The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria

  • 19 expectant women freed at baby factory

    Barely a week after a-week-old baby was recovered from an illegal trade syndicate in Isheri-Osun, a Lagos suburb, the police have rescued 19 pregnant women at another baby factory.

    The victims between ages 15 and 28 were said to have been kept at four different locations in Isheri-Osun and Ikotun where their babies were taken away from them and sold for N300,000 or N500,000 depending on the sex.

    Four kids were also rescued in the operation led by Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Chike Ibe, a Chief Superintendent (CSP).

    The Nation reports that policemen and officials of the Ministry of Youths and Social Development last year stormed another baby factory at Igando and rescued malnourished children, pregnant women at the facility that also ran an alleged illegal creche.

    While some of the expectant mothers knew their babies would be sold, others were brought to Lagos with promises of jobs only to be turned to baby-making factories.

    It was gathered that some of the victims were abducted from their home states and brought to the locations where men allegedly took advantage of them.

    Those who said they accepted to sell their children to the syndicate claimed they were not offered the money promised, it was gathered.

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    He said the victims were brought from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo states.

    According to police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), detectives on a tip-off at about 4pm on September 19, stormed 14, Adisa Street, Ayanwale in Ikotun, 32 Owosho Street, Governor Road, Ikotun, 29, Olugbeyohun Street,  Olakunle Bus Stop Abaranje and 4/6 Anomo Street, Abaranje.

    He said the places were suspected to  have been used for child trafficking, adding that two suspects Happiness Ukwuoma, 40, and Sherifat Ipeya, 54, were arrested in connection with the case.

    “The suspects did not receive formal medical training but operate as nurses. The suspects are from Imo and Lagos states. The command has launched a manhunt of the principal suspect Madam Oluchi from Mbano in Imo State.

    •Oluchi, a principal suspect ‘on the run’

    “She is a mother of five. The young women were mostly abducted by the suspects for the purpose of getting them pregnant and selling the babies to potential buyers. The girls were tricked with employment as domestic staff in Lagos. The suspects sold boys N500,000 and girls N300,000.

    “The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu, has visited the scene and ordered the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) to take over the case.

    “The command is working with other agencies and stakeholders in rehabilitating and resettling the pregnant girls and the babies. Investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be charged to court,” he said.

  • Army arrests suspected insurgents’ logistics supplier

    The Nigerian Army on Sunday arrested a suspected Boko Haram insurgents’ logistic supplier and seized a car stacked with motorcycle used tyres in Borno State.

    The Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Brig.-Gen. A.K. Ibrahim, made the disclosure while parading the suspect at the Gubio Super Camp in Maiduguri.

    He said the suspect, Samuel Chukwudon, was arrested on September 27 by a joint team of troops of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) and personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), while travelling along Baga-Monguno Road.

    Ibrahim said the troops seized items which included a car, 136 used motorcycle tyres, 200 new tubes and a number of rubber gum.

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    “The arrest is based on the subsisting ban on motorcycle in the theatre of operation due to the security challenges.

    “We know that the insurgents use motorcycles in their operations; nobody is allowed to ride motorcycle, the suspect is arrested with the banned items heading toward Lake Chad basin.

    “Boko Haram insurgents are around the area and we felt that something was fishy. He made attempts to bribe our men at the time of the arrest and during interrogation,” he said.

    The officer said that the seized car and items would be destroyed and warned people against trading in motorcycles and motorcycle spare parts.

    The suspect told reporters that he sells used motorcycle tyres to cart pushers such as water vendors and firewood sellers in Monguno.

    “I’ve lived in Monguno since 1990. I have a shop and everybody in the town knows me. I engaged in the used tyres trade because they told us not to sell new tyres,” he said.

  • Two Nigerien nabbed with pistols

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has intercepted two Nigerien with pistols, computers and phones at the Kongolam border in Katsina State.

    NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr Sunday James said in a statement in Abuja at the weekend that the men were nabbed following the swift operation of NIS border operatives.

    “This action by the operatives was after the visit by the Comptroller-General, NIS Muhammad Babandede and his Customs counterpart, Col. Hammeed Ali (rtd), to assess the level of cooperation, synergy and successes so far recorded.”

