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Tag: Nigerian Newspaper

  • Navy seizes stolen crude oil off Rivers coast

    Navy seizes stolen crude oil off Rivers coast

    The Nigerian Navy has seized huge quantity of petroleum product suspected to be crude oil off Rivers coast, a senior navy official has revealed.

    Commodore Samson Bura, the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Port Harcourt, paraded the vessel, MT Marina Express, and its crew members in Onne, Rivers on Tuesday.

    Bura said the vessel and its crew members had been on the Navy’s radar for suspicious behaviour over a period of time.

    “On January 20, at about 00:45 hours, we got information about a suspicious vessel in compromising position at St. Bartholomew River in Onne.

    “On gathering of this intelligence, we immediately deployed our gunboats and thereafter impounded the large vessel, MT Marina Express.

    “The vessel at the time of arrest had two all-male crew members of Nigerian nationality with an unspecified quantity of product suspected to be crude oil,” he said.

    Read also: Navy arrests 22 vessels in onslaught on maritime criminals

    Bura said the vessel had been of interest and that it was for the same reason the crew members allegedly switched off its automatic identification system to hide the illegality.

    “The vessel was then moved to its present position which is at Onne seaport for further processing (of the product).

    “Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the vessel did not have required documentation or approvals for the product or the position (location) it was found.

    “We are going to carry out volumetric analysis to know the exact quantity of the crude oil the vessel was carrying,” he assured.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learned that the vessel was transporting several metric tons of suspected crude oil at the time it was seized.

    Bura said the vessel would be handed over to relevant prosecuting agencies in line with the harmonised standard operating procedures for the arrest, detention, and prosecution of vessels.

    The commander said the navy was determined to rid the Niger Delta of sea robbery, piracy, illegal bunkering and oil theft and warned criminals against maritime crimes.

    Nigeria has been grappling with theft of its crude oil for several years which often times is smuggled abroad through the backwaters of the Gulf of Guinea.

    This has deprived the nation of billions of dollars and accounted for pollution of the Niger Delta mangrove despite a special military task force set up to tackle the menace.

    NAN

  • CP seeks media support to tame criminals in Sokoto

    CP seeks media support to tame criminals in Sokoto

    The new Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, Mr. Murtala Mani has solicited the support of the media in the task of taming criminal activities in the state.

    Mani said at an interactive session with newsmen on Tuesday in Sokoto that he would work closely with the media in generating public support to policing in the state.

    The commissioner stressed that security in the state is everybody’s business, and said the media should create awareness for residents to be security conscious and support security agencies with vital information to tame criminal activities.

    READ ALSO: Navy arrests 22 vessels in onslaught on maritime criminals

    “This meeting is the beginning of our journey to work together and bring offender to book.

    “The press is well known for its positive contribution to the development of the society, therefore, feel free to access me and raise any issues especially pertaining to security matters.

    “It is the responsibility of every citizen of the state to know that security is something of paramount importance that all hands must be in deck.

    “It is only when we are secured that we can go out to our places, Churches or Mosques, visit the market and attend to our daily activities.”

    NAN

  • CJN commiserates with family of late Justice Musdapher

    CJN commiserates with family of late Justice Musdapher

    The Chief Justice of Nigeria ( CJN ), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has condoled with the immediate family of former CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who passed on early hours of Tuesday in a London hospital.

    Mr Awassam Bassey, Special Adviser on Media to the CJN, disclosed this in a telephone interview in Abuja.

    Bassey said the CJN had directed the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court to officially send his (Onnoghen) condolences to the immediate family of the late jurist.

    “The CJN had visited the late Justice Musdapher while on admission in a London Hospital. He has described his death as painful and a lost to the judiciary,’’ Bassey said.

    Read also: Ex- CJN Dahiru Musdapher dies at 75

    Musdapher was appointed the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 2011.

    He did serve as Chief Judge of the Kano State Judiciary from 1979 to 1985, and a member of the Court of Appeal from 1985 until 2003.

    The late jurist retired from the bench five years ago on attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.

