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
Lagos – Lagos State Police Command on Thursday confirmed the killing of three of its men and two community leaders by unidentified gunmen at Oko-Asagun village in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos.
The gunmen also abducted four staff of two Telecommunication companies.
Lagos Police Command's Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, who confirmed the incident, said the policemen killed, were taken by surprise.
He said the command was after the suspected gunmen, assuring that measures would be taken to ensure the release of those held captive
NAN gathered that the gunmen had stormed the place from Ode-Omi creek, a border town between Lagos and Ogun States, to commit the crime.
An eyewitness, Jude Ajagun, said those abducted were staff of TYDACOM Limited and Erickson Limited.
"We were working in a site being developed by one Onoside ,who contracted us.
"While on duty, we started hearing sporadic gunshots and we scampered for safety; I hid beside some blocks, while I was watching the scene.
"I saw about six heavily armed men; three were wearing mask and they sighted three policemen attached to an estate developer and shot them dead.
Two other civilians were also shot while four others were injured.
"The gunmen thereafter, abducted four staff of Telecom companies and marched them towards Ode-Omi," AJagun said.
A staff of Ericson, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had been keeping vigil since Wednesday.
He said that as at Thursday, the gunmen were yet to establish contact with the company.
"We are expecting a call from them to know what they want as ransom, but they have not established contact with us.
"We are appealing to the kidnappers to tamper justice with mercy as those abducted are innocent.
"They should treat them with human face in the spirit of Easter," he pleaded.
Kwali (FCT) – Prof. Stephen Onah, the Chief Executive Officer, National Mathematical Centre (NMC), has blamed dismal performance of students in WAEC and NECO examinations in successive years on unqualified teachers in Mathematics.
Onah said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that school proprietors draft non-professional teachers into teaching senior secondary students Mathematics for such important examinations.
According to him, another factor responsible for poor performance of Nigerian students in Mathematics is the high standards maintained by WAEC and NECO with unqualified mathematics teachers teaching the subject.
"The other factor is that because there are no enough hands to train students in this discipline persons from different areas of study even outside science based areas are brought to teach the subject.
" Because the WAEC and NECO which are of international standard will not lower their standard because Nigeria has not enough hands or qualified teachers to train its students.
"They will always maintain their standard and so, if we are not living up to that standard, that explains our poor performances,'' he said
The professor held the view that when the number of teachers are not equal to that of the students' population effective teaching becomes a problem.
He called for increase in the incentives given to mathematics teachers, saying lack of motivation for teachers in critical subjects such as Mathematics is very common in nation's system of education.
Onah lauded the efforts of the current government at improving the quality and methodology of teaching at the different strata of education in the country, especially primary and sencondary schools.
The professor noted that there has been improvement in both quality and quantity of teachers in Mathematics in the past two years, but said a lot more can be done to shore up students' performances in WAEC and NECO.
" This is because there is some recognition; the teachers are beginning to see that they are being recognised for their work and they are putting in their very best.
"Again the centre in its own way has been putting up programmes to facilitate teaching of mathematics", he said.
He said the centre had developed mathematics modules on how best the subject should be taught and learned and this would be used throughout primary and secondaryschools in the country.
" We have also produced a good number of textbooks in their simplified form which, if used or recommended at both the primary and secondary levels the learning of the subject would be better than what it is now", the professor said.
Paris – Facebook is taking action against tens of thousands of fake accounts in France as the social network giant seeks to demonstrate it is doing more to halt the spread of spam as well as fake news, hoaxes and misinformation.
The Silicon Valley-based company is under intense pressure as governments across Europe threaten new laws unless Facebook moves quickly to remove extremist propaganda or other content illegal under existing regulation.
Social media sites including Twitter, Google's YouTube and Facebook are also under scrutiny for their potential to be used to manipulate voters in national elections set to take place in France and Germany in coming months.
In a blog post, Facebook said it was taking action against 30,000 fake accounts in France, deleting them in some, but not all cases.
It said its priority was to remove fake accounts with high volumes of posting activity and the biggest audiences.
"We've made improvements to recognise these inauthentic accounts more easily by identifying patterns of activity, without assessing the content itself'', Shabnam Shaik, a Facebook security team manager, wrote in an official blog post.
For example, the company said "it is using automated detection to identify repeated posting of the same content or an increase in messages sent by such profiles.''
Also on Thursday, Facebook took out full-page ads in Germany's best-selling newspapers to educate readers on how to spot fake news.
In April, the German cabinet approved proposed new laws to force social networks to play a greater role in combating online hate speech or face fines of up to 50 million Euros (53 million dollars).
These actions by Facebook follow moves the company had taken in recent months to make it easier for users to report potential fraud amid criticism of the social network's role in the spread of hoaxes and fake news during the U.S. presidential elections.
It has also begun working with outside fact-checking organisations to flag stories with disputed content, and removed financial incentives that help spammers to cash in by generating advertising revenue from clicks on false news stories.
