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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano state has constituted a committee to reconcile aggrieved factions of the party in the state.
The state APC Acting chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, disclosed this while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Kano.
The removal of the former state APC Chairman, Alhaji Haruna Doguwa, led to the party been divided into about three factions.
While one of the factions is with Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, the other faction is with the former governor of the state, Engr. Rabi'u Kwankwaso.
Abbas said that the party found it necessary to set up the reconciliation committee in order to ensure unity within the members of the party across the state.
"We felt it necessary to set up the reconciliation committee because even within the Gandujiyya faction, there are factions.
"So we have set up of the committee to bring sanity and unity to the party," Abbas said.
He explained that the committee, which is under the leadership of Alhaji Nasiru Aliko-Koki, a chieftain of the party, had been mandated to reconcile the aggrieved factions to ensure peace and unity within the party.
On the allegation that the headquarters of the party had not endorsed his selection as the Acting Chairman of the party, he said the letter to that effect was presented to him by the Northwest Zonal Chairman, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir.
"Anybody doubting the authenticity of the letter should come and see it.
"The constitution of the party allows for the election of leaders and the same constitution said if he errs, he should be removed," he said.
Abass said since his appointment as Acting Chairman, the party leaders from all the 44 local government areas of the state had paid their homage to him with the promise to give him all the necessary support.
"The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Rurum and members of the Assembly were also here to show their solidarity." he said.
Abbas also said that he would continue to ensure justice and fairness in the discharge of his duties in order to move the party forward.
Global football federations are "overwhelmingly in favour'' of plans for a 48-team World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday.
The head of football's governing body had outlined his vision for an expanded tournament comprising 16 groups of three teams earlier this month.
According to his plan, the top two teams in each group would progress to the knockout rounds.
Fifa President, Gianni Infantino
A decision will be made in January but any change to the 32-team format is unlikely to come in before 2026.
FIFA's Council will discuss the proposal at a meeting on Jan. 9, but the 46-year-old Infantino had made expansion part of his election manifesto earlier this year.
"We have to be more inclusive,'' he said at a sports conference in Dubai, adding that a 48-team tournament was the most financially appealing.
"If we can have a format that does not add any additional matches but brings so much joy to those who don't have the chance to participate, then we will have to think about that," Infantino said.
"When discussed with the associations in the summits, they were overwhelmingly in favour. But more discussions will have to take place.''
The number of competing teams at World Cups last changed in 1998, increasing from 24 to 32.
The European Club Association, which represents the region's leading clubs, has rejected calls for the World Cup to be expanded.
Infantino also said experiments around video technology in refereeing at the recent Club World Cup had been "very positive''.
He said he hoped the system would be used at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday assured that as the Chairman of ECOWAS Contact Group on Guinea Bissau, he would do his best to ensure that the country did not relapse into crisis.
The President gave the assurance when he received the Prime Minister of Guinea Bissau, Umaro El-Mukhtar Sissoco-Embola, at the State House, Abuja.
The President expressed satisfaction with the gradual return of normalcy to the West African country.
While assuring the visiting Prime Minister of Nigeria's continued support for political stability in Guinea Bissau, Buhari urged the leaders to work hard to reach a lasting solution to the political crisis in the country.
President Buhari with L-R: Director Cabinet of Prime Minister Mr Djalo Pires, Prime Minister Gen. Umar Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo and Minister of State Foreign Affairs Hajia Khadija Bukar Ibrahim.
The President congratulated the new Prime Minister on his appointment and urged him to put the interest of the country and its people ahead of everything else.
Sissoco-Embalo described President Buhari as his role model, adding that his country would continue to thank the government and people of Nigeria for standing by them in their moment of crisis.
He also pledged his country's commitment to improved ties with Nigeria.
Guinea-Bissau has been in the throes of a power struggle since August 2015, following the removal of Prime Minister Domingos Pereira by the country's President Jose Vaz.
Vaz replaced Pereira with 44-year old Embalo, retired general who had served in previous administrations.
ECOWAS leaders at their just concluded 50th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, held in Abuja, took note of the political misunderstanding in Guinea-Bissau.
They reaffirmed their deep concern over the protracted political and institutional crisis due to the inability of political stakeholders to reach a lasting and consensual solution.
Dr Zakaria Idris, a Director in the Kano State Ministry of Culture has described the Calabar Annual Carnival as the best in the country.
Idris said this on Wednesday in an interview with newsmen during the 2016 Calabar Carnival street party.
He said that Kano state would replicate the Calabar carnival but with slight modifications.
"We are very interested in Calabar carnival. We love the carnival. It is one of the best in Nigeria and we are here every year.
"Apart from that, Calabar as a city is very beautiful and lovely. We have carnival in Kano but with some differences,'' he said.
He said that the state cultural troupe "Koroso Dancers'' were in Calabar to participate in the cultural carnival and join other bands during the street party as part of inter-state friendship.
"This is not the first time for us to participate in the Calabar Carnival. We have been participating, especially in the cultural carnival, so we are not new in the carnival,'' he said.
He stressed the importance of culture in the society, adding that Kano State government was very much aware of the rich culture of the people of Kano.
The Koroso dancers entertained fun seekers with their well choreographed dance steps before the official opening of the street party.
Gov. Rochas Okocha of Imo, former Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom and NollyWood actress Shan George, among others joined the Gov. Ben Ayade's band for the street party.
Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River has described the annual Calabar carnival as the melting pot of Africa's hospitality.
Ayade said this on Wednesday in Calabar while opening the grand finale of the 2016 Calabar carnival.
He said that the carnival, which had gained international recognition over the years had continue to grow bigger, better and bolder.
According to him, the carnival represents the true vitality, unity and harmony that signify the growth of Africa.
"The flag off of the grand finale of the 2016 Calabar carnival represents the true beginning of African enjoyment.
"As we have started today, this is the beginning of a new dawn in Africa. Calabar carnival remains the largest street party in Africa.
"As a government, we will continue to promote and sustain the hospitality and tourism that the state is known for,'' he said.
The theme for the 2016 Calabar carnival is `Climate Change'.
The five carnival bands – Seagull, Master Blasta, Passion 4, Freedom and Bayside were colourfully dressed in different costumes to reflect the colour of their bands.
Mr Gab Onah, the Chairman of Calabar Carnival Commission, said that 13 countries were in attendance for the street party.
According to Onah, some of the countries included Brazil, Croatia, Turkey, UK, Spain, Kenya, Ghana and others.
He said that the carnival, the 12th edition in a row had united the state and Nigeria in general.
"We have in Cross River today 13 countries worldwide. The attention of the world is in Cross River today.
"We are going to hit the street today with different dance steps and different displays.
"Today is the grand finale of the 2016 Calabar carnival, the largest street party ever; the greatest show in Africa,'' he said.
Neurite Mendes, Miss Africa, who was in attendance, said that the carnival had gone beyond borders due to its sustained organisation by the state government.
"It is an honour to come from my country Angola to represent the African beauty in the carnival.
"The theme of the carnival is climate change. We need to let the world know that together we can combat the effect of climate change.
"This carnival is definitely bigger and better; I am happy to be in attendance at the grand finale of the 2016 Calabar carnival,'' she said.
Dignitaries at the event include, Mr Donald Duke, former Cross River governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom, Nollywood actors and actresses, captain of industries, among others.
There was heavy presence of security personnel including the Police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Immigration and others.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), says collusion is one of the greatest methods of examination malpractices that is inherent among blind candidates.
