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  • Kano Hisbah board received 328 cases in September

    Kano Hisbah board received 328 cases in September

    The Fagge outpost of the Kano State Hisbah Board said it had received 328 cases in September, according to an official of the board, Alhaji Salisu Umar.

    Umar, who is the Commandant, Special Service Office of the Board, said in Kano on Friday that the cases included matrimonial disputes and quarrels between neighbours.

    “The disputes relate to debts, disagreements among neighbours, breastfeeding as well as consumption of alcohol, among others,” he said.

    Read Also: Kwankwasiyya are liars, says Kano Police

    The commandant said that the board was committed to its mandate of ridding the society of all ills, adding that efforts would be intensified to restore moral sanity in the state.

    He urged members of the public to support the board’s efforts at ensuring a better society.

    NAN

  • Court remands men for stabbing woman to death

    Court remands men for stabbing woman to death

    An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of two men; Nduka Okafor and James Aikhionbare in prison custody for allegedly stabbing a woman to death.

    The Magistrate, Mrs A.S. Okubule, ordered the remand of Okafor, 62, and Aikhionbare, 38, who were brought before her court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    Okubule said that the accused should be remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons, pending an advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.

    Earlier, Mr Goddey Osuyi, a counsel from the Panti Police Station told court that the accused committed the offences on Aug. 17, 2016 at House J68B, Close 9, Victoria Garden City, Lekki, Lagbos.

    Osuyi told the court that the accused conspired to stab one Mrs Mabel Okafor to death at her residence.

    He said the offences contravened Sections 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Okubule adjourned the case to Nov. 20.

    NAN

  • Gombe trains 50 retired health workers for Immunisation

    Gombe trains 50 retired health workers for Immunisation

    Gombe State Government said it has trained 50 retired health workers to improve service delivery for non-compliance to routine immunisation in five Local Government Areas (LGA).

    Alhaji Sallau Malami, State Health Educator, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, disclosed this in an interview in Gombe, on Thursday.

    He said that 10 retirees were selected from each of the five LGA which include Akko, Gombe, Funakaye, Dukku and Yamaltu/Deba for the training.

    Malami said they were trained on how to address the problem of non compliance of routine immunisation in such areas, which he said was reducing instead of improving on the targeted population.

    “We are going to commence measles immunisation by November, that is why we sensitise them and for them to educate the people in their community to know the benefit of the immunisations and to accept it at the same time.

    “Because we are having complains of non compliance in these areas and we want to join hands together in order to resolve that and improve on the routine immunisation in the communities,” he said.

    According to him, they will also participate fully during the exercise to help people in the communities and the workers.

    “They were the former health workers, they will give inputs to our people working in the communities on how to convince people to accept the immunisation in a friendly manner for us to achieve our goals,” he said.

    He however said that if the participation in the immunisation is encouraging in the five council areas, the remaining six would be included in subsequent exercise.

    NAN

  • OPIC generated N3.6bn in eight months – MD

    OPIC generated N3.6bn in eight months – MD

    Mr Babajide Odusolu, the Managing Director of Ogun Property and Investment Corporation ( OPIC ), on Thursday said the corporation generated over N3.6 billion revenue between January and August.

    Odusolu announced this during an oversight visit of the State Assembly Committee on Investments, Commerce and Industry to the corporation’s head office in Abeokuta.

    He said that N1.4 billion was generated from site services programmes, while over N1billion came from plot allocation and layout fees premium and N290 million was realised from sale of buildings.

    “Our revenue also came in from contractors registration fees, deed registration fees, survey /planning /building fees, change of ownership fees, earnings from sundry income and others,” he said.

    He said that the corporation received N2.3 billion for capital projects this year, while N1.5 billion was spent on construction and provision of housing.

    Odusolu said that OPIC had been able to initiate and complete many housing prototypes in its various estates.

    He said that corporation had established partnerships to ensure that it met its revenue targets.

    The chief executive promised that the corporation would continue to provide affordable housing units to the people of the state.

    He said that economic recession severely impacted on the corporation’s revenue projections, while topography issues were part of the challenges.

    Responding, the Committee Chairman, Mr Bowale Solaja, promised that the committee would soon embark on tour of the corporation’s project sites.

    He commended the corporation on its internally generated revenue, but said that OPIC should provide affordable houses to residents.

    NAN

  • Zimbabwe’s first lady sues in dispute over $1.35m ring

    Zimbabwe’s first lady sues in dispute over $1.35m ring

    Zimbabwe’s first lady Grace Mugabe, has sued a Belgium-based businessman for failing to deliver a 1.35 million-dollar-ring she ordered for a wedding anniversary.

    Grace, 52, an influential figure in Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party and seen as a potential successor to her husband, is nicknamed “Gucci Grace” for her reputed dedication to shopping.