    He hailed from Bani Ya’muusa clan in Babura town in Babura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

    NAN

  • Dambazau, heads of agencies meet over internal security challenges

    Dambazau, heads of agencies meet over internal security challenges

    The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, on Tuesday in Abuja, held a crucial closed-door meeting with heads of internal security agencies over the security challenges in the country.

    Speaking before the meeting, Dambazau expressed concern over the current security situation in the country.

    He said the meeting was a follow-up to a meeting with state governors two weeks ago over the violent conflicts  between farmers and headers in Benue and other places.

    “One of the issues that came up in the communiqué was the issue of the proliferation of small arms and drug trafficking and abuse.

    “We also found out that these two issues are triggers to the violence taking place in this country,“he said.

    He said without firearms and drugs, those perpetrating the violence would not have the courage to do so with such magnitude as seen.

    “Without the fire arms and drugs, those who partake in violence would not have the courage to carry out the kind of violence taking place  in this country,“he said.

    Read also: Senate summons Dambazau

    The minister said there was need to take urgent steps toward ensuring that the situation was dealt with accordingly.

    “As a follow-up I called for this meeting so that we can examine and analyse (the situation) to see how best we can deal with the situation,“ he said.

    He said according to the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament, there were approximately 500 million assorted fire arms in West Africa and out of this figure, 350 million (representing 70 per cent) are in Nigeria.

    He said a large consignment of weapons had been smuggled from North Africa (in particular Libya) as a consequence of crises in that country.

    “The situation is worsened by the insurgency in the North East because of the supply of weapons to the insurgents and terrorists there.

    “Likewise the supply of weapon to the militants  in the Niger Delta through exchange of stolen crude oil and supply by politicians to deal with their opponents,“he said.

    He added that the issues required action especially as the 2019 elections draws nearer.

    “It is very necessary for us to secure our country and of course a more challenging aspect of that which facilitate the smuggling of weapons, is our  porous borders  and this is a major challenge to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Nigeria Custom Service in particular but to all law enforcement agencies,“he said.

    He said the about 5,000 kilometres of the country’s borders were  porous, hence the need to secure the  country and its future.

    Dambazau added that with the amount of weapons and drugs coming into Nigeria, “if we don’t do something now I am afraid things would be worse than this.”

    He said the farmers/hearders conflicts, kidnapping, ethno-religious crises, terrorism, armed robbery, cultism and militancy all had something to do with weapons and drugs.

    “We cannot do this without the continued partnership with state governments and religious organisations,“he said.

    He said the meeting would come up with strategies on how best to  handle the problems.

    The meeting had in attendance representatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Directorate of State Services, National Intelligence Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, and the United Nations Development Programme, among others.

    A communiqué is expected at the end of the meeting.

    NAN

  • UN accuses Congo forces of targeting officials during deadly protests

    UN accuses Congo forces of targeting officials during deadly protests

    UN on Tuesday accused Congolese security agents of targeting its  during a violence that broke out during a protest on Sunday, Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told a briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.

    Congolese security forces shot dead six people and wounded dozens more as they fired tear gas to disperse a protest in Kinshasa against President Joseph Kabila.

    Shamdasani said that 68 people were wounded and 121 arrested, and the UN had information about “a number of other killings” in protests elsewhere in the country.

    “One of those injured was a UN human rights monitor who was punched and kicked by security forces, in spite of wearing a blue UN vest with a human rights logo.

    “He is also working under the long-established UN mandate to observe demonstrations.

    “He was in the right place at the right time. He was there to monitor the protests and the conduct of the security forces in the context of the protests,” she said.

    She said after he was beaten up, the UN team came back to monitor the protest but military police fired tear gas to stop them doing their work.

    “They were targeted. “This is the UN we are talking about.

    “If security forces are going to be so brazen as to even attack the UN, then we are very concerned about the way they are going to be treating other protesters,” Shamdasani said.

    She said that the UN mission in Congo was taking up the incident with the authorities, and wanted an investigation into the killings.

    Read Also: Iran protests: Russia berates US for UN talks on ‘internal affair’

    “It is not our hope that they will investigate, it’s their obligation to investigate. It is the obligation of the government to ensure that security forces are handling protests in line with the law.”