The Head of Test Administration of WAEC in Nigeria, Mrs Frances Iweha-Onukwu, made the revelation in an interview with newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday.
Iweha-Onukwu said the reason could be that the candidates were usually not well equipped individually for the examinations.
She added that this had been responsible for what she described as 'not too wonderful performance' among the blinds.
"We have discovered that there is usually high incidence of collusion among blind candidates during examinations.
"That is why their performance has not really been anything wonderful.
"Our society is such that there have not been adequate and conscious efforts to take care of the challenged.
"There have not been enough trained personnel to guide blind candidates before being exposed to major external examination'', she said.
She said that in a situation where a teacher who studied Special Education in higher institution is employed to cater for the needs of physically challenged persons of various dimensions, was worrisome and must be reviewed.
"I cannot explain how one teacher, who studied special education can be given the singular task of meeting the academic needs of the deaf, dumb, the blind and all others.
"Meanwhile, there are candidates who need personalised attention on one-on-one basis.
"If we intend to give the best and all-inclusive education, Federal Government must employ more trained teachers in special education to take care of the different defects among the physically challenged students.
"There must also be consciousness in policy fomulation that will take care of these persons.
"This is because there is ability in disability. These persons can do better if adequate care is given'', Iweha-Onukwu added.
Davido a.k.a Omo Baba Olowo has gifted himself the perfect gift for the festive period by acquiring a 2017 Ranger Rover Sport.
The artist showed off his staggering N80million acquisition on social media to wrap up what has been an eventful year.
Davido with his new acquisition
He shared the photo of the car with the caption “Zero Recession”, probably implying that he is not affected by the current state of the nation’s economy.
The All Progressives Congress Party, APC, Rivers state chapter has alleged that the state's Governor, Nyesom Wike, has refused to honour a panel of inquiry set up by the police to investigate the violence that occurred during the December 10 re-run poll. It said the Governor's refusal to honour the panel portends a bad omen.
"The refusal of Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to cooperate with the Panel set up by Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to investigate the violence that marred the December 10 legislative rerun elections in the State has been described as a bad omen."
APC
"This is a direct affront to Federal powers and should be swiftly met with appropriate response by those whose authority he is challenging so as not to embolden others to follow his dangerous example," the State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said.
It expressed dismay that "Wike has the effrontery to set up a parallel Commission of Enquiry on the rerun elections." "By so doing, Wike has clearly crossed the line and should be put in his proper place by the Federal Government whose powers he is brazenly challenging," Rivers APC said in the statement signed by the State Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya in Port Harcourt and made available to newsmen.
"Wike's sole purpose in setting up the kangaroo commission is to ridicule APC leaders and makes nonsense of the efforts by the Police to probe and stop further killings in Rivers State."
"It is laughable and a mockery of civilised procedure for Wike, whom everybody knows is the brain behind most of the killings and insecurity in Rivers State, to set up a judicial commission on the said killings instead of submitting himself to a Federal Panel set up by a neutral party."
"As much as we respect Hon. Justice Chinwendu Nwogu, we pray and hope that by accepting to chair this kangaroo commission, he will not end up allowing Wike to ridicule his hard-earned reputation. The truth is that, if the commission is to be taken serious, it should indict both Wike and the State PDP Chairman, Bro. Felix Obuah, for their belligerent acts that fueled violence during the rerun polls."
"We wish to caution all and sundry that Wike's recent boast that no force even God can remove him from office shouldn’t be taken on its face value as this is one of his strategies to shout of an attack and later embark upon another act of hooliganism and mayhem in Rivers State knowing very well that nobody or agency can call him to order."
"He has started his plot against the Ogonis even after the rerun election was successfully won by Senate Magnus Abe to represent South East Senatorial district in the Senate."
"With the killing of nine persons mostly of APC extraction in (Khana) Ogoni communities at the early hours of today by Wike's hoodlums which they intend to replicate in other communities in the State and after to lay the blame on the Security Agencies in his current plot to discredit the security agencies, we wish to state once more that Wike has constituted himself not only as a nuisance but a serious threat to our nascent democracy and if we continue to treat his case with kid’s glove, we as a nation will have ourselves to be blamed."
"We will like to state that Wike's unreasonable antagonism against the present Federal Government under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari for reasons best known to him, and for him to sponsor attacks against agencies of the Federal Government, is irresponsibility taken too far, which must be condemned by all and sundry."
"We have shouted ourselves hoarse that Wike is a threat to the current democracy in our country but it seems that nobody wants to take us serious. We wish to reiterate once again that the continued treatment of Wike's excesses with kid gloves is a bad omen which should be decisively checked before it plunges this country into avoidable chaos."
"Rivers APC declared that Wike must submit himself to the Police Probe Panel to throw more light on the audio tape in which he was heard threatening to kill INEC officials, as well as sponsorship of various acts of violence in the State."
Lagos – The Naira on Wednesday weakened to N490 to a dollar at the parallel market after appreciating to N485 to a dollar during the Christmas break.
The Naira lost 5 points, representing a depreciation of 1.03 per cent, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N590 and 502, respectively.
At the Bureau De Change (BDC) Window, the Naira traded at N399 to a dollar, CBN controlled rate, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N602 and N510, respectively.
The Naira traded at N305.25 to a dollar at the official interbank market.
Traders at the market said that the scarcity of forex was still exerting pressures on the Naira.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) said that the pressure on the Naira was disturbing and dangerous to investment, output and employment.
Gwadabe called for harmony between the fiscal and monetary policies in addressing the woes of the Naira.
"There is the need for concerted collaboration among both the fiscal, monetary policy makers and the operators in the economy to address this monster facing the economy.
"I must confessed that I am disturbed and worried,'' Gwadabe said.
A group of 21 Nigerian Chibok girls brought home for Christmas after almost three years in captivity were prevented from celebrating at home with their families, several sources told AFP on Wednesday.
The 21 were among more than 200 mostly Christian schoolgirls released in October after being snatched by jihadist Boko Haram gunmen in April 2014 in a kidnapping that sent shockwaves across the world.
The group had been brought back to Chibok on Friday under heavy escort to spend Christmas at home but family and relatives said that instead they had been kept inside the house of a local parliamentarian for several days.
“What is the point of bringing them home if we as their parents can’t see them?” said one of the fathers, who asked not to be identified.
A mother accused the government of “deliberately breaking our hearts in this festive period”.
The girls were not given permission either to attend Christmas mass, angering Chibok residents as well as their relatives.
“We are a community and we take these girls as ours whether they are related to us or not,” said local resident Ayuba Alamson.
A spokesman for the presidency Garba Shehu said in a statement late Tuesday that the officers in charge of protecting the girls had misinterpreted their instructions.
“There were some hitches arising from a lack of understanding of the objective of the trip on the part of some security operatives,” he said, adding that instructions have “been given from headquarters for access by the parents to be eased”.
Several dozen girls are still in captivity and those freed are watched over. Their capture had sparked a global Twitter campaign under the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Wednesday he will not be a “dictator” in discussions over his proposal to expand the World Cup finals from 32 to 48 teams.
“I strongly believe in that, but obviously I’m not a dictator,” Infantino told the closing session of the Dubai International Sports Conference.
“This is something that needs to be discussed. When discussed with the associations in the summits they were overwhelmingly in favour, but more discussions will have to take place,” he said.
