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  • Man drags NBC, NAFDAC, NCPC to court over contaminated products

    A man, Mr. Adewuyi Adewunmi, has dragged the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigeria Consumer Protection Council (NCPC) to court over contaminated Coca Cola products.

    The case which is before the Federal High Court in Minna also called on the court to shut down the Nigerian Bottling Company Plc claiming the company engage in selling contaminated coca cola products to Nigerians.

    The case which was titled FHC/MN/CS/15/19 had Adewuyi Adewunmi as the Plaintiff with Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) as 1st Defendant, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as 2nd Defendant and the Nigeria Consumer Protection Council (NCPC) as 3rd Defendant.

    The Plantiff claimed the bottles of Sprite he bought in March 2019 were not healthy for consumption for Nigerians.

    Read Also: NAFDAC confiscates expired food products in Sokoto

    The Counsel to the Plantiff, Barrister Oyelekan Akingbade of Ultimate Chambers asked the Court to order the Defendants to compensate the Plaintiff, Mr. Adewuyi Adewunmi with the sum of N25 million saying it will serve as deterrent to other erring companies who take Nigerians for granted.

    According to the Writ of Summons made available to newsmen by Counsel to the Plantiff, Akingbade said “we are asking the Court to compel the 1st Defendant (NBC) to shutdown production across the country pending recertification by the 2nd Defendant.

    “We pray the Court to compel the 3rd Defendant (NCPC) to carry out an awareness of contaminated products produced by the 1st Defendant across the country; an immediate confiscation of all such products.

    “We seek an order of the Court compelling the 1st Defendant to pay the sum of N20million to the Plaintiff for psychological trauma and general charges and of course the sum of N5million as cost of litigation against the 1st Defendant.”

    Akingbade said that although, the expiration dates of the products are in June, 2019 ,  the products are already injurious to the health of Nigerians, “the 1st Defendant’s intention is to produce poisonous substance which are injurious to the health of Nigerians.”

    However, Counsel to the 1st Defendant (NBC), Barrister Amuwa Olatunde said that the bottles are produced according to international standards stating the intention of NBC to fight the case to its logical conclusion.

    “We are armed to the teeth; we will not handle this case with levity because the corporate image of of the NBC is at stake through damages.”

    The Court presided over by Justice Aliyu Aminu Aliyu fixed May 13th, 2019 for further mentioning of the case.

  • Edo tasks local councils to harmonise budget timeline

    Local Government Areas in the Edo State have been urged to ensure that their budget timelines are in harmony with that of the state government so as to ensure that development efforts are well-aligned to guarantee maximum benefit for the people.

    The submission was made at the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Budget Process for Local Government Officers across the state, organized by Edo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in Government House, Benin City, the Edo state capital.

    The emphasis of the workshop was on realistic budget preparation using MTEF and National Chart of Accounts (NCOA), and to formulate development plans and work plan that aligns local councils’ plans with that of the state.

    Read Also: Edo JAAC declares N2.6bn March allocation for LGAs

    One of the organisers of the workshop, Mrs Ebuwa Odeh said a major objective of the session was to cascade the state budget processes to the local council level, noting, “The lapses were differences in budget preparation calendar i.e. different timelines between state and local government.”

    She said facilitators at the workshop emphasized the need to adopt the National Charts of Account (NCOA) in preparing budgets at the local government level.

    She added, “The workshop intends to promote efficiency in the budget preparation using National Charts of Accounts at the local government level which results in realistic budgeting. Also, as the state domesticates national plans and policies, we want local government councils to domesticate state plans.”

    The permanent secretary of the ministry of budget and economic planning, Mrs Vera Obadan, said that the workshop would boost the capacity of the councils in preparing their annual budgets in line with global best practices.

    Obadan told journalists that “gone are the days when different projects are captured in the budget and at the end, they are not implemented. We want to ensure that LGAs’ budgets are activity-based.”

     

  • We followed due process before executing Nigerian woman – Saudi Arabia

    The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Abuja has maintained that all legal and judicial procedures were followed before the recent execution of a Nigerian woman by the Saudi Arabia authorities over alleged drug related offenses.

    The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had on Tuesday faulted the execution of the Nigerian woman.

    She had described the news of the execution as pathetic, tragic and sad, stressing that some airlines have been working with drug syndicates to put such drugs in the bags of unsuspecting passengers.

