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
IN his first official speech after taking over from Comrade Tony Nted Emmanuel, the newly-elected president general of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, has declared that the union, under his watch would not tolerate the existence of cluster groups, fora and other ethnic associations.
He noted that the groups were the causes of several crises within the body, especially the pre-election face-off which according to him, was tactfully controlled before it could snowball into a full crisis.
Adeyanju warned that to avoid future crisis, all members of the union must remain obedient to the constitution guiding the MWUN and must operate by it alone. “I want to say that all associations and fora inside the port have been banned as from today. Our constitution in the union is the highest organ that we know. I don’t know anything about Alliance Maritime Forum, Oyo Forum, Ekiti Forum, Bakare Forum and so on. They are not enshrined in our constitution, so all these fora have been banned so that we would be able to concentrate and move the union forward”, he declared.
Adeyanju noted that the era of allowing thugs at Nigerian ports was successfully stamped out of the port by the union in the past eight years and that all the dock workers are now gainfully employed by terminal operators.
He expressed appreciation to the immediate past president general of the union, Comrade Tony Nted, assuring that the union would never derail from the standards he has laid.
By Chris Ochayi ABUJA – The leadership crisis rocking the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be coming to an end as the two factions loyal to the National Chairman, Senator All Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee have agreed to a ceasefire pack.Sheriff and Makarfi
This development was achieved Thursday following a meeting of the groups with Bayelsa State Governor and the Chairman of the party reconciliation committee Hon. Seriake Dickson in Abuja.
While Sheriff, the National Chairman of the party, was represented at the meeting by Ahmed Gulak, Bernard Mikko and Cairo Ojougboh, Makarfi, the Chairman of PDP National Caretaker Committee, was represented by Prince Dayo Adeyeye and Rt. Hon Dave Iorhemba.
“That the party should not dissipate her energy amongst itself but to focus on how to unite and be a formidable opposition capable of taking over power from the failed APC led government.
“That all key actors in the on-going peace process should henceforth desist from making public press statements attacking each other and statements insinuating negative acts capable of dragging the party to the mud.”
In the meeting chaired by Dickson, both factions agreed that "all key actors in the PDP have agreed to work together with National Reconciliation Committee led by Governor Seriake Dickson to engender peace and genuine reconciliation.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Walid Jubril has warned that selfish ambition is destroying the party.
Senator Jubril, stated this while receiving the report of the reconciliation committee, led by the Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson in his Asokoro home in Abuja.
However Dickson had earlier cautioned the two factions, led by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to drop their ego and ambition for the unity of the party.
Much earlier Thursday, both factions of PDP led by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, agreed to a cessation of inflammatory statements.
The agreement was reached under the supervision of the party’s reconciliation committee led by the Bayelsa State governor, Hon Seriake Dickson in Abuja.
According to Senator Walid, he warned that “Selfish or personal ambition should never try to destroy this party.”
He further dismissed plans to form a new party adding “Any attempt by any member to leave PDP for an unborn party is not a good decision. You cannot build a solid house and abandon it mid way. We must never behave as never do well. We must resolve our compromises. We need two strong parties, PDP and other one.”
He noted that while judiciary is doing its best to resolve the problem legally, the political solution is also welcome.
He stated that BOT will meet with other organs of the party, “So that we can call our convention before or latest by June. "I want to assure our members that Peace will return to PDP and all our differences will be resolved.”
Governor Dickson while presenting the report said “We will also be failing to point out that whether we succeed or how soon we succeed will be based on the collaboration of all of us.
“Let us leave all personal grievances and ambitions behind. This party is not about Makarfi and Sheriff alone. Let us all unite, leave egos and ambition.”
He maintained that Sheriff has written an undertaken to allow the convention committee free hand to operate and for party officers holding officer should resign ahead of the convention.
Libyan authorities on Thursday flew home 159 Nigerian migrants stranded after failing to reach Europe, in the second such voluntary repatriation operation this week.
