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Tag: Popular Nigeria News

  • Police identify those behind Rivers cult killings

    The police in Rivers on Tuesday said that cultists and thugs that had lost patronage from politicians were behind the upsurge in killings in the state.

    DSP Nnamdi Omoni, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt.

    Omoni said the police were aware of the upsurge in crime in the state, stressing that the command had put in place adequate measures to tackle this.

    He stated that the killings were not strange to the police as politicians who had armed the cultists and thugs had now turned their backs on them.

    “The issue is these boys have lost patronage from their paymasters, so they want money via crime by asking for royalty and all manner of payments from residents of the community.

    “We cannot allow that to fester, we will arrest them and bring them to justice.

    “This has really put the boys into some kind of confusion, and we are capitalising on that.

    “We have penetrated into their ranks, and I can assure you that in no time, they will be rounded-up, arrested and brought to justice.

    Read Also: Police tear-gas INEC Ad-hoc staff protesting nonpayment of election allowances

    “ They will be overtaken and made to account for their evil,” he said.

    Omoni stated that normalcy had already been restored in Mgbuodia community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state after the killing that took place there.

    “When we got the information, we mobilised our men to the community, men of the Nigerian Navy were also there, so we were able to put the situation under control.

    “We restored normalcy, and even those that left, we spoke with them, and asked them to return,” he added.

    He said 10 persons were arrested in the wake of the development, adding that they were currently helping the police.

  • Breaking: Senate confirms Paul Tarfa, 10 others as chair, Board Members of NEDC

    The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Maj.-Gen. Paul Tarfa (rtd.) as Chairman of the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

    The Upper Chamber also confirmed the appointment of Mohammed Alkali as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEDC alongside nine members.

    This followed presentation of report by Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Sen. Abdul Aziz Nyako on confirmation of nominations into the board of the commission.

    The other nominees are Musa Yashi-Execitive Director Humanitarian Affairs, Muhammed Jawa-Executive Director Administration and Finance, Omar Mohammed Executive Director Operation.

    Others are David Kente-member representing North East Zone, Asmau Mohammed, member representing North West Zone, Benjamin Adanyi member representing North Central Zone.

    Still others are Olawale Oshun-member representing South West Zone, Dr T. Ekechi member representing South East and Obasuke Mcdonald-member representing South South.

    Contributing, Sen. Binta Masi(APC-Adamawa) observed that the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer was from Borno State as well as the headquarters of the commission being domiciled in Borno.

    She noted that in the spirit of fairness, other states facing insurgency should have been considered.

    Masi noted that late Sen. Ali Wakili suggested that the headquarters be domiciled in Bauchi State, but the request was turned down to allow for more negotiations, but wondered why the decision was made in favour of Borno.

    Sen. Nyako said the observation made by Sen. Masi was paramount but indicated that the decision was reached during Senate and House of Representatives conference.

    He said, “recall that in our bill, we left that issue open and during the hearing we agreed that if the headquarters should be in Borno someone from elsewhere should be Chief Executive Officer.

    “It was the House bill that came with zoning within Borno. They had overwhelming votes in support of that during our conference and in the spirit of democracy we had to succumb.”

    The Deputy Leader, Sen. Bala Na’Allah also noted that the observation made by Sen. Mask was genuine but noted certain situations could warrant a change.

    He said, “the citing of the headquarters is because the entire country associated the beginning of insurgency to Borno and other most affected states are Adamawa and Yobe states.

    “So, chairman for the commission is from Adamawa and choice of Alkali is for certain convenience, which is required to galvanise support with the least inconvenience.

    “Also,it should be noted that the action of the Executive led to choice of Alkali while citing of the NEDC in Borno is legislative action and in the spirit of cooperation among arms of govt we should let that go.
    and confirm them.”

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    The Leader of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, congratulated the National Assembly for passing the bill and Executive, for assenting to the bill and sending list of board nominees for confirmation.

    “The people nominated here are qualified and experienced and prepared to hit the ground running.

    “So, I urge the committee to monitor the commission’s take off to ensure the right things are done. We have learnt from issues of non smooth take off of Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) so that the NEDC will learn from that. The commission needs urgent take off.

    The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu also congratulated the nominees.

    He said the emergence of the commission was a sign that the national assembly had concern for happens in Nigeria irrespective of region and other indices.

    “The NDDC bill was initiated in the National Assembly. It was vetoed by the Executive but we overturned the veto. It is the same spirit that led to the initiation of the NEDC. The smooth running of NDDC is due to so much protocol.

    ” So,from the day one of the take off of NEDC, the national assembly should start oversight to give life to North East and hope to other Nigerians doing business in those areas and I hope the pioneers would lay good example, ” he said.

    In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, congratulated the nominees and urged them hit the ground running.

    He also emphasised the need for oversight of the commission to ensure proper implementation of projects.

