The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian news

  • FIBA World Cup: Nigeria beats Cote d’Ivoire to inch closer to Tokyo 2020

    Nigeria’s national basketball team, D’Tigers, defeated Cote d’Ivoire 83-66 to move a step closer to claiming the sole Africa Olympic ticket at the FIBA World Cup in China yesterday.

    In the 17 -32 classification match played yesterday, the Nigerian team led by veteran Ike Diogu out-scored their opponent in two quarters, one ended in favour of the Ivorians, while the last quarter ended in a draw. The four quarter scores were 24-18, 13-17, 28-11, 20-20 for a total score of 83-66 in favour of Nigeria.

    After extending their lead by 17 points at the end of the third quarter, the Nigerian team did enough to protect their lead in the fourth quarter to emerge victorious in a game between two leading West African teams.

    In the final phase of the World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria defeated Côte d’Ivoire in Lagos 84-73 before suffering an away 72-46 defeat in Abidjan to hand the Ivorians a World Cup qualification lifeline. But the D’Tigers moved a step further to confirm their supremacy over their African brothers with the 17 points win.

     

    Read Also: FIBA World Cup: Nigeria saves face with emphatic victory over Korea

    Vincent Nnamdi, who came up from the bench led the Nigerian team with 15 points, Al Farouq Aminu and Ekpe Udoh had 13 points apiece, while Stan Okoye and Ben Uzoh contributed 10 point each. Diogu, Ike Ireogbu and Josh Okogie also added single digit scores to put a gloss on the scoreline, while Coach Alex Nwora decided to rest his son, Jordan.

    The Nigerians now has two win from four games – a 50 per cent record.

    They will take on host – China in their next classification match early tomorrow in Guangzhou.

    The man of the match, Al-Farouq said that with the new goal being a qualification for the Olympics, the team came out to get the job done. “That is our goal now obviously. We got knocked out of the contention to get a medal so we had to change our vision and continue to make sure that we keep Nigerian basketball, playing every year and compete. So, we want to ensure that we do the best to qualify for the Olympics.”

  • Lagos Anglican Communion condemns attacks on Nigerians

    The Diocesan Bishop and Missioner, Lagos Diocese Anglican Communion, Rt Rev Humphrey Olumakaiye, has condemned the consistent attacks on Nigerians and other nationals in South Africa.

    Olumakaiye, who stated this in a press release made available to The Nation on Friday, said that as a church, “we are saddened by the inhuman treatment of Nigerians and other nationals in South Africa and utterly condemn xenophobia in all its appearances, whether tacitly or full blown.”

    He noted that Nigeria, through her government and beautiful people, was very accommodating to the South African nation during the ugly episode of apartheid, and so do not deserve to be paid back with this inhuman treatment of her citizens in South Africa.

    He advised the government of South Africa not to sweep the issue under the rug, saying that we are all humans created in God’s image.

    “We want to encourage the Nigerian government to explore every diplomatic avenue to put an end to this dark episode threatening to rip the fabric of friendship between these two top African nations,” the bishop said.

    He stressed that the Nigerian government should not, however, go into negotiations without demanding lasting solution.

     

    Read Also: South Africa President condemns xenophobic attacks

    “Everything necessary should be done to bring to justice those who partook in the attacks and adequate compensation should be sort for the victims and their families,” he said.

    Olumakaiye posited that it is also important to note that the response of some Nigerian youths to the news of the xenophobic attacks is an indication of an impending catastrophe, if not immediately addressed.

    He warned that under no guise would one consider the actions of these youths acceptable. “We see it as a symptom to what we have been talking about for a while now.

    “There is immense poverty in the land. The resort to looting and vandalism was not borne out of accurate information but a case of ‘an idle hand is the devil’s workshop’. This cannot be allowed to continue”.

    “And the only productive way to address it is to engage the younger Nigerians meaningfully.

    “We advise the government at all levels to sit right and address the hunger in the land.

    “The Youths are bottled up, and if care is not taken, they can upturn the future of this great nation,” he warned.