    She and her 93-year-old husband have kept their assets under wraps inspite of frequent local private media reports on Grace buying properties in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

    The Herald, a government-controlled newspaper, reported that Grace was suing businessman Jamal Hamed after a deal to have Hamed supply the First Lady with a diamond ring turned sour.

    Grace’s spokeswoman Olga Bungu could not be reached for comment on Wednesday while her lawyer Wilson Manase, who filed the papers at the High Court, was said to be attending court.

    In court papers seen by the Herald, Grace said she had in 2015 ordered the ring for her 20-year wedding anniversary last year but Hamed failed to deliver and refunded her only 120,000 dollars.

    The First Lady asked the High Court to attach properties and three companies owned by Hamed in Harare, the Herald said.

    Hamed told Reuters from Belgium that he had not been served with the court papers. His Harare-based lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, said she had not seen the papers.

    “We have not received anything at all and I am not in Harare to be served any claim or false allegations,” Hamed said.

    In Zimbabwe, at least eight out of 10 potential workers are unemployed.

    The average national monthly income is 200 dollars and news of the million-dollar ring was immediately greeted with scorn on social media.

    Mugabe, who says he leads a frugal life, and Grace own a dairy company and several farms near Harare.

    The two have never responded to media reports that they own several properties.

    In 2016, Hamed accused Grace of seizing his Harare properties following the dispute and asked the High Court to intervene.

    He then said Grace had threatened her if he ever returned to Zimbabwe.

    Grace, through her lawyer Manase, denied all the accusations.

    NAN

  • Court remands two men for homicide

    Court remands two men for homicide

    A Minna Magistrates’ Court on Thursday remanded two men, Sani Audu and Ado Abdullahi, over alleged culpable homicide.

    The two are standing trial on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, contrary to section 97 and 221 of the penal code law.

    The police prosecutor, Insp. Ahmed Saidu, had told the court that one Fati Aliyu of Rafi Local Government reported the matter to the police on Sept. 25.

    Saidu alleged that the accused persons conspired with eight others, now at large, and killed her father, Aliyu Mohammed.

    Read: Court discharges, acquits nurse of murder

    When the charges were read to them, the accused persons pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency, saying they killed Mohammed in retaliation after he killed their own brother over a dispute.

    The magistrate, Mohammed Gabi, however, declined to take their plea as it lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.

    Gabi directed the Police to forward the case file to the State Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

    He thereafter adjourned the matter to Nov. 14, for further mention.

    NAN

  • Nigeria’s humanitarian crisis most severe in the world – UNOCHA

    Nigeria’s humanitarian crisis most severe in the world – UNOCHA

    The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( UNOCHA ) has said that the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region is the most severe in the world.

    This is contained in its monthly North-East humanitarian overview reports recently released in Abuja.

    UNOCHA said the humanitarian crises in the region had left over 8.5 million people in dire need of assistance in the worst affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

    It said the crises, which emanated from Boko Haram attacks, had made members of many communities in the affected states continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.

    It also said that the conflict had resulted in the spread of forced displacement, violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, severe protection concern and food and nutrition crisis in large proportion.

    “The prolonged humanitarian crisis has had a devastating impact on food security and nutrition in Nigeria’s North-East.

    “About 450,000 children under five are in need of nutrition support and this has been compounded by the lean season between July and September.

    “Today, more than 1.7 million people are internally displaced in the three worst affected states with 80 per cent of the IDPs in Borno the epic centre of the crisis.

    “More than half of them are living outside the IDPs camps in local communities who are themselves among the world’s poorest people.”

    UNOCHA also said that insecurity, especially in Borno, continued to hamper humanitarian operations.

    It said the situation had, however, improved through coordinated logistics and civil-military coordination efforts as humanitarian teams can now access some areas that were previously inaccessible.

    “Humanitarians have also noticed encouraging signs that the food and nutrition situation in some areas was stabilising, especially with the support from donors, food and nutrition emergency aid that significantly scaled up since late 2016.’’

    It said that presently, nearly two million people are receiving in-kind or cash-based food assistance every month.

    “Nutrition partners have reached nearly 500,000 children, pregnant and lactating women this year through supplementary feeding programmes.

    “For 2017/2018, the strategic focus of humanitarian partners is on integrated and coordinated life-saving assistance, strengthened protection of civilians, enhanced humanitarian access and durable solutions.’’

    It said that this would be put in focus especially for those returning home after the period of displacement.

    NAN

  • AfDB to invest $24bn in agriculture in 10 years – Adesina

    AfDB to invest $24bn in agriculture in 10 years – Adesina

    The African Development Bank ( AfDB ) says the bank will invest 24 billion dollars in agriculture over the next 10 years to help unlock its potential and assure food security in Africa.

    Akinwumi Adesina said this at a side event of the ongoing Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium in Des Moines, Iowa, USA on Wednesday.

