A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
…Says Arrested Killers Of LASTMA Commander To Aid Investigation
The Lagos State Government on Monday allayed fears of residents on suspected explosive substance which was allegedly dropped in a manhole in one of the Streets in Agege area of the State, saying that the development was nothing to worry about.
The development had led to residents scampering for safety following the bomb scare, but rising from the Monthly Security Council Meeting chaired by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the government urged the people to go about their normal businesses as the situation had been put under control.
The State's Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, who briefed journalists at the end of the meeting alongside service commanders of security formations and top government functionaries in the State, said security agencies responded swiftly to the development and found out that contrary to rumour the substance was just pieces of thrash dropped in the manhole.
He said: "Early this morning, we were alerted to a situation where it was reported that some passersby dropped something on the manholes in one of the streets at Agege which led to a bomb scare.
"The security operatives quickly responded; the bomb disposal unit also went there; those manholes were checked and it was found out that it was just thrash that were thrown into those manholes.
"We also seized the opportunity to do what is called sweeping of the environment to reassure members of the public that security operatives in the State are more alive to their responsibilities, and that once we get information on a timely basis, response will also be done in a swift manner to ensure that nothing untoward happen in Lagos."
He said the meeting, being the first for the year, was used to appraise the performance of security outfits in the State last year, and strategize for the New Year.
"We have done an appraisal of what happened last year in terms of our challenges and the modest achievements that were recorded last year and use that to prepare for the year and improve on what we have been doing and to position ourselves very well for the new challenges that could emerge in the year with the view to making the people of Lagos and their properties safer and more secured," Owoseni said.
While assuring the people that security outfits and the State Government were more poised, repositioned and more willing to ensure smooth security operations in the State, the Commissioner urged residents not to hesitate to supply necessary security information as at when due.
Speaking on the arrest of two persons in connection with the gruesome murder of a Zonal Commander of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Surajudeen Olatunji Bakare in Apapa late last year, Owoseni said investigation into the case was still ongoing, but that those arrested would help in arresting others who were part of the mob action that led to the incident.
He said: "It is an ongoing investigation. You know there was a video recording which we have considered and it is based on some of the faces that we saw that we picked those people that were arrested.
"It was a mob action and we don't want to rush to court without doing a good clinical finishing of forensic analysis of the faces to match them with what we have seen in the video and for those fellows that have been arrested to be able to say oh yes these are the other people that were there.
"As investigation is going on, we would be unveiling the development to the people of Lagos, but what we just want to do is to ensure that all such impunities are stopped in Lagos State."
Besides, the CP recalled the arrest of some Boko Haram suspects in Lagos recently, saying that the collaborative effort and synergy that had always existed among security agencies in the State led to the arrests.
He said henceforth, government and security agencies have resolved to further put their ears more on ground and open their eyes more widely to ensure that those elements were not allowed any space to operate in Lagos.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Zamfara has withdrawn all medical services to Police officers and their families in the state, a statement has said.
The statement was jointly signed by the Chairman of the association, Dr Tijjani Abubakar and the Secretary, Dr Mannir Bature, issued to newsmen on Monday in Gusau.
The doctors said that the decision also affected family members of the police including their children.
`We write to regrettably give notice to the general public the decision of all medical doctors practicing in Zamfara state to withdraw services to men and officers of Zamfara State Command of Nigerian Police Force including members of their families.
"This decision became necessary owing to the failure of the command to address the issue of assault on our member, Dr Nasir Aminu by their patrol team leading to loss of his several teeth.
"Based on this, we have taken this decision and we are therefore advising them to seek medical services elsewhere,'' the association said.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Shaba Alkali, when contacted described the decision as unfortunate and embarrassing to the command.
Alkali said, "I have received the letter of their decision and we are now working on how to address the issue, I have directed the deputy commissioner of the command to invite them so that we can meet with them on Wednesday.
"I am therefore calling on them to come and meet the command to resolve this issue peacefully.''
Since the decision of the state government to ban movement of the motorcycles from 8p.m. to 6 a.m. across the state, many workers on essential services such as doctors and journalists have been maltreated by the police.
The police took advantage of the order to harass people without waiting for explanation.
The police patrol team operating near Anguwar gwaza quarters, Gusau attacked Dr Nasiru Aminu in Aug. 2016 on his way to his house from hospital where he was beaten with sticks leading to loss of his teeth.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Monday, approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court for an order stopping further probe into violence that marred the December 10, 2016, legislative re-run election in the state.
He applied for an interim order of injunction barring the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, from proceeding with planned investigation into complaints, petitions, allegations of crime and various acts of criminality during the poll.
