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Tag: Popular Nigeria News

  • Bayelsa mourns as literary icon, Okara, dies at 97

    Bayelsa State has been thrown into mourning following the death of a prominent literary icon, Dr. Gabriel Imomotimi Okara. He died at 97.

    It was gathered Okara, who is from Boumadi, Bayelsa State, died at Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Yenagoa on Sunday evening.

    The legendary writer was said to be a lifelong Patron of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).

    A family member who pleaded spoke in confidence said Pa Okara was relaxing at his Yenagoa residence when he slump at about 4pm on Sunday.

    He said the head of the Okara family had convened an emergency meeting, and the family would issue a formal statement afterwards.

    Governor Seriake Dickson described the death of the famous poet and novelist, as a great loss to the state and Nigeria.

    Dickson stated as a mark of honour, his government had declared a three-day mourning for the late Okara beginning from Monday to Wednesday this week with all flags to fly at half -mast.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson quoted the governor to have made the remark in a statement on Monday.

    He said Okara, who passed on at the age of 98, made a remarkable mark in the African literary industry, churning out great works such as The Call of the River Nun, the Fisherman’s Invocation, Piano and Drums, You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed and many others that helped shaped the continent.

    Dickson said that Okara was held in high esteem as a pride to the Niger Delta and the Africa noting that it was in appreciation of his exploits that the Government decided to name the State Cultural Centre in Yenagoa after him.

    He noted the late Okara would be greatly missed by all lovers of literature and intellectualism especially the young and upcoming writers.

    The governor pointed out Okara, who is reported to be the first renowned English Language black African poet, was very supportive of his administration’s educational policies and took time to attend some state events alongside other literary icons.

    The governor assured his government would support the deceased family to give the first African modernist writer who hails from the state a befitting burial.

  • Photos of Lagos building collapse

    A three-storey building collapsed in Kakawa Street, on Lagos Island on Monday.

  • DPR seals 21 petrol stations over non-renewal of licence

    The Department of Petroleum Resources ( DPR ) said it had sealed 21 filling stations without licenses and non-renewal of licences in the month of March in the state.

    The Operations Controller of DPR in Akwa Ibom, Mr Tamunoiminabo Kingsley-Sundaye disclosed this to newsmen on Monday in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

    Kingsley-Sundaye however, said that among the 21filling stations sealed, eight of the stations who were operating without licenses had applied to renew their licenses in the state.

    “In our aggressive surveillance of filling stations in Akwa Ibom, 21 filling stations were sealed and their offences committed were mostly operating with expired licenses and without DPR’s licenses”.

    He added that four filling stations had also complied and their applications is under process.

    “We found out that four filling stations took over from the former management to a new company platform,” he said.

    The operations controller further said the department clamped down on four illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), refilling points in Uyo metropolis in the same month.

    “People just rent two rooms apartment and connect some pipes to 50kg cylinder and do constructions that are unknown to any engineering standard,” he said.

    Kingsley-Sundaye explained that the constructions was dangerous to the public and described such business as criminal offence.

    He said that the department in collaboration with sister agencies had dismantled three out of the four illegal LPG refilling points in the state.

    “One is still under sealed; we will dismantle it because such business is illegal construction. I don’t know where they got the idea from, we can’t even call it technology,” he lamented.

    He warned the operators or people who want to venture in such illegal business to desist from it or face the wrath of the law, saying that anyone caught would be taken to court to serve as deterrent to others.

    “We must make sure that we insist that the right thing should be done in this state, there is no safety device, no engineering design and no environmental safety in such business.

    “If we don’t act fast, it will be like the one we experienced in our neighbouring state. We will not allow it to degenerates to that level that is why we are clamping down on them.

    He called on the public to report such illegal business to security agencies and DPR for persecutions.

  • ‘I stole 6-year-old girl on ritualist’s demand’

    A suspected child trafficker on Monday confessed abducting a 6-year old girl in Umuefi Nteje, Oyi local government area of Anambra state on the instructions of a native doctor.

    The suspect, Monday Onyikwa who made the confession to newsmen at the Police headquarters in Amawbia, said the native doctor, Monday had promised to pay him the sum of N100,000.

    He said he kidnapped the victim during a burial ceremony in the community and was on his way to the native doctor’s place when he was nabbed.

    “I got to know the native doctor at the police station when I was arrested for stealing phone. He introduced himself to me and gave me his number.