    But the embassy, in a statement in Abuja, said that the execution was carried out after all proofs and legal evidence has been exhausted.

    Read Also: Nigerian woman has first child at 67

    The Nigerian woman, it said, was accorded every legal right before the death sentence was carried out on her.

    The statement reads “All accused persons subjected to the legal process in Saudi Courts of Law are allowed access to lawyers to litigate on their behalf, and the Kingdom avails itself the responsibility to provide lawyers for any persons that have no financial ability to do so.

    “All convicted persons on whom the death penalty has been carried out in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have gone through trials characterized by legal guarantee of justice to their case because the Kingdom’s judicial system is established on objectivity and is dependent, in terms of its rules and regulations, on the Islamic Law, which has always restored rights to their owners and done justice to the victims. This is what the Kingdom has always affirmed.

    “The death sentence is only carried out in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after all proofs and legal evidence have been exhausted regarding the accused, and the process goes through various legal stages until the allegations against the detained persons have been proven beyond reasonable doubt.

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is always in consultation with foreign embassies and consulates in the Kingdom, of which are the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate General in Jeddah, and it provides them with all facilitations and information and allows their staff to visit their nationals that are detained vis-à-vis a variety of  charges  as are related to the different stages of their detention and prosecution, and this is allowed every time of their request through normal channels.

    “It is well-known for all those interested in travelling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that the penalty for drug trafficking is the death sentence and the said sentence is applied on all persons convicted without any exceptions, as long as the evidence is established against them, and this is conveyed to every person prior to his trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not neglect the enforcement of penalties in terms of matters of drug trafficking and is determined to apply the law on any person against whom evidence is established in order to combat drug trafficking and protect its citizens from this dangerous menace.” it stated

  • Obaseki harps on attaining Universal Health Coverage in Edo

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured of his administration’s commitment to attain Universal Health Coverage with ongoing reforms in the health sector, which are geared towards providing access to responsive, affordable, efficient health services especially at the primary healthcare centers across the state.

    The governor stated this in commemoration of the World Health Day, celebrated every April 7, to mark the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    According to Obaseki, “As we mark the founding of WHO, we are emboldened to press on with our mission to provide access to qualitative, responsive and efficient healthcare services, at the primary healthcare to all Edo residents. We have begun by gradually overhauling the primary healthcare system, a move that brings us closer to attaining Universal Health Coverage in Edo.”

    The governor explained that the state government’s healthcare reforms are holistic and far-reaching, and got a boost recently with the right institutional framework, to be driven by the 17-member Edo State Primary Healthcare Board. He noted that the board was inaugurated with a mandate to ensure revamp of the state’s primary healthcare system to be responsive, efficient and effective, in delivering affordable and accessible healthcare.

    Read Also: Obaseki boosts LG workers’ capacity on budget preparation

    The governor added that part of his administration’s commitment to providing access to quality healthcare to Edo people and residents is expressed in the payment of counterpart funding for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), “which will enable Edo State fully benefit from the implementation of the BHCPF, a fundamental funding provision under the National Health Act signed in 2014.”

    “In Edo State, we are revamping our Primary Healthcare system which is being built on several pillars, including human capacity, provision of technology and data, quality assurance, financing and infrastructure of the healthcare system to provide a well-package preventive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare services to our citizens,” he added.

    In a statement to mark the 2019 World Health Day, in Geneva, Director-General, WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom, said in 2019 it is simply unacceptable that “half the world’s population cannot access essential health services. Millions of women give birth without help from a skilled attendant; millions of children miss out on vaccinations against killer diseases, and millions suffer and die because they can’t get treatment for HIV, TB, and malaria.”

     

     

  • Senate Presidency: Ndume, Goje risk expulsion from APC

    If the All Progressives Congress (APC) adopts the suggestion of Senator Abu Ibrahim, Senators Mohammed Ali Ndume and Mohammed Danjuma Goje, may be expelled from the party if they go against the decision of the party on the election of Senate president.

    Although Ibrahim did not mention Ndume and Goje, the Katsina South senator told reporters in Abuja that any member of the APC who dares the party’s decision and connives with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to truncate the decision of the party on who becomes Senate President will be expelled from the party.

