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The Kano State government Wednesday organised a prayer session President Muhammadu Buhari and during the prayer session President Muhammadu Buhari spoke with Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Phone.
Also Kebbi State Government held another prayer for President Muhammadu Buhari in Birnin-Kebb on Thursday.
Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Phone with President Muhammadu Buhari, during the prayer session organised Kano State Government for President on Wednesday in Kano.Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (middle), His Deputy, Professor Hafiz Abubakar (2nd right) and APC Chieftain, Hon. Gali Naabba, during the prayer session organised Kano State Government for President on Wednesday in KanoKEBBI STATE GOVERNMENT HOLDS PRAYER FOR PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI IN BIRNIN KEBBKEBBI STATE GOVERNMENT HOLDS PRAYER FOR PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI IN BIRNIN KEBBI
…as yam exportation to begin July 2017 By Gabriel Ewepu ABUJA – THE Chinese government has demanded dry yam from Nigeria to meet industrial and domestic needs.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Thursday, in Abuja, which a technical working committee was inaugurated to fast track the exportation of yam by July 2017.Yams being arranged for sale at Muda Lawal Market in Bauchi. NAN Photo
The Minister said Nigeria has remained one of the world's largest producer of yam, which accounts for 61.7 per cent of the global production of the rot crop, while there are over 60 varieties of yam, but sadly, Nigeria not among yam exporting countries.
He assured that local production and consumption of the commodity would not be affected by the move to export yam soon, rather government would scale up intervention in yam production, as farmers in the country have indicated willingness to increase production to meet both local and international demands.
He noted that high level of yam production was going on in Zakibiam in Benue State, the Minister said government would leverage on it and also spread production across the entire country.
However, he lamented Ghana, which produces far less than any yam producing state in Nigeria, has taken over the European market.
According to him yam consumed in the United States were imported from Ghana and a tuber of yam cost as high as $15.
He said: "Ghana is controlling Africa’s yam export market where Nigeria is one of the world's largest producers. I am not sure if Ghana produces as much yam as any state of the federation".
The Minister noted that the private sector driven committee was deliberate in other to guide the government on how to get a fair share of the global yam market.
He noted that the Nigerian yam export promotion programme was aimed at taking Nigerian yam production, processing and marketing to next level in line with what is done in other country.
He also emphasised the need to ensure that Nigerian agricultural produce meet the standard of foreign markets, and stressed the need for the country to design produce that would meet Nigerian health standard.
The minister tasked the committee to develop a framework for establishment of Nigeria yam export sea and airport where all documentation relating to the export are prepared, adding that they should facilitate acquisition warehouses at the receiving destination, rationalize the bureaucracy of export and enforcement agency located within one roof designated for Nigeria yam export park houses.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Committee, Prof Simon Tsange, said they have been doing underground work on the programme adding that the committee would ensure that in six months time, Nigerian yam would hit the international market.
By Ben Agande Abuja – Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction of the PDP has described the take over of the secretariat of the party by Senator Modu Sheriff as “illegal and most unwelcome”
A statement signed by Dayo Adeyeye reacting to the action said Sheriff should be held responsible for any lose of party document and property. Ali Modu Sheriff
“As far as we are concerned, the forceful entry of Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team into the party secretariat is illegal and most unwelcome.
“We say this because the keys to the secretariat is with the Board of Trustees and we’ve checked with them, and can confirm that the keys were not handed over to Sheriff or any of his followers.
“The implication of this was that he broke into the secretariat which is a criminal offence.
“We also expected that Modu-Sheriff should have waited for the conclusion of the Appeal we filed at the Supreme Court before he forced himself in just like we held on when we got court judgement favouring us last year.
“We are condemning his action in totality and we view it as an affront on the rule of law.
“Given his act of illegality, we stated clearly that he should be held responsible for any loss of documents or damage to the property within the party secretariat.
“The administrative staff as accounting officers were not around to see the event happen, and as the custodians of the property of the party, they refused to participate in the illegal entry made by Ali Modu-Sheriff.
“His action is provocative and is capable of causing another round of crisis in the party.
“We advise him in his own interest, to vacate the secretariat immediately.
“We also call on authority of the Nigerian Police to prevent chaos by flushing Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team out of the PDP secretariat and let all parties wait for the judgement of the Supreme Court which is the highest court in the land” he said.
Wayne Rooney said Thursday he was staying with Manchester United following persistent speculation he could make a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League.
British media reports said Rooney’s agent, Paul Stretford, had been in China speaking to interested clubs but the United and England captain insisted he was remaining at Old Trafford.