THE decision of Speaker Yakubu Dogara to publish his salary slip as a counter to the challenge from Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been welcomed by some sections of the polity.
However, the decision may have ended up not pleasing the critical elements of the polity, who say his personal action does not reflect the continued agitation for the opening up of the finances of the National Assembly. The details of the budget and the provisions made for those expensive foreign cars.
The National Assembly apparently would have to do more to win the love and approval of the many Nigerians who see the institution as a drain pipe of the nation's resources. Nigerians would want to be reassured that all the funds regularly voted for the National Assembly are not going down the drain.
Dogara’s 6 Months PaySlip
What of the other APC crises?
THE All Progressives Congress, APC, on Wednesday, inaugurated two committees to forge reconciliation of party members in Kogi and Bauchi States.
Governors of the two states are presently at war with party bigwigs in Abuja as seen in the face off between Governor Mohammed Abubakar and Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
However, many party members across the country are also concerned that the party seems to be waving aside the other crises in many other states including Delta, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Kano among others.
In Delta for instance, a golden opportunity offered the party through the crisis in the PDP to claim the vacant Warri South State Constituency 1 seat is being challenged by internal crisis in the Delta APC that led to two primaries last weekend.
The US military on Thursday dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb ever deployed in combat, targeting an Islamic State complex in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said.
FILE PHOTO: Undated file image courtesy the US Air Force shows the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb sitting in an undisclosed location in theater of the Global War on Terror waiting to be used. The US military on April 13, 2017 dropped what is considered to be the largest non-nuclear bomb on an Islamic State complex in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said. The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb hit a “tunnel complex” in Achin district in Nangarhar province, US Forces Afghanistan said in a statement. / AFP PHOTO / US AIR FORCE / Handout / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO
US President Donald Trump called the mission “very, very successful.”
The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb hit a “tunnel complex” in Achin district in Nangarhar province, US Forces Afghanistan said in a statement.
The strike occurred at 7:32 pm (1502 GMT).
“The GBU-43/B is the largest non-nuclear bomb ever deployed in combat,” Air Force spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder said.
Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said the bomb was delivered via an MC-130 transport plane.
General John Nicholson, who heads US Forces Afghanistan, described the weapon as the “right munition” to reduce IS obstacles and maintain the momentum against jihadists in the region.
“As ISIS-K’s losses have mounted, they are using IEDs, bunkers and tunnels to thicken their defense,” he said, referring to a regional affiliate of the jihadist group.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said: “We must deny them operational space, which we did.”
The MOAB is better known by its nickname, the Mother of All Bombs, and was rapidly developed in 2002-2003 around the time of the US-led invasion of Iraq.
The US military on Tuesday said an American special forces soldier had been killed while conducting operations against IS in Nangarhar, though it was not clear if Thursday’s strike was connected in any way.
Military officials declined to immediately provide additional details on the strike.
Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan, is a hotbed of IS militancy. US forces have conducted a number of air strikes on jihadist bases in the area since August last year.
IS, notorious for its reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, has been making inroads into Afghanistan in recent years. It has attracted disaffected members of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban as well as Uzbek Islamists.
But the group has been steadily losing territory in the face of heavy pressure both from US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces.
Islamic State’s strength in Afghanistan has fallen to 600-800 fighters from 3,000 in early 2016, NATO has said, adding that it killed the top 12 IS commanders in the country last year.
According to the Air Force, the last time the MOAB was tested in 2003, a huge mushroom cloud could be seen from 20 miles (32 kilometers) away.
By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the replacement of heads of 23 federal government agencies, including those of the Consumer Protection Council CPC, which now has an Executive Secretary rather than a director general, Pension Commission PenCom and the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency PPPRA. Prseident Muhammadu Buhari
In a statement issued Thursday in Abuja by the Director, Press and Public Affairs in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Bolaji Adebiyi, said all the appointments take immediate effect.
In the statement Buhari named an associate of Vice President Osinbajo, Mr Babatunde Irukera as Executive Secretary of the CPC. Irukera who was a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress APC in the 2015 gubernatorial elections in Kogi state, was before now a consultant to the council.
The statement equally named Barr. Julie Okah-Donli as Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Other appointments are Barr. Mary Ikpere-Eta, Director-General, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) and Bayo Somefun as Managig Director, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). The Fund also has Tijani Suleiman, Jasper Azuatalam and Kemi Nelson as Executive Directors.
While Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa is the new Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB), Melvin Eboh, Hajiya Rahimatu Aliyu and Umaru Abdullahi Dankane were named Executive Directors.
The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has Alex Okoh as Director General; Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Abdulkadir Saidu Umar as Executive Secretary, while the National Park Service (NPS) has Ibrahim Musa Goni as Conservator-General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Other appointments are the Service Compact (SERVICOM) which has Nnenna A. Akajemeli as National Coordinator/CEO; National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Dr. Nasiru Mohammed Ladan as Director General; Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Saliu Dada Alabi as Director General; National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Prof. Jef. T. Barminas as Director General, as well as the Nigeria Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER) which has Dr. Haruna Yerima, as Director General.
