The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • Ekevwo emerges Africa’s fastest man

    The duo of Raymond Ekewo and Itsheriki Ushoritse increased the country’s medal haul by winning gold and bronze medal respectively in the Men’s 100m final at the Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex, Rabat on Tuesday.

    Ekevwo, who has qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, became the 2nd Nigerian sprinter to go sub-10s by winning the African title in a PB of 9.96s ahead of second placed Cisse Gue Arthur of Cote D’Ivoire, who finished in 9.97s.

    Itsheriki ran a 10.02s win the bronze medal and place third as well as qualify for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

    Commonwealth Games Silver medalist Chukwuebuka Enekwechi also registered Nigeria’s name in the gold medal section of the Africa Games table by winning the Men’s Shot Put final.

    Chukwuebuka Enekwechi broke Frank Elemba’s Africa Games record of 20.25m to set a new one of 21.48m, a mark he landed on his last attempt. Egypt’s duo of Khalifa Mohamed and Hassan Mostafa settled for the silver and bronze after finishing with a throw of 20.85m and 20.74m respectively. It was not a good outing for Ogundeji Ayomidotun Kelvin as finished 4th with a throw of 20.06m.

    2018 African Championships silver medalist, Oyeniyi Abejoye also won silver in the 110m Hurdles, clocking 13.90s.

    Africa and Commonwealth Games Champion, Tobi Amusan qualified for the final of the Women’s 100m Hurdles after finishing first in the 1st Round Heat 1.

    Amusa won with a time of 12.69s ahead of Okon Rosvitha of Cote D’Ivoire (13.63) and Fiadanantsoa Sidonie of Madagascar (13.68). Oluwakemi Francis who was also in that race, finished 4th with a Season’s Best of 13.86s.

    The quartet of Joy Udo-Gabriel, Blessing Okagbare, Mercy Ntia-Obong and Rosemary Chukwuma clocked a time of 43.49s to win heat 2 of women’s 4x100m relay.

     

     

  • 2019 Africa Games: Hat-tricks of gold for Lawal, Eze in Weightlifting

    Team Nigeria weightlifters increased the countries medal haul by six after the duo of Folashade Lawal and Eze Joy Ogbonne won three gold medals each in the weightlifting event held at the Nahda Indoor Sports Center, Rabat, Morocco on Tuesday.

    SportingLife.ng reports that Lawal also set a new African record in the 59kg women’s Snatch Weightlifting event.

    The 22 year old lifted 90kg in her first attempt before breaking the Africa record in her second attempt with 92kg to win the event with a total 110kg. Ibrahim Basma of Egypt won the silver with a total of 105kg while Rahmouni Chaima (Tunisia) got the bronze after lifting a total of 100kg.

    In the Women’s 59kg competition, Lawal lifted a total 210kg to take home the gold, leaving Ibrahim Basma (Egypt) won the silver with a total of 202kgm while Rahmouni Chaima (Tunisia) got the bronze after lifting a total of 195kg.

    Read Also: Africa Games: Flying Eagles qualify for final beat Mali 5-4

    In the Women’s 59kg Clean-Jerk competition, Lawal lifted a total 117kg to complete her gold medal hat-trick, while Ibrahim Basma (Egypt) won her 3rd silver with a total lift of 114kg and also got her 3rd bronze with a total lift of 108kg.

    Eze on the other hand won gold in the Women’s 64kg Competition by lifting a total of 218kg to finish ahead of Ahmed Esraa of Egypt who lifted a total of 209kg, while Said Neama (Egypt) won the bronze with a total of 207kg.

    Women’s 64kg Snatch event, Eze lifter a total of 97kg to take home the gold medal just as Egypt duo of Ahmed Esraa and Said Neama settled for the silver and bronze with a total list of 96kg and 90kg respectively.

    Eze the made it 3-in-3 with another gold medal in the Women’s 64kg Clean-Jerk after lifting a total of 121kg, leaving Said Neama and Ahmed Esraa to the silver and bronze medal.