“Despite the interest which has been shown from other clubs, for which I’m grateful, I want to end recent speculation and say that I am staying at Manchester United,” the 31-year-old Rooney said in a statement released to Britain’s Press Association.
“I hope I will play a full part in helping the team in its fight for success on four fronts.
“It’s an exciting time at the club and I want to remain a part of it,” added Rooney, whose current United contract runs until mid-2018, with the club holding the option to extend it by a further year.
Manchester United’s English striker Wayne Rooney (L) celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest England, on January 17, 2016. AFP PHOTO
Speculation over the experienced forward’s future has intensified in recent weeks with Rooney often sidelined by United manager Jose Mourinho.
Chinese clubs said to be interested in Rooney, United’s all-time leading scorer, included Guangzhou Evergrande, Beijing Guoan, Jiangsu Suning and Tianjin Quanjian.
British media had reported that he could earn up to $1 million a week, making him the world’s best paid player, but Rooney’s statement has at least ended the debate over his future ahead of the closure of the CSL transfer window next Tuesday.
Rooney missed Wednesday’s Europa League last-32 second leg in Saint-Etienne through injury, but dominated conversation in France.
Mourinho said that Rooney’s future was in his own hands in comments at his pre-match press conference that only fuelled the speculation.
“You’ll have to ask him,” Mourinho said. “You have to ask him. “Of course I can’t guarantee (he will be here). I can’t guarantee that I’m here next week, how can I guarantee that a player is here next season?”
– ‘Legend’ –
However, the Portuguese boss — previously in charge of United’s Premier League rivals Chelsea — added: “What I can guarantee is that if Wayne one day leaves the club it is not because I want him to leave the club.
“That’s the only thing I can guarantee.
“I would never push — or try to push — a legend of this club to another destiny.
“So you have to ask him if he sees himself staying in the club for the rest of his career or if he sees himself moving. It is not a question for me because I am happy to have him.”
Rooney has won five Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy since joining as an 18-year-old for £27 million ($34 million, 32 million euros) from Everton in 2004.
Now the immediate football issue for Rooney will be whether he’s fit enough to play in Sunday’s League Cup final against Southampton at Wembley.
Questions over Rooney’s long-term future are bound to remain, however, and it is still possible that he could, at some stage, follow the likes of former United team-mate Carlos Tevez, ex-Chelsea midfielder Oscar and striker Odion Ighalo, previously with Watford, in making a big-money move to the Far East.
England’s all-time top scorer, Rooney has won 119 caps and is closing in on goalkeeping great Peter Shilton’s national record of 125 appearances.
Rooney has, however, already announced plans to retire from international football after next year’s World Cup in Russia.
South African Government has assured that it will continue to collaborate with major stakeholders in Nigeria to find lasting solution to xenophobic attack of Nigerians in South Africa.
The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja when Sen. Shehu Sani, the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs visited him.
Mnguni, who condemned recent attacks on foreigners, particularly Nigerians in South Africa, said there was need for the two countries to work together to bring an end to the problem.
According to him, it is important for Nigeria and South Africa to bring strategists to discuss the issues at stake to find appropriate solution.
He said "we will look for ways to contain the tension and come up with measures to encourage interaction between the two countries and other African nations.
"South Africa cannot stay as an island; instead, it will continue to work toward peace building and integration."
The high commissioner added that the South African Government had always pushed for respect for human rights, stressing that there was no justification for the attacks.
He, however, urged foreigners to always abide by the laws of the countries where they live.
He said there were concerns among South Africans that a few foreigners, including Nigerians, were involved in drug peddling.
"We are not condoning violence, but it will be wrong not to reflect the concerns of South Africans, especially with regard to drug trafficking.
"We must not look at one side even though we are not condoning it. People must not take laws into their hands.
"When people go to other countries, they must respect the laws of the country,'' he said.
He explained that a few foreigners involved in drug trafficking and other crimes were giving false impression of other people in South Africa.
He said that "in spite of this, the South African Government had benefited immensely from the economic activities of foreigners.
"There are foreigners, including many Nigerians that are law abiding and are contributing to the economic development of South Africa.
"However, there are few people who give wrong impression of foreigners."
Earlier, Sani had expressed concern over recurring xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. He said it would portray the continent in bad light if allowed to continue, adding that
it was time for major stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the problem.
He said "Nigeria's relationship with South Africa dates back to the time of Apartheid.
"Nigeria is a major component in the struggle against apartheid.
