The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • Osinbajo inaugurates committee to recover N5tr AMCON debts

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday inaugurated an inter-agency committee to recover the N5 trillion debts owed the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, disclosed this on Tuesday.

    The statement said that members of the committee include heads and representatives of agencies such as AMCON; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit; the ICPC; Central Bank of Nigeria; Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation; and the Federal Ministry of Justice.

    Read Also: I didn’t owe AMCON N569m, says Duke

    “One of the terms of reference is for the committee to prepare a report, giving us a sense of what the timelines will be” Osinbajo was quoted to have said.

    The statement added that “about 67 per cent of the outstanding N5 trillion debt is said to be owed by just 20 individuals/entities.”

  • Dickson to PDP leaders: stop issuing unauthorized statements

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has warned leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against unauthorized use of his name as Chairman of the party’s Governors Forum to issue statements.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Fidelis Soriwei, condemned in strong terms unacceptable conduct of using his name without seeking his clarifications and consent to make comments on national issues.

    Dickson said that while he was reputed for making comments on sensitive national issues, it was odd and criminal for any person or group of persons to make attributions to him in statements he did not authorize.

    While warning persons behind the deplorable act to desist forthwith, he stressed that it was the conventional standard for him to be consulted on all statements to avoid misrepresentation.

    Read Also: Bayelsa guber: I’m not a stooge — PDP candidate

    The governor directed that every statement from the forum must be personally authorized by him.

    He said: “It has come to my attention that some members of the People’s Democratic Party are using my name to issue statements without seeking my consent and approval especially on issues involving the PDP Governors Forum.

    “Everyone knows that I am capable of taking positions on national issues. Cowards should not hide under my name and that of the forum to make statements. I have always made statements on issues that I am passionate about without any fear.

    “I condemn in very strong terms any tendency to willfully use my name to issue statement without my consent. It is reprehensible, condemnable and must stop forthwith.

    “Henceforth all statements emanating from the PDP Governors Forum must be authorized personally by me.”

  • Son stabs 80-year-old father to death in Kano

    An 80 years old man, Malam Ibrahim Salihu who was severally stabbed by his 35 years old son, Habibu Ibrahim of Asada Village in Doguwa Local Government Area in Kano state has finally given up the ghost.

    However, the Police on Tuesday said they have arrested Habibu who ran away into hiding, minutes after killing his own father.

    The spokesman of Kano state Police Command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said one of the brothers of the suspect, Yahaya Ibrahim reported at the Asada Doguwa Police station on September 15, 2019, that his younger brother Habibu had stabbed their father in the stomach unprovoked at about 1:30 a.m.

    He added that “upon the receipt of the complaint, Officers at the station quickly mobilized and rushed the victim to Doguwa General Hospital to be resuscitated but later passed away in the hospital at about 6:30 am of that same day while receiving treatment.”

    The police spokesman said a post mortem examination was conducted in the deceased body and was later released to the family for burial in accordance to Islamic rites.

    “Preliminary findings revealed that the suspect is a drug addict and carried out the heinous crime under the influence of hard drugs.

    “The suspect’s relatives made us know that Habibu has been abusing drugs and that has been an issue which consequently led to the death of their father,” he added.

    He said, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Iliyasu has directed that the suspect who already is in custody be transferred to the State Investigation and Intelligence Department (SIID) for a more discreet investigation as soon as Doctor’s report is obtained.

  • UPDATED: South Africa grants landing permit to Air Peace — Mission

    South African authorities have granted landing permit to Air Peace Flight B777 to enable it to evacuate some 320 Nigerians escaping from xenophobia in that country, a Nigerian consular officer has confirmed.

    Nigeria’s Consul- General in Johannesburg, Mr Godwin Adama, made the confirmation in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

    Adama spoke against the background of a complaint by the Managing Director of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema.

    Onyema had said that the refusal of South Africa to grant the permit made it impossible for the flight to leave Lagos at 1a.m. for Johannesburg to convey the second batch of returnees.

    But Adama said the permit had been granted the airline and that the flight would be late in the night of Tuesday.

    Adama said, “They want Nigerians to arrive during the week, they are taking-off from here midnight.

    “I do not know the exact time but they will be leaving (South Africa) midnight.

    “I do not know why they were denied the landing permit. I think it is an airline operational issue. They did not get it yesterday but they told me that it came late yesterday (Monday).

