Nation
THE STATES
L-R: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, former governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Oba of Lagos State, Oba Rilwan Akiolu and Vice Chancellor Usman Danfodiyo University (UDU) Sokoto, Prof Abdullahi Zuru at the Convocation of the University in Sokoto, recently.
Benue
The Benue House of Assembly has passed the state’s
second supplementary appropriation bill of N24 .5 billion for the 2015 fiscal year.
The appropriation comprised a recurrent expenditure of N12.5 billion and a capital vote of N12 billion.
Mr Adam Okloho (APC-Adoka/Ugboju), Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, had frowned at the indulgence of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in extra budgetary expenditure.
Okloho said that the state government had paid backlog of salary arrears of N12.5 billion owed workers, using the bailout fund from the Federal Government.
Mr Ianna Jato (PDP-Katsina-Ala East) said the House welcomed any further complaints on disbursement of the bailout fund if any for amicable resolution.
Borno
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
said that it had presented foodstuff to the Yobe Government for the feeding of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
NEMA North-East Information Officer, Malam Abdulkadir Ibrahim, stated this in a statement in Maiduguri.
Ibrahim said that the gesture was in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the state and the agency.
“The Zonal NEMA North-East Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, presented foodstuff provided by the agency to the Secretary to the Yobe Government, Alhaji Baba Wali in Damaturu,’’ he said.
Ibrahim said the gesture was in line with the mandate of NEMA of providing succour to victims of disasters in the country.
Kano
The Global Partnership on Education (GEP) has allocated
27 million dollars to Kano State as part of its support to the development of education in the area.
The state Deputy Governor and Commissioner of Education, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, disclosed this at the launch of the Global Partnership for Education/Nigerian Partnership for Education in Kano recently.
Abubakar said no fewer than 5,000 primary schools; 45,000 teachers and 500,000 pupils would benefit from the gesture between 2016 and 2019.
He said, “with this support, the future of education will be very bright in the state’’.
According to him, GPE has earmarked 100 million dollars for the implementation of the project in five states of the North-West.
Katsina
A Malumfashi Senior Magistrates’ Court in Katsina State
has dismissed application by the police to stall a case of assault on the pretext of continuing with investigation.
Three persons, Abubakar Magaji, Abubakar Umar and Sagir Iliya all residents of Malumfashi, were arraigned for beating up one Kamilu Sheikh-Munir, on March 13.
The three had pleaded guilty to the three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal force and assault, which contravened Sections 97, 263 and 264 of the Penal Code Law.
In spite of their plea, the prosecuting Police Officer, Cpl. Joseph George, forwarded a written application for withdrawal of the case to allow the police continue with investigation.
Senior Magistrate Mannir Shehu, however rejected the application on the ground that the accused persons had already pleaded guilty and would only require summary trial.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Government has released N60million for
procurement of animals feeds to promote livestock production to stem clashes between farmers and cattle breeders.
The state chairman of the Cattle Breeders Association Alhaji Mohammed Dan-Ali, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
He said the association submitted the proposal for the procurement of the feeds, adding, “Government has since released the fund to the state Ministry of Animal Husbandry for supply and sale of feeds to breeders.”
He said the feeds that included livestock salt, dust and cotton seeds would be sold to Cattle breeders and other livestock producers at subsidised rate.
Dan-Ali, however, called on the state government to hasten grazing range demarcation to end encroachment by farmers, stressing that farmers had encroached about 150 kilometres into the grazing reserve.
Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called on the
National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) to collaborate with it in the area of revenue generation.
The Customs Zone ‘A’ Coordinator, Assistant Comptroller-General Charles Edike, made the call in Lagos while speaking at a Stakeholders‘ Forum organised by NAGAFF.
He said the collaboration between the Customs service and other stakeholders, especially freight forwarders, was necessary to improve on revenue and boost non-oil revenue of the Federal Government.
“These are indeed hard times. The price of crude oil is falling, so are imports declining. So the revenue focus is on non-oil, especially revenue from the Customs.
“We know that one hand cannot wash itself clean. It takes both hands to clean each other.
Nasarawa
A 20-year-old student, Blessing Igobo, has been arraigned
in a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, Nasarawa State, for alleged theft of telephone recharge cards worth N10,000.
Igobo was arraigned on a two-count charge of mischief and theft.
The prosecutor, Mr Friday Adaji, told the court that Patience Okpara, a resident of Mararaba, reported the case at the ‘A’ Division Police Station on March 11.
Adaji said that on March 1, at about 10 a.m., the accused came to the complainant’s shop located at Mararaba to buy recharge card.
The prosecutor said the complainant, however, had no change for the denomination the accused brought.
Niger
The Niger Government said that it had concluded
arrangement to establish grazing reserves in the state in order to forestall conflicts between farmers and Fulani herdsmen.
Niger Commissioner for Agriculture Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi, stated this in Minna, in an interview with newsmen.
