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Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • Lawmaker shot dead by suspected assassins in Delta

    A  councillor and Majority Leader of Sapele Local Government Legislative Arm, Delta state Chief Venture Kagbude, has been reportedly shot dead by suspected assassins.

    It was gathered that the tragic incident occurred at about 6 pm on Tuesday along the Sapele/Effurun/Warri Road.

    Chief Kagbude, was the Chairman of Okirighre community in Sapele council area, as well as the chairman of the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), in the local government area, until his death.

    According to reports, the deceased was returning from Okuoke community located along the said road, where he had gone to inspect a house under construction for his mother.

    Unfortunately, the unknown gunmen waylaid and shot him dead.

    Director of the Asaba and Osubi International Airport, Austin Ayemidejor, while reacting to Kagbude’s death said, “it is sad news, a young man dreams to build a better society and is cut short by gunmen. He will surely be missed”.

    However, an undisclosed source related to the victim claimed that the late lawmaker was one of the frontiers against cultism and ritual activities in the area, adding that his demise must have resulted from his efforts, alongside the LGA chairman, “against cultism few months ago. I am sure his death must have come from there.”

    A senior police officer at the Sapele Police Area Command, name withheld, confirmed the development, stating that a search for the killers has commenced.

    But efforts to get official comments from the Delta State Police Command proved abortive, as repeated calls to the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Adeyinka Adeleke, mobile phone were not answered as at the time of filing this report.

  • BREAKING: Senate probes loss of $21bn to non-review of PSC Act

    The Senate on Wednesday directed its revenant committees to probe the loss of $21bIllion revenue accruable to the Federal Government due to the failure to amend the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) Act.

    This resolution followed a motion entitled: “Urgent need to review and recover additional revenue accruable to the government of the Federation from the Production Sharing Contracts pursuant to Section 16 of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act CAP D3 LFN 2004 and amend the Extant Act.”

    The motion was sponsored by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra South) and co-sponsored by 16 other senators.

    In his lead debate, Ubah urged the Senate to note that “as a result of the non-review and amendment of the PSC Act, the Federal Government has lost about US$21 billion (about N7trillion) over a period of 20 years due to the failure to review and amend the PSC Act as stated by the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources following the meeting of the Federal Executive Council on the 14th day of December, 2017.”

    Read Also: MTEF to be tabled before House of Reps on Thursday

    Senator Ubah’s prayer which is to: “Mandate the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream to investigate the reasons for the failure to review the salient provisions of the PSC Act, identify the best fiscal regime for the PSCs and review the provisions of the PSC Act to ensure that beyond the crude oil price of US$20, the share of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) in the additional revenue is adjusted in accordance with the provisions of the Act,” was unanimously adopted when it was put to voice vote by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan.

    Details shortly…

     

     

  • BREAKING: Sokoto: Tribunal admits facts presented by APC’s Lead Counsel

    Tribunal says facts presented by Mr Alex Izion Lead Counsel to APC are in total conformity with as ruled by at the ongoing judgement.

     

    Details Shortly…

     

  • Suspected hoodlums kill LG majority leader in Delta

    Suspected hoodlums on Tuesday allegedly killed the Majority leader of Sapele Local Government Legislative Arm, Chief Venture Kagbude along the busy Warri/Sapele Road in Delta State.

    Kagbude who is also the Chairman of Okirighre Community in Sapele was allegedly returning to Sapele where he had gone to inspect a house he was building for his mother at Okuoke along Warri road, when he ran into the gunmen at Okwadede, close to the Sapele/Warri main road, at about 5pm.

    The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Onome Onovwakpoyeya could not be reached for comments but a source at the Sapele Police Area Command confirmed the incident.

    Read Also: Insecurity: Nigerians in Diaspora deplore killings, back state police

     

    A young lady who is a family relation to the late Community Chairman said Kagbude was killed by suspected assassins, saying that it was painful that hoodlums have been having their way along the Sapele/Warri road with full comfort without interruption from security agents.

    She said the late Chairman had always led the battle with the local government Chairman against cultism few months ago, and that she is sure his death must have come from there.

  • BREAKING: MTEF to be tabled before House of Reps on Thursday

    Medium Term Expenditure Framework is to be tabled before House of Representatives for further deliberation on Thursday, Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has said.

    The Speaker made the announcement at the resume plenary of the House on Wednesday.

    He directed the House Committee on Finance to conclude work on the document by the end of work on Wednesday.

    Details Shortly…

  • Australian researchers develop computer game to diagnose mental illness

    Researchers from Australia’s peak scientific body developed a computer game capable of helping diagnose mental health disorders.

    The game, developed by the Data61 team at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) presents users with two choices and tracks their behaviour as they respond.