The Nigeria Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has Sunday Thomas as Deputy Commissioner while the Federal Character Commission has Barr. Mohammed Bello Tukur as Secretary
For the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Dikko Aliyu Abdulrahman was appointed Director General though subject to senate confirmation the statement equally named Funso Doherty as Chairman; Akin Akinwale, Abubakar Zaki Magawata, Ben Oviosun and Nyerere Ayim as executive commissioners.
Engr. Umar Gambo Jibrin was named Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA; Mrs. Folashade Joseph, Managing Director, Nigeria Agriculture Insurance Corporation; Cecilia Umaru Gaya, as Director General of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON); and Mrs. Luci Ajayi as Executive Secretary, Lagos International Trade Fair Management Board.
Others are Barr. Emmanuel Jimme, Managing Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority; Lanre Gbajabiamila, Director General, Nigeria Lottery Regulatory Commission and automobile designer, Jelani Aliyu as Director General of the Nigeria Automotive Design and Development Council.
Senator Shehu Sani has commended the progress made in the construction of the Permanent site of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, describing the edifice as the best one can get anywhere and pledged to support the Commission in whatever way he can.
He made the comment while on a working visit to the permanent site to assess the level of work.
He said the building needs to be completed on time to help the Commission coordinates its operations. ” There is no sane or responsible human being who is desirous of the progress of this country that will not be supportive of this project. The very fact that the commission’s offices are scattered around the town impedes their ability to coordinate.”
Sani said since the cardinal objective of this administration is to strengthen the war against corruption, the project should be given all the necessary support by the government to enable prompt completion.
He commended the commission for its war against corruption and called on all Nigerians including the international community to give their support in order to salvage the future of the country from the cankerworm.
“There is no reason why this project should not be given all the necessary support. This administration having anti- corruption as its major agenda, I believe that this project will be given all the necessary support to succeed. And not just the government, the international agencies and foreign countries that are truly supportive of the Commission, it’s time for them to key in and be involved. The job done by this commission is not for this generation but for the future generation.”
Also on the visit was the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens- Petter Kjemprud, the Secretary to the Commission, Emmanuel Adegboyega Aremo and other senior management staff of the EFCC.
The Kaduna State Governor Malam Nasir el-Rufai has said that in Kaduna state there is no security vote for the governor.
This came as he challenged the National Assembly to publish its security vote saying that ”if the leaders of the NASS have security votes allocated to or personally collected by them, they might wish to disclose such.”
In a statement by Samuel Aruwan the governor’s spokesman el-Rufai said the budget of the state states what was voted to security agencies and nothing was given to the governor.
The statement reads
"The Kaduna state government has presented details of its security budget. What was presented represents the only security vote for the entire government," he said.
"As the figures show, there is no security vote for the governor of Kaduna state. This may be a shock to those used to the notion of security votes as barely disguised slush funds, but we do not operate such a system in Kaduna.
"Our budgets specify what is voted as assistance to security agencies, and its expenditure is properly recorded and accounted for. These are not monies given to or spent by the governor.
"If the leaders of the NASS have security votes allocated to or personally collected by them, they might wish to disclose such.
Our security spending does not operate like the NASS system of sharing public funds in such an opaque fashion that even NASS members do not know how their entire budget is broken down or what the leadership gets as its 'running costs'.
"The figures in the pay slips presented for the Honourable Speaker are in stark contrast to the declaration by The Economist regarding the earnings of NASS members. One of the claims cannot be right."
"However, notwithstanding the intemperate response of the spokesman of the house of representatives, the demand that the NASS budget be made public will not go away," he further said.
"It is not personal, and there is a strong civic constituency that is demanding it. The sooner all of us in public life recognised that the game has changed, and that segments of civil society and indeed everyday citizens of Nigeria, are much more aware, astute and advanced than the state of our politics, the better for our democratic health."
The governor's spokesman said the people who leaked his memo to President Muhammadu Buhari should be blamed and should not be brought into the matter.
"The NASS leadership has been promising ad infinitum to publish the breakdown of the opaque, one-line budget. It should simply do so. Prompt release of the 2015 and 2016 breakdowns, along with the proposed figures for 2017, would be a good way to start," it read.
"As things stand today, even if Mallam Nasir El-Rufai refrains from further commentary on this matter, the genie is already out of the bottle. The public will not accept a secretive NASS, or any other branch of government for that matter."
Social and Western civilisation have taken precedence over the laws of Allah. People regard human invention and native and alien customs more than the guidelines given by Allah.
