The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian news

  • Two dead after falling off moving train

    Two unidentified men died penultimate Friday morning after they fell off a moving train at the PWD area of Ikeja, Lagos.

    The deceased persons according to sources were hanging on the train when they fell down when the train was on top speed.

    Sources said the accident occurred after an excavator parked close to the railway line hit the people who hung on the train, while others were said to have jumped off to avoid being hit by the construction equipment.

    It was said that most of those involved in the accident were among those who usually hang on the train to avoid buying tickets for their journey.

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    The deceased persons were among those who fell down died on the spot while others were injured.

    One of the victims died on the spot while the other person died on the way to a nearby public hospital.

    The incident triggered some youths to protest against the indiscriminate arrangement of equipment along the rail corridor.

    Normalcy was however restored following the intervention of officials of the construction firm and law enforcement agents.

  • Woman arrested for allegedly killing three-day-old stepson

    The Police have arrested a 22-year-old woman for allegedly poisoning her three-day-old stepson with a local insecticide called otapiapia in Shakodna village, Shiroro local government area of Niger state.

    The suspect, Harela Uba, who is the first wife of one Mallam Una Saidu gave the poisonous substance to her seven- year- old daughter to administer on her step-brother.

    The mother of the deceased baby,  Fa’iza Uba had left for bathroom leaving her baby in her room only to return to meet the baby foaming in his mouth, when she returned to the room.

    Read Also: Woman arrested for killing ‘hubby’ over daughter’s birthday party

    Fa’iza raised the alarm and the baby was rushed him to General Hospital, Kuta where he was confirmed dead by a doctor who said the baby was poisoned.

    The incident was reported to the Shiroro Police Division and several people were interrogated regarding the incident.

    Hurela confessed during interrogation that she gave her daughter the insecticide to administer on the baby.

    The suspect, an expectant mother, claimed she did not know what pushed her to kill the baby.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Muhammad, said the case had been charged to court.

  • Uganda explores Nigerian market

    Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) in collaboration with Ugandan tour operators will be present as the 2019 Akwaaba West Africa Travel Fair which begins tomorrow.  Uganda, with  cultural, historical and religious heritage, has lined up tourism experts from the tourism board and tour operators to market and promote its tourist potential to the West African market at the “Uganda Day” on September 22 at 2:00pm and at the expo schedule from September 22 to 24 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

    Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape straddles the equator with Lake Victoria (world’s 2nd largest lake) forming part of its southern border. It is from the same lake that River Nile, the world’s longest river, starts its (4,258 miles)journey at Jinja 80km east Kampala.

    According to a statement from Uganda’s tourism board: “Very many wonderful things have been said about Uganda by various authors and travellers who have had the chance to visit. Some talk about the charming weather, natural resources, rich culture, and history, while others talk about the lovely people whose hospitality is unmatched. Most quickly note the numerous beautiful birds and other rare wildlife species that are only found in Uganda. All that is true but there is more.

    “Uganda is the land of martyrs in Africa. This religious story is summarized in the Uganda Martyrs Trail. The Trail is an extra –ordinary journey of faith that literally gets in the footsteps of the first Christian missionaries and converts as they walked through Uganda preaching, teaching, healing and transforming lives –finally the places of their martyrdom.

    ”Its abundant wildlife as well as a home to 1,072 bird species includes some of the world’s rarest birds. Visit the world’s Heritage site of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a renowned mountain gorilla tracking life changing experience. The white sands of Ssese Island, one of Uganda’s greatest and uncrowned beaches known for its tranquility that creates a perfect never –ending honey moon experience located in Uganda’s portion of Lake Victoria. Finally, Kampala the Capital city of Uganda – a city in East Africa that never sleeps and has earned the title of Entertainment capital In East Africa.”Fantastic wildlife and some of the friendliest people in Africa make Uganda unbeatable.”

  • Residents thrown into panic as Igbo traders, youths clash

    Residents of Ekpan community, Uvwie council area of Delta state have been thrown into panic, following a clash between Igbo traders and suspected youths of the area over payment of development levy, popularly known as “deve”.

    The incident reportedly occurred around the Udumoto area of Ekpan along the NNPC Housing Complex road.