"Should these attacks continue, relationship between the two countries might be weakened.
"The problem is a concern to the whole of Africa because the two countries are respected global players."
Sani also expressed concern that the attacks were perpetrated by a few persons whose actions did not reflect the position of the South African Government, in view of its bilateral relations with Nigeria.
The lawmaker urged aggrieved Nigerians who were protesting the attacks to do so within the confines of the law, as the two countries fashioned out ways to tackle the problem.
Two tenants- Samuel Uguru and Alom Chioma, on Thursday pleaded with a Masaka Chief Magistrates' Court, Nasarawa State, to help beg their landlord to exercise patience in respect of their rent arrears.
The landlord, Audu Hassan, dragged the defendants to court over N12, 500 each of them owed him as five months rent arrears.
Pleading before the court, Uguru, 35, said that he could not meet up with the payment of his house rent because he lost his job.
"I was a casual staff with an organisation I wouldn't want to disclose. They recently stopped me from working with them. I am a graduate of Geography Education, BSc to be precise.
"This predicament made me to withdraw my son from school and to send him to the village.
"I've just picked up a teaching job and I'm hoping that when they pay me, I will settle my landlord with half of the salary and balance him later.
"But if he says he does not want me in his house, he should give me three months more to vacate his house," he said.
Chioma, the second defendant, however, told the court that she had never had any issue with her landlord for the past 10 years she had been staying in the compound.
"I have, however, not been doing anything currently and my husband left me the moment I took in for the baby I'm carrying now," she said.
The plaintiff, Hassan, however, said he would only give both tenants one week to vacate his premises.
He stressed that they should go with the arrears as he was no longer interested.
"Both are yearly tenants. Their house rents expired since September 2016, but they had refused to renew their rents of N12, 500 each," he said.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Victor Manga, pleaded with the plaintiff to exercise little patience with the defendants and give them one month within which to look for alternative accommodation. He adjourned the case till March 23 for report.
Kanye West, an American rapper has filed legal documents for his own line of makeup' that will compete with sister-in-law Kylie Jenner's Lip Kits.
West, a 21 Grammy awards winner, is married to reality star Kim Kardashian, Jenner's half-sister and already has a successful music career and fashion with his Yeezy line.
According to a Thursday report from TMZ, the Paranoid singer has ''filed legal docs declaring his intention to produce DONDA brand makeup, perfumes, lotions and other cosmetics.''
Donda is the name of West's mother who passed away in 2007, the day after receiving multiple cosmetic surgeries.
Kanye West’
The rapper's move could be seen as bringing on competition for Jenner, 19, who has become a massive success in the family with the launch of her makeup line, Lip Kits which has made a fortune.
In October, Money Nation, a Web site that describes itself as a personal finance resource, estimates that Jenner has made 8.7 million dollar from branded merchandise.
Jenner recently branched out with her line of eye shadow.
But because Jenner is still a teenager, she may be safe in her younger demographic while West aims at a higher age group.
His wife Kim, 36, has also dabbled in the makeup business with sisters Khloe and Kourtney.
They launched Khroma several years ago which then turned into Kardashian Beauty.
Kanye in 2016, was hospitalised as a result of a 'nervous breakdown'.
The Federal Government on Thursday re-arraigned Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on an 18-count amended charge over false asset declaration and money laundering at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja.
The Prosecution team, led by Mr Rotimi Jacobs, filed the amended charge on Feb. 8 after the trial had gone underway with a number of prosecution witnesses testifying. Saraki was initially standing trial on a 13-count charge for alleged false asset declaration at the tribunal.
The trial, which started in September 2015, was later amended in 2016, with an addition of three charges, making it 16-count.
Bukola Saraki
The Chairman of the tribunal, Mr Umar Danladi, held that the court was compelled to give a short adjournment for the defendant's team to study the new charge.
The matter was then adjourned until Feb. 23 for the defendant to take his fresh plea. At the resumption of the trial, Saraki made his plea, where he denied all the allegations in the charge.
He said his trial was politically-motivated, adding that the allegations included in the charge made "no sense" to him.
Saraki's plea was immediately followed by the testimony of a prosecution witness, Mr Samuel Madojemu. Madojemu, an official of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), had earlier given evidence on Feb. 8.
He insisted that Saraki failed to capture his properties at No. 15a and 17a Macdonald street, Ikoyi, Lagos in the asset declaration form.
The witness said most of the documents tendered as exhibits were obtained by EFCC operatives and validated by the bureau.