Aside the IGP, Wike, in the ex-parte motion he filed through his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, joined the State Security Services (SSS) and a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Damian Okoro, as defendants in the suit.
Moving the motion before Justice Gabriel Kolawole on Monday, Ozehkome, SAN, prayed the court to issue an interim order of injunction restraining the defendants or their agents from enforcing or executing matters contained in a letter the IGP wrote to Wike on December 20, 2016, pertaining to the probe.
He told the court the IGP had in the said letter entitled, ‘Investigation into allegations of crimes committed during the last rerun elections in Rivers state’, stated that the, “purview of the investigation will cover allegations of bribes taken, several brazen murder incidents (including that of serving Police Officers), reports of gross human rights abuses, acts of sabotage/terrorism, kidnapping for ransom and ballot box snatching, all of which were perpetrated in connivance with several federal and state civil servants as well as highly placed politicians within and outside the state”.
The letter also requested the governor to furnish the Police investigative team with all necessary information and exhibits that may assist the team in the investigation.Wike
Ozekhome insisted that action of the Police to constitute a panel to investigate crisis that trailed the rerun elections in Rivers state was illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and null and void.
He said it would be in the interest of justice for the court to set aside the IGP’s letter to governor Wike and direct the Police boss to await the outcome of the commission of inquiry set up by the Rivers State government.
Wike, via a supporting affidavit he attached to the motion, told the court that it was security operatives, mainly the Police and the Army that orchestrated violence following their partisan stance during the poll.
He said some untoward behaviour of security operatives deployed for the exercise were caught on tape and presented to Nigerians and the whole world by various reputable television stations.
Contrary to fears in some quarters that it might take a while before a new monarch is installed for Isan-Ekiti, the hometown of the immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who is also a major opposition figure, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has presented the Staff and Instrument of Office to the new Onisan, Oba Adejuwon Gabriel Ayodele.
The installation followed the selection of Oba Ayodele by all the six kingmakers in the town to fill the vacant stool and prevent a vacuum that could stall the progress of the community.
Speaking on the occasion in Isan-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of the state, Governor Fayose said as the leader of the state, he had no axe to grind with anybody and would never interfere in traditional matters.
A statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, quoted the governor as saying that he would never play politics on trample on truth or deny any group their rights.
“As God has made me the leader of the state at this period, I must be fair to all and this I am doing in the handling of state matters. That Isan-Ekiti is the hometown of former Governor Kayode Fayemi does not mean the right thing must not be done.
The ruling house that is next to produce the next monarch came forward with their list of candidates and interestingly, all the six kingmakers voted for one candidate.
”Politics should not get to the level of meddling in traditional matters like the selection of monarchs for communities, anybody who does that would have unpleasant consequences to contend with.
“Whoever tries to influence the choice of kings for communities for one reason or the other, will in the end incur the wrath of God. It is God who puts people in positions of authority and anybody who goes against the will of God for a community as far as choosing their leader is concerned, should now that he is contending with God.
“With the demise of the former king, I was told it was the Ilomi Ruling House that would produce the next Onisan and the candidates brought forward by the ruling house were taken to the kingmakers in the town and all the six voted for one candidate who is being given the staff and instrument of office today.
“We don’t meddle in affairs that do not concern us and the process has been peaceful. If there is any aggrieved person among those who contested the stool, he can go to court. On our part, we have done what the laws of the land empower us to do,” he said.
Governor Fayose urged Oba Ayodele to extend hand of friendship and fellowship to other contestants and advised the people to support him for the growth of their town.
The Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Kolapo Kolade, said the stool became vacant following the passing on of Oba Sunday Ajiboye on November 6, 2015.
The new Onisan, Oba Adejuwon Ayodele, thanked the state government for the transparent manner the selection process was conducted.
He promised to carry everybody along in the running of the affairs of the town.
Prof. Abubakar Njodi, the Vice Chancellor, University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), says the university will not close in spite Monday's bomb blast by Boko Haram insurgents that killed a professor and four others.
Njodi spoke on Monday in Maiduguri, when Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole of the Nigerian Army paid him a sympathy visit.
"I can convince the senate, the management and the university community to close the school to save lives.
"But if we do that, we are not helping because we have to give the security our maximum support and our support is not to join them in the battle field.
"If we run away, that means there is nobody they should be fighting for. We should stay and resolve it, after all the war is about us, western education.”
"If we stay, the terrorists will be frustrated because that is their aim.
"What is the point of fighting for us if we run? We should stand our ground so that the military will be proud that the people they are fighting for are on ground.
"Therefore, our decision is not to close the university. We want to assure you our theatre commander, the university remains open and we will continue with our examinations tomorrow.
"We suspended the exams for today because we want the military to come and access what happened," Njodi said.