The more unfortunate thing is that even when you try to make them do the right thing, they tell you: 'You're not civilised' or "you are Boko Haram." they regard obeying the laws of Allah as being too extremist, or not following the trend. Shaking hands with female cousins, brothers' wives and uncles' wives is now the in thing our society.
This particularly is harram. The Prophet (s.a.w) said: "If one of you were to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle it would be better for him than touching a woman whom he is not permitted to touch." (Reported by al-Tabaraani, 20/212; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 4921). There is no doubt that this is an act of zinaa. Remember that zinaa can be committed through the eyes, hands, feet and other parts of the body.
Aisha (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "No, by Allah, the hand of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never touched the hand of a non-mahram woman. He received bay'ah (pledge of allegiance) from them by word only." (Reported by Muslim, 3/489).
WELCOME to Muslim SoulMates in Vanguard. A unique platform for single Muslims who wish to find their potential marriage partners on this page. We have designed it to help you find perfect soul mates every Friday.
We will also give counsel where necessary in order to keep with the halal standard. Our aim is to further develop couples that could be blessed, compatible, enduring following Islamic injunctions. It promises to be a rewarding service just as we will treat all inquiries and submissions in confidence.
Send your profile, contact and details of who you want, as published below to isholaism@yahoo.co.uk. Names and contacts will not be published.
For those whose profiles have been published, they are advised to regularly get in touch for further information.
Profile 74: A Muslim male, 45, 6ft, working in Lagos seeking a Muslim lady as second wife from South West Nigeria, between 30 – 35 years of age. She must be literate and ready for marriage. Profile75: A Muslim male, 33, male Muslim, employed, based in Ilorin needs a Muslim lady between 22 to 32 years for marriage. Profile 76: Muslim male, divorced, 50, with a son desires a Muslim lady, single, divorced or widow from South West for marriage. Profile 77: A Muslim male 33yrs, from South West wants a Muslim lady between 25-30yrs for marrige. She must be literate and from any other part of the country. Profile 78: A Muslim male, 38, teacher 6ft tall, looking for a working class lady for marriage from any part of the country. Profile 79: A Muslim male, 45 years, single and self-employed, wants a Muslim soul-mate between the ages of 30-35 for marriage. Profile 80: A businessman with genotype AS seeks a Muslims lady between the age of 30-35 for marriage. She must be AA genotype.
By Daud Olatunji ABEOKUTA – Former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has asked Ogun state and Federal governments to give farmers in the country more support in order to achieve this feat.
Obasanjo however, expressed his determination in conjunction with other farmers group to end hunger by 2015 in the country.
Olusegun Obasanjo
The former President said this on Thursday at his Hilltop Presidential residence in Abeokuta when members of the Egba Cluster Farming Initiative paid him a courtesy visit.
Obasanjo who said he is the Chairman of Zero Hunger – farmers organisation in Nigeria, said it was the resolve of the group to achieve this feat through increased food production, thereby creating “a situation where no Nigerian goes to bed or walk about hungry again.”
The ex – President said the farmers in the country required quality encouragement and support of governments, institutions and well – meaning individuals to make food available in plenty and affordable to Nigerians.
He said, “Governments can help the nation’s farmers meet the objective through policy and creation of a conducive environment that will encourage food production.”
Obasanjo urged the delegation of the ECFI led by its President, Sulaiman Egberongbe, to first start the cluster farming with fish, poultry, cassava and rice farms that “are less demanding of facilities before venturing into tree crops that have long gestation period before harvest.”
He told the group that they would have no challenges getting raw materials – feeds and fingerlings for their fish farms, ” as he is into the production of feeds and fingerlings.”
On his own part, Egberongbe, said the group were Obasanjo’s residence to solicit his support as well as draw from his wealth of experience in active farming.
JS Kabylie of Algeria hope Mohamed Boulaouidet can perform another CAF Confederation Cup salvage operation when they face TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo this weekend.
The Algerians are trailing the Congolese 2-0 after the first leg last weekend of a play-off with a place in the lucrative group phase up for grabs.
Striker Boulaouidet has rescued the “Canaries” in two tense qualifying victories that earned his team a showdown with title-holders Mazembe.
He bagged a brace in a 4-0 preliminary-round rout of Liberians Monrovia Club Breweries that overturned a shock three-goal first-leg hammering in west Africa.
And with a last-32 clash against Etoile of Congo Brazzaville seemingly destined for a penalty shootout, Boulaouidet snatched the only goal of the tie 60 seconds from time.
For the second successive season, Mazembe failed to qualify for the CAF Champions League group stage and were demoted to the African version of the Europa League.
The Congolese boast a multi-national squad and Zambia midfielder Nathan Sinkala and Mali centre-back Salif Coulibaly scored against Kabylie in Lubumbashi.
When the clubs met in a 2010 Champions League semi-final, Mazembe also built a two-goal advantage at home, then forced a goalless draw in Algerian city Tizi Ouzou.
