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  • Ambode urges sustained support for fallen heroes ’ families

    Ambode urges sustained support for fallen heroes ’ families

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday urged Nigerians to sustain support for families of fallen heroes and those living with disabilities.

    Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, made the call after laying a wreath in commemoration of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

    The event took place at the Remembrance Arcade, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

    The governor urged Nigerians to embrace peace, shun violence and use dialogue to resolve conflicts.

    He said the celebration was a reminder of the sacrifices of fallen heroes.

    Read also: Buhari, Osinbajo, others lay wreaths for heroes

    “Today marks the high point of the remembrance programme which commenced on Dec. 20, 2017, with the launch of the Emblem Fund.

    “The wreath that we have laid symbolises our appreciation of the supreme price paid by gallant members of the Armed Forces in the defence of the sovereignty of our fatherland and in the struggle to preserve our national unity.

    “I am appealing to Nigerians to sustain the support and care for the families of fallen heroes and those living with disabilities.

    “One of the ways we can give the support is to engage the services of these ex-servicemen and women, some of whom have suffered physical disabilities while defending the territorial integrity and unity of our nation,’’ he said.

    The governor prayed that the sacrifices of the heroes should not be in vain but should keep Nigeria united and strong.

    The deputy governor earlier inspected a guard of honour mounted by detachments of the army, navy, air force, police and the Nigerian Legion.

    After the wreath-laying, the armed forces made gun salute, after which the deputy governor led some dignitaries to the pigeon case, where she released birds to signify peace.

    Other notable personalities, who laid wreaths, include Speaker Mudashiru Obasa of Lagos State House of Assembly, the state Chief Judge Opeymi Oke and Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos.

    Commanders of military and para-military formations and a representative of the widows of the fallen heroes also laid wreaths.

    Participants at the ceremony were offered free sugar level, hypertension and malaria screening.

    The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is celebrated every January 15 to honour fallen heroes and surviving ones including those who suffered various deprivations as a result of wars.

    NAN

  • Seven die, four injured in Bida-Minna road crash

    Seven die, four injured in Bida-Minna road crash

    Mr Yusuf Garba, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission ( FRSC ) in Niger said on Monday that seven persons died  in an accident on the Bida-Minna road.

    Garba told our reporter in Minna that four persons were also injured in the incident which occurred on Monday morning.

    He said wrong overtaking was responsible for the accident which   involved  a bus with registration number FXT 234 XD  and an articulated vehicle marked  RTD  163XA.

    The sector commander said the injured were taken to the Bida General Hospital for treatment while the relatives of the seven victims who died were buried according to Islamic injunction.

    Garba said the FRSC personnel had  responded promptly to a distress call by a witness immediately after the crash some  36 kilometres  from Bida.

    He urged road users to avoid reckless driving, adding that this was  usually responsible for the problems on the highways.

    The sector commander also called on road users to imbibe the spirit of adhering to  traffic rules and regulations in order to stay alive on the highways. NAN

  • 66-year-old demands divorce: ‘My manhood no longer stands erect’

    66-year-old demands divorce: ‘My manhood no longer stands erect’

    In the divorce case between a sexagenarian, Mr Muyili Oshode, and his wife, Ibidunni, the Igando Customary Court in Lagos State on Monday dissolved the 44-year marriage on the ground that the wife turned her husband into an impotent person.

    The court’s president, Mr Akin Akinniyi, delivering his judgment said the petitioner was adamant despite all mediation from the court and family intervention.

    “Since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court has no choice than to dissolve the union in spite of the fact that the wife still claims she loves her husband.

    “The court pronounced the marriage between Mr Muyili Oshode and Mrs Ibidunni Oshode dissolved today, both parties, henceforth, ceased to be husband and wife.

    “Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation,” Akinniyi ruled.

    The petitioner had earlier told the court that his wife was fetish.

    “My wife is fetish, she patronised many herbalists and she had used her diabolical power to paralyse my manhood for me not to be able to marry or impregnate another woman.

    “In fact, my manhood no longer stands erect nor functions,” he said.

    The 66-year-old mechanic said his wife was threatening his life with a view to killing him.

    “I saw Ibidunni in my dream poisoning my food so that she can inherit my property,” the estranged husband said.

    The petitioner said his wife was not taking care of him and that when he was sick, she went to stay in a church instead of attending to him.

