The Nation Newspaper

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  • Breaking: Umahi suspends two LG chairmen over communal clashes

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi on Tuesday suspended the Chairmen of Ikwo and Abakaliki Local Government Areas over the resurgence of communal crisis in the areas last week.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the affected chairmen included: Mr Emmanuel Nwangele of Abakaliki and Chief John Nnabo of Ikwo LGA.

    Dr Hyginus Nwokwu, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), told newsmen after the governor’s meeting with stakeholders of both councils, that the suspension was with immediate effect.

    “The governor is not happy that both chairmen did not demonstrate capacity to ensure security in both councils which they are constitutionally bound to protect.

    “The governor also suspended all political office holders from communities in both councils—Enyibichiri, Noyo Echilaike from Ikwo and Edda, Enyigba communities from Abakaliki LGA.

    Read also: Eight killed in resumed Ebonyi boundary crisis

    “The suspension will lapse only when lasting peace returns to the areas as the suspended chairmen are directed to handover to their vice chairmen,” he said.

    Nwokwu added that civil servants from both councils who directly or indirectly financed the perpetrators of the clashes were also suspended.

    “This will ensure that they are financially incapacitated to sponsor such aggressions as the sanctity of live supersedes all political considerations,” he said.

    He disclosed that the governor also directed stakeholders from Abakaliki LGA to unearth the hoodlums who killed and set fire on a bus conveying Ikwo indigenes along the Alex Ekwueme Federal Univeristy, Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI) road, within one week.

    “These people were unfortunately burnt beyond recognition and they involved six members of the same family including a three-month old baby.

    “The government will be forced to hunt the perpetrators if the stakeholders fail to produce them within such period and the situation will not be palatable to anybody.

    “The government hereby assures the citizens especially indigenes of the affected communities, students and staff of FUNAI,  that security agencies have been mandated to provide adequate security in the areas,” the SSG said.

    In his comments, Dr Kenneth Ugbala, the Commissioner for Border, Peace and Internal Security disclosed that 33 political appointees were suspended in Ikwo LGA and 18 in Abakaliki LGA.

    “The governor suspended the chairmen because they failed in their constitutional duty of protecting the people, so the issue of whether he has the constitutional right to do so does not arise.

    “The councillors who are also elected were also suspended and we should realise that only the living can talk,” he said.

    Umahi in his earlier remark before the meeting, threatened to suspend the chairmen of Ohaukwu LGA of the state for failing to ensure the people’s security in the wake of its land dispute with the people of Agila in Benue.

    He also bemoaned the spate of attacks which led to several deaths within a fortnight at Ikwo, Abakaliki, Amasiri community of Afikpo North LGA and Onicha Igboeze in Onicha LGA of Ebonyi. (NAN)

  • Buhari to Nigerians in diaspora: Expect more successes in economy, security

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Dubai declared that the next four years of his administration will be a harvest and consolidation of successes in the three-point agenda of fixing the economy, fighting insecurity and corruption

    Speaking at a town hall meeting with members of the Nigerian Community in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), President Buhari pledged more government investments in research and development, as well as technology and educational institutions.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President also promised that the prudent economic management, diversification of production and revenue bases of the administration in the last four years will be sustained for better prospects for all Nigerians.

    He said “The Next Level is to consolidate whatever we have done till 2023 and it makes common sense that in order to manage any outfit, whether a nation, state or organisation, you have to secure it.

    Read also: Buhari committed to ending criminality, banditry – IGP

    ‘‘We all know how many local governments Boko Haram were occupying. People from the North-east know that they are not holding any local government today. They were holding 17 out of the 774 local governments before we came in 2015; they are not holding any now,’’ the President said.

    At the interactive session, the Nigerian leader noted that a key objective of his administration which had yielded positive results, in the last four years, was the campaign for the nation to return to agriculture.

    He said the nation cannot afford to lag behind again in agriculture.

    ‘‘What we did was to encourage agriculture, and fertiliser was made available at half the price.

    ‘‘We encouraged people to go back to land. The response was excellent. We have virtually achieved food security; we have stopped the importation of rice.

    ‘‘The money we have saved in foreign exchange is in hundreds of millions of dollars, not even in naira. We are putting that into infrastructure,’’ the President said.