    “I picked up the girl at a burial and was heading to the native doctor’s place who demanded her for ritual before I was arrested,” he said.

    Confirming the arrest, the police spokesperson in the state, Haruna Mohammed said the victim had since been reunited with her family.

    He said the case was being investigated.

    He said, “On 23-3-2019, at about 9am, one Pius Egbuna of Nteje reported that his daughter, Chisom was missing and was nowhere to be found.

    “Following intelligence report, police detectives arrested one Monday Onyikwa in the bush with the victim.

    “Suspect confessed that he was taking her to one Nnamdi, a native doctor who was equally arrested at Nando village in Anambra East LGA for a fee of N100,000 for ritual purpose.”

  • 19-yr-old gets N.4m bail for allegedly stealing

    A senior magistrate court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital on Monday granted bail to a 19-year-old Miracle Sunday who allegedly stole gutter manhole slabs in the state.

    Sunday, who was arraigned before a senior magistrates court in Port Harcourt, was accused of stealing three of the concrete slabs from the state ministry of works, was granted bail in the sum of N400, 000.

    The incident reportedly took place at UTC junction, Port Harcourt on March 1, 2019.

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    He pleaded not guilty to the one count charge of stealing slammed on him.

    He was also not represented by any lawyer

    The presiding Magistrate, Gomba Osaro granted bail to the sum of N400,000 with one Surety.

    He said Surety must be a civil servant of any grade and must present his national identity card or permanent voters card and his address must be verified by the prosecutor, Godwin Nwinam.

    Osaro adjourned the matter till April 9, for hearing.

  • Two suspected cultists docked for possession of tramadol

    Two men, Joel Akpobolokaime, 25, and Charles Ikechukwu, 27, who are alleged members of a secret and suspected to possess tramadol, on Monday appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    The defendants are standing trial for alleged conspiracy, membership of an unlawful society, possession of hemp, and possession of a stolen Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card.

    The duo, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Glory Godday, had told the court that the defendants committed the offences on March 24 on Iganmu Road, opposite Orile Police Station, Lagos.

    Read Also: Police arrest two over kidnap of five-year-old in Warri

    She said that the duo belonged to an unlawful society, Neo Black Movement of Africa cult, and were in possession of an axe, three wraps of hemp and two tablets of tramadol.

    She also said that the defendants were in possession of an ATM card suspected to be stolen from one Mr Kelvin Agumefe.

    The alleged offences contravene Sections 42(1)(a), 43(2), 329 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Komolafe, granted the accused bail in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

    She adjourned the case until May 2, for mention.

  • Firm denies allegations of terrorism in Bayelsa

    A surveillance security firm working for oil multinational in Bayelsa State, Darlon Security and Guards Ltd, has denied allegations by the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, that it was engaging in acts of terrorism.

    Dickson while speaking at a pro-environmental campaign tagged, Rise for Bayelsa, accused the firm and its Chairman, Mr. David Lyon, of sponsoring violence and running a parallel government in the state.

    But the firm in a statement in Yenagoa signed by its Head of Operations, Mr. Wilson Clifford, denied the state government’s allegations against Lyon.

    “The allegations show the height of desperation on the state government’s frantic bid to pull down Mr. Lyon, whose only crime is being a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC”, Clifford said in the statement.

    The firm boasted that it had contributed immensely in reducing crime by employing over 5000 youths in the state.

    Clifford said: “For the records, we’d like to emphatically state that, Darlon Security and Guards Ltd is a law abiding organization, that operates strictly within the confines of its contractual terms, which is the protection of oil pipelines in parts of the state.

    “The diligence, with which we execute our operations in line with our terms of reference, has seen the earnings of the state improve tremendously, as well as eliminate criminal activities from our creeks.

    “It is an established fact that the entire Swamp Area, with notoriety for crude oil theft, illegal refineries and pipeline vandalism in the past, is now a haven of peace, thanks to the operations of Darlon Security and Guards Ltd. We, therefore, take exception to Governor Dickson’s phantom allegations against us.

    “If the about 5000 persons employed by Darlon Security and Guards Ltd, is what Governor Dickson considers as running a parallel government, then we plead guilty to providing livelihood for thousands of Bayelsans.

    “We’d like to state unequivocally, that our chairman, Hon. David Lyon is a peace loving man, who has never engaged in any act of terrorism, and would never engage in such an act.