Infantino’s proposal for a 48-team World Cup in 2026, featuring 16 groups of three, will be submitted to the FIFA Council next month. A 40-team World Cup is also on the table.Fifa President, Gianni Infantino
Infantino said that expansion means “inclusion” in the “biggest social and sporting event.”
He said failure to qualify for the finals strongly affects nations, with coaches being sacked and clubs and players criticised.
If they qualify “the whole country lives and breathes football. Everyone gets interested,” he added.
The European Club Association, the powerful body representing Europe’s top clubs, told Infantino earlier this month that it opposes a bigger World Cup, saying leading players were already under too much strain.
The Chief Executive Officer, Capital Oil and Gas, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, has stated that the Anambra Youth Fiesta and Talent Hunt 2016 billed to hold on Friday, December 30, 2016, at FC Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium Nnewi/Ozubulu, Anambra State, was organised owing to his genuine focus on youth advancement, saying the entertainment industry remains a serious sector of Nigeria’s economy that must absolve unemployed but talented youths.
Ifeanyi Ubah
In a statement signed by Ikechukwu Onyia, his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Ubah said: “The Anambra Youth Fiesta and Talent Hunt 2016 is an event that promises to attract many elite and established stars on the areas of music, comedy, movie making among others. The event will feature some of Anambra State-born entertainment icons like Phyno, Flavour, Kcee, PSquare and other stars such as Davido, Patoranking, Humble Smith, AY, Yaw, Bovi, Gordons, Funny Bone, Senator among others. The event will also give the upcoming artists the opportunity to showcase their talents especially those of Anambra State extraction.
“The event is multipurpose ways of adding value to our society towards advancing humanity.”
Ubah had personally said that “We aim to use the event to motivate our youths to model after these established stars in order for them to reach stardom. Yes, by so doing, these youths will pursue their vision of making it in the industry by toeing the line of mentorship which is the platform we are providing for them.
“We are focusing on youth advancement and as such, we are gearing towards using multi-channels of youth development and here, we are using Music and Comedy among others, as the industry remains one of the serious sectors of our economy that we must see how we can utilize in order to absolve our unemployed but talented youths.
“This event has tourism contents when you also consider the number of persons that will move into Anambra State within the short period of the event as Anambra economy stands to gain from the event.”
The statement added: “No doubt, Ndi Anambra will have a place to be on the said day especially the Anambra Youths. Over the years, Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has taken note of the army of latent talents within the state and has since been working to develop these talents through multi channels of youth development.
“One thing is that series of events have shown that Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah is not playing with the begging attention of Youth development. Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah is the President of the victorious FC Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra Warriors) that came into existence in 2015 and won Federation Cup in 2016, thus becoming the first club from Anambra State to have achieved that feat since the creation of the State.
“Today, Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah’s effort on football development has seen our people coming back to stadia to watch football unlike what was the case before his coming into the scene. FC Ifeanyi Ubah also entered into partnership with West Ham United FC of England which is aimed at Youth development. Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah earlier this month (December), sponsored over 70 Youths to London to learn how best to develop football driven economy like what obtains in Europe. On December 30th, this event will open up yet another channel of opportunities for our youths towards making them societal assets.”
Football officials from the U.S., Canada and Mexico are likely to meet next year to discuss a joint bid for the 2026 World Cup, CONCACAF President, Victor Montagliani, has said.
FIFA confirmed on Oct. 14 that co-hosting would be allowed at the 2026 tournament and that there would be no restrictions on the number of countries in a given bid.
"It's obviously a possibility,'' Montagliani said on Wednesday on the sidelines of a sports conference in Dubai.
"We are fully aware that each country can probably host it on its own,'' he said.
CONCACAF governs football in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
A successful joint bid would be the first World Cup in CONCACAF since the tournament was held in the U.S. in 1994.
It would also be the first co-hosted World Cup since 2002 in South Korea and Japan.
"It is time for it to come back,'' Montagliani said, adding that CONCACAF "absolutely'' expects the 2026 tournament will be held by one of its 41 members.
"Formal discussions over a possible joint US-Canada-Mexico bid are likely to start in 2017 once all the rules and regulation related to the bid are announced,'' he said.
FIFA is proposing to expand the 32-team World Cup to up to 48 teams, potentially starting with the 2026 tournament.
A 54-year-old Gabriel Asateru who allegedly lured a 5-year-old girl to sit on his lap and then defiled her has been remanded in prison on the orders of a Magistrates' Court in Ado-Ekiti.
The police prosecutor, Insp. Bayo Ajiboye, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on Dec. 23 at Ifishin-Ekiti.
Ajiboye said the accused, on the said date, defiled the minor by luring her to sit on his laps.
According to him, the offence contravened Section 31 of the Child Rights Law of Ekiti State.
Ajiboye said a duplicate of the case file had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), for legal advice.
The plea of the accused was not taken as his counsel, Mr Tunde Olayemi, sought adjournment pending response from the DPP.
Magistrate Modupe Afeniforo ordered the accused be remanded in prison.
She adjourned the case to Feb.15, 2017 for further hearing.
Following the defeat of Boko Haram terrorist group in the aftermath of the capture of Sambisa Forest, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has called on Nigerians to ensure that fleeing members of the terror sect are not allowed to regroup under any name just as it said no other extremist group is allowed to take up its place.
CESJET Executive Secretary, Comrade Ikpa Isaac in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja urged Nigerians to be their brother’s keepers by reporting any suspicious movement of unknown persons to the police or other relevant security agencies.
He said, given the desperation with which the terrorists sympathisers have tried to convince themselves that their fleeing members are potent, Nigerians must be cautious to help foil suicide bombers who he described as “lone wolf" attacks by those who would rather kill themselves and take others with them.
Isaac also urged the security agencies not to spare any efforts at tracking down and apprehending the last of the fleeing terrorists.
He commended the efforts of the Nigerian Army whose leadership from the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General TY Buratai to the last troop of Operation Lafiya Dole who spent sleepless nights in the trenches to achieve the rare feat that has united Nigerians irrespective of political or ethnic affiliation.
He said, “We appeal to traditional leaders and religious leaders to see now as the moment to scale up the performance of their roles in ending the menace of terrorism which the Nigerian Army through a decisive leadership has brought to a halt in Nigeria."
“Even as we urge vigilance on the part of members of the public, it must be noted that membership of Boko Haram terror group is not written on the face as only security personnel are able to investigate and interrogate suspected persons to determine their culpability."
“Nigerians must therefore not hide under the cover of suspected Boko Haram membership or affiliation to lynch anyone or dispense mob justice. Anyone suspected of being a fleeing Boko Haram member must be handed over to the police.
“We further appeal to social commentators, especially the online community, to make analysis based on fact and to be wary of amplifying alarmist views aimed at sustaining a regime of fear in the heart of citizens. There is nothing to be gained from helping defeated terrorists to achieve the campaign of fear at which they had failed woefully in the past.
He also called on the government to collaborate with foreign security agenciesto ensure that terrorists who may have fled the country are apprehended.
He said, “CESJET urges the Federal Government not to slow down activities geared towards the total eradication of terrorism simply on account of the capture of Sambisa Forest and the defeat of boko Haram noting that the inertia of 2009 after the death of Boko Haram founder, Muhammed Yusuf, allowed members of the sect to flee to other countries where they got training and were further radicalised. It is on this account that any escaping terrorists must be apprehended before they exit the boundaries of Nigeria.