He spoke on the sideline of the ministry’s budget defence at the Kwara House of Assembly.
The commissioner said that government would build settlements on the grazing reserves for the Fulani herdsmen to make them settle down conveniently.
“The Federal Government as well as the state government is concerned about the problems of herdsmen/farmers, with each contesting for the same farmland.
Osun
An Osogbo Customary Court has dissolved an 8-year-old
marriage between Suliyat Adedeji and her husband, Teslim, over complaint of battering by the defendant.
Suliyat, a petty trader, also accused her husband, a shoemaker, of lack of proper care of her and their two children.
“My husband is fond of beating me. I had reported him to his parents several times but they always tell me they are less concerned.
“His parents usually say we should sort ourselves out since we agreed to marry each other from the beginning,’’ Suliyat told the court.
Teslim, in his defence, denied the allegation by his wife, but agreed that the marriage be dissolved.
Oyo
An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ court sitting at Ibadan
has sentenced 29-year-old Dare Idogbe to 21 months imprisonment for stealing a motorcycle packed beside the court.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.F.Richard, ordered that prison term should be with hard labour.
Richard sentenced Idogbe to six months imprisonment for the first charge of conspiracy and one year and three months for stealing, and ordered that the sentences should run concurrently.
Idogbe with no known address was arraigned on March 8, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
He pleaded guilty to the charges, admitting that he was introduced to how to steal motorcycles by somebody he met at an Indian hemp joint at Beere.
He told the court that he usually sold motorcycles he stole at N15, 000.
At arraignment, Police prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Ogunremi, had told the court that Idogbe and one other, now at large, conspired to steal a Bajaj motorcycle.
Plateau
Ahead of the PDP state congresses slated for May 7, former
Sports Minister, Damishi Sango and Rep. Bitrus Kaze are among the top contenders for the chairmanship post in Plateau.
Also among those that had so far indicated interest in the race are the immediate past Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mr Chris Hassan.
A top party source, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent in Jos that two other members, Jonathan Dabo and Mr Adi Kaba, were also interested in the seat.
The Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Pam Sale, said that the party was happy that “such high calibre of persons” were keen on providing leadership.
“The party has yet to start selling nomination forms, but we are impressed with the quality of those seeking the seat.
Yobe
The Yobe State Government has bought equipment worth
N20 million to rehabilitate 16 boreholes for returning internally displaced persons (IDPs) to the 17 communities liberated by the Joint Task Force (JTF) from Boko Haram insurgents in Gujba local government.
The State Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Dawa Maigari, said this in Damaturu while conducting newsmen round the equipment.
Maigari, also the Chairman, Technical Committee on Rehabilitation of Water, added that the state government would rehabilitate all the boreholes vandalised by the insurgents in the wake of attacks on the communities.
He said that the rehabilitation would be continuous as the IDPS who fled the villages during the attacks by the insurgents had started returning.
Chairman, Gujba Local Government Council, Alhaji Kyari Batarama, lauded the state government for rehabilitating the boreholes to serve the people.
“Residents of about 17 villages have returned and the rehabilitation of these boreholes will assist them in resettling after fleeing the communities for a long time.
The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a medical doctor, Jane Chioma Ofoma, in Auchi, Edo, for selling drugged cookies and biscuits.
Its Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, said in a statement yesterday in Abuja, that Chioma sold the drugged cookies and biscuits through an online catering service, Omachi’s kitchen.
Babafemi said the arrest followed intelligence and surveillance where narcotic officers of the Edo Command of the agency on Saturday June 19, stormed her operational base at 1 Winners Way, Auchi.
This, he said, led to her arrest and at least 94 pieces of cookies produced with cannabis sativa were recovered from the suspect.
According to him, Chioma, 26, who is a graduate of medicine from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, recently completed her housemanship at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
“She has confessed to baking the cookies with skunk in her statement while under interrogation,” he said.
In the same vein, Babafemi said a 30-year-old Emmanuel Ehiramhen, of No. 10 Egan Street Ekpoma, has been arrested by officers of the Edo Command of the agency for dealing in crack cocaine.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Kwara have arrested a 52-year-old ex-Soldier, Ibrahim Musa, with 12.167 kilograms of Arizona (cannabis sativa), 4 grams of Cocaine and 25 grams of flunitrazepam.
Babafemi said the suspect was apprehended on Thursday June 17, at Oke-Odo, Tanke area of Ilorin, when he arrived from Lagos to supply his customers.
He said Musa worked in the maintenance department at Abati Army Barracks, Lagos from where he was deployed to 117 Battalion in Chibok, Borno, before he deserted the Army.
He added that the suspect had arrived Ilorin with his wife, Basirat Musa, in his Honda Accord car with registration number JJ 707 BL Lagos with the seized exhibit.
He was, however, arrested at the point of delivery by operatives of the Kwara Command of the agency.