African migrants from the Nigeria wait at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport prior to being repatriated to their homeland under a voluntary repatriation program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on March 23, 2017. / AFP PHOTOAfrican migrants from the Nigeria wait at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport prior to being repatriated to their homeland under a voluntary repatriation program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on March 23, 2017. / AFP PHOTOAfrican migrants from the Nigeria wait at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport prior to being repatriated to their homeland under a voluntary repatriation program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on March 23, 2017. / AFP PHOTOAfrican migrants from the Nigeria wait at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport prior to being repatriated to their homeland under a voluntary repatriation program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on March 23, 2017. / AFP PHOTOAfrican migrants from the Nigeria wait at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport prior to being repatriated to their homeland under a voluntary repatriation program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on March 23, 2017.African migrants from the Nigeria wait at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport prior to being repatriated to their homeland under a voluntary repatriation program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on March 23, 2017. / AFP PHOTO
POPULAR actor Chiwetalu Agu is taking his talent to another level as he concludes plans to release a debut video album titled "Mr. President."
The album, which reflects on the everyday activities of an average Nigerian, will be released soon and the actor is working round the clock to ensure that he makes a big statement with his venturing into music.
Chinwetalu Agu
In one of the tracks titled 'Mr. President' the comic actor reflected on the blessings Nigeria has received from God as well as on the poor leadership that has destroyed it, adding that he would do better things if he was made the president.
"Nigerians are suffering, there is hunger in the land and someone who is in speaking position has to say something about it. The song is not just about trolling politicians, but has other fun tracks that will make you dance, laugh and merry. It is an album for everyone" the actor said.
According to the management of Kings Music Entertainment, who are packaging the album, the five-track video album will be released soon and their spokesperson has it that almost everything is set before the video hits shops and TV stations.
"He is a legend and we know so many people across the globe will be looking forward to the album. It is clean for the family and you will also expect to see some of his comic lines on the songs", the spokesperson said.
Political bigwigs, dignitaries and other eminent Nigerians from all walks of life will on March 28 converge on Lagos for the annual Bola Tinubu Colloquium.
The event, the ninth in the series, is to commemorate the birthday of former Lagos State governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) national stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who turns 65 on March 29.
According to a statement by Tinubu Media Office on Thursday and signed by Mr. Tunde Rahman, this year's colloquium has as its theme- "Use What We Make, Make What We Use".
Tinubu
It is to hold at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to the organisers, the Colloquium will focus on the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit in Nigeria.
"The goal is to create a space where ideas and people relevant to creating innovative but everyday solutions in Nigeria can share knowledge, experiences and proffer solutions to the challenges facing the sector,'' they say.
The organisers say the idea of holding a colloquium yearly in honour of the APC leader was first conceived in 1999 by his close friends and associates.
"The friends and associates thought it important that the rich debates and intellectual discussions that often marked cabinet and other meetings with Tinubu be translated to a platform which would expand the conversations and lead to tangible outcomes,'' the colloquium website says.
Libyan authorities on Thursday flew home 159 Nigerian migrants stranded after failing to reach Europe, in the second such voluntary repatriation operation this week.
“In coordination with the IOM (International Organization for Migration), we are repatriating 159 Nigerians… including three infants,” Badreddine Ben Hamed, head of Libya’s anti-illegal immigration force, told AFP at Mitiga airport.
African migrants from the Nigeria wait at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport prior to being repatriated to their homeland under a voluntary repatriation program coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on March 23, 2017. / AFP PHOTO
The Nigerians, wearing tracksuits and new sneakers, were driven to the airport near the Libyan capital in two buses.
“I wish I could go to Europe but I can’t,” said a woman called Fate, carrying a baby in her arms.
“I’m happy to be going home,” said another Nigerian woman.
IOM head William Lacy Swing, who was in Tripoli on Wednesday, visited a reception centre for migrants accompanied by the UN special envoy for Libya, Martin Kobler.
“We can no longer turn our back on the communities affected by the current migration crisis” in Libya, said Swing, who met with Libyan officials.
Kobler said it was “a humanitarian imperative” to improve the living conditions of migrants and help with repatriations. “Voluntary return must be assisted,” he wrote on Twitter.
A group of 150 nationals of the Ivory Coast, gathered from detention centres around Libya, were flown home on Tuesday.
Six years since a revolution that toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya has become a key departure point for clandestine migration to Europe via perilous boat crossings of the Mediterranean.
The IOM has said 521 migrants died in the Mediterranean from January 1 to March 5, 2017.