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    James further said the two Nigerien had attempted to open fire in defiance and to evade arrest.

    “The gallant operatives overpowered them leaving one dead and the other who survived is helping with useful information about their activities.

    “After due interrogation and profiling, the surviving criminal has been handed over to the police for further necessary action.”

    He advised the border communities to desist from conniving and sabotaging government efforts at ensuring safer borders.

  • Dangote extends promo by four weeks

    Management of Dangote Cement at the weekend extended its sales promo by additional four weeks.

    The company said its customers have more than 20 cars and other fabulous prizes to win and that they must win all the gifts before the promo is concluded.

    Dangote Cement’s Group Managing Director (GMD) Joseph Makoju, who spoke while presenting another car in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, said: “We are excited to inform you that we have decided to extend the ongoing National Consumer Promotion, tagged: Dangote Bag of Goodies.”

    The GMD said while the promotion will now end on October 15, customers still have till October 31 to redeem their prizes.

    “Based on the above dates, packaging of cement in the special promo bags with scratch card insertion will continue till October 15 while lucky consumers will be able to continue redeeming their prizes up until October 31.”

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    Also, hundreds of pedestrians, motorists and motorcycle operators took turn to catch a glimpse of the presentation of prizes in Lokoja.

    The car winner, Mr. Abubakar Musa, 33, a block moulder, said he was in shock, even after getting the keys to his new car.

    Narrating how he won the car, Musa said “…When I removed the winning card from the bag of cement, I ran to my wife who told me that the promo had since ended. But when I brought it to the Dangote office here (in Lokoja), they confirmed that it was ongoing and that I had won a car.”

    He added: “I still cannot come to terms that I have won a car. I believe it is God’s doing. Dangote is godsend to my family.”

    Makoju said the company was making a point by rewarding its loyal customers.

    The GMD described the promo as a success, urging Nigerians to key into it as the winning cards were in over 72 million promotional bags of Dangote cement.

    He said Dangote was not only leading in the cement sector but was also leading in quality.

    Makoju said it is the only cement company in Nigeria that uses automatic robotic engineering to deliver quality to end-users.

    Describing Kogi State as the heart of Dangote Cement, the GMD noted that Obajana Cement plant in Kogi is one of the largest cement plants in the world.

    The company’s National Sales Director Adeyemi Fajobi said over 21 million winners of various items were expected at the end of the promotion.

    According to him, millions of naira will be won during the promo.

    Dangote Cement Marketing Director, Mrs. Funmi Sanni, urged the people to continue to buy the company’s cement because “there are various prizes for a whopping 21 million Dangote Cement buyers”.

    The figure, she said, was about 10 per cent of Nigeria’s population.

    Mrs Sanni added that lucky Dangote Cement consumers across the country would win 43 cars, 24 tricycles, 24 motorcycles, 550 refrigerators, 400 television sets, 300,000 Dangote foods goodies packs and recharge cards for all networks worth N200,000,000.00.

  • Council chair extols teaching

    Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Authority (LCDA) Adejare Omiyale has extolled teaching, describing it as the most impactful.

    He, however, lamented that the profession was without the corresponding rewards.

    Omiyale spoke during the distribution of free customised exercise books and scientific mathematical sets to pupils in 30 public primary schools in the council.

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    He lamented that many children withdrew from school because they could not afford writing materials. He, therefore, urged the pupils to reciprocate the gesture by being more studious.

    The chairman also thanked the people for the appointment of Wahab Olawiye-King as SUBEB chairman, as well as Bayo Adefuye and Isreal as board members.

    He said: “Illiteracy is a disease, only education can cure it. We have made the military school more attractive and inviting within a short time. Let me apologise to teachers and pupils in schools that are still dilapidated, such as St. Agnes primary school’ reconstruction work will start before the end of the year. Olimo primary school will be completed soon, it has 18 classrooms, two floors, several toilets with teachers’ offices.”

  • Sylva to Niger Delta: allow peace for investment

    Minister of State for Petroleum Timipre Sylva has urged Niger Delta communities to allow peace for investment to thrive.