    Nigeria now leads the medal table in the Weightlifting event with a total of 24 medals (13 gold, 7 silver and 4 bronze. Madagascar is in distant second with 11 medals (5gold, 4silver and 2 bronze), while Egypt is third with 15 medals (3 gold, 9 silver and 3 bronze).

  • PDP chief: Nnamdi Kanu a coward

    A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain has described threats by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to attack Southeast governors as cowardly and an act of desperation.

    PDP Chairman in Ebonyi State Onyekachi Nwebonyi, in a statement on Monday, said Kanu was not a freedom fighter but a businessman out to make money from Igbo politicians and businessmen.

    He said real freedom fighters don’t run away but stay and fight to achieve their aim.

    The statement reads: “The threat by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to attack governors of the Southeast, and particularly Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi, whenever they travel abroad is punk and cowardly.

    “It is a threat out of desperation by people who thought they could use the Biafra agenda for self enrichment. Unfortunately, the shenanigan did not pay off on the home front, though the Igbo in the Diaspora fall prey.

    “IPOB is not fighting for the actualisation of Biafra and the name of the organisation suggests no such objective. Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the group, is just out to make money from Igbo politicians and businessmen. He had thought he would get the governors and other politicians in the Southeast to fund his activities but that was not happening. His recent approach of attacking Igbo politicians who travel abroad arose from that unmet expectation.

    “He is not genuine in his agitation. There are valiant men at home who could support him if he is genuine, but he chose to rely on miscreants whom he can easily deceive. If Nnamdi Kanu is a genuine freedom fighter, he should have taken a cue from notable freedom fighters, some of who paid the supreme price for their cause. Kanu should have stayed back to press home his demand for the emancipation of the marginalised people of Biafra. That is why I call him a coward. He should also remember that Igbo are not the only people of Biafra.

    “And again, mentioning the governor of Ebonyi State for attack abroad shows that what the group wants is far from the emancipation of Igbo people. It is laughable that instead of Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB to direct their vengeance of the Operation Python Dance 2 towards President Muhammadu Buhari and the Army, they ungratefully and cowardly chose to attack the very persons who ensured Kanu was released from prison. That is really cowardly and barbaric.

    “Governor Umahi does not junket foreign lands ignoring his people. The transformation he has given Ebonyi State clearly shows that if all the governors of the Southeast had acted in the same way over the years, the region would have been a destination of some sort by now.”

    The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (ONYC) says IPOB has lost the Igbo consciousness.

    Read Also: Nnamdi Kanu: A continuing tragedy

    It said IPOB’s bid to have a candidate from Northeast win the 2019 presidential election, which was not met, emboldened its anger against Igbo governors.

    A statement yesterday by Ohanaeze’s Deputy President-General Obinna Achionye, reads: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide will expose all the commercial activities of IPOB, as it has done more damage to Ndigbo than it appears to salvage the situation the Igbo currently find themselves since 2015.

    “IPOB lost Igbo consciousness before the 2019 elections as it was doing the political bid of politicians outside Igbo land, which they started with a Northeast presidential candidate. IPOB’s popularity before the 2019 elections waned when it destroyed its members’ Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) and plotted the fall of Governors David Umahi, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu.

    “We urge the Southeast governors to disregard any kangaroo committee set up to interface between them and the IPOB. There is no reason for a backyard settlement until IPOB openly apologises to Ndigbo.

    “When the Southeast governors called its bluff over its antics, IPOB connived with enemies of Igbo to stage a failed revolution protest which was unsuccessful in the region. Now, they have resorted to a violent approach to do the bidding of a presidential hopeful from outside Igboland to bring down all presidential hopefuls in Igboland ahead of 2023.

    “We know how a former minister from Anambra State persuaded a northern presidential candidate to use IPOB’s nuisance to hoodwink Igbo into voting for the politician after visiting Nnamdi Kanu in Israel. Nevertheless, we urge Southeast governors not to negotiate with Nnamdi Kanu. Their blackmail and settlement strategies are dead on arrival.”