    A Congo government spokesman was not immediately reachable to comment.

    Another UN official had said that Kabila’s refusal to step down at the end of his mandate in December 2016 has triggered a series of street protests.

    He said that has also emboldened armed rebel groups, who are starting to coalesce in opposition.

    Shamdasani said Internet and SMS services had been suspended since on Saturday night, and tear gas was fired into and around churches in Kinshasa, Goma, Kisangani, Lubumbashi and Bukavu.

    She said there were heavy deployments of security forces around places of worship in Mbandaka, Beni, Mbuji-Mayi and Butembo.

    “The Catholic church is rallying people, mobilising people to stand up for their rights.

    “This is why you’ve seen that there are attacks against churches, tear gas being fired into churches, and people prevented from going in and in some cases prevented from coming out of churches after services.”

    NAN

  • Kaduna to spend N1.2bn on SDGs in 2018

    Kaduna to spend N1.2bn on SDGs in 2018

    Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission has earmarked N1.2 billion for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programmes in 2018.

    A document, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Tuesday, showed that the commission was allocated a total N3.19 billion, of which N2.76 billion is for capital expenditure and N439.48 for recurrent.

    It is expected that the N2.76 billion would be raised from grants, concessional multilateral loans and credit.

    A breakdown of the capital expenditure indicated that the commission would spend N53 million on SDGs summit and N100 million each on poverty mapping exercise and Kaduna leadership fellows.

    Read also: Kaduna Statistics Bureau to spend N152.97m on surveys

    Also, N45.4 million was earmarked for sector retreat and statewide performance review, N106.62 on review and expansion of monitoring and evaluation platform and N250 million on monitoring and impact evaluation study.

    Similarly, N9.98 million was allocated for the development and review of sector implementation result framework, and N162.6 million on the conduct and review of state and local government plans policy document.

    The document further stated that N11 million would be spent on books for e-library, N310 million on counterpart funding and N100 million as support to World Bank public sector governance reforms and development projects.

    It added that Kaduna Emergency Nutrition Action Plan (KADENAP) was allocated N300 million and that N7.68 million would be spent on the update of Kaduna State in Perspective book.

    NAN

  • Bindow decries increase in arms banditry in Adamawa

    Bindow decries increase in arms banditry in Adamawa

    Gov. Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa has decried the increased reports of arm robbery in the state, urging security agencies to rise up to the situation.

    Bindow made this known on Tuesday while receiving the new Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Kayode Aderanti in charge of Zone 3, who paid him a courtesy visit in Yola.

    Zone 3 comprises of Adamawa, Taraba and Gombe States.

    The governor called on the police to intensify their operations to check the menace.

    He urged the residents to build more trust in the police and report suspicious movements to security agencies.

    Read also: Bindow pleads with Adamawa people to pay tax

    Bindow also commended the Mobile Police detachment deployed to Madagali for being effective in their operations.

    The governor assured AIG Aderanti of the state government’s support to ensure effective security of the state.

    He lauded the synergy among various security agencies in the state, urging them to work for a common goal of securing lives and property.

    Earlier, Aderanti said that he was sent to ensure adequate policing of the zone.

    He assured people of the zone of effective policing that would encourage foreign investors in the state and its neighbours.

    “I was deployed here to change the security narratives of this zone.

    “I appeal to the feuding communities to eschew violence and embrace peace for development,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • NACOMYO advocates special programmes to address challenges of youth

    NACOMYO advocates special programmes to address challenges of youth

    Bauchi State Coordinator of National Council of Muslim Youth Organisation ( NACOMYO ), Dr Ahmed Sabo, has called for the fashioning out of programmes that would address challenges faced by youth.

    Speaking on Tuesday when he led a delegation of the council on a visit to Bauchi Zonal office,  he said the future of any society depended on what it made of its youth.
    He said NACOMYO placed high premium on molding character, adding that the state chapter of the council had initiated programmes that would help youth address challenges and enable them attain their set goals.
    “Our activities are aimed at helping youth address their challenges and equipping them with the good character that will guarantee societal development.
    “This agenda is very crucial because most societal challenges are attributable to lack of good leadership; the youth need to be mobilized continuously to appreciate their role in fashioning out a better society in future,” he said.