“We further underscore the importance of activating the necessary international instrument necessary to go after any known Boko Haram suspect in other countries. This terror group is a cancer that must be excised to its very roots.”
My boyfried and I were having an affair while he was living with an older woman who was also his business associate. Because he was financially reliant on her, we had to be discreet. However, they split up recently and he moved to a bungalow she helped him to buy.
He always said things would be different between us when he was unattached, but they aren't. We go out more and do more love-making and he tells me he loves me – then he denies we have a committed relationship. He still insists we sneak off to meet well away from our neigbourhood and he makes sure no one knows about us. I'm not interested in us living together, but I want us to see each other openly and be a proper couple. When I told him this he said I should go and find someone else. I love him and can't believe it has turned out like this. Why doesn't he want the world to know we're together?
Justina by e-mail.
Dear Justina,
Your boyfriend is wise in not wanting to go straight from one fully-committed relationship into the next. And remember, he was having an affair with you; affairs are fun because they're naughty and dangerous and have to be kept secret. That's almost certainly why he wants to keep your relationship under wraps and why he wanted out when you asked to be seen openly as his girlfriend.
A Lagos bound train from Kano collided with a trailer at railway crossing in Kawo, Kaduna, and cut the trailer into two, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said in Kaduna on Wednesday.
Sector Commander of FRSC in the state, Mr Francis Udoma, told newsmen that the incident occurred at 3 a.m., adding however, that no life was lost. Udoma explained that the train, carrying Nigerian soldiers and civilians, crashed into the trailer, belonging to W.A Group of Companies, carrying sugarcane.
He said the accident occurred when the driver of the trailer insisted on crossing the rail line even when the train was blaring. He said the incident caused traffic jam that lasted for six hours.
Udoma said motorist coming from Kano and other northern states, as well as those coming from the southern and the eastern part of the country were all stranded at the railway crossing.
"We deployed our men, including myself, when we received the call, and arrived there to manage the traffic jam for hours. "We were there until 9 a.m. before we were able to open the road for motorists to pass through'', Udoma said.
He blamed the accident on the impatience of the trailer driver, whom he said might be suffering from hearing problem. "It could be that the driver had problem hearing, because train normally will blare, but this driver, even with the horn decided to cross. "This is abnormal. Nobody with normal hearing sense would take such a risk'', he said.
The FRSC boss advised drivers with hearing defect to get hearing aids to avoid accidents. In a related development, Udoma said that no fewer than 14 people lost their lives and 160 injured in accidents involving 53 vehicles from Dec. 1 to date in the state. He said that the 14 people were killed in 11 fatal and 23 serious accidents involving 332 people.
Udoma, however, said the corps had rolled out several operations which began on Dec. 12 to ensure safety on roads throughout the yuletide. "These include operation zero tolerance to accidents, special intervention patrol and traffic frequency monitoring. "The operations are being carried out in collaboration with the police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, National Emergency Management Agency and the National Union of Road Transport Workers, he said.
He said that marshals had been deployed to junctions to ease traffic flow in Kaduna metropolis, adding that officers had also been deployed to all flash points to assess the impact of the patrol.
He added that the operations were being conducted along with mobile court, being part of FRSC mandate to prosecute traffic offenders with a view to bringing sanity to the roads.
Legal Officer of the command, Ibrahim Tanko said so far, 210 motorists had been convicted by the mobile court from Dec. 7 to date. He said 32 motorists were convicted in Kachia, 49 in Kaduna – Zaria toll gate, 59 on Kaduna–Abuja Express way, while 70 were convicted at Sabon Tasha, in Kaduna metropolis.
"The motorists were arrested for overloading, driver's license violation; vehicle license violation; tyre violation; number plate violation, and obstruction of marshal on duty, among others'', Tanko said.
The Police in Edo have declared war on cultism following the death of three persons due to cult-related killings in Benin, the capital City of Edo.
The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Haliru Gwandu, stated this while confirming the killings to newsmen in Benin on Wednesday.
The commissioner said 51 suspects had been arrested since the renewed cult clashes on Christmas day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that three persons were killed in different parts of Benin on Wednesday.
One of the victims, identified as Godspower, was killed at about 4 a.m. in front of his residence on Second East Circular road, Benin.
The deceased was scheduled to travel out of the country on Saturday.
His bereaved mother, who refused to give her name, sat on a walkway and wept profusely.
She placed curses on her son's killers before policemen came to take the corpse away.
Witnesses said they heard Godspower begging for his life before he was shot.
Meanwhile, a farmer, who identified himself as Joseph Agbonma, has sent a Save Our Soul message to the police to save his only son, Evans, from the hands of suspected cultists.
Agbonma said his son was attacked by suspected cultists at Ugbogui village where both of them worked as farmers.
He said his son escaped with serious injuries and appealed to the police to protect the man. (NAN)
Activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) resumed trading on Wednesday after the long holidays to mark the Yuletide still on a bullish trend with the market capitalisation growing by N69 billion.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the market capitalisation inched by N69 billion or 0.76 per cent to close at N9.182 trillion compared with N9.113 trillion posted on Friday.
Similarly, the All-Share Index rose by 202.23 points or 0.76 per cent to close at 26,688.25 as against 26,486.02 achieved on Friday due to huge gains by some blue chips.
Mobil Oil recorded the highest gain to lead the gainers' chart appreciating by N12 to close at N292 per share.
Nigerian Breweries came second with a gain of N4.48 to close at N142.03, while Total garnered N3.12 to close at N287.12 per share.
Cadbury improved by 80k to close at N10.83 and Stanbic IBTC rose by 74k to close at N15.66 per share.
Conversely, Guinness led the losers' table with a loss of N4.30 to close at N80 per share.
ETI lost 54k to close at N10.34 and Forte Oil dipped 26k to close at N103.61 per share.
Custodian Insurance shed 19k to close at N3.74, while Ekocorp dropped 16k to close at N3.21 per share.
An analysis of the activity chart indicated that International Breweries was the most active in volume terms, accounting for 16.21 million shares valued at N289.23 million.
Transcorp traded 12.42 million shares worth N10.98 million, while FCMB Group sold 11.66 million valued at N12.59 million.
Access Bank exchanged 10.65 million shares worth N63.15 million, while Zenith Bank accounted for 7.59 million shares valued at N110.76 million.
In all, investors bought and sold 131.74 million shares worth N1.25 million transacted in 2,257 deals against 139.09 million shares valued at N1.43 billion traded in 1,703 deals on Friday.
You recently advised a 20-year-old man that when he's with a woman he cares for, he shouldn't hesitate if they both wanted to know each other erotically; that making love was the most natural thing in the world. I agree with you that it is – with love and commitment in marriage.
I feel sad that these days love-making is regarded so lightly and, as a result very few relationships or marriages last; young girls get pregnant, and teenagers who are not mature face problems. When I was younger, I was in love with many boys. If I had indulged in love-making with all of them, I would have regretted it by the time I met my husband. He and I were friends first, and our love developed slowly. We knew a lot about each other before we got married and only then did we embark on our desires and then to fulfil them in the security of marriage was the most wonderful, lasting and satisfying experience. Consequently, our marriage lasted 40 years and our love and respect for each other was deep. Sadly, I'm now a widow.
I pray that the sanctity of love and love-making could return. Instead, love- making seems to have become cheap and tawdry. I respect your view. But please tell young people to hesitate before engaging in love-making. Casual love-making is a disaster.
Beatrice, by e-mail.