    While Ndume has declared his intention to contest the position of Senate President in defiance of APC’s endorsement of Senator Ahmed Lawan as the preferred candidate of the party, Goje is yet to publicly declare his intention.

    The Gombe Central Senator’s body language however gives him out as nursing the ambition to throw his hat into the ring for the exalted position.

    Ibrahim who is Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour and Productivity noted that in democracy, once any one chooses a party, “you must abide by the rules of that party at all times or else you leave.”

    For him, there will be no need for individuals who disobey the party decision to remain in the party because “that is an act of indiscipline which no party should condone.”

    He noted that as a matter of fact, if the party gives a ticket to an individual and he is assisted with resources to contest and win election, the person must naturally obey the rules of the party at all times.

    Ibrahim said, “First of all, we have to remind ourselves that it is a political party which gives an individual the ticket to participate in an election. Once such a ticket is given, it is the caucus of the party in the National Assembly that will determine the emergence of candidate that eventually becomes the leader of the Senate through voting.  “

    “Specifically, the party decides which zone should produce candidate for the position and when such decision is taken every member must abide by that decision. No one can come out of caucus meeting’s voting to say he would not accept the decision of the party on such election process.

    “As a loyal party member anyone who dares the party’s decision and come out to connive with PDP to truncate the decision of the party will be expelled from the party.

    Read Also: Senate presidency: Youths march for Goje

    “As a matter of fact, if the party gives a ticket to an individual and he/she is assisted with resources to contest and win election, the person must naturally obey the rules of the party at all times.

    “In democracy, once you choose a party, you must abide by the rules of that party at all times or else you leave. There will be no need for individuals who disobey the party decision and remain in such a party.   That is an act of indiscipline which no party should condone.”

    Asked if APC can reach out to PDP Senators to seek support for its candidate he said: “You see, there is no need to reach out to the opposition minority members because APC, as a party, has a clear majority to decide straight away who should become Senate President.

    “PDP, as a party, played this game for the whole sixteen years when it was in power between 1999 and 2015.  All the PDP members, who are now talking today, including Senators Abaribe, James Manager, Ekweremadu and the likes, know the rules of this game.

    “It is sheer mischief, greed and a great insult for any PDP member to now claim that every member in the National Assembly has a right to contest. This is not done anywhere in the world. Not in U.K, U.S.A or anywhere else.

    “David Mark was Senate President between 2007 and 2015 when his party was in power and the majority party in Senate, nobody from the opposition parties contested along with him. “Now he thinks numerical strength does not matter again but it did when he was the Senate President. What an absurdity.

    “The leadership of the National Assembly now belongs exclusively to APC in the two chambers because the party has a clear majority and does not have to consult the opposition members in order to pick its principal officers. It is never done anywhere in the world and it will not be done this time around.

    “The minority leadership in the National Assembly is there for the PDP to choose their leaders. No one is interfering with them in choosing their leadership.

    “No one from APC will go there and contest to be a member, so why should anyone from PDP want to contest for majority leadership position?   Well, it happened the last time in 2015 when Senator Ekweremadu contested the position of the deputy Senate President. He clearly undermined the APC in that exercise but this time around no one can try that and succeed.

     

  • 2019 elections: Why we lost some of our states, by APC

    National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu has said that the party lost election in some key states controlled by it because the party and government controlled by it gave every Nigerian the opportunity to contest election freely without interference in the electoral process.

    The APC lost the governorship elections in Imo, Adamawa, Bauchi and Oyo states, four states controlled by APC governors, while losing the Presidential election in Oyo, Ondo and Edo states.

    Onilu told a group of Reporters at the weekend that before the 2019 elections, it was unheard of that the ruling party lost election in states controlled by it.

    He said: “In Sokoto, we lost by less than 500 votes, but in Kano, we won by thousands of votes. Which one is narrow? Is it the Sokoto that PDP have claimed they have won with three hundred or Kano that we won by over 20,000 votes, so it is not narrow.

    “But the important thing to note is that, and that’s my word. Being a journalist myself, I begin to ask myself, what has happened to us in the media? That our role is to interpret events.

    “If we interpret these events very well, you will notice that you have a ruling party that is supposed to mobilize all the resources of coercion and all instrument of coercion to get what we want. You just said that we lost some States, major States.

