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  • Killings: God will expose killers, kidnappers soon, says Adeboye

    Killings: God will expose killers, kidnappers soon, says Adeboye

     

    General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor E.A Adeboye has condemned kidnapping and killings in the country.

    Leading his congregation in prayers, at the February 2018 Holy Ghost Service tagged “Stronger than your enemies – Part 2”, held at the Redemption Camp, Adeboye asked the congregation, which included the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to pray that God should expose and deal with those that are shedding blood, and those that  are sponsoring  them.

    In his words “Father, wherever those who are shedding bloods are hiding, please expose and deal with them.  All those who are condoling evil or colluding with them, wherever they may be please expose and deal with them. All those who are sponsoring evil and bloodshed, please expose and destroy them.”

    Read Also: Adeboye salutes Adams on installation as Aare Ona Kakanfo

    Responding to those who have accused him of being silent on the issue, the General Overseer said “I am a Christian and I belong to the Christian Association of Nigeria which has a President. So whatever the President says is what I say. I am also a Pentecostal and I belong to the Pentecostal Association of Nigeria. So whatever the President says is what I say. That is how to be under authority.”

    About 50 persons were murdered by Fulani herdsmen in Benue State in the first two days of January, 2018. There have also been several cases of kidnappings in some parts of the country. Reports say that the herdsmen started attack since the Benue State Government implemented the anti-grazing law, giving the herdsmen no space to feed their cows.

     

     

     

  • Kano Council poll: List of disqualified candidates ready Monday

    Kano Council poll: List of disqualified candidates ready Monday

    The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) will finally release list of candidates disqualified from contesting in the state’s local government election on Monday, the Chairman of the Commission, Professor Garba Ibrahim Sheka has disclosed.

    To this end,  KANSIEC has fixed February 10, 2018 for the conduct of local government election in the state.

    Professor Sheka, in an Hausa programme aired in Kano,said the electoral body would give adequate time for the affected political parties to replace the disqualified candidates with new candidates.

    He explained that the commission had completed screening of chairmanship candidates, while screening for candidates vie for councillorship would hold today (Saturday) and tomorrow respectively.

    “Screening committees have been directed to move to the 44 local governments for the commencement of the screening today (Saturday). The committee comprises of electoral officer, assistant electoral officer, the divisional police officer, immigration officer, and director personnel management.”

    He added that 25 political parties were expected to participate in the election, noting that 30,000 ad-hoc staff had been recruited by the commission to man the 10,000 ballot boxes during the election.

    Professor Sheka said that the commission would not use card reader during the election, saying “When we came on board we discovered that most of the card readers on ground are not functioning. So, to avoid disappointment, we have resolved to use voters’ cards. The commission spent N10m on the production of voters’ cards.”

    The chairman said even though PDP has directed its members not to buy contest form, three of its members had bought chairmanship forms, while 18 others purchased councillorship forms.

    He said, “Two of the three PDP’s chairmanship candidates were disqualified because they contested without vice, while the remaining one was qualified.”

    Professor Sheka affirmed that Kano state government had released enough funds to the commission for the smooth conduct of the election and had never interfered in its activities since he assumed power as chairman of the electoral body.

     

     

     

     

  • Pupils get 246 million Buhari’s meals, says Presidency

    Pupils get 246 million Buhari’s meals, says Presidency

    *Says more than 6m pupils in 20 states being fed daily

    *8 more states expected to be added in 2018

    *300,000 interest-free loans disbursed to artisans, traders

    *280,000 Nigerians benefit from Conditional Cash Transfer in 21 states

     

    The Presidency on Saturday disclosed that over 246 million (246,355,190) meals have been served to date to primary pupils across 20 states in the country.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande, said that the first meal under the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) was served in December 2016.

    According to him, the total figure is expected to reach 313,928,420 meals by the last week of February 2018.

    He said “Also, the School Feeding Programme now feeds 6,044,625 pupils in 33,981 public primary schools across 20 states.

    “More states are expected to be added to the programme this year. The NHGSFP plans to implement feeding in a total of 28 States, while it aims to link farmers to school feeding markets.

    “In the same vein, several milestones were recorded by the Buhari administration’s National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) in 2017, in line with its inclusive growth plan, which includes tackling poverty and hunger, and creating jobs for Nigerians.

    “About 40,000 direct jobs have since been created from the School Feeding Programme across the participating states. The 20 states that have so far been covered by the NHGSFP include Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta, Abia, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Kaduna, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Imo, Jigawa, Niger, and Kano.

    “Also, in 2017, the school feeding programme collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Health to deliver an integrated deworming programme for pupils in all public primary schools classes 1 to 6 across 17 states nationwide.

