The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian news

  • Industrial Court President lauds Obaseki on investment in judiciary

    President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Babatunde Adejumo, has lauded the commitment of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration towards ensuring that the judicial arm of government is given the necessary support to function effectively.

    Justice Adejumo gave the commendation on Tuesday in Benin City, during the commissioning of the Benin Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, constructed by the Edo State Government.

    According to him, the establishment and commissioning of the Industrial Court in Edo State will promote industrial harmony in the state as well as provide succour for lawyers who used to travel to Akure to attend to cases from Edo State.

    Adejumo noted that the court will also encourage social development of the state through the promotion of peace and progress, and in the country at large.

    “The facility is great and the building is good. This is the product of cooperation and I thank the governor for this,” he said.

    Read Also: ‘Obaseki has mismanaged Edo Assembly crisis’

    The Industrial Court President explained that the Court was established in 1976 and his coming on board 16 years ago, led to its spread in Nigeria as Edo State is the 28th state where the court has been established.

    In his response, Governor Obaseki said: “This is the first in the series where we will be handing over properties to the Judiciary as we have several of them undergoing construction in the state.”

    The governor thanked the President of the National Industrial Court for honouring the state with his presence at the commissioning ceremony, assuring that his administration has already provided an accommodation for Hon. Justice Abiola Adewemimo, who will be the first resident Judge of the National Industrial Court in Benin City.

    He said: “We are investing in our Judiciary as we have started the first in the series of accommodation for Judges in the state and we will not discriminate as we will ensure a comfortable accommodation for them. Our plan next year is to develop an estate for Judges in the GRA area of Edo State.

    “This is just a temporary Court as the Court will be relocated to a permanent site within the next three years. We have secured the property and we have actually completed a design for the permanent structure.

    “As a government, we want to ensure we have the full complement of the Judiciary in the state and we are doing everything to provide what is required to make the Judiciary function effectively and efficiently in Edo State.

    “We are going to be emphasising and strengthening our Magistracy, investing in our High Court and are pleased that we have successfully been able to attract the Industrial Court to Edo State as we work to relocate the Court of Appeal to a more auspicious premises and hope if possible to have a Supreme Court in Edo State.”

    Obaseki noted that the aspiration of his administration is to be the industrial hub of Nigeria as the state is working hard to ensure that before the end of the year the state government will commence the construction of 1,000 hectares of Industrial Park in the state, adding that it will be the bastion for attracting companies and organisations to the state.

    The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, said the construction of the Court in Edo State has provided one instance of the positive attitude of Governor Obaseki towards all matters pertaining to the administration of justice and to the rule of law in the state.

    The Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esohe Ikponmwen, who expressed delight at the achievement, said it is a great development for the state.

    She thanked the Governor for the achievement and expressed confidence that the Court will contribute to industrial harmony in the state.

    The Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Edo State branch, Prince (Barr.) Collins Benson Ogiegbaen, expressed the gratitude of the Bar of Edo and Delta states to the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki for realising the dreams of most lawyers in both states who were exposed to kidnapping and hardship on the Akure Road, as it was one of the most dangerous roads in Nigeria. “The entire Bar in Edo and Delta State are grateful to the exemplary leadership style of Governor of Edo State,” he said.

  • PHOTOS: Mohammed-Bande takes over as UNGA president

    Ambassador Tijjani Mohammed-Bande on Tuesday took over as President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

    Immediate-past President of the73rd General Assembly, Ms Maria Espinosa, handing over the gavel over to her successor and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb.Tijani Muhammad-Bande, at the UN Headquarters in New York on Monday. With them are: UN Secretary-GeneralAntonio Guterres and other UN officials
    President of the 74th Session of the UNGeneral Assembly, Amb. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande (M), Former INEC Chairman, Prof.Attahiru Jega (2nd L); Senior Special Assistant to the President onMedia and Publicity, Malam  Garba Shehu(3rd R), and other dignitaries at the  handing over to the 74th  President of UNGA at the UN Headquarters inNew York on Monday
    From left: Wife of the President of the 74th UN General Assembly,  Aishatu Muhammad-Bande;; President of the 74th session of UNGA Amb Tijjani Muhammad-Bande and the first secretary, Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy Sea to the UN; Msgr. David Charters during a Church service to usher in the 74thsession of the Assembly at the Church of Holy Family, UN Parish, in New York on Monday.

    From left: UN Deputy Secretary-General,Ms Amina Mohammed; immediate-past President of the 73rd General Assembly, MsMaria Espinosa; Wife of the President of the 74th UN General Assembly,  Aishatu Muhammad-Bande; President of the 74thsession of the UN General Assembly, Amb. Tijani Muhammad-Bande and UNSecretary-General Antonio Guterres during a Church service to usher in the 74thsession of the Assembly at the Church of Holy Family, UN Parish, in New York on Monday.