    Responding to a question about the pace of anti-corruption war, the President said: ‘‘Whoever calls me Baba-go-slow, I’m very conscious of historical antecedents. You know what happened to me the last time… people [now] have to be proven guilty before they are locked up.’’

    Reflecting on the 2019 APC presidential campaign and the outcome of the polls, the President said: “I was very impressed by the turn out of every state to see and hear me. The crowd is more than what you can buy or force to come. Nigerians voluntarily came out.’’

  • NSCDC to investigate killing of operative by colleague in Lagos

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has commenced investigation into the alleged killing of one of its operatives by his colleague at the Free Trade Zone, Epe expressway, in Lagos.

    A statement by its spokesman, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, on Tuesday in Lagos said that the officer involved had been stripped of his arms and is currently in detention.

    According to him, the ugly incident occurred as a result of an accidental discharge by a personnel of the corps, which led to some casualties involving another personnel of the Corps.

    He said that Mamman Wuyah and Oshemi Innocent, were both shot, adding that Innocent died and Wuyah sustained injury and is currently in the hospital.

    The Commandant-General (C-G) of the corps, Mr Abdullahi Mohammadu, expressed regrets over the ugly incident that occurred at one of the beats, where personnel of the corps were deployed to protect the nation’s infrastructure.

    Read also: NSCDC deploys 39 officers to man UTME centres in Niger

    “I received the information with a heavy heart, and in view of that, I commiserate with the family of the deceased and the injured.

    “It is unfortunate in spite several warnings by the corps against such acts of negligence and carelessness,’’ he said.

    Muhammadu, however, assured the public that adequate punitive action would be taken against the officer involved to avert a future reoccurrence and to serve as a deterrent to other personnel.

    “Investigation into the remote causes of the incident is ongoing as a committee has been set up to critically look into the matter as the officer involved had already been stripped of his arms and is currently in detention.’’

    Mohammadu said the officer would continue to be in detention pending the outcome of the report of the committee and justice is accordingly ensured. (NAN)

  • Breaking: INEC fixes Kogi, Bayelsa gov polls for Nov 2

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed 2nd November, 2019 for governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

    The decision, the National Commissioner in-charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye in a statement was reached at the end of INEC’s meeting Tuesday.

    According to the timetable and schedule of activities for the elections, parties are expected to produce their candidates between 2nd and 29th August 2019.

    INEC stated campaigns by Political Parties in public shall commence on 2nd August 2019 and end on  October 2019.

    The statement reads, “The Commission at its meeting held today approved the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States. which will hold in both Slates on Saturday 2nd November 2019.

    “The official notice for both elections will be issued on 1st August 2019. while political parties that intend to sponsor candidates are to hold their primaries for the nomination of such candidates from 2nd -29th August 2019.

    “Campaigns by Political Parties in public shall commence on 2nd August 2019 and end on 31st October 2019.

    “The parties sponsoring candidates are required to submit the list of their agents not later than 2nd October 2019.

    READ ALSO: Appeal Court reverses sack of Niger East Senator, Umaru

    “The stated timelines are in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). All stakeholders are urged to take cognizance of and adhere strictly to them. ”

    Meanwhile, the commission has also approved the conduct of an extensive review and debriefing on the 201& general elections.

    These reviews and debriefing will take place between May and June 20l9.

    The Commission met today and approved a proposal to conduct an extensive review and debriefing on the 20l9 general elections in line with its existing practice.

    This is intended to evaluate the Commission’s performance of the key activities of the general elections. with a view to addressing identified challenges and strengthening operational and institutional capacities to conduct free, fair. credible and peaceful elections.

    The review will focus on the planning organization, conduct and coordination of the general elections particularly on the following: Logistics procurement and deployment of personnel and materials; Continuous Voter Registration and Collection of permanent voter’s cards; Legal environment of the elections particularly the legal challenges experienced over nomination of candidates and conduct of elections; Processes of party registration.

    Others are; Party primaries and nomination of candidates; Quality of ad hoc staff; Relationship between the Commission and diverse stakeholders including political panics security agencies, civil society organizations, the media and development partners; and Quality of inclusivity of the elections,  particularly regarding persons with disability, lDPs and gender balance.