    Sylva and the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mele Kyari spoke  when they visited host communities and facilities of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 25 at Kula in Asari-Toru Local Government of Rivers State.

    A statement by NNPC’s Acting Group General Manager of Group Public Affairs Samson Makoji said the visit followed the peace brokered by both men on the disputed mining lease between Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Belema Oil.

    Sylva noted that for investments to thrive in Niger Delta, the people should live in peace with firms operating in their land.

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    He said: “We need unity in our land today. We have fought to this point and the Federal Government has started looking our way. It is time for us to change strategy and ensure that we bring the benefits of investments to our communities. If we don’t make our communities peaceful, investments cannot come. The investors are ready to come here, unfortunately in some cases there is no peace.”

    Kyari said the NNPC had the mandate to work with stakeholders towards peace in oil-producing communities.

    “Our immediate priority is the restoration of peace to the host communities, not just to restore production. This is because once peace comes, oil production (which is about 35,000 barrels per day here) will ultimately return.

    “What we have done today is to ensure that normal life returns to this community so that after two years of dispute, we would have found a lasting solution which would enable people return to their work, jobs will be created and the social services that ought to come with these activities will be restored,” Kyari stated.

    King Kroma Eleki, who spoke for traditional rulers in Kula, hailed the peace deal and said they would work with the government to bring development to the people.

    President-General of Kula Youth Ekine Japus lauded the Federal Government’s peace overtures through the minister and NNPC.

    Highlights of the occasion include opening of the NNPC/Belema JV Potable Water, and groundbreaking of the 85km Kula-Degema-Port Harcourt Expressway.

  • New automotive bill underway Says Adebayo

    The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo has said a new automotive policy bill is underway.

    He spoke at the fifth edition of the Presidential Policy Dialogue organised by the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

    According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari declined assent to the previous bill because it was not well received hence the need for a new bill.

    Read Also: Senate to pass Petroleum Industry Bill in 2020

    He said: “We are already working towards having a new bill. We have decided to start afresh and get it right this time. The last one was not done right; we will engage all stakeholders in the formulation process of the bill.

    “In the next couple of weeks, I will be visiting all the assembly plants and hold a meeting with the owners. They are the people that will implement whatever policy we come up with. The government is desirous to see to that cars can be gotten by citizens at affordable price; that is where we are at the moment.

    “Our role as a government is to set policy direction and ensure it is clear and consistent, as well as provide enabling environment for the private sector which is the engine room for growth of the economy.  Relevant government agencies are in continuous process of implementing initiatives and policies that address key areas of concern.”

  • Govt reunites victims of Kaduna Rigasa ‘Islamic Centre’ with families

    As Kaduna State Government on Sunday commenced reuniting the over 300 rescued inmates of the embattled Rigasa ‘Islamic Centre’ with their families, the legal team of the centre has defended its activities.

    The state government had on Saturday taken custody of the over 300 rescued inmates of the centre from the Kaduna State Police Command.

    As at Suday, the Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajia Hafsat Baba, said 140 of the over 300 victims have already been re-united with their families.

    She said the victims, including 77 children and 113 adults were taken to a secured facility for proper profiling before uniting them with their families.

    Read Also: Kaduna Islamic School has no operational license – Police

    Baba said: “Initially, after they were rescued, they were brought to Ranchers Bees Stadium where they stayed overnight and given food by the state government.

    “On Friday, they were relocated to the Hajj Camp. And that was when we did the head count to find out and separate the children from the adults. We were able to get 190 on ground.

    “Seventy-seven of them are children, the youngest being the age of six. There are some that are seven, eight, nine and 10. We also have adults as old as 30 and even up to 50. We have 113 adults as at Friday.

    “On that same Friday, there were about 15 children that were really sick. We had to take them to the hospital. About three of the adults were on admission where they are being taken care of.”

    She, however, commended officials of the Nigeria Police, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and media practitioners for the various roles they played in the exercise.

    The Legal Adviser, of the supposed Rehabilitation Centre, Sani Katu said, the Kaduna State government and the police have not done well by raiding the centre.

    The lawyer said the development was a big loss to Kaduna State government, Nigeria and neighboring African nations.

