musa.

  • Saleswoman bags ten years for stealing employer’s N2.5m

    33-year-old saleswoman, Nkiru Ocha, is to spend the next 10 years in jail, a verdict by Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court ruled in Lagos on Monday.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A. Ipaye-Nwachukwu, who handed down the verdict, however, gave the convict an option to pay N2. 57 million to the complainant and spend five years in prison.

    The court said the woman was found guilty of the two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing brought against her.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused on her first arraignment on June 28, 2013 had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of N100,000.

    The accused had told the court that some people who had posed as customers on Oct. 27, 2012, at 9.00 a.m. at Block 5, Shop 55, Zone D, Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, used some magical means to take the money away.

    Police Prosecutor Chinalu Uwadione told the court that the Ocha claimed that two persons had approached her and pretended to be customers but before she knew what was happening, they used a white handkerchief to swipe her face making her to lose consciousness.

    She said the accused, who was a saleswoman of Mr Augustine Onwuja, Chairman of Danberton Nigeria Ltd, claimed she was robbed of N2.5 million in the process being sales of the previous day.

    According to her, she later regained her consciousness at Mazamaza, some few kilometers from the complex.

    The offences contravened Section 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

  • 2019 Election: FRSC boss warns officers against partisanship

    Mr Sunday Maku, Sector Commander, FRSC Kwara Sector Command, on Monday warned officers and men of the organisation against supporting any political party in the coming general elections.

    Maku gave the advice during an interaction with officers and men of FRSC Omu-Aran Unit Command in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

    The team also visited the council’s Chairman, Muyiwa Oladipo as well as the newly installed Eesa of Omu-Aran, Chief Jide Adebayo.

    “You must not have preference for any political party or engage in using the commission’s properties to favour a particular party.

    “You must treat each of the parties equally in accordance with laid down rules and regulations,” he said.

    The sector commander said the advice became necessary as the processes toward the 2019 general election gathers momentum.

    He said the charge was part of the resolutions reached at a recent forum of the commission.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Maku’s visit to the unit was part of the 2nd quarter routine tour of units and outposts under the state command toward sensitisation of officers.

    Maku said the commission’s top hierarchy was working assiduously toward ensuring that the welfare of the officers and men attract utmost priority.

    In his remark, Oladipo commended the organisation for ensuring noticeable reduction in road crashes within the council.

    He pledged his administration’s readiness toward involving workable synergy with the commission and other stakeholders toward ensuring safety on the roads.

    The council boss lauded the officers and men of FRSC Omu-Aran Unit Command for their foresight, dedication to duty and uprightness.

    He also used the opportunity to request for consideration for Omu-Aran indigenes for employment slots in the FRSC’s recruitment exercise.

    Adebayo, on his part, said the community attached utmost priority toward security of lives and property and other related issues.

    He pledged the support of the traditional council in ensuring total compliance with the commission’s zero tolerance to road accident-initiative by road users.

    “It is on good record that the community single handedly built the bungalow housing the Police Area Commander.

    “Aside building more police posts for effective policing, it also donated two security vehicles to the police to aid crime combat,” he said.

    Adebayo promised to convey the sector commander’s comments of appreciation to the Olomu-In-Council at its next Friday’s weekly meetin

  • Okorodudu begs sports ministry for salary arrears

    A national boxing coach, Jerry Okorodudu, is once again begging the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development to pay the backlog of his salary arrears.

    This time, Okorodudu, Nigeria’s boxer in the 1994 Los Angeles Olympic Games, U.S., says he is being owed nine months’ salary arrears by the sports ministry without any explanation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Okorodudu, a 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games bronze medallist had in 2016 gone cap in hands begging the same ministry to pay him 14 months’ salary arrears.

    The matter was later resolved and he got his salary arrears then.

    Okorodudu told NAN in Lagos on Monday the situation had deprived him of providing for his family.