    Read Also: Xenophobia: 320 Nigerians to return from South Africa on Tuesday – Mission

    “It was weekend and they were going to get it this morning; the airline did not tell me it was deliberate, but they explained to me that they have gotten it.

    “Our manifest arrived last night towards the close of work and they were to take-off 1a.m. Nigerian time yesterday (Monday) but they did not because it was late.

    “I have gotten it now so they will be able to make me know the time of their arrival here so that we can know when to take-off.”

    Adama said buses provided to convey Nigerians wanting to return home were still at the mission premises and everyone was there.

    “We are still really working on the number (320) to see how we can fill up the airline capacity with anyone that is readily available.

    “We have more than enough, we are even trying to ensure that the aircraft is filled up that is why we are readily taking people who are on ground now.

    “We have more than enough to fill the aircraft, the delay has also helped us because as we call names to board we see some people cleared at the last minute.

    “The truth is they are people who have not been cleared, those who are ready to go are all here and we are trying to queue them up.

    “We may not even be able to take all of them who are hopeful,” he added.

    Adama said that the next batch of evacuation would be based on the Federal Government’s directives. (NAN)

  • Police recruitment crisis: Buhari wades into IGP, PSC Boss rift

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday waded into the crisis rocking the recruitment of 10,000 police constable.

    There have been disagreement between the Nigeria Police Force, and the Police Service Commission (PSC) over the supervision of the recruitment process.

    Read Also; Air Force to battle banditry in Niger

    Briefing State House correspondents after submitting 2018 Annual Report of the PSC, the Chairman, Musiliu Smith said the disagreement on the recruitment was discussed at the meeting with President Buhari on Tuesday.

    Asked if the disagreement was discussed at the meeting, he simply said “Yes it was. We took the opportunity to brief Mr President and I’m sure his lieutenants are taking care of it.”

  • Xenophobia: S/African authorities again frustrate evacuation of second batch of Nigerians

    The evacuation of the second batch of Nigerians from South Africa owing to ongoing xenophobic attacks, suffered an interruption on Tuesday following the delay in granting landing permit to Air Peace.

    The airline has volunteered to evacuate Nigerians willing to return to the country following the recent violence against foreigners in the southern African country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the airline in collaboration with the Federal Government had on Sept. 11 evacuated the first batch of 187 Nigerians from South Africa.

    There was a plan for the airline to evacuate another batch of 320 Nigerians who had indicated interest to return home, with the flight expected to arrive in Lagos at 7.00p.m on Tuesday.

    However, Mr Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, told newsmen in Lagos that the airline’s B777 aircraft deployed for the operation was still on standby at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

    According to him, the aircraft is supposed to have departed Lagos at 1.00 am, but was denied landing permit by the South African authorities.

    “We did not take off at 1:00am as scheduled because South African authorities are yet to give us landing permit.

    Read Also: Xenophobia: 320 Nigerians to return from South Africa on Tuesday – Mission

    “We are hopeful that they will give us the permit. Our crew waited till 3:00 am, but when the permit did not come, they went back to the hotel.

    “Once we get the permit we will set off to South Africa. We don’t want to speculate but we are hopeful they will give the permit,”Onyema said.

    NAN reports that the South African authorities had on Sept. 11 also prevented some Nigerians from leaving the country, by insisting on a fresh profiling exercise in spite of the one earlier conducted by the Nigerian High Commission.

    The situation led to several hours of delay before 187 of the more than 300 Nigerians were successfully evacuated.

    (NAN)

  • Over N5m lost as 16 cows died in auto crash

    Over Five Million naira was lost on Tuesday morning when Sixteen cows died in Mosolashi bus stop along Lagos Abeokuta express road.

    The accident happened around 6:30am while a long commercial bus popularly called ‘molue” fully loaded with passengers and the lorry fully loaded with 32 cows collided.

    The bus was heading to Oshodi area of Lagos State, while the Lorry to Abatior when the accident happened.

    The Nation gathered that the drivers of both vehicles were trying to avoid a deep pothole on Mosolashi bus stop when the accident happened, leaving the area littered and in traffic for some hours.

    The lorry carrying the cows was said to have partially hit the commercial bus when it entered the pot hole but fell on its other side while trying to move out of the pothole to prevent further pressing on the bus.

    A security official said the accident happened around 6:30 am.

    He said the truck carried cows from Shaki in Oyo State and was heading to Abatior in Ogun state.

