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  • Sell at N145 or lose your petrol, DPR warns Anambra marketers

    Sell at N145 or lose your petrol, DPR warns Anambra marketers

    The Department of Petroleum Resources ( DPR ) has warned petrol marketers within its Enugu Zone to comply with N145 pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or have their products dispensed to customers free.

    Mr Unyime Akpan of Health, Safety and Environment Department, DPR Enugu Office, gave the warning in Awka when he led an enforcement team to Anambra on Tuesday.

    Akpan said the team sealed one filing station for allegedly refusing to revert and enforced the pump price sale of petrol in nine other stations on Atani road in Ogbaru and some parts of Idemili North Local Government Areas.

    He expressed regret that some marketers had remained defiant, in spite of DPR’s efforts to ensure compliance, noting that the DPR might apply more stringent punishment by dispensing products of defaulting marketers to customers for free.

    READ ALSO: More pains as fuel scarcity returns

    “Petrol price is controlled; stations are not supposed to sell above N145 per liter and if the cost of getting products suggests they cannot sell at that price, then they should leave out.

    “Marketers are the people encouraging the hike; if they are not gaining from it, then they leave out until the system returns to normal.

    “We may have to begin to dispense their products free because DPR also has the powers; if this price compliance sales proves ineffective, we may be left with no option than to give out their petrol, so that they can understand how serious we are,” he said.

    In a reaction, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria ( IPMAN ) absolved its members of any complicity in the hike of petrol price and blamed it on scarcity.

    Chief Ikechukwu Nwankwo, Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot, in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states, urged DPR to stop the clampdown the members as sealing outlets and auctioning the products would not solve the problem.

    Nwankwo decried the petrol supply situation in the country and called for a more sustainable measure to normalise it.

    He said DPR’s action on IPMAN members, especially those under his zone, amounted to being punished for a problem they did not cause and could not solve.

    Nwankwo said that solution to the problem was massive and sufficient supply of petrol into the system by the NNPC.

    The IPMAN chairman said marketers were making efforts to make petrol available to customers as complete scarcity would amount to shutting the economy and holding the masses hostage.

    “I have spoken with my members here in Anambra, the situation of fuel supply is bad and it is our wish that we begin to get products like the way it used to be before.

    “IPMAN is not happy with the way the DPR is harassing us, closing our stations and auctioning our products. It is like they want to push us out of business because we cannot continue to suffer this loss.

    “NNPC is not allocating products to us, DPR should go and monitor the marketers that get allocation from NNPC; how can we buy product at N190 or N195 and DPR sells them off at N145.

    “We make extra effort to get product at tank depot so that economic activities can go on and we should not be punished for that; we may have to close our stations if they continue to pursue us,” he said.

    Newsmen reportes that pump price of petrol has dropped from between N240 and N250 to N200 per liter.

    NAN

  • Google honours Keshi with Doodle

    Google honours Keshi with Doodle

    Google on Tuesday marked the 56th birthday of the late Nigerian football icon, Stephen Keshi, with Doodle.

    A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google’s homepages that commemorates holidays, events, achievements and people.

    Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Anglophone West Africa, made the assertion during a chat with Google in Lagos.

    According to Kola-Ogunlade, Stephen Keshi was born in Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria, and was a member of the famed St. Finbarrs College Football Academy of 1977.

    He said that he was later called up for the Junior Eagles and subsequently the Super Eagles in preparation for the 1980 African Cup of Nations competition.

    “Football took Keshi all over the world as he played across Africa, Europe, and the U.S.

    “Known affectionately as `Big Boss’, he was beloved as a player for Nigeria’s national team, where he earned more than 60 caps and for representing the country at the FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations,’’ he said.

    READ ALSO : Google doodle honours Chinua Achebe

    Kola-Ogunlade said that after his great success as a player, Keshi moved into coaching, the next phase of his career, adding that when the “Big Boss’’ became the coach of the Togo national team, he brought his trademark passion with him.

    The Google manager said that against the odds, Keshi led Togo all the way to a qualifying spot in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

    “He achieved his personal dream in 2011, when he became an indigenous national coach of the Super Eagles, cementing his place in African and world football history.