Kampala Capital City Authority take a 1-0 lead over Al Masry to Egypt as they strive to become the first Ugandan club to reach the group stage of a CAF competition.
Teenager Derrick Nsibambi scored deep in stoppage time to raise hopes of a historic triumph and at least $275,000 (260,000 euros) in prize money.
“We can match Masry in Egypt,” was the defiant message from Kampala captain and full-back Denis Okot.
But Masry coach and former Egypt star Hossam Hassan predicted a different outcome to the return match.
“My boys will fight back and qualify for the group stage. We were unlucky not the score in Kampala and the artificial pitch did not suit us.”
Another east African club taking a 1-0 lead to the north of the continent are Young Africans of Tanzania, who edged Mouloudia Alger of Algeria in Dar es Salaam.
Seeking a second successive appearance in the group stage, “Yanga” owe their slender advantage to a goal from Zimbabwean Thabani Kamusoko.
Fellow midfielder Simon Msuva believes a cautious approach will serve the Tanzanian outfit best in Algiers.
“We will qualify by holding on to our lead. It is not going to be easy in Algeria and we should play cautiously.”
Zesco United of Zambia, surprise 2016 Champions League semi-finalists, host Enugu Rangers of Nigeria in a powerful position having forced a 2-2 away draw.
“Our greater African experience was decisive,” said Kenyan defender David Owino after Zesco wiped out a two-goal deficit in Nigeria.
There are three South African contenders, but only SuperSport United are likely to advance having drawn 1-1 with Barrack Young Controllers in Liberia.
Wits make the long journey to Egypt after a goalless first leg against Smouha while Platinum Stars trail 2-0 against visiting AS Tanda from the Ivory Coast.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Thursday said it had approved the commencement of an additional diet in its examination for the private candidates every year.
The council's Registrar, Dr Iyi Uwadiae announced the approval at a news conference in Lagos.
Uwadiae said the move was in connection with the growing concerns among stakeholders over what they perceived as discrimination or denial of equal opportunity to private candidates.
"WAEC conducts its West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) twice every year, in May/June for school candidates and in November/December for private candidates.
"The council also conducts various national examinations in the member countries except Nigeria.
"Now, the school candidates who wish to retake the examination usually have the opportunity of doing so with the private candidates' examination.
"With this development, there has been a wave of agitation, criticisms and appeal across the sub-region for the council to ameliorate the agony of long waiting experience by private candidates who desire another attempt at WASSCE,'' he said.
Uwadiae added that the situation was often cited as being responsible for the level of desperation sometimes exhibited by the perpetrators of malpractice at the private candidates' examination centres.
"The council, after painstakingly considering all ramifications of the matter, has finally given approval for the national offices to begin the conduct of one additional diet each year of WASSCE for private candidates.''
He noted that the modalities for the take off of the examination were already being worked out and the examination could begin in February/March of 2018.
"I must be quick to point out that though the council has given the nod, the conduct of the additional diet may not take off in all the member countries immediately or at the same time.
"But let me also assure stakeholders in Nigeria that the Nigeria national office has indicated its willingness and readiness to blaze the trail by making the examination available to Nigerians in 2018.
"Details of the scheduled dates, available subjects, location of centres and their information would be provided by the Head of Nigeria national nffice at the appropriate time,'' Uwadiae said.
The registrar recalled that the maiden WASSCE was conducted in the Gambia in 1998 and was later introduced in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Liberia in 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2013 respectively.
"Now, I am glad to inform you all that the government of Liberia has now taken the bold decision to finally phase out the country's national examination (LSHSCE) and adopt WASSCE,'' he said.
The registrar lauded the Nigerian media, especially the education writers for their vibrancy and critical role in national development.
The congress of the Nationwide League led by Mohammed Alkali , the Independent Chairman of the League body has approved that the hostilities in the league for the 2016/17 season will commence on May 4. This approval was given at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the League body held on Thursday in Abuja.
The congress also applauded the progress made by the NLO board on the partnership with the League Management Company , also for securing partnership/sponsorship deal with the Pipul TV, an indigeneous Pay Tv Company in Nigeria and charged the board to finalise all the details regarding the broadcast rights of the NLO league games for the 2016/17 season.
In order to strengthen the youth policy of the Nationwide League, the congress also approved the recommendation of the NLO board to have a minimum of 10 under 19 players in each in the NLO from the 2017 season.
The congress also approved the proposal by the NLO Board to have all the 20 Premier League Feeder Teams participate in the Nationwide League One this season, in furtherance with the developmental partnership between the Nationwide League One and the League Management Company.
Furthermore, the congress approved that Division Two should be re-arranged into Six Geo- Political zones , whereby the top team in each of the six groups gain promotion automatically to Division One, while the runners – up in the six groups goes into Play-off to determine the additional two that will be promoted to Division One at the end of the season.
The congress also endorsed 28 April as the closing date for registration by all the clubs regarding 2016/17 season.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, stopped the Nigerian Postal Services, NIPOST, from further collecting N50 on stamp duty.