    “For the past nine months, the sports ministry is owing me salaries and I don’t know the reason why I have not been paid,’’ said the national Light Middle­weight champion for many years in the amateur category who didn’t lose a fight.

    “I have travelled to Abuja and also written letters to the ministry but nothing is forthcoming; I can no longer feed my family and cater for my children’s education.

    “A similar thing happened in 2016 where I petitioned the ministry and the court ordered them to pay me the 14 months salaries they owed me as at then.’’

    The former boxer, who also won two gold medals at the African Championship in 1982, said that he had been treated badly in spite of his contributions and sacrifices for the country.

    “My pensionable job in the ministry was changed to a contract; the Nigeria Boxing Federation has also sidelined me by removing me from every competition.

    “I represented this country well as an athlete and a coach, but it is a pity that this is happening to me and other former sportsmen and women in the country,’’ he said.

    Okorodudu, who launched into professional boxing in 1985, represented Nigeria in the Middleweight category in the boxing event of the Los Angeles 1994 Olympics, has a contract appointment with the NBF.

    He participated in the Africa Boxing Championships and clichéd two medals for Nigeria.

    At the national scene, Okorodudu, won a gold medal in the 1979 National Sports Festival and he was in the 1980’s the national lightweight champion for many years in the amateur category.

  • ASUP seeks establishment of body in tertiary institutions

    The Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics has called for the establishment of a special body to monitor finances in higher institutions in the country.

    The Chairman of the branch, Dr Yusuf Hussaini, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nasarawa, Nasarawa State on Tuesday.

    He said that establishing the body would checkmate the under-hand activities of the management of most of the tertiary institutions.

    According to him, the body will also help in improving the standard of learning in the institutions by tackling corrupt activities in the institutions.

    Hussaini said that many of the institutions were generating a lot of money but that such funds were often stolen by the management of the institutions.

    “I want to call on the government to set up a special monitory body to supervise what is coming in and how the resources are been used.

    “There is need to monitor and to ensure that resources are well managed, in order to improve the standard of education in Nigeria.”

    The unionist, however, appealed to the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocations to the education sector to discourage Nigerians from leaving the country to seek education overseas.

    “If government funds education adequately and provides science and other necessary equipment in institutions of learning, people will be encouraged to study at home rather than going overseas.

    “I believe that increase in funding of the education sector will help in addressing challenges in our institutions of learning.

    Hussaini stressed the importance of education in the development of the country, pleading with government to create the enabling environment to foster development.

    The lecturer also appealed to teachers in tertiary institutions to avoid practices capable of tarnishing their personalities and that of their institutions.

  • Yobe Govt. creates account for N11bn cargo airport

    The Yobe Government said it had established a dedicated account to ensure the completion of the N11billion Damaturu International Cargo Airport before the tenure expiration of the present administration.

    Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam made the disclosure on Tuesday while inspecting work on the project in Kalallawa village, 17 kilometres from Damaturu.

    ‘‘We have opened a dedicated account called the Airport Project Account, money is there waiting for payment at any time,’’ Gaidam said.

    The governor expressed satisfaction with the speed and quality of work at the airport.

    Gaidam said the contractors should complete the project on time because government has the money to execute the project.

    He said the state government had paid N5.6 billion out of the N11.3 billion contractual fee.

    According to the governor, the project is cost effective compared to airports constructed at over N63 billion in other states.

    Gaidam said work has reached 51.5 per cent completion with impressive speed and quality.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contract was awarded in September 2017 with 15 months completion period.

  • Man arraigned for allegedly stealing

    An unemployed, Olumide Kolawole, who allegedly stole two phones valued at N379,000 at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, on Tuesday appeared in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    Kolawole, 41, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge bordering on stealing.

    The prosecution alleged that the accused stole an iPhone valued at N325, 000 and an Infinix phone valued at N54, 000, property of the complainant, Mr Samuel Orimoloye.