    The Nation learnt that trouble started when the Igbo traders declined to pay the youths a certain sum of money they had demanded from truck drivers who were offloading goods owned by the traders.

    The Igbo traders who had earlier agreed to pay the illegal fee later refused to pay after the youths increased the fee and turned down the amount offered by the traders. This according to both parties.

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    The traders, it was gathered, challenged the youths, pursuing them with cutlasses and other objects. But the youths had promised a reprisal attack by mobilizing back to the area.

    Sources stated that the traders had also brought in other members from Warri and Uvwie to the scenario.

    Although it was not clear how many sustained injuries, witnesses alleged that both parties had their share of wounds during the fracas.

    However, men of the Nigeria Police have been deployed to the area to prevent further conflict between the groups.

  • CBN backs FG’s plan to increase VAT, says Nigeria has lowest

    Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), says the plan to increase Value Added Tax (VAT) from five per cent to 7.5 per cent is in the right direction to raise country’s revenue.

    Emefiele stated this while fielding questions from journalists after the Monetary Policy Committee meeting held in Abuja.

    He said the government had responsibility to fend for every citizenry by providing basic infrastructure like roads, electricity and hospitals among others.

    He explained that the government had only two ways to fund such projects, which are by raising revenue and through loan collection.

    Read Also: VAT: What you need to know about ‘proposed increase’ from 5% – 7.5%

    According to him, the present government has been criticised by some people for high rate of debt incurred.

    “Government unfortunately has no option, if it does not borrow, it must raise revenue and you all agree with me that it has obligations to meet up with.

    ” The increase of VAT to 7.5 per cent is low compare to other countries, in fact, with this increase, Nigeria has the lowest in the world.

    “If the government can meet its obligation through this increment, it should be supported,” he said.

    He appealed to Nigerians to show understanding and support government’s policies.

     (NAN)

  • Tanker truck laden with diesel fell off Otedola bridge

    A tanker truck laden with 33,000 litres of automated gas oil (diesel) fell off while driving toward Berger shortly after the Otedola bridge and caused a lot of traffic jam around Lagos metropolis.

    The Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

    According to him, the immediate cause of the accident was due to mechanical error (brake failure), but no casualties and no damage of vehicles was recorded.

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    “The truck fell off at about few minutes to 5 p.m while its content was still spilling due to the impact of the accident.

    “Physical assessment is being conducted in order to avert the occurrence and fire incident.

    “All emergency responders have been activated,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

    He said that presently, the trans loading of content was on going to prevent the truck from exploding.

    Oke-Osanyintolu, however, said that the tanker truck would be removed from the road to ensure free flow of traffic.

    (NAN)

  • Bayelsa governorship: fresh crisis hits PDP as pressure mounts on Speaker to resign

    Some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have mounted pressure on the Speaker Emmanuel Tonye Isenah to resign his position.

    They were said to have insisted that Isenah must give his position to a lawmaker from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area to enable the PDP secure the council’s vote.

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    The plot to get Isenah out his position has, however, introduced fresh crisis into the PDP, which is still trying to recover from post primary election controversies.

  • SGF, FCT Minister, ex-Governor Bindow, Ribadu, 35 others to reconcile Adamawa APC

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, are to co-chair a 39 -member Central Steering Committee to reposition the Adamawa state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and rebuild it into a winning party.

    The immediate past governor of the state, Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow will also sit on the committee which has one of his major opponents in the last governorship election and former EFCC Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as member, alongside former Director General of the National Boundary Commission, Dahiru Bobbo, Sen. Jonathan Silas Zwingina, Sen. Ahmed Hassan Barata, among many others.

    Alhaji Abdulrahman Adamu is to serve as the main Chairman of the Committee expected to work hand in hand with the National Working Committee of the party in addressing the grievances within the party that saw it losing the governorship election in the state to the PDP.

    The APC in Adamawa state was divided into several camps during the last general election with groups loyal to the Wife of the President and her brother and those loyal to the former SGF, Babachir Lawal and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu working against former Governor Bindow.

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    According to a document to newsmen in Abuja, the committee is charged with the responsibility of reconciling all aggrieved aspirants /candidates that vied for positions during the 2019 general election.

