The Nation Newspaper

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  • Israeli army penetrates Gaza, arrests 13 Palestinians

    The Israeli army on Thursday penetrated into the eastern area of the Gaza Strip, and arrested 13 Palestinians in the West Bank.

    Palestinian security sources said Israeli military vehicles penetrated into the eastern area of the central Gaza Strip, and conducted sweeps by using bulldozers amid gunfire, but no casualties recorded.

    The incursion came after Israeli warplanes raided the Gaza Strip, targeting military posts that belonged to the Islamic Hamas movement in response to the earlier firing of rockets into southern Israel.

    According to Israeli army, the warplanes raided on a number of targets in a naval position of Hamas in response to the firing of a rocket from Gaza towards Israel.

    However, it was the fourth time that homemade Palestinian rockets had been fired into the Israeli cities within days, several of them had been intercepted, while Israeli war jets attacked several military positions in the enclave.

    Read Also: Troops foil terrorists’ planned IED attack

    The Palestinian Prisoners Club in the West Bank, had earlier announced that the Israeli army arrested at least 13 Palestinians in the West Bank.

    It added that five were arrested in Jenin and the rest based in Tulkarem, Hebron, Ramallah and Silwad town in East Jerusalem.

    Meanwhile, Egypt, the UN, and Qatar had been mediating a calm understanding between Israel and Hamas movement.

    The mediation was aimed at restoring calm in the enclave for easing the tight Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza Strip since 2007.

    (NAN)

  • Six arrested for ‘sexual activity’ in woods

    Six people aged 62 to 85 have been arrested after police officers went into the woods to watch them having sex.

    The group was arrested in a conservation area in Fairfield, Connecticut, which is some 87 acres in size.

    Police said they had found posts online advertising the Grace Richardson environmental preserve as somewhere to meet and have sex, according to the Associated Press news agency.

    Officers began a spying operation to snare anyone taking part in the lewd activities.

    They allegedly spotted the group of five men and one woman committing a number of breaches of the law before moving in, AP reported.

    Read Also; Police arrest five suspected bandits

    The six now face charges including public indecency and breaching the peace. They were released after promising to appear in court.

    One member of the group has previously been found walking naked in public, the CT Post reported.

    The conservation area is bordered on one side by a road called Congress Street.

    (www.newsnow.co.uk)

  • BREAKING: COZA: PFN declares probe inconclusive

    The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria(PFN) has declared its probe into the rape accusation by celebrity photographer, Busola Dakolo against founder of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) founder Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo inconclusive.

    PFN said the probe was inconclusive because Fatoyinbo snubbed several invitations to meet the five-member investigating panel it set up on the matter.

    Read Also; Fatoyinbo snubbed PFN’s investigating panel on rape allegation

    It’s National Publicity Secretary, Bishop Emma Isong, disclosed these to reporters on Thursday in Lagos.

    Details shortly…

  • Osinbajo chairs NEC meeting in Aso Rock

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday chaired the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.

    The meeting started when the Vice President arrived the Council Chamber of the State House around 11am.

    Opening Muslims prayer was offered by the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal.

    It was the 96th and fourth NEC meeting in 2019.

    Most of the 36 state governors weren’t in attendance when the meeting started.

    Read Also; Osinbajo urges PDP members to join APC before party dies

    Others were represented by their deputies.

    At the meeting were the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.

    Others at the meeting include the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

  • BREAKING: Court dismisses HDP’s petition against Buhari, APC, INEC

    The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has dismissed the petition by the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and its candidate, Ambrose Owuru against the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last presidential election.

    In a ruling on Thursday, a five-man penal of the court upheld the preliminary objection filed by Buhari (listed as the first respondent) against the competence of the petition.

    The court held that not only did it lacked jurisdiction to hear the petition, because it talked about referendum, the prayers in the petition are similar to what the petitioners sought in their pending cases before the Federal High Court on the same issues.

    Justice Mohammed Garba, who is reading the lead judgment, held that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the petition and that it constitutes an abuse of court process.

    He proceeded to dismiss it, a position other members of the panel agreed with.

    Read Also: Abbo: Court grants ex-Gov Bindow’s aide bail in defamation case

    The petitioners had sought to be pronounced the winners of the election on the grounds that they won a referendum, which they claimed was conducted when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the conduct of the presidential election.

    The court, in another ruling, also refused the preliminary objection filed by the 2nd respondent, INEC) against the competence of the petition.

    INEC had claimed that the petitioners did not comply with the requirement of the law in issuing the requisite pre-hearing notice in the petition.

    The court is currently delivering another ruling in a motion in which the applicant seeks the dismissal of the petition on the grounds that Buhari’s running mate in the election, Prof Yemi Osinbajo was excluded as a party in the petition.

    Details shortly.