    “Meanwhile, the School Feeding programme now has a social media-based quality assurance tracking system, #TrackWithUs, ensuring that required standards for menu for pupils and meal distribution are adhered to across the states in a transparent manner.

    Read Also: Buhari not a murderer, says Presidency

    “Similarly, the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) has so far recorded over 280,000 beneficiaries in 21 states, while about 300,000 Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme (GEEP) micro-credit, interest-free loans have been disbursed nationwide.

    “In the same vein, in 2017, the N-power scheme, which is targeted at providing jobs for unemployed young graduates, started its physical verification process for the 2017 applicants. In 2018, more beneficiaries are expected to be added to about 200,000 young graduates currently employed under the scheme.” he said

    Noting that a total of N900 billion was appropriated for the SIPs in 2016 and 2017; he said that N500 billion was appropriated in 2016 and N400 billion appropriated in 2017.

    He however, said that the total amount released was N110 billion for 2016 and 2017, while the total expenditure was N109 billion.

    He added “Below is a breakdown of the N109 billion released between October 2016 and November 2017 for the SIPs, namely: GEEP, CCT, NHGSFP, N-power, and general expenditure.

    “The GEEP expenditure was N11,700,200,466, while the CCT gulped N5,235,401,087.

    “In the same vein, between October 2016 and November 2017, N22,370,719,017 was expended for the Home-grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP); while N69,731,256,122 was expended on N-power, which is the Job Creation component of the SIP, during the same period.” he said

     

     

     

  • ‘Nigerians in Diaspora should participate actively in 2019 polls’

    ‘Nigerians in Diaspora should participate actively in 2019 polls’

    Mr Emeka Ezinteje, the Secretary of Nigerian Union, South Africa has called on Nigerians living abroad to participate actively in the 2019 election.

    He told our reporter on the telephone from Johannesburg, South Africa on Saturday that Nigerians in the Diaspora had so much to contribute to the development of the country.

    “ I encourage Nigerians living abroad to return home and participate in elective positions in the 2019 election. One way of contributing to the development of our country is to be part of the democratic movement.

    “ There are eminently qualified Nigerians in the Diaspora with good credentials that can be elected into positions, come 2019 election, “ he said.

    Ezinteje, who is also the Secretary-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, a socio-cultural organisation, South Africa chapter, said that Nigerians in the Diaspora had lots of ideas if they get the people`s mandate.

    “Apart from the intellectual aspect, such Nigerians can use their contacts and exposure to attract investments and goodwill to the country.

    Read Also: Ibori tasks Nigerians on future elections

    “ They also have a lot to contribute intellectually and materially, especially in infrastructural and human capital development,” he said.

    Ezinteje said that he had plans to contest for the Oyi /Ayamelum Local Government of Anambra  Federal House of Representatives seat in the 2019 election.

    “ I have plans to represent my constituency in the House of Representatives. We have resolved to be the voice of the youths in government.. The aim is to give effective representation to our people,” he said.

    Ezinteje said that his priority would be education and infrastructural development.

    “ Education is the bedrock of any society. With education, the society is organised and development can be achieved,” he said.

     

    NAN

     

  • Police arrest suspects after trailing stolen vehicle to Abia

    Police arrest suspects after trailing stolen vehicle to Abia

    The Nigerian Police, Enugu State Command, have arrested three suspects over a stolen vehicle after they were trailed for three months to Abia.

    The command’s Spokesman, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ebere Amaraizu, said this in a statement on Saturday in Enugu.

    Amaraizu said that the feat was achieved by police operatives of the New Haven Division in Enugu.

    The spokesman said that the suspects were nabbed after the police followed a clue gathered through intelligence report.

    According to him, the three suspects are now helping the police in their investigations in connection with the alleged crime committed.

    Read Also:  Police  kill suspected kidnapper in Ogun forest

    “It was gathered that suspects allegedly, on Nov. 1, 2017, snatched and stole a Toyota Sienna car with registration Number LND 388 AS at gun point from the owner at Nnaji Park axis of New Haven in Enugu.

    “The suspects escaped to an unknown destination but never knew that police operatives had been on their trail,’’ he said.

    Amaraizu said that the vehicle had been recovered from the suspects.

    According to him, full scale investigations have commenced into the incident and also on the nefarious activities of the suspects.

     

    NAN

     

     

  • CVR: Ebonyi APC cautions voters against selling PVC

    CVR: Ebonyi APC cautions voters against selling PVC

    Chairman of All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Ebonyi, Mr Eze Nwachukwu , on Saturday cautioned voters against selling their cards or exchanging them for employment.

