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Tag: Nigeria News

  • Nigeria Customs seizes contraband worth N93m

    Nigeria Customs seizes contraband worth N93m

    The Compliance Team of the Nigeria Customs Service ( NCS ) said it has seized contraband with Duty Paid Value ( DPV ) of N93.7 million in the course of its operations.

    The Coordinator of the Compliance Team, Ahmed Azarema, made this known while displaying the seized contraband to news men in Owerri on Tuesday at the Imo/Abia Command of the service.

    Azarema said the compliance team, attached to the office of the Comptroller-General of Customs, confiscated 1,028bags of 20 kg foreign rice with a DPV of N8.22 million concealed with motor spare parts.

    He said 1,258 bags of 50kg of foreign rice with a DPV of N74.8 million and 111 bales of second hand clothing with a DPV of N10.65 million was also seized by the team.

    Read also: Customs destroys smuggled goods

    He said all the items were seized along Aba/Umuahia/Port Harcourt axis adding that two suspects were arrested in connection with the seized goods.

    Azarema observed that because of the Yuletide season, smugglers are more desperate and always want to skim their way through but would always fail because of the dedication and ingenuity of the customs personnel.

    He, therefore, charged Nigerians against ferrying contraband in and across the country, but to engage in legitimate businesses to avoid their goods being confiscated.

    According to the compliance team coordinator, locally produced rice is more nutritious, better and cheaper than foreign rice which are preserved with chemicals.

    He said that patronising locally made goods would help boost the country’s foreign exchange and provide jobs to the teeming unemployed youths in the country.

    Azarema also urged Nigerians to desist from buying foreign rice to encourage the local producers.

    NAN

  • Recruitment scam: EFCC raises alarm

    Recruitment scam: EFCC raises alarm

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) has raised alarm over alleged attempts by fraudsters to exploit its ongoing recruitment exercise.

    The EFCC spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Tuesday that the fraudsters were soliciting payment from unsuspecting job seekers to facilitate their employment into the commission.

    “This is a scam and members of the public are warned not to deal with anyone with such proposition as the agency does not collect money from job seekers.

    Read also: Saraki blames EFCC, others for FG’s inability to retrieve looted funds

    “Candidates that participated in the recent aptitude test by the commission should avoid falling prey to tricksters by shunning any promise of employment for a fee.

    “The employment process in the EFCC is open and transparent and cannot be compromised through bribery,” Uwujaren said.

    He advised members of the public to report anybody requesting for money for employment into the commission at the nearest EFCC office or police station.

    NAN

    Read: Navy apprehends recruitment fraudster

  • Kaduna Inferno consumes 700 shops – Market chairman

    Kaduna Inferno consumes 700 shops – Market chairman

    The Friday fire incident at Old Panteka Market, Tudun Wada, Kaduna, consumed about 700 shops and affected the jobs of about 30,000 youths, the Chairman of the Market, Suleiman Shehu, has said.

    Shehu made the disclosure in Kaduna on Tuesday, when Dr Ja’afaru Sa’ad, ( Galadiman Ruwan Zazzau ), visited the market officials to offer his sympathy.

    He explained that the fire, which started around 1 a.m. on Friday, affected mostly timber and building materials sections, and consumed an estimated 100 trailer load of timbers and 200 machines.

    According to him, about 30,000 youths, doing all kinds of jobs lost their jobs and source of livelihood as a result of the fire.

    He said that the estimated total loss to the fire was yet to be ascertained, but added that a committee had been set up to determine the exact lost in monetary terms to the fire incident.

    “The committee will also determine the actual cause of the fire and how to avoid future occurrence.

    “We are appealing to government agencies and well meaning Nigerians to come to our aid.

    “Although Gov. Nasir El-Rufai, National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) and the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency have visited us, we need assistance in cash and in kind to help our members recover from this unquantifiable loss “the chairman said.

    Earlier, Sa’ad explained that he was at the market to sympathise with the market officials and the affected shop owners.

    Read also: WAEC loses 10 computers to fire in Kaduna

    He also called on the state government, NEMA, groups and individuals to come to the aid of the victims to alleviate heir sufferings.

    “This is urgent, particularly as the market remains a source of livelihood for thousands of youths in the state and a huge source of revenue for the state.

    “One would only imagine what could happen to the 30,000 youths who lost their means of livelihood to the inferno.

    “We must do something fast, otherwise we will have a huge problem of youth restiveness in our hands’’, he said.

    Sa’ad is a Technical Assistant in the office of the Executive Director of Finance and Administration for the Nigeria Sao Tome and Principe Joint Development Authority ( NSPJDA ).

    NAN

  • Convention: Don urges PDP delegates to elect people of integrity

    Convention: Don urges PDP delegates to elect people of integrity

    A Don, Prof. Aloysius Okolie, has advised delegates at the forthcoming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention in Abuja, to ensure the emergence of people of integrity as national executive of the party.