Newsmen report that the amended charge also borders around false assets declaration and money laundering between 2003 and 2011 when the defendant was governor of Kwara. Meanwhile, the presiding judge had adjourned trial until March 2.
By Henry Umoru ABUJA – THE Senate Thursday asked the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPTIMS to account for $ 246m dollars which forms the balance from the 2016 budget set aside by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of Nigeria, NNPC for gas infrastructure.
According to the Senate, the NNPC had released a total of four hundred and forty six Million Dollars to NAPTIMS for the development of gas infrastructure in 2016, just as only $132 million dollars was extended.
This was uncovered the outstanding amount when the Group Managing Director of NAPTIMS, Dafe Sejebor appeared before the Senate joint committees on Gas Petroleum, Upstream, Downstream and Gas during the 2017 budget Defence of the NNPC’ s Upstream sector in Abuja.
The Joint committees asked NAPTIMS to provide details of the outstanding amount in the next sitting for proper clarification to approve the 2017 budget proposal of the NNPC’s Subsidiary.
NAPTIMS is the Upstream and Corporate Services Unit, CSU in the Exploration and Production Directorate of the NNPC.
Speaking on Thursday, Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas Resouces, Senator Albert Bassey Akpan, PDP, Akwa Ibom North East took as swipe at the company for unilaterally moving funds from one budgetary subhead to another subhead without recourse to the National Assembly, said, “It is the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly to vire funds from one subhead in the budget to another. So it is wrong for the company to have moved funds meant for gas infrastructure projects to another subhead.”
Accusing the company of abuse of due process when it presented its 2016 budget performance to the committee, Senator reminded the company that a budgetary balance of $1.8 billion was carried over from 2015 to 2016, while the sum of $ 3.8 billion was provided for in 2016 out of which it spent $4.2 billion leaving a huge balance, adding that $ 422 million was allocated in the 2016 Budget for gas infrastructure projects out of which it spent $ 318 million.
Asked to explain the reason for the debit balance in view of information to the contrary, Engr. Dafe Sejebor said that the budgetary balance was used to settle outstanding joint venture commitments.
The committee then ordered the company to furnish it with details of shortfalls of funds allocated for gas infrastructure projects.
In line with the decision of the Honourable minister of state for petroleum to ensure cost efficiency in the budgetary allocations in the oil and gas sector, the committee said it would allocate $12 billion to the Gas Industrial park project while it will not support any allocation to the Brass LNG.
Efforts by Dafe Sejebor to convince the Lawmakers that due process was followed in the expenditure of cash proved abortive.
Former Green Eagles star, Paul Okoku has pledged to sustain the charity works being spearheaded by the Greater Tomorrow Children Fund.
Speaking at the maiden football tournament that the GTCF organised for Internally Displaced Persons camps in Abuja, the former Flying Eagles vice captain said he was moved to give back to the less privileged persons in the society in order to bridge the big divide between the rich and the poor.
While hinging the success of charity bodies on contributions and support from members of the society and corporate organisations, Okoku, who won a silver medal at the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations, urged kind-hearted Nigerians to join the GTCF to alleviate the suffering of poor Nigerians.
Hon. Dr. Abdullahi Balarabe Salame, Sadiya Farouq, Federal Commissioner for IDP Camps and Refugees, Hon. Sani Zorro and Paul Okoku, during a courtesy call by GTCF
"Our foundation remains committed to alleviating suffering of the masses and that explains why we take our time to reach those who are feeling the full impact of deprivation like persons living in (refugee) camps for internally displaced people.
"Of course, we need the support of kind-hearted Nigerians to fulfill and sustain the legacies that we stand for and hope for a better society for everybody. We would not give up, neither are we going to rest on our laurels. It is just the beginning of what we know will be a fruitful charitable work for deprived ones", added Okoku.
Meanwhile, the former WAFU cup champion, during a visit to the House Committee on Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees, National House of Assembly, chaired by Hon. Muhammed Sani Zorro and Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, said the success of the event in Abuja would have been lost had the two members of Nigeria’s parliament not supported the two-day event held at the FIFA Goal project of the Abuja National Stadium.
"We came to thank you for supporting this project, which would not have been the success it is if you did not believe in it. Thank you for believing in us and we hope that your door shall remain open to us when next we come", said Okoku
In another development, Okoku thanked the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), for allowing GTCF t use the FIFA Goal project field that brought special excitement to the kids who have never played on a field like that before.
