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  • How I emerged JAMB best student, by 15-yr-old boy

    Ekele Franklin, a  15-year-old boy from Imo, who emerged the overall best candidate in the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination (UTME), conducted between April 11 and April 15 has attributed his feat to regular participation in competitions.

    Ekene who scored 347 said his target was to make a score of 370 out of a possible 400.

    The young chap, an SS3 pupil of Meiran Community Secondary School, Meiran, Lagos added that he was shocked to be announced the candidate with the highest score in the examination.

    “When I first heard I was the highest, I was a bit shocked.  But I became glad and happy.

    Read Also: How to check your 2019 UTME Results

    “Regular participation in competitions on behalf of Lagos State helped my preparations.” He said.

    “The competitions impacted positively on my preparation.  Some of the subjects I did I had done them in preparing for the competitions and met the same thing in the exams,”

    Ekene wants to study Chemical Engineering in the university – for the love of it and to impact the society.

    “I want to study Chemical Engineering because I feel that chemistry and technology can impact the general public and society in various ways; and personally, I have a flair for chemistry,” he said.

     

     

  • Thugs attack Edo councillor, beats him to pulp

    The Councillor representing Ward nine in Estako Central local government area, Hon John Momoh, has been hospitalised after being beaten to a pulp by political thugs

    Momoh was rushed to the Irrua Specialist Hospital in Esan Central local government and was revived with oxygen.

    It was gathered that the suspected thugs stormed Tuesday’s plenary of the Councillors at the council’s secretariat in Fugar and descended on Momoh and two others, Hon. Kadiri Roger and Prince Dauda Anakhu Amedu.

    The three councillors were subsequently suspended for three months without pay for gross misconduct, threat to other members with dangerous weapons, seizing of the mace and hitting it on the floor thereby defacing it.

    Following a motion for suspension moved by the majority leader of the house, Hon. Aigbore Zibiri, after the fracas, and seconded by Hon. Peter Aidokhuru, the house resolved to suspend the affected members for three months without pay and later adjourned indefinitely.

    Read Also: Tribunal strikes out Ogbuoji’s petition against Umahi

    Prince Amedu, however, said the attack was orchestrated by the council boss because they were perceived as not being loyal.

    Amedu said the council boss declined to release ambulance to convey Momoh to the hospital.

    He said they were protesting the non-payment of their impress and other benefits.

    “I am going to go to court because nobody can suspend a councillor for more than two months. We will collect our money.”

    The council boss, Akhigbe, who denied being involved said the three councillors were suspended for fighting during plenary.

    Akhigbe said the House resolved to move for forfeiture of their impress instead of suspending them.

    He said, “I was not in Fugar that day. I don’t have any thugs. Those three councillors were crying after their first impress of N100,000 each was seized.

    “When I heard about what was going to happen that day, I called for security enforcement. The DPO came to tell me they arrested Ward Nine councillor because he slapped the Councilor representing Ward two.”

  • Zlatan, three others freed, Naira Marley still in EFCC custody

    Nigerian musician, Omoniyi Raphael aka Zlatan, has been freed while Afeez Fashola aka Naira Marley is still being detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ‘Zanku’ crooner and three others were released on Tuesday night.

    Zlatan was released alongside his crew members, Tiamiu Abdulrahman Kayode, Adewunmi Adeyanju Moses and Abubakar Musa.

    The 24-year-old Zlatan launched his career in 2017. He is best known for his hit song, “My Body” and the “Shaku Shaku” dance step.

    Read Also: Why we arrested Naira Marley, by EFCC

    He became famous in January 2019, after he featured on Davido’s song titled ‘bum bum’. He is also known for the ‘Zanku’ dance.

    NAN reports that no official statement had been released by EFCC on reasons why Naira Marley was not released on bail at the time of this report.

    The controversial singer, who was detained on May 10, repeatedly praised internet fraudsters, popularly called Yahoo boys, in his songs and on social media.