  • ‘Commercial sex worker’ found dead in hotel

    A suspected commercial sex worker in her mid-20s has been found dead in a hotel at Amukpe in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.

    The woman’s remains were allegedly discovered underneath a bed in a room at the hotel.

    The incident is happening barely two weeks after another sex worker, Miss Miracle, also died in a similar circumstance in a hotel room.

    The Nation gathered that prior to the discovery, other customers had lodged in the hotel, but unknowing to them a body was under the bed.

    A senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident.

    Police Commissioner Mr. Adeyinka Adeleke, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased was not a commercial sex worker.

    He said: “The woman in question was not a prostitute. The police are on the trail of the culprits.”

  • TraderMoni, MarketMoni beneficiaries, doing well, paying back – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says feedback from the field and testimonies indicate that the TraderMoni and MarketMoni beneficiaries  are doing very well and are paying back their loans.

     Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement in Abuja, said the vice president had  an interaction with newsmen after his assessment visit to markets in Keffi and Masaka towns of Nasarawa State where the TraderMoni and MarketMoni schemes are being disbursed to traders.

    The vice president urged beneficiaries of the loan schemes to continue to pay back their loans so they could get more money and become very successful in businessess

      “It is going very well; and I am excited to hear the testimonies of the traders who have done so well after getting their first loan. 

    “It is also exciting to see that they have repaid their loans very quickly, because as you pay back, you are able to get more; when you get N10, 000, and you pay back, you get N15, 000 and it gets to N20, 000, when you repay, all the way to N100, 000, and it is so exciting to see that these traders are doing so well.

     “Everybody is keying in already, what we want to do is to expand it so that more traders can get this facility, so we need to do more because at the moment, we have done close to two million but we need to increase the number”.

    Osinbajo said the target of the Federal Government in the Next Level was to expand the scheme to cover more traders and also increase the amount received to enable beneficiaries expand their businesses.

     According to him, the TraderMoni and MarketMoni schemes will be expanded  to include more people in every state.

    He said more of the traders  would get the TraderMoni and the MarketMoni loans. 

     “So long as you continue to pay back you will continue to get more money.

    “We want to make sure that every petty trader in the market have enough so that they themselves can even employ more people and pay their children’s school fees and also build their own houses. 

    “As I told you, we are going to expand the scheme so that more people can benefit.”

     Earlier at the palace of the Emir of Keffi, Alhaji Shehu Yamusa, Osinbajo said his visit to the State was to assess the disbursement of the TraderMoni and MarketMoni loans to traders in markets across the States.

    He said that TraderMoni was the President Muhammadu Buhari’s  own way of empowering women and men who were traders. 

    He said the inventories of the many of the traders  were very small as they could be people hawking groundnuts, selling bread and other basic things. 

    “Most of them don’t have enough capital to improve their businesses. So, what we do is to empower them through the Bank of Industry.

     “So, we want to ensure that people who are trading have an opportunity and that opportunity is provided when we are able to give them capital as part of this TraderMoni scheme. So, that is why we are here.”

    Read Also: Osinbajo decries high port charges

     On the Emir’s appeal about improving educational standards, the vice president said Buhari was determined to improve both access and quality of education to all Nigerians regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.

     He said that one of the other things that would the traditional  might be happy to hear was the President’s determination to the question of education.

    “On June 20, while speaking to hovernors when he inaugurated the National Economic Council, he made the point that the Federal Government will enforce, along with the State governments, the law on free and compulsory education of the first nine years of the child’s school life.

     “It is a very important thing because we all know that education is the key to the economic success, the key to self-realisation and the key that enables any person live a dignified life.

    ” So, we are extremely concerned on how to improve education; Technical education in particular, I think that it is very important.

