The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • Navy wives to personnel: write your will

    Officers and Ratings of the Nigerian Navy (NN) were on Monday advised to write their wills and testament in order to spare their wives, children untoward hardship when they die.

    President Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA) Mrs. Theresa Ibas gave the admonition at a seminar organised as part of activities to mark the NN’s 63rd anniversary.

    According to her, the women and children were usually worse hit when their breadwinner dies unexpectedly without plans for their future.

    She also appealed to the personnel to check their health regularly and avoid indulging in habits enmical to their wellbeing or those of their loved ones.

    “If you want to live long and take care of your responsibility, then you have to take care of your health.
    “When death comes because it is inevitable, the woman who is left behind to cater for the children find it difficult to cope with the problems left behind.

    “So I will advise everybody to write their will and state things the way they want it when they are no more. Nobody prays for death but it can come anytime,” he said.

    Read Also: We will soon overcome security challenges, says Navy

    Mrs. Ibas reiterated NOWA’s commitment to raise the quality of life of Navy families and strengthen ties.
    “It is in this regard that we have carefully considered the need to organise a seminar such as this to further remind us of our commitments to our own health and our families.

    “These seminar topics are contemporary and relevant to our society. The topic on health is aimed at encouraging us to take personal responsibilities and be partners in our own health,” she said.

    Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas who was represented at the event by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC) Rear Admiral Oladele Daji commended NOWA for welfarist and philantrophoc programmes it had executed for the benefit of personnel and their children.

    Noting that the NN has a structure in place to ensure benefits accrued a personnel got to his next-of-kin in the case of death; Ibas said it was however not a replacement for writing will and testament.

    The Nation reports that a United States based physician Dr. Titilayo Abiona and a lawyer Mrs. Ngozi Ogbolu lectured participants on the topics.

  • Supreme Court imposed strangers on Zamfara, says Oshiomhole

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said on Monday that the Supreme Court judgement nullifying the election of all its candidates in Zamfara state was a judgement that does not translate to justice.

    Oshiomhole told newsmen that what the Supreme Court did in its judgement on the Zamfara issue was to impose strangers who were not elected on the people of Zamfara.

    Oshiomhole faulted the apex court for giving the seats won by the APC to its main rival, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) using what he referred to as technicalities, adding that what the court would have done is to order a repeat of the election.

    He said it was wrong for the apex court to have voided the votes scored by the APC during the election, adding that as at the time of the election, a competent court had declared that the candidates of the APC were qualified to participate in the election.

    Oshiomhole was speaking for the first time on the Supreme Court Judgement which sacked all APC candidates in Zamfara state told newsmen after the party’s National Working Committee meeting that the part has no choice than to obey the judgement of the court since they can only appeal to the “court of God”.

    He said: “How can you ask me how I feel if the people of Zamfara voted for us in the manner that they did and the court says that those votes were wasted. Meanwhile, at the time those votes were cast, a High court had ruled that those candidates were validly nominated.

    “There is something that I learnt from Lord Denning, a famous British Supreme Court Justice, that the law has to be interpreted taking into account the intention of the lawmakers and try to deliver justice in its purest form.

    “So, there is no justice when on the ground of technicalities, you imposed on the people of Zamfara state, not just a man or a woman, but whole party candidates from Governor to Senate and others that they didn’t elect.

    Read Also: Buhari meets Kalu in Aso Rock

    “If the court thought we were wrong, the justice would have demanded that we repeat. But you can not use technicalities because we are in a democracy, there is nothing democratic when the court imposes strangers to govern a people.

    “But we understand that after the Supreme Court, we can only go to the Court of God. To that extent, we must obey the Court. But what we got in Zamfara is a judgement that didn’t translate to justice.”

    The APC chairman, however, refused to disclose the party’s next line of action as he refused to respond to a question on whether the party will sanction those who took the party to court leading to their losing all seats in Zamfara.

  • Five things parents can do to help a suicidal child

    As your children grow into teenagers and then, youths, it becomes more difficult to understand what they are thinking or feeling. Teenagers face a host of pressures, from the changes of puberty to questions about who they are and where they fit in. Most of the time, parents pass these emotions as mood swings. But this is a serious problem that has an impact on the health of your teen.

    1. Know the common warning signs of suicide : They include making suicidal statements, being preoccupied with death in conversation, writing, or drawing, withdrawing from friends and family, having aggressive or hostile behaviour and change in personality of your child.

    2. Take away any drug and weapon from their immediate surrounding: Check the environment for any knives, guns, narcotic medications, rat poison, or anything else that can be used as a weapon. Lock these items away so the child cannot use them to hurt themselves.