    According to the Police Prosecutor, Insp. Vincent Atagamen, the accused committed the offences on March 31 at the Departure Hall of the airport.

    Atagamen said the accused, who was said to have unlawfully gained entry into the Departure Hall which is a restricted area, stole the two phones which the complainant forgot in the toilet.

    “The complainant escorted his mother to the airport and forgot his phones after using the toilet.

    “The accused stole the phones and took it to Computer Village for sale.

    “”The accused was caught after he was unable to unlock the iPhone. The buyer suspected that the phones must have been stolen and alerted the police,” Atagamen said.

    The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. (Revised)

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section stipulates three years imprisonment for offenders.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety in like sum.

    Kubeinje said the surety should be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    She adjourned the case until June 16.

  • Old age major cause of renal artery stenosis

    Dr Williams Ifechukwu, a Consultant with a private hospital in Abuja, has attributed old age as a major cause of renal artery stenosis.

    Ifechukwu, in an interview with our reporter on Tuesday in Abuja, explained renal artery stenosis as a narrowing of arteries that carry blood to one or both of the kidneys.

    He said that renal artery stenosis could lead to hypertension (high blood pressure) and kidney damage if it worsens.

    “The body senses less blood reaching the kidneys and misinterprets that as the body having low blood pressure, this signals the release of hormones from the kidney that lead to an increase in blood pressure.

    “More than 90 per cent of the time, renal artery stenosis is caused by atherosclerosis, a process in which plaque made up of fats, cholesterol and other materials builds up on the walls of the blood vessels, including those leading to the kidneys.

    “More rarely, renal artery stenosis can be caused by a condition called fibromuscular dyplasia, in which the cells in the walls of the arteries undergo abnormal growth,” he said.

    According to Ifechukwu, renal artery stenosis is often found by accident in patients who are undergoing tests for another reason.

    He listed some of the risk factors of renal artery stenosis as older age, being female, having hypertension and other vascular diseases.

    The expert said that renal artery stenosis usually does not cause any specific symptoms; sometimes the first sign is high blood pressure that is extremely hard to control.
    Ifechukwu therefore advised persons diagnosed with renal artery stenosis to discuss the risks of the different treatments with doctor.

  • Herbalist arraigned for macheting cousin

    A 46-year-old native doctor, Surajudeen Adeniji, charged with macheting his cousin during an argument, was on Friday granted reprieve by a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    The accused, who is facing a two-count charge of conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and inflicting injury.

    He, however, denied the charges. Police Insp. Ben Ekundayo, the prosecutor, told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 24 at No. 11, Oduntafa St, Lagos Island.

    He said the accused had built a shrine at the entrance of the only toilet and bathroom in the compound of their family house and during a visit to the toilet he had a brush with the herbalist.

    “While the accused’s cousin, Kudus Olawale, was in a hurry to go into the toilet to ease himself, he mistakenly stepped on the mat the accused placed on the floor for his customers.

    Read also: Engineer arraigned for alleged fraud

    “An argument ensued and the accused brought out a machete and injured him with it,” Ekundayo said. The offences contravened Sections 166 and 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 245 stipulates three years imprisonment for offenders.

    In her ruling, Magistrate Olumide Fusika granted the accused N50,000 bail with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until May 31 for hearing.

  • Experts laud synergy between Lagos and security agencies

    Security experts on Friday lauded the existing synergy between law enforcement agencies in Lagos State, saying the partnership had helped in curtailing crime in the state.

    In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, the security experts said the collaboration among the agencies was evident in the joint operations and crime fighting emergencies.

    The experts noted that besides common crimes such as cult activities, traffic robbery, domestic violence and rape, Lagos did not experience serious crimes such as armed or bank robbery in recent time due to the initiative.

    They were, however, united in their view that Lagos remained vulnerable to attacks from the waterways through which hoodlums from neighbouring states sailed in to perpetrate heinous crimes.

