The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Newspaper

  • Tipper crushes two to death in Anambra

    Two persons were on Wednesday night crushed to death by an articulated vehicle in Mbanakwa Okpuno, Nnewichi in Nnewi North local government area of Anambra State.

    The accident, which occurred around 8:20pm along Ukwukpaka junction, involved the truck and a motorcycle.

    The Nation gathered that the driver of the truck was ascending a hill when it suddenly rolled backwards and collided with the motorcycle which was trailing behind it.

    Eye witnesses, who attributed the accident to brake failure, said the victims sustained severe injuries and were rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

    Confirming the incident, the Police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed said the body of the deceased had been deposited at the hospital mortuary for postmortem examination.

    READ ALSO: Truck crushes three persons to death in Ebonyi

    He said: “On the 18/09/2019 at about 8:20pm, there was a fatal motor/motorcycle accident along Ukwukpaka junction, Mbanakwa Okpuno Nnewichi in Nnewi North LGA involving a Tipper with Reg No XA 206 KPP and a Mate 50 motorcycle with Reg No QL 500 UWN ridden by one Clement Odo ‘m’ aged 50yrs conveying a Pillion one Anayo Elinye ‘m’ aged 38yrs.

    “Preliminary investigation revealed that the tipper had a brake failure while on motion, rolled backward and collided with the said motorcycle.

    “As a result, both the Rider and the Pillion sustained injuries and were rushed by police patrol team to Diocesan hospital where they were confirmed dead by a medical doctor.”

    He said the tipper driver absconded immediately but said efforts were on to apprehend and bring him to justice.

  • Buhari is incompetent, dragged Nigeria into dungeon of poverty, says Sheikh Gumi

    Famous Islamic Scholar in Northern Nigeria, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said that, the 2019 general elections were the worst and has produced an incompetent government presided over by Muhammadu Buhari.

    Sheikh Gumi who accused southern political class for the outcome of the 2019 elections argued that, Buhari’s government has plunged Nigeria into dungeon of poverty.

    While arguing that, the southern political class deliberately supported what he described as failure during the 2015 and 2019 elections for their personal gains, the Islamic Scholar said, the elections were beclouded with massive irregularities, which according to him eventually produced gross incompetent government.

    Sheikh Gumi stated this while playing host to the President and Founder of Evangelical Bible Outreach Ministries International, Prophet Isah El-Buba, who paid him a courtesy visit in Kaduna on Thursday.

    According to him, “the 2019 election was the most painful, worst election conducted in the history of Nigeria, which has now divided Nigerians across interests capitalising on their ignorance the real persons behind the faces they thought they know.

    “We are having the same vision about getting the right purposeful leadership that is focused and all-embracing like hawk which protects all his children. This is the type of leadership we need.

    Read Also: Oba of Benin: Edo will benefit from Buhari’s govt

    “Nigeria is now seriously divided along all interests. Class struggle is now the major factor that keep polarising Nigeria. Now what brought the division is abject poverty. The poor and the downtrodden are now angry. All the crimes we have now came as a result of poverty.

    “The politicians are necessary evil even though a lot of them are not educated. The crop of political leaders not educated to handle the problem we have in Nigeria today. The idea is very important and not what we see today. There is no point looking at who is doing what but the idea.

    “Jonathan and Buhari are not good for Nigeria. When we told Jonathan to do something, he was looking at us from Muslim perspective. People were dying in hospital, kidnapping is the worst thing. I lost a daughter a few months back from this kind of kidnapping. After attaining position all they think is how to get contract and jet out of country.

    “I will support you to move round the country because we still have good people all over the country. I’m ready to go with you. But, don’t forget to carry them along. You have to tell them. The last election was the painful election I have seen in Nigeria. In 2015, we realised we were handicapped because Nigerians are ignorant. I expected 2019 to be clean, but, it is the worst election I have seen in Nigeria.

    “You can imagine, a government that is fighting corruption saw a governor from the North stalking dollars in his pockets and kept quiet. What example is the North showing? Nigeria needs a new page. People who will unite us. The surest way to move Nigeria forward is through free, fair and credible elections,” he said.

    Earlier, Prophet Isah said, he embarked on national tour to see a new Nigeria where justice shall be the basis upon which the country is governed.

  • Boko Haram: Diplomatic community raises alarm over French’s role in terrorism

    The Centre for Diplomacy and Conflict Management (CDCM) has accused France and its colonies of aiding Boko Haram/ Islamic State in West Africa’s (ISWAP) activities, appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to sanction these nations.

