The Nation Newspaper

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  • Police arrest ‘robber’ at church’s retreat 

    A suspected armed robber was last Saturday arrested by the policemen attached to the Ilemba Hausa Police at a church’s retreat in Ojo, Lagos.

    The suspect, Wasiu Kamarudeen, 19, a resident of 8, Olaniyi Street, Iyalode in Ilogbo, Ogun State, was said to have gone to the Jakande open field venue of a three-day retreat organised by St. Patrick Catholic Renewal Church, Ojo around 6:20am with three others.

    It was gathered that members had contacted the police after sighting a motorcycle with registration number Ogun AKM749WP, carrying three suspicious passengers into the retreat ground.

    Although the passengers mingled with the crowd, policemen deployed were able to apprehend Kamarudeen who allegedly had a locally-made short gun with a live cartridge in his possession.

    Read Also: Suspected robbers cart away valuables in Oyo schools

    Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the policemen recovered the operational motorcycle, adding that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has been tasked to fish out other members of the gang.

    A 37-year-old man last Friday allegedly committed suicide in Ikorodu, Lagos over his alleged inability to repay N13,000 debt.

    Seyi Onayemi, a resident of 7th Avenue, Rofo Estate, Odogunyan, Lagos was said to have taken a poisonous substance suspected to be sniper insecticide inside his room.

    It was learnt that the man, who left a suicide note, allegedly killed himself as a result of frustration.

    In the note, the deceased asked his relatives to pay the N13,000 he was owing, lamenting his inability to belong to the elite class as a result of his stubbornness.

    Homicide detectives were said to have visited the scene, evacuated the body and took the note away.

  • Buhari promises more help for Daura flood victims

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will soon deliver additional assistance to Daura community in Katsina State, which was hit by massive floods last week.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said contrary to the allegations that President Muhammadu Buhari has turned his back on the people of Daura, pre-assessment relief materials were dispatched to the victims within 48 hours of the floods.

    He said: “Ten trailer loads of building materials, including zinc, planks and cement, as well as tons of grains, cereals and other edibles have so far been delivered.

    Read Also: Buhari approves release of N800m for flood control in Bauchi

    “The flood victims also received blankets and mattresses.

    “Materials were delivered to and signed for by stakeholders while the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar, welcomed the prompt emergency response from NEMA officials.”

    NEMA, he said, has equally promised that in line with establishment practices all over the country, as soon as the assessment of the damage to the flood-ravaged communities is reported, more food items and building materials would be dispatched.

  • Kenya joins ranks of oil-exporting countries

    Kenya has sent off its inaugural shipment of crude oil becoming the first East African nation to join the ranks of petroleum-exporting countries.

    The shipment was sold to trading company ChemChina UK Ltd as part of a pilot scheme between the Kenyan government and corporate partners including Africa Oil Corp, British oil explorer Tullow Oil, and France’s Total SA.

    Though Kenya is still years away from building the infrastructure necessary to unlock its full commercial oil-producing potential, maiden shipment of more than 200,000 barrels revealed possible tensions over how the nation’s crude wealth should be divided.

    In March, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the Petroleum Act of 2019, which allocates 75 percent of state-designated oil profits to the central government, 20 percent to oil-producing counties, and five percent to local communities.

    But speaking at the sendoff ceremony for the maiden consignment in the port of Mombasa, Peter Emuria Lotethiro, Deputy Governor of Turkana County, invoked the metaphor of a goat to lay claim to what he sees as his region’s share of the spoils.

    “According to our culture as the Turkana people, when we slaughter a goat for a visitor, the owner of the goat must be left with the limbs,” said Lotethiro.” The people of Turkana have instructed me that in this oil deal, the limb should be ours.”

    President Kenyatta seized upon the governors’ remarks to highlight his ongoing campaign against corruption.

    “I have listened to the governors defending their people,” said Kenyatta, “but as the president, I’m going to defend the people of Kenya by saying that I hope a piece of this goat reaches every Kenyan. And that’s why we’re saying we must slay the corruption dragon. So that a few stop benefitting themselves with the national resources and minerals.”