    Speaking in Isiaka while inaugurating an 8-man Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) mobilisation committee for Ivo local government area of the state, the chairman said he had received reports of some people luring voters to part with their cards.

    “We hear that some people are going round, allegedly collecting Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) from unsuspecting owners, in exchange for employment in the state civil service, or to give them government sponsored empowerment.

    “Please do not exchange, sell or give out PVC for any reason because that is the only power and right available to you as a citizen, to freely participate in choosing your leaders.

    “Selling and buying of voter cards is a crime; if you give up your PVC; you have surrendered the power, right and privileges conferred on you by the constitution to exercise your franchise,’’ Nwachukwu said.

    He urge the people to report anybody that indulged in the act of collecting, buying, selling or hoarding the voter cards, to the police.

    He also called on members of the committee to communicate with the leadership of the party in all the wards to ensure that members were mobilised to register and collect their cards.

    “We want make sure that no one is left unregistered, hence the mandate of this committee is to move round the wards, communities and villages in the council and mobilise people to register for their PVC.

    “You are to report to the state secretariat on daily basis, the number of registered voters per polling booth, as well as number of voters registered at the ward level.

    “You should report to us any action that will undermine effective registration of prospective voters in any part of the Council, for prompt action.

    “We are very passionate about the success of the exercise because our victory in 2019 elections is tied to number of registered voters who are our members,” Nwachukwu said

     

    NAN

     

  • ‘Nizamiye hospital can compete anywhere in Europe, America’

    ‘Nizamiye hospital can compete anywhere in Europe, America’

    The Public Relations Officer of the Turkish Nizamiye Hospital Mr. Mohammed Abubakar has said that the hospital which was commissioned by former President Goodluck Jonathan can compete with any hospital in Europe and America.

    The Image maker of the hospital made the statement during an interview exclusively with select editors on Friday.

    According to him, the hospital qualities have given Nigerians reasons not to travel abroad for medical treatments because all they needed can be done in the hospital here in Nigeria.

    Excerpts below:

    The Turkish Nizamiye Hospital was established in 2014. Please, can you share your experience?

    Thank you. Yes, you are indeed correct. The hospital was commissioned on 20th February 2014 by his Excellency, former president Goodluck Jonathan. Since then, we have strived not just to be in operation, but also to ensure that our services compare to what is obtainable in Europe and America. The journey has been incredible as well challenging.

    As you may be aware, the Nizamiye hospital is not a magnificent building; we have very experienced doctors and nurses that have continued to give in their best in the discharge of their duties. So, in a nutshell, I would say that Nizamiye hospital has not only distinguished itself as a reliable medical facility in Nigeria, it has also given Nigerians a reason not to travel abroad for medical treatment.

    Talking about your services, don’t you think it might be out of reach for most Nigerians?

    The hospital renders specialized services like Open Heart Surgery, Angiography, CT Scan, MRI, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics, Algology, to mention but a few. These are highly skilled services that are on their own quite expensive even in western countries.

    That does not mean that we are ignorant of the implication of getting care for such services, but you can be assured that our prices are less than what you get when you travel to Europe and America. Again, we are all aware that it is estimated that Nigeria spends about $1 billion on medical tourism annually. The question thus is what the illnesses that take Nigerians abroad?

     Take the example of Open Heart Surgery. You will agree with me that open heart surgery entails more than just the procedure itself. There is also the periodic check. Now, say individual travels all the way to India for Open heart surgery; the risk is much higher because such an individual would be dealing with a long flight and the cabin pressure which might not be suitable for his condition.

    Okay, say the operation was successful, such individual would also need to travel back to India for a follow-up check with the doctors, and that would even cost money. So which is the best option? So I still maintain my position that our services might not be out of the reach of Nigerians because of the added benefits.

    But here at Nizamiye hospital, we have our doctors’ resident within the hospital premises, and we operate on 24 hours and seven days a week basis for all cases including open heart surgery. So tell me which is cost effective?

    You mentioned that the hospital has an open heart surgery clinic; can you shed more light on it?

    Yes. We have an open heart surgery clinic headed by a renowned cardiovascular surgeon with over 30 years experience and with over 15,000 open heart surgeries in Turkey. And since we opened the clinic in 2016; we have performed 18 successful open heart surgeries, two valve replacements, and 16 coronary bypasses.

     Our open heart surgery team is also resident in the hospital premises, and what this means is that they operate on 24 hours and 7 seven days a week.  I dare say we are about the only hospital in Abuja that has this kind of setting.

    Given the fact that the hospital is well equipped, there have been some issues with the high number of deaths in the hospital. What do you have to say?