  • Friends in court for gang raping 21-yr-old woman

    An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday ordered that two friends, Samson Shittu, 25, and Ramoni Animashaun, 24, who allegedly raped a 21-year-old woman, be remanded in Kirikiri Prison.

    The Chief Magistrate, P.E. Nwaka, did not take the plea of the defendants.

    Nwaka ordered that the case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

    He adjourned the case until June 13 for mention.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Shittu, a vulcaniser, lives at No. 26, Oluyeye St., Mafoluku, Oshodi, while Animashaun lives at No.7, Osundeyi St., Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos.

    Read Also: How taxi driver absconded with car, N42, 500

    The Prosecution Counsel, Insp. Christopher John, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on April 26, at Osundeyi St., Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos.

    John said that the defendants and others, at large, conspired and unlawfully gang-raped a 21-year-old woman.

    He said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 411, 260 and 2616 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

  • NERC fines AEDC N250m for electrocution, violations

    The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has fined the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) N250 million for all infractions/ violations, including electrocution, payable on May 20, 2019.

    According to the order the commission released to reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, “AEDC shall pay the sum of N50million to the late Master Mohammed Arafat Jibril as compensation to his family and this compensation payment shall be made to the family formal presentation to be held at the commission on 28 May 2019.

    “AEDC shall pay a fine in the sum of N250million to the commission for all infractions/violations identified in this order: This fine shall be due and payable by 20 May 2019.

    “AEDC shall conduct a detailed safety audit of the network and the findings of this safety order shall be sent to the commission within 90 days from the date of this order.

    “AEDC shall send the commission a detailed remediation plan to address the issues in the safety audit in the short, medium and long term.”

    The order signed by NERC chairman, Prof. James Momoh and the Commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye, said that section 63 (1) and (2) of EPSRA imposes an obligation on AEDC to take all reasonable steps to protect persons and property from injury and damage that may be caused by the licensee when carrying out the licenses business.

    The order, however, disclosed that “AEDC’s negligence in complying with the terms and conditions of its licence, distribution code and HSC resulted in the death of a 4-year old boy, Master Mohammed Arafat Jibril, on 11 April 2019 at Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State.”

    NERC submitted the AEDC failed to take reasonable steps to protect the public from injury by ensuring that distribution systems are maintained in accordance with standards in the distribution code thereby leading to the fatal electrocution of Master Mohammed Arafat Jibril, contrary to the provisions of section 71(5) of EPSRA .

    The commission accused AEDC of not sending preliminary report of the accident within 72 hours, contrary to the provisions of section 5.3.1 of the HSC.

  • One dies, other injured in Ondo road crash

    There was severe gridlock on the busy Owo-Oba Akoko road in Ondo State on Tuesday after a J5 bus rammed into a stationary truck which immediately caught fire.

    It was learnt that the driver of the J5 was burnt beyond recognition.

    The inferno reportedly led to long queue of several vehicles as motorists could not pass through.

    An witness, Owajalaye Halidu, who is the local chairman of Oba Akoko National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) disclosed that the J5 was in top speed when it swerved off the road to the side of the stationary vehicle and caught fire.

    Men of the Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC)Ikare and Owo units were immediately reported to the scene to rescue lives and cleared the highways for easy passage of other road users.

    Read Also: Ondo NULGE supports LG’s Autonomy

    The Ikare unit commander, Yinka Akande revealed that his men performed professionally to make the road free for others.

    According to him, the driver of the J5 died after sustaining serious injuries, while another person who sustained serious injuries had been rushed to the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Owo.

    The FRSC Ikare unit had taken the United Nations global road safety week to Alifa Central Mosque, Ikare Akoko and Christ Baptist Church Ugbe-Akoko to create awareness on safety on the roads.

  • Court jails two siblings for internet fraud in Kwara

    Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital on Tuesday sentenced two siblings and another person to four-month imprisonment for cheating and internet fraud.

    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal office charged the three to court for offences bordering of cheating and internet fraud.