    Read Also: Five signs your email account has been hacked

    3. Get professional help: The most common cause of suicide among youth is depression and one of the ways to help battle the illness is to take them to either a therapist or professional depression counselor. The therapist will likely create a safety plan for the child, which includes contact numbers and resources they can access if they feel suicidal.

    4. Be an active listener: Do not be judgmental and critical in communicating with your child. Rather than criticizing them, be empathetic and compassionate. Let the child know that you understand whatever it is that they might be going through.

    5. Spend quality time with them: Suicidal children may be more likely to pull away from others and spend time alone. Stress the importance of social engagement and provide opportunities for them to spend time with friends and family. Also, pursuing their hobbies and passions can help the child feel better about life and remember things they are good at.

  • Court upholds sack of five APC lawmakers

    The curtain may have finally fallen on the five All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly whose seats were declared vacant last year by the Speaker, Mr. Onofiok Luke.

    The lawmakers representing Essien Udim, Mkpat Enin, Itu, Ikono and Etim Ekpo/Ika were sacked following their defection from the People’s Democratic Party to the APC.

    The development had led to violent crisis and litigation. However, Justice Fatun Roman of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, delivered judgment on the matter Monday upholding the sack of the 5 APC lawmakers.

    Reacting to the judgment of the Federal High Court therefore, the PDP in a press conference in Uyo on Monday applauded the court for causing justice to be done against men said to have been out to plunge the state into anarchy.

    The party which spoke through its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong also commended the Speaker, Barr Onofiok Luke for maintaining a calm and peaceful disposition during the crisis.

    He said the former lawmaker’s seats were declared vacant by reason of their defection from the PDP without lawful justification.

    “All five cases instituted by these sacked lawmakers were premised on several falsehoods ranging from the claim that the coalition entered into by the PDP with other parties was a merger, to the fact that the sacked lawmakers, like their master, were summarily expelled from the party”.

    Read Also: Corrupt Nigerians will come after me in 2023 – Buhari

    The party recalled with regret the drama and shame brought upon the state when the sacked lawmakers invaded the state House of Assembly and claimed to have impeached the legitimate Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke and declared one Nse Ntuen as the speaker.

    “It can be recalled that these same lawmakers, with the active backing of their Warsaw general and party, created a house of comedy, wherein they claimed to have impeached the legitimate Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke and declared one Nse Ntuen as the speaker.

    ”This illegality which was premised on distasteful lies was vehemently supported by the State Chairman of the APC, who validated the said impeachment and recognized the Speaker of the House of Comedy as the new Speaker of the House of Assembly. Today, like it is with all falsehood, a Daniel has come to Judgement and the truth has been revealed.

    “If there is any honour left in the APC and her leaders, their reaction should be to unreservedly apologise to Akwa Ibom people and the entire world for the needless show of shame that they brazenly brought upon us and the unnecessary strain cum pressure on the polity. But by experience and observation, no reasonable person is expectant of such courtesy from the band of unprincipled fellows who currently lead the broom wielding movement

    “Like a pack of cards placed on a mountain, all the lies were blown away by the wind of truth presented before the court by the legal team of Speaker Onofiok Luke led by Ekemini Udim Esq and the People’s Democratic Party led by Goddy Umoh. One by one, the court resolved all the issues in the substantive suits, against the lawmakers and held that their seats were vacant by reason of their defection from the PDP without lawful justification,” It sai.

    The APC in the state in its reaction to the ruling on its sacked lawmakers said it was still studying the judgment, adding that its team of lawyers would soon decide whether to appeal the case or not.

    Media adviser to the state APC chairman, Mr. Etim Etim said the party is not really bothered about the court ruling on the five lawmakers as its priority was on the governorship, National and State Assembly elections.

  • Five signs your email account has been hacked

    Hackers don’t typically tell their victims they’ve been hacked. Most of the time, when hackers gain entry to mails to do their dirty works, they don’t want anyone to know. That way, they can come back another time to see what else they can do or find.

    So you might not know if your computer has already been hacked. But there are a handful of signs that indicate a hacker may have invaded a network or a computer you use.

    Some are computer-related and some are not. If any of these sound familiar, perhaps you’ve been a victim…without knowing it.

    1.      Your password has been changed

    One of the most obvious signs of your email being hacked is when you find it difficult sign into it. If your email password is rejected as incorrect and you didn’t change it, it’s a strong indication that someone else has altered it. One of the first things many hackers do is to change your password to prevent you from logging in.

    2.      Receiving unusual messages

    Hackers tend to search for personal information such as who you bank with or credit card companies you use. It’s possible that some personal information is revealed such as user name and other identifying data like account numbers.