The court held that such revenue drive by NIPOST does not enjoy the backing of any extant law in the country including the Stamp Duties Act 2004.
The court Judgement followed a suit the Nigerian bottling company, NBC, filed against NIPOST and a private firm, Kasmal International Services.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole who gave the verdict, held that having carefully gone through the Stamp Duties Act 2004, he could not see where NIPOST was empowered by the law to impose stamp duty tax on the bottling company, banks and other establishments.
According to the Judge, whereas the Act recommended 2kobo stamp to be affixed on certain categories of documents, NIPOST, lacked the power to arbitrarily increase the amount to N50 without firstly securing an amendment of the Act through the National Assembly.
"A law is a law and has to be obeyed or implemented as it is. Section 89 of the Stamp Duties Act which recommended the use of adhesive 2 kobo stamp on certain categories of receipts and document is the law in force.
"The NIPOST as a defendant in this suit acted unlawfully, illegally and ultra-vire by unilaterally increasing the 2 kobo stamp to N50 without any back up law and under the guise that 2 kobo stamps are no longer in circulation in Nigeria.
"Under section 89 of this Act, the NIPOST has no power to compel the plaintiff (NBC) to affix N50 stamp on its receipts and other documents.
“By this, NIPOST has no business or authority in sending Kasmal International Services on illegal errand to compel the plaintiff on the N50 stamp duty tax”.
Consequently, the court issued an order of injunction against the NIPOST and Kasmal International Services, stopping them from further harassing, embarrassing, intimidating, coercing or disrupting the business operation of the plaintiff in the name of unlawful stamp duty tax until the extant laws are reviewed.
It said: "The extant law is for 2 kobo stamp. No law has amended the Stamp Duties Act 2004 to increase it to N50. At any rate, NIPOST is not a tax collecting establishment and as such, cannot exercise any power not expressly donated to it by law”.
More so, Justice Kolawole recalled that the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal had earlier delivered judgment on the same issue.
He said the Federal High Court, being a lower court, cannot afford to depart from the precedent of a Superior Court as regards the judgment until such a precedent has been set aside by the highest court in the country.
Basically, NBC had through its counsel, Mr. Ayokunle Adesomoju, dragged NIPOST and Kasmal International Services before the court, praying for an order to declare the stamp duty tax as illegal, unlawful and ultra-vire.
The plaintiff also applied for a perpetual order of injunction stopping the two defendants from invading, harassing, embarrassing and disrupting its business operations across the country on the pretext of seeking internal revenue for the federal government.
NIPOST had through its counsel Mr. Salihu Wakawa, prayed the court to dismiss the suit, insisting that granting reliefs sought by the plaintiff would occasion great injustice and jeopardise the revenue drive of the Federal Government.
The President Muhammadu Buhari led administration had expressed its determination to generate over N5trillion from stamp duty tax.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) says it supports the call for full autonomy for local government councils.
A statement by NANS's President, Mr Chinonso Obasi, on Thursday in Abuja, said Nigeria's democracy would remain incomplete until local government councils were granted autonomy.
Obasi said it was disheartening to note that for almost 19 years of the nation's democracy, the third tier of government had continued to be an appendage of state governments.
He said that the current status of local governments had hindered grassroots development.
"We the Nigerian students have decided to throw our weight behind calls for full autonomy of the councils so that it could bring about the much needed inclusion of the rural dwellers.
"Furthermore, NANS is of the opinion that the grass roots governance that local government councils provide gives the masses a sense of belonging and platform to ventilate their aspirations for good governance and easy access to government.
"More than anything else, an autonomous local government system will enable young people to participate in governance and thereby use their knowledge and energy to provide leadership and cater for the rural population, particularly the nation's senior citizens,'' he stated.
Obasi said that electoral misbehaviour, including ballot box snatching, thuggery and violence could be traced to displacement of young people from local government administration where they ought to gain leadership experience.
The NANS president said that local employees were better placed to interface with the people and generate revenue for the council, through radio licenses, market stalls rent and produce levies, among others.
"Maintenance of rural infrastructure and construction of social amenities have not been what they used to be because of the confused state of affairs at the local government councils.
"This is a compelling reason why we insist on local government autonomy to fill the missing gaps in our democratic architecture,'' he said.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have assured travelers of adequate patrol and surveillance of highways across the country to ensure a hitch-free Easter.
To this end, the Benue State Command of FRSC said 1,400 marshals would be deployed to various points across the state to ensure effective patrol during the Easter.
The Sector Commander, Mr Chidiebere Nwonta, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Makurdi.
"We are going to have 1,400 regular and special marshals, we are hoping to enjoy the support of other agencies,'' Nwonta said.
According to him, the one week special patrol will begin on April 13 and end on April 18.
Nwonta said the command would also have expanded patrol throughout the Easter as "our men will work 24 hours daily.''