Dear Beatrice,
I respect your view too. Thank you for sharing your beautiful experience of love-making and marriage. There are no rules of erotic behaviour by which we may an live happily. Love-making within or outside marriage, or a committed relationship can be ugly or beautiful. We need to respect our instincts. Men and women who have erotic experiences before meeting their partners for life do not in any way diminish their great joy when they eventually find one another.
It's been proved that resisting our desire to make love with someone we love does not improve our chances of building a strong relationship. Rather, it reflects our natural fear of love-making and what was drummed into us as children that love- making is somewhat shameful. By encouraging people to think of love-making as taboo, we increase, not decrease the probability of guilt, disease or unwanted pregnancy.
Intimacy is the core oflasting love and companionship. By making love, as you and your husband discovered, we reveal ourselves more completely. I thank you once again for sharing the joy you found during your marriage. Your story should be an inspiration to us all.
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
Enyimba major signing for the forthcoming NPFL season goalkeeper Fatau Dauda has been called up by Black Stars of Ghana ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in January in Gabon.
Fatau Dauda was Ghana No.1 choice at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa.
He has previously featured for Ashanti Gold as well as in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) of South Africa with Orlando Pirates and Chippa United.
Fatau Dauda
He has joined the overseas players who have moved to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) recently.
Compatriot and fellow goalkeeper Nana Bonsu won the Nigeria league with Rangers in October.
The Black Stars call-ups are to report for the training at Acquinas Secondary School from today till December 31 at 3:30 pm daily.
By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide Monday said the statement credited to the Kaduna State governor, Mallam El rufai that Niger Delta militants were contracted to carry out attacks in southern Kaduna is capable of inciting the people of Kaduna and the entire north against Niger Deltans.
Spokesman of the IYC, Eric Omare in statement issued in Yenagoa described the governor's comment as reckless and highly condemnable adding that Niger Deltans have no business going all the way to Kaduna or any part of Nigeria to attack Nigerians.
The statement read in part, "The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide states that the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El Rufai is inciting the people of Kaduna State and by implication the entire north against Niger Deltans by his statement that Niger Delta militants have been hired to carry out attacks in southern Kaduna.
"This statement is reckless and highly condemnable. Mallam El-Rufai having failed in his duty to protect the lives and properties of the people of southern Kaduna should not use innocent Niger Deltans as scapegoats. Niger Deltans have no business going all the way to Kaduna or any part of Nigeria to attack Nigerians.
"We call on Nigerians and the security agencies to hold Governor El-Rufai responsible for any attack on Niger Deltans in the north as a result of his irresponsible statement.
"The Fulani herdsmen who El-Rufai paid for killing people are well known to the world, hence Niger Deltans should not be linked under any circumstances to the unwarranted killings going on in southern Kaduna.
"We also call the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency bring the killings in southern Kaduna to a stop and bring the perpetrators to justice including Governor El-Rufai."
In a related development, the IYC also described the call by President Buhari on Niger Delta agitators to come to negotiation table "as a subterfuge to deceive Nigerians and the world to create the false impression that the Federal Government is ready for dialogue whereas it is not.
"The Buhari administration is the one frustrating attempts at negotiation and not Niger Delta agitators. The Niger Delta leaders and stakeholders have done everything possible to start the negotiation process which has been frustrated by the Federal Government.
"IYC therefore call on President Buhari to demonstrate sincerity towards negotiating with the Niger Delta people by constituting the government negotiation team rather than Christmas day rhetoric."
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday said it arrested two suspects with cocaine at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
A statement by the agency's spokesperson, Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju, said one of the suspects was arrested on his way to Hong Kong after ingesting cocaine.
"Another suspect, who lives in Athens, Greece, was also apprehended in connection with unlawful possession of wraps of substances that tested positive to cocaine.
"The arrests were made at the MMIA, Lagos, during screening of passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight to Hong Kong and Egypt Airline flight to Athens.
"Preliminary investigation suggests that the suspects had targeted the Christmas holiday to smuggle cocaine out of the country but drug law enforcement officials at the Lagos airport were able to uncover their plan.
"The total weight of cocaine seized from the suspects is 1.150kgs.
"One of them excreted 45 wraps of cocaine he ingested, weighing 935 grammes while the other excreted five wraps of cocaine weighing 215 grammes.
"Both suspects tested positive for narcotic ingestion and while under observation; they expelled wraps of cocaine which they had wanted to smuggle out of the country.
"The suspects are currently under investigation.
"The high expectations of both suspects making quick money this festive season from drug trafficking had been dashed by vigilant anti-narcotic officers," the statement stated.
The statement also reported the Chairman of the agency, Mr Muhammad Abdallah, as saying that those wishing to get rich through drug trafficking would end up in prison.
"This is a warning to drug traffickers that the agency is determined to detect all hidden drugs and prosecute offenders.
"There are control measures in place to detect narcotics at all exit and entry points."We shall continue to improve on our strategies in line with our mission of providing a safe and healthy society for all." Abdallah said. (NAN)
Love him or hate him, Solomon Dalung, Minister of Youth and Sports, is one man that is so proud to mingle with his people, even with any kind of attire.
Recently, the social media has been abuzz with photos of Minister Dalung celebrating the Tarok Cultural Carnival 2016, an event Dalung said provided him the opportunity to identify and showcase the rich cultural heritage of his people,
See photos below:
Sports Minister Dalung steps out in style at 2016 Tarok CarnivalSports Minister Dalung steps out in style at 2016 Tarok CarnivalSports Minister Dalung steps out in style at 2016 Tarok CarnivalSports Minister Dalung steps out in style at 2016 Tarok Carnival
Abuja – The Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari over the successful routing out of the Boko Haram sect from Sambisa forest.
The faction also congratulated the Armed forces for the feat in successful clearing of Sambisa forest of the terrorists.
Mr Dayo Adeyeye , the Party's National Publicity Secretary made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
He described the news as a welcome development in the fight against terrorism in the country.
Adeyeye, however, said the feat was a collective efforts and sacrifices of Nigerians.
"We congratulate Nigerians for this important milestone in the long and bitter struggle against the forces of evil that have wreaked so much suffering and hardship on our people in the last few years.
"We also congratulate the President for his dogged pursuit of the war against insurgency, we are happy that he has built on the efforts of his predecessors.
"Whatever we are witnessing now is as a result of all the efforts and sacrifices of the past and present administrations," Adeyeye said.
He lauded the victory which earlier made it possible for elections to hold peacefully in almost all the local government areas in the North east states last year.
"We are therefore very much delighted with the continuation of this great effort by the President.
"We salute the men and women of our beloved armed forces for their courage, determination and sacrifice which made this achievement possible.
"The men and women of the Nigerian armed forces have served and continue to serve with distinction in many peace keeping operations all over the world.
"We salute them for fighting with great courage to keep the peace in their own country. "
He also commended the support and encouragement of international communities, particularly countries that helped in the procurement of critical military hardware.
The PDP advised the government and the military not to rest on their oars.
He called for the continued hot pursuit of the terrorists until the entire North east was rid completely of them.
"Beyond Sambisa, all the other forests which criminals use as hideouts and bases must equally be cleared by the military.
"Forests such as Birnin Gwari, Zamfara, Southern Kaduna, Enugu and Benue have become killing fields, "he said.
The Cross River State chapter of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Tuesday, decried the high cost of living in the country, saying it has inflicted untold hardship on the people with many of them dying from hunger and starvation.
