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  • IBB, Danjuma hold closed door meeting in Minna

    IBB, Danjuma hold closed door meeting in Minna

    Former President General Ibrahim Babangida on Thursday held a close door meeting with General Theophilus Danjuma at his hill-top mansion in Minna, the Niger state capital.

    The meeting lasted for three hours and Sources disclose that the meeting may not be disconnected  with the current security challenge and political trend of the nation.

    The former military President was in the news recently over his letter to President Buhari advising him on the state of the nation.

    A reliable source disclosed that General Danjuma arrived at the Minna airport at exactly 11:45am, was driven straight to the Uphill home of IBB and was ushered into the private parlor where the meeting took place.

    Read Also: Why I built maternity hospital in Taraba – Danjuma

    No other person was allowed into the meeting except for the duo as all the guests that accompanied the visitor was asked to vacate the private parlor.

    Immediately the meeting ended, General Danjuma went straight to his host private   Mercedes Benz E class that brought him from the airport and zoomed away.

    The Source said, “I am very sure that they must have discussed the general situation in the country, both security and the political situation.

    “Nobody was in the parlor with them, it was only two of them. The meeting started after they had launch together and it lasted for about three hours.”

  • Niger police command arrests suspect for murder

    Niger police command arrests suspect for murder

    The Police Command in Niger has arrested one Ma’aruf Saraki,  for alleged murder of Tasiu Shitu of  Unguwar Samaru in Kontagora Local Government Area of the state.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Dibal Yakadi, disclosed this in an interview with our Reporter in Minna on Friday.

    Yakadi said that one Abdullahi Aliyu of Dadin Kowa area of Kontagora local government area reported the matter to B division of the Police that his younger brother, Tasiu Shitu of Unguwar Samaru Kontagora, left home on Jan. 25 with his unregistered Honda Accord car,  and that since then his whereabouts remained unknown.

    Read Also: Police arrest three suspected cultists

    He said information from a reliable source revealed that Ma’ aruf  Saraki of Dimbisco village of Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State was seen in possession of the car in question.

    He said detectives were dispatched to the Police Command in Sokoto State in search of the suspect, and that they arrested the suspect and recovered the car.

    The commissioner said in the course of interrogation, the suspect confessed to have murdered Shitu, snatched the vehicle and allegedly threw the corpse in Gwada river in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger.He said efforts were being made to recover the corpse of the deceased.He said that the suspect would be charged to court after investigation.

    NAN

  • NGO donates solar-powered blood bank to hospital to check maternal mortality

    NGO donates solar-powered blood bank to hospital to check maternal mortality

    In its bid to stem the rate of maternal mortality, Pathfinder International, a non-governmental organization, NGO, has donated a solar powered blood banks to the Nigeria Police Hospital in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization, Lois Quam, said post-partum haemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the world and access to safe blood transfusion services was a major problem in Nigeria partly due to frequent power outage.

    Quam, who was accompanied management team of the organization in Nigeria, called for collaborative efforts among all key stakeholders, saying there was still more to be done to check maternal mortality.

    “Until no mother dies from delivery and labour, we must keep working together. A day that is supposed to be the happiest day in the mother’s life should not turn out to be a sad day,” Quam said.

    Read Also: NGO trains journalists, CSOs in affirmative action

    The officer in charge of the hospital, Dr Jenkins Ukaga, expressed appreciation for the gesture, saying with assistance from the organization over time, they have been able to significantly reduce cases of maternal mortality.

    He said the hospital, which was established in the 80s was open to members of the public.

    The Pathfinder team also met with the wife of the State Governor, Mrs Linda Ayade; the deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu, as well as visited various health facilities in some communities to interact with traditional birth attendants, medical workers as well as nursing mothers and pregnant women among other key stakeholders to interact on issues that will promote saving the lives of mothers.

    There was also a motivational talk to students of the Department of Public Health of the University of Calabar by the Pathfinder International President, Quam.

  • Teenager arraigned for N360,000 fraud in Ogun

    Teenager arraigned for N360,000 fraud in Ogun

    A 19-year-old man, Onyebuchi Akpala, who allegedly defrauded a man of N360,000, was on Friday charged before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun.

    Akpala, who resides at No. 26, Oyetola St., Iyana-Ilogbo near Ota, Ogun, is facing a two-count charge of stealing and fraud.The accused, however, denied the charge.

