The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Yahaya Bello

  • Flood renders many homeless in Kogi

    Hundreds of people in areas of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital and other parts of the confluence state, have been forced out of their homes as rising water levels continue to encroach on residences.

    The unprecedented rainfall has brought untold hardship as families are driven from their homes.

    The situation, it is predicted, could worsen if water from the Lagdo Dam, in Cameron, is released, a scenario which the people of Kogi pray not to happen.

    In Adankolo, residents whose homes have been overtaken by the flood, continue to move out in droves, while others yet to be affected, are not taking chances.

    Hundreds of residents of Ganaja village, in Ajaokuta Local Government Area are also facing similar situation, haven been rendered homeless by flood.

    Aside living houses, shops and other commercial buildings have been affected by the flood, even as the water level continue to rise.

    The state government has however commenced the distribution of foodstuffs and other relief items to the flood victims in IDPs camps across the state.

    The Kogi State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Sanusi Yahaya, told newsmen at the inauguration of the distribution in Lokoja, that the distribution of the foodstuffs was the first stage.

    He noted that the National Emergency Maintenance Agency (NEMA) had also supplied some relief items, including mattresses, blankets and mats, to be distributed to the flood victims.

    In addition, the state government procured food items for the victims to enable them feed in the camps.

    According to the commissioner: “This is just the first batch of the distribution. More are still coming, because His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, has approved the release of fund to get more foodstuffs.”

    He appealed to individuals, corporate organisations and professional bodies to come forward and assist the flood victims, saying that government cannot not do it alone.

  • Police arrest 23 suspected kidnappers in Nasarawa

    The Police Command in Nasarawa State has arrested 23 suspected armed robbers and kidnappers in August, the Commissioner of Police, Yahaya Bello, said on Friday.

    Bello told newsmen in Lafia that the suspects were arrested following distress calls and privileged information from courageous members of the public.

    According to the him, 17 of the suspects were arrested on August 2, for alleged armed robbery and kidnapping around Mararaba Udege in Nasarawa Local Government area of the state.

    Bello added that four others were arrested on August 9, at Kadarko in Keana Local Government area by a combined team of F-SARS operatives, Counter Terrorism Unit and conventional policemen.

    He said that the four of those arrested were believed to be among the gang terrorizing commuters along Lafia-Makurdi road.

    Bello, however, said that two policemen sustained severe injuries during one of the operations.

    Read Also: Army kills 14 terrorists, rescue 21 hostages

    The commissioner disclosed that one Ali Mohammed was arrested along Akwanga-Keffi on Aug. 29, with an Ak47 riffle while allegedly on his way to Dogon Daji village in Kaduna State to avenge the killing of his brother.

    Similarly, Bello said another suspect, Timothy Jija was arrested on August 30 with an AK 47 riffle at the yam market in Kadarko village along Lafia-Makurdi road.

    He listed the items recovered from the suspects to include: Four AK 47 riffles, One G3 riffle, Two revolvers, 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, knives and charms.

    Other items recovered are 26 mobile phones, Two IPads, a laptop and wraps of dry leaves suspected to be ‘Indian Hemp’.

    He appealed for more support from the public towards curbing violent crimes in the state.

    The commissioner urged residents with useful security information to call 08108795930, 08112692680 and 08108795980, for quick intervention by the police.

  • I have no anointed candidate, says Bello

    Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has assured the members and aspirants seeking for various elective positions on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) that he has no ‘anointed’ candidate ahead of the party primaries.

    The party in the state has meanwhile adopted the indirect method of conduct of primary election to elect candidates ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

    At the APC stakeholders’ meeting held at the government house on Wednesday in Lokoja, to discuss and resolve on the method to adopt for the primaries, Governor Bello reaffirmed that he is for all the aspirants vying for various elective positions under the APC, saying whoever emerges at the primaries will be the party’s candidate.

    He assured that the party will sponsor all the candidates for the general election to ensure that APC wins the contestable positions.

    His words: “I have never anointed any aspirant for any position. Forms are already on sale, any interested member of the party willing to contest elective position on the platform of the APC in Kogi State, should go and buy their forms. The party will create a level playing ground for all the aspirants so that we can achieve our set objectives”.