He, however, appealed to the military to beef up security in the outskirts of the university to forestall future occurrence.
Earlier, Maj.-Gen. Irabor, the Theatre Commander, said he came to the sympathise with the UNIMAID community on the loss of lives of Prof. Aliyu Mani and others who died as a result of the suicide bomb attack.
Irabor said: "As we have already said and will continue to say that there is frustration in the Boko Haram camp.
"They have tried severally to bring sorrows and pain to the university and the rest of the communities and have failed.
"We, therefore, enjoin you not to be deterred. This is a clear sign that the end of Boko Haram has come.
"The people should, therefore, continue with their normal life to let the Boko Haram know they have failed.
"We should let them know that the extent of their stupidity and callousness do not have any impact on us anymore, " Irabor said.
Enugu Rangers coach Imama Amapakabo has decried the performance of some of his key players in the club’s opening day loss to Abia Warriors.
The current league champions started their title defense in the worst possible manner on Sunday afternoon when they lost the Oriental derby 2-1 in front of their fans at “The Cathedral” as the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium is now known.
Speaking after the defeat, Amapakabo attributed the loss to the low performance of some of his players, without mentioning any one in particular.
Amapakabo
“When the game started, we had about seven players that did not come to the party,” began Amapakabo.
“So when you have up to seven players that are not up there, and these are same players that few months ago were champions of Nigeria, we managed to hope as best as possible that the result would come at the end of the day (but it did not).” lamented Imama who started the game with ten (10) of the players that were part of the title winning side last term.
Rangers only goal of the game was scored by former Akwa United striker Fortune Omoniwari who was making his Rangers debut and despite his team’s apparent lack of goals in recent games, Imama remains unruffled. Rangers lost on penalties to FC Ifeanyiubah in the Nigerian Charity Cup last Wednesday after a goalless encounter
“We are creating the chances which is good. It is my responsibility to see that they start scoring and we will improve on that. It is a long season and we started last year by losing away (at Kano Pillars), we have 37 more games to play and I’m sure we will get it right.” he enthused.
Rangers play on the road to Nasarawa United in midweek and perhaps may reverse their poor start. Their hosts, Nasarawa United, secured an opening day draw at Confederation Cup hopefuls, Wikki Tourists on Sunday and will be playing their first game in their home ground in Lafia in two years after playing all of last season in Makurdi due to renovation works at the Lafia Township Stadium.
Sarah Ofili, the former fiancee of rapper Ikechukwu has revealed that she accepted the proposal because it was in public.
She also reacted to the recent allegations by the rapper that she was cheating on him with his friend, Terry the Rapman.
Recall that Killz, as Ikechukwu is fondly called, was on a radio show recently where he suggested that Sarah had been cheating on him with Terry tha Rapman. All hell broke loose on social media with Terry and Joy Madaki (his sister who's Sarah's best friend) both taking shots at Ikechukwu.
Ikechukwu and Sarah when the going was good
Ikechukwu had said, "Perfect example, you wanted the limelight. You have Killz (Ikechukwu)… (taking) you everywhere like on a mantlepiece, carrying her everywhere like, 'you must build this profile, you must give this girl name…then you free that and then you went to go f*ck with Terry, what the f*ck does he have?"
Miss Ofili took her chance to fire back at Killz this weekend when she was on Happenings Radio to talk about broken engagements.
According to her, she was deliberately put in a situation where she couldn't say no by Ikechukwu when he proposed to her.
"I accepted his proposal because of pressure…he proposed in public because he knew if he had done it in private, it was likely I would have said no. I wish I said no but poo happens… I broke off the engagement because he was a pathological liar…
He's old but he still hasn't grown up. If he's still thinking about his ex after four years, I pity the girl he's currently dating," she said.
Rita Effiong, 36, slumped in a Gudu Upper Area Court in Abuja on Monday when her case was mentioned for hearing.
Her counsel, Mrs Grace Achesau pleaded that the matter be adjourned on grounds of ill health, adding that it was only the living that can stand trial.
"From what can be seen, my client is not fit to stand trial'', Achesau stressed.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Fidelis Ogbobe, opposed the application for adjournment, saying that the defendant came to the court on her own.
"Besides, there is no medical report to prove that she is sick. I came with two witnesses who are ready to testify against her'', Ogbobe added.
Effiong is standing trial on a three-count charge of criminal breach of trust, cheating and escape from lawful custody.
After considering the arguments of both counsel, the judge, Mr Umar Kagarko, adjourned the case till Jan.18.
The case, brought against her by the police on Dec.12, 2016, was adjourned to Jan.16 when the defendant pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N550, 000.