    Source: Aljazeera

  • World Bank, WHO seek water provision for poor communities

    The World Bank and World Health Organisation (WHO) at the weekend lamented the failure of governments to provide safe water for the planet’s poorest communities.

    They said this is because the governments are not investing enough and not deploying subsidies equitably too.

    Separate reports released by the two global bodies at the weekend, painted a damning picture of a world where the most vulnerable people are being left without suitable access to water.

    The World Bank’s report argued that a well-designed, effectively implemented subsidies can be “powerful and progressive tools” in making public resources work for the poorest people in those countries.

    But researchers found that in the 10 low and middle-income countries they surveyed, only six per cent of subsidies reached the poorest 20 per cent of the population, while the richest fifth captured 56 per cent.

    Subsidies often target networked water services, which are often unavailable in very poor neighbourhoods.

    The World Bank’s global director for water Jennifer Sara said: “This leaves low-income families without the support they need and exacerbates existing inequalities.

    “Access to affordable water and sanitation can prevent needless deaths and transform lives; healthier children become healthier adults who contribute more to the economy and better fulfil their potential.”

    WHO surveyed 115 countries and territories finding that there was sufficient money or human resources being invested in water, sanitation and hygiene in fewer than 15 per cent of cases.

    Its report identified a funding gap of more than 60per cent in 19 countries.

    Its Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom, said: “Too many people lack access to reliable and safe drinking-water, toilets and hand-washing facilities, putting them at risk of deadly infections and threatening progress in public health.”

    About half of the countries surveyed have now set targets of universal drinking water by 2030.

    Adhanom said: “Water and sanitation systems don’t just improve health and save lives, they are a critical part of building more stable, secure and prosperous societies.

    “We call on all countries that lack essential water and sanitation infrastructure to allocate funds and human resources to build and maintain it.”

    In many countries, government subsidies are used to pay for water and sanitation, totalling $320billion yearly worldwide (excluding China and India).

  • Five suspects arrested for allegedly hijacking Taxify car

    Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested five persons in connection with the alleged hijacking of a Taxify Toyota Corolla Sports in Lekki, Lagos State.

    The suspects, Michael Sosa, 27, Nelson Benson, 24, Idowu Dauda, 30, Owolabi Shobayo aka Daju pa, 29 and Biliaminu Abu alias Gengen, 43, were nabbed in Ijoko and Ota in Ogun State last week for allegedly hijacking and selling a Taxify car in February.

    The Nation gathered that they allegedly participated in the selling of the car to a dealer in Republic of Benin for N250,000.

    It was learnt that Sosa, in company of Dosumu, now at large, sometime in February converged on Elegushi Beach, Lekki where they hatched the plan to hijack a Taxify car, move it to Ogun State and sell.

    Sosa, a suspected ‘yahoo–boy’, after waiting till 10pm, ordered a Taxify ride from Agungi Estate to Lagos Island. In the car with him were Dosumu and Dauda.

    Read Also: Police arrest man, woman for hijacking N2.7m beer

    The police quoted Sosa as saying: “On Abraham Adesanya Estate, Lekki, I told the driver I wanted to urinate. We alighted. While I pretended to be urinating, Dosumu poured dried pepper on the driver. He screamed and jumped out of the car. He started shouting for help. I got on his seat and drove the car away.

    “I drove to the road leading to Alpha Beach where we stopped for some hours because we suspected we were being trailed. At about 4am, I proceeded to Agege, dropping Dosumu at Omole. I picked Benson at Agege Stadium. Nelson was to direct us through the routes that prevented us from encountering the police and to Ijoko.

    “At Ijoko, I took the car to Alfa Mouka’s house. He was my spiritualist. I told him the car was stolen. It was at that point we began to source for buyers. We were introduced to Daju pa and Gengen. They are dreaded cultists and notorious criminals in the area. I told them I wanted to sell the car for N300,000. We later discovered that the car had no papers. This made it difficult to sell.