    “Coaching the Nigerian team, Keshi won the African Cup of Nations in 2013, and in 2014 became the first African coach of an African nation to make it to the knockout round of a World Cup.

    “Keshi is one of the only two men to win the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and a manager, a testament to his wit, talent, and love for the sport.

    “A big cheer for this football legend on what would have been his 56th birthday!’’ he said.

     

  • Woman dragged out of car, raped in front of husband in India – Police

    Woman dragged out of car, raped in front of husband in India – Police

    A 22-year-old woman was dragged out of a car and raped in front of her husband and brother-in-law, who were held at gunpoint in the northern Indian state of Haryana, the police said on Tuesday.

    The woman was raped, according to police, on Sunday night in Sector 56 of Gurugram on the outskirts of New Delhi.

    Police said they had arrested four people in connection to the rape.

    A police official said: “on Sunday night a woman, her husband and brother-in-law were returning from a function in a car.

    “When they stopped near the business park tower, the woman’s husband got out of the car to use the toilet.

    “Suddenly two cars stopped near them and four men came out and dragged the woman out of the car.

    “One of the men took the woman and raped her while others held her husband and her brother-in-law at gunpoint.”

    READ ALSO: Mechanic faces jail over rape of teenage girl

    Reports said before running away, the men warned the woman and her husband against reporting the incident to the police.

    This is the latest incident of rape horror that emerged in the state.

    Recently two incidents of young girls being raped and killed were reported in Haryana.

    Sexual attacks on women and girls in India put a question mark on their safety and efficiency of police force in the country.

    In December 2012, a medical student was fatally gang-raped in New Delhi. that incident brought spotlight on crimes against women in India.

    The incident saw huge protests and resulted in new anti-rape laws in the country. However, brutal sexual attacks against women continue to be reported across India.

    NAN

  • Katsina spends N2bn on drainage constructions – Commissioner

    Katsina spends N2bn on drainage constructions – Commissioner

    The Katsina State Government says it has spent N2 billion on the construction standard drainage systems in 10 towns across the state in 2017.

    The Commissioner of Environment, Alhaji Hamza Faskari, said this on Monday.

    “Standard drainage systems were constructed in flood-prone towns across the state.

    “The Katsina State Government executed the N2billion project to avert flood disasters in those areas.

    “The drainage systems were constructed in Funtua, Malumfashi, Dutsinma, Mani, Kankia, Musawa, Matazu, Mai’adua and Daura Local Government Areas.

    Read also: Gunmen abduct teenage girl in Katsina

    “The government also constructed several drainage channels in the Katsina metropolis to avert flood in the state capital.

    “In Katsina city, the government also constructed drainage channels in some neighbourhoods such as Kofar Kaura, Kofar Kwaya, Gadar-Nayalli, Adeleke, Kofar Marusa and Kofar Sauri.

    “Another drainage construction project was executed in Kofar Saro, General Hospital, Yammawa and Kofar Sauri areas of the city,’’ he added.

    Faskari said that over N1.5 billion had been earmarked in the 2018 budget for the construction of drainage systems in the 34 local government areas of the state so as to check flooding in the state.

    He commended Gov. Aminu Masari for giving priority to environmental issues that were aimed at promoting the safety of the people’s lives and property.

    The commissioner called on the citizens of the state to support to the Masari-administration to enable them to enjoy more dividends of democracy

    Flood disasters have been an annual occurrence in Katsina State in the past, causing deaths and loss of property.

    NAN

  • Boroffice welcomes Oke, others to APC

    Boroffice welcomes Oke, others to APC

    Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District has applauded the return of the former legal adviser of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olusola Oke and his supporters to the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Ondo State.

    Oke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria ( SAN ), and a 2016 governorship candidate of Alliance for Democracy ( AD ), defected to APC on Thursday in Akure with his supporters.

    Boroffice commendation is contained in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr Kayode Fakuyi, on Friday in Akure.

    READ ALSO: I’m a loyal deputy, says Olusola

    “The senator is delighted to note that the laudable efforts of himself and other party leaders to woo politicians from other political parties to join the APC have started yielding positive results.

    “As a matter of fact, the wave of defection is currently blowing across Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Lagos States,” it read.

    The statement added that in the weeks ahead, APC would receive more political gladiators into its fold.