Frozen-out star forward Karim Benzema wants showdown talks with France coach Didier Deschamps about his international future and said Thursday he hasn’t given up hope of a recall.Benzema
The 29-year-old Real Madrid striker has not been picked by Deschamps since October 2015 after being embroiled in a sex-tape blackmail scandal involving former international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.
It cost him a place in France’s Euro 2016 squad and with Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann now the undisputed first-choice forward for France, Benzema remains out in the cold.
But with the World Cup in Russia next year, he hasn’t given up hope.
“For now I haven’t ended my international career, I don’t want to give up,” Benzema told RMC radio station.
“It’s tough (to be left out) when you play in a big club. Me, I love football, the big matches. The national team is top-class matches.”
Benzema was booted out of the squad, along with Valbuena — the victim of alleged attempted blackmail — due to the scandal.
In December, a French court rejected Benzema’s request to have the investigation into his alleged involvement dropped and the case is likely to go to trial later this year.
Investigators suspect Benzema of acting as an intermediary between the presumed blackmailers, including one of his childhood friends, and Lyon midfielder Valbuena.
“It’s a year and a half since I played for France, it hurts. I find it unfair because I haven’t had an explanation,” said the 81-time capped player, who again said he was not guilty.
“What I’d like is to have a discussion with the coach, if it’s for that (the ongoing investigation) or something else.”
Benzema said he last spoke to Deschamps towards the end of last season.
“He told me he wouldn’t pick me. At the time I didn’t need any more explanation than that.
“Now, on reflection, I’d like him to explain why it’s still the case — I ask myself that every day.”
The man who mowed down pedestrians and stabbed a policeman in Wednesday’s deadly assault outside Britain’s parliament has been identified by police as 52-year-old former convict Khalid Masood.
Known by “a number of aliases”, London’s Metropolitan Police said he had been convicted for a string of offences but none of them terror-related.
Born on Christmas Day 1964 in Kent in southeast England, Masood had been living in the West Midlands where armed police have staged several raids since the attack, storming properties in the city of Birmingham.
Over the course of two decades, Masood chalked up a range of convictions for assault, grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences, police said, with the offences taking place between 1983 and 2003.
But Masood had never been convicted of terrorism offences and “was not the subject of any investigations,” the police said, noting there was “no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack”.
At 52, his age has been highlighted by commentators as unusual, with most Islamist extremists behind similar attacks far younger.
Prime Minister Theresa May said he was once investigated by the intelligence service MI5 “in relation to concerns about violent extremism”.
Although the police believe Masood acted alone, the Islamic State group claimed he was one of its “soldiers” acting on a call to target countries fighting the jihadists in Iraq and Syria.
– ‘A nice guy’ –
Masood rented the car used in the attack from the Solihull branch of Enterprise, on the outskirts of Birmingham, the company confirmed in a statement.
According to the BBC, he told the car rental company that he was a teacher.
“He was a nice guy. I used to see him outside doing his garden,” Iwona Romek, a former neighbour of his told the Birmingham Mail.
“He had a wife, a young Asian woman and a small child who went to school,” she added, pointing out that the family had abruptly moved out of their house in Winson Green, a neighbourhood in western Birmingham, around Christmas.
Other media have reported that he was a married father-of-three.
Senate on Wednesday rejected the nomination of two out of 47 non-career ambassadorial nominees presented for approval by President Muhammadu Buhari in January.
The affected nominees, who were rejected, based on the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs are 82 year old Justice Sylvanus Nsofor from Imo State and Mr. Jacob Igbekele Daodu from Ondo State.
Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor, retired as a Justice of Court of Appeal in March 2005, after clocking the mandatory retirement age of 70.
He had served as a judge for 28 years with about 13 years spent in the Court of Appeal.
The committee, headed by Senator Monsurat Sunmonu (APC Oyo Central), screened the nominees.
Senator Sunmonu, while presenting the report, said Justice Nsofor looked fragile and tired while his responses to the issues raised during screening were either not answered or devoid of details.
She added that Daodu did not respond to issues raised satisfactorily, apart from the negative security report against him by the Department of State Services, DSS.
"During the screening exercise the nominee's answers did not have direct bearing to the issues raised and the answers were not satisfactory to the committee's expectation.
"Besides, there is an adverse report on the nominee's suitability for appointment as ambassador", she said.