    That data was then analysed by artificial neural networks that are able to distinguish the nuanced differences between healthy players and those with bipolar disorder or depression.

    It was tested on 101 participants, 34 with depression, 33 with bipolar disorder and 34 without either.

    Amir Dezfouli, the neuroscientist who led the study, said it represented a possible step-change in the emerging field of computational psychiatry.

    Read Also: ’90 per cent of suicide cases have traces of mental illness’

    “Currently, 69 per cent of bipolar patients are initially misdiagnosed and around one-third of these patients might remain misdiagnosed for 10 years or more,’’ he said in a media release on Wednesday.

    “If we can understand how the brain works, we can develop more accurate processes for diagnosis and more effective treatments for people with mental health disorders.

    “Characterising mental health disorders in granular detail could allow clinicians to develop more personalised treatment plans based on an individual’s unique diagnosis.’’

    (Xinhua/NAN)

  • Nigeria’s sovereignty and the exemplary leadership of the Nigerian Army

    The security architecture in Nigeria is such that it revolves around the operations of the Nigerian Army. I say this for the simple fact that since 2015, and with the advent of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Army has indeed risen to the occasion in times too numerous to mention with innovations and operations that have always restored peace around the country.
    I am one of those in the school of thought that posits that, but for the present commitment of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, as well as the Chief of Army Staff, Nigeria would have disintegrated in line with the doomsday predictions of 2015. But the sheer commitment of these individuals altered the equation, and Nigeria is united today.
    I must add that in the annals of the country, there hasn’t been a time that the Nigerian Army has been stretched thin like this period, with operations running simultaneously across the country, including the Boko Haram/ISWAP conflict in North-East Nigeria. The truth is that one wonders how the Nigerian Army has been able to combine all of these operations of protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria without fail.
    It is, therefore, my considered opinion that one of the early gifts that President Muhammadu gave Nigerians was the choice of Service Chiefs who were mandated to hit the ground running in ensuring that the various security challenges facing the country are addressed. This is also on the heels that Nigeria was on the brinks and with a military that had been overwhelmed by the myriad of challenges confronting it, which was occasioned by the selfish and lackadaisical attitude of the then political and military authorities towards the unity of Nigeria.
    That period was indeed free for all endeavours that saw the misappropriation of funds meant for critical military operations as well as the welfare of the fighting troops in North-East Nigeria. So the consequent result was an upsurge in the activities of Boko Haram terrorists till they took control of over 16 local government areas in North-East Nigeria.
    We must agree that since the coming of the present administration and the operational strategies deployed by the various services of the Armed Forces, the security architecture in Nigeria indeed experienced a considerable facelift. Worthy of mention is the exploits of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, who has been described in various quarters as the war legend of our time due to the way and manner he has led the fighting troops in confronting the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist and other militant groups in Nigeria.
    It is indeed not an understatement to state that but for the efforts of the Nigerian Army, militant groups such as the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) would have caused maximum damage to the sovereignty of Nigeria. But again, the Nigerian Army under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai was able to nip in the bud their nefarious activities.
    The exploits of the Nigerian Army under Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai has never been in short supply. This also explains the encomium that has been showered on him from home and abroad for exemplary leadership in the operations of the Nigerian Army in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria. For example, the Nigerian Army was honoured with the Certificate of Professionalism by the International Human Rights Commission Geneva, Switzerland, jointly with the Committee of Foreign Observers, for its efforts at protecting Human Rights during the just concluded 2019 general elections in Nigeria.
    Again, sometime in 2017, the Chief of Army Staff was given the Presidential Award for Excellence for his determined war against the Boko Haram insurgents by the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). Reading a citation at the award ceremony, the NIM stated that “In less than two years of Lt. Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai becoming the Army Chief of Staff, the tide has changed to much safer northeast and thereby restoring confidence in the Nigerian Army as a reliable agent for National Security.”
    “Many of the captured and deserted cities and towns were recovered and normalcy gradually restored. This rare feat could not have been possible without the intervention of Lt. Gen. Buratai, who, upon the assumption of duty, swiftly demonstrated his leadership skills and military prowess coupled with patriotic zeal, to tackle headlong, the nefarious activities of the insurgents, which threatened our national cohesion.”
    You must agree with me that the above citation aptly describes the level of life the Chief of Army Staff has been able to inject in the operations of the Nigerian Army since he assumed leadership. Would you consequently have been surprised by the fact that also, the Chief of Army Staff, was conferred with the highest military award in Brazil?
    The Brazilian military order of merit award, which is the highest military honour in the country, is awarded to military officers, who had distinguished themselves in various military endeavours. According to citation at the occasion, the award was in recognition of Buratia’s exemplary and world’s recognized leadership qualities and the Nigerian Army’s effort in the fight against terrorism and insurgency. And this is no fluke.
    The Nigerian Army has indeed risen to the occasion in the fight against terrorism. As such, it behoves on all well-meaning Nigerians to give it that support in its quest towards defeating the last evil standing, which is the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group.
    I can go on non-stop on the exemplary leadership of the Nigerian Army in protecting the sovereignty of Nigeria. And in all of these, one thing stands out; the rare display of an unflinching commitment by the Chief of Army Staff towards protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria has been the magic wand. And if the truth must be told, if this has been the case before the advent of the present administration, the Boko Haram crisis would have been long over.
    Be that as it may, the leadership of the Nigerian Army has been able to reclaim the lost glory of the Nigerian Army and indeed sent many merchants of death hovering over Nigeria out of business. Those whose stock in trade is to cause ethnic and religious division in the country have also been sent out of business with the renewed commitment of the Nigerian Army in protecting the sovereignty of Nigeria.
    This is indeed commendable, and it consequently behoves on those holding sensitive positions of authority in Nigeria to take a cue from the exemplary leadership as exhibited by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai. Nigeria shall be indeed great again.
    Okpabi wrote from the New Nile University, Abuja.