    Read Also: Bello lauds Buhari’s anti-corruption stance

    He cautioned the party executives against collecting money from aspirants in the name of rendering assistance to them, warning that whoever indulge in such act will be sanctioned.

    According to him, the era of extorting aspirants is over.

    “We will sanction anybody who go against this warning; whoever caught will face the full wrath of the law, no matter who she or he is in the party”, he warned.

    The state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, said the aim of the meeting was to allow members and stakeholders choose one of the suitable options for the conduct of primaries.

    He noted that APC in Kogi state has adopted indirect primaries, describing the option as cheap, credible and easy to conduct.

    He commended the governor for his support that led to the success of the party at the recently conducted bye-election into Lokoja/Kogi Koton-Karfe federal constituency.

    The Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, said that direct primary can only throw the party into concussion, adding that the indirect primary is appropriate for the party in the state base on the political environment.

    He therefore moved for the adoption of indirect primary election in Kogi APC, which was unanimously accepted by the members and stakeholders of the party.

  • Bello calls for prayers for unity, progress of Nigeria

    Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State on Thursday called on religious leaders to step up prayers for the sustained unity and progress of the country.

    Bello made the call at the Government House, Lokoja, when the General Overseer of Greater Liberation City Worldwide, Dr Chris Okafor and his team visited him.

    The cleric and his team are in the state for a four-day evangelical crusade.

    The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Simon Achuba, said that the greatness of any nation was in the hands of God.

    He stressed the need for the presence of God to achieve peace, unity, progress and development in the country.

    Bello enjoined the visiting cleric and participants at the crusade to pray for the unity of the country.

    He urged them to pray for God to continue to bless the land and uplift the people at all times.

    The governor assured the leadership of the church of adequate security during and after the programme.

    Read Also: Bello donates N5m to windstorm victims

    He said that his administration would continue to accord priority to security of lives and property in the state.

    Earlier, Okafor said they were in the state as part of their outreach and evangelism to call more people to God.

    The crusade, according to him, is aimed at setting the people free and de-populating the kingdom of darkness.

    He assured Nigerians that better things were ahead of them, urging them to be patient and believe in God at all times and for all things.

    The overseer said the hands of God were on Kogi state and enjoined the people to work with the government to achieve God’s purpose for the state.

    Okafor said that at the end of the four-day crusade in the state, there would be open doors of opportunities and overflow of God’s blessings in the state.

    NAN

     

  • KSU students decry ‘No Fees, No Exams’ policy

    Students of Kogi State University (KSU) on Monday staged a peaceful protest against the “No fees, No Exams” policy restricting students from writing the ongoing semester examination in the varsity.

    According to the Public Relations Officer of the Students Union Government (SUG), Emmanuel Thomas “The school management has earlier passed a memoranda of understanding to inform the students beforehand in order to ensure strict adherence on or before the stipulated time for the examination.”

    Thomas further expressed his gratitude to the school management for their cooperation and urged the students to comply with the directive in order to achieve a mutually beneficial relationship.

    “Students should adhere strictly to the school management’s directive as efforts have been made to see that all students write the ongoing exams.”

    The students, who took to the Idachaba Lecture Theater of the institution, disrupted those writing Exam before returning to other faculties of the institution to continue the agitation.

    Read Also: KSU Medical Students protest over non-accreditation of Course

    One of the protesters, who spoke on the condition of anonymity with our reporter, said “Some students were denied access to the Examination hall today in spite of the fact that the state government led by Governor Yahaya Bello has not paid workers.”

    Another aggrieved student who don’t want to be mentioned said “Some students who had not fully paid their school fees were the ones protesting and the School management has been so determined to ensure strict adherence to the “No School Fees, No Exams” policy.”

    According to him, “The students should have been allowed to write the ongoing examinations because the government has failed to play their role by paying our parents as at when due.”

    In a recent development, the school management has passed a memo to allow defaulters write the exams on a condition deemed fit for the students to comply with if they must be considered.

     

  • N-Power: Bello commends FG for recruiting Kogi indigenes

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi  has commended the Federal Government for recruiting  7,425 unemployed graduates from the state into the second batch of  the N-Power programme.