Okoku also visited the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, to extend his appreciation for sending a representative, Victor Osuaha Chinedu to the event . He also thanked all financial donors and "those who supported s in kind, our volunteers and ex-internationals for making this event a success".
The Roller Sports Federation of Nigeria has rolled out an ambitious and robust plan to ensure that some of its skaters qualify to participate in the next Olympics Games, Tokyo 2020.
Speaking during its annual press briefing day at the National Stadium, Lagos, the federation’s President, Comrade Joseph Evah, said he was confident that its skaters will qualify and do Nigeria proud at the Tokyo Olympics, which will see the debut of rolling and skating.
Comrade Joseph Evah
"I am confident that our skaters have what it takes to do Nigeria proud in any international competition, and our plans is to qualify them for the next Olympics. Skating is set to feature at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and our federation is determined to ensure that Nigerian skaters compete at the Games. Olympics is the biggest stage for sports and we do not want to be left behind. We will do our home work to ensure that our skaters qualify to represent Nigeria at the biggest sporting competition in the world", said Evah.
To achieve the Olympic dream,, Evah said the federation will expose skaters to top-level competitions within and outside the country, pointing out that plans are on to organise the inaugural Skating Marathon in Lagos.
While noting that the 42.2km skating marathon will be open only to the over 500 registered skaters in the nation, Evah said the objective of the event was to raise awareness on the sport in the country.
"The Skating Marathon is going to be a full marathon of 42.2 km. The idea is to make the sport more popular in the country. Skating could be very young in Nigeria but we have a strong support base," Evah said.
He noted that the federation was at the vanguard of ensuring that Nigerian skaters are not left behind in the goings-on in the sports within the region and continent.
"Last year, we participated in an international competition in Benin Republic and our skaters came back with five medals. We also participated in a skating competition in Cameroon, where we won medals. It shows that Nigeria is blessed with the talents to rule the world in skating".
Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo has primed himself to burst loose when the much-anticipated 2017 soccer season of the Chinese Super League (CSL) kicks off next Friday, March 3.
The opening weekend of the money-spinning CSL starts with a tussle between Guizhou Zhicheng and Liaoning Whowin, while on the next day, Ighalo’s club, Changchun Yata, are on the road to face Shanghai East Asia, even as the club of Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel,, Tianjin Quanjian have an away game against Guangzhou R&F.
Ighalo, who joined Changchun Yatai from Watford, for a whopping £20m fee, is being looked up to by the moneybags Far East side to produce the goals that will catapult them to the title and an Asian Champions League qualification ticket.
And Ighalo, who made an impressive start to life while playing for Watford in the English Premier League, has spoken of his desire to replicate the same scoring form that helped Watford secure their Premier League status and reach the semi-finals of the most glamorous and oldest football competition in the world, the FA Cup at his new Chinese club.
In a tweet posed on his twitter handle, Ighalo said that "I can’t wait to get going in my the league here in China. The d-day is gradually coming and my aim is to score goals for my club and hope we can win the league".
After scoring a total of 39 goals in 100 appearances for Watford, the former Granada star forward, will feel confident that he can do better in the Chinese Super League, which is still at its infancy level.
With fewer top-level competitors playing in the Chinese Super League, Ighalo, who is one of the stand-out foreigner strikers snapped up during the transfer market, may end up just surpassing his modest expectations if things work according to plans.
And his club, Changchun Yata, may well be ready to splash out more cash on a player, whose football journey is only just picking up.
Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Mr Ayodele Fayose has slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, especially the police on their roles in subverting the rights of Nigerians to choose their leaders in free, fair and credible elections.
Ayodele Fayose
He said; "While we continue to watch with keen interest, revelations coming from the Edo State Governorship Election Tribunal, the open display of partisanship in the Rivers State rerun elections has made it so obvious that INEC and police have become so shameless in their open display of support for the All Progressives Congress (APC)."
Governor Fayose's Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, quoted the governor as saying in a release issued in Ado Ekiti on Thursday that it was worrisome that INEC and the Police are no longer hiding their alliance with the APC against Nigerians.
He said; "We have seen the police and INEC going back and forth on Rivers State rerun elections and I wish to ask the police; what happened to that suspect, Christian Chukwuemela Ekikeme, who reportedly confessed to the complicity of some APC top-shots in the murder of DSP Mohammed Alkali?
“Shouldn't the police be more interested in bringing those who allegedly killed its officer to justice?
"Also, what has happened to that Yobe State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) established to have received N15 million bribe to rig the Yobe State election?"