Earlier, the prosecutor told the court that Augustine Ekwu of 14 Winnipeg Close, Maitama, Abuja, had reported the matter at FCT Police Command on Nov.14, 2016.
He said the defendant had falsely presented herself as a visa agent to the complainant in 2012,.
"Based on this pretence, the complainant paid her N500, 000 with Guarantee Trust Bank cheque and equally gave her his international passport'', Ogbobe said.
He added that all efforts made to recover the money and the international passport proved abortive.
According to Ogbobe, "she ran away from police investigation room before she was re-arrested by police officers on duty.''
He said the offence was contrary to sections 312, 322 and 172 of the Penal Code.
Just five days to his inauguration President-elect Donald J. Trump has questioned why the United State was still spending money to fight the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria, why all of the schoolgirls kidnapped by the group have not been rescued and whether Qaeda operatives from Africa are living in the United States.
He went further questioned the effectiveness of one of the more significant counterterrorism efforts on the continent. TRUMP According to New York Times Trump in four-page write up raised Africa-related questions.
"How does U.S. business compete with other nations in Africa? Are we losing out to the Chinese?" asks one of the first questions in the unclassified document provided to The New York Times.
That is quickly followed with queries about humanitarian assistance money. "With so much corruption in Africa, how much of our funding is stolen? Why should we spend these funds on Africa when we are suffering here in the U.S.?
Some of the questions are those that should be asked by a new administration seeking to come to grips with the hows and whys behind longstanding American national security and foreign assistance policies. But it is difficult to know whether the probing, critical tone of other questions indicates that significant policy changes should be expected.
On terrorism, the document asks why the United States is even bothering to fight the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria, why all of the schoolgirls kidnapped by the group have not been rescued and whether Qaeda operatives from Africa are living in the United States. And it questions the effectiveness of one of the more significant counterterrorism efforts on the continent.
"We've been fighting al-Shabaab for a decade, why haven't we won?" poses one question, referring to the terrorist group based in Somalia that was behind the Westgate mall attacks in Kenya in 2013.
Although the document represents a first look at how the new administration might approach policy toward Africa, a subject that was rarely touched on during the campaign, officials with the Trump transition team did not respond to queries about the list.
"Many of the questions that they are asking are the right questions that any incoming administration should ask," said Monde Muyangwa, the director of the Africa program at the Woodrow Wilson Institute.
But she also noted that "the framing of some of their questions suggests a narrower definition of U.S. interests in Africa, and a more transactional and short-term approach to policy and engagement with African countries."
Ms. Muyangwa said the queries could signal "a dramatic turn in how the United States will engage with the continent."
J. Peter Pham, who has been mentioned for the job of assistant secretary of state for African affairs in a Trump administration, said he does not expect Mr. Trump to do a complete U-turn in relations with Africa.
Mr. Pham, director of the Africa program at the Atlantic Council, said he expects Mr. Trump will emphasize fighting extremism on the continent, while also looking to enhance opportunities for American businesses.
In other questions, the Trump transition team challenges the benefits of a trade pact known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act. "Most of AGOA imports are petroleum products, with the benefits going to national oil companies, why do we support that massive benefit to corrupt regimes?" the questionnaire asks.
Yet Mr. Pham said he expected a Trump administration would support the pact. "AGOA has created more than 120,000 jobs in the United States," Mr. Pham said in an interview.
A big unknown, though, is how a Trump administration will handle foreign assistance to the continent and its 54 nations.
President George W. Bush quadrupled foreign assistance levels to African countries, and President Obama largely maintained that, even as his administration was making cuts elsewhere.
Even so, the amount of American aid in 2015 to other critical allies — Afghanistan ($5.5 billion), Israel ($3.1 billion), Iraq ($1.8 billion) and Egypt ($1.4 billion) — far exceeded the approximately $8 billion for all of sub-Saharan Africa.
The questions seem to reflect the inaccurate view shared by many Americans about how much the United States spends on foreign aid and global health programs. Polls show that Americans believe the country spends 25 percent of its budget on foreign aid — but the truth is that foreign aid is just 1 percent of the federal budget.
"We've been hunting Kony for years, is it worth the effort?" poses another series of questions related to Joseph Kony, the warlord head of Uganda's violent guerrilla group the Lord's Resistance Army, who has eluded the authorities for three decades. "The LRA has never attacked U.S. interests, why do we care? Is it worth the huge cash outlays? I hear that even the Ugandans are looking to stop searching for him, since they no longer view him as a threat, so why do we?"
The hunt for Mr. Kony and his fighters has generated a huge amount of publicity around the world, in large part because of a video on his elusiveness and brutality, "Kony 2012," that has been viewed more than 100 million times on YouTube.