“Under interrogation, Ibrahim revealed that while at Chibok he got the connection of a supplier of Arizona (Cannabis) and other drugs in Lagos who he immediately contacted when he deserted the Army in October 2020.
“He said he decided to go into the illicit drug business to enable him fend for his two wives and three children.
“The suspect revealed that the latest journey was his second trip to Ilorin to deliver the drugs and decided to travel with one of his wives who was not aware of his mission to Ilorin,” he said.
Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the Edo and Kwara Commands of the agency for their vigilance and commitment to the goal of ridding Nigeria of the menace of illicit drug trafficking and abuse.
He charged the Commanders, officers and men of the two Commands and their counterparts across the country not to relent in the discharge of their responsibilities.
He assured them of his commitment towards making their welfare a priority.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says six tankers, five trucks and two cars were destroyed in a tanker explosion at Ogere on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway yesterday.
Earlier, FRSC Sector Commander in Ogun, Mr Ahmed Umar, confirmed the incident to The Tide source, saying that it occurred at about 6.20 a.m.
Umar had said the explosion occurred in front of Romona trailer park on the expressway.
Giving update, he said, “the fire is serious, six tankers, five trucks and two cars are burnt in the explosion.’’
Umar said that one person had so far been rescued and taken to a private hospital in Ogere.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), has advised motorists plying the road to use alternative routes.
TRACE spokesman, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi explained that the tanker which was laden with fuel suddenly burst into flames affecting other vehicles.
“Vehicles moving inbound Lagos should go through Saapade-Ode/Remo-Iperu-Sagamu to relink Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“In addition, vehicles moving inbound Ibadan should also go through Sagamu-Iperu-Ode/Remo-Saapade to relink Lagos-Ibadan Expressway,’’ Akinbiyi said.
The incident was the fifth of such tragedies involving fuel tankers in the Lagos and Ogun State axis since the beginning of the year.
A similar fuel tanker-related fire was recorded on Jan. 7 on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.
On March 21, a fuel tanker was the cause of fire on Otedola Bridge, also on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in which many vehicles were burnt.
On March 25, a diesel-laden tanker went up in flames at the Ikotun area of Lagos, leading to the incineration of other vehicles and shops.
On June 17, fire from the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant at the Ogun State Property Investments Corporation (OPIC) Plaza in Lagos trailed a leaking gas truck which was on motion in the area.
This resulted in a fire snowball which engulfed many other vehicles and property.
Twenty-five cars were destroyed in the OPIC Plaza inferno, while 13 persons, mostly workers in the restaurant, sustained burn injuries.
Leaders of the South East geo-political zone have urged leaders of other geo-political zones in the country to protect Igbos living in their regions, even as they condemned in totality the activities of violent secessionist groups in the zone and elsewhere.
The lgbo leaders comprising the governors of the five states, members of the National Assembly, Ministers, Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly, the Clergy and Traditional Rulers, made their feelings known on Saturday, in a communique issued when they rose from a closed-door meeting at the Government House, Enugu.
Explaining that they made the request in view of what they described as “threats by some groups against our people”, the South East leaders promised to protect everyone, including Igbos and people from other regions, residing in the zone.
On the impression that South East leaders are silent over agitations for secession by some youths of the region, they stated that “is not correct”, stressing that “South East Governors, Ohaneze President, National Assembly members, notable leaders had come out publicly many times in the past to speak against such agitations”.
Proclaiming firmly that “we do not support them, they do not speak for South East”, the communiqué read by the Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum, Engr. David Umahi, made it clear that the leaders of the zone reiterated their “commitment to one united Nigeria under a platform of justice, equality of rights, fairness, love and respect for one another”.
The communiqué revealed that South East leaders, in order not to mismanage the unfortunate situation, “have set up a committee to engage such youths to stop and allow elders speak to address such fears”.
It added that South East leaders also condemned the killing of security agents, burning of strategic infrastructure and killing of civilians in South East and in other regions, and requested the security agencies to discharge their duties within the rules of engagement and the law
They, however, explained that the meeting was held “for articulation of our positions and further meet with the Presidential team”, sequel to the earlier meeting with the Presidential delegation, led by the Minister of Defence, Retired Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi, on June 11, 2021.
The communiqué disclosed that the meeting consequently “set up committees under Ohaneze Ndigbo to articulate and address our positions on all burning issues to further meet among ourselves and thereafter meet with the Presidential team”.
On the safety of the Igbo indigenes in other parts of the country and the newly established regional security outfit, the communiqué added that the “meeting directed our Governors and Ohaneze Ndigbo to liaise with indigenes from the northern part of Nigeria and indigenes of other regions to assure the nation, Nigeria, and their people of their safety in South East.
“The meeting endorsed our South East joint security outfit – Ebubeagu and asked them to work with security agencies and to respect the rights and privileges of all those living in the South East and our visitors”.
By: Canice Amadi, Enugu
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