    Adesina said there was need for supportive public policies and significant investments in infrastructure, especially for roads, irrigation, storage, warehousing and agro-processing.

    He said that AfDB would provide support to strengthen African agricultural research and development systems to play significant roles in the transformation processes.

    The former Agriculture Minister said the support was to ensure that valuable research no longer simplied gathered dust on the shelves of academia.

    The president said that AfDB’s Feed Africa strategy had launched the Transformation of the African Savannah Initiatives (TASI) to help unlock the potential of the Savannas of Africa.

    He said that the initiative would start by bringing approximately two million hectares of savannah in eight African countries – Ghana, Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and Mozambique.

    These countries come under the cultivation of maize, soybean and livestock production in optimum conditions.

    “Success in this endeavor requires that we wake up the savannas of Africa.

    “When we do so, African agriculture will indeed rise up from its slumber.

    “Let’s wake up Africa’s savannas and turn them into the new wealth zones of Africa and unleash Africa as a global powerhouse in food. Together let arise and feed Africa.

    “Valuable research must meet the needs of farmers and agri-businesses in ways that exponentially increase productivity and improve the quality of lives of our rural poor.

    “Africa must learn from the experiences that have worked elsewhere, while tailoring the interventions to the specific realities of Africa.

    “We must ensure that small, medium scale and large-scale commercial farmers co-exist in a way that allows opportunities for all.

    “Partnerships in research and development will be crucial,” Adesina said.

    According to him, the bank has engaged to work with the strongest possible organisations with proven track records in tropical agriculture from South America.

    He said that this included the Brazilian Research Corporation ( EMBRAPA ), the Agricultural Corporation of Brazil ( CAMPO ), and others with long experience in conservation agriculture.

    Adesina that the research institutions would work closely with the universities and the national agricultural research systems across the savannas of Africa to enhance agriculture.

    NAN

  • Reps want FRSC officers to bear arms

    Reps want FRSC officers to bear arms

    THE House of Representatives said yesterday that officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission ( FRSC ) should bear arms in a bid to effectively carry out their responsibilities of saving lives.

    The Green Chamber noted the increasing cases of violent attacks, harassment and intimidation of personnel and officers of the FRSC by highly placed individuals, motorists and hoodlums across the country, particularly in Zamfara, Jigawa, Abia and Lagos states.

    The members noted that from 2015 to date, there have been 149 cases of attacks on personnel and 201 cases of damage to properties and equipment of the commission.

    They, therefore, urged the Federal Government to facilitate the procurement of arms and ammunitions for FRSC officers.

    The resolution of the House was sequel to the passage of a motion by Hon. Solomon Maren titled: “Need to Curb Incessant Attacks on Personnel of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC)”.

    Maren while moving the motion noted that despite Section 19 of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007, which stipulates that personnel of the commission who are exposed to high risk in the enforcement of the provisions of this Act, shall have same powers, authorities and privileges, including power to bear arms, as are granted by law to members of the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Government has not provided road safety officers with arms to enable them protect themselves in the course of performing their duties.

    When he Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara called for a vote on the motion, it was passed without dissent.

    The House subsequently mandated the Committee on Federal Road Safety Commission to investigate cases of attacks on personnel of the FRSC and also ensure implementation of the resolution to arm the officials.

    The committee is to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.

  • Senators to banks: release Jonathan’s wife’s cash

    Senators to banks: release Jonathan’s wife’s cash

    Senators yesterday directed two commercial banks to unfreeze some accounts belonging to companies linked to former President Jonathan’s wife, Patience.

    The accounts, domiciled with Zenith Bank, Stanbic IBTC and others, were said to have been frozen on the orders of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The senators, at a hearing by the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, declared that the accounts in question were not encumbered by any legal processes and as such be unfrozen without delay.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, observed that some of the accounts were frozen based on certain administrative lapses.

    The lawmakers described the methods used in freezing the accounts as arbitrary, insisting that the EFCC failed to comply with due process in closing the accounts.

    Officials of the banks who appeared before the Senate panel however said the court order vacating the freezing of the said accounts had not been received by them.

    They however promised to reopen the accounts, based on the information made available by the senators.

    The committee members expressed worry that the banks could freeze accounts based on letters received from the EFCC without valid court orders.

    Also yesterday, the Federal High Court in Lagos was told how a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Gooluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs Dr Waripamo-Owei Dudafa allegedly laundered about N5.1billion for the former president’s wife.

    The EFCC arraigned Dudafa and Iwejuo Joseph Nna (alias Taiwo A. Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah) before Justice Mohammed Idris on 23-counts of conspiracy and concealment of crime proceeds.

    They are on trial for alleged conspiracy to conceal proceeds of crime amounting to over N1.6billion on June 11, 2013, among others.

    Justice Idris adjourned till October 24 for hearing of the application to travel.

    Trial will continue on November 14 and 15.