    But Police Prosecutor  Chudu Gbesi insisted that the accused committed the offences on Feb. 22 at 1.00 p.m. at Oko Baale, Ota,

    The accused had entered into an undertaking to use for a commercial purposes a motorcycle with registration no. MEK 716 VS valued at N360,000 and remit proceeds weekly to the owner.

    Read Also: Ogun engages firm to manage waste

    “He promised to be remitting certain amount every week but failed to fulfill the agreement. “The offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 516 of Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

    In his ruling, the Senior Magistrate, Mr S. O. Banwo, granted the accused bail  in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    He said the sureties should reside within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed with an evidence of tax payment to Ogun Government.

    He adjourned the case until March 19.

    NAN

  • Prosecutor withdraws sexual abuse charge against Cardinal Pell

    Prosecutor withdraws sexual abuse charge against Cardinal Pell

    Prosecutor on Friday withdrew one charge of sexual abuse filed againstCardinal George Pell because the accuser has died, Australian media reported.

    Pell, the highest-ranking Catholic official to be charged with sexual abuse, will face a four-week committal hearing at Melbourne Magistrate’s Court from Monday which will determine if there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial.

    Crown Prosecutor Mark Gibson told the court on Friday one charge was being withdrawn.

    The court was told previously that one of the complainants had died.

    It is not known how many complainants there are, except that there are several.

    Pell, 76, has consistently denied the allegations against him. For legal reasons, very few details of the case against him can be reported.

    Read Also: Melaye: Absence of prosecutor stalls hearing of assassination suit

    He is currently on leave from the Vatican, where he was one of Pope Francis’ most senior aides.

    At the hearing next week, complainants will be the first to give evidence, during which the court will be closed, a standard practice in Victoria for hearings involving sexual offence charges.

    Judge Belinda Wallington told lawyers that the cross-examination of witnesses and complainants would not “delve into detail that is likely to cause distress.”

    “There is no intention to trawl through detail of abuse at the hands of other clergy,” Wallington said, according to Australian Associated Press.

    One of Pell’s defence barristers, Ruth Shann, said at issue was the timing of complaints.

    Pell does not have to enter a plea until the end of the committal hearing, but his defence barrister, Robert Richter, has told a previous hearing that the cardinal would plead not guilty.

    NAN

     

  • Russia to use 7,000 CCTV cameras during presidential election

    Russia to use 7,000 CCTV cameras during presidential election

    Almost 7,000 Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras will be operating at Moscow polling stations during the upcoming presidential election to ensure public safety, an official said.

    Vladimir Chernikov, the Head of Moscow Government’s Department on Regional Security and Countering Corruption, said this on Friday in Moscow.

    Chernikov said “to ensure security at polling stations, more than 1,500 ballot processing complexes (BPCs) were purchased, while polling stations were equipped with almost 7,000 surveillance cameras – two cameras at a station.”

    The premises, located near the local election commissions, will be checked by the authorities a day before the election, the official noted.

    Read Also: Russia deploys hypersonic missile system to south of country

    “All buildings adjacent to the polling stations, as well as the attics and cellars, will be inspected by representatives of housing and communal organisations and by the Interior Ministry’s officers.

    “Additional checks will be held directly on the eve of the Election Day,” Chernikov added.

    The polling stations and adjacent territories will also be taken under round-the-clock protection and will be verified by technical means and service dogs during the Election Day, according to the official.

    “Near the buildings, where the voting will be held, the police officers will be operating the access control with the use of metal detectors,” the department’s chief underlined.

    The Russian presidential election is scheduled for March 18, while the campaign kicked off on December 18.

    NAN

     

  • Quarterly Fitness: Defend your badge, Zubairu tells FIFA referees

    Quarterly Fitness: Defend your badge, Zubairu tells FIFA referees

    Mr Sani Zubairu, Head of Referees Unit, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Friday urged FIFA-badged referees in Nigeria to adequately prove themselves worthy of their ranks by scaling through the quarterly fitness test slated for March 6.

    Zubairu told the News men, the quarterly test was imperative to ascertain the fitness of FIFA referees for promotion or demotion.

    He said that the federation would not relent in promoting football excellence and qualitative officiating through provision of platforms for referees to succeed.

    “NFF will continue to give football administration and officiating the best it requires, especially for international matches.

    “Our FIFA referees need to prepare well for the fitness test in order to go higher at the global level,’’Zubairu said.

    He expressed optimism in the ability of Nigerian referees, adding that they would continue to make the country proud.

    Read Also: FIFA 2018 W/C: Rohr did not reject friendly games says NFF President

    He noted, Nigerian referees at all levels had distinguished themselves as men and women of impeccable character.