  • Blame our leaders for Nigerians’ ordeal in S’Africa

    Lagos- based social critic and political activist, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, has blamed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa on bad governance by past and present Nigerian leaders.

    In a statement in Lagos on Friday, Chief Onitiri emphasised that if Nigerian leaders at federal and state levels had harnessed and utilised the available human and financial resources in the country to the benefit of Nigerians and the youths in particular, the youths would stay at home, instead of getting out of the country for greener pastures.

    “The maltreatment of Nigerians all over the world is as a result of bad governance in Nigeria.

    “This is why Boko Haram, herdsmen, kidnappers and bandits constantly and freely unleash havoc on citizens at will with the connivance of our security agencies or rather while our security agencies look elsewhere.”

    Read Also: Xenophobic attacks: NANS rejects exchange programmes with S’ Africa

    Onitiri expressed sadness that the Nigerian government could no longer provide security for the lives and property of citizens.

    “Our youths migrate massively out of the country for greener pastures. Our teeming jobless youths prefer death to staying in Nigeria,” he said.

    He called on the government to do the needful by giving the people the dividends of democracy and improve their lots, provide jobs for the teaming youths and empowering the women who he said are in the majority.

  • ‘Ruling out compensation for affected Nigerians unacceptable’

    It is extremely disappointing that South Africa ruled out payment of compensation to Nigerians affected by recent xenophobic attacks and Nigeria must mobilize effective sanctions, constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Inibehe Effiong has said.

    “I fully support legal redress against South Africa. It is regrettable and unacceptable that the South African government has ruled out paying compensation to Nigerians and other African migrants who are victims of the xenophobic violence,” Effiong told The Nation.

    “The federal government should now deploy maximum diplomatic pressure and reciprocal actions against South Africa. We cannot accept this sort of criminality.

     

    Read Also: NANS vows to deal with South Africans over xenophobic attacks

    “I do not believe that South African companies in Nigeria should be nationalized, but that will only be necessary if we end bilateral relations with South Africa.

    “The federal government should impose punitive tariffs on all South African companies in Nigeria.

    “While I support all actions taken so far by the government, I believe that more can be done.

    “Let the government galvanise multilateral efforts across the continent with the aim of isolating South Africa.

    “They must be made to pay a heavy price. South Africans must be made to realise that their behaviour is intolerable,” Effiong said.

  • Clamour for compensation unrealistic, says SAN

    Kwara State based legal practitioner, John Baiyeshea (SAN), on Friday called for a break in the diplomatic ties between Nigeria and South Africa.

    In an interview with one of our correspondents in Ilorin, the state capital, Baiyeshea said the country has tolerated the excesses of South Africa for too long, adding that Nigeria must not give the impression that she needs South Africa more than South Africa needs her.

    Baiyeshea said: “I personally believe that Nigerian government has tolerated the excesses of South Africa for too long. Kid’s glove diplomacy will not work in this situation.

    “The most appropriate diplomatic response now will be for Nigeria to temporarily suspend diplomatic ties with that country to let them know the depth of our disdain and disappointment.

    “If and when they show remorse, and after assurance for protection of lives and property of Nigerians, we can now reconsider restoring diplomatic ties.

    “Nigeria must never give the impression that we need them more than they need us.

    “Nigeria must come out of/from what I refer to as ‘inferior diplomacy.’”

    The Senior Advocate of Nigeria noted that the South African government has not been acting in good faith since the attack on and killing of Nigerians began.

    He said: “Apart from unfortunate and tragic xenophobic attacks on Nigerians, even top Nigerian executives who go to that country for conferences are being killed in their hotel rooms.

     

    Read Also: Our moments of horror in South Africa’s xenophobic attacks —Nigerian victims

    “The South African government has never shown genuine and sincere concern for this tragic loss of lives. They have never been known to prosecute those who carry out the killings.

    “To me, South African government seems to be complicit in all these sad situations as they shield the perpetrators of these savage acts against Nigerians.

    “South Africa is hostile to Nigerians and it not only treats our people with contempt, it hates us. “Despite all the huge sacrifice that Nigeria and Nigerians made to liberate it from over

    600 years of apartheid, oppression and suppression, the killing of our people is their own ungodly way of paying us back.