  • BBNaija: Cindy, Frodd, Mercy, Diane up for fake eviction

    Housemates Mercy, Frodd, Diane and Cindy have been out up for fake eviction.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, unknown to the housemates, there will be no eviction this week, making their nominations invalid.

    The ten remaining housemates were called into the diary room for the usual nomination process, with each of them nominating two housemates each.

    Ike nominated Frodd and Cindy, who nominated Diane and Ike. Omashola nominated Mercy and Diane, who nominated Mike and Omashola.

    Mike nominated Diane and Mercy while Tacha nominated Cindy and Mike, Seyi nominated Ike and Mercy while Frodd nominated Cindy and Mercy.

    Read Also: BBNaija: ‘I felt so much peace around Gedoni’ – Khafi

    On her part, Mercy nominated Frodd and Omashola, and Elozonam nominated Frodd and Tacha.

    While the nominations were rolled out, Frodd seemed upset to have been nominated again. On the flip side, Tacha was relieved to escape nomination.

    NAN reports that the fake eviction tension was further fueled by the lack of a Veto power of chance holder for a save and replace.

    For the remaining part of the week, housemates will pick photographs from a red box. The housemate with a complete picture would hold the ultimate veto power.

  • LASTMA’s extortion responsible for my fiance’s death, says Uber driver

    A Uber driver in Lagos State, Matthew Ozomarisi, has claimed that the extortion he experienced in the hands of the officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Monday led to the death of his fiance, Sumbo Kehinde, a petty trader.

    Ozomarisi, told The Nation that Kehinde was down with appendix and on the hospital bed at Epe general hospital but died on Monday afternoon while he was in the office of the LASTMA officials in Iporin negotiating payment for the offence he did not commit.

    He claimed that he was meant to use the car he was driving to get passengers and make money to foot the medical bill for Kehinde’s operation on Monday but his plans of geeting the money raised was truncated by LASTMA officials.

    He said; “I am an Uber driver and I have been doing the business for over a year but could not further for about seven months because I was robbed somewhere in Oshodi about seven months ago when a rider who ordered  the vehicle I was using for the business robbed me in Oshodi along five other guys and took the vehicle away.

    Due to this, the owner of the vehicle got me arrested and I was in Ikoti prison for seven months.

    “I was released about two weeks ago and I discovered my fiance was sick. I took her to the general hospital in Epe, but I was told on Saturday that she had appendix, it was drued and about to burst. I had no money or source of income to foot the Bills. It was on Monday that I told a friend working with Taxify to let me use his car for business with the hope I’ll be able to raise the medical bill.

    But while I was on my way to the Taxify office in Surulere to do the necessary things to enable me use the vehicle for business a whole lot happened.

    Read Also: 34 LASTMA officials dismissed for extortion

    “While I was on Ijora bridge, I heard two loud sound and noticed my two tyres had busted. I managed to drive further a bit, parked the car and went back to where I heard the sounds, I saw wood with nails indicating that the hoodlums in the area threw the wood to set a trap for their victim. Then I saw two of the hoodlums coming and told them if they were coming to rob me, we will both kill ourselves else they were coming to help me. They went back and shortly after LASTMA officials came in their vehicle to me and one of the hoodlums was in the opposite direction coming too. Seeing the LASTMA official, I was happy, they offered to tow the car for me to Custain and I thanked them but on driving on, they towed the car to their office in Iporin and said I should bring N20,000. I said I did nothing and why the fine. I begged them that I have no money and my fiance was on the sick bed that I was out to work to gather money to foot her medical bill. They kept moving me from one office to another, I begged and was shedding tears. At last, they said I should bring N10,000. After spending about Seven hours, begging all my colleagues on the Uber platform, I raised N7000 and gave them, after giving them, one of the LASTMA officials said I have money and ordered my car should be towed in.
    Shortly after this, I received a call that my wife had died.

    “Assuming my car was not taken to their office, I would make about 10 or 15,000 within those hours and I would have been able to pay the medical Bill’s to save Sumbo’s life.

    Ozomarisi asked if it was the work LASTMA was assigned they were doing on the road by towing his car for having flat tyres and he being asked to pay the N20,000. He also demanded an explanation why hoodlum and LASTMA officials came to him at almost the same time on Ijora bridge.

    “I want the whole world to know what is happening here, because as far as I am concerned, they killed her by delaying me unnecessarily in their office for no offence.

    Despite that those officials heard that my fiance was in the hospital they still insisted that I pay for the offence i did not commit.”

    He said the car is still in their custody, adding that among the officials on his case is named Alhaji and Orobo.
    Call to LASTMA Public Relations Officer, Olumide Filade was not picked.