    According to him, the centre which started in year 2000 and duly registered with the state, has been a molder of society and should be commended instead.

    He said they will cooperate with security personnel on investigation, but the legal team will also give the centre every cover to prove that it intentions are pure.

  • Enugu gets 82 new Special Marshals

    The Enugu command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has inaugurated 82 Special Marshals as part of the initiatives to boost the performance of the corps in the state.

    Speaking at the inauguration and kitting of the special marshals, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi urged them to be disciplined and educate motorists on the benefits of obeying traffic rules and regulations.

    Ugwuanyi, represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Chief Uwakwe Azikiwe, also urged them to discharge their voluntary assignment with dignity and human face.

    He said, “I must congratulate you for passing the rigours of the training and bringing yourself out to serve your community and humanity.

    “Involving people in government programmes helps to drive the ideals and mandates of such programmes closer and buyable by the people and I hope you will sell all the positive attributes FRSC stands for to our people”.

    The Sector Commander, Mr Ogbonnaya Kalu, charged them to strengthen FRSC activities at every level they found themselves.

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    Kalu hoped that FRSC activities would become more visible on the roads and primary and secondary schools in the state through the activities of the new special marshals.

    “You must discharge your duties with human face, humility, courteousness and fairness to all. “As special marshals, insurance covers you as you discharge this national duty,” he said.

    Also, the state Coordinator of Special Marshals, Chief Lawrence Ologun, said that the group comprised specialists and intellectuals, who came forward to spend their time, money and commitment to help and serve humanity.

    “Their participation in our patrols and traffic controls for the past two weeks proved that they are all ready and able to discharge their duty perfectly and in accordance with FRSC corporate goals, rules and objectives.

    Mr Crowther Amaechi, who spoke on behalf of the new special marshals, gave assurance that they would carry out their duty with a sense of responsibility and discipline.

    “We are committed to serve humanity and the state by contributing to ensure the safety of all and uplift the work and mandate of FRSC anywhere we are,” Amaechi said.

  • Onitsha set for Ofala festival

    The Onitsha Kingdom in Southeast Nigeria is agog with excitement as the commercial town awaits the Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe, to flag off the activities of 2019 edition of the annual Ofala festival.

    Globacom is the major corporate sponsor of the event, and has been doing so for the past eight years, a phenomenon that has helped to upscale the festival to a world class tourism event.

    The  main  Ofala features a  display  of royal dances, tributes, parades and music running  over two days commencing on  October 11 till 12. However, the activities of the festival has now been increased to include other events, to make it 10 days of unstoppable fun and entertainment for both visitors and residents.

    A joint statement by the Ofala Steering Committee and Globacom, explained that the 2019 Ofala events will now include the Onitsha City Marathon, organised by the Onitsha Business School. The 21-kilometre road race has been  approved by both the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

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    This takes place on Saturday, October 5 and  renowned international marathoners, particularly from countries with road racing records like Kenya, Ethiopia, Ugandan and  Diaspora Nigerian elite athletes, have registered for the event.

    The marathon will be followed by the Oreze Arts  VII, a group art exhibition promoted by His Majesty’s Chimedie Museum Trust Foundation and supported by the National Gallery of Art. The works of  250 artists  from various parts of the world are planned to be on display  at the show, which will run from October 9 to  October 13.  Frank Ugiomoh, Professor of Art History and Theory, Department of Fine Art and Design, University of Port Harcourt, will be the special guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the art exhibition.  A panel discussion  on the ‘Role of Art in Community Enlightenment, Cohesion and Development’ will form part of the exhibition.

    Panel lists include Tayo Adenaike, Obiora Anidi, and Nneka Odoh. Others are art collector Hakeem Adedeji, and art curator Iheanyi Onwuegbucha.

    About 2000 persons are expected to participate in the Ofala Youth Carnival, which is scheduled for Thursday, October10. Now in its seventh year, the carnival holds under the auspices of the Onitsha Ado Youth Council and showcases the rich cultural heritage of Onitsha.

    The activities will be rounded off with a Royal Banquet, organised by Globacom in honour of the Obi of Onitsha. The banquet will be held at the Dolly Hills Hotel, Onitsha, on Monday, October 14.