Daodu, from Akoko area of Ondo State is an architect by profession and also a former commissioner for physical planning in the state. He lacked the support of the APC executive in the state, who accused him of anti-party activities in the last governorship election, won by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
Those who were approved include: Uzoma Emenike (Abia), Aminu Iyawa (Adamawa), Maj Gen Godwin Umoh Rtd (Akwa Ibom), Christopher Okeke (Anambra), Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi), Baba Madugu (Bauchi), Stanley Diriyai (Bayelsa).
Others are Stephen Ugba (Benue) Baba Ahmad Jidda (Borno) Etubom Asuquo (Cross River), Frank Efeduma (Delta) Jonah Odo (Ebonyi), and Uyagwe Igbe from Edo State Eniola Ajayi (Ekiti), Chris Eze (Enugu), Suleiman Hassan (Gombe).
Others include Justice Sylvanus Nsofor (Imo), Amin Dalhatu (Jigawa), Ahmed Bamilli and Deborah Iliya (both from Kaduna), Prof D. Abdulkadir(Kano) and Haruna Ungogo (Kano), Justice Isa Dodo(Katsina) and Mohammadu Rimi Barade (Katsina) and Tijani Bande from Kebbi State.
The other nominees who scaled the Senate hurdle are: Prof Y. Aliu (Kogi) Nurudeen Mohammed and Prof Mohammed Yisa (both from Kwara), Justice George Adesola Oguntade and Modupe Irele (both from Lagos), Musa Mohammad (Nasarawa), Ahmed Musa Ibeto (Niger), Suzanne Aderonke Folarin (Ogun), Jacob Igbekele Daodu (Ondo), Afolahan Adeyemi (Osun), and Maj Gen Ashimiyu Olaniyi from Oyo State.
James Dmika and Haruna Abdullahi (both from Plateau), Orji Ngofa (Rivers), Sahabi Isa Gada and Kabir Umar (both from Sokoto) Jika Ado (Taraba), Goni Zanna Bura (Yobe), Garba Gajam and Capt Bala Mohammad Mairiga (both from Zamfara) and Habbiss Ibrahim Ugbada from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, were also approved by the Senate.
The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki commended the committee for a job well done.
He called on the nominees to be good ambassadors of Nigeria in any country to which they are posted.
He further called on the Federal Government to ensure the payment of salary arrears of the Nigerian Embassy staff across the globe in order to project the country's image positively.
The man who mowed down pedestrians and stabbed a policeman in a deadly assault on the British parliament was identified by police on Thursday as 52-year-old Khalid Masood.
London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement that Masood was known by “a number of aliases”.An arrangement of newspapers pictured in London on March 23, 2017, as an illustration, shows the front pages of the UK daily newspapers reporting on the March 22 terror attack that claimed at least three lives in Westminster central London. Britain’s parliament reopened on Thursday with a minute’s silence in a gesture of defiance a day after an attacker sowed terror in the heart of Westminster, killing three people before being shot dead. Sombre-looking lawmakers in a packed House of Commons chamber bowed their heads and police officers also marked the silence standing outside the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police nearby. / AFP PHOTO
He was born in Kent in southeast England and had been living in the West Midlands, which includes the city of Birmingham where there was an armed police raid overnight in connectiong with Wednesday’s assault.
Police said Masood had a range of convictions for assault including grievous bodily harm, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences ranging from 1983 to 2003.
However, it said Masood had never been convicted of any terrorism offences and that he “was not the subject of any investigations and there was no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack”.
Earlier Thursday, Prime Minister Theresa May said the man behind the attack had once been investigated by the intelligence service MI5 “in relation to concerns about violent extremism”.