    It urged the defectors to quickly perfect their membership registration in order to join hands with party leaders to build a united and formidable party in the state.

    NAN

  • Rivers State: Court to rule Jan. 26 on bail for murder accused

    Rivers State: Court to rule Jan. 26 on bail for murder accused

    A High court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed Jan. 26 for ruling on a bail application by Ifeanyi Dike and two others,  standing trial for  alleged murder and conspiracy charges.

    Justice Enebeli Adolphus fixed the date on Tuesday.

    The other two accused are:  Ogochukwu Nnamiro  and Sgt. Johnbosco Okoroeze .

    Dike, the first accused, who is 23 year’s old  and an undergraduate of University of Port Harcourt ( UNIPORT ),  was alleged to have murdered an eight-year-old girl, Miss Chikamso Favour and removed her genitals in August 2017.

    Nnamiro, the second accused, was alleged to have been aware of the crime, but did not report to the police, while Sgt. Okoroeze, who is the third accused, was alleged to have aided Dike’s escape from State Criminal Investigation Department ( SCID ) where he was detained.

    Counsel to the Nnamiro and Okoroeze had applied to the court to grant his clients bail, while the first accused had at the opening of the  trial on Jan. 12  refused to take a plea.

    He jolted the court with some erratic behaviour,  shouting after the case was called.

    The court entered not-guilty plea for him, while his counsel, Mr Lizinna Ameegua urged the court to order Dike’s mental test to ensure that he was  okay.

    NAN

  • Pope Francis apologises for sexual abuse within catholic church

    Pope Francis apologises for sexual abuse within catholic church

    Pope Francis has apologised for cases of sexual abuse by clergy in the Catholic Church, saying he felt “pain and shame at the irreparable damage caused to children by some ministers of the church’’.

    “I am one with my brother bishops, for it is right to ask for forgiveness and make every effort to support the victims.

    “Although, we have committed ourselves to ensuring that such things do not happen again,’’ the pope said.

    He was speaking before Chilean dignitaries in Santiago de Chile.

    Earlier this week, the Vatican took over a Peru-based Catholic sect whose founder has been accused of sexual and psychological abuse.

    Meanwhile, in Chile during the pope’s visit on Monday, activists promised to protest every day of the visit over his 2015 appointment of a bishop accused of covering up for one of the country’s most notorious pedophiles.
    On Jan. 10, the Vatican said it had appointed a commissioner to oversee the lay Catholic movement Sodalitium of Christian Life.

    However, Peruvian prosecutors had announced they were seeking the arrest on charges of sexual, physical and psychological abuse, of the group’s founder, Luis Fernando Figari, and five other members.

    Meanwhile, the Pope had shown particular attention to the gravity of the information.

    The pontiff would return to the Vatican on Sunday.

    NAN

  • Sharapova finds her groove on Melbourne return

    Sharapova finds her groove on Melbourne return

    Maria Sharapova on Tuesday resumed her career at the Australian Open in bright sunshine with a performance that went some way to banishing those demons.

    The 30-year-old former champion returned a positive doping test after a quarter-final defeat by Serena Williams in 2016, resulting in a 15-month ban from the sport.

    Sharapova was in dominant mood as she beat Germany’s Tatjana Maria 6-1 6-4 on Margaret Court Arena.

    There would be tougher tests to come for the five-times Grand Slam champion.

    But the relish with which she pummelled 22 winners suggests that in her second Grand Slam event since returning from exile, she could do damage, despite not being seeded.

    Sharapova, who fell foul of the anti-doping regulations after failing to realise that heart drug meldonium had been added to the WADA prohibited list, attracted more unwanted headlines last week.

    That was when she was selected for the draw ceremony.

    That decision by tournament director Craig Tiley raised a few disapproving eyebrows.

    But there was plenty of support for the 2008 champion on Tuesday with regular shouts of “C‘mon Masha, we’ve missed you”.

    After ending fellow 30-year-old Maria’s dogged second-set resistance with an ace, Sharapova admitted she had “shivers” walking on to court.

    Later, when addressing the media, it was very much business as usual with Sharapova reluctant to talk about the past.

    Asked if her return to Melbourne had produced flashbacks to that fateful day two years ago, she said: “No. It’s not the way I look at things moving forward.”