    The suspects include two brothers of the same parents, Olaogun Seun, Olaogu Abidemi and Ojor.

    One of the charge reads: “That you, Olaogu Seun, Olaogu Abidemi and Ojor Alex sometimes in March 2019 or thereabouts at Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court agreed among yourselves to do an illegal act to with: cheating by impersonation and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 of the penal code law and punishable under section 97 and 324 of the same law.”

    Read Also: Court won’t stay order for Adoke, Etete, others arrest

    The three accused persons during their arraignment had on Monday this week pleaded guilty to the four-count charge levelled against them by the anti-graft body.

    Counsel to EFCC Nnaemeka Omawa told the court that “the defendants had prior to their arraignment, approached the commission for a plea bargain agreement, we have considered it, bother the prosecution and the defendants have come up with the terms in line with section 276 of the administration of criminal justice act, the accused persons during their extrajudicial statements have confessed to the crime.”

    Defence counsel Taofeek Alubarika, however, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, saying his clients had shown remorse on what they did.

    Delivering his judgement, Justice M. Abdulgafar sentenced the trio to four months imprisonment effective from the 15th day of April 2019.”

    The sentence is without option of fine and it will run concurrently.

    He also ordered for the forfeiture of defendants to forfeit all the exhibits recovered from them to the Federal Government.

  • No apologies on how to defeat Lagos godfather — El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has remained adamant on his comment on how to defeat political godfatherism in Lagos state.

    But El-Rufai said his comment was not targeted at the All Progressive Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    The Kaduna State Governor at a function last week in Lagos organised by the Bridge Club tagged, “An evening with His Excellency Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State,” said that he defeated and retired four political godfathers in Kaduna State, saying the feat could be replicated anywhere, including Lagos State.

    The governor spoke with journalists on Monday in Abuja after his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari which was on security matters.

    The comment has however attracted a backlash for the governor as many groups and individual took him to the cleaners.

    Responding to questions for State House Correspondents on perceived disputes with Tinubu, he said: “There is no dispute between me and anyone in the APC, the APC is one family. I don’t dispute with my own party.

    “They may dispute with me but I don’t. I made comments in Lagos about how to retire god-fathers, it’s a template that we have used in Kaduna and it has worked.

    “If anybody thinks he is a god-father, the template may apply to him but I am not in dispute with anyone. I expressed my views firmly and very clearly, there is no human being that I am afraid to express my views on and when I am ready to express my views specifically on a particular name then I will do so but I haven’t.

    “I made a general statement but people have gone in to overdrive, creating fake news, abusing me and so on. I am thick-skin, I can take the abuse and I will wait for my time when I want to….”

    Read Also: El Rufai’s reelection breakthrough for Kaduna -Senator-elect

    On his relationship with Tinubu, the governor said, “We are in the same party, we get along very well as I know.”

    Asked if he will want Tinubu retired, he responded: “I don’t know if he is the god-father of Lagos, it’s up to him to say that.

    “What I know for sure is that we have retired god-fathers in Kaduna and I have told those that asked me the question that ‘there are six million registered voters in Lagos but only one million voted,’ in the last election.

    “So there are five million people that you can bring into the electoral play ground and you can defeat anyone if you work hard. It’s hard work, it’s four years.

    “That is what I said and if anyone feels offended by that that is his business or her business.”

    Asked if he wants Lagos to follow his template on retirement of god-fathers, El-Rufai said: “I have no recommendations to Lagos, I am the governor of Kaduna State.

    “I know Kaduna politics pretty well and I played my role in my party towards the success of the party. I have not recommendation for anyone, I am just saying if I am asked a question and I gave an answer, anyone that feels offended by the answer, it’s his own business.

    “I have no apologies. I don’t apologize for my views. My views are thought-out and I put them there.

    “I don’t have to explain anything to anyone. This is a democracy, and in a democratic space, there must be room for people to express their views.

    “You can disagree, you can abuse me if you don’t like my views but that is it.”

