Tag: Nigerian Newspaper

Edo State has emerged second best-performing state in the Nigeria Portfolio Performance Awards organised by the World Bank Nigeria Country Office for state governments and federal institutions.

In a commendation letter, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Rachid Benmessaoud congratulated Governor Godwin Obaseki for the state’s performance as it clinched the award for the Best State Coordination Mechanism (Second Position), among state’s reviewed for the awards.

Benmessaoud noted that Edo State is also one of the five states with the Best Portfolio Briefs prepared for Timely Engagement between the Country Office and the new administration.

READ ALSO: Osun bags World Bank Nigeria Portfolio Performance Award

He added, “This is to appreciate your support and state’s participation in the just concluded Nigeria portfolio performance Awards ceremony hosted by the World Bank Country Office in Abuja, and to congratulate you on your state’s commendable performance which led to winning the award for the Best State Coordination Mechanism (Second Position) and also, one of the five states with the Best State Portfolios Briefs Prepared for Timely Engagement with the New Administration.”

He said, “The event recognized the performance of projects implementation teams across the states and federal institutions. Furthermore, state delegates were afforded the opportunity to network and share knowledge with their colleagues from other states. Through this event, we also believe Edo State will significantly improve the overall momentum in the implementation of projects in the state.”

The World Bank plays an active role in the development programmes in the state through the Edo State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) Project; Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP); FADAMA projects, Edo-Azura Power Project and many others.

A mobile money agent, Eniola Adenuga, on Wednesday gave insight into why and how he raped his female co – worker; Faith Jude, to death in their office around Lafenwa area of Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Adenuga said the girl just joined the company and he quickly picked interest in her.

He lamented that despite having made countless advances to her with promises of treating her fine, she refused to accept his offer for a romantic relationship.

He added that as the affection for her kept building up, he contemplated seeking to have his way by force and an opportunity provided itself on a particular rainy evening when the victim came to the office to collect the day’s proceed for their master.

A subdued Adenuga, who spoke with reporters at the Ogun State Police Command Headquarters, Eleweran, while being paraded by the Police, said he grabbed the girl, wrestled her to the ground and raped her after gagging the mouth.

He however noted that he had scarcely concluded the raping act when the girl died of suffocation.

The suspect pleaded for mercy, saying he never meant to kill Faith Jude.

He said:”I raped her in the shop and she died in the process. She was also having her menstruation at that period. I kept her corpse in the store.

“In early hours of the third day of the incident, I placed her corpse in front of the shop and went to report at Lafenwa police station that I found a corpse in front of our shop.

“I had to confess during investigation that I actually covered her mouth with her underwear while I raped her to death.”

READ ALSO: Suspected hoodlums rape 16-yr-old girl to death

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Mr Edward Ajogun, said the suspect had on September 19 reported at the Lafenwa Police division that he came to his office and found the lifeless body of Jude in front of the office covered with a canopy.

Ajogun said upon his report, detectives from Lafenwa division went to the scene, carried out forensic examination of the place, took picture of the corpse and it was discovered that there were marks of violence on the deceased body, suggesting she was murdered .

Ajogun said: “Based on the recovery, the complainant was professionally interrogated and it was discovered that he was the person that actually killed the victim.

“He confessed to the crime and stated that the decease , a co-worker came to the shop to collect money for their boss.

“He took advantage of the heavy downpour on the day to grab the deceased, gagged her mouth with a piece of cloth while he raped her.

“Having had his way with the girl, he discovered that she had given up the ghost due to suffocation.”

According to the Deputy Police Commissioner, the case is being investigated by the Homicide section of the command’s Criminal Investigation Department.

Mr. Mmatlou Kalaba, a Senior Researcher at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, has described the frequent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals by South Africans as embarrassing and condemnable.

Kalaba said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday on the sidelines of the sixth edition of African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE) held in Abuja.

The don tendered sincere apology on behalf of his fellow South African brothers and sisters.

“Our government has not been strong enough, in my view, in condemning, arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators and that is something which, not only embarrasses me, but makes me angry,’’ he said.

He said that his anger stemmed from the fact that those voted into power had refused to take concrete action against the illegal act

“Personally, I think until the perpetrators are arrested and people start spending time in jail, then we will see these kinds of things not happening at all.

“As an African, I often do not travel with much confidence and freedom because of what I know my fellow brothers and sisters are doing to other Africans in my country.

“Obviously, you do not expect people to welcome you when they know that in your country, foreigners are generally not welcomed,’’ Kalaba said.

He expressed concern that the acts were perpetrated by a few hoodlums and that severe measures ought to have been taken against them.

“I expect that harsh steps and measures be taken against them to serve as deterrent to those waiting to do the same.

“On this note, I humbly apologise on behalf of what my fellow South African brothers and sisters. It should not be allowed to continue happening.

“I, therefore, hope that government would take the steps it had indicated because we are really doing damage to ourselves, and not just foreigners,’’ he said.

READ ALSO: Buhari accepts South Africa’s apology for xenophobic attacks

He said that the South African government must remedy the situation by going round the continent apologising, with a promise to take action.

According to Kalaba South African businesses are spread all over the continent, stressing that good conduct and attitudes are expected of them from their clients.

“In a situation where foreign businesses have their origin in South Africa, much should be done to see to it that safety and good neighbourliness prevail.

“It is self-inflicting, as the reverse is the case and this is really bad and sad; hopefully, we will see the end of it,’’ he said.

Kalaba said that he had been a member of the African Association of Agricultural Economists for more than 12 years.

He said that he was at the summit to present papers on what was happening on the continent, with regards to agricultural developments, especially in the area of trade, his area of specialisation.

(NAN)