    “I will tell you that the only reason that happened was because this party has provided a platform for people to go and face the electorate and for the electorate to pass judgement on the people that have been put forward without anybody doing anything against it.

    “We have just talked about Rivers State. Whatever was going on in Rivers State, as far as this party is concerned, belongs to people of Rivers State. Otherwise we will say okay, move in and do that. We have witnessed it in this country under PDP that the whole state would be locked down. Their own method is win by all means, let others go to tribunal. We didn’t apply that.

    “You have seen major politicians in this country, big politicians in this country losing election in this country even in our own party. You saw a serving governor in Oyo State who couldn’t win one-third of the State. A governor who is governing the entire State couldn’t win one-third of the entire State to get to the Senate.

    “You saw a struggle that is still going on in Akwa-Ibom State, with somebody of the calibre of Godswill Akpabio. Even though we know there are issues to that and it would be corrected but at the same time, we should have deployed, in such a way that we will want to arm-twist anybody or the system or manipulate the system.

    “That question did not even arise at all and I think the media should step back from the millieu, so that they don’t get carried away by that kind of ‘flu’ politicians are going with so that they can see the issue clearly and say what is responsible for this.

    “You could see that we lost Oyo in presidential election where we have a sitting governor. We lost Ondo where we have a sitting governor. But because we didn’t want to condone impunity, we did all we did in Imo in a way to undermine ourselves. The choice we had was to either to accept what would have amounted to the impunity, so that we could win Imo ordo the right thing. But we said no, we would rather do what is decent.”

    Read Also: APC’s growing ideological clarity

    On the chances of the party ahead of the 2023 elections, Onilu expressed confidence that the outcome of the 2019 elections has further increased the chances of the APC, saying “the chances are even now brighter.

    “You know why? Nigerians have shown that they have also come of age and that no matter who you are, you can be rejected. See what happened in Kwara State for instance. With the behemoth status of somebody like Bukola Saraki whose opponent’s results nearly doubled his own, not a single person was slapped. He couldn’t even go to tribunal to protest.

    “The only way this could happen was because voters have come up of age, and they now look at performance unlike sentiments that they’ve been following.

    Speaking on the just concluded elections in Rivers state, Onilu said “we don’t have anything to do with the Rivers State election. APC didn’t have candidates in Rivers State and that is why from the beginning, we didn’t throw ourselves so much into it.

    “You know what the Supreme Court did. They said we were not qualified to contest. So, on that basis, whatever happened in Rivers, whether a Local Government that gave 80% total votes during the Presidential election suddenly produced 320,000 for Wike during governorship election didn’t hurt us in any way.

    “If INEC says that was correct, fine. It is up to the parties involved to take actions if they find it necessary. But for us as a party, we didn’t have the opportunity to contest unfairly in Rivers State.

    On the adoption of the candidate of the African Action Congress by the party, Onilu said the APC as a party never adopted any candidate, but was quick to stress that the party also did not forbid any local arrangement that may have been made in the state.7f

    He said: “What happened last time was whether what Amaechi did amounted to anti-party activities and I said No. Adopting any candidate in the state did not deny any of our candidates anything in Rivers State. So, I separated what happened in Rivers from Ogun and Imo where we had our own candidates and our own members worked against own candidates and worked for some other candidates.

    “It is different in Rivers. Whatever local arrangement they had there, we were not aware of it and we were not part of it. I’m sure you didn’t see anybody there campaigning for anybody outside of APC.”

    He also dismissed insinuations that the Kwara state governor-elect was enmeshed in a certificate scandal and therefore not qualified to contest the election.

    He said “there is no any scandal. You see, APC is a party of due process. Once you comply with your own rules, things become easy for you. We have a process and they (the then governorship aspirants) went through the right process.

    “We are confident and completely certain that our governor-elect has nothing to hide. The certificates are genuine. You see, it is laughable that of all things, they cannot come out to say the election was rigged because they were traced even beyond their own imagination.

    “So, they think maybe they could find something to use at the tribunal because they can’t just walk away. But they need to wake up and face the reality of that defeat because it is an eternal defeat”.