But other questions, foreign policy experts say, return to a theme of a continent that has squandered American money and effort. The questions challenge, for instance, a hallmark of Mr. Bush's Africa policy — the Pepfar program, which has provided billions to fight AIDS and tuberculosis in Africa.
Rex W. Tillerson, Mr. Trump's nominee for secretary of state, complimented the program, calling Pepfar "one of the most extraordinarily successful programs in Africa" during his Senate nomination hearing.
But, in contrast, the Trump transition questionnaire asks, "Is PEPFAR worth the massive investment when there are so many security concerns in Africa? Is PEPFAR becoming a massive, international entitlement program?"
J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the questions showed an "overwhelmingly negative and disparaging outlook" on the continent.
"A strange attitude runs through this," he said. "There's a sort of recurrent skepticism that Africa matters to U.S. interests at all. It's entirely negative in orientation."
But the questions do appear to accurately reflect what Mr. Trump has said publicly about Africa in the few times that he has mentioned the continent.
For instance, during the Ebola crisis in 2014, Mr. Trump took to Twitter to argue that Americans infected with Ebola should not be allowed back into the United States. As two American health workers became critically ill and were airlifted to Atlanta for treatment, Mr. Trump had this to say via Twitter: "Stop the EBOLA patients from entering the U.S. Treat them, at the highest level, over there. THE UNITED STATES HAS ENOUGH PROBLEMS!"
The Ebola epidemic, which killed almost 10,000 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia (but no Americans), comes up once in the document.
"How," the questionnaire asks, "do we prevent the next Ebola outbreak from hitting the U.S.?"
A team of ‘trustable’ team of doctors will from Tuesday start monitoring Kenya’s top runners in a bid to stamp out doping that has tainted the country’s athletics.
The doctors have been chosen by Athletics Kenya and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) which last year warned Kenya over a possible global ban from competition.
Athletics Kenya chief Jackson Tuwei said an initial team of five “trustable Kenyan doctors” had been picked to monitor Kenya’s top runners and “limit bad medical practices and doping-promoting behaviours by some Kenyan health professionals.”
The doctors will prepare a monthly report to be sent to the IAAF medical and anti-doping commission.
Athletics
Tuwei warned that any athlete who failed to comply would not be selected for international competition.
“It is absolutely mandatory for these elite athletes to go through this network. It is painful, it is strict, it is critical … but we have to do it,” Tuwei said.
“Forty-nine athletes have been found to have violated the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) code in the past five years but were cautioned according to the laws of the land and WADA code.”
Top athletes welcomed the monitoring.
“I am so happy with the new initiative. It shows that Athletics Kenya is serious with tackling this issue of doping,” Rio Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge told AFP.
“It will be easy for us now to communicate with these doctors before we take any medicine when the need arises,” said Jemima Sumgong, who won Kenya’s first women’s marathon gold in Rio last year.
The initial list of 109 elite athletes to take part in the programme include Kipchoge, Sumgong, two-time Olympic 800m champion and world record holder, David Rudisha and javelin world champion, Julius Yego.
Others are the women’s 5000m Olympic champion, Vivian Cheruiyot and three-time steeplechase world champion Ezekiel Kemboi.
THE Coalition of Yoruba Youths, CYY, yesterday stormed the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, urging it to conduct thorough investigation on the former embattled First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan before smearing her name.
Stagging a peaceful protest at the Lagos office of the EFCC in Ikoyi, Lagos, the Yoruba group said the campaign of calumny against the former First Lady was uncalled for.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, leader of the group, Prince Usman Oyekan argued that the EFCC has gone contrary to its claim of commitment to the principles of rule of law.
EFCC boss Magu and Patience Jonathan
In a petition, the group said: "An Open petition by the Coalition of Yoruba Youths on the sinister plot by the EFCC to manufacture evidence against Dame Patience Jonathan, Nigeria’s former First Lady and President Africa First Lady Peace Mission.”
Alleging that there is an elaborate political scheme to silence Mrs Jonathan, Oyekan said: "For the sake of records, Dame Patience Jonathan does not engage in fraudulent or corrupt practices as she is being portrayed by some individuals with vested interest in President Buhari’s government. This is for no other reason than to envy the rising profile of former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, within and outside the shores of the country."
In his response, Executive Chairman, Head of Economic Governance of the EFCC, Mohammad Issa Rabo, denied the allegation that the commission was out on a smear campaign against the former First Lady even as he assured that the commission would do its job thoroughly without witch-hunting or persecuting anyone.