    Fraudsters will use this information to create messages from your bank or credit card provider. They may even try to call you citing this information. This can make it difficult to determine whether the mail/call is genuine.

    If in doubt, and the messages arrive out of the blue, don’t respond and call the bank to verify that they are trying to contact you.

    3.      When your friends receive spam messages from you

    If your friends complain about receiving spam messages from your email address, it’s safe to say that your mail has been compromised. This also sends a warning that your personal data is at risk.

    4.      Mails in your sent box that you don’t recognise

    It is usually not a custom to check sent emails unless someone complains of not receiving messages from us. Truth is some crimes might have been going on right under your nose without you paying much attention to it.

     It is important to check your sent mail folder to see if there are messages there that you didn’t send. If you do find some, then you know a hacker probably has access to your account.

    5. Have you been receiving password reset emails?

    Another sign to look out for is password reset emails that come from other websites and which you didn’t request. A hacker may use access to your email to try and change your password on other sites.

    Hackers understand that many people use the same password across different web sites and by searching through your inbox they can see which websites you regularly use.

  • Full text of Buhari’s speech at signing of 2019 appropriation bill

    PROTOCOLS

    1. As you are all aware, some weeks ago, the National Assembly passed the 2019 Appropriation Bill which I will be signing into law today.

    2. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the leadership of the National Assembly and indeed all the Distinguished and Honourable Members for all the hard work they put in to get us here.

    3. You will all recall that in December 2018, I presented our 2019 budget proposal with the theme “Budget of Continuity”. Our goal was to use this budget to move the economy further on the path of inclusive, diversified and sustainable growth.

    4. Back then, I proposed a total expenditure of N8.83 trillion to the National Assembly for appropriation targeting strategic and impactful projects and initiatives.

    5. However, the 2019 Budget I will be signing into law today provides for aggregate expenditures of N8.92 trillion. This is an increase of N90.33 billion over our submission.

    6. This increase reflects changes introduced by the National Assembly. In some areas, expenses we proposed were reduced while in other areas they were increased. There were also certain areas where new additions were introduced into the budget. More details of the approved budget will be provided by the Honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning.

    7. Of course, some of these changes will adversely impact our programs making it difficult for us to achieve the objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

    8. Although I will be signing this bill, it is my intention to continue to engage the National Assembly to ensure we deliver on our promises. I will therefore be engaging with the leadership of the ninth National Assembly, as soon as they emerge, to address some of our concerns with this Budget.

    9. We will also look at how to improve the budget process so that, amongst other things, we can speed up budget consideration processes and return the country to the January to December fiscal year timetable.

    10. I wish to acknowledge the efforts of the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Minister of Finance, Budget Office of the Federation, and everyone who collaborated and worked painstakingly to produce the 2019 Appropriation Bill I am signing today.

    11. May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Enugu Assembly passes 45 bills, 49 motions

    Enugu State House of Assembly on Monday held a valedictory session to mark the end of the 6th assembly which began in June, 2015.

    The House within the period passed 45 bills into law and moved 49 motions.

    The Speaker of the House, Hon. Edward Ubosi who disclosed this at the occasion said they received 53 bills, passed 45 while 8 bills are at the verge of being passed.

    Ubosi said that this was the first time the assembly is organising valedictory session since 1999.

    “This is a special session in the lives of legislative arm of Enugu state. Today marks the successful end of the sixth assembly.

    “It is not a mirage, it is by the grace of God, we could have not been the best in our constituencies, we probably could have not qualified to our existence here on earth.

    “We are happy that we did not witness political intimidations, political harassment, political manipulations and above all financial neglect.

    “We enjoyed unquantifiable freedom till the end, thanking God for his infinite mercy.

    “It is not as if we never had challenges both internal and external but we have exhibited maturity in handling them. We have lived like brothers and sisters and also shared whatever that came to us in common.

    “The past has not been so easy for us but by the grace of God, we were able to conquer all challenges” he said.

    Ubosi commended his colleagues for their humility, industry, doggedness, perseverance, intelligence and comportment in handling issues most especially the state assignments.

    He commended the peace and love that existed among them adding that personal qualities that characterized the sixth assembly contributed to the achievement enumerated.

    The speaker commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state for providing for them an all round enabling platform for the work they had done and the synergy that existed between them and the executive arm of government.

    Read Also: 9th Speakership race: Ugwuanyi delivers eight Enugu members-elect to Gbajabiamila

    He said that he would remain indebted to the chief judge of Enugu state justice Ngozi Emehelu for her support throughout his tenure as a speaker.

    He thanked all the staff of the assembly for their dedication to duties and support they are given to them the politicians to ease their job.