  • Don’t take advantage of security problems, Yari warns politicians

     

    Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State has accused politicians of taking advantage of the security problems in the state to advance their selfish interest.
    Broadcast journalist Kadaria Ahmed led a group of protesters in Abuja, yesterday, describing Mr Yari as the most useless governor in the history of Nigeria.
    In a statement on Sunday, while welcoming protests, Governor Yari believes that certain selfish individuals hijacked the entire process.
    “ On Saturday, April 6th, 2019, some protesters came out in the Nigerian Capital Abuja,  Kaduna and Sokoto cities to voice out their anger and displeasure over the security situation in Nigeria, particularly in the Northern states of Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina and Sokoto.  Again, in the city of London in the United Kingdom, some other  protesters also visited the Nigerian Embassy in London  to summit letter of protest to the Nigerian government over the same security situation in Nigeria.
    “ Public protests are essential ingredients of the democratic system. Therefore, as a  democratically elected Governor of Zamfara state, Sen-elect Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar appreciates the concern shown by the protesters both in Nigeria and in the United Kingdom. The protesters didn’t do anything wrong for exercising their rights.
    “ It’s however important to highlight certain key issues in order to understand the bigger picture of the reality of the situation in Zamfara State. Scratching the surface of a complex issue may lead to wrong conclusions.
    “ The essence of any government anywhere is security. No responsible government would fold its arms to watch its people being killed and their property being destroyed, thereby impoverished further by bandits attacks. Many of the protesters apparently had no idea about the billions of Naira the Yari administration committed to security and his efforts to assist our security personnel in terms of logistics and equipment.
    “ In trying to understand and tackle our security challenges, however, it is unhelpful to look for simplistic answers or engage in shadow chasing. Gov Abdulaziz Yari is particularly concerned about the activities and utterances of politicians who are desperately bent on taking advantage of our security problems to advance their own sinister agenda. The politicisation of people’s misfortune is not only irresponsible, but downright reckless and unpatriotic. These conflicts merchants are not actually concerned about the people, they are concerned about fishing in troubled waters.
    “ It isn’t so much surprising though, that the protesters were largely people from outside Zamfara state who do not have a glimpse of the security situation in the state. This is why they allowed themselves to be used cheaply by those  policians who lost out,  but are bent on destroying the state at all cost. And once protesters allowed themselves to be used by politicians, they may ultimately destroy their own credibility. To hold Yari solely responsible for insecurity in Zamfara State is not only wicked and mischievous, but it is also clear evidence of the attempt to hoodwink Nigerians in order to make him the scapegoat. Other States have insecurity challenges just like Zamfara, but their governors were not held accountable for by their people.
    “ Instead, prayers of good – will and encouragement were showered on them. like other governors, Yari expended billions of Naira to support our security personnel, but mischief makers are playing down this aspect of the story,  because their own agenda is to bring him down for their own advantage.
    “ The protesters should have put Zamfara people at the back of their minds before allowing themselves to be used by those policians who feel if not them, let everyone else go to hell. It is unfortunate that the protesters did not even understand the magnitude and dimensions of the security challenges in Zamfara state.
    “ If the protesters had understood the bigger picture of the complex security situation in Zamfara State, they wouldn’t have solely blamed Yari personally responsible for the security failure in the state. Take the case of our porous borders and the proliferation of small arms in the hands of kidnappers and cattle rustlers.
    “ Another angle that the protesters ignored is the role of people within the affected communities who serve as informants to the bandits and kidnappers. Yari has held countless meetings with community leaders and even suspended and dismissed some traditional rulers for their linkages to the criminals and negligence that led to the bandits using local people for information and protection from detection.
    “ Can you say that a governor who went to this extent is doing nothing over insecurity? Have the security agents complained that Yari is not giving them active support and cooperation in the war against banditry? Has the President refused to send troops to the effected States?
    “Some politicians who are behind the protesters are using insecurity to fight Yari because of personal grudges and not because they actually care about the victims of insecurity in the Zamfara State.”

     

  • Rainstorm again wreaks havoc in Ondo communities

    Barely four days after rainstorm devastated valuables at Ugbe, Akoko Northeast local government area of Ondo state, two other neighboring communities of Ikare-Akoko and Supare-Akoko at the weekend lost properties worth several millions to the same natural disaster.

    Findings revealed that over 500 houses were affected in the two communities, apart from that of Ugbe-Akoko.

    In Supare-Akoko the home town of the former deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, the only 10 downpour laced with whirlwind devastated more than 500 houses.