Rabo said: "We are talking about Patience Jonathan, we are on it and we are investigating. We do not just call somebody for calling sake, we must have carried out our investigation thoroughly, so we assure you that we shall do as you have asked, we shall look into your complaints and we shall address the issue. We shall investigate thoroughly, before investigating anybody, no enemies carried of justice, no stone will be left unturned when it comes to issues of corruption. Your petition will also be forwarded to the executive chairman."
The police on Monday arraigned a 79-year old landlady, Beatrice Olabisi in an Iyaganku Senior Magistrates' Court, Ibadan, over alleged breaking into her tenant's room.
Olabisi is facing one-count charge of break in.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Oluseye Akinola, told the court that the defendant on Dec. 11 at about 10 a.m. at Alafia street, Mokola area of Ibadan, broke in and illegally entered a tenant's room.
Akinola said the defendant entered the apartment occupied by Robert Michael, her tenant with intention to steal.
He added that the offence contravened Section 411 (1) of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State 2000.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty and his Counsel, Babatunde Ajibola, asked the court to admit his client on bail in the most liberal term, considering her age.
The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Munirat Giwa-Babalola, granted bail to the defendant on self recognition and adjourned the case until Feb. 22 for hearing.
In response to a subsequent call in September 2014 by Arterial Network for contribution from writers, journalists and researchers across the Africa continent to share their opinions and knowledge on a broad topic, a compendium of written works by 25 authors from 14 African countries has been released as a free e-book project 2016.
This followed after two years of committed work by the writers whose selected writings, put together to produce an original compilation titled, "How Free is Free: Reflections on Freedom of Creative Expression in Africa", was produced as part of project that aims to defend freedom of creative expression on the continent.
The 25 artistes who shared their creative ideas, experiences as relates to their environment includes Aisha Dème (Senegal), Albie Sachs (South Africa), Ayoko Mensah (Togo/ France), Azad Essa (South Africa), Boubacar Boris Diop (Senegal), Chenjerai Hove (Zimbabwe), Edgar Sekloka (Cameroon/ France), Elana Bregin (South Africa), Ellen Banda-Aaku (Zambia), Gaël Faye (Rwanda/ France), Hamadou Mande (Burkina Faso), Jane Duncan (South Africa), Jesmael Mataga (Zimbabwe), Koleka Putuma (South Africa), Lauren Beukes (South Africa), Michèle, Rakotoson (Madagascar), Dr. Mohamed Abusabib (Sudan), Prof. Patrick J Ebewo (South Africa), Phiona Okumu (Uganda/ UK), Raimi Gbadamosi (Nigeria/ UK), Saad Elkersh (Egypt), Sade Adeniran (Nigeria), Sami Tchak (Togo), Sylvia Vollenhoven (South Africa), Yewande Omotoso (Barbados/ Nigeria).
In a press release by Arterial headquarters in Cape Town, South Africa, the project manager for Artwatch Africa project, Diana Ramarohetra said; "The main objective for this project was to give writers the opportunity to talk about what 'freedom of creative expression' means to them and in their own style. It is amazing to see that most of the time when we say 'Freedom of Expression,' people first think of journalism and forget that it also pertains to the arts and artistes. It is our job to inform people about artiste's rights and help to build the infrastructure across Africa to defend them. She said.
"How Free is Free: Reflections on Freedom of Creative Expression in Africa is a meditation on the artistic health of the continent, as lived and examined from twenty-five diverse, artistic viewpoints. This publication is a first for Arterial Network and it will be used as a tool to advocate for freedom of expression and creative arts in Africa" Diana said.
The e-book was first launched at the Alliance Française Cape Town, South Africa on September 14, 2016, while the Nigerian version was also launched at the Arterial Network Nigeria Closing Ceremony and End of Year Party held at Freedom Park in Lagos, December 2016.
Artwatch Africa is a project of Arterial Network that aims to assert, promote and defend artist rights and freedom of creative expression for artists and cultural practitioners in Africa.
Arterial Network is an active and dynamic civil-society network of artists, cultural activists, entrepreneurs, NGOs, institutions, and donors in Africa's creative and cultural sectors. The publication is available to download for free from the Arterial Network website, as well as various e-reader platforms, such as World Reader. It has been optimized for e- Mobile, Tablet and Kindle viewing.
The management of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) on Monday apologised to its numerous consumers over the prolonged power outage currently being experienced.
A statement by Mr Godwin Idemudia, General Manager, Corporate Communications of the company, said that the outage is due to a system collapse from the National Grid, affecting the entire country, as confirmed by the National Control Centre, Oshogbo.
The general manager said that the system collapsed on Sunday evening at about 7:30 p.m.
He said repairs were being carried out to bring the system back on line and restore power.
Idemudia said that the Ikeja West line which comprised of Agbara and Akoka, had gradually been restored as of 03:56 a.m. this morning.