MASSOB in a statement in Calabar, by its Public Relations Officer, Comrade Okon Effiom, said due to the current economic hardship most Nigerians can no longer afford to buy basic food items and medical bills, a situation he said has led to the loss of lives.
President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the opening of a 2-day National Economic Council Retreat at the Statehouse Conference Centre on 21st March 2016.
The statement read: “With the state of things, there are clear indications that the Nigerian state cannot no longer take care of its people which accounts for the failed system which has led to the high cost of living.
“Even at Christmas, a period characterized by celebration and merriment, many people could not afford to cook rice meal for their families which is the basic staple during such time because of high level of poverty in the land.
"The standard of living in the country has depreciated abysmally in just one year where the cost of basic items have quadrupled taking them beyond the reach of the ordinary person, and making them to easily succumb to diseases and death while some are unable to bear the situation which has resulted to them taking their own lives.
"Between last year, (2015) and this year, the cost of living has risen over 500 per cent which is way beyond the ordinary citizen which accounts for the high death rate through disease and suicide amongst our people.
“The state of affairs in the country gives credence to MASSOB's struggle for secession through peaceful means to leave the Nigerian state and build a nation of their own based on the vision of Ralph Uwazurike.
"46 years after the Nigerian civil war, injustice is still being perpetrated against the people of Biafra especially the minorities as seen with the devastation of Odi in Rivers State, the handing over of Bakassi to Cameroon by the Nigerian government.
“We hereby call on President Muhammadu Buhari to let the people of Biafra go so that we can decide our fate and build our nation not to continue to languish in this unholy state called Nigeria.”
BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI-ABUJA. The Commissioner of Police in the FCT, CP Mohammed Mustapha has ordered a manhunt for suspected armed robbers who killed an Inspector and two Non-Commissioned Police Officers (NCOs) Monday morning at a check-point in Karmo, Abuja.
The three Police officers were on patrol in the Idu Industrial district that stretches up to Karmo and had embarked on stop and search action following information that robbers planned to attack residents of the area.
Unknown to them however, a vehicle carrying several heavily armed robbers, emerged from the Karmo Forest, close to the checkpoint, pretended to be obeying the order to stop, before the robbers opened fire on the Police officers.
The three officers were said to have died on the spot as they were shot at from close range.
The robbers later made away with the arms and ammunition of the Police officers from their Patrol Van.
A visibly disturbed CP Mustapha told Vanguard that he has ordered a round the clock search for the perpetrators who operated in an ambush style to kill his officers.
He said the killers will not know peace until they are apprehended noting that the entire FCT is being searched to get the hoodlums.
Borussia Dortmund star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina head Gabon’s Africa Cup of Nations squad unveiled Tuesday by the hosts’ manager Jose Antonio Camacho.
Also figuring in the 23-player list for the Jan 14-Feb 5 continental showpiece is Bruno Ecuele Manga, a defender with English Championship side Cardiff City, China-based striker Malick Evouna and Didier Ndong with Premier League strugglers Sunderland.
Gabon co-hosted the 2012 Nations Cup with Equatorial Guinea, making it into the quarter-finals.
The Panthers are drawn in Group A with Guinea-Bissau, four-time winners Cameroon and Burkina Faso, runners-up to Nigeria in 2013.
Gabon captain Aubameyang could lead his team as African Player of the Year should he retain his crown.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
The 27-year-old French-born forward is on the shortlist with Leicester City and Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez and Liverpool and Senegal winger Sadio Mane with the winner announced on January 5.
The Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Joe Abah, has stated that the process of getting passport, driver's license among others will be made easy in 2017.
Abah in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, yesterday, said there will be new reforms in public service in 2017 that would adequately foster the country's growth
Abah said: "We have a 10-year plan for reforms we've been following, however, as with every plan the sequence and prioritisation ranges with government emphasis.
Dr. Joe Abah, DG BPSR
"And so for 2017 we will be focusing very heavily on making it easier to do business in Nigeria.
"And that is why the bureau has commissioned a number of studies to look at the bottlenecks to service delivery and we are looking at those things that affect the ordinary Nigerian directly.
"For instance, the processes for getting a passport, the processes for getting a driver's licence, the process for getting a tax clearance and the process for seeing a doctor in a government hospital.
"And the gap between when you retire and when you actually start to get your pension. We have instances where people have retired and for one year they haven't got any pension.
"So, these are some of the topical issues we will be looking at to see where the bottlenecks are and what we can do to ease the process.
"We are also optimistic that our report on restructuring of the merged ministry will go to council very early in the new year, with a recommendation that we do the same for all the other ministries.''
The D-G BPSR said the recent announcement by the National Economic Council chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo showed that the government was now willing to address some of the issues.
According to him, the government is now willing to look seriously at the issue of rationalisation of agencies and parastatals, as we will finally have a go ahead with the work that we have designed.
Abah also emphasised the need to break the communication gap between the government and the citizenry as it relates to how government works.
He, however, said that the bureau would in January 2017 commission a policy paper essentially to address the gaps.
"We are also concerned that the communication function of government doesn't work as well as it should and this is not unique to this administration.
"It's been an ongoing problem for a very long time where government is simply not getting the message along to the citizens and citizens are not engaging with the government.
"So we will be commissioning a policy paper in January essentially showing how the disconnection in communication is actually hurting the government.
"And the need for a coordinated message that citizens can engage with and the opportunity for citizens to be put through the way that government works.
"We've already spoken with the Ministry of Information about it and also spoken with one of the Special Assistants to the President on new media on how we can work together to address these issues,'' he said.
The director-general also noted that the rate of unemployment in the country was worrisome, adding that the bureau will be engaging with the youth ministry and stakeholders in line with this.
Besides, he said that the bureau was working towards ensuring that there was coordinated approach to dealing with the problems of unemployment in Nigeria rather what it used to be.
"We will be doing a study in March on youth unemployment because again there is a problem with coordination.
"We have the Ministry of Youths and Sports doing something on youth unemployment, we have the Ministry of Women Affairs doing its own; we have the Ministry of Labour and Employment doing its own.
"We also have the National Directorate of Employment, we have various people doing various things but there is no coordination.
"So that is one thing we also want to look at.
"Because the issue of youth unemployment is something that is at the very fore front of our consciousness and something we are really concerned about,'' said Abah.
Argentine coach Diego Simeone will remain at Atletico Madrid next season, the club’s chief executive officer Miguel Angel Gil Marin said Tuesday.
Simeone, 46, signed a contract extension in 2015 that originally tied him to the club until June 2020, an unusually long deal by Spanish standards.
But in September he reduced the deal to 2018 after talks with Atletico, sparking speculation that he may leave.
Simeone
Asked about Simeone’s future, Gil Marin said he will stay at Atletico “this season and the next for sure.”
“He has been with us for five years and it would be reasonable if he stayed with us many more because we are delighted,” he added during an interview with private television La Sexta.
“We continue to grow, both him and the club, and what would be most intelligent for both parts would be to continue.”
Simeone, a former Atletico midfielder, has led the club to a host of trophies since becoming coach in 2011, including the domestic title in 2014 and two Champions League finals, in 2014 and 2016.
But the club’s form has stuttered this season and Atletico find themselves in sixth in La Liga with 28 points.
Atletico are not in league action again until January 7 as La Liga takes a winter break over the new year.
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has granted state pardon to 20 prisoners convicted for offences ranging from stealing, armed robbery, conspiracy, intent to commit felony, advanced fee fraud and assault.