He said the command was considering the high vehicular routes and had strategised to ensure sanity on those roads in the state.
"Our men will be posted to state and federal roads which include; Makurdi-Gboko, Makurdi-Naka, Makurdi Lafia and Makurdi-Aliade-Otukpo roads.
"Gboko-Katsina Ala-Taraba roads, Aliade-Otukpo-Otukpa roads, and all other routes will be monitored, the sector commander,'' said.
According to him 18 vehicles, one ambulance and a tow truck have been stationed appropriately for emergencies.
"Our expectation this Easter is to have a stress-free traffic in Benue and to achieve that, we shall mobilise all that we have, personnel, logistics and the stakeholders too.
"We will be looking out for speed violators, overloading, drunk and dangerous drivers, use of cell phones and tyre violators.
"So as part of our strategy, we are going to extend the patrol period into the night and have a 24-hour ambulance standby," Nwonta said.
Similarly, the corps in Osun has expressed its preparedness to ensure zero tolerance of road accidents during the celebration.
Mr Augustine Aipoh, the Zonal Commander of the Corps in Charge of Osun, Oyo, and Ondo spoke to NAN in Osogbo.
According to him, the command planned to deploy about 1,700 Special Marshals and 46 vehicles across the state to ensure safety of commuters and motorists.
He advised motorists in the state to cooperate with the Marshals and adhere to the highway codes during the period.
According to him, strict adherence by motorists will reduce carnages on the roads.
Aipoh urged motorists to ensure their vehicles were in proper condition before embarking on any journey.
The FRSC in Auchi also said it had deployed 18 personnel and 50 special marshals to patrol the Auchi-Benin highway to ensure safety during the Easter.
Mr Moses Bature, the Unit Commander of the corps in Auchi said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo.
"In Auchi command, 18 officers and 50 special marshals have been deployed to patrol the highway during and after the Easter.
"The volume of vehicles that plies the road are so enormous that we need to be proactive to ensure the roads are safer for the people during this period," he said.
Bature said that the command had embarked on a full-scale enforcement to curb dangerous driving, overtaking as well as speed limit violation and overloading.
"My officers are out to sensitise them to drive carefully on the highway, if they have their worn out tyres, they should put them in order, they should not also overtake.
"Wrongful overtaking is what we don't even like at this time because it is a period when some of them rush in to drop passengers and go back in other to make more money.
"Officers of the command have been deployed to the highways for daily patrol to ensure enforcement in order to ensure that motorists comply with existing traffic rules,'' he said.
In the same vein, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Plateau Command said it had deployed 1,800 officers and men across the state to beef up security during the Easter period.
Mr Solomon Olasupo, NSCDC Commandant, Plateau Command said the majority of the personnel would be within the Jos-Bukuru metropolis.
The commandant explained that the personnel would be at strategic places such as recreational centres, churches and motor parks in order to forestall any breach of law and order.
He assured members of the public of the corps' commitment to ensuring a peaceful Easter.
"I am reassuring the general public of the NSCDC's commitment of working in synergy with sister security agencies in the state to forestall any break down of peace and order," Olasupo said.
He advised residents in the state to be security conscious about movement of people around their surroundings.
The commandant also urged people to go about their legitimate businesses, but report any suspicious movements of groups or individuals to security agencies.
In another development, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) also assured travelers that necessary operational and security measures had been put in place in airports across the country to ensure hitch-free operations during the Easter.
Mrs Herrienta Yakubu, Acting General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, gave the assurance while speaking with (NAN) in Lagos.
Yakubu said Aviation Security officers, in collaboration with other security agencies, had been deployed in strategic places within the airport environment to ensure safety of passengers and other airport users.
"Passenger facilitation at all our airports has also been enhanced by the upgrade of power installations, installation of modern and bigger conveyor belts and metal walk-through detectors, servicing of lifts and escalators.
"Stringent measures are being taken to eradicate the menace of touts and other unwholesome activities around the terminals.
"The expansion and modernisation of our airport terminals now provide better ambience and more space for restaurants at the terminals, as well as newly opened duty free shops.
"These provide duty-free shopping experience and help passengers relax comfortably while waiting for their flights," she said.
Yakubu however advised intending travelers to make early arrangements for their travels and to leave home early on their travel dates, in order to complete their boarding schedules in good time.
"Our advice is that travelers, particularly those in Lagos because of the traffic situation, should leave home on time and arrive on time for their check-in.
"We wish all passengers safe and enjoyable Easter", she said.
Also, the Spokesperson for the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi told NAN that the Lagos Airport Commissioner of Police, Mr Besan Gwana, had briefed the officers on how to tighten security during the period.
Alabi said: "I want to tell you that security has been put in place toward this coming Easter and all hands are on deck''.
“The security situation has improved drastically because for some time now, issues like stealing from bags of travelers have not occurred at the airport.