He said the other areas of Lagos were due to come on line soon.
"We are therefore appealing to customers to bear with us as supply will be restored as soon as these repairs are concluded.
"EKEDC highly regrets any inconveniences caused by this outage," he added.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – The Federal Government, Monday, adduced evidence to prove its allegation that Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Abuja received gratification from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Joe Agi, in the discharge of his judicial function.
Among exhibits FG tendered before an Abuja High Court at Maitama, included invoice and receipt of a BMW Saloon 320i valued at N8.5 Million, which Agi, SAN, purchased from Coscharis Motors Limited on January 5, 2015 and handed over to the judge through his son, Ademide.
Trial Justice Jude Okeke admitted the documents into evidence and marked them as Exhibit A.
Justice Ademola who is a grandson to a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, is answering to a 16-count corruption charge alongside his wife, Olabowale and Agi, SAN.
FG alleged that the Judge had in the discharge of his duties, received bribe from Agi to the tune of N38.5million and perverted the course of Justice.
Ademola was alleged to have received the bribe money from the SAN through a Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB, account number 201/110160/1/1/0, operated by his wife who was the former Head of Service in Lagos State.
FG said its investigations revealed that the illicit deal occurred between March 11 and 26, 2015, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has accused the outgoing Gov. Olusegun Mimiko of planning to sell some serviceable government vehicles to raise funds for phony expenditure.
Gov. Mimiko's tenure would expire on Feb. 23.
A statement by the Party's Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, in Akure on Monday alleged that the governor decided to sell some government's vehicles that were "almost new''.
Adesanya, however, warned prospective buyers not to buy any government's properties from the outgoing government, its agents or any official of the government.
He said that legitimate steps would be taken by the incoming APC administration to recover all government properties without any refund.
Mimiko
"We want to say unequivocally that anyone, persons or group of persons, that buy any government properties – vehicles, landed property, shares and other things from the outgoing government of Olusegun Mimiko will forfeit such items without refunding their money.
"All efforts will be made to retrieve the properties legitimately with the help of security agencies when APC takes over the reins of power on Feb. 24.
"We are alerting and cautioning the general public and the good people of Ondo State to be conscious not to deal, in any form, with the outgoing government of Olusegun Mimiko and his cronies at this twilight of his tenure.
"We also use this opportunity to once again warn civil servants in the state not to involve in this dastard act as any officer found to be partaker either directly or indirectly will face the law when the new administration takes over.
"We have been inundated with calls and messages by some government officials and concerned citizens about other unwholesome practices by some outgoing political office holders in the state,'' he said.
Adesanya said that such unwholesome practices would be taken care of by the new government.
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Eni Akinsola, did not pick their calls nor respond to text messages on the allegation.
Prime Minister Theresa May won endorsement from US President-elect Donald Trump over her Brexit course but sterling plunged on Monday on fears that Britain could be on a collision course with its EU allies.
Trump said Britain leaving the EU would “end up as a great thing” and promised to work for a trade deal with post-Brexit Britain “quickly and done properly”, speaking in an interview with The Times newspaper.
Britain’s foreign minister Boris Johnson hailed the comments as he arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.
“I think it is very good news that the United States wants to do a good free trade deal with us and wants to do it very fast,” he said.
The government welcomed “the enthusiasm and the energy that the president-elect and his team are showing for strengthening UK/US trade” and was “looking forward to have early discussions”, Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokeswoman said.
However, Downing Street stressed that Britain would “respect its obligations” to the EU, meaning it cannot enter and sign a free trade agreement with another country while still a member.
Trump’s comments did little to reassure investors, however, following reports in British media over the weekend that May is planning to announce a hard line on Brexit in a major speech on Tuesday.
Theresa May
Sterling plunged to $1.1986, its lowest level since October’s “flash crash” that had sent it to a 31-year low of $1.1841, in morning trading.
It had clawed back some of its losses by early afternoon, standing at $1.2047.
“The market is now positioning for some fairly punchy rhetoric from Theresa May,” said Chris Weston, chief market strategist at IG, an online trading company.
“This idea of ‘hard Brexit’ and a clean break from the single market seems increasingly likely, with the government making a bid to gain full control over immigration,” Weston said.
Sterling “is an out-and-out political currency… and the prospect of volatility here is now very high” despite some positive macroeconomic data, he said.
– ‘The full works’ – May has said she wants to cut down on EU immigration while retaining the “best possible” access for British companies to Europe’s single market.
EU leaders have said these are incompatible and market access would only be granted in exchange for accepting the EU’s rules on free movement of people.
In an interview with Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper over the weekend, finance minister Philip Hammond hinted at the new “hard Brexit” line.