    The committee is also charged with the task of developing programme of action to reposition and strengthen APC in Adamawa, as well as propose modalities that ensure free and fair primaries ahead of the coming local government election and future elections in the state.

    The committee is also expected “to propose ways and means of raising funds for running the affairs of the party in Adamawa state, to develop an effective media and public enlightenment programme for repositioning the party to its winning ways in the state.

    “To co-ordinate and support the various election petitions by the party at various tribunals and courts and carry out any other functions as may be directed by the National Work Committee of the APC.”

  • Kanye West becomes richest rap artiste 2019 – Forbes

    American rapper and fashion designer, Kanye West has been named the highest-paid hip-hop act in the world, earning 150 million dollars in a year.

    According to Forbes, Kanye West top the 2019 list, edging out JAY-Z who earned 81 million dollars and Drake who made 71 million dollars, to stand at second and third positions respectively on the list of top 20.

    JAY-Z has always been one of the top earners in hip-hop, but for the first time ever he has lost out to Kanye West,his former protégé.

    The top ten consists entirely of male hip-hop artists, as Eminem, DJ Khaled, Kendrick Lamar, Migos, and Childish Gambino round out the rest of the list.

    The only female artists to make it into the top 20 are Nicki Minaj and Cardi B, who come in at the number 12 and 13 slots respectively.

    Nicki Minaj made 29 million dollars earnings, and Cardi B, the youngest to make the list at 26, raked in 28 million dollars in earnings.

    In 2018, Kanye West stood at number 10 on the list with 27.5 million dollars, while Jay came in at number one with 76.5 million.

    It’s a huge surge for Kanye, as his partnership with Adidas is expected to pull in over 1.5 billion in sales in 2019.

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    Check out the top 20 list below:

    1. Kanye West – $ 150 million

    2. Jay-Z – $ 81 million

    3. Drake – $ 75 million

    4. Diddy – $ 70 million

    5. Travis Scott – $ 58 million

    6. Eminem – $ 50 million

    7. DJ Khaled – $ 40 million

    8. Kendrick Lamar – $ 38.5 million

    9. Migos – $ 36 million

    10. Childish Gambino – $ 35 million

    11. J. Cole – $ 31 million

    12. Nicki Minaj – $ 29 million

    13. Cardi B – $ 28 million

    14. Swizz Beatz – $ 23 million

    15. Meek Mill – $ 21 million

    16. Birdman – $ 20 million

    17. Future – $ 19.5 million

    18. Nas – $ 19 million

    19. Wiz Khalifa – $ 18.5 million

    20. Pitbull – $ 18 million

    (NAN)

  • Tribunal validates re-election of Ikpeazu, dismisses Otti’s petition

    The Governorship and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, on Friday affirmed the reelection Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

    It threw away the petition brought before the tribunal by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Alex Otti, challenging the declaration of Ikpeazu as the winner of the 2019 polls in the state.

    Otti had approached the tribunal seeking the nullification of Ikpeazu as the winner of the poll, but the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said that the petitioner failed to prove the alleged non compliance to the Electoral Guidelines in the said 15 LGAs.

    Ogunmoye further stated that the petitioner failed to prove the case of over-voting and alleged irregularities.

    According to Justice Ogunmoye all the reliefs sought by Otti and APGA were dismissed and described the application as unmeritorious.

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    Counsel to the respondent, Chief Paul Ananaba (SAN) appreciated the Tribunal for delivering what he described as unbiased and sound judgment. But Otti’s lead counsel, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) said “the judgment has moved the law forward. The position of the tribunal is that the decision of the Supreme Court in the case regarding card reader is no longer the law.

    “The law has been amended as was decided in Wike and others and the tribunal actually agreed that the law has changed. There is an amendment now.

    “However they believe that the infraction which has been done to the election, in this case, is not substantial enough to nullify the election.”

    Reacting to the judgment, Ikpeazu who spoke at the Governor’s lodge, Umuahia invited Otti to join hands with him in the development of the state.

    Ikpeazu said the “APGA candidate should sheath his sword and respect the will of the people and join hands to build Abia,” adding, “there is a space for everybody.”