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Tag: Nigeria News

  • NSCDC arrests eight pick pockets in Sokoto

    NSCDC arrests eight pick pockets in Sokoto

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp ( NSCDC ) on Monday paraded eight persons suspected to be specialists in picking pockets and breaking into shops in Sokoto Central market.

    Mr Hamza Adamu-Illela, Public Relations Officer of its Sokoto Command, who paraded the suspects, said that they were arrested by surveillance teams stationed at various points in the markets.

    “We received various complaints on hoodlums’ activities during and after markets hours; when the reports became more rampant, we set up surveillance teams to check the trend.

    “We worked with the market authorities and agreed on where to deploy the teams. The result is the arrest of these hoodlums,” he said.

    He said that those arrested for alleged shop breaking were apprehended with a 45-inches Plasma Television.

    The official said that the suspects would soon be taken to court.

    Alhaji Abdullahi Bafarawa, the Director-General of Sokoto Central Market, who spoke on the arrests, commended the NSCDC for the efforts, saying that insecurity had been a major challenge to the traders.

    Bafarawa said that the timing schedules in the market had been rearranged while alarm bells had been stationed at strategic spots to protect the market from hoodlums.

    “We have also deployed security agents to guard undeveloped premises to ensure that they were not turned into hoodlums’ hideouts,” he said.

    In his remark, Alhaji Abubakar Atline, Chairman, Sokoto Central Market Traders’ Union, said that receipts were being careful numbered to ensure proper identification for each item being taken out of the market.

    Altine restated his union’s readiness to cooperate with security agents, market authorities and government to safeguard the facility against hoodlums and miscreants.

    NAN

  • NiMet, IFAD sign MoU on climate change to boost food production

    NiMet, IFAD sign MoU on climate change to boost food production

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Fund for Agricultural Development  ( IFAD ) on Climate Change Adaptation and Agri-Business Support Programme, IFAD-CASP.

    A statement by Mr Muntari Ibrahim, General Manager, Public Relations Unit, on Monday in Abuja, said the MoU had a renewable life span of four years.

    The statement noted that Prof. Sani Mashi, Director-General, NiMet, said the MoU was aimed at improving yields, mitigating the vagaries associated with climate change, and reducing the risk of crop failure.

    “The key components of the MoU include prediction of rainfall establishment, rainfall variability, dry spells and length of raining season for sustainable agriculture

    “Another component, is the installation of NiMet applications to CASP smart phones for real-time climate and weather information in the designated programme areas,’’ the statement said.

    Mashi added that the MoU would also cover the development of crop calendars in line with the value chain crops adopted by the selected communities.

    “It also included training of Extension Workers, Climate Change Officers and Community development associations in the analysis and interpretation of the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) in selected CASP states.

    “The programmes of IFAD are in tandem with NiMet’s core mandate, which are geared toward poverty reduction, increase in food security and accelerated economic growth on a sustainable basis,” Mashi said.

    Mashi said that the collaboration was designed to improve crop yields and farming systems through adaptation to climate change in core northern savannah states adjudged to be most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

    He listed the states as Katsina, Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa.

    “These states are to benefit from the IFAD/NiMet symbiotic relationship, which will reduce the losses incurred by farmers in the states over the years as a result of climate change and weather uncertainties.”

    The National Programme Coordinator, CASP, Muhammad Idah, said the synergy between the two organisations across the aforementioned Northern states would be downscaled to cover 104 local government areas and 727 villages.

    Idah said the synergy would enable the agencies to provide climate change adaptation and resilience information to the farmers to manage and coordinate their farming practice.

    The programme, according to him, was aimed at promoting climate smart agricultural production.

    He commended NiMet for the recent training of CASP field climate change officers and extension agents.

    According to him, the officers can confidently predict rainfall through the help of the rain gauges presented to them by NiMet.

    “An action plan is to be developed to periodically assess the level of impact of the collaboration on farmers of the targeted seven Northern states,” he said.

    NAN

  • Ondo police command loses officer

    Ondo police command loses officer

    The Ondo State Police Command has lost one of its police officers,identified as Mustapha Aminu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

    He was the Acting Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Yaba Division, Ondo town.

    While the State Command said the late officer died in an auto-crash some officers who spoke in confidence said he died in a controversial circumstances while on his sleep.

    The late Mustapha  was transferred from Irele division within the state to Yaba-Ondo last week.

    He was however said to be facing some administrative hurdles in his new station.

    An officer with the station who preffered anonymity said a fetish object known as “ebo” in yoruba was last week placed in front of the DPO’s office.

    The source said this necessitated an emergency prayer meeting at the vicinity of the station against any misfortune among the rank and file officers.

    Mustapha who was hale and healthy before going to bed on saturday later died in his sleep at Irele where he stays with his family.