    Oshode said Ibidunni was promiscuous, having an affair with a man called  “Alaga” and she used to cook for the man in his house.

    “I saw the man in my dream telling me that Ibidunni belonged to him that I should back out,” he said.

    According to him, Ibidunni is a bad cook; her food is either watery or salty.

    He begged the court to terminate the union that he was no longer interested.

    “Please, court, dissolve this loveless marriage before Ibidunni kills me,” he said.

    Read also: Weird reasons people divorce

    However, his wife, Ibidunni, denied all the allegations, she said that she never turned her husband into an impotent person.

    “I am a Christian; I never patronised any herbalists.  I do not know what is responsible for his manhood, he should ask his concubines,” the respondent said.

    The 63-year-old tailor said she never poisoned her husband’s food.

    “What do I stand to gain if I kill the father of my children, he believed so much in dreams,” she said.

    Ibidunni said she was not promiscuous that it was her husband who had many concubines.

    She said that she cared for her husband that he was the one that refused to care for her.

    “My husband abandoned me and the children for many years without caring for us.

    “I worked at construction sites with bricklayers for me to feed the children and pay their school fees,” she said.

    The mother of six pleaded with the court not to grant her husband’s wish for the dissolution of the marriage, saying she still love her husband.

    NAN

  • Twin suicide bombings kill 27, injure 92 in Baghdad

    Twin suicide bombings kill 27, injure 92 in Baghdad

    Twin suicide bomb explosions on Monday struck busy area in downtown Baghdad, leaving 27 people killed and 92 others wounded, police and medical sources said.

    The Iraq interior ministry said the twin massive blasts were carried out by two suicide bombers during the morning rush hours at a crowded site near al-Tayaran Square.

    “Our latest reports said that 27 were killed and 92 wounded by the two blasts in al-Tayaran Square, where many construction workers usually gather waiting for potential employers,’’ the ministry said.

    Earlier, the ministry source said that the two blasts were a suicide bombing followed by a roadside bomb, putting the casualties at 16 killed and 67 wounded.

    Meanwhile, a medical source told Xinhua that hospitals in Baghdad received the bodies of 27 people and that over 92 others were admitted for treatment from different wounded.

    Read also: Car bombs kill 20 in central Baghdad

    “All the hospitals and medical centers are in high alert to receive the victims of the terrorist attacks in central Baghdad.

    “Most of the wounded people have received treatment and many of them left the hospitals,” Abdul-Ghani Saadon, Director-Ggeneral of Health Department of Risafa area in eastern side of Baghdad said.

    No group has so far claimed responsibility of the attacks, however, the Islamic State (IS) militant group, in most cases, is responsible for deadly attacks targeting crowded areas in Iraq, including markets, cafes and mosques.

    Hours after the deadly attacks, Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander in Chief of Iraqi forces Haider al-Abadi orders for the security forces to track the extremist terrorists and bring them to justice.

    Al-Abadi held a meeting with commanders of the security forces and the intelligence service of Baghdad and gave his directions “to chase the sleeper cells of terrorists and bring them to justice in order to ensure the security of the citizens.

    The car bombing is the second since the beginning of the year in Baghdad city.

    It has witnessed tangible improvement in security as the Iraqi security forces managed during the past few months to regain control of strongholds of the extremist ARE militant group across the country.

    Over Saturday, a suicide bomber who detonated his explosive-laden motorcycle at the Square of the entrance of the holy Shiite neighbourhood of Kadhmiyah, leaving two people killed and 24 injured, along with destroying 11 cars.

    On December 9, 2017, al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

    Nevertheless, remnants of small groups and individuals of IS militants are still capable of carrying out attacks from time to time.

    Xinhua/NAN

  • Farmer jailed two years for raping minor

    Farmer jailed two years for raping minor

    An Upper Area Court in Kasuwan Nama, Jos on Monday sentenced a farmer, Auwal Audu, to two-years imprisonment for raping a minor.

    The 20-year-old farmer was sentenced by the Judge, Yahaya Mohammed, after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

    Mohammed in a ruling rejected the convict’s plea for mercy and slammed two years imprisonment on him without an option of fine.‎

    “The sentence will serve as a deterrent to others,” the judge ruled.

    Audu was convicted under Section 157 of the Criminal Code by the judge.

    Earlier, the prosecutor Insp. Ibrahim Gukat told the court that the incident was reported to Angwan Rogo Police Station by one Nasiru Mohammed of Naraguta village on Dec. 19, 2017.