    Thank you for this question. There is an expectation that regardless of the medical condition of any patient, doctors at the Nizamiye hospital should be able to perform some miracle of some sort. While this is understandable given our level of expertise, however, in medical science, when a case is severe, it is terrible and there is little or nothing some doctors can do.

    As regards your question, the Nizamiye hospital as a policy does not turn down patients. We accept and give an objective assessment to relatives and give them all the options. In terrible cases that such patients have a couple of days to live we advise and in most instances the relatives insist that we take in the patient so he or she can die in peace.

    What am I saying in essence? Nizamiye hospital seems to be the last resort. And that is a massive challenge for us because we see cases which we would have handled comfortably if the patient had turned in early. So this saddens us and a burden we have to carry.

    Please tell us about the quality of staff at the hospital as well as the employment criterion?

    The Nizamiye hospital boasts of a remarkably brilliant workforce. From our consultants to doctors, nurses, laboratory attendants, everyone one has distinguished him or herself. We took time to source for the best hands from Turkey and Nigeria because we pride ourselves as a world-class medical facility.  

     It was stated in some quarters that the hospital was built at the cost of $20 million. If true, why such investment in Nigeria?

    You are correct. But as we speak, expansion works are ongoing at the hospital. So in a way, the $20 million mark has been extended to something around $30 million. Let me also inform you that the Nile University, which is a sister organization intends to use the hospital as its teaching hospital because it now has a fully accredited medical school.

    So why the massive investment? Nigeria is worth the investment. Let me start by giving a background on the promoters of the Nizamiye hospital. The hospital is promoted by First Surat Group of Companies with interest in the educational and health sectors.

    I am sure you are aware of the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges ( NTIC ) and the Nile University. These are organizations under the First Surat Group of Companies umbrella. The organization is owned by a group of Turkish and Nigerian investors, and they have been in operation since 1998. As regards the hospital, the massive amount of monies spent on medical tourism was a factor.

    We as an organization sat and said cant we bring what is obtainable in Europe and America to Nigeria? And the answer we got was yes. And we set out to work; we travelled to most world-class hospitals in Europe and America and understudied them. This was what gave birth to the Nizamiye hospital essentially.

    You recently celebrated 18 successful open heart surgeries. It appears that is one area the hospital has capacity?

    Like I mentioned earlier, the hospital has various clinics that operate on 24 hours and seven days a week basis. That is not all; our doctors are resident in Nigeria and the hospital premises. So in a couple of minutes, you have a doctor with you regardless of the medical care. Secondly, Open heart surgery is not the only area we have the capacity.

    The open heart surgery clinic is just one. We are also specialized in Algology, which is the treatment of extreme pains. This is also not common in Nigeria. But we have a specialist with over 20 year’s experience. I think we are among the few hospitals with neonates ICU with ventilators in Abuja. And we have about 6 of such.

    There is also neurosurgery, orthopaedics, general surgery, ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Anaesthesiology & Reanimation, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dermatology and many more. I think the Nizamiye hospital can compete with any hospital in Europe and America.

  • Police guns down kidnapper in Ogun forest

    Police guns down kidnapper in Ogun forest

    Operatives of the Federal Special Anti – Robbery Squad ( FSARS ) of the police have gunned down a suspected kidnapper after night invasion of Ilaro forest, Ogun State, for  members of a kidnapping  gang.

    The gang’s  victim, Sanni Dan Nasarawa, who escaped from their den after spending a week with them in the forest, reported his abduction to the Police in Abeokuta which made the FSARS to storm the forest and in the process, one of them was shot dead while seven others escaped with wounds.

    Sani Nasarawa was said to escaped  when the rope used to tie him snapped by night while  his abductors were fast asleep.

    An AK47 riffle loaded with 15rounds of ammunition was recovered from them.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a release, stated that the kidnapper was shot dead on Friday morning on discovering their hide out after the FSARS combed the forest all through Thursday night.

    Abimbola the dead kidnapper is a member of a kidnap syndicate terrorizing Ilaro and its environs.

    “He was a member of kidnapping syndicate when in the early hour of Friday 2nd of February, he was shot dead by men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad led by  Uba Adam.

    “The gang have earlier kidnapped one Sanni Dan Nasarawa, took him to a thick forest where they tied him down for seven days waiting for his people to pay them ransom. 

    “Luck however smiles on him when the rope they used to tie him got loose while his abductors were fast asleep. He subsequently escaped and ran to FSARS office in Abeokuta where he lodged complain.

    “Upon his report, the officer –in charge FSARS quickly mobilized his men and followed the victim to the forest. The team combed the forest from6pm of 1st February up till about 4:00am of 2nd February before they came across the gang who engaged them in serious gun battle which lasted for almost an hour.