  • Visa applicants fret over passports stuck in diplomatic row

    Thousands of Nigerians who applied for visas to South Africa in the last two months have been thrown into confusion following the closure of the country’s diplomatic missions in Nigeria.

    The development was fallout of increased incidents of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in several suburbs of Pretoria and Johannesburg, and reprisal attacks in some Nigerian city.

    Our reporter, who visited the South Africa Visa Application Centre in Woji – GRA Phase II office in Port Harcourt on Friday, reports that the place was under lock and key. Applicants who had submitted applications before the crisis wore worried looks as they left the office in disappointment.

    A terse notice at the entrance to the VFS Global Service office at the Vineyard Shopping Centre stated: “Kindly note that the South Africa Visa Application Centre will remain close (sic) to applicants till further notice.”

    “NOTE: VFS is only a visa application submitting centre,” the notice added, ostensibly to discourage similar angry attacks that were visited on South African-linked companies in some parts of the country.

    VFS Agency handles application on behalf of the South African High Commission, and the Port Harcourt office was opened not long ago to cater for applicants in the South-south and Southeast.

     

    Read Also: 16th Abuja International: All South African film entries suspended

    Our reporter gathered that the uncertainty surrounding the fate of pending applications have got applicants worried, especially over what would become of their passports that are trapped therein.

    An applicant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Nation that she submitted her application two months ago but had not heard from the agency despite providing a telephone number for contact.

    “Even if my application is approved now, I don’t want to go to South Africa for the holiday, because it might turn into a nightmare. I just want my passport back because I have a visa that I want to use for the Christmas holiday.”

    Another source said she applied for visa more than two months ago, having been told that the process would last just a few weeks.

    Tourism industry sources told our reporter that visas to the country, which usually took two – three weeks, became increasingly difficult to come by in recent times because of stricter restrictions.

  • Man, 51, jailed for using expired ATM card to buy drinks and fried meat

    A 51-year old man, Ikidi Innocent, has been jailed by an Oredo Magistrate’s Court for using expired Union Bank ATM card to buy drinks and fried meat.

    Ikidi was said to have committed the offence on June 27, 2019.

    He was said to have tricked one Blessing John and Dorothy Amaka to buy meat and beer for his consumption.

    Ikidi was arraigned on three count charges of cheating and obtaining by false pretense.

    Read Also: Teenager jailed three months for stealing fowl

    He pleaded guilty to the charges.

    Police Prosecutor, Patrick Agbonifo, informed the court that the convict bought fried meat worth N1500, beer worth N9000, alcoholic drinks worth N3,730.

    Agbonifo said the offences were punishable under sections 516, 421 and 419 of the Criminal Code cap 48 Vol ii laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria now applicable in Edo State.

    Presiding Magistrate, Ivie Akhere, sentenced the accused to three months in prison without an option of fine.

  • Boy escapes from suspected ritualists in Ondo community

    A young boy suspected to be mentally challenged has allegedly escaped from suspected ritualists at Jubilee area of lkare Akoko, Akoko Northwest local government area of Ondo state.

    The unnamed boy was found opposite Lennon Jubilee High School where he was abandoned after being hacked with a matchet severally and abandoned in the pool of his blood littering the spot.

    The victim was said to have managed to escape up to Idi-mango, opposite St. Gregory Mega School before he became unconscious.

    It was learnt that Police in Ikare-Akoko discovered the young boy reeling in pains and quickly rushed him to an undisclosed hospital for emergency treatment, to sustain his life.

    Read Also: Police arrest ‘fake’ spiritualist for defrauding traders in Lagos, Ogun markets

    It would be recalled that two female lunatics were also killed last year along Ilepa road,while their private parts removed by suspected ritualists.

    Sources said Police were trailing the culprits to arrest them.

    Many shop owners in Jubilee and Idimango areas have reportedly closed their shops for fear of arrest.

    Attempts made by our correspondent to reach the Iare Divisional Police Officer (DPO),Chika Odeh,a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) failed.