    Gukat said that the convict, who also resides at Naraguta village, committed the offence on the same date at about 7. p.m.

    He said that the convict had carnal knowledge of his 4-year-old daughter, beside his house.‎

    Gukat said the ‎offence contravened Section 283 of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria.

    NAN

  • Heavy clashes break out in Tripoli, leaving 9 dead

    Heavy clashes break out in Tripoli, leaving 9 dead

    Heavy clashes broke out in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Monday, leaving at least nine people dead and forcing the airport to suspend all flights.

    Heavy gunfire and artillery could be heard from the city center and Mitiga airport said all flights had been suspended until further notice.

    The fighting pitted the Special Deterrence Force ( Rada ), one of the most powerful groups in the city, against a rival group based in Tripoli’s Tajoura neighborhood.

    Rada acts as an anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit and controls Mitiga airport and a large prison next to it. It is occasionally targeted by rivals whose members it has arrested.

    Read also: Ex Libyan prime minister gets freedom after  Tripoli abduction

     

    A health ministry official said the bodies of nine combatants had been brought to a nearby hospital.
    Local media also reported that at least 28 people had been wounded.

    Mitiga is a military air base near the center of Tripoli that has been the city’s main airport for civilian flights since the international airport was partly destroyed by fighting in 2014.

    The international airport remains out of service.

    Rada said the airport had been attacked by an individual called “Bashir ‘the Cow’” and others it had been seeking following their escape from a detention facility controlled by Rada elsewhere in Tripoli.

    Rada posted pictures of streets around the airport, showing pick-up trucks mounted with guns and a tank.

    Tripoli has been controlled by a patchwork of armed groups since a 2011 uprising that toppled long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi and led to the splintering of the country.

    The factions sometimes clash in turf battles or over killings or detentions of their members, but there has been less open fighting in recent months after several groups aligned with the internationally recognized government, including Rada, consolidated their control of large parts of the capital.

    Reuters/NAN

  • FUT Chancellor lauds “seamless” selection of new VC

    FUT Chancellor lauds “seamless” selection of new VC

    The Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology ( FUT ), Minna, Eze Eberechi N. Dick, has commended the governing council of the institution for the seamless selection of the institution’s vice chancellor.

    A statement issued on Monday in Minna by Mrs Lydia Legbo, FUT Public Relations Officer, said Dick made the commendation when he received the Governing Council of the university at his palace in Aba.

    He described the selection process as most transparent and rancour-free, and charged the council to steer the university to greatness.

    “I am excited that you passed your first litmus test by conducting the most transparent and rancour-free selection process leading to the appointment of a new vice chancellor for the university.

    “The seamless nature of the exercise has shown to the world that FUT Minna has come of age,” he said.

    Read also: Prof. Bala takes over as new VC FUT Minna

    The monarch urged members of the university council to bring their wealth of experience to bear in the running of the institution and provide the needed leadership and counselling to the management.

    He congratulated the new Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Bala on his appointment and advised him to use his experience in advancing the fortunes of the university.

    “I am glad that you are on a familiar terrain and we are optimistic that at the end of your tenure, we shall all have every reason to be happy with you.”

    Dick urged the governing council to work harmoniously with the university management and assured of his total support to the institution.

    Earlier, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Prof. Femi Odekunle, said the visit was to inmate the chancellor on new appointments at the university.

    He said the Council conducted a very open and transparent selection process which culminated in the appointment of Prof. Bala as the 7th Vice-Chancellor of the University.

    In his comment, the vice chancellor solicited the cooperation and advice of the chancellor and members of the governing council to effectively run the university over the next five years.

    NAN

  • Police arrest 59 suspects over Wadata crisis in Benue

    Police arrest 59 suspects over Wadata crisis in Benue

    Benue Police command said it had arrested 59 persons in connection with the recent cult-related crises in some parts of Makurdi, the state capital.

    Several people were injured and property worth millions of naira destroyed during the crisis.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, ASP Moses Yamu, made the disclosure in an interview on Monday in Makurdi.

    He said the command had already deployed additional personnel to the affected parts of the town to restore peace and and order as well as to check the spread of the crisis.

    Read also: Benue: Soldiers deployed as Hausa youths protest

    The PPRO said the arrested suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.

    He advised Makurdi residents not to panic as security operatives were in control of the situation.