    “We got a dealer who asked us to bring it to the Republic of Benin. Gengen and I took it there around 11pm after changing the number plate

    “We sold the car for N250,000. We would have sold it at a higher price but for the papers that were not available. I took N190,000. I gave N60,000 to Gengen and N40,000 to Eniba (Dauda) to give Michael. Although, I got to know that it was N30,000 that got to him. Our link to Benin Republic got N13,000. That was how we shared the money.”

    Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu said any criminal who thinks he can escape with nefarious activities perpetrated in Lagos needs to think twice, as the command is at alert and will arrest any criminal in any part of the country.

    The suspects have been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for further investigations.

  • Teenager jailed three months for stealing fowl

    A Magistrates’ Court in Minna, Niger State, has sentenced a teenager, Yakubu Dahiru, to three months in prison for stealing a fowl.

    Sentencing the teenager, Magistrate Binta Rijau said she would be lenient on the accused person as he was remorseful.

    Rijau ordered him to pay a fine of N3000 or serve three months in prison in the event of a default.

    Read Also: Banker accused of stealing customers’ N11m

    Dahiru had been charged with joint act, house breaking and theft, to which he pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.

    Prosecuting Inspector Thomas Peter had told the court that two men, Yusuf Mohammed and Christopher Yahaya, jointly reported the matter at the police station on May 2.

    Peter quoted the complainants as alleging that the accused person and two others, now at large, broke into their compound and stole a fowl valued at N2000.

  • Air Force jets neutralise insurgents in Borno

    The Air Force said on Sunday that its Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has neutralised scores of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) in air strikes at Yuwe “C” in Borno State.

    NAF Director of Public Relations and Information Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, in a statement on Sunday, said the operation was conducted on Saturday.

    Daramola explained that the air raid was executed in continuation of Operation Green Sweep III after credible Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports.

    Operation Green Sweep III targets some identified terrorists’ positions in Borno.

    Read Also: Air Force Jets strike Boko Haram terrorists in Sambisa

    He said the HUMINT reports were also corroborated by series of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to establish that the settlement was being used as a hideout for the insurgents.

    “The ATF, therefore, detailed 2 Alpha Jets and an L-39ZA aircraft to attack the target area.

    “As the aircraft arrived overhead the target area, several BHTs were seen attempting to flee while many others concealed themselves in the structures and dense vegetation of the area.

    “The jets took turns attacking the target, scoring crucial hits on the hideout leading to the neutralisation of several BHT fighters,” he said.

    Daramola said The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, would sustain its operations against the terrorists in the Northeast.

  • Nigeria donates to Mozambique, Zimbabwe flood victims

    Relief materials for flood victims in Mozambique and Zimbabwe have been delivered by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) as part of its commitment to provide military aid to civil authority.

    A statement by the spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said the materials were airlifted from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

    According to him, they were donated by the Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    The statement reads: “The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has completed the airlifting of relief materials to Mozambique and Zimbabwe to further assist victims of the April flooding.

    Read Also: Buhari approves release of N800m for flood control in Bauchi

    “The airlift missions, which were conducted for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), conveyed critical relief materials such as drugs, medical supplies and treated mosquito nets donated by the Federal Government of Nigeria to alleviate sufferings of the flood victims.

    “The airlift missions were executed by NAF C-130 Hercules aircraft, in furtherance of the NAF’s constitutional roles of projecting air power beyond the shores of the country as well as providing Military Aid to Civil Authority.

    “The C-130H airlifted 12,000kg (12 tonnes) of relief materials from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja to the Maputo International Airport, Maputo, Mozambique on August 26, while 8,100kg (8 tonnes) of materials were delivered at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport Harare, Zimbabwe on August 31. The items were handed over to Officials of the Nigeria High Commission in the countries for onward delivery to their host governments.

    “Prior to this, the NAF had, in May, conducted the first batch of the airlift missions for NEMA using an ATR-42 aircraft, in three sorties, to airlift 15,000kg (15 tonnes) of similar relief materials to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. In August 2017, the NAF had similarly airlifted 38,000kg of Federal Government-donated relief materials to Freetown, Sierra Leone, in the aftermath of the devastating mudslides and floods that ravaged the country.”