    But the state police spokesman, Femi Joseph dismissed reports that DSP Aminu died in his sleep.

    Joseph said the late officer whom he described as very hardworking died in a car crash at Omifon axis on the way to Irele after the closing hour.

    He also described as mischievous reports that fetish object was placed in front of his office last week.

    Joseph commiserated with the family of the late officer, saying his death was a big blow and loss to the command.

    A visit to the station yesterday morning, revealed a depressive mood of men and officers of the command, wearing mournful look and discussing the sudden death of their colleague.

  • Abia seeks industrial development partnership with U.S.

    Abia seeks industrial development partnership with U.S.

    Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Monday said that the government was willing to collaborate with the U.S. Government to facilitate the development of the state’s economic sector.

    Ikpeazu said this when the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, paid him a visit at Government House, Umuahia.

    “Small-scale manufacturing is one of our strong points and we have secured the development of a facility where industrial activities will be carried out.

    “We are looking for not less than 500 companies to take advantage of the investment opportunities which the state has to offer.”

    He said that the industrial clusters created by the government were backed by law, to ensure that the project outlived the present administration as a measure to secure investments.

    Ikpeazu expressed the hope that the establishment of commercial ties between Abia and the U.S. government would go a long way to boost industrial development in the state.

    Earlier, the American Ambassador said that the U.S government had interest in the success of Nigeria and its citizens.

    Symington further noted that ties between Nigeria and the U.S. was strong, citing relationships between citizens of both countries.

    “I still have a lot to learn about your state and understand your vision and most importantly how to push that vision forward, especially how to create opportunities for people to live a better life and care for their families,” he added.

    NAN

  • Mugabe sacks vice president Mnangagwa

    Mugabe sacks vice president Mnangagwa

    President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe on Monday fired Emmerson Mnangagwa as vice president, Information Minister Simon Moyo said.

    Mnangagwa, a 75-year-old former intelligence chief, has been heavily-criticised by supporters of Mugabe’s wife, Grace, who has also been touted as a potential successor to her husband.

    Moyo said Mnangagwa had exhibited traits of disloyalty, disrespect and deceitfulness.

    Mnangagwa was appointed vice-president in 2014, taking over from Joice Muguru, who was axed after Grace launched a campaign accusing her of plotting to topple the president.

    NAN reports that on Oct. 6, Mugabe’s wife accused Mnangagwa of a dark past of clandestine plots, including planning to stage a coup around the time of Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.

    “In 1980 this person called Mnangagwa wanted to stage a coup. He wanted to wrestle power from the president.

    “He was conspiring with whites. That man is a ravisher,” said Grace.

    Inspite of his advanced age and concerns over his health, Mugabe has refused to name a successor.

    He has been endorsed as his party’s candidate for next year’s election.

    NAN

  • Osun warns rural communities against open defecation

    Osun warns rural communities against open defecation

    The Osun Government has warned residents of rural communities against open defecation so as to forestall the spread of diseases in their neighbourhoods.

    Mr Segun Moyinoluwa, Director of Sanitation and Hygiene, State Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation Agency ( RUWESA ), gave the warning in Osogbo on Monday at a meeting with members of the State Task Group on Sanitation.

    He said the state government had embarked on serious enlightenment campaigns to sensitise people in the rural communities to the need to promote healthy living.

    He stressed that effective sanitation of all communities was critical to efforts to improve the people’s standard of living.

    The director said that the agency was working assiduously to ensure that all the rural communities in the state were free from open defecation.

    Moyinoluwa urged the community leaders to support the government’s efforts to prevent the outbreak of diseases in the state.

    He said that Gov. Rauf Aregbesola’s administration had been striving to improve the citizens’ living standards and reposition the state for economic development.

    He appealed to the people to always include toilet facilities in their building projects so as to avoid indiscriminate defecation in public places.

    Moyinoluwa said that the task group would visit 109 communities in Ayedaade, Odo-Otin  and Ifedayo local government areas between Nov. 7 and Nov. 9  to ascertain their open defecation status.

    Mr Samuel Ayantola, RUWESA’s Head of Sanitation Unit, said, while presenting a paper on “Criteria for Community Certification’’, that the agency had been able to ensure the liberation of over 100 communities from the menace of open defecation.

    Ayantola, who highlighted the preconditions for the certification of communities as open defecation free, urged the sanitation group to check all important facilities in the communities under survey in its efforts to ascertain their open defecation status.

    He called on all stakeholders in the sanitation sector to be alive to their responsibilities, saying that the task of making the state free from open defecation was the duty of all the citizens.

    NAN

  • Court docks man over assault

    Court docks man over assault

    A 29-year-old man, Ademola Olufemi, was on Monday arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court‎ over alleged assault.