    Gov. Samuel Ortom, had on Sunday during an emergency stakeholders meeting in Makurdi, appealed to parents and guardians, to advise their children and wards against involvement in cult activities.

    He warned that his administration would neither condone cult activities nor spare anyone culpable of the act.

    Security operatives are now patrolling the streets to prevent further break down of law and order.

    Shops and other business places however, remained closed in the affected area.

    NAN

  • Kaduna SUBEB to spend N337.19m on teacher training in 2018

    Kaduna SUBEB to spend N337.19m on teacher training in 2018

    Amidst crisis over the quality of teachers in public schools, Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ) plans to spend N337.19 million on teacher training in 2018.

    The figure is contained in the state’s 2018 budget obtained from the state Planning and Budget Commission.

    The state has recently sacked about 22, 000 primary school teachers over poor performance, generating protest and strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers.

    It indicated that, “N337.19 million was earmarked for leadership and capacity training for school head teachers and assistants; jolly phonics training for 1,200 teachers and training of 200 Almajiri school teachers on literacy and numeracy skills.

    “Others are training on use of Teachers Guide; training of 230 care givers on pre-primary curriculum; training of class teachers on reading methodology and post training impact survey.

    Read also: Kwara SUBEB to upgrade 70-year old school

    “70 associate counsellors from the 23 local government areas will be trained on strategies for effective counselling skills in basic education; and training of 100 quality assurance evaluators.

    “Other training includes evaluators and principals workshop on evaluating and student learning; evaluating and tracking student; workshop on coordination, monitoring and reporting and impact assessment on training of inclusive education teachers on Braille and sign language.”

    The board has a total budget of N6.93 billion out of which N6.75 billion was for capital N184.52 million for recurrent expenditure.

    This represents 100 per cent increase from the N3.36 billion allocated to the board for capital and recurrent expenditure in the 2017 budget.

    A breakdown of the figure shows that N3.53 billion would be spent on the construction of classrooms, offices and toilets for primary schools, while N1.89 billion was for building classrooms and laboratories in junior secondary schools.

    The board would also spend N15.1 million on the construction of Early Child Care Development Education games village in nine primary schools in nine local government areas.

    It indicated that N821.27 million would go into procurement of furniture, materials for skills acquisition, teaching and learning aids, computers, magnetic boards, mattresses, sporting and instructional materials.

    “N143.58 million was allocated for monitoring and supervision of projects, while N13.06 million was for maintenance of project monitoring vehicles.”

    The state would receive the 2016 Universal Basic Education Commission ( UBEC ) Special Education Intervention fund amounting to N6.38 billion during the year.

    It would also receive N340.87 from UBEC Intervention on Teachers’ Professional Development and N32.72 million from the Inclusive Education Trust Fund.

    NAN

  • NUT directs members not to resume schools in states owing salary arrears

    NUT directs members not to resume schools in states owing salary arrears

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers ( NUT ) has restated its position that the teachers in 10 states that are still owing salary arrears should not resume work until all arrears were paid.

    Dr Mike Ike-Ene, General-Secretary of the union, spoke on the directive in an interview on Monday in Abuja.

    Ike-Ene said that 10 out of 36 states still owed teachers several months of salary arrears in spite of the Paris Club Refund given to states by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He listed the states to include; Abia, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Ekiti, Kogi, Ondo, Kwara and Taraba, describing them as chronic debtors as far as teachers’ salaries are concerned.

    According to him, Abia owes primary school teachers four months and secondary school teachers one month, Adamawa; two months to primary school teachers and one month to secondary.

    “Others are Bayelsa; seven and half months to primary school teachers and four and half months to secondary, Benue owes 12 months to primary school teachers and seven months to secondary.

    “Ekiti owes eight months to primary school teachers and five months to secondary, Kogi; three months to primary school teachers and three months to secondary.

    “Taraba; six months to primary school teachers, Delta; four months to primary school and one month to secondary. Kwara and Ondo owe teachers three and four months’ salary arrears of 2016 respectively,’’ he explained.

    Ike-Ene said that the union has directed its members in the affected states, especially the primary school teachers not to resume work until all the arrears were cleared.

    He also said that NUT had in 2017, appealed to the governors concerned to use the period of the Christmas holiday to clear all the arrears, but yet some still failed to do so.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2017, advised state governors to use the Paris Club Refund to liquidate any form of arrears they owe workers.

    NAN