     

    The Centre made this known in a letter signed by Executive Director Dr. Angulu Rilwan and addressed to President Buhari with the title “The Urgent Need to Demand Decisive Action from France in the Ongoing War Against Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorist Operating within Francophone Countries”.

     

    In the piece, the diplomatic community applauded the rapid progress made in the war against terrorism under President Buhari’s administration, evident in the takeover of Camp Zero – the operational headquarter of Boko Haram in Sambisa Forest.

     

    However, the Centre moaned over  gross negligence on the part of neighbouring states – in a supposed military pact with Nigeria which have sabotaged the gallant Nigerian troops.

     

    According to the group, these Francophone nations are safe havens for the radical sect to regroup, launch offensive as well as recruit fighters.

     

    Being French colonies, the diplomatic community reckoned that these countries may only be acting the script of their master, France, who uncharacteristically remained silent despite several allegations of funding and arming the terrorist group.

     

    It is on this premise, however, that the Centre appealed to President Buhari to extend cold diplomatic relations to France until it takes a decisive action towards confronting Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

     

    “Mr. President may wish to note that the takeover of the operational headquarters of Boko Haram Terrorist by the Nigerian Military indeed marked a significant milestone in the war against terrorism in North-East Nigeria. And this consequently resulted in the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists to flee in droves into neighbouring countries such as Chad, Benin, Cameroon, and Niger,” the letter reads in part.

     

    “ It is instructive to state that these countries are francophone countries that have entered into a strategic military pact with Nigeria that culminated in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) comprising military units from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria and headquartered in N’Djamena with a mandate to bring an end to the activities of Boko Haram.

     

    “ Mr. President may also wish to know that the MNJTF is an offensive and stabilization military forces to combat Boko Haram and other groups labelled as terrorists operating around the Lake Chad Basin. However, credible information suggests that Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters have indeed found these francophone countries as safe havens for regrouping and launching offensives against the Nigerian Military. This is on the heels that there is a growing security concern that these regional movements have expanded their reach in recruiting terrorist fighters, as well as the route where Boko Haram/ISWAP get their supplies of arms and ammunitions despite the presence of Operation Barkhane an ongoing French anti-insurgent operation in Africa’s Sahel region, that consists of a 3,000-strong French force headquartered in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad.

     

    “ Mr. President, Operation Barkhane has been designed with five francophone countries, that are former French colonies, that span the Sahel. These countries are collectively referred to as the “G5 Sahel”, and many questions have been asked as to the commitment of France in assisting to putting an end to the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism in Nigeria.

     

    “ Mr. President, we must admit that the resurgence of Boko Haram/ISWAP forces around Lake Chad means continuing conflict for Nigeria and neighbouring states, as well as ongoing peril for civilians caught in the crossfire.

     

    “ The Sahel belt of Sub Sahara Africa has been riddled with conflicts and unstable governments from Mali, through Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Sudan and this has led to a steady flow of arms across the continent, helping to fuel more conflicts and fanning the growth of extremist in Nigeria.

     

    “ Mr. President, it is no longer news that the French authorities have not made any substantial efforts towards curtailing the activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist who have found the francophone countries as safe heavens. This has further heightened the suspicion that the French authorities are giving covert support to the activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP by its refusal to act as at when necessary.

    READ ALSO: Flooding: NERC orders three hydro power plants ‘must run’

     

    “Mr. President, for inexplicable reasons that French authorities have refused to address issues that have been raised in numerous quarters on how Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have been able to turn the francophone countries to a haven for recruitments and supply of arms and ammunition for its fighters.

     

    “ The case of Chad is more worrisome given the fact that Operation Barkhane is stationed in Chad and Chad has remained a relatively safe home for Boko Haram terrorists when they come under heavy bombardment from the Nigerian Military. Chad has also been a route of guns and narcotics supply and trade for Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

     

    “ Mr. President, France’s role has fallen short of the required obligation required of them, and this in our considered opinion does not augur well for the sustenance of the war against terrorism in Nigeria and the region.

     

    “ Mr. President, this lackadaisical stance of France, requires that Nigeria must take urgent actions in ensuring that France acts appropriately to support Nigeria in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria because if the Francophone countries remains a haven for Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist, then North-East Nigeria and Nigeria in general would continue to witness unrest for many years to come.

     

    “ Mr. President, The Centre for Diplomacy and Conflict Management is as a result of this, advocating that the Nigerian authorities extend cold diplomatic relations to France until it takes a decisive action towards confronting Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists operating within Francophone countries.

     

    “ Mr. President, the Nigerian authorities must take this decisive action to send a strong message towards ensuring that the nefarious activities of Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorist are curtailed within the shortest possible time.