Answering a question about whether Britain could become a tax haven, he said it would be forced to “change our economic model” to remain competitive if it is shut out from access to the single market.
May aims to launch two years of EU departure negotiations when she triggers the Article 50 exit process by the end of March, although a legal challenge is still pending before the country’s Supreme Court.
She has been under pressure to reveal her proposals for the talks that will establish the future relationship between Britain and the EU.
Matching reports in several weekly newspapers said she was prepared to accept pulling out of the single market, the European customs union and the European Court of Justice, in order to regain control of EU immigration.
“She’s gone for the full works. People will known when she said Brexit means Brexit, she really meant it,” a government source was quoted as saying in The Sunday Telegraph.
ABA- Over 500 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia state have defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, Party in the state.
Those who defected include former Minority leader, Abia state House of Assembly, Hon. Humphrey Azubuike; Major Gen. Ogbonna Okoro (rtd); former Transition Committee Chairman, Bende council, Hon Ben Kalu; former member of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Chidi Nwosu; Chief Uche Akwukwaegbu, among others.
Speaking on behalf of other defectors, Chief Akwukwaegbu who spoke at a stakeholders' meeting of the party in Umuahia, said they decided to leave PDP for the APC because the party has failed Abia people.
According to him, "We sympathize with Abians, we regret being party to the mess they've been through particularly in the past 9 years and that is why we have come today to apologize to them."
"We believe in the masses and insist that the right things must be done. The immediate past government in the state was horrible and terrible; this present government should be independent of itself and work towards tidying up the arrears of workers salary."
"This is why we have abandoned PDP to join APC, the moving train. All of us have joined the APC with 1000 supporters from the PDP. With this, only the carcass of the PDP remains in Abia. In 2019, Abia will be delivered to the APC."
Receiving the former PDP members, State chairman of APC, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa expressed delight at the number of eminent persons who have joined the party, stressing that with the caliber of people in the APC fold, the party will win the 2019 general election in the state.
An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates' Court on Monday ordered the remand of one Momodu Rebo, 19, and Isiaka Idris, 22, in prison custody over alleged destruction of farm crops.
The police prosecutor, Mr Samson Osobu, told the Court that the accused, and others now at large, committed the offence on Jan. 11 at Apoto farm settlement, Eporo, in Emure-Ekiti.
Osobu alleged that police took guns and others offensive weapons from the accused.
He said that the offence is contrary to Section 4 (1) of Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminant Grazing in Ekiti State Laws, 2016 and punishable under section 11 of the Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law, 2015.
The prosecutor said the accused, on the said date, unlawfully allowed their cattle to graze on farmland not designated as ranches, but belonging to Akinwale Bisi, Agbelegbe Dare and Paul Salami.
Osobu said the cattle thus damaged their crops, valued at eight hundred and fifty thousand naira (N850, 000).
He applied for a date of adjournment to file the case and send to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), for legal advice.
The pleas of the accused were not taken, as their counsel, Mr Ademola Okeya, sought for a short date of adjournment, pending the advice from he DPP Office.
Chief Magistrate Idowu Ayenimo remanded the accused persons in prison custody, till the outcome of the advice from the DPP.
He adjourned the case to Jan. 27, for further hearing.
Prof. Aliyu Usman Mani was born in Katsina town on Thursday 11 April, 1957. He attended Kayalwa Primary School, Katsina (1964-1970), then he proceed to Government college Kaduna (1971-1975) from there he went to School of Basic Studies (SBS) ABU Zaria (1975-1976).
After passing he got admission into the faculty of veterinary medicine ABU, zaria and graduated with the award of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine DVM in 1981. He did his NYSC with school of Agriculture in Asaba, Bendel state.
He worked briefly with Niger Basin Development Authority in Ilorin Kwara state before proceeding to University of Maiduguri as an Assistant Lecturer Department of Veterinary Medicine in October, 1982. Later he attended the center for Tropical Veterinary studies Edinburgh UK (1984-1985) where he got his Masters and at the same school he later got his PhD.
He returned to Maiduguri in 1994. He is also a Fellow of the College of Veterinary Surgeons (2010) and through pair reviewer.
He is one time Director of Unimaid Veterinary Teaching Hospital (1997-2000). Head of Department (2005-2010). Acting Dean of vet faculty (2008-2010). Before his death, he was again the Director of Unimaid Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
He held several positions in committees both within and outside the University. He also held a number of positions in the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA).
Professor Aliyu Usman Mani is Happily Married with two children. He is one of the peaceful Lecturers in his Faculty.
Prof. Aliyu Usman Mani died to bomb blast on Monday (16th January, 2017) in the Mosque inside University of Maiduguri while observing the dawn (fajr) prayer.