The governor warned that any attempt to rig the 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State will be resisted by the people, saying; "Here in Ekiti, we are waiting for them. If INEC and its ally, APC like, they can print as many Form EC8A as it can, they will fail."
He said; "It is sad that snatching of ballot boxes, hijacking of voting materials, electoral violence and most importantly, falsification of election results, which had become a thing of the past have returned to our electoral process. INEC and security agencies, especially the police have merged with the APC and the way they are going, results of elections will one day be announced in Abuja in favour of APC without casting a single ballot."
Governor Fayose, who called on the international community, especially election observers to pay more attention to the conduct of elections in Nigeria under the APC government, said; "Democracy is in danger in Nigeria! God forbid, if Nigeria is allowed to sink beyond the level that it is now, the entire continent of Africa will not be able to control the consequences."
Rotimi Ojomoyela Ado-Ekiti-There was a palpable tension in Ipao-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, as some irate youth refused to allow Fulani herdsmen from grazing in the community.
A source in the Community revealed to newsmen that the situation has been like this for the past two weeks and it got worse on Tuesday when the angry youths went into the bush and started firing gunshots to scare away the herdsmen and their cattle.
A resident in the town, who spoke under anonymity said the youths had insisted on the herdsmen leaving the town.
Another resident said the herdsmen also returned the fire with a superior fire power to push the hunters back while fleeing to safety.
To prevent the matter from escalating into full scale war, the Local Government Chairman on Wednesday quickly summoned an emergency meeting between the elders and youths in the town.
When contacted on Wednesday, the Councillor for Oke-Ako/Ipao/Irele, Mr. Olusegun Kehinde, confirmed that an expanded meeting had been called for Friday.
“The situation is under control. We have summoned a meeting among all the stakeholders including the herdsmen for Friday.
“We have appealed to our people to maintain peace and thank God, so far, there is no lost of lives of human and cows.
“Our people are suspicious of the herdsmen because of the kind of arms some of them are carrying: that is why they are resisting them.
“We are ensuring that the farmers, hunters and the herdsmen live together in peace because we are all one. But we must live and operate within the law of the land.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti state Command, Alberto Adeyemi, said he was to receive such briefing from the Area Commander and the Divisional Police Officer.
He said officers of the command our on ground to handle any emergencies adding that police hot lines had been circulated among residents in the town.
Adeyemi added that there was nothing to indicate tension in the town as the Police were alive to their responsibilities.
A Lagos High Court in Ikeja has sentenced a man, Sulaiman Olalekan to death by hanging for the murder of his wife, Mrs Chika Egbo on November 20, 2012 in a case of domestic violence.
The convict (Olalekan), on the fateful day, had poured acid on his Wife, having become overwhelmed by the fact that the deceased went back to prostitution against his best advice.
Trial judge, Justice Lawal Akapo, in his judgment, convicted Olalekan for the murder of his wife and sentenced him to death accordingly.
After the sad incidence which resulted in the eventual death of the victim, Chika, and in line with the zero tolerance posture of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration on issues of domestic violence, the Lagos State Government through the State's Ministry of Justice had taken over the prosecution of the case and filed necessary processes in court.
Olalekan reportedly met the deceased at Signal Hotel in Ijeshatedo area of Lagos State, where they started a relationship that resulted in marriage.
It was after the marriage that Olalekan bought her a second hand Volkswagen Bus and paid her school fees at the Enugu College of Education.
But the deceased reportedly reneged on her commitment to the relationship by returning to prostitution, which caused Olalekan to procure acid from a battery charger in Ikotun area of the State and deceitfully invited her to visit with his mother on the said day when he poured raw acid on the deceased.
The victim was admitted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for emergency medical treatment, where she eventually died.
Justice Akapo, in arriving at his judgment, said he believed that the murder of Chika Egbo by Olalekan was premeditated.
The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, who was the lead prosecuting Counsel, in his reaction to the judgment, thanked the Court for a well-considered punishment.
He said: "Today's judgment is a victory in our fight against domestic violence and a victory for domestic violence victims."
Governor Ambode, it would be recalled, had pledged to make Lagos uncomfortable for perpetrators of domestic violence when he led an All-Male Walk against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) late last year.
Sen. Binta Garba, the Chairman, Senate Committee Chairman on Women Affairs, on Thursday advocated for more political will to advance women issues in the country.
The chairman made the call at the opening ceremony of a two-day roundtable on women's right, youth development and media advocacy organised by the Proactive Gender Initiatives, an NGO in Abuja.
