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  • Police nab herbalist over murder

    Police nab herbalist over murder

    The Police Command in Enugu State has arrested two men, Onyekachi Idoko and Felix Akor, for alleged murder of three persons in Udenu Local Government Area of the state.

    The Spokesperson of the command, ASP Ebere Amaraizu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Enugu.

    Amaraizu said that the two suspects were arrested following a well-coordinated operation by the police.

    He said that the murder suspect, Idoko of Ifuroka-Amalla community in Udenu council area was nabbed by police operatives of the Udenu Division on a tip-off.

    The spokesman said that the murder suspect, who fled after committing the alleged offence, was arrested on Sept. 16 at Inyi community in Igboeze North Local Government Area of the state.

    He alleged that the suspect alongside others murdered one Onyemaechi Eze on July 5 over a yet-to-be established issue or issues and escaped.

    “The suspect is now helping the operatives in their investigations as he had given insight into how he and his gang allegedly collected N200,000 from the native doctor, Felix Akor, who hired them to murder the victim.

    “The native doctor, Akor, is also alleged to be diabolically responsible for the mysterious death of two siblings, Blessing and John.

    “Akor has been arrested by the operatives as well,’’ he said.

    The police spokesman said that both suspects had been helping police operatives in their investigations.

  • Nasarawa to deploy security operatives to schools

    Nasarawa to deploy security operatives to schools

    Nasarawa State Government would soon provide security in more than 400 public schools to protect students, teachers and facilities from hoodlums.

    The state’s  Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Tijjani Ahmed, said.

    Ahmed made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Tuesday.

    According to him,  the government is taking proactive measures to safeguard schools in view of
    rising rate of  kidnapping going on in other states of the federation.

    He said conventional security agencies would complement the efforts of members of Nasarawa State Youths Employment Scheme ( NAYAS ) that would be deployed to public primary and secondary schools.

    He added that “NAYAS officials would be deployed to over 400 public secondary schools and primary schools in the state.

    “The state government believes that the combined efforts of security provided by Parent Teachers Association( PTA ), the conventional security agencies and NAYAS should be able to properly secure our schools.”

    Ahmed disclosed that the state Governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, had already approved the erection of parameter fencing in all public schools.

    He further said that more than 3,000 chairs would be distributed to public schools apart from 7,000 mattresses and 3,500 beds worth N222 million that would go to 28 boarding schools in the state.

    The commissioner added that the government would soon distribute registers, scheme of work, dossiers, and other instructional materials to schools.

    He explained that government had evolved machinery to ensure effective supervision of teachers and school heads to ensure high standard in the education sector, attributing  the failing standard of education in the state to the lack of supervision.

    He said “all area offices are directed to go round schools unannounced to put everybody on his or her toes.

    “Defaulting staff members would be duly sanctioned  in line with civil service rules and regulations.”

  • Hurricane Maria devastates Dominica – PM

    Hurricane Maria devastates Dominica – PM

    Hurricane Maria has left “widespread devastation” on the Caribbean island nation of Dominica, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said on Tuesday.

    Skerrit said “so far, we have lost all what money can buy and replace.

    “Roofs were taken off buildings, including residences.

    “My greatest fear for the morning is that we will wake to news of serious physical injury and possible deaths as a result of likely landslides triggered by persistent rains.”

    The hurricane downgraded to a category 4 as it headed toward the French archipelago of Guadeloupe, on lockdown since midday Monday.

    Maria’s centre was expected to pass within 20 to 30 kilometres of the town of Basse-Terre at about 5 a.m. (0900 GMT), the French weather service — Meteo France — said.

    Southern areas of Guadeloupe could see winds gusting at up to 220 kilometres per hour, with sea waves of up to 10 metres height and possible local flooding, Meteo France warned.

    The French island of Martinique, south of Dominica, downgraded its alert from top-level violet to grey, but warned residents to remain indoors all the same after Maria passed close by.

    An overflight of the island would be carried out at first light to assess damage, and emergency services and utility staff would also start work, the prefecture said.

    Maria is expected to remain “extremely dangerous” as it heads towards Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

    “Maria made landfall on Dominica around 9:15 p.m. ( 0115 GMT Tuesday ), after being upgraded to a category five hurricane,’’ the Center said.

    It forecasted Maria to follow a path similar to Hurricane Irma, which cut a trail of destruction across the northern Caribbean earlier this month.

    “My roof is gone, I am at the complete mercy of the hurricane, house is flooding but I have been rescued.