    Olufemi, whose address was not given, is standing trial on a three -count charge of assault, threat to life and breach of peace.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Johnson Okunade, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Nov. 3 at about 12.30 p.m. at Zone C, Fiyinfolu Estate, in Ado-Ekiti.

    He alleged that the defendant did assault one Christiana Nwamaya by tearing her clothes and inflicted injuries on her left hand.

    He also alleged that the ‎ defendant threatened one Oluwadare Tope, through telephone and called him all sort of names.

    Okunade said that the defendant on Aug. 8, at Zone C, Fiyinfolu Estate, also conduct himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by chasing one Esther Uwamaya with a hammer.

    According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Section ‎351, 86 and 249 (d) of the Criminal Code Cap C15 Laws of Ekiti State 2012.

    The prosecutor asked for an adjournment to enable him to study the case file and assemble his witnesses.
    The accused pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer, Mrs Blessing James, urged the court to grant him bail, and promised that he would not jump bail.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Adesoji Adegboye,  granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200, 000, with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case until Dec. 15 for hearing.

  • Lagos moves against tax defaulters

    Lagos moves against tax defaulters

    The Lagos State Government says it is going all out to enforce tax laws and payment by all defaulters, as only about 600,000 are up to date in terms of compliance.

    The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, in a statement on Monday, said the move against defaulters was commencing immediately.

    Ayorinde lamented that many residents were not fulfilling their civic obligation of paying their taxes.

    Lagos has a population of over 22 million.

    According to Ayorinde, the prevailing situation will adversely affect government’s infrastructure renewal drive across the state.

    “The government has directed all its revenue agencies to ensure prompt payment of taxes and also commence enforcement of payment by all tax defaulters with immediate effect,” he said.

    Ayorinde said the government remained committed to completing all ongoing projects on schedule, but this was largely dependent on prompt payment of taxes by residents.

    He listed some of the major ongoing projects to include the Oshodi Transport Interchange, reconstruction of the Oshodi International Airport Road, network of roads in Epe to link Ijebu Ode, construction of Bus Rapid Transit lane from Abule-Egba to Oshodi as well as the construction of the Pen Cinema flyover.

    He also said the government had commenced the construction of over 20 network of roads within the boundaries of Lagos and Ogun States to ease movement and enhance business activities between the two states.

    “These projects have already begun in earnest.

    “The construction of the 181 roads earmarked across the 57 local councils, which is now an annual ritual of this government, will commence anytime soon and many more too numerous to mention,” Ayorinde said.

    He said the will and commitment of the government is to ensure that all these project are completed before 2019.

    Ayorinde said the state government appreciated those who had supported it, particularly in the discharge of their civic responsibility through payment of taxes.

    NAN

  • Man wins 9mobile photography competition with borrowed camera

    Man wins 9mobile photography competition with borrowed camera

    SELF-taught and emerging photographer, who borrowed a friend’s camera to shoot image, Oluwaseun Otitoola, has been named the 2017 9mobile Photography Competition.

    Otitoola’s image titled, Fragment of CMS Bookshop Building, was first from the top 100 images selected from hundreds initially received.

    This year’s edition of the annual competition opened on August 7 with a call for entries and closed on September 11. After weeks of assessment, with theme tagged: Capturing Solid Memories in 9ja, focusing on “Architectural buildings”, the judges announced Otitoola’s Fragment of CMS Bookshop Building as winner.

    “I didn’t have a camera of my own but I love photography so I borrowed my friend’s camera to participate,” according to the 24-year-old engineering graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University ( OAU ).

     According to the judges, Otitoola’s image illustrates the “perfect” blend of classic and modern architectural Lagos (Nigeria) which was theme of this year’s competition

    “It was exactly what we were looking for,” one of the competition’s judges Kola Oshalusi said.

    As first place prize winner Otitoola went home with a hi-tech Canon digital camera and N30, 000 worth of airtime. The finalists: Amanda Ihemebiri’s “The Nest Oil Tower” and Taiwo Omotosho, Lines Side by Side, who bagged the second and third positions, went home with Samsung device and some airtime. The newly-introduced category, the voters’ choice category, was won by Ikenna Ogbenta’s Skies and Scrapers, which came with a Samsung device. The winners were presented their prizes at the office of 9mobile.

    “The competition serves as a platform to discover, reward and empower budding photographers to fulfil their passion and capture compelling images that celebrate our Nigerian heritage,” according to the Chief Executive Officer, 9mobile, Boye Olusanya.

  • PHOTO: President Buhari receives Gov. Ishaku of Taraba

    PHOTO: President Buhari receives Gov. Ishaku of Taraba

    PRESIDENT BUHARI RECEIVES TARABA GOVERNOR
    President Buhari receives Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku at the State House in Abuja.