    Okolie, a Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka gave the advice in an interview in Nsukka on Tuesday.

    He said the quality of executive that would emerge from the convention would determine the future of PDP.

    “The type of national executive elected by PDP on Saturday will make or mar the party’s progress and its ambition to reclaim power at the centre in 2019.

    “The party should ensure that those that will be elected are men and women of integrity that have enviable past track records,” he said.

    He also urged delegates to “resist attempt by some political money bags to buy their votes’’, adding that “such will spell doom for the party.’’

    “I advise delegates to place the interest of the party first as that will help the party to enthrone dedicated, transparent and focused leadership.

    “If the delegates have the interest of the party at heart, they must shun all forms of financial inducement and vote according to their conscience.”

    Read also:  PDP convention: Atiku backs Adeniran for chairman

    The don also said the character of whosoever emerged as the PDP national chairman would determine the level of discipline and internal democracy in the party.

    “For any political party to survive as well as remain relevant there must be discipline and internal democracy that will give hope to aspirations of party members.

    “Absence of disciplinary and internal democracy have ruined many political parties and resulted in some members acting with impunity as if the party is their personal enterprise.

    “Saturday’s convention is an opportunity for PDP to get it right and correct its past mistakes, this will strengthen and reposition the party.”

    NAN

  • Court remands sexagenarian in prison for raping teenager

    Court remands sexagenarian in prison for raping teenager

    An Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo on Tuesday remanded a sexagenarian, Rafiu Olalekan in Agodi Prison for alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl .

    The Magistrate, Modupeola Olagbenro in her ruling remanded Olalekan in the prison pending the outcome of the case file at the state Directorate of Public Prosecution ( DPP ) as her court does not have jurisdiction to try the case.

    She, thereafter, adjourned the case till January 10, 2018 for mention.

    Report says Olalekan, a farmer from Abedo village near Moniya, Ibadan, is facing a one – count charge of unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor.

    The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Oluseye Oyebanji told the court that Olalekan on November 20, at about 8 pm at Abedo village allegedly had unlawful carnal knowledge of the girl in his neighborhood.

    According to Oyebanji, Olalekan was alleged to have been having carnal knowledge of the victim mostly on her way back from school.

    Read also:  Rape: 13-year-old victim’s father cries out for justice

    “On the fateful day, the victim who stays with her grandmother, was running errand for her when Olalekan waylaid her and had carnal knowledge of her without her consent.

    “When the victim’s grandmother could not see her on time, she raised alarm before the victim was seen with Rafiu with the help of the villagers in an uncompleted building,” he said.

    Oyebanji said the offence was reported to the police by the victim’s mother, one Mrs Olaide Kehinde of Sapati area,Yemetu, Ibadan.

    The prosecutor said the offence contravened section 218 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol .II, Laws of Oyo State 2000.

    NAN

  • Enugu police pledge partnership with public

    Enugu police pledge partnership with public

    The Enugu State Police Command has assured the public of a closer and sustained partnership for effective crime control and safety in the state.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, gave this assurance on Tuesday while inaugurating the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), at the Police Division in Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

    Danmallam, who was represented by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ebere Amaraizu, said that members of the public should see the police as theirs and work together with them.

    “The command will continue to partner with the public to enable them have a good relationship and bring about improvement on the police-public relations as well as confidence and trust building.

    Read also : Enugu CP warns officers against extortion

    “For effective crime prevention and control, the public should get involved through strong partnership with the police in order to close the existing gap between them.

    “This effective synergy will bring about effective crime prevention and control and lead to a secured and safe environment for all,’’ Danmallam said.

    Responding, the Chairman of the PCRC, Airport Division, Mr Ikechukwu Ekeada, thanked the PPRO for establishing the PCRC platform.

    “The PCRC platform will greatly assist us to improve the image and perception of the police by members of the public,’’ Ekeada said.

    The high points of the occasion were the formal oath taking and group photograph of the executive members, who were drawn from within the airport community and its environs.

    NAN

  • 2019: No better candidate than Buhari – Marwa

    2019: No better candidate than Buhari – Marwa

    The All Progressives Congress’ (APC) chieftain, Gen. Buba Marwa, on Tuesday, said so far, there was no better presidential candidate for the 2019 presidential election in the APC than President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Marwa, who is also a former military governor of Lagos State, made this disclosure in Yola after a meeting of stakeholders comprising 20 organisations in Adamawa.

    The meeting was organised by the Buba Marwa organisation, where the candidature of Buhari was endorsed for a re-election in 2019.

    Marwa said Buhari administration within the past two years, had recorded some achievements in the area of security, anti-corruption, improved electricity supply and diversification of the economy through agriculture and solid minerals.

    Read also: Buhari to Nigerians: I’ll need your vote in future

    “We are happy with the measures the government is taking in the diversification of the economy, which are already paying off, especially in the agricultural and mining sectors; the improvement has manifested in the recent exit from recession”.