     

    “ Mr. President, the Centre for Diplomacy and Conflict Management is convinced that this line of action is what is needed for the remnants of Boko Haram/ISWAP to be cleared within the shortest possible time.”

  • Banky W, Osei, others for Nexford Open Day on Saturday

    Award-winning actor, singer and entrepreneur, Banky W; and the Founder, She Leads Africa, Afua Osei, are among the panellists for the 2019 Nexford University’s Open Day.

    Organisers of the Open Day, which will hold at Oriental Hotel, Lagos on Saturday, said that the panellsts would discuss critical job skills needed in workplaces and for entrepreneurs.

    The panelists include the Founder of Business Lab Africa, Tricia Ikponmwonba; the Lead at Teach for Nigeria, Bunmi Adefisayo; and Mark Igbinedion from Get Qualified.

    The others are Miss Olamidun Majekodunmi and Dr Robin Johnston from the Nexford University.

    According to the organisers, Saturday’s Open Day is tailored towards addressing the needs of small businesses/startups.

    A statement explained: “The Open Day will give participants high-quality, affordable, dynamic enlightenment that prepares them for the global workplace.”

    The Nigeria Country Director of Nexford University, Majekodunmi, signed the statement, which also stated that one of the reasons for hosting the Open Day was to curb youth unemployment through entrepreneurship.

    It reads: “NXU launches Lagos Open Day to curb youth unemployment. The goal is to empower and support the region’s entrepreneurs. In the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, more than one in eight of all 15- to 24-year-olds are not in employment, education, or training – Nexford Insights. The International Labour Organisation estimates that 75 million young people are unemployed.

    Read Also: Banky W, DJ Lambo, Reminisce, Teni, Others Share 3-days with Fans at BUDXLagos

     

    “Estimates of underemployed youth could triple this number. This represents a huge pool of untapped talent and a source of social unrest if left unchecked. Local economies can’t meet rising job demands. To help with this, NXU equips learners with the skills they need to be globally competitive and tap into international economic opportunities.”

    The statement also quoted Nexford’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Fadl Al Tarzi, as saying, “With the rapid advancement of tech, skills are the only barrier between ambitious youths across the world and attractive economic opportunities. Our next-generation university focuses on this, precisely.”

    Justifying its investment in curbing unemployment and aiding entrepreneurship, the university said, “The university surveyed Fortune 500 companies and analysed millions of job vacancies to create a curriculum focused on job skills. Nexford’s online learning model bridges the skills gap between graduates and employers.

    “Students can choose from elective courses or specialise on hot topics such as Sustainability, Managing Hyperconnectivity and Doing Business Across the World – Nexford programs overview. Learners pay a flat-fee monthly tuition, similar to a phone or data bill.”

    It added: “No long-term commitment or huge lump sum is needed. They pay the same monthly fee regardless of the number of courses or credits taken. The faster they go, the less they pay, which gives students an incentive to finish on time.”

  • U.S based Northern Nigerian advocate Calls for release of remaining abducted aide workers

     

    Magnafaith Krimi, a Northern Nigerian community advocate based near Washington, has announced her displeasure and  condemned the murder of an aide worker by Boko Haram militia in Borno State.
    Krimi, in a statement made available to the Press by African Global Center a Non-Profit Organization headquartered in the U.S stated,
    My most heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends and the entire nation.
    Though, mainstream media within the international community rarely report killings of hardworking Nigerian women, men and their helpless children who have been hacked to death in their homes. Some kidnapped, raped, even church folks get shot to death as they leave church after prayer meetings. Just as happened to an abducted member of the Action Against Hunger Team, a Non-Governmental Organization in Borno.
     Suspected radical terrorist, Fulani herdsmen, bandits, kidnappers or in some cases thugs as they are called by various agencies locally and internationally have allegedly been cleansing the north-central states of Nigeria for almost 10 years.
    This tragedy has struck our community again.  Humanitarian, aide workers and medical professionals are not to be counted as victims of conflicts. They sacrifice to bring relief to hurting communities and should never become a statistic of the numbing regularity.
    Scores of women and children have been kidnaped on highways and held captive for days as their loved ones scramble for donations and loan for ransom.
     I am calling for the unconditional release of the remaining members of the Action Against Hunger team still being held captive by the Boko Haram militia.
     She said,
    I am confident that the Nigerian armed forces will ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice. Krimi said in response to the Boko Haram militia released video of the alleged execution of one of the abducted aid workers on Tuesday.
    A  crisis-ridden Nigeria has negative impacts  for international  businesses, in which case the International Committee on Nigeria, enabled a panel of victims from Nigeria to report in congressional offices and to give testimonies to media, members of the U.S. administration, and to think tanks in June to bring awareness to the reality of the  everyday live of a northern citizen of Nigeria.
     Krimi stated that there has to be an awakening of humanity in Nigeria.
     While it is nice to say we must emphasize encouragement and positive solutions within our conflict zones and that yes, we must not give up,
    Krimi ended her text like she did before, You see, my beloved country has a problem with telling the truth about itself. It is indeed a good country. Very good. Yes, so good, it should be better.