    “Darlon Security and Guards Ltd, is not new to these kind of spurious politically motivated allegations, we have been vindicated in the past, and shall continue to be vindicated, as these allegations are simply products of Dickson’s imaginations.

    “We strongly advise Governor Dickson to free himself from his petty and vindictive brand of Politics, being a so called “true Ijaw man” as he is being referred to by his close friends.

    “Darlon Security and Guards Ltd will continue to work within the ambit of the laws of the land as always. We pledge to continually remain law abiding in our dearly beloved state and nation, and will strive continuously, to protect our before-now ravaged environment, and improve on the livelihood of our people.“

  • We won’t share power with PDP, says Oshiomhole

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on Monday gave an insight into the 9th National Assembly, saying the party is not ready to share power with the opposition in the National Assembly.

    Oshiomhole said the party will not allow what happened in 2015 to reoccur in 2019 as the party will need a collaborative legislature to provide good governance to the people, adding that the leadership of the Assembly give all committee members critical positions as committee chairmen.

    He said the party leadership will carry out extensive consultation with the President and leadership of the party at all level to arrive at a zoning formula that will be acceptable to all members and the party.

    Details shortly…

  • Updated: Court dismisses suit against conclusion of Bauchi Guber election

    *To hear case over Rivers Governorship, Thursday

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar and the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resume collation exercise in the state’s gubernatorial election.

    INEC had declared the election inconclusive on the grounds that the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin of lead between the two top political parties.

    The electoral body later announced that it would resume collation because it found out that the number of cancelled votes was tampered with, a decision Abubakar and the APC challenged in court.

    In a judgment on Monday, Justice Inyang Ekwo declined jurisdiction and disagreed with plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN) that the suit related to pre-election matters.

    Justice Ekwo set aside the order for maintenance of status quo earlier made by the court and ordered INEC to proceed with its activities geared at concluding the governorship election in Bauchi State.

    The judge said, although his court has jurisdiction to determine the questions, relating to the interpretation of the Constitution and Electoral Act, raised in the suit, he would prefer to allow election tribunal with an overall jurisdiction over election matters to handle the case.

    He directed that INEC should be allowed to conclude its constitutional responsibilities in relation to the Bauchi Governorship election, following which any aggrieved party could approach an election tribunal.

    Justice Ekwo said: “My view is that this court has jurisdiction to interpret the provision of the Constitution as to the alleged breach of the plaintiff’s fundamental right to fair hearing and interpret the provision of the Electoral Act tabled before the court.

    “And also looking at the provision of Section 60 of Electoral Act, the court or tribunal can determine the issues thereof. It can then be said that there is concurrence of jurisdiction between this court and the Election Petition Tribunal on this issue.

    “The difference in this case is that the alleged infringement occurred in the process of an election and the decision of the defendant in Exhibit B (the press releases issued by INEC on March 15, 2019) also occurred in the process of an election.

  • Hamonise minimum wage for quick assent – TUC tells NASS

    Mr Bobboi Kaigama, the President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), on Monday called for quick hamonisation of the N30,000 national minimum wage bill to enable President Muhammadu Buhari assent to it.

    Kaigama spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the implementation of the new minimum wage.

    NAN reports that the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress had urged the President to sign and implement the new wage before the end of the 8th National Assembly.

    The TUC president said that the House of Representatives and the Senate needed to harmonise the agreed sum and pass it to the President for his assent.

    ”The N30,000 figure is one, but the aspect of law might not be the same. There is the need to come together and harmonise, produce a clean copy and forward to Buhari to sign.

    ”If that is not done as soon as possible, it will be difficult for the President to sign and implement the agreed national minimum wage.

    ”The day Buhari signs the new minimum wage bill, it becomes a law effective from that day,” he said.

    The labour chief said that implementation would be seamless since the Federal Government had said that it included its provision in the budget, but might take a while in some states that had not included it in their budget.

    He urged the private sector not to delay its implementation as soon as the bill is enacted into law.

    The TUC president advised the government to look into the issues of punishment for minimum wage defaulters and frequent review of the process.

    He also said that Value Added Tax should not be tied to the implementation of the new wage, particularly in the public sector.

    ”VAT is paid by consumers; it is paid by the lower class, while the business conglomerates and corporate organisations don’t pay appropriate tax.

    ”It is unfair to tell workers who pays appropriate tax that you will tie VAT to minimum wage. The organised labour disagrees with the government,” he said.

    Kaigama said that labour would resist any plan to fund the new minimum wage through increase in VAT.