    Two sets of activities are envisaged in the reviews as follows:  internal reviews involving National Commissioners, Resident Electoral Commissioners, Electoral Officers, Collation and Returning Officers as well as other key staff of the Commission; Review meetings with key stakeholders such as political panics, civil society organizations, security agencies, the media and development partners.

    The Commission he revealed has also commenced work on a comprehensive report of the 2019 general elections and has mandated its Electoral Institute to undertake detailed researches into various aspects of the elections.

    “It is the Commission’s hope that the outcomes of these reviews and studies will feed into further electoral reforms and its preparations for handing and future elections,” he further stated.

  • FG warns Nigerian students seeking to study medicine in Ukrane

    The Federal Government has warned Nigerians seeking to study medicine in Ukraine to be sure of the institution first before enrolling.

    The country in the last two years had recorded high rate of failure among foreign-trained doctors who sat for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). Most of the students involved were said to have studied in Ukraine.

    The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole in a press statement made available to Journalists in Abuja pointed out that the Ukrainian Ministry of Health said it cannot guarantee the quality of education of a university in the Eastern European country.

    Read also: Medical council convicts Kebbi based medical doctor for misconduct

    “The Federal Government had recently been notified by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health that it could not guarantee the quality of education delivered to both Ukrainian and foreign students by the Odessa National Medical University.

    “The decision by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health was based on the result of an International Monitoring Study of Quality of Higher Medical Education conducted in Ukrainian Medical Universities dated March 25, from which the Odessa Medical University exempted itself.

     

  • Banditry: Over 3,000 killed, 500 villages affected in Zamfara – Yari

    The Zamfara Government has said that a total of 3,526 persons were killed by armed bandits in the state in the last five years.

    This was disclosed by the state governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari on Tuesday in Gusau during a Town Hall Meeting attended by the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu.

    “Nearly 500 villages have also been devastated and 8,219 persons were injured, some are still in critical condition. ”

    The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi, also said that over 13,000 hecters of farmlands were either destroyed or made useless as the farmers can no longer farm them.

    “The economy of the state has seriously suffered because thousands of shops were destroyed by the rampaging bandits who had displaced thousands of our people from their places of abode, many of whom cannot sleep with their two eyes closed because of fear,” he adddd.

    Read also: Zamfara killing fields

    Yari said the government had written volumes of reports containing over 7,000 pages, giving details of the crises right from the beginning to the infiltration from Libya and Boko Haram.

    He disclosed that the government was aware of eight prominent bandits camps at different bush locations in the state,  and urged that they should all be neutralized in order to decimate the criminals.

    The governor said that recent suspension of mining activities in the state by the federal government must “be followed by enforcement, because, it is one thing to ban, and another to enforce.”

    Earlier, Adamu, the acting IGP,  told the gathering that the police would take more proactive measures in the fight against bandits and commended the state government for providing enabling environment to security personnel to operate in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the townhall meeting was attended by traditional and community leaders including herders and farmers. (NAN)

  • Why Edo is renovating Ogbemudia Stadium, by Shaibu

    Edo State Acting Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, has assured that the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium being renovated by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration would be delivered in time to drive sports development in the state.

    Shaibu disclosed this when he led members of the state executive council to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, to inspect the pace and standard of ongoing reconstruction work at the Stadium in Benin City, Edo State capital.

    He said considerable work has also been done at the swimming pool and lawn tennis sections of the stadium, adding, “The work is of good standard. The main bowl, lawn tennis court, swimming pool are being worked on according to plan. The new stadium is bigger than what it used to be and we are meeting up our timeline.”

    Read Also: Shuaibu: Power must shift in 2015

    Shaibu noted that professionals were engaged to rebuild the stadium, while locals were employed to provide unskilled labour in carrying out minimal works which require less supervision.

    The contractor handling the project, Mr Olarewaju Adeleke, said the work on all sections of the stadium would be fully ready by December 2019, adding that the rains would not affect the pace of work.

    “We will be able to meet up with the deadline for completion of the stadium. The rains will be helpful to grow natural grass on the field and not stop work,” he added.