    Sharapova struck the ball with venom in the first set in which the only blemish was dropping serve to give Maria a game.

    The second set threatened to get a little tricky as Sharapova was broken to love to trail 1-3.

    But a forehand winner gave her break point in the next game and she converted it when Maria went wide.

    Sharapova broke again at 3-3 as her opponent, actually ranked a place higher at 47, double-faulted and Sharapova moved into a 5-3 lead as Maria began to feel the strain.

    The German managed to prolong the contest for another game but Sharapova finished off the match in style.

    She belted a forehand winner at 30-30 and then aimed a searing first serve bang on the line.

    NAN

  • Court dissolves 10-year marriage over drunkenness, threat to life

    Court dissolves 10-year marriage over drunkenness, threat to life

    The Idi-Ogungun Customary Court at Agodi in Ibadan on Tuesday dissolved 10-year-old marriage between Opeyemi and her husband, Akeem Afolayan, over habitual drunkenness and threat to life.

    Chief Mukaila Balogun, the President of the court, held that the evidence of the plaintiff coupled with failure of the defendant to appear in court despite summons proved that the union with three kids was irreconcilable.

    “Absence of the defendant despite the fact that he acknowledged the receipt of the court summon on three occasions had further revealed that there was no more love between the parties,’’ he said.

    Balogun , therefore, dissolved the marriage and gave custody of the three children from the union to Opeyemi.

    He ordered Akeem to pay his ex-wife N9,000 as monthly upkeep allowance for the kids in addition to being responsible for their education and other welfare.

    Earlier, the plaintiff has said that Akeem was a drunkard who spent his daily income on alcohol without any consideration for the upkeep of his children.

    “There was a time he had health challenge as a result of his addiction to alcohol.

    “I borrowed money to pay his hospital bill, but he returned to alcohol intake after recovery.

    “Now, he threatens to kill me with cutlass whenever I beg him to stop consuming alcohol.

    “The court should dissolve the marriage to avoid untimely death because he is no longer with his right senses,’’ Opeyemi said.

    Akeem was not in court to defend all the allegations levelled against him by Opeyemi.

    NAN

  • LG retirees in C’ River demand payment of N9bn gratuity, pension arrears

    LG retirees in C’ River demand payment of N9bn gratuity, pension arrears

    Local government retirees in Cross River have vowed to occupy all government offices in the state if the State Government fails to pay them N9 billion arrears of gratuities and pension.

    Mr Bassey Okosin, state Chairman, Association of Local Government Pensioners who dropped the hint at news briefing on Tuesday in Calabar, said the debt had been owed for 11 years now.

    Okosin said the Gov. Ben Ayade-led administration had been given one month within which it must begin to pay the gratuity and pension arrears owed them from 2007 to 2018.

    She expressed displeasure over the neglect of local government retirees in the state and emphasised that they would embark on a protest on or after Feb. 16.

    “Our state governor has received one part of the bailout fund and two tranches of the Paris Club refund, yet, no single local government retirees has been paid.

    “We heard that the Federal Government had released the funds for the primary purpose of clearing all outstanding salaries, pensions and gratuities; why then are we not paid?

    “As of today, we have an average of 25 local government workers retiring from service monthly.

    “If we don’t receive this money under one month, the 5,600 pensioners in Cross River will occupy all relevant government offices until we are paid.

    “Some people who are retiring now can no longer be captured in the nominal roll because from what we heard, the list is filled up.

    “We are appealing to the state government to allocate some of the monies received to us.

    In addition, we want the state government to allocate 15 per cent of the monthly allocation from the federation account to retirees’’, he said.

    The chairman expressed regrets that they had been denied their entitlements, saying that they were told that the bailout and the Paris Club refunds did not cover local government pensioners.

    According to him, more than 600 local government pensioners’ names that were omitted during the 2016 personal audit were still outstanding.

    “We have exhausted all known means of reaching out to the relevant arms of government without result.

    “We have taken a decision to pack our loads and live in all the offices that are responsible for the payment of these entitlements until further notice.

    “This is not a threat but what is likely to happen in the next one month.

    “All our members have mobilised themselves from all the 18 local government areas of the state for this exercise’’, he said.

    NAN