    Residents particularly house owners were in tears because of an incalculable losses occasioned by the rainstorm.

    The development was the same in Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko Northeast local government.

    An eye witness, Mr Aliu Ehinju Anobi from supare-Akoko said when the rainstorm started, people started running helter-sketer for their lives.

    According to him, over 70 percent of buildings in the town were ravaged.

    Read Also: IG vows to unmask Ondo Anglican bursar’s killers

    Ehinju Anobi listed Police Station, Old Palace, Schools and many churches being badly devastated.

    He said at Ikare-Akoko, the situation was even worse than Supare-Akoko as houses especially at Igbede  and Ishakunmi, were affected because of house demolition to pave way for dualization of Ikare road.

    A community leader from Ishakumi in Ikare, Akoko, Chief Oluke Olamomiara described as a disaster, stressing that many are now homeless.

    He said the rainstorm consumed also many valuables, urging government to come to their rescue especially now that building materials are too costly.

    The Olisupare of Supare-Akoko,Oba Kasali Adedeji who went round the affected places in the community sympathized with his subjects.

    He called on the state government and National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) and well to do citizens to assist  the people who could not afford new houses now.

    Chairman, Akoko Northeast local government, Rafiu Eniayewu assessed the damages in the two communities and assured victims of government assistance as it was caused by natural disaster.

     

     

  • No mercy for oil thieves, pirates, says new JTF commander

    The new Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), Real Admiral Akinjide Akinrinade, said at the weekend that Akinrinade said the outfit under his command would show no mercy to oil thieves, pirates and other criminals in the Niger Delta region.

    Speaking when he took over from the outgoing commander of JTF, Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi, at the outfit’s headquarters in Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Akinrinade, asked criminals to repent or vacate the region.

    He commended Apochi for his leadership style, Akinrinade and promised to be proactive in curbing criminals and their networks

    As part of the strategies, he bowed to strengthen the synergy and cohesion among the various units, components and formations of the task force.

    In his remarks, Apochi said the operation under his command destroyed and dislodged major militant camps in the Niger Delta, to boost security in the region.

    Read Also: Our operations boosted oil production, says JTF

    He said the relative peace in the command increased crude oil production index of the country, which rose from a mere 900 barrel per day in 2016 to over two million barrel per day.

    He said: “When I came here in 2016, there were issues of militancy all over my joint operation area, but diligently, we have taken out the major militant camps in the Niger Delta region.

    “We have dislodged militant camps at Karawei in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa. The Bakassi strike force in Cross River, Lobia 1, 2 and 3 in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and Lowasiri camps in Bayelsa were strong bases of militants and kidnappers.

    “We have also dislodged militants in Etim Ekpo/Ukanafun Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom and restored peace to the areas.

    “The Asuzuama set of militants in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Baylesa were all dislodged.

    “We tracked down Don Wayne eventually, because of the pressure of our operational activities; he ran into the hands of another security group that eventually took him out. As at today, that camp at Amoputu is closed,” he stated.

     

  • We cannot afford to miss WJC, says Solanke

    Captain of the Team Nigeria, Azeez Solanke believes the win over Tunisia in their first game has boosted their chance of qualifying for the World Junior Championships holding in Thailand.

    Solanke who led the team to a 3-1 win over the Tunisians in Group Two of the boys’ team event of the ongoing ITTF Africa Junior and Cadet Championships in Accra, Ghana, told NationSport that he is excited about the win over Tunisia which he described a semifinal tie for them in the competition.

    “I must admit that Tunisia is not a pushover team because they have experienced players in the team and they are a strong team in Africa. I believe the win against them has indeed given us an edge to top the group so that we will avoid meeting Egypt in the semifinal,” he said.

    Solanke who claimed the gold medal in the junior boys singles at the Ghana Open last week believes his teammaktes are capable of beating any team in Ghana while saying, “We will not play to the gallery against any team as we will take every match serious because there is no pushover in Africa again with the quality of play display by every team in the tournament,” he said.

    The group matches enter final day today as Nigeria battles Ghana and Congo DRC to determine the top two teams in the Group that will progress to the knockout stage.

    However, it was not a good tournament for the Nigeria girls’ team as they have become the whipping team of the group after been walloped by Egypt in their first group match.