  • ASUP to Buhari: sign Polytechnic act into law

    The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sign into the law the Polytechnic Act recently passed into law by the National Assembly for the smooth running and industrial harmony in the nation’s polytechnics.

    The union also frowned at what it described as showdy process of appointing Rectors of some polytechnics without due diligence, saying this has become an embarrassment to the sector, demanding the reversal and adherence to due process in such appointments at the Federal Polytechnic Bida and Ile Ile-Oluji.

    In a communique at the end of its National Executive Committee meeting signed by National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Chris Nkoro, the Union said failure to adhere to due process in the appointment of Rectors or the reversal of such, the union may be forced to embark on a one week strike to protest such actions.

    The communique asked the Minister of Education and the management of the National Board for Technical Education, the regulatory agency for polytechnics in the country to ensure that the new Polytechnic act is transmitted to the President immediately for his ascent.

    While congratulating Nigerians for the success of the 2019 general election, the union said the outcome of the election is a huge leap in Nigeria’s democracy and urged the elected ones to be magnanimous in victory.

    The polytechnic lecturers however condemned the pockets of violence in various parts of the country during the elections, particularly “the loss of lives of our members in Rivers state and harassments in Bauchi and Taraba states and called on federal government to avail itself of technological gadgets to track security challenges in the country.”

    They also expressed concern over the rising cases of armed banditry and kidnapping in the country, a situation they said has made people prisoners in their homes and called on government at all levels to be more alive to their responsibility of safeguarding the lives and properties of Nigerians irrespective of social strata or creed.

    The Union said “Laws and Regulations can make or mar the progress of any organization. Noting this, the NEC is appreciates the 8th National Assembly for having passed the corrected Amendment Bill of the Polytechnics Act.

    “The NEC however, calls on the FME and NBTE to quickly facilitate the process of transmitting of and the subsequent signing of the Bill by the President, Mohammadu Buhari as soon as possible for improved productivity and best practices in the Polytechnics and Monotechnics.”

    They also at the persistent lethargic disposition of the Federal government and its agencies towards re-negotiation of FGN/ASUP agreement is utterly disappointing to the 94th NEC which views this as a ploy to cripple the system and perpetuate suffering on our members asked the government to without further delay, commence the re-negotiation process.

    It observed that while the Union had agreed on the terms of enrolling of the sector into IPPIS, some rectors have continued to use backhand ploy to enrol some institutions without recourse to our Union’s documented peculiar concerns while asking government to promptly call these erring rectors to order.

    Read Also: Buhari decries use of cyberspace to manipulate elections

    The union is also not happy that salary shortfalls and CONTISS 15 migration challenges which led to the suspended strike action have persisted, despite continued assurances by government that this situation has been dealt, stressing that with the conclusion of the 2019 general election, these issues would be addressed squarely by government immediately.

    The union also frown at the conditions in State Polytechnics/Monotechnics in terms of delay in payment of salaries, arrears of promotions and other infractions are still sources of grave concern, stressing that the situations still prevail in Abia, Kogi, Imo, Osun, Oyo, Benue, Nasarawa, Niger, Ekiti, Ondo and Zamfara.

    It reiterates the firm invocation of the “no salary, no accreditation” policy on the institutions concerned and further urges that all cases of victimization should be adequately redressed immediately.

    The union appeal to governments at all levels to desist from reneging on agreements and address these recurring issues in the spirit of the Union’s magnanimity in suspending the strike in February 2019, adding that by so doing, government would have shown its sincerity, humanity, altruism and responsiveness to improve the citizenry for higher industry.

  • Breaking: Police dismiss nine officers for misconducts

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved with immediate effect the dismissal of nine senior Police Officers for gross misconduct.

    The Commission said it also approved the reduction in rank of six officers for different cases of misconduct.

    According to a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Commission’s Spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, the decisions were part of the outcome of its 5th plenary meeting which held in Abuja on 26th and 27th of March, 2019 and presided over by its Chairman, Musiliu Smith.

    Ani said the Commission also approved the punishment of severe reprimand for ten officers while one officer, CP. Austin Agbonlahor was exonerated.

    The Commission said one of the dismissed officers, SP Adamu Damji Abare will also be prosecuted while SP Abdul Yahaya Ahmed and another SP who also had his promotion from SP to CSP withdrawn before his dismissal.

    Read Also: Police nab man with ‘human parts‘

    The Commission said it has requested the IGP to provide it with information on the punishment awarded to other officers mentioned in the Police Investigation Reports involving SP. Abare with regards to irregularities in the conduct of the 2011 recruitment exercise.

    Others officers dismissed are; DSP Osondu Christian, DSP Samson Ahmidu and DSP Pius Timiala who will be prosecuted and whose promotion from DSP to SP was withdrawn. Four Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASPs) were also dismissed for various wrongdoings. They are; Agatha Usman, Esther Yahaya, Idris Shehu and Usman Hassan Dass.