    Bello,  in a statement in Lokoja on Tuesday, said that the programme had  given hope to the beneficiaries who were selected on merit from the 21 local government councils  of the state.

    According to him, the recruitment of the unemployed graduates into the scheme was timely and a relief to the beneficiaries as many of them had  been jobless   for years.

    Those selected were mostly from indigent  background,  the governor said in the statement signed by Adoga Ibrahim, the Coordinator of the N-Power programme in the state.

    Bello also commended President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for the introduction of the N-Power scheme under which beneficiaries are entitled to  a N30,000 stipend per month.

    He re-affirmed the support of the people and government of Kogi State for the president.

    “  We will work to strengthen the effort of the President Buhari led-administration by ensuring that the beneficiaries are deployed to critical areas that will impact on the development of the state,” Bello was quoted as saying.

    He urged the beneficiaries to give their best services to the nation and refrain from any form of misconduct.

  • N-Power: Kogi to deploy 7,425 beneficiaries

    The Kogi State Government says it has concluded plans to deploy 7, 425 successful beneficiaries of the second batch of N-Power Programme under the Federal Government Social Investment Programme (SIP) across the state.

    A statement by the Special Adviser to Gov. Yahaya Bello on Multilateral, Donor Agencies and Special Projects Mr Adoga Ibrahim, in Lokoja on Monday said the beneficiaries would be deployed to all the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state as from Aug. 10.

    According to Ibrahim, Kogi SIP office in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders are working tirelessly to ensure the issuance of deployment letters to beneficiaries for prompt resumption at their Places of Primary Assignments (PPA) on or before Aug. 10, 2018.

    “Posting, data processing and production of deployment letters have commenced since July 23, which will end on Friday July 27.

    “The state partners such as Kogi SUBEB, Kogi Science, Technical Education and Teaching Service Commission (STETSCOM), Kogi ADP, and Kogi Primary Health Care Development are already working hard to meet up with the deadline.

    “The state flag-off ceremony will be performed by Gov. Yahaya Bello on Tuesday July 31, at the Government House, Lokoja.

    “At the event, the successful beneficiaries from Lokoja and other LGAs will collect their deployment letters to their PPA, and will also receive the necessary orientation regarding the workings of the N-Power Programme,” Ibrahim said.

    The focal person noted that the deployment exercise would be performed at the senatorial districts and federal constituencies of the LGAs.

    He said the deployment for all LGAs in Kogi Central would take place at Okene on Aug. 2 and 3, while that of Kogi East would hold on Aug. 6 and 7.

    He added that the remaining LGAs in Kogi West would have their deployment at Kabba on Aug 8 and 9.

    Tthe N-Power Programme is one of the five welfare programmes under the Federal Social Investment Programmes in collaboration with the State Governments, which comprises three sectors: Npower- Teach, N-Pwer-Agro, and N-Power-Health.

  • Owoniyi emerges new Obaro of Kabba

    Two years after the death of the Obaro of Kabba, Chief Michael Olobayo, the Kogi State Government, on Thursday, approved the appointment of Solomon Dele Owoniyi, a retired Custom Officer to fill the vacant stool.

    The appointment according to a government was part of resolutions reached at the State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Yahaya Bello at the Government House, Lokoja.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Abubabar Ohere, congratulated the Okun people on the appointment, saying that the new monarch is expected to use his vast experience in the public service to unite his people and the entire state.

    Read Also: Obaro of Kabba buried

    The Exco, he revealed, has also upgraded the stool of the Maiyaki of Kupa in Lokoja Local Government Area of the state from second class to 1st class status.

    Other vacant stools in the state whose replacement have been appointed are;  Chief James Abalaka as Ejeh of Ofu, Chief Simon Ujah, Ejeh Olamaboro and Alhaji Muhammed Bello as the new Ohi of Adavi among others.

  • Kogi constructs 23 public toilets to curb open defecation

    Kogi State Government said it has constructed 23 public toilets in some major towns across the state as part of efforts to discourage open defecation among residents.