  • NiMet predicts cloudy, sunny weather for Wednesday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has predicted partly cloudy to cloudy and sunny weather conditions with localised thunderstorms over most parts of the country on Wednesday.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook on Tuesday, in Abuja, predicted partly cloudy to cloudy morning over the Central States with prospect of isolated morning thunderstorms over Benue, Taraba and Mambilla Plateau axis.

    It also predicted thunderstorms over places like Kaduna, Bida, Minna, Kwara and Bauchi, Lokoja, Abuja and Markudi in the afternoon and evening with day and night temperature of 33 to 40 and 23 to 27 degrees Celsius.

    The agency predicted that Northern States would experience partly cloudy to sunny conditions with haziness over Maiduguri during the morning hours.

    Read Also: NiMet predicts cloudy, sunny weather for Monday

    It further predicted thundery activities over Kano, Katsina, Yelwa, Zamfara, Southern Borno and Zaria during the day with day and night temperatures of 37 to 43 and 23 to 26 degrees Celsius.

    According to NiMet, Southern States will experience partly cloudy to cloudy morning hours with chances of localised thunderstorm over Eket Calabar, Port Harcourt and Uyo axis.

    “There are prospects of scattered thunderstorm activities over this region during the afternoon and evening period with day and night temperatures of 30 to 37 and 21 to 25 degrees Celsius.

    “The influx of moisture into the country is consistent with chances of thunderstorm activities in the country within the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted.

    NAN

  • UPDATED: Boko Haram launches fresh attack in Yobe

    Residents of Damaturu, Yobe State capitàl were thrown into fear on Tuesday following fresh attack by Boko Haram insurgents.

    The Nation gathered that residents of Maisandari and Red Bricks Housing Estate were worst hit by the attack which lasted for about an hour.

    Read also: 112 Chibok girls now five years in Boko Haram captivity

    It was gathered that the attack occurred at about 5.30 pm.

    Speaking with our Correspondent, a resident of Red Bricks, Ibrahim Usman said he over-heard sporadic gunshots and heavy blasts from outside the estate.

    “I heard sound of heavy bomb blasts and sporadic gunshots from my house. I was  hiding inside. I also heard the sound of Airforce Jet. We need prayers to stop this nonsense,” Usman informed.

  • ‘How caterer defiled seven-year-old girl’

    An Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Tuesday heard how a caterer, Ope Popoola, 23, allegedly defiled a seven-year-old girl in a commercial tricycle.

    Popoola is facing charges bordering on child defilement filed against him by the Lagos State government before Justice Sybil Nwaka.

    Led in evidence by the prosecution, Ms A. R Abolade, a policewoman, Sergeant (Sgt.) Patience Chukwuede told the court that the child’s father had come to the Lion Building Police Station on May 29, 2016 at about 8.50 p.m. to lodge a complaint of sexual assault against Popoola.

    Chukwuede, who is the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) disclosed that the case was referred to her for investigation.

    She said the survivor was given a medical referral paper to the Island Maternity Hospital for examination.

    According to the IPO, the complainant had sent his seven-year-old daughter on an errand to get the balance of change from where she went to buy pure water.

    She said that Popoola saw the girl while going on the errand took her into a parked commercial tricycle and allegedly penetrated her vagina with his fingers.

    READ ALSO: Banker, 55, defiles girl, 8

    She told the court that a man who saw them inside the ‘Keke Marwa’ approached the defendant and the child and took them to the church where her father was waiting for her, “The man told her father he saw the girl and Ope in the parked Keke Marwa, he asked the girl what they were doing at that time of the day and she said Ope was putting his fingers in her private part,” Chukwuede said.

    The policewoman said that while interrogating the child, she told her that when Ope accosted her, he had asked her where she was going.

    When she told him, Popoola told her that he wanted to buy something for her. “He then grabbed her, took her to the parked Keke Marwa and started using his fingers to touch her private part,” the IPO said.

    Chukwuede said that as part of her investigation, she went to the scene of the crime but the parked commercial tricycle was no longer there.

    She said she also made efforts to contact the man who had flashed his torch at them and caught the defendant in the act but my efforts proved abortive.

    While being cross-examined by the defence counsel, Mr T. K Adeyiola, the IPO revealed that Popoola had admitted that he defiled the minor, “He confessed to touching the child, he said so himself. It is in his confessional statement,” she said.

    Justice Sybil Nwaka has adjourned the case till June 18.