    Read Also: NACOMYO  seeks Muslim participation in guber poll

    Sabo therefore solicited the support of journalists in publicizing the activities of his council.
    “This responsibility of molding the character of our future leaders, is a collective one, as such we are appealing to your agency for support.
    “We need the assistance in the area of publicity to enable the effective mobilization of youth,” h e said.
    Also in his remarks, Chairman of Bauchi Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ ), who is also the Secretary of NACOMYO in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Mallam-Goje, said they had confidence in the ability  to render the needed support.
    Responding, Alhaji Abdullahi Salihu, promised that the agency would partner with all organizations working to enhance the fortunes of youth.
  • Dogara calls for completion of 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    Dogara calls for completion of 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara on Tuesday called for the completion of the Second Niger Bridge and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, saying that they are pivotal to national development.

    Dogara made the call while declaring open a two-day investigative hearing on the nature of the contract or concession arrangement on the projects, organised by the House Committee on Works.

    Represented by the Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Chukwuka Onyema, Dogara said that the investigative hearing became critical given that the projects were constant ugly features in national discourse.

    While stating that proactive steps must be taken to ensure early completion of the projects, the Speaker said that the projects constitute vital arterial network for the country’s road transport system.

    “They have become media sensations and highly politicized to the extent that it now seems that we are playing games with the lives of our people.

    Read also: No hiding place for killers – Dogara

    “Past administrations have celebrated progress ostensibly made on them while achieving little or nothing in reality,’’ Dogara said.

    According to the Speaker, the House observed that contracts for the projects continued to feature in annual budgets without any seeming signs of their completion or total amount required to do so.

    “The Minister for Power, Works and Housing stated that funds for the projects in 2017 Appropriation Act were reduced, so they run the risk of becoming white elephant projects because they are not under concession or Public-Private Partnership arrangement.’’

    He added that the manner of execution of the projects was not in accordance with any defined method of projects execution.

    “The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority had spent about N18 billion on the Second Niger Bridge as the financier during their early stages.

    “As a result of these observations, the House, by resolution, urged the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to provide funds in the 2018 budget for the completion of the projects,’’ the Speaker said.

    Dogara noted that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway had become a subject of litigations as the government vacillates between executing it through PPP arrangement and direct funding.

    “Unfortunately, the same affliction is seeping into the execution of the Second Niger Bridge.

    “If the House of Representatives, in its oversight responsibility, does not step in at this time, we run the risk of continuing this path and the rehabilitation of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will remain a mirage and the Second Niger Bridge will never get constructed,’’ Dogara said.

    NAN

  • Community cries out to Kaduna govt. on basic amenities

    Community cries out to Kaduna govt. on basic amenities

    Gobirawa Community in Igabi Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State has cried out to the state government to provide basic social amenities which are lacking in the area.

    The District Head, Malam Umaru Haruna told newsmen who visited the area on Tuesday that the major challenges in the community were lack of access roads, hospitals and schools.

    Haruna said the community which has over 300 inhabitants, usually get disconnected with neighboring villages during raining season due to lack of a connecting bridge.

    “We usually get cut off for the period of three months because we cannot cross the river due to the speed of the water and as such, we cannot even carry our farm produce to the town.

    Read Also: Police confirm release of abducted expatriates in Kaduna

    “We remain in our community till when the season is over in spite of the critical situation,” he said.

    Haruna pointed out that a large number of people die yearly while trying to cross the river.

    “We cannot give the exact number of life lost, but a large number of people die every year while trying to cross the river,’’ he said.

    Haruna said a number of sick persons comprising women and children have also died due to lack of access road to hospital in town.

    He appealed to the state government to provide a primary health care centre in the community, so as to reduce the daily challenges faced by women, children and the elderly in the area.

    Majority of the people in the community are local farmers, fishermen and cattle breeders, while the women are predominantly engaged in petty trading.

    NAN