    “We do not know what is happening outside, we not dare look out, all we are hearing is the sound of galvanise flying, the sound of the fury of the wind.

    “As we pray for its end,” Skerrit said.

    Maria could be a direct threat Tuesday to Montserrat and Saint Kitts and Nevis, and by Wednesday to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, according to the French meteorological service.

    All were under a hurricane warning along with the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Culebra and Vieques.

  • London recycles ‘fatberg’ into biofuel

    London recycles ‘fatberg’ into biofuel

    A giant, 250-metre “fatberg” of oil, fat and other solid waste blocking a main sewer under London is to be recycled into biofuel, Thames Water, the  company working to remove it, said on Tuesday.

    “The congealed mass under a street in east London’s White-chapel district will produce some 10,000 litres of biodiesel, enough to power 350 double-decker buses for one day.

    Engineers have removed about one-third of the 130-tonne blob and expect to complete their “sewer war” against it early next month, the company said.

    It said tankers full of oil and fat, recovered from the mass with high-powered jets, will be sent to a biofuel processing plant.

    “Other unflushable items such as baby wipe, nappies, cotton buds and sanitary products – which should never be flushed, will be disposed of,” it said.

    “It may be a monster, but the White-chapel fatberg deserves a second chance,” Alex Saunders, Thames Water’s waste network manager said.

    He said that it was the first time the company had tried recycling material from a hunk a sewer waste.

    “We’ve therefore teamed up with leading waste to power firm Argent Energy to transform what was once an evil, gut-wrenching, rancid blob into pure green fuel,” Saunders said.

    Thames Water agreed last week to send a cross-section of the record-breaking “fatberg” to the Museum of London, which said its exhibition would raise questions about contemporary urban life.

    Several Twitter users proposed the names Donald or Trump after Thames Water appealed for suggestions.

  • UNILORIN promises NYG participants admission

    UNILORIN promises NYG participants admission

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin ( UNILORIN ), Prof. Abdul Ganiyu Ambali, has promised admission to participants of the National Youth Games ( NYG ) who wish to enter the institution in the 2017/2018 academic session.

    According to the University’s bulletin on Tuesday, the ( UNILORIN ) VC who gave the assurance while addressing athletes at the just concluded 3rd NYG, said if they meet the participant would be offered admission once they meet the University requirements.

    The NYG was hosted by the University between Sept. 9 and Sept. 16, 2017 which was the second consecutive hosting.

    He described the games as an opportunity to give the youths the chance to showcase their potentials.

    “It is the responsibility of all of us to impact our youths positively, wherever we can,” Ambali added.

  • INEC commences CVR in Madagali LGA

    INEC commences CVR in Madagali LGA

    Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has commenced Continuous Voters Registration ( CVR ) in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa, Alhaji Kasim Gaidam, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) said.

    Gaidam told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Tuesday that the exercise was initially stopped following Boko Haram attacks on villages in the area.

    He said the registration followed intensive stakeholders’ meeting between security agencies, government officials and elders from the area.

    He added that “finally, INEC has fixed Wednesday, Sept. 20, to start Continuous Voters Registration in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa.

    “The exercise was halted due to insecurity challenges.

    “However, security situation has improved now and following stakeholders meeting, CVR can now start.”

    He announced that a total of 86,631 eligible voters had earlier been registered across the state.

    He said there were about 130,000 unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards in the state and appealed to genuine owners to come forward and claim them.

  • Yobe to empower farmers with Irrigation scheme

    Yobe to empower farmers with Irrigation scheme

    Yobe Commissioner for Agriculture Mustapha Gajirema says the state government will empower farmers in Nguru and Muguram with irrigation scheme before the end of the year.

    Gajirema told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Tuesday that work on the construction of channels from the Nguru lake was almost completed.

    The commissioner said that yobe government constituted Irrigation Task Force project to promote 12 calendar months farming activities in the state.

    He said that the water channels were being constructed to provide farmers with water from the Nguru lake.

    “The project is designed to make farming an all year round activity where farmers will be switching off from wet season farming to irrigation and vice versa.”

    According to him, this will help to improve the economy and enhance food security.

    “The 35 hectares rice irrigation trail project in Muguram village and the maize farm in Jumbam village recorded bumper harvests.”

    He said that farmers would cultivate wheat from November to March, while rice would be cultivated between April and October.

    He said the state had 500 hectares of arable lands in Nguru and 400 others in Muguram for gradual expansion of the irrigation scheme.

    The commissioner assured that government would support wet season and irrigation farmers with inputs to promote agricultural production in the state.