    On the exit of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the APC, Marwa said although, the move was a big loss to the party, it would not affect the chances of APC in Adamawa and even at the national level.

    “No political party would like to lose someone like the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; we assure that his departure will, however, not affect the fortunes of the party at any level.

    NAN

  • Mission plans census of Nigerians in South Africa

    Mission plans census of Nigerians in South Africa

    Nigeria High Commission in South Africa says the mission will carry out a comprehensive census of Nigerians living in that country for improved service delivery.

    The High Commissioner, Amb. Ahmed Musa Ibeto, said in Pretoria, South Africa on Tuesday that the exercise would cover the nine provinces of that country.

    “ The mission plans to have a comprehensive data of Nigerians in South Africa. We want to know their locations in each province.

    “ My intention is to have a comprehensive census of knowing the citizens of Nigeria residing in South Africa.

    “ I have made it very clear that it doesn’t matter if they have the correct papers or travel documents,” he said.

    Ibeto said that the mission’s aim was to have a data that would make it easy to know the number of Nigerians and their locations in each province.

    Read also: South Africa urged to end hostility towards Nigerians

    The envoy said that the exercise would assist the mission to know how to track the citizens and provide services to them.

    “ If we achieve that, we can provide services, we can track them, we can easily take care of their welfare. So, without this comprehensive data, there is no way we can take care of our nationals.

    “And I told them that with what I have in mind, in terms of having an interactive website, where the citizens can interact with the mission,” he said.

    Ibeto said that  Nigerians could use the website to access consular services from their locations.

    “ This will lessen expenses of traveling to Johannesburg or Pretoria for such services,” the Nigerian envoy said.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC confiscates over N5m products in Abia

    NAFDAC confiscates over N5m products in Abia

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) Abia State office, confiscated food and drug products worth over N5 million between October and December 4 in Abia.

    The NAFDAC Coordinator for Abia State Office, Mr Olisa Okeke, disclosed this in Aba on Tuesday.

    He said that the confiscated products include: beverages, food stuffs and drugs which were being sold without NAFDAC’s permission at night.

    He said that the agency had also sanctioned seven shops selling provisions in Aba and Umuahia because of the status of the goods they were selling to unsuspecting residents.

    The coordinator said that most of the shops were selling expired products to the public at night.

    Read also: NAFDAC take steps to ease cost of registering products

    He said that the Abia NAFDAC Office Surveillance Team got information from residents which resulted in the bursting of the sales of the expired and unregistered products in Aba and Umuahia.

    Okeke said that some unscrupulous business men were bringing into the state unregistered and expired products to making quick money during the impending Christmas period and warned residents to be watchful.

    “We have noticed that activities are heightening this Christmas season and NAFDAC has started feeling the heat.

    “You know that during this period, unscrupulous businessmen like to bring into the state all kinds of goods and products including unregistered, substandard and spurious products and those whose expiry dates had been altered.

    “This might be on the increase so we are alerting our citizens, especially those in Abia , to be watchful to ensure they are not taken unawares.

    “On our part, we have increased our surveillance to check the incidence of infiltration of harmful products into the state.

    “Residents, however, owe the agency a duty to volunteer information that could help investigation and bursting of perpetrators of these evils to save lives,” he said.

    NAN

  • Enugu CP warns officers against extortion

    Enugu CP warns officers against extortion

    The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, has warned officers and men of the Command against extortion, intimidation and all other forms of unprofessional conduct.

    Danmallam gave the warning during his weekly engagement of the officers on Tuesday in Enugu.

    According to Danmallam, any officer found wanting would be severely dealt with in line with the laid down rules governing the Nigeria Police Force.

    He also advised members of the public to resist the temptation of being extorted by reporting promptly any unprofessional conduct by officers to his office.

    “You can also report to the office of the Police Public Relations Officer or office of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) nearest to
    you.

    “Even as the command’s X-squad and the Provost have been charged to fish out those in this negative tendencies as there will be no immunity for impunity,’’ he said.

    The commissioner also advised members of the public to be law abiding, security conscious and partner with the police to ensure a crime-free and a secure environment.

    Read also: IGP orders re-organisation of SARS nationwide

    He also reminded members of the public on the need to constantly make use of the command’s distress call lines as follows: 08032003702, 08075390883, 08086671202 and 08098880172.

    “You can also reach the command through its social media platforms of @PoliceNG Enugu for twitter and for facebook–Nigeriapoliceforceenugustatecommand,’’ he said.

    Meanwhile, the Command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, had embarked on sensitisation of members of the public using media platforms and seminars tagged: “First Impression Matters’’.

    Amaraizu said that “First Impression Matters’’ was meant to dispel negative tendencies among police officers and men for improved reputation, trust and public confidence.

    “The sensitisation programme is fashioned with a view to bringing an effective partnership between the police and members of the public,’’ he said.

    NAN