The state's Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Umeh Kalu made this known in a statement in Umuahia on Tuesday.
Kalu said that the prisoners held in Aba, Arochukwu, Port Harcourt and Enugu prisons were granted pardon on the advice and recommendation of the Abia State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
Ikpeazu
He said that three among the 20 prisoners were on death row and had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment while the others sentenced to various prison terms were released.
Kalu explained that the governor's exercise of clemency to the prisoners was in commemoration of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
"Government expects the pardoned prisoners to be law abiding and contribute to the drive to provide a better future for the state and the country at large,'' he said.
Justice Iyabo Oladunni Kasali, a Lagos high court judge, has been cleared of an allegation of judicial misconduct by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
The NJC also dismissed a petition written against her over alleged perversion of justice by a lawyer, Evans Azuike.
Judges
Azuike had in the petition dated May 24, 2016, written to the NJC alleged that Justice Kasali struck out suit number LD/1791/2010 without justification and deliberately refused to release exhibits tendered in the suit.
He also said the alleged refusal to release the exhibits eleven months after the suit was struck out had hindered immediate commencement of a fresh suit.
The petitioner alleged further that the delay in releasing the exhibits enabled the defendants to mobilise men and materials to complete the structure which they had erected on the disputed Land, prior to the assignment of the suit to Justice Kasali in 2013.
However, following deliberation by NJC, it resolved that the petition lacks merit and evidence to establish the allegations levelled against Justice Kasali.
Therefore, the Council in a letter with ref. No. NJC/S.24/LAG.HC/12/1/461 held that no act of judicial misconduct was established against the judge.
Part of the letter reads: ''The NJC set up a three-man Committee to investigate the allegations contained in a petition dated 24th May 2016 against Justice Iyabo Oladunni Kasali of High Court of Justice, Lagos state. The Committee finds that no act of judicial misconduct is established by the petitioner against the Judge. At its meeting, which was held on 3rd November, 2016, Council considered and deliberated on the Report of the Committee.
"At the end of the deliberation, Council decided to dismiss the petition for failing to establish the allegation of judicial misconduct against Justice Kasali''.
Both the petitioner and Justice Iyabo Oladunni Kasali led evidence before the three-man Investigative Committee of the NJC.
Justice Kasali in her evidence stated: "I did not sit on the exhibits as alleged and that she neither delayed nor obstructed Justice through alleged sitting on Exhibits".
She also told the Committee that suit No: LD/1791/2010 was a case inherited by her as a trial court when she was newly posted to Lagos Judicial Division of High Court of Lagos State.
Prior to inheriting the case from Justice Oyekan-Abdullahi (as the trial Judge) the Petitioners' Counsel sought and obtained an Interim and interlocutory injunction from the Case Management Judge.
After trial commenced in the suit the defendants filed an application challenging the Court's Jurisdiction to entertain the suit on the ground, that at the time the suit was commenced, the petitioner's client's name had been struck off the Register of Companies by the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Petitioner's client subsequently had her name restored in the Register of Companies at the Corporate Affairs Commission.
The said restoration was well after the case was instituted and well after the claimant's client had obtained interim and interlocutory orders during CMC.
In her ruling delivered on February 18, 2015, Justice Kasali held that the suit was incompetent on account of same having been commenced when the name of the claimant had been struck out of the Register of Companies.
The claimant though dissatisfied with the ruling elected not to appeal
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA-To rid the public service of corruption, the Federal government successfully identified and sacked 50,000 ghost workers.
This has also saved the country a huge amount totaling up to N200 billion.
The is consequent upon the taking off of N13 billion from the payroll, monthly, from February to December in 2016.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu who made the disclosure to State House correspondents on Abuja also hinted that 11 persons championing the syndicate of ghost workers have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.President Buhari
According to him, some were also undergoing trial at the courts.
“The flagship program of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to rid the system of fraud and instill good governance is on course. Through a notable initiative, the Efficiency Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the government has embarked on the continuous auditing of the salaries and wages of government departments.
“When the the Committee was constituted in February 2016, Federal government monthly salary bill was N151 billion excluding pensions. Now the monthly salary warrant is N138 billion, excluding pensions. Which means that the government is making a monthly saving of about N13 billion. That is from February 2016 to date,” he said.
He added that the “the pension bill was 15.5bn monthly as at February. Now it is down to N14.4 billion, which means average monthly saving is made of about N1.1 billion.”
Speaking on the welfare of the recently-released 21 Chibok Girls, Garba said the girls have become the adoptees of the Federal Government even as he revealed that there local and international interests in the future plans of the girls were rising.
He said that an America billionaire had opted to sponsor them in school.
“A black American billionaire, Mr. Robert Smith who is currently sponsoring the education of 24 girls from Chibok, among them the first set set of escapees from Boko Haram at the American University of Nigeria, Yola has offered to pay for the education of the 21 released through negotiations and is offering to take responsibility for all the others who will hopefully be eventually set free. The Murtala Mohammed Foundation in the country is equally interested,” according to the the Presidential spokesman.
Responding to complaints by some of the parents of the 21 Chibok Girls that they did not have enough room for interaction with their daughters brought home for Christmas by the Department of State Services,DSS, the Senior Special Assistant to the President admitted that there were some hitches arising from a lack of understanding of the objective of the trip on the part of some security operatives but that following the receipt of this complaint, a directive has been given from the headquarters for the access by the parents to be eased. “If the situation persists, pls let us know so that the higher authorities will make a further intercession,” he assured.
Also touching on board appointments as it affected members of the ruling the All Progressives Congress, APC, Garba assured that the process would continue early next year.
” You know that the reconstitution began methodically, from sector by sector. You should expect that to resume at the beginning of the new year. The President has given directions on what to do,” he said.
On the agricultural programs of the administration, Malam Garba said that the President’s persistent calls for a return to farming was yielding good results.
“The talk about agriculture has driven people to the farm. This year, there is a huge boom in the rural economy. We have witnessed an excellent harvest. Farmers are getting value for their output. What has encouraged farmers the more is the increasing availability of extension services. New farming techniques are helping farmers to do their occupation better. The readiness of off takers to buy the produce is also a major boost.
“When you put all these together with the systematic move to curb importation as a boost local production through the restriction of the available foreign exchange to critically important sectors of the economy, you have favorable environment for the diversification of the economy.
” As we speak, several of the country’s major manufacturing industries are actively backward-integrating- Nestle, Unilever, the breweries are looking what we have as local materials, changing their formulations to maintain production levels and keep their share of the market. Manufacturers who are hooked on import of raw materials are advised to re-strategize and take full advantage of local raw materials. The future belongs to those who employ the use of local raw materials,” Garba said.
Disturbances that included gunfire, massive brawls and food-court fights played out at more than a dozen malls across the country in what proved to be a chaotic day after Christmas.
The disturbances, some of which were captured on social media, prevented some shoppers from clearing off clearance racks and returning Christmas gifts as they intended on Boxing Day.
The Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the U.S. Government had issued a security alert about planned attacks on Churches and had consequently beefed up security in the event of any eventualities during the festive period.
However, the mall incidents, which ranged from minor melees to mass evacuations, occurred nationwide from Colorado to Tennessee, Texas to New Jersey, according to CNN reports.
In Aurora, Colorado, it all started with a social media post that promised a fight at the Town Centre at Aurora.