    “At the end of the encounter, one of the suspects was gunned down while others numbering about seven escaped with various degree of gunshot injuries.

    The Police Spokesman in the state state appealed to the public, especially hospitals and traditional healers, to report anybody they see with gunshot injury in their vicinity.

  • Bayelsa to fight crimes with drones

    Bayelsa to fight crimes with drones

    Bayelsa state government, yesterday said it would launch a drone crime control system and a social park to fight criminality in the state.

    Speaking at the ongoing inter-ministerial briefings in Yenagoa, the state capital, state Commissioner for Science and Technology, Chief Blessing Ipigansi-Igbagara, said the anti-crime drones were developed by an indigenous manpower and technology system.

    He said the development was in line with the present administration’s zero tolerance for crime and criminality.

    He said the system would be directly linked to the police on patrol duty at different locations adding that about four  drones with the speed limit of 150 kilometer per hour would deployed to every police station in the state.

    He said since the inception of the Dickson’s administration, the ministry had collaborated with the Federal and Foreign Agencies in the area of training and capacity building to address manpower needs of the state.

    He said the ministry was also developing the data base of unemployed graduates.

    The commissioner also added that the era of non-completion and abandonment of projects by recalcitrant contractors was over in the state.

    Explaining further he said the ministry of Science and Technology had developed a video monitoring system to oversee the activities of the contractors handling various projects in the state.

    Also in his presentation, the Commissioner for Tourism, Mrs. Ebiere Ajua-Musa said the state government had awarded a contract for the Ox Bow Water Park to be situated behind the Silverbird Galleria.

    He said the contractor assured that the project would be completed in 60 days.

    Ajua-Musa, said to curb capital flight, the state government approved the siting of an Amusement Park opposite Government House.

     She said the Castle Hotel which is 90% completed, Golf Course, Polo Club, Ox Bow Lake Hotel which would be put to use this year.

    She said her ministry trained over 300 Bayelsans in cinematography in collaboration with the Africa Music Award; hosted the first ever New Year Festival and ensured legislation of the tourism sector in the state with plans to construct a film village.

    Also presenting his scorecard, the Commissioner for Culture and Ijaw National Affairs, Mr. Austin Dressman commended Governor Seriake Dickson for approving the completion of eight out of the 10 mausoleum at the Ijaw Heroes Park.

    He said already Dickson had given the nod for the construction of the 400 seater pavilion at the park which would be completed in three months.

    The commissioner lauded the efforts of the governor at ensuring the completion of the Ijaw House and also resolving the lingering crisis in the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Ijaw National Congress (INC), payment of stipends to the Boro family and for helping Ijaws in Edo and Akwa Ibom and other places.

    Also the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Martha Jenakumo, said the state government trained over 400 women and widows in handcrafts.

    She named the handcrafts as  hairdressing, bead and soap making, fabric weaving, tailoring, catering, fashion designing, cane craft, and fabric weaving, to enable them become self-reliant and contribute to the growth and development of the state.

    She also expressed appreciation to Dickson for empowering about 500 cooperatives, comprising 10 women each with N500,000 naira each since 2013 amounting to N250m.

    Speaking on the need to end maternal mortality rate in the state, the Commissioner scored government high for the training of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA).

    She lauded the ongoing construction of an eye clinic, the Glory Land Children’s Home, Women Affairs School, signing of the Child Rights Bill and acquisition of 700 hectares of land for construction of remand home at Elebele.

  • LAUTECH ranked as Nigeria’s best state varsity

    LAUTECH ranked as Nigeria’s best state varsity

    In spite of repeated workers strike that held down academic and other activities at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso in the last one year, the institution has been ranked as the best state university in Nigeria.

    A statement by the institution’s Head of Public Affairs, Mr Lekan Fadeji, said the latest ranking by Webometric, which puts the Institution as 14th overall in the country and 3680 in the World, goes to confirm that despite the debilitating effect of the industrial crisis, LAUTECH’s leadership position among its peers remains unchallenged.

    Reacting to the news, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin, reiterated the commitment of management to ensuring that the Institution’s present financial position is not allowed to affect its determination to train eggheads to man the various technological spaces of the future.

    He added that the Governing Council, led by Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, has assured that whatever the university needs to stay on top would be encouraged.

    LAUTECH had in the past been named the number one state university in Nigeria by various ranking organizations, including the National Universities Commission (NUC).

    Webometrics ranking of world universities, also known as Ranking Web of Universities, is a ranking system for the world’s universities based on a composite indicator that takes into account both the volume of the web contents (number of web pages and files) and the visibility and their impacts.