An arrangement of newspapers pictured in London on March 23, 2017, as an illustration, shows the front pages of the UK daily newspapers reporting on the March 22 terror attack that claimed at least three lives in Westminster central London. Britain’s parliament reopened on Thursday with a minute’s silence in a gesture of defiance a day after an attacker sowed terror in the heart of Westminster, killing three people before being shot dead. Sombre-looking lawmakers in a packed House of Commons chamber bowed their heads and police officers also marked the silence standing outside the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police nearby. / AFP PHOTOIndian sandartist Sudarsan Pattnaik gives the final touches to a sand sculpture on Puri Beach, some 65kms from Bhubaneswar on March 23, 2017, the day after an attack in London. Seven people have been arrested including some in London and Birmingham over the terror attack at the British parliament, the police said, revising down the number of victims to three / AFP PHOTOPolice officers arrive with a bunch of flowers to lay in honour of police officer Keith Palmer, who was killed during the March 22 terror attack in Westminster, at the National Police Memorial in Westminster, central London on March 23, 2017. Britain’s parliament reopened on Thursday with a minute’s silence in a gesture of defiance a day after an attacker sowed terror in the heart of Westminster, killing three people before being shot dead. Sombre-looking lawmakers in a packed House of Commons chamber bowed their heads and police officers also marked the silence standing outside the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police nearby. / AFP PHOTOPedestrians and cyclists cross Westminster Bridge with the Houses of Parliament in the background in central London on Marhc 23, 2017 after it reopened following its closure by security services during and after the March 22 terror attack. Britain’s parliament reopened on Thursday with a minute’s silence in a gesture of defiance a day after an attacker sowed terror in the heart of Westminster, killing three people before being shot dead. Sombre-looking lawmakers in a packed House of Commons chamber bowed their heads and police officers also marked the silence standing outside the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police nearby. / AFP PHOTOA police officer lays flowers on Whitehall around a photograph of police officer Keith Palmer who was killed in the March 22 terror attack in Westminster, in Westminster near the Houses of the Parliament in central London on March 23, 2017. Britain’s parliament reopened on Thursday with a minute’s silence in a gesture of defiance a day after an attacker sowed terror in the heart of Westminster, killing three people before being shot dead. Sombre-looking lawmakers in a packed House of Commons chamber bowed their heads and police officers also marked the silence standing outside the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police nearby. / AFP PHOTOBelgian Ministers and MPs hold a minute of silence for the victims of the attack in London that killed three people the day before, on March 23, 2017 at the beginning of a plenary session of the Chamber at the Federal Parliament in Brussels. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an attack in London that killed three people, the Amaq propaganda agency linked to the jihadist organisation said. The claim marks the first time the group has taken responsibility for an attack in Britain. / AFP PHOTOA police officer lays flowers on Whitehall around a photograph of police officer Keith Palmer who was killed in the March 22 terror attack in Westminster, in Westminster near the Houses of the Parliament in central London on March 23, 2017. Britain’s parliament reopened on Thursday with a minute’s silence in a gesture of defiance a day after an attacker sowed terror in the heart of Westminster, killing three people before being shot dead. Sombre-looking lawmakers in a packed House of Commons chamber bowed their heads and police officers also marked the silence standing outside the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police nearby. / AFP PHOTO / Justin TALLISMargot Wallstrom Sweden’s foreign minister (C) pauses with other members during a minute of silence at the Security Council on March 23, 2017 at UN Headquarters in New York. Four people were killed and 40 injured after being run over and stabbed in a lightning attack at the gates of British democracy on Wednesday attributed by police to “Islamist-related terrorism”. The attack unfolded across Westminster Bridge in the shadow of Big Ben, a towering landmark that draws tourists by the millions and stands over Britain’s Houses of Parliament — the very image of London. / AFP PHOTOPolice secure a cordon blocking access to the Houses of Parliament in central London March 23, 2017 the day after the March 22 terror attack. Britain’s parliament reopened on Thursday with a minute’s silence in a gesture of defiance a day after an attacker sowed terror in the heart of Westminster, killing three people before being shot dead. Sombre-looking lawmakers in a packed House of Commons chamber bowed their heads and police officers also marked the silence standing outside the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police nearby. / AFP PHOTO
The House of Representatives Committee on Economic Recession has expressed optimism that the country will soon overcome recession.
The Chairman of the committee, Dr Bode Ayorinde, stated this in an interview with reporters shortly after the committee met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday.
Ayorinde said the committee's meeting with Osinbajo, who is the Chairman of the National Economic Team, was to suggest ways that the country could exit recession.
"Government is by action; but before you take action, you plan.
Economic recession
"We are now at the planning stage and already you see there is a slow response.
"The inflation rate dropped gradually and gradually, all other steps that are being taken when they are in full force (will work).
"Nigeria is a strong country; we have a lot of resources; all we need to do is to wake up.
"When there are challenges, it leads to innovation.
"It is when you are hungry that you remember that you have something around the corner of your house that