Aurora Police Department spokesman Sgt. Chris Amsler said about 100 people had gathered in the food court before the brawls broke out, prompting the Colorado mall to close early on Monday afternoon.
"(It) kind of morphed into this large disturbance," Amsler said.
When off-duty police officers working as security guards tried to break up a fight, people circled the officers, who called for backup, Amsler said.
As police officers on duty arrived, fights broke out throughout the mall, at a movie theatre and at a nearby park-and-ride lot, he said.
He estimated that 500 people were involved.
Authorities arrested five people, all juveniles, and recovered no weapons, he said.
"One person assaulted at the park-and-ride lot suffered 'significant' injuries and was taken to a hospital", Amsler said.
In Memphis, Tennessee, seven people were arrested after incidents at two malls.
Police said a group started a disturbance in the Wolfchase Galleria food court and started running, which prompted some customers to call 911.
Then a crowd gathered outside Oak Court Mall, about 10 miles west, and started a disturbance; both malls were cleared and closed early for the night.
Shots were reported in both incidents, but police said they found no evidence of gunfire and no injuries were reported.
In Fayetteville, North Carolina, people panicked after teenagers fought in the food court, Fayetteville police spokesman Shawn Strepay said but that no shots were fired, in spite of reports of gunfire.
"Once people start running in that area or chairs are getting knocked over, tables, that sort of thing, that echoes and it could resemble the sound of a gunshot to a lot of people," he said.
In Elizabeth, New Jersey, the first calls from the The Mills at Jersey Gardens came in just after nightfall Monday, and witnesses said they thought they had heard shots fired.
That, along with a fight, led to what Elizabeth police Officer Greg Jones described as a "chaotic panic and everybody running all at once".
Ultimately, though, patrons had mistaken the sound of a chair slammed during a fight for gunfire, city officials said.
Two people, an eight-year-old and 12-year-old, were injured, the station reported.
In Fort Worth, Texas, the security guards had no other choice but to place the Hulen Mall on lock-down.
At one point, police said at least 100 people were involved in a series of fights.
Fort Worth Police spokeswoman Tamara Velle said officers initially responded to reported gunfire inside the mall, adding that after breaking up the fights, officers stopped by each store to let people leave while the lock-down remained in effect.
"There were no reported injures or property damage thanks in large part to local police.
"You keep hearing the horror stories of the mall shootings across the nations right now.
"Anytime we're hearing about a mall shooting and it's the day after Christmas, where you have tons of people holiday shopping … we're going to get in there as fast as we can," Velle said.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rural Development, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu has described the recently conducted Local Government elections in Ogun State as a sham orchestrated by the Governor Ibikunle Amosun led administration.
Hon Adebutu
Hon. Adebutu made this declaration while addressing candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2016 Local Government elections in the state at the PDP Secretariat, Legacy Building, Abeokuta.
He admonished the candidates to consider themselves as the vanguard of the moment for a better change in Ogun State.
“I stand here to say boldly that what was sold to the public as a free and fair local government elections in Ogun state is merely a ruse. The daylight robbery of your mandates by the state government has further exposed the criminal nature of the APC led government and their penchant for illegality.
“I want you all to know that I am a firm believer in the autonomy of the local government administration in Nigeria and I promise to ensure the functionality of the council when elected in 2019,” he said.
Speaking further, Hon. Adebutu berated the State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun for what he described as a ‘reckless statement’ on his successor.
He enjoined the State Governor to stop playing God but rather face his primary role of governance as only God can decide who gets to lead the people.
Leaders of the party commended the candidates for holding forth and standing with the Sen Ahmed Makarfi Caretaker Committee and Ogun State PDP Chairman, Alhaji Sikirulai Ogundele.
They were urged to continue to work for the success of the party in all ramifications.
Present at the gathering were Chief Mrs Iyabo Apampa, the Apex Body Chairperson, Elder Akinwonmi, Chief Oyekunle, PDP state executive officers and all local government party chairmen.
No fewer than 48 shops and properties worth millions of Naira were on Tuesday burnt to ashes at Gombe old Market as a result of fire incident.
Malam Mohammad Abba, Chairman of the market told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident occurred in the night, adding that the cause of the fire had not been identified.
He said that about 300 shop owners lost their goods to the inferno.
According to him, some of the shops consist of various goods, while the shops occupy by some tailors were also affected by the inferno.
He advised the shop owners to take it as an act of God and to be careful in handling everything that had to do with electricity.
Abba called on government to come to the aid of the victims.
Some of the victims also said that they were suspecting that the fire was caused by electrical fault.
However, they commended the men of Fire Service and the security agents for their immediate response.
They appealed to Gombe State Government and public spirited individuals to assist them.
Ayo Opadokun, Convener, Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform, yesterday, said that the non-confirmation of the acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, is an indication that President Muhammadu Buhari is no longer in firm control of his government.
President Buhari
Opadokun, who spoke with journalists, in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, said that it also indicated that the presidency was divided.
He said it was surprising that the Department of State Services, DSS, a part of the executive arm of government, wrote a report against Magu, the head of the anti-corruption war, whose confirmation nomination by Buhari was at the Senate.
Opadokun said: “It (the non-confirmation of Magu by the Senate) is an unfortunate development, very unfortunate dimension to our national crisis. Our national crisis of identity is being further damaged by the conduct of the Nigerian state.
"First, I like to say that President Muhammadu Buhari by conduct and behaviour over Magu's confirmation is indicating to his admirers and those who voted for him that he is no longer in control of his government. There are two or three major unfortunate developments that are showing a divided presidency, clearly telling Nigerians, perhaps that the Buhari we thought we knew in the 80s is totally a different personality now.
"The fact that the so-called DSS will now be writing a spurious and pedestrian report on Magu is an unfortunate dimension. I see this as humiliation of what Magu stands for and it is an unfortunate dimension to our so-called anti-corruption determination of President Buhari. Let me say clearly, President Buhari needs to be on his guard. The only reason that people voted for him was because of his promise to fight corruption because if we do not fight corruption, corruption will fight us and it fought us too badly."
Former Governor of Delta, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, says those people going to London to see his predecessor, Chief James Ibori, and posting pictures and comments about him, are creating more problems for him.
Uduaghan, who stated this in a Facebook post on Tuesday, asked those involved to "stop it".
Ibori, who was the governor of the oil-rich state between 1999 and 2007, was released from a United Kingdom prison on Wednesday after serving a concurrent13-year jail term for money laundering.
The Southwark Crown Court jailed him on April 17, 2012 after he pleaded guilty to a 10-count charge of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud.
Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, flanked right by Senator Ighoyota Amori and left Senator Peter Nwaoboshi during the Christmas day celebration at London
Since his release, friends, family member and political associates have been paying him visits in his London home, where he is under house arrest pending the conclusion of his asset confiscation case.
A video of one of such visits which has been trending on social media shows a Senator from the state, Peter Nwaoboshi, boasting about how Ibori "installed" governors and lawmakers from prison.
The video immediately drew public criticisms with many already calling for Ibori's extradition and further prosecution in Nigeria.
Uduaghan wrote: "For those going to London to see Chief James Ibori and posting pictures and making comments, please stop it.
"We appreciate your love for him but you can go quietly without the unnecessary publicity.
"You are creating more problems for him than you can ever imagine.
"Nigeria is a complex country and you must understand and respect people's sensibilities."
That Uduaghan, who is Ibori's first cousin, is largely blamed by many for the latter's travails.