    The state’s Commissioner for Environment and Physical Development, Mr Sanusi Yahaya, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lokoja while speaking during an advocacy visit by a team from the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC).

    He said that 18 of the toilet facilities were constructed by the previous administrations while the administration of Gov. Yahaya Bello built five in Lokoja, Isanlu, Okene, Ogugu and Ayingba.

    He said that, while those located in Lokoja, Isanlu and Ogugu had been inaugurated, works were nearing completion on those located in Okene and Anyigba, saying that the toilets were fitted with boreholes.

    Yahaya said adequate provisions had been made in the state’s 2018 budget for the construction of more public toilets in some other major towns to promote hygiene and sanitation among the people.

    Read Also: Slain Benue priests: Olorunmolu leads Kogi Catholic procession

    The Commissioner said that his ministry has held series of meetings with market leaders in Lokoja on the need to stop dumping refuse in River Niger, saying that another public toilet will be constructed at the Kpata market in Lokoja to curb open defection along the bank of the river.

    According to him, landlords in major towns in the state are also being encouraged to provide toilet facilities in their houses.

    The commissioner explained that the state government will not hesitate to sanction any landlord that fails to comply.

    He said that state government was intensifying efforts to complete the ongoing embankment project on the bank of River Niger.

    He said that the project when completed will put an end to perennial flooding of Kabawa, Sarki Noma, Galililee and Kpapatankoto areas of Lokoja.

    Yahaya disclosed that government had engaged a private firm to handle the cleaning and evacuation of waste in Lokoja to the designated dump site, where a waste recycling plant was being constructed.

    The commissioner, however, said that some undesirable elements had embarked on the destruction of waste bins placed in strategic points in Lokoja, asking members of the public and civil society to help curb this.

    He lauded the JDPC in Lokoja and Idah dioceses for embarking on an advocacy programme aimed at improving water, hygiene and sanitation in 13 selected communities of the state, expressing government’s readiness to partner with the organisation to achieve its objectives.

    Earlier, the Coordinator of JDPC in Lokoja diocese, Rev.Fr. Leonard Odomeja told the commissioner that the advocacy project was aimed at bridging the gap between duty bearers and citizens.

    Odomeja, who was represent by the Secretary of the organisation, Mr Simon Enejoh, said that the programme had helped in recording an improvement in sanitation and hygiene of the communities where it is being implemented.

    He also said that the advocacy project was being expanded to cover more communities in the state, urging the state to deploy more sanitary inspectors to sustain and improve upon the achievement being recorded.

    NAN

  • Nasarawa PDP protests attacks on Gov. Fayose

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa state on Thursday staged a peaceful protest against the attack on its members in Ekiti state including the state governor, Ayodele Fayose, by officers of the Nigeria Police Force and other security operatives in the state.

    Addressing party supporters from the 13 local government areas at the state PDP secretariat, the state chairman of the party, Mr. Francis Orogwu, expressed worry over the ill treatment meted out on their members in Ekiti and described the development as undemocratic.

    Orogu, therefore, urged the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to remain neutral in the cause of providing security in Ekiti state election as well as the forthcoming general elections in the country.

    Hon. Orogu in a five paragraph protest letter submitted to the state commissioner of police, Nasarawa state command, Mr. Yahaya Bello, said: “Our appeal to the IGP, Mr. Ibrahim Idris is to remain neutral in the cause of providing security in Ekiti state election and in the forthcoming 2019 general elections across the country.”

    Read Also: Ekiti poll: Controversy as police disperse PDP’s rally

    He said the situation in Ekiti has scared other members of the party in Nasarawa state whether the security operatives will be neutral during the general elections, describing it as abnormal in the present political dispensation.

    According to him: “Our PDP members who were holding a peaceful rally were tear-gased and some political leaders manhandled”.

    “We are demanding for a fair play ground from all the political parties in the state,” he added.

    He, however, maintained that if the security operatives in the country continue to display act of favoritism in democratic activities, it would hinder electorates in the country from producing the best presidential candidate and candidates of their choice in the forthcoming general elections at all levels.

    He then assured all the party members in the state not to panic; declaring that PDP would clinch the forthcoming governorship election in the state.