    Zubairu commended the referees for their belief in impartiality as a watchword, adding that plans for successful Nigeria National League (NNL) and Nationwide League One (NLO) were underway.

    According to him, referees are divided into two zonal formations for good preparations ahead of the NNL and NLO.

    “We have the Kano zone involving all northern referees and the Sagamu zone for the Southern referees and they are in camps now.’’

    The news men reports, NRA, in collaboration with NFF, will on March 6 supervise a quarterly fitness test for FIFA badged referees.

    The test is an annual event to ascertain the fitness of FIFA referees and which would be used to determine their promotion or demotion.

    NAN

  • Dasuki loses bid for freedom

    Dasuki loses bid for freedom

    Supreme Court rejects his appeal

    Detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki has lost his bid for freedom as the Supreme Court rejected his request to that effect.

    Dasuki has appealed to the apex court, challenging his continued detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) and prayed for the suspension of his trial pending his release by the government.

    The Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment of a five-man panel today, dismissed Dasuki’s appeal for lacking in merit.

    Justice Ejembi Eko, who read the lead judgment, said Dasuki’s continued detention was not a violation of any order for bail earlier granted the ex-NSA by both the Federal High Court and High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before which he is standing trial for separated criminal charges.

    The court said Dasuki’s detention was not at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that put him on trial.

    It further said the bails granted Dasuki in respect of criminal charges brought against him by EFCC have been obeyed having been implemented by the Controller of Prison Kuje on December 29, 2015.

    The court affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which earlier upheld the FCT High Court, where it said the EFCC was not liable for the detention of Dasuki by DSS.

     

    Details later

  • Enugu State tackles water challenges in urban, rural communities

    Enugu State tackles water challenges in urban, rural communities

    The Enugu State Government on Friday expressed determination to address water related challenges in urban and rural communities in some parts of the state.

    The state Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Charles Egumgbe, told the News men in Enugu that government had made adequate provision for water supply and reticulation in 2018 budget.

    The commissioner said, when all the projects under the ministry and its agencies were completed, the effect on water supply and reticulation would be far-reaching in the state.

    “I am optimistic; the Enugu State’s 2018 budget will address water availability challenge in some parts of the state.

    “The monetary budget for water supply and reticulation in the state shows Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s focus on people-oriented projects will make much impact on the lives of the people.

    “I will urge all residents of the state to keep supporting the state government’s plans and programmes since they are usually done in their best interest,’’ he said.

    Read Also:Enugu to spend N42.8bn on infrastructure in 2018

    “The state’s 2018 budget of N103.56 billion, which had been christened ‘Budget of Sustainable Economic Growth’, had been signed into law by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    “Out of the N103.56 billion budget, the sum of N60.72 billion, representing 58.6 per cent of the budget, is for recurrent expenditure, while capital expenditure stands at N42.85 billion, representing 41.4 per cent of the budget,’’ Egumgbe said.

    The news men reports, the Ministry of Water Resources got N185.78 million while N75.5 million was allocated to Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency in the 2018 budget.

    The Enugu State Water Corporation got N318 million and N200 million was also allocated to the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency.

    NAN

  • Snow storms shut Ireland; force Britain to call in army

    Snow storms shut Ireland; force Britain to call in army

    Snow storms shut most of Ireland on Friday and forced Britain to call in the army to battle some of the worst weather seen in nearly 30 years.

    After a blast of Siberian weather dubbed” the beast from the east”, southern Britain and Ireland were battered by Storm Emma which blocked roads, grounded planes and stopped trains.

    At least 24,000 homes and businesses in Ireland were left without power, the stock exchange was shut, all schools were closed and transport ground to a halt with all flights canceled from Dublin airport.

    In Britain, a seven-year-old girl was killed in Cornwall after a car crashed into a house in icy conditions, the BBC reported.

    Dozens of passengers were stranded on trains overnight in southern England.

    The army was called in to help rescue hundreds of drivers stuck in the snow and to transport National Health Service workers.

    Read Also: Dapchi Girls: Stop the blame game, Dogara tells Army, Police

    Roads were closed, schools shut and flights canceled across Britain.

    “The Armed Forces are assisting emergency services in ensuring essential NHS staff is able to get to work and carry out their work in local communities,” a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said.

    The army is “standing by to help the Police and civil authorities across the UK following heavy snowfall.

    “We are also aware of Armed Forces personnel volunteering in their own time with their own vehicles to help those in need.”

    NAN