     “As a matter of fact, under our N-Power scheme we already have a number of technical education schemes going on.  We have what we call N-Build which is technical education for persons involved in the building industry (tillers, brick layers etc). We also have training for extension workers, persons who will provide extension service. 

    ” There is the one for persons involved in technical training like carpenter, electricians and many others,” he said. 

    He added that the Federal and state governments were committed to doing more in terms of technical education.

    Osinbajo said there was also collaboration  in supporting the states  especially in making primary education and first three years of secondary education free and compulsory as well as in the education of young women.

    In his remarks, Chindo commended the vice president for his show of concern and interest in the welfare of the people of Nasarawa State and Keffi in particular.

    The traditional ruler appealed to the Federal Government to review the nation’s education curriculum to integrate vocational and technical education to address youth unemployment.

    NAN

  • Atiku framed Obasanjo over the years – Presidency Sources

    Some Presidency sources on Tuesday night faulted the alarm raised by the former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Atiku had on Monday declared that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was bent on framing Obasanjo in order to stop him from criticising Buhari’s administration.

    In a statement by his media office, Atiku had also alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was giving falsehoods to the media  towards causing disaffection between him and Obasanjo on one hand, and between Obasanjo and Nigerians in general.

    But a Presidency source, who spoke to The Nation on a condition of anonymity, said that Atiku had so much framed Obasanjo that nobody could beat his record.

    He said “When Mr. Atiku Abubakar reflects on some of the things he said of President Obasanjo, he will realize that having framed the former President so well in the past, Obasanjo cannot anymore be framed by anyone, no matter how he tries.

    “On the unresolved issue of the mismanagement of the Petroleum Trust Development Fund, PTDF under their government, Mr Atiku’s revelation before the Senate was that Obasanjo took N10 billion to kickstart his Third Term campaign.”

    This source added “This is how the press captured it: “Abuja — The ill-fated third term agenda re-echoed yesterday in Abuja at the public sitting of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) when Vice President Atiku Abubakar alleged that President Olusegun Obasanjo approved the immediate release of N10 billion in the thick of the battle to push the agenda in the National Assembly.”

    Another source recalled what Atiku said about Obasanjo on the 16 Billion Dollar spending on electricity, which he noted nothing to show.

    Read Also: Still on Atiku’s ‘treasonable’ comments

    He quoted Atiku as saying “The issue of electricity is a thing that I feel very emotional about it, because I believe if we had handled the issue of electricity when we were in office by 2005 we would have provided enough electricity for the people of this country; but unfortunately we did not follow that route. … I have said it in many interviews. … I was then the chairman of Privatization Council and we commissioned international consultants to come and help us – How do we get power within the shortest possible time and they came. They went round this whole country and they submitted their recommendations. …”

    Atiku, according to the source, added “The government went for the IPPs, … the President, … we collected money from local governments, states federal government and others, five set of contracts were given, some contracts were paid 100 percent, we left nothing, was achieved … ”

    The source declared “Obasanjo has already been framed by Mr. Atiku. Nobody needs to do that all over again.”

    When contacted on telephone on Tuesday night, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, declined to comment on the issue.

     

     

  • “We will prosecute police men who assaulted FUTA female student”

    Ondo State Police Command on Tuesday assured that it would do everything possible to ensure that its men who allegedly beat and injured a female student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) are punished.

    Some students of the institution were said to have had an encounter with policemen attached to the ‘A’ Division Police Station, Akure, Ondo State capital, on Sunday night leading to one of them being injured by a policeman.

    The identities of the victim and that of the policeman had not been revealed as of the press time.

    Videos of the encounter had already gone viral on social media.

    In the viral video, a young woman (FUTA student) was seen with one of her eyes bleeding and she kept saying, “Look at my eyes.”

    When contacted on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer Mr Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident and said the erring police officer haa been arrested and would face trial.

    Read Also: FUTA seeks collaborations with U.S. varsity

    Joseph, who declined to reveal the identity of the cop, however, explained that the matter involved two students, who were on a motorcycle and were drunk on Sunday night.