Garba noted that out of the 109 senators representing their senatorial districts, only seven women were among them.
He therefore called for opportunities to be given to women to give expression to their voices in the scheme of things in the country. "Our leaders need the political will to do that,'' he said.
Garba said that there must be an enforcement of all the laws regulating the rights of women and the girl-child education in line with the charters and protocol signed by Nigeria and the UN.
"This conversation about the role of women and youths can never be enough; this is because of the enormous potential this group of people have to shape the destiny and direction of not only our country but that of humanity.
Senator Binta Masi Garba
"Nigerian woman and the youth are fully part of the Nigerian project and have the skills to contribute their quota the Nigerian state.
"But can they get a better deal, the answer to this question are not just in black and white given the complexity of issues such as religion, cultural, societal and constitutional.
"However, the possibility exist to give woman and youth a foothold in the Nigerian space such that they can become part of decision making,'' she stressed.
Garba called on the women and girls to continue to have positive dreams about their futures and not to be put off by the numerous issues confronting them.
According to her, there is every reason for Nigerian women and girls to remain hopeful once they can continue to galvanise community actions and join voices together to press forward their demands.
On her part, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki, called on women and girls to continue to seek for education to become responsible in the society.
Represented by Mrs Irene Samuel, the Programme Development Officer, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, an Abuja based NGO, Saraki noted that community leaders must denounce the harmful traditional practices of mutilating girls and trading them like cattle. "For the girl child to rise and prosper in the society, education is paramount.
"Girls make 50 per cent of our country or more, why are so many of them out of school,'' Saraki said.
Journalists report that the roundtable focused on women advancement at the centre-stage of decision making among various levels of government.
The roundtable was co-organised in partnership with Ford Foundation, an international NGO.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said that Nigeria was making arrangements to inaugurate the first African Sovereign Green Bond to address climate change and environmental projects.
Osinbajo made the commitment at the Green Bonds Capital Market & Investors Conference organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Debt Management Office (DMO) at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) office in Lagos.
Bonds are debt instruments issued by a government or a company which represent a fixed sum of money that was borrowed.
Green Bonds are debt instruments tied to environmental projects to address climate change.
He said that the Federal Government under the Green Bonds initiative would give N20 billion under the first tranche before the end of the first quarter through the nation's bourse.
Ag Pres Osinbajo
Osinbajo, who described the initiative as a new addition to the market funding portfolio, stated that the proceeds would be used to fight climate change.
He said that climate change had led to more natural disasters, thereby impacting negatively on food, water and energy supply.
The acting President said that the initiative would also provide an opportunity to deepen the capital market as well as tackle poverty.
According to Osinbajo, the bond issuance will support the Federal Government's shift to non-oil base assets for project financing for economic growth and development.
He said that the proceeds of the bonds would be used for environmental projects such as renewable energy micro-utilities in three communities estimated at N10 billion.
Besides, he said it would as well provide an average of 33KW of power through solar technology.
Osinbajo noted that power had poised a major challenge in the nation's universities, adding that 37 federal universities and seven teaching hospitals would benefit from the Energising Education Programme (EEP).
He stated that the EEP project estimated to cost 213 million dollars would provide119 mega watts of power in 37 universities using off grid solar technology.
According to him, Nigerians should embrace the bond initiative, the first in Africa to benefit from its higher yields.
Osinbajo, who commended the ministries of Finance and Environment for the foresight in putting the bonds together, said the initiative would attract more private sector participation to the market.
Also speaking, Mrs Amina Mohammed, Minister of Environment, said that the project was in line with the Federal Government's sustainable development initiative borne in September 2016.
Mohammed said the government, under its recovery growth plan initiative, identified Green Bonds as a vehicle that could be used to drive the economy in terms of environmental projects funding.
She said that the bonds if properly harnessed would create new jobs, open new investment avenues for the country as well as ensure creative thinking.
Mohammed stated that the proceeds would be invested in critical social-economic and environmental sectors that would impact on the lives of common Nigerians.
She said that the domestic investors needed to rally round the issuance to ensure its success in order to support government diversification agenda.
The minister said that the bond's proceeds would be managed by DMO.
Mr Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, said that the initiative was borne based on extensive consultation.
Fashola said that the DMO would determine the amount that would be used for all projects earmarked under the Green Bonds.
He said that Nigeria was working toward achieving 30 per cent in renewable energy by 2030, adding that Solar Unit Distribution Programme (SUDIP) project was estimated to cost N1.3 billion.