  • Abbo: Court grants ex-Gov Bindow’s aide bail in defamation case

    Justice Dimas of Yola Magistrate Court has granted a bail of N500,000 to Nurudeen Kama, former governor Bindow Umaru Jibrila’s Social media aide over his alleged defamatory publication against Senator Ishaku Abbo.

    Kama was arrested in Yola on Friday by men of Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged defamation of character on his Facebook page following a formal complaint lodged against him by the senator. He was taken to court Monday afternoon by the Adamawa state police command.

    In a suit filed at the Magistrate Court 4 in Yola, Nurudeen Kama is being accused of using derogatory words against the lawmaker on his social media handles (facebook), thereby tarnishing his image before members of the public.

    Kama had written,

    “Tafawa Balewa was not bisexual. Tafawa Balewa had no record of molesting women.

    “Tafawa Balewa had no HIV. Balewa didn’t transmit HIV to any girl deliberately.
    “Tarawa Balewa was not a drunk. Tafawa Balewa never took drugs. Tafawa Balewa was not gay. Tafawa Balewa was not an idiot.

    “Therefore, comparing Tafawa Balewa with a sex toy senator is an insult to the late prime minister.”

    “For the records, they cloned my WhatsApp to blackmail and put me on the defensive but I’m not moved even for a minute.

    Read Also: Alleged assault: Absence of Senator Abbo stalls trial

    ” Cliff and his bisexual friends should work more on redeeming his battered image decently and not by mischievous blackmail for God sake, what parts of Cliff Abbo’s “attention” do I need? To learn how to become a bisexual or how to deliberately transmit HIV to any girl that shows a sign of resistance to my other demands?

    ” If joining black magic for fame is what it means to be great, I rather buy an ovaprim and a broodstock from the next available fish farm and breed for a living.

    “For those who believed in their lies or blackmail, I will not only excuse them but forgive them because most time we are ignorant of the extent idiots can go in order to blackmail you.”

    Ruling on the oral bail application filed by his lawyer who is also the state APC legal adviser Barr. Shaknah Pwamaddi, the Judge directed the accused to produce two sureties which must include his blood relative and a traditional ruler in his community.

    The judge stated that one of the sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and the defendant must sign an undertaking not to temper with the ongoing investigations of the matter, among other conditions.

    Speaking in an interview with Journalists, Barr. Pwamaddi expressed satisfaction with the ruling stressing that they are battle-ready to defend their client and prove his innocence.

  • IPOB threat: Group assures Igbo leaders of safety in UK

    Divine Mandate International (DMI), has warned the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that it won’t tolerate any intimidation on Governor David Umahi or any other Igbo leader by the outlawed group in UK.

    The warning came on the heels of the last weekend attack on Senator Ike Ekweremmadu in Nuremberg Germany by members of IPOB and further threats by same group to attack South-East Governors and other Igbo leaders anywhere they are seen abroad.

    This was contained in a letter to Governor David Umahi by the group jointly signed by the Chairman, Dr Nick Nwokporo, the Secretary, Dr Francis Kalu and the Public Relations Officer, Dr. Bartholomew Aleke.

    The group strongly condemned IPOB for attacking Ekweremadu, describing their action as shameful, barbaric and disgraceful.

    While reiterating their unalloyed supposed and faith in Governor Umahi and other Igbo leaders, they challenged IPOB to dare make real their threats.

    DMI promised to cooperate with UK authorities, Ohanaeze UK and other affiliate organizations to ensure that the miscreants and their supporters anywhere, face the full weight of the law.

    The letter read: “We the entire members of DMI, UK totally condemn and repudiate in it’s entirety the shameful attack on Senator Ike Ekweremadu by IPOB group in Germany.

    “We also challenge the threat to our Igbo Leaders as posted by the group and their sponsors.

    Read Also: IPOB to Igbo leaders: retrace your steps or be treated like Ekweremadu

    “We, therefore, wish to reiterate our unalloyed support and faith in you and other Igbo leaders. The actions of IPOB are barbaric, disgraceful and uninformed.

    “We will cooperate with relevant authorities to ensure that the miscreants and their supporters anywhere, face the full weight of the law.

    “Additionally, we are working with our UK authorities and Ohaneze UK and it’s affiliate organisations to weed out such actions. The UK can never be Germany.

    “Sir, we will not tolerate any intimidation on you or any other Igbo leaders when visiting the UK or wherever. Neither will we ignore any threats to your safety when visiting the UK.

    “Please continue your good works and be rest assured of our continued support. May your good heart not be poisoned by threats from people of no standing”.

  • Accident: FRSC returns N443,180 to victims relatives

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kebbi, says it has returned N443,180 to relatives of victims of two road traffic crashes in the state.

    Mr Abayomi Asaniyan,the Sector Commander of the corps in the state, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday.