  • Stop consuming non-iodised salt, NAFDAC advises Nigerians

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised Nigerians to stop the consumption of non- iodised salt as “it is dangerous to human health.”

    Dr Abubakar Jimoh, the Director of Public Affairs of the agency, gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The director was responding to information that people in rural communities were still consuming local salt, which was not processed.

    He said that the consumption of such local salt could lead to goiter and other dangerous diseases and called on Nigerians to avoid the product.

    According to the director, there are four areas in Nigeria where traditional salt is still being traded, particularly in Nasarawa State.

    “NAFDAC is making effort to stop the trading of this salt in these states but some of them have refused.

    “With the creation of NAFDAC in 1993, that was the first time and there was still major work to be done on salt consumption.

    “We have organised sensitisation workshop on universal salt iodisation.

    “We have been educating Nigerians that we should not be consuming this local salt because it is not iodised.

    “We began a programme in collaboration with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Micro Nutrient Initiative, Global Alliance and other development partners on the issue.

    Read Also: PenCom recovers N16b in seven years

    “We flagged off a campaign against that and it was held in Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, in 2004 under late Prof. Dora Akunyili as the Director General of the agency.

    Jimoh said based on the work NAFDAC did then, Nigeria was declared universal salt iodisation compliant in Turkey and also won numerous awards in that regard.

    “Nasarawa is one of the identified four major endemic areas, they have insisted that it is their traditional source of making livelihood, it is commerce for them.

    “They told NAFDAC at that time that if they must leave the trade, what they will be trading on must be provided for them,” the director said.

    He, however, called on those still trading and consuming non-iodised salt in Nasarawa State to stop as the act was capable of bringing setback to the country.

  • Fayose left N57bn unpaid workers’ salaries, pension arrears, says Fayemi

    Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti on Tuesday said that the workers in the state civil service were currently being owed N57billion as arrears of unpaid salaries and emoluments.

    The governor said this at a meeting he had with the civil servants as well as a cross-section of labour leaders at the Government House, Ado Ekiti.

    He said that his administration was making frantic efforts to defray the backlogs which he said would be done in phases.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fayemi claimed the trend was caused by irregular payments of salaries and pensions by the immediate past administration of Mr Ayodele Fayose.

    He said the arrears covered outstanding salaries, pensions, promotion arrears, leave bonuses and other emoluments from 2014 till October 2018 when he assumed office.

    The governor also said he was not part of the people that were opposed to local government autonomy.

    He said the local governments in the state were currently being given unfettered access to administer their own funds without interference from his government.

    He said he would honour his earlier pledge to pay all the outstanding workers’ benefits.

    He clarified that some would be given immediate attention, while some would be defrayed by instalmental.

    He said, “It is sad to reel out such a homongous figure, because it can create panic for you and I.

    ” But let me say that we cannot pay everything in one fell swoop, but the 2019 promotion arrears will be given immediate attention while others will be defrayed by installment.

    ” It becomes difficult to pay once because Ekiti gets a little above N5billion monthly, with the state getting like N3billion, while the local governments receive little above N2billion monthly “, he said.

    On the issue of local government autonomy, Fayemi said he was never opposed to the idea of giving financial independence to the third tier of government, being the closest to the grassroots.

    “I am not opposed to it. Since I came back as governor, not even one naira of the local government money was being administered by me.

    ” I have allowed the councils to manage whatever comes to them.”

    Fayemi said that the state under him was considering alternative power supply option to shore up the one being supplied to the state from national grid.

    He said he was planning the alternative because the current supply was grossly inadequate and crippling economic activities in the state.

    He also said that he had earmarked some funds for the Ministry of Environment to undertake erosion and flood control projects in some towns.

    Fayemi said that this was because of the recent flooding that ravaged Ado Ekiti and other towns, of which many civil servants were major victims.

    Read Also: How Fayemi can make difference, by PDP chief

    He also said that he would discuss the acute shortage of manpower in the health sector with the Health Management Board (HMB) when it was raised by the labour leaders.

    He said that he would ascertain the actual statistics and how to fill the missing gaps in the health sector.

    The Chairman of the Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, Kayode Fatomiluyi, had called the attention of the governor to the chronic shortage of manpower in the health sector.

    Fatomiluyi said, “Over 1,000 nurses were at HMB in 2014 during your first term, Your Excellency Sir.

    “But today, we have less than 500 to manage 22 health facilities across the state.

    “The Governor must do something about this,” he said.

    Some of the other labour union leaders in the state that attended the meeting include: Kolapo Olatunde of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Sola Adigun of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    They also pleaded that issues that had to do with the benefits of workers must be given utmost priority.

    They urged the governor to use his connection as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to fast track the implementation of the new minimum wage for workers. (NAN)

  • 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.

  • 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.”

  • 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.