According to him, the units in aggregate from the project will provide up to 12mws of power, creating 6,000 jobs and impacting at least 60,000 persons.
A South Africa- based Nigerian businessman, Mr Abayomi Oyetoro, said on Thursday that his two children were still in critical condition in a hospital after Saturday's xenophobic attacks in that country.
Oyetoro told newsmen on telephone from Pretoria, South Africa, that he threw his children, aged six and nine years, over a neighbour`s fence when a mob attacked his house.
"When they came to my house in Pretoria West, I threw my three children across a neighbour's fence to save their lives.
"The youngest hit his skull on the ground while my daughter also got badly injured.
"As we speak, my children are still in critical condition and we are praying to God to save their lives.
"Honestly, I do not know the motive of the attack. My house was burnt; everything was destroyed, including my car and international passport.
"We are just managing to survive by God`s grace,'' Oyetoro said.
He said Nigerians and other foreigners were now living in fear over reports of a planned attack on Friday.
Oyetoro appealed to the Federal Government to come to their aid following the complete loss suffered in the attacks.
Gifty Powers, the controversial ex-housemate in the ongoing #BBNaija Reality TV show said she is neither a mother nor married. She also flatly denied the existence of any sex-tape on her.
Gifty, took to her Instagram handle, officialgiftypowers on Thursday to refute the rumour about her sex tape and marital status circulating on the social media platform.
In her words she said, "so, they said that I am married and I have a boyfriend who is threatening to release a sex tape if I don't share the BBN money with him…now.
"I want to clear it out by writing it here that please I am not married, I do not have any sex tape & I do not have any child for anybody…
Gifty
"These are just crazy rumours and for the fact such is out, then guys do expect more. I see this person won't rest till he/she is satisfied.''
Gifty, who is a model, actress and former beauty queen before joining #BBNaija show came under intense criticisms before her eviction last Sunday when she denied knowing popular musicians such as Falz da Bad Guy and Banky W.
She also accused Banky W of being proud and receiving payment to visit the big brother house.
She later apologised after her eviction, calling her stance a 'game plan'.
Gifty also admitted to being fake in a recent interview especially with her accent and some of her behaviour while in the #BBNaija House.
Mr Ademola Odunade, the President of a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, has dissolved an 11-year-old marriage between Emmanuel Oyebadejo and his wife Bukola over adultery and trouble making.
Odunade remarked on Thursday that there was no more need for any settlement since both Emmanuel and Bukola have remarried.
"Therefore, in the interest of peaceful coexistence, the union between Emmanuel and Bukola has ceased to be, henceforth.
"Bukola shall take custody of the 10-year-old child produced by the union and Emmanuel shall provide N5,000 as monthly feeding allowance for the upkeep of the child.
"In addition, Emmanuel shall be responsible for the child's welfare and education," the Arbitrator said.
Earlier in his explanation before the court, Emmanuel said that his wife, Bukola was fornicating with his long-time friend who stood as his best man on their wedding day.
"My lord, soon after Bukola moved into my home, she stopped obeying my instructions and often took me through series of insult, abuses and disrespect.
"She started engaging in adultery with my long-time friend who stood as best man on our wedding day, an act which I consider as horrible.
"When Bukola became an unrepentant trouble maker, I reported her on a number of occasions to her parents and Bukola's father did a lot in changing her positively, but her mother was a very bad influence on her. "Then, I handed her over to my best man who I felt could talk to her on my behalf.
love making
"I noticed that they were frequently having meetings, but their meetings were adulterous ones, my people told me and I caught them myself.
"During that period, I got a job in Lagos and I sometimes travel to Abuja for purpose of business. That friend of mine was still having sexual affairs with her.
"I had stopped having any sexual relationship with Bukola since I got to know that she has become adulterous. She told me that she was pregnant and I said that I was not responsible for it.
"My lord, we have stopped leaving together for the past six years, but I have been sending N2,500 every two weeks to her for the upkeep of the child. "I will like to have custody of the child," Emmanuel prayed the court.
However, Bukola who did not oppose the divorce suit was also silent on the allegation that she was adulterous.
"My lord, Emmanuel is in no way a responsible husband and father. He had abandoned the child and I for more than nine years and the child can't even recognise him. "He has sent no money to us for care," Bukola stated.
However, there were contradictory evidences from the witnesses supporting both Emmanuel and Bukola as to whether Emmanuel was responsible or not.
Emmanuel resides at Sango-Ota, Ogun State, while Bukola resides at Odo-Oba area of Ibadan.
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