    He said that the students refused to be checked by the policemen, who were on patrol.

    He said, “The students were stopped by the policemen on patrol on Sunday night, and when they were asked to open the bag they held, they refused, that was what caused an argument between them, leading to one of them to slightly push the lady. But because the lady was drunk, she fell down and got injured.

    “In spite of that, as I am speaking with you now, the policeman in question has been arrested and will face trial”.

     

  • Missing Federal High Court judge found

    A missing Federal High Court judge, Idrissa Saleh has been found.

    The judge who was declared missing at the weekend was found in Nyanya area of Abuja.

    Confirming to the Nation in a telephone conversation, the FCT Command Spokesman, DSP Anjuguri Manzah said: “The man was missing but we can confirm to you that he has been found. He was found on Tuesday at a filling station in Nyanya area of Abuja. “

    Read Also: Court dismisses suits over dispute, primary

    It was however unclear whether the judge was found by operatives of the Command as Manzah refused to comment further on the matter.

    Manzah however stated that the judge’s disappearance had nothing to do with kidnapping.

    The judge went missing after he allegedly discharged himself from a hospital where he was undergoing treatment.

     

  • FG directs payment of allowances of Nigerians studying in Russia

    The Federal Government has directed the Federal Scholarship Board to process the payment of allowances owed by the government to Nigerian scholars studying in Russian.

    Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, gave the directive when Nigerian Ambassador to Russia and Belarus, Prof. Steve Ugba visited him in Abuja.

    In a statement by the ministry’s Deputy Director(Information), Ben Bem-Goong, the Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to prioritise the being of all Nigerian students studying abroad.

    He said henceforth, the government would give priority to the welfare of Nigerian students studying oversea.

    Ugba urged the minister to meet with the students whenever the minister visited Russia.

    Read Also: Fallacies of Adamu Adamu and his cohorts

    He told the minister that Nigerian students in Russia were doing well.

    According to him, the students in Russia are a source of pride to the country, adding that the synergy and solidarity that exist between the students and the Nigerian Embassy have contributed to the survival of Nigerian students in the country.

    Adamu was joined in the meeting by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Sonny Echono.

  • We have not suspended flights operations, says Med-View Airlines

    Med-View Airlines said on Tuesday that it has not suspended flight operations.

    The said information making the round that all its aircraft had gone for maintenance repairs was not only misleading, but amounted to demarketing.

    The airline said the clarification became necessary in order to reassure its shareholders and stakeholders as well as the public on the status of its operations.

    In a statement signed by its Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Michael Ajigbotosho, Med-View said it did not at any time inform the regulatory authority ( NCAA) or other any agency nor the press that operations were suspended.

    He said:” At this time of the year, all those concerned or involved know that Med-View will concentrate her entire operations in inbound airlift of Hajj Pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria.

    “Our B737-500 ( 5N-BQ) aircraft developed a technical fault enroute Abuja a few days ago that requires engine replacement, and of which the engine has been procured and is being mounted to commence operation next week.

    Read Also: Hajj: Med-View returns 17,000 pilgrims

    “Med-View Airline operates 3 B737 aircraft on its domestic route, until recently two of them – 5N-MAB and 5N-MAA were sent for C- Check at approved MRO in Estonia, Europe and Aero-Contractors here in Nigeria.”

    He said maintenance repairs on the aircraft was already at advanced stage.

    He said “The repairs is up to 85 per cent , and expectedly, the aircraft will soon enter service on our domestic route.

    “In the last 12 years of operation as Hajj carrier and domestic operator, Med-View Airline is profoundly known and widely recognized for its safety consciousness which cannot be compromised.

    “Our airline is ever committed to its corporate value, which is ability to succeed in providing the desired services for customers ‘satisfaction and return on investment to shareholders.

    “Meanwhile, the on-going rift between our airline and NAHCON is being handled by the Presidency.”