    Read Also: Son stabs 80-year-old father to death in Kano

    “There is a big pot hole here in Mosolashi bus stop. The lorry carrying the cows first partially hit the bus breaking some of its glass, all the passengers ran out of the bus and there was no loss of life. It was while the lorry driver was trying to prevent further falling on the bus and was trying to move out of the pot hole that it fell and 16 of the cows died on the spot. The lorry driver fled the scene and was nowhere to be found.”

    He said the people from Abatior came to pack the remaining cows that were alive, saying the dead ones were dashed out.

    He said both officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Response Unit of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the police from Alagbado joined hands to clear the environment, saying normality was restored to the area around 1pm.

    The owner of the lorry, Sulaimon Olarenwaju, said the 16 cows that died is worth over N5m.

    “The lorry is mine, it was coming from Shaki in Oyo State where the cows were loaded and was heading to Abatior in Lagos where the buyers had already paid for the cows. Mine was to collect the money for transportation but as it is now, I don’t know if I will be paid.”

    He said the cows belong to those in Abatior, adding they came to the scene to carry the remaining cows alive.

    He lamented as of press time that the police who towed his Lorry to the Alagnado station was yet to release it to him, saying he does not know what to do.

    “It was not as if the Lorry driver intentionally caused the accident, the pothole caused it, I dont know why my Lorry is not released, they should please release my lorry and not ask me to pay for it.”

    An eye witness said the lorry hit the passenger bus and fell while they were both trying to prevent deep potholes in the area.

    He said the passenger bus was safe, noting that nobody died and nobody was injured.

  • BREAKING: Delay in landing rights approval shifts evacuation of Nigerians

    The second batch of 320 Nigerians billed to arrive Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Tuesday from South Africa has been moved to Wednesday following a delay in securing landing permit from South African aviation authorities for Air Peace.

    Chairman of the airline, Allen Onyema disclosed this in a telephone interview.

    Onyema said following the late approval for landing rights the Boeing 777-300 will now depart Lagos for Johanesbourg midnight to arrive with the second of 320 Nigerians by noon Wednesday.

    He said the airline was committed to the project to ensure it follows laid down procedures as set by South African authorities.

    Read Also: Xenophobia: S. African authorities again frustrate evacuation of second batch of Nigerians

    He told The Nation in a telephone interview:” Air Peace less than an hour ago just secured landing rights permit from South African aviation authorities. Our aircraft will now depart by midnight today ( Tuesday ) to evacuate Nigerians already cleared to return. The whole idea is to ensure the returnees arrive here during the day for enhanced logistics. Bringing in middle of the night may not be very convenient, that is why we moved it to Wednesday. ”
    Scores of journalists, security agencies and others waiting at the airport had mobilized for the operations.

  • JUST IN: Buhari re-appoints Adeyemi, Adeleye Special Assistants

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the re-appointment of Mr Segun Adeyemi and Mr Williams Adeleye as his Special Assistants (Media) attached to the Office of the Minister of Information and Culture.

    Mr Joe Mutah, the Chief Press Secretary to information and culture minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He said the re-appointment letters of the two SSAs, which were signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, stated that their appointment took effect from Sept., 6 2019.

    Adeyemi and Adeleye served in the same capacity between November 2015 and May 2019.

     

  • Iran’s Supreme Leader rejects talk with U.S.

    Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on Tuesday, said that Iranian officials had unanimously ruled out talks with the U.S.A at any level.

    Khamenei was quoted by his official website as saying that“Through negotiations, the Americans are seeking to impose their demands on Iran and prove the effectiveness of maximum pressure campaign.’’

    He said Washington’s maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian nation had failed to achieve its goals.

    According to him, talks with the U.S. will only be possible within the framework of P5+1 group consisting of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

    Khamenei said Washington should return to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal that it abandoned in 2018, if the U.S. wants any talk.

    Read Also: U.S. to groom 15m women entrepreneurs in Nigeria, others

    “Otherwise, no talks at any level will be held between Iranian and American officials, neither in New York nor in other places.’’

    Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday also ruled out the likelihood of any meeting between the Iranian and U.S. presidents in the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

    U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in May 2018 under the pretext that the deal was not comprehensive.

    Subsequently, the U.S. administration launched a “maximum pressure campaign’’ and reinstated sanctions on Iran’s economy, mainly on Iran’s oil exports.