  • Residents benefit from free health check

    Lagosians at the weekend benefited from free health check organised by Rotary Club of Omole-Golden District 9110.

    The event, held at the retail market in Ogba, Lagos, brought traders, artisans, students and others together to check blood sugar levels, blood pressure, malaria, and hepatitis B & C.

    They were also given free drugs.

    Club President Babajinmi Ajibola said the programme was sponsored by FBN Insurance to promote good health.

    Ajibola, the 16th president, said: “Rotary is a philanthropic club …Rotarians are committed to promoting good health, quality education and ensuring a better society.

    Read Also: Action health offers free medical outreach on youth day

    “What we are doing today is our little contribution to ensuring good health among Lagosians.”

    Another member, Ify Anyanti, said people need to check their blood pressure because hypertension is a silent killer.

    She educated beneficiaries on how to prevent breast cancer, saying if cancer was detected early, it could be prevented.

    A beneficiary, Mrs. Bola Adenekan, thanked the club for the programme.

    Mr.  John Okoronkwo said: “I have learnt a lot today. For instance, I never knew that men can also suffer from breast cancer until today after listening to a health talk by one of the Rotarians. I will pass the information to my wife, children, relations and others.”

  • Expert task FG on creative innovation in transport sector

    The Founder, National Association of Approved freight Forwarders, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has called on the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Ameachi to explore creative, innovative and digital thinking in shaping transportation policies and actions.

    Aniebonam said this during the 25th Convocation, Matriculation and 35th Year Anniversary at the Institute of Transport and Management Technology held recently in Badagry, Lagos

    The event tagged ‘Transport Sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product in Nigeria: Problems and Prospect’ had in attendance over hundred graduates from different academic programmes.

    He said that paradigm shift in innovative solutions to transportation problems and the need for increased contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria is imperative.

    “Integrated and coordinated multi-modal transportation are keys for sustainable transportation. Seamless inter-modality is a key vision for transportation mobility. Translating this vision into reality require standardized systems, coordinated and integrated different modes”, he said.

    Read Also: President to unveil Transportation varsity, rail factory in September, says Amaechi

    He asserted that for transport to contribute more to the country’s GDP, genuine policy commitment, tremendous and sustained effort will have to be invested in this sector.

    “Training and retraining of operators, compliance to vehicle weight limitations, operators’ managerial, technical and economic capacity should be improved”, he said.

    He also stressed that integrated approach to transport development policy should be adopted, taking all transport modes into consideration.

    Aniebonam posited further that the financing of transport infrastructure should be promoted with emphasis on innovative approach. Greater safety and security should be provided in all transport modes. Human institutional capacities should be strengthened and training institution rehabilitated

    “Government should consolidate the present attention reforms being given to the transport sector in view of its multiplier effect on the nations’ economic growth and development”, he said.

    Earlier in his speech, the Former Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Authority, Mr. John Patrick Egesi said that lack of manufacturing based has greatly affected the growth of our maritime, rail and road industry, adding that one had only to show how busy our rail, road, short-sea and high sea transport will be if things were improved.

    Egesi noted that what our country would have earned have been badly affected through the importation-substitution industry policies of various Nigeria governments that raises tariff or banned goods which eventually diverted to neigbouring port who earn the port duties that would have accrued to Nigerian port while the goods still find their way into the country with the connivance of official of government who enrich themselves in the process.

    The Rector of the institute, Dr. Lilian Chibor in her opening address said that the uniqueness of the convocation lies in the fact that the institute is celebrating its 35th year anniversary. “Thirty five years is no joke and this depicts that we are now matured and looking back we have achieved a lot having churned out over ten thousand graduates and we are still counting”.

    She added that in Nigeria, there are a lot of factors that contribute to gross domestic product, but without gainsaying Transport sector has contributed immensely though the government has not given it the right attention in terms of bad roads and the government is not using modern techniques.