  • BREAKING:Tambuwal cannot challenge APC guber candidate’s academic qualification, Court rules

    As the Sokoto Governorship Election Petition Tribunal session is ongoing, Court in its preliminary judgement ruled that Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has no powers to challenge the academic qualifications of Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto the APC governorship candidate.

    The ruling, however, is in favour of the APC candidate just as the Court has embarked on break.

     

    Details shortly…

  • Don’t sell Azura power plant, ex-aide tells Obaseki

    A former aide to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Maiyaki has urged the governor to forget the idea of selling 50 per cent stake in the state-owned Azura Power project, saying such sale will have negative legal implications on the state.

    Maiyaki who was Obaseki’s pioneer Chief Press Secretary said since a duly constituted state Assembly was not in place to consider and approve such divestment, there was no basis for the governor to go ahead with the planned exercise.

    In a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja, Maiyaki said the ambition of the Governor would end in futility because of the processes that is involved in the divestment of state’s equity.

    He said “First is process – Understanding that the money in question belongs to the state implies understanding the bureaucratic protocol of accessing and determining the best value and usage of public funds. This, therefore, requires the painstaking involvement of state lawmakers who must preside, commune and brainstorm on this idea as presented by the executive arm.

    “This way, they supervise and determine if indeed, it is a worthy ambition. But in Edo state, as popularly known, there is no legally constituted legislature to sit on the case. This opens up and presents the second problem which is that of execution.

    “If the process of supervising and assessing the executive ambition is intrinsically fraught with crisis, what assures upright devotion to the pursuit of the laid claims made by the Governor? And this worry is given more validation by the historical record of the present administration. Known for its characteristic attitude of making, but not fulfilling promises, sometimes even denying them, how can the public cast their truth on this ambition, believing that Obaseki’s administration has the interest of the people at heart?

    Read Also: PDP seeks end to Obaseki, Oshiomhole blame game on N30bn water project

    “It should then be recalled at this juncture that the administration aims to divest 2.1 billion naira into a 200billion dollar project. By mere proportion, the incoming fund is like a drop of water in an ocean. But the most expedient question it invites is that of the original plans of the Industrial project. If the Industrial Park project needs such fund that is paltry when compared to its budget, then where and what really originally funds the project?

    “But worse fear exists: where is the money really going and for what purpose? The Governor may have in his speech repeatedly rehearse his administration’s keenness to invest the money into the industrial sector of the state in an aim to shock and reinvigorate the sector for the employment and productive benefit of Edo state and her citizens. Yet there are validated reasons for fear and some quarters have suspected that the fund will be hijacked.

    “Two things again stand out. First is that Governor Obaseki has created a frightful reputation, one that lacks the currency of trust, hence undermining himself whenever he proposes a-money-involved idea. This can be said, was brought upon himself by no other person than himself. In the months he spent creating an image of himself, subtly announcing through his actions, that no heartless disposition is beyond him, he sows a seed; now fully germinated and blossoming, he must reap its fruits.

    “Obaseki throwing the legislature into crisis has therefore eliminated the chances of having his ambition legally asserted, and for this, he is made a man who has shot himself in the foot, and now, he must remain rooted to a spot, not progressing, not making or finding peace, his past sins haunting him until the time comes for him to go home—and then he will be voted home to rest”.

  • Buhari presides over FEC meeting in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presided over the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

    The meeting started around 11 am at the Council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    At the meeting were the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and Acting Head of Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan.

    Read Also: I’m not interested in third term- Buhari

    Either at the end or midway into the meeting, President Buhari is expected to leave for South Africa on a three-day state visit.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.