  • Nigeria 3rd most terrorised nation – Security expert

    Chief Edinen Usoroh, Chairman, Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN), Plateau chapter, says Nigeria currently ranks third on the world’s terrorism index.

    Usoroh made the disclosure on Thursday in Jos at the opening of a one-day counter terrorism awareness seminar.

    He said that Nigeria’s position was according to the 2018 global terrorism index.

    “Nigeria remains the 3rd most terrorised nation in the world, according to the global terrorism index report of 2018.

    “The five most terrorised countries in the world are: Iran, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria and Pakistan.

    ‘Boko Haram remains the most active and deadliest terrorist group in Nigeria, and also a terror group in sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.

    Usoroh, who is also the Managing Director, Executive Guards Ltd., stated that the inability of Nigerian security agencies to completely tackle Boko Haram menace was due to ‘insider threat’.

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    According to him, the insider threat has jeopardised military operations, adding that such had compromised the integrity of the Nigerian Military.

    “The moment a terrorist establishes a functional contact with an insider, that organisation becomes extremely vulnerable to an attack,” he said.

    The expert further said that apart from terrorism, other security challenges bedeviling the country include; banditry, kidnapping, rape, suicide deaths, ritual killings, missing persons and cyber fraud.

    Usoroh stressed said that the counter terrorism awareness seminar was organised to enlighten the security agencies, civil society organisations, Religious leaders, community leaders and Journalists among others, on the tactics of terrorists and criminals in the society.

    (NAN)

  • Bayelsa Kingdom gives red card to PDP, backs Lyon

    A dominant kingdom in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Epie-Atisa Kingdom has issued a red card to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the state.

    Members of the kingdoms, who rose from their meeting in Yenagoa under the auspices of Epie-Atissa Voice (EAV), raised red cards insisting that they were no longer interested in the PDP following the party’s failure to develop their area.

    They said they were all moving to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to support its governorship candidate, Chief David Lyon accusing the PDP of under-performance.

    The Coordinator of the Epie\Atissa Voice, Kalizibe Joseph, who likened government to a football, said the PDP had been in the field for a long time without scoring expected goals and should be given a red card.

    He said: “We want peace in the state and we all know that when a football has not gone so well, It is left for the referee to issue a yellow card as well as a red card. So our case is likened to that of a football game.

    “It is on this note that the Epie/Atissa people have decided and unanimously rejected PDP and want to take over government through the ballots. We are backing the All progressive Congress (APC) candidate, Chief David Lyon, whom we believe has come to our rescue.

    “We are using this medium to say that in as much as the restoration government and the PDP are deriving joy in underdeveloping our people, we have also resolved that come February 14th 2020, they have to quit because they dont have any other option than to leave our residents”.

    Also speaking, the Director General, David Lyon Youth Vanguard, Comrade, Moso Duenize, said the journey to take over their destiny has just begun, adding that the PDP has done nothing but to underdeveloped the capital city where we are from and the state in general.

    Read Also: Ex-Bayelsa PDP senator joins APC

    He said it was pathetic that Yenagoa became the darkest capital in the country under the PDP government despite the huge federal allocation received monthly by the state.

    He added: “When there’s rain the whole state is always flooded, for about eight year the government is not even looking towards that direction. Its so pathetic that Yenagoa is described as the darkness capital in the country. The level of crime experienced currently has never been as terrible in the history of the state.

    “We can’t sleep with comfort because of the government’s failure to curb criminality in the state. We can no longer as a people continue in this direction, even as we play host to the capital city but we are relegated to the background”.

    A chieftain of the APC, Chief Preye Agama, who moved the motion for the issuance of a red card to the PDP, said the decision was adopted by the over thirty communities of in the kingdom.

    “We have tested the PDP for eight years and nothing came out of it rather we have suffered exclusion, total darkness ,flooding due to bad drainage and insecurity.

    “Yenagoa has become the Darkest state capital in the country. We are the landlord and we have sacked the PDP to pack out and the APC should come in with Chief David Lyon come November 16th,” he said.

  • US drone strike kills 30 farm workers in Afghanistan

    An American drone strike killed at least 30 workers on a pine nut farm who were resting after a day’s labour in the fields, Afghan officials have said.