"We have also reduced cases of touting but we are not resting on our oars because security at the airport is very critical.''
However, in spite of the festive period which was usually characterised by heavy human and vehicular movement, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Okitipupa chapter in Ondo State, said transport fares would not be increased.
Mr Sola Ikuidowo, the NURTW Chairman of Okitipupa said the union decided not to increase transport fares due to the present economic challenges in the country.
He also said that the chapter had sensitised its drivers on over speeding, over loading, dangerous driving and to abide with all traffic rules.
"Transport fares in the motor parks will remain the same this Easter because we dont want to add to the economic challenges of travelers.
"Our drivers have been sensitised to obey all traffic rules, travelers will enjoy their journey riding on our buses,'' he said.
The NURTW boss, however, urged all drivers to treat passengers with respect and ensure they drive with valid driver's lincense and use the association's identity cards stipulated by NURTW.
…Friendly Business Environment Key To Improved GDP, Says Ambode
The Federal Government on Thursday described Lagos State as a true model of the vision of improving on the ease of doing business and turning Nigeria into one of the easiest and most attractive places for investors in the world.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, who stated this in Lagos after a meeting with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, said the State, as the commercial capital of the country, stands in a vantage position to drive the goal of government to improve World Bank ranking of Nigeria on the ease of doing business.
Speaking with Government House correspondents after the meeting, Enelemah said both the Federal Government and the State Government were willing to collaborate on strategic areas to achieve the overall goal of growing the economy.
He said: "We basically have been talking about creating enabling environment for investments and ease of doing business and the area where we have strong convergence between Lagos State and the Federal Government.
"Governor Ambode and I have been discussing how to collaborate very strongly to make Lagos State a true role model in line with our vision of making Nigeria one of the easiest and most attractive places to do business and you will agree with me that there is no better place to start than Lagos State, particularly when you have a Governor who is committed to it and as he puts it to us, it is like preaching to the converted.
"So, what we have done today is to agree on modalities on working together to achieve the targets that we have set for ourselves both in ease of doing business ranking of the World Bank, in terms of some of the areas where we know that we should improve upon like tourism for instance, by making sure that people who want to visit Nigeria come in seamlessly; in terms of making it easy for people in Lagos State who are, as the Governor puts it, paying the taxes by making life easier and better for them."
Giving details, the Minister said his office would be collaborating with the Office of Transformation under the Governor's office, as well as the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, to achieve the overall objectives.
He also assured that the Federal Government would not hesitate to impose import restrictions where necessary to avoid Nigeria from being a dumping ground, while concerted efforts would be put in place to check negative trade practices, especially for the benefit of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Also speaking, Governor Ambode recalled that in the last few months, the State Government had been engaging the business community on ease of doing business, saying that the meeting with officials of the Federal Government was in sync with the vision of his administration to achieve the very best in driving investment.
"What has been happening in the last two years is that on our part, we have tried as much as possible to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in Lagos but again the indices that indicate that we are improving on ease of doing business is not really looking too good and we believe strongly that if 70 per cent of businesses or these indicators are actually coming from Lagos State, there is a need for us to quickly create a convergence between the efforts of the Federal Government and the State Government to make sure that we improve the business environment and that is what we have been discussing in the last few weeks as well as today.
"Moving forward, we have also engaged the office of the Vice President to see that there is a convergence in all our efforts to make sure that if possible, people should come to Lagos and start their business the same day.
"We want a situation whereby construction permit is given to people within the shortest possible time; we want to ensure that people who pay their taxes actually have the benefit of what they are paying for and in doing that, if we get in right in Lagos, it is very clear that Nigeria has gotten it right and that is why we are meeting," Governor Ambode said.
The Governor expressed optimism that the current efforts would bring about major improvements on the business environment, adding that such would go a long way in growing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria.
The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has advised the Federal Government to focus on local production of vaccines to curtail outbreak of meningitis and other epidemic diseases in Nigeria.
Alhaji Toyosi Raheem, National President of the Association, gave the advice while addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja.
Toyosi also stressed the need for government to pay serious attention to checking emerging and re-emerging diseases.
He said scientific evidence had shown that vaccines produced locally were more potent than the imported.
"In the past, the Federal Vaccine Laboratory, Yagba, with full support of government and adequate engagement of laboratory scientists to produce sufficient quantities of vaccines in the country.
"The facility was even producing vaccines that were exported to neighbouring countries,''he said.
Toyosi, however, called on government to reactivate the facility, to boost the effort of the facility in addressing the challenges associated with vaccine production and prevention of diseases in Nigeria.
He said the last time Nigeria had serious outbreak of meningitis was a type A strain, noting that type C was now ravaging some parts of the country.
''As scientists, we know that there are up to 12 strains of meningitis; what will happen if we have a different strain next time.''
He, therefore, urged government to engage stakeholders, including AMLSN, on how to address the epidemic diseases in the country.