    The experts, therefore, called for joint marine patrols of Lagos numerous waterways and more security synergy with adjoining Ogun and Ondo states.

    Mr Dipo Kehinde, a security expert, noted the high level of intelligence sharing among security operatives in Lagos, resulting in joint operations and raiding of criminals’ hideouts whenever the need arose.

    “From what we can see on the ground, I think a good relationship exists between security agencies and it is manifesting in the success being recorded in crime fighting in Lagos State.

    “The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Edgar Imohimi, has been very proactive and he showed right from the start that he wanted to partner with all stakeholders.

    “He collaborated with the Oadua Peoples Congress (OPC) and other vigilance groups to end the Badoo cult menace in Ikorodu,” Kehinde said.

    He noted that the community policing initiative of the present Police High Command was also enhanced by the involvement of vigilante and neighbourhood watchers in the security apparatus of the state.

    “The vigilance groups are playing major role in community policing in Lagos, particularly OPC and the newly-inaugurated Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps.

    “There is Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in every area and division of the state. The PCRC usually holds meetings with police Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) where they share intelligence reports.

    “There is also regular information from members of the public to security agents as part of police community relations.

    “Information from the public to security agents, particularly police and the Department of State Services (DSS) is treated with utmost confidentiality. They always accept intelligence reports, analyse and use them accordingly.

    The expert also said that the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were accepting intelligence information from civilians in Lagos State, unlike in the past when people were afraid to give such information.

    “But with the introduction of special emergency numbers in the state, no one cares who gives any intelligence reports. For instance, many Badoo boys were arrested based on information received from the public.

    “The emergency toll-free numbers introduced by the police, fire service, and the State Government also made it easy for the public to reach those concerned when there was an emergency,” he added.

    Another security expert, Olawale Oletu, however, blamed the increasing insecurity across the country on the nation’s porous borders, lack of trust in security agents and lack of synergy among security agencies.

    He said that the police, which should be the first contact whenever crime was committed, was also understaffed and not well-funded.

    “I have said it times without number that there is need to do something about our borders. People just come in and go out without any form of documentation.

    “Even when some obviously illegal immigrants are spotted in the country, we fail to inform the necessary authority which I will also blame on lack of trust by the people in security agents.

    He, however, suggested that security agents should undergo periodic training with focus on how to relate with operatives of other security agencies.

    Oletu also suggested that security agencies should be more funded and recruitment should be consistent so that the society could be adequately policed and the borders more secure.

    Mr Mike Sullivan, another expert, also blamed the present insecurity in the country on the porous borders and advised that security agencies utilised locals and build trust with the people to get tangible information.

    “Security agencies should either recruit more hands or utilise the local vigilante in maintenance of law and order in the country,” Sullivan said.

    He, however, commended the Commissioner of Police in the state, Edgal Imohimi, for bridging the gap between the people and the police through community policing.

    He said that police in Lagos, especially the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), should also be commended for fostering synergy with other security agencies whenever there was an emergency.

    NAN reports that Lagos State has 130 police divisions and 35 Area Commands. The state is also home to 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, the Western Naval Command and the Nigerian Air Force Logistics Command.

    Among other security breaches experienced in Lagos, the experts said, were violation of traffic laws by motorists, especially commercial drivers, causing gridlocks at bus stops.

    Closely related to this is the menace of Agberos (road transport workers) who constitute nuisance to commuters, they said.

    MR Jide Ogungbe, Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), said that the agency had robust relationship with sister security agencies.

    Ogungbe, a Superintendent of Immigration, said the command had recently organised a capacity building programme for all the divisional immigration officers where officials of the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, served as resource persons.

    Rotimi Oladokun, Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Lagos State Command, said there was excellent synergy between the service and sister security agencies in the state.

    Oladokun said that the synergy had brought about a regular monthly interaction between the Controller of Prisons in the state, Tunde Ladipo and the heads of other security agencies in the state.