    Those whose ranks were reduced are; Oluwatoyin Adesope and Mansir Bako were reduced in rank from SP to DSP while Gbenle Mathew; Tijani Saifullahi; Sadiq Idris and Alice Abbah were reduced from the rank of DSP to ASP.

    Ani said the commission’s decisions have been conveyed to the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu for implementation in a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Commission, Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri.

  • NSCDC deploys 39 officers to man UTME centres in Niger

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Niger Command, has deployed 39 personnel to provide security for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in different parts of the state.

    Mr Phillip Ayuba, Corps Commandant in the state made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Tuesday.

    He said there would be security in the 17 computer – based centres for the 11th conduct of the UTME in Niger, which kicked off on Tuesday.

    Ayuba said that two personnel would provide security in each of the centres, while five personnel from the headquarters would supervise the exercise across the state.

    The commandant said that the monitoring team had been constituted to carefully monitor the conduct of the exercise in the state.

    Read Also: JAMB: Candidates who miss UTME to wait till next year

    He explained that the corps would work with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to ensure security at the centres before, during and after the computer-based test.

    Ayuba urged prospective candidates to be law abiding, adding that the NSCDC personnel would be professional in carrying out their mandate to ensure a hitch-free examination.

    He also warned parents against malpractices as anyone found wanting would be arrested and prosecuted.

  • Landslide destroys 10 houses in Bayelsa

    A major landslide has destroyed 10 houses in Odi community, Kolokuma-Opokuma Area Council of Bayelsa, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    NAN gathered on Monday, that the incident which occurred near the bank of the River Nun, on Sunday, caused panic in the community.

    Mr James Dounana, a resident in Odi attributed the landslide to marine erosion, saying it might have been triggered by indiscriminate sand dredging from the River.

    “It was God’s doing that the incident happened during the day and not night.

    “It is one of the many challenges faced by riverine communities. It started at about 7: 00 a.m. as earth tremor; and two hours later, the ground gave way causing the houses to collapse.

    Read Also: Tears as Bayelsa community buries slain APC supporter

    “Thank God no life was lost,’’ Dounana said.

    Mr Tonye Isenah,the Chief Whip of Bayelsa State House of Assembly and member-elect for Kolokuma/Opokuma constituency I, and an indigene of Odi, visited the affected community on Monday.

    Isenah expressed concern over the level of destruction caused by the river erosion.

    He called on the relevant authorities to come to the aid of the victims.

  • Three die as trucks collide in Ogun

    Three persons died on Monday in Ogun state when a tipper bearing granite rammed into the rear of a Sino truck marked NSR 89 YQ, killing three occupants of the tipper.

    The Iveco tipper truck bearing granite had just left a quarry site in Isara area of Remoland and was hurrying to Lagos to offload when the driver lost control of the wheel and crashed into the Sino truck marked with emblem of Dangote, a source told The Nation.

    Read Also: Woman dies, daughter injured as vehicle plunges into Ogun river

    The driver of the Dangote truck was unaffected, the source added.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun state Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, told The Nation the vehicles were taken to the Police Motor Traffic Division at Ogere while the remains of the dead were evacuated to a private morgue – FOS Mortuary, Ipara, Ogun state.

  • Breaking: Osinbajo, Ndume meet in Aso Rock

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday met behind closed doors with the former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume.

    The meeting started around 3.20pm when Ndume arrived the Vice President’s office.

    Ndume has been aspiring to be President of the 9th Senate in June.

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    He had declared his intention to run for the number three highest political office despite endorsement of the current Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan for the post by the ruling All Progressives Congress.

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

    Details shortly…

  • Host communities kick against Dickson’s commission of inquiry

    A group of host communities in Bayelsa State at the weekend kicked against the establishment of a commission of inquiry by the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to investigate activities of oil companies and surveillance contractors.

    The group under the aegis of the Integrated Oil and Gas Host Communities (IOGHC) described the commission as a witch-hunt against key members of the opposition political parties especially the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, the Board Chairman, IOGHC, Mr. Gift Ebiki insisted that the commission was given a mandate by the state government to indict APC members involved in pipeline surveillance contracts.

    Ebiki lamented that despite acting as the mainstay of the country’s economy, the host communities were abandoned by both the federal and state governments.

    He said the communities depended solely on oil companies and their contractors for development and employment adding that the state government through its commission was making frantic efforts to stop their only sources of benefits.

    He explained that pipeline surveillance contract was a strategic master plan to secure the pipeline from vandals insisting that the contractors involved host communities in securing oil production facilities in their domain.

    He said such contractual agreements helped to curb the vandalism of oil pipeline by oil thieves and other criminal elements.