    He said the command recovered the money at two different scenes of road crashes in Birnin Kebbi and Argungu Local Government Areas of the state.

    “The FRSC recovered, on 17 August, 2019, at two different scenes of road traffic crashes the sum of N400,160 at Argungu-Birnin Kebbi bypass junction in Argungu Local Government Area and N43,020 at old cemetery in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area.

    ”All the recovered monies have been handed over to the relatives of the victims accordingly,” he said.

    Asaniyan commended the efforts of his men and praised their integrity.

    Read Also; FRSC deploys 35,000 personnel, 736 patrol vehicles

    “I urge all officers and men in the command to continue to do their best and ensure prompt rescue of road crash victims.

    ”They should also continue to exhibit good character they are known with by always documenting monies and other items recovered from scenes of crashes and promptly hand over to the victims or relations of dead ones without tampering with any of the items,” he urged.

    He warned that the monitoring teams would always be on the road to fish out staff that engaged in extortion or compromise in the discharge of their duties.

    The sector commander enjoined motorists to be more patient, and obey traffic rules and regulations to avoid sustaining injuries or loss of lives and property on the road.

  • Election petitions: Elections tribunal declines to compel Sanwo-Olu’s appearance

    The Lagos Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ikeja on Wednesday declined to subpoena Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to appear before it in an election petitions filed against his election by the governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Owolabi Salis and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Chief Ifagbemi Awamaridi.

    The three-man panel, chaired by Justice Terhemen Asua, held that Governor Sanwo-Olu is covered by the immunity clause in the constitution as a sitting governor and that “because of the provisions of the constitution, he cannot be compelled to appear in the court”.

    The tribunal gave this verdict while ruling in separate ex parte motion filed by the duo of Salis and Awamaridi.

    They are challenging the victory of Sanwo-Olu in the March 9, 2019 election held in the state.

    Aside from Sanwo-Olu, other respondents are Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC), the Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), the Returning Officer (RO), the Commissioner of Police and the Army.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu to commissioners, special advisers: ensure Lagos remains top destination

    Salis and Awamaridi had filed separate motion ex parte, asking the governorship election tribunal to compel the governor and INEC to appear and testify before the court.

    The motion ex parte was brought pursuant to order 8, rule 1(3) & (4) of the Electoral Act (as amended) 2010 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the tribunal.

    In their separate applications filed by their counsel, Mr. Bola Aidi and supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit, they averred that they made several attempts to serve some of the witnesses listed in their petition, but they were to no avail.

    They alleged that Sanwo-Olu, INEC, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State and the Returning Officer were evading service to frustrate the hearing of their petition.

    Their counsel, Aidi, prayed the tribunal to consider the time-frame within which the petitioners are to call their witnesses and provide evidence in the petition.

    He said:  “It is imperative to serve some of these persons by way of substituted service.”

    Aidi, on behalf of the petitioners, therefore, prayed the tribunal “for an order for the subpoena duces tecum/testificandum on the listed persons by way of substituted service to wit serving their counsel representing them”.

    The tribunal, however, granted the petitioners’ request to serve the returning officers of the 20 local governments’ councils by way of pasting the court documents on the wall of INEC office in Lagos.

    “Upon perusing of the motion ex pàrte, we are satisfied that the good cause has been shown by the petitioners.

    “The prayer to serve the subpoena duces tecum/testificandum shall be served as prayed on the other respondents.

    “But as far as the first respondent (Sanwo-Olu) is concerned, he is covered by the immunity clause as a sitting governor; he cannot be compelled to appear in the court,” the tribunal held.

  • Govt workers can access FMBN Cooperative housing loans

    The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has called on cooperative societies in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to take advantage of its cooperative housing loan to provide affordable houses for their staff.

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of FMBN, Ahmed Dangiwa, made the call when a team from the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB), led by its Executive Secretary, Mrs. Hannatu Fika, paid a courtesy call on the bank in Abuja.

    Dangiwa said the cooperative housing development loan developed by the bank was one of the many products initiated by it to create affordable mortgage for staff of the Federal Government.

    He said: “We want to draw your attention to one of the products we have just developed; which is the cooperative housing loan. It is a cooperative housing development loan where cooperative societies in various organisations under the Federal Civil Service can approach the bank with their land and we give them loan to develop the houses for their staff based on their own designs and given their own affordability in terms of costing.”

    Explaining further, Dangiwa said: “ Civil servants working under any ministry or MDA, that have  cooperative societies, can approach us for construction loan through their  selected developers to build these houses for them. Once this is done,  we will create mortgages for these individuals within those organisations.”

    The MD also said the bank was willing to develop areas of synergy with stakeholders, particularly the FGSHLB, to bridge the housing deficit in the country. Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary of FGSHLB said the visit became necessary to strengthen the already existing relationship between the bank and the board.