    Ubosi wished his colleagues that were not coming back good luck in their future endeavours and also challenged the incoming members to be more organised, cooperative and dedicated in the task.

    Leader of the House, Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu who spoke on behalf of his other colleagues, especially those who would be coming back for 7th Assembly, said that they passed all the executive bills except three which they could not finish until the House wind up.

    The deputy speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Donatus Uzogbado commended the state governor for giving them the enabling environment to operate.

    Uzogbado thanked his colleagues who made it possible for them to land safely describing legislative business as an aircraft adding that when there is trouble in an aircraft, nobody would land safely.

  • What’s the right age for a child to have smartphone?

    The right age for children to have their cell phones is up to their parents. No parent has an answer to this question but some parents would like their child to have one only when they are of the appropriate age.

    However, it is important to understand that times have changed, and the world is not as safe for children as it used to be.

    Most parents feel that a child should get a phone between the age 10-12. Kids’ access to phones allows them to have total control over this powerful communication tool, which helps them in sending messages, images and videos to their friends as well as accessing websites on the internet.

    Read Also; Children’s day: 11 ways to prevent your child from sexual abuse

    Recently, children in primary schools were seen using phones but research from 2016 shows that the average age for a child to have their first phone is 10, although many parents wait for their children to start school at the age of 11 or 12 or rather as a gift.

    If a parent is going to allow smartphones at this age, there should be cautions against letting young kids watch harmless videos on YouTube without monitoring them because children can end up being redirected to inappropriate content without parents’ knowledge.

    There are some things to put in mind before handing a phone to your child. A parent should consider safety reasons, the purpose of the child using the phone, responsibility and internet safety.

  • Air Force degrades Boko Haram in Borno

    The Nigerian Air Force said on Monday that the Boko Haram Terrorists have been degraded in northern Borno following air strikes at their structures and hideouts.

    Its spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola said in a statement that scores of the terrorists were killed during the strikes.

    Daramola said :”The Air Task Force (ATF) for Operation LAFIYA DOLE has decimated a location at Bula Korege on the fringes of Sambisa Forest in Borno State, being used by Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) as a meeting venue.

    “The attack was conducted on 25 May 2019 following successive days of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, coupled with Human Intelligence reports, that established that some structures within the settlement were being used as a rendezvous by the BHTs from where they assemble to launch attacks against own troops and innocent civilians.

    Read Also: Buratai warns against cultism in Army varsity

    ” Accordingly, the ATF detailed a fighter aircraft to attack the hideout, scoring hits within the target area leading to significant degrading of the BHT structures. Several BHTs were also killed as a result of the strikes.

    “The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its operations to completely degrade the terrorists in the Northeast. “

  • Buratai warns against cultism in Army varsity

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai Monday outlawed any form of activism and strike action at the Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno state.

    He warned that social vices such as cultism, protests and any act of activism would be viewed seriously by the institution’s authority.

    The COAS said the university was established as a citadel of excellence to serve as a solution centre for technological and operational problems of the army, the military and the nation.

    Lt Gen Buratai made the remarks at the presentation of letter of appointment to the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof David Iliya Malgwi at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.

    Buratai said: “This event as you may have known is the presentation of appointment letter to the Vice Chancellor of the Nigerian Army premier educational institution, Nigerian Army University Biu.

    “You will recall that the institution was approved by the Federal Executive Council on 3 April 2018 and was followed with an elaborate Ground Breaking Ceremony on 30 October 2018 at the University’s permanent site in Biu.

    “Consequently, the university commenced academic activities with the admission and registration of pioneer students. The maiden university matriculation for the pioneer students was held on 21 February 2019.

    “With the sequence of activities in the trend of the university’s evolution you would all agree with me that the university has come to life and to stay.

    “The focal point of the university as envisioned is to serve as solution centre for technological and operation problems of the Nigerian Army, military and the nation at large.

    Read Also: Buratai to troops: more weapons coming to fight insurgents

    “It is designed to create the critical mass required for research, innovation, testing and development in the 21st century settings.

    “Additionally, it will provide excellence, ingenuity, creativity and distinctive competences in intellectual outcomes.

    ” In considering these objectives and the realization of what the future holds for the university, I deemed it necessary to couch my vision for the university which is “To make the Nigerian Army University Biu a centre of academic excellence in education, research and innovation for human capacity development, military science and technology for national development; and for the progress of humanity”.

    “This encompassing vision goes without saying that the university’s effort would be channelled towards not only developing the Nigerian Army’s capacity to compete professionally and responsively with other armies of the world but would also graduate a civilian manpower well equipped to live and work in this emerging competitive world. “