    He said: “We found this association basically for the interest of attracting federal government, state government to do more in our host communities. For example in Bayelsa State, almost all the communities are in darkness and it is the host community money that is supplying electricity to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos and some other states.

    “But here the only electricity we have is sometimes from Shell and Agip through generators they installed in host communities. There is no community in Bayelsa state that is enjoying government light”.

    He added that Agip and Shell were also responsible for constructing concrete walkways in most communities at the riverine areas, which had been ignored by the government.

    Reading the general position of the group, the Secretary, IOGHC, Zuwa Konugha, said the main objective of the commission was different from the picture painted by the state government.

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    “But it is a known fact that the prime targets are host communities surveillance contractors”, Konugha said adding that the host communities were not in support of the commission set up by the government.

    He said: “The government of Bayelsa state does not have the support of the host communities to carry out its intended plan to ridicule our members through its commission of inquiry.

    “The surveillance contractors are indigenes of oil and gas host communities. The panel of enquiries are targeted at contractors from the opposition parties who maintain the right of belonging to any political party of their choice.

    “The oil companies mostly the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) have been very magnanimous in embarking on developmental projects and providing basic social amenities to the host communities.

    “For emphasis, it is only the international oil companies (IOCs) that have been providing electricity, concrete roads, functional primary school building and health center facilities, water projects, town halls, market stalls amongst others in the host communities.

    “We call on the restoration government to immediately take a comprehensive data of oil and gas production of various communities and work out modalities on how to engage its indigenes in empowerment activities, embarking on notable developmental projects and provision of basic amenities as a way of giving back to these host communities that are being milked day in day out”.

    But the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ebipatei Apiangolo denied all the allegations against the state government saying the governor’s action was justifiable.

    He said the main objective of the commission was to ensure international best practice and restore sanity to operations of oil companies in the state.

    Apaingolo said the state government would not allow the oil companies to continue to operate with impunity.

  • Don’t impose leaders on NASS, Ndume’s supporters tell APC

    A coalition of pro- democracy groups under the auspices of National Coalition in Defence of Democracy has asked the leadership of the All Progressives Congress and the Presidency to avoid the mistake of the past and refrain from imposing leaders on the National Assembly, especially the Senate.

    The group warned that attempts by previous governments to impose leaders on the National Assembly have always ended badly with the eventual impeachment of those imposed by the Presidency, giving examples of such impositions by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    National Coordinator of the coalition, Ambassador Auwal Alhassan Gama told a news conference on Monday in Abuja that rather than micro zone the position of the President of the Senate to an individual, they were of the view that the senators whom they described as men of integrity should be allowed to pick their own leaders.

    They expressed the belief that if allowed to select their leaders, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume would emerge as the Senate President considering his wealth of experience as a legislator and would ensure a cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature.

    Reminded that the leadership of the party has already taken a stand and may not turn back on it, Gama said “it is not constitutional to micro zone the positions to individuals. Having zoned it to the zones, it is our belief that the zone should be allowed to decide on who they want as doing so would amount to disenfranchising others.

    “We don’t support picking an individual by the party. It is our belief that the 109 senators who are men of integrity should be allowed to make their choice of who should lead them. But if our suggestions are not carried, it would go down in history that we spoke out.

    Asked why they were particular about the position of the Senate President and silent on that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives which has not been given to any zone, Gama said they decided to speak out on the position of Senate President since the party has already made its decision on it known.

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    He said: “the forum observed among other things that one of the reasons why the present government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR did not meet up the expectations of many Nigerians in the areas of Infrastructure and Human development was a result of the sour relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms of Government. This has created setbacks in the areas of non-full implementation of the budget and alteration on key intended project by the government.

    “The National Coalition In Defence of Democracy in its wisdom felt the need to call on the newly elected members of the upper chambers of the National Assembly irrespective of the political party to consider Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, a three term senator from Borno South Senatorial district of Borno State, a Patriot, a detribaised Nigerian and an experienced member of the National Assembly who has contributed to the growth of our democracy for the position of President of the Senate.

    “The decision to call for Support for Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume’s emergence as the next Senate president is born out of our desire for a healthy working relationship between the Executives and the Legislature for a better delivery of democratic dividends. It is our believe that he will bring his matured sense of reasoning, experience and fear of God into play as the Chairman of the National Assembly, he is one politician we know and trust Will unite all interest in the National Assembly.

    “While we salute the courage and goodwill of the presidency in allowing the independent of all arms of government to run its activities independently, it is equally important for all stakeholders including the APC National Working Committee to provide a level playing ground for all its members at the North Eastern part of the country who deemed it fit to contest.

    “We wish to call on all members of the National Assembly Elect, especially those of the upper chambers to support the call for Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume’s Senate Presidency. We were part of the process that brought you on-board and it is our humble plea and believes that Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume will not disappoint us.”