  • ‘Why we rescued over 100 young girls from prostitution’

    A non-governmental organisation, Wholistic Outreach Ministry has disclosed that it decided to rescue young girls who are commercial sex workers in order to restore their lives and give them hope.

    The faith-based organisation was established by the wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Mrs Folu Adeboye in 2002 to cater for commercial sex workers, trafficked girls and boys and stranded teenagers.

    Speaking with The Nation, the Administrator of the organisation, Mrs Biodun Bello said over 100 commercial sex workers had been rehabilitated in recent times.

    She noted that a large number of the girls in their search for jobs, were lured into the despicable trade by their friends and associates.

    Bello revealed that teenagers of 11 years of age had been brought to the outreach for rehabilitation.

    “There is a girl that our outreach team brought in from Abalade, Ogun state, she was 11 years old.’’

    “Some of the commercial sex workers already have children, which they had brought up at the brothels they stayed. A certain girl was brought in from one of the brothels where her mother worked, at age 13, she had already been brutally molested. We do take most of these girls and women to hospitals, as well as bring in trained psychologists and counselors to help them overcome trauma. We eat and have discussions together; calling them our daughters and making them to see us as family members.”

    Read Also: Juvenile sex workers of downtown Yola

    She explained that the organisation had limited facility to accommodate huge number of targeted girls.

    “Even if we have a target of 100-200 on a yearly, the space would still affect it. Only 20 to 40 girls can come in yearly. After three to six months at the shelter home and reconciliation with their families, we take them to a different home for the rehabilitation proper and that home has only 40 bed spaces”.

    “The outreach team coordinated by Mrs Kemi Richard goes out to meet the girls. They go out on a weekly basis to brothels to minister the word of God to them, as well as pray, cook, and run medical checks, and so many other things.

    “During this outreach, some of the girls indicated they want to come out, and we agree to shelter them. We take the girls to the police station for it to be on record that they are with us. In the shelter home, they spend minimum three months or maximum of six months. During this period, we teach them the word of God, let them fast and learn to pray, and take them for deliverance sessions. After the period has elapsed, we take them back and reconcile them with their families.

    “Some families accept them back, while others send them back to us. For those ones still with their families, before going, we take them to the police station to indicate that they are no longer with us. We mostly deal with girls from ages 13 and above and send them back to school.’’

    ‘’However, no sex worker can be taken into the rehabilitation home if she’s not willing to be rehabilitated. So, the team visit brothels and streets to talk to any seek for anyone willing to leave the work and turn a new leaf.’’

    “My advice would be directed to parents. Parents should try to find time for their children. Not everything is all about money, for there are things money cannot buy. When children want to talk or discuss some issues, please give them listening ears. Let your children become your friends; this would let them be free to gist, discuss and confide in you about the things happening in their lives.”

    Bello, stated the challenges faced while rehabilitating the girls.

    “Before we bring them out from the brothels and streets, the girls must be willing to come out. What we do is to go there, tell them we have a better place they can call home, tell them about Jesus Christ and his love for them. The challenges we face now is that some of them after they are out, find it difficult to adjust to the rules and regulations in our homes. These girls were once free and now they are restricted from a lot, it is hard. We also do not let them use mobile phones, to help them focus and avoid distractions from all those who patronize them.’’

  • 28-yr-old Man arraigned for stealing N157,000

    A 28-year old man, Desmond Ovoke Onovaibirhi, has been arraigned before an Oredo Magistrate’s Court for stealing the sum of N157,700.

    Desmond was alleged to have conspired with one Elisabeth Augustine to steal the money from a new generation bank on January 12, 2019.

    Police Prosecutor, ASP Patrick Agbonifo, informed the court that the money belonged to one Loveth Tijani.

    Read Also: Man burns son to death for allegedly stealing N500

    The suspect was arraigned on two count charges of stealing and conspiracy.

    He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Agbonifo said the offences were punishable under Sections 390 and 516 of the Criminal Code vol ll laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria now applicable in Edo State.

    Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Ivie Akhere, granted bail to the accused person to the sum of N50, 000 and a surety in like sum.

    The case was adjourned to September 9, 2019 for hearing.