  • Police arrest serial rapist for killing Nurse in Kano

    The Kano State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old man, Bashir Yahaya, of Kabuga quarters for killing a 20-year-old Nurse, Aisha Kabir for resisting being raped.

    The incident happened in a clinic at Tal’udu quarters, in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State.

    Investigations by this reporter revealed that Bashir Yahaya, the suspect is believed to be a specialist in raping unsuspected teenagers in the metropolis.

    Yahaya was said to have crashed into the clinic, attempted to rape the Nurse, during which she resisted and in the process of forcing her, stabbed her with a knife resulting to her death.

    Contacted, the Kano State Command Spokesman, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, who confirmed the incident, said:”  on the on the 12/05/2019, at about 0700 pm, the Police in Kano received a report that a lady was slaughtered in a clinic at Ta’udu quarters, Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State.

    Read Also: IG ascribes 80 per cent of Police success to SARS

    ”The police promptly rushed to the scene and conveyed the victim, one Aisha Kabir, female, 20 years old of Dandago quarters, with cut on her neck to the Murtala Specialist Hospital, Kano.

    ”The suspect, one Bashir Yahaya, 20-year-old of Kabuga quarters, Kano was arrested at the scene of the crime and the exhibit if knife, with blood stain recovered from him.

    ”The suspect confessed to have attempted to rape her and she resisted.

    ”Investigation is in progress and the suspect will soon be charged to court for prosecution.”

     

     

  • NERC insists on sanction for MAP slippages

    The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission ( NERC ) has insisted that it is committed to the timeline in its Meter Assets Provider (MAP) regulation, stressing that it would sanction either the electricity distribution company (DisCo) or MAP that violates the guideline.

    Speaking with The Nation at the weekend, the commission’s General Manager, Finance and Management Services, Mr. Abudukadir Shetima, said that “Customers of AEDC and JEDC should expect from the commencement of rollout date for meters to be installed in their premises within 10 working days of making payment to MAPs in accordance with section 18 (3) of the MAP Regulations 2018.”

    Shetima, who is also the chairman committee on MAP, insisted that as far as NERC is concerned “the May 1 timeline still stands. But you know that doesn’t necessarily mean that on May 1 meters will be put.”

    He explained that the customer will go and indicate his interest for having a meter and for him to make on-front payment which is one of the options.

    Shetima added that when the customer does that, the process is that the DisCos will go and inspect his premises and ensure that it is ready for meter deployment.

    Continuing, he said “For instance, if there is need to do a network clean up, the DisCo will do that. So, that will take a couple of days and then the customer will be instructed to go and make payment.

    “When he makes payment within 10 days the MAP will have to install the meter. That same date is from the date of payment. The date of payment is dependent on the inspection of the premises from the first of May.

    “The commission is still committed to those timelines and when we review, we come for monitoring and we see that there are slippages then there is sanction from either the MAP or the DisCo.”

    NERC had on April 6 this year announced the appointment of Mojec International Limited, Meron Consortium and Turbo Engineering Limited that it permitted to provide 487,000, 213,000 and 200,000 meters respectively.

    It said while JEDC has appointed the Triple 7 and Mojec International Limited consortium to provide 500,000 meters.

    Read Also: Don’t pay after two weeks outage, NERC tells electricity users

    The commission spelt it out that the rollout of meters shall commence no later than the 1st of May 2019.

    Similarly, on April 12, the commission gave the May 1 deadline to Ikeja and Benin DisCos for their MAPs to rollout their meters.

    NERC announced that IEDC appointed Mojec International Limited- (399,790 meters), Consolidated Infrastructure Group Ltd- (397,922 meters) and New Hamshire Capital Ltd-(276,699 meters) respectively within the Ikeja Disco franchise under MAP. While Benin Disco has appointed FLT Energy System Ltd, G-Unit Engineering Ltd, Inlaks Power Solution Ltd, Sabrud Consortium Nigeria Ltd and Turbo Energy Ltd to provide meters within its franchise.

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