    Gajirema also cautioned farmers against rushing their harvests to the markets.

    “We must resist temptations of extravagance, you are encouraged to preserve your harvests,” while assuring that government would also provide markets for the harvests.

    “Government will buy the products for the Strategic Grains Reserve programme to be sold out to the public at a subsidised rate during periods of need.”

  • Ekiti students, bus drivers clash over rape of student

    Ekiti students, bus drivers clash over rape of student

    Tension rose in Ikere Ekiti yesterday following a violent clash between some students and commercial drivers over the rape of a female student, (names withheld).

    A 200 level student of the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti was allegededly raped by a commercial driver along College-Igbara Odo way on Sunday.

    The lady, who was said to have suffered from malaria fever who went to town to seek medical treatment, was allegedly raped by a commercial driver fondly called ( Akoto driver ) at about 8pm.

    Enraged by the action, students of the College on Monday took to the streets and dealt with any known commercial driver sighted along the way.

    This led to the blockage of the Ado-Ikere-Akure way, which caused disruption of traffic flow for several hour

    The violence also disrupted commercial activities at Odo Oja area of ikere Ekiti, as many of them hurriedly closed shop to prevent looting of their wares.

    It was gathered that the lady has been taken to hospital for medical treatment.

    Speaking with  the police public relations officer of the state command, Mr Alberto Adeyemi, described rape as the highest point of criminality which he said would not be tolerated.

    Adeyemi said normalcy has returned to the beleaguered town and that the police had launched a serious manhunt for the alleged rapist.

    “Yes, the lady was sick and was being conveyed to the College when she was raped. The police don’t tolerate any criminal action in any way and this won’t be an exemption.

    “We have launched a manhunt for the man. The police are on his trail and we shall bring him to justice by the grace of God”, he said.

  • Customs’ Eastern Area Command generates N4.89bn

    Customs’ Eastern Area Command generates N4.89bn

     The Enugu, Anambra, and Ebonyi Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service ( NCS ) has generated N4.89 billion within eight months.

    The Area Comptroller, Mr Suleiman Mohammed, made the disclosure to newsmen on Monday at a stakeholders meeting in Enugu.

    Mohammed said that the N4.89 billion was about 45.3 per cent of the projected revenue target of the area command for the year.

    According to him, the 2017 revenue target of customs for the three states is N10.84 billion

    “The total amount realised as at August (from Jan. 1) stood at “Four Billion, Eight Hundred and Ninety Five Million, Three Hundred and Eleven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Five Naira, Seventy Seven Kobo (N4, 895,311,805.77) representing 45.3 per cent of the target for the year,’’ he said.

    The comptroller attributed the shortfall in revenue of the agency to the lack of border areas in the three states under the command.

    He said: “the three states covered by the command have no land borders and as such no frontier stations, rather it’s an excise oriented area with at least 20 excise factories under its control.

    “Besides, only 14 excise factories are functional presently whole six are temporarily closed-down.”

    Also speaking, Chief Raymond Okonkwo, the Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders ( NAGAFF ), urged stakeholders in freight industry to tackle facilities related problems at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

    Okonkwo said: “there is a need for stakeholders who have interest in the development of the airport structure to come together to ensure that things are the way they should.

    “The run-way at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport is not of the standard to attract international flights.

    “When facilities at any airport runs short of international regulations, you know that there is a problem as no airline will put his aircraft at risk.’’

    Speaking, the representative of Triax Group of Companies, Chief Emeka Okeke, called on South-East governors to join hands with the Enugu State governor to see that the airport becomes truly international in its operation.

    “We should not leave this thing for one state alone. I don’t know why the governments of the South-East states should not come to support this international airport project.

    “Let us start with one international airport before talking of cargo airport and the rest of them.

    “Enugu is the main eastern-base and this problem should be addressed squarely,’’ Okeke said.

  • Macron to address terrorism, climate at UN

    Macron to address terrorism, climate at UN

    French President Emmanuel Macron will give his first address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, with terrorism and climate change as his top priorities.

    Elysee officials were tight-lipped about the likely contents of Macron’s speech ahead of his travel.

    But his agenda included a security-focused meeting on Monday evening with fellow heads of state from the Sahel region of West Africa, where French troops are supporting local forces against militants.

    Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May, as well as Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni would host a meeting on preventing terrorist use of the internet.

    The French president, who took office in May, would also open a summit on a French-backed proposal for global pact on environment, aimed at creating binding international code of environmental law.

    French officials say Macron will also discuss the Syrian conflict with leaders of the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council – Britain, China, Russia and the U.S.