    The bombing, intended to hit an Isis hideout in Afghanistan, injured another 40 people on Wednesday night at Wazir Tangi in eastern Nangarhar province, three Afghan officials said.

    The US military said it was trying to establish the identities of the people it killed.
    “The workers had lit a bonfire and were sitting together when a drone targeted them,” tribal elder Malik Rahat Gul said.

    Afghanistan’s defence ministry and a senior US official in Kabul confirmed the bombing had taken place, but did not provide details of casualties.

    Colonel Sonny Leggett, a spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, said: “US forces conducted a drone strike against Da’esh terrorists in Nangarhar.

    “We are aware of allegations of the death of non-combatants and are working with local officials to determine the facts.”

    Some 14,000 US troops remain in Afghanistan nearly two decades after the 2001 war began, training Afghan security forces and launching counter-insurgency raids against Isis and the Taliban.

    Haidar Khan, who owns the pine nut fields, said about 150 workers were there for harvesting and added that some were still missing as well as those confirmed as dead and injured.
    Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor of Nangarhar, said at least nine bodies had been collected from the site.

    READ ALSO: US drones reveal Boko Haram’s movements, new camps

    The American military estimates there are about 2,000 Isis fighters in Afghanistan, but their true numbers are difficult to calculate because they frequently change allegiances.

    They first appeared in the country in 2014 and fight against the Afghan government, Taliban and US forces.

    In a separate incident, at least 20 people died in a suicide truck bomb attack on Thursday carried out by the Taliban in the southern province of Zabul.

    Hundreds of civilians have been killed in fighting across Afghanistan after the collapse of US-Taliban peace talks this month. The Taliban has warned Donald Trump will regret his decision to abruptly end talks that could have brought the 18-year-old war to a close.

    The United Nations said nearly 4,000 civilians had been killed or wounded in the first half of the year. That included a big increase in casualties inflicted by government and US-led foreign forces.
    (www.newsnow.co.uk)

  • NDLEA arrests seven drug barons in Kwara

    National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kwara state command on Thursday said it has arrested seven drugs barons in different parts of the state.

    The agency added that it also arrested 19 drug offenders.

    State Commander of the agency, Umoru Ambrose told reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, saying that cannabis sativa of 40kg weight was seized at different warehouses and joints owned by the drug barons and distributors.

    The NDLEA boss, who said that the arrest and seizure were made between August 14 and September 14, 2019, added that the suspected barons nabbed with cannabis were arrested at Ganmo, Maraba, Oja Iya, Osere; in the Ilorin metropolis, including Omupo, Jebba and Kaiama towns.

    He said that one of the suspects, Chukwuemeka Odehokewu Johnson, aka Chuks, was first arrested by the command in 1994, adding that the command located his drug warehouse and recovered 396 bags of cannabis weighing 4,356kg in 2017 and was declared wanted.

    Read Also: Man jailed for drugging and robbing victim

    The NDLEA commander also said that the suspect that had been on the watch list was eventually apprehended on August 26, 2019 due to intelligence.

    He said that raid carried out on some drug joints at such locations as Ilofa road GRA, Ajikobi, Adewole, Tanke, Maraba motor park, Oko Olowo, Malete and Omupo led to arrest of 19 suspected drug users.

    The NDLEA boss said that the warehouses had been sealed, adding that the suspected barons would soon be prosecuted.

    “In the ongoing Operation Keep Kwara Drug Free, some people who use drug that were arrested have been counselled and released to their respective families, while seven are currently undergoing care, treatment, and rehabilitation at the state headquarters with a view to reintegrate them to the society”, he said.

  • Man jailed for drugging and robbing victim

    A 39-year old man identified as David Onyema has been jailed by an Oredo Magistrate Court for drugging and robbing his victim, Egbon Omonigho Khalim.

    David pleaded guilty to the two count charges of causing harm through drug and stealing slammed against him.

    He was said to have met Egbon at the Iyare Motor Park in Benin City on May 25th, 2019.

    It was learnt that David gave Egbon food laced with drugs and stole his property.

    Police Prosecutor, Patrick Agbonifo, told the court that the convict pretended to make friend with Egbon and gave him food laced with drug.

    READ ALSO: Woman jailed for murdering aunt, raping boy

    Agbonifo said Egbon felled asleep and his belongings worth N715,000 were stolen by David.

    He said the offences were punishable under sections 337 and 390 of the Criminal Code vol II laws of the defunct Bendel State now applicable to Edo State.

    Presiding Magistrate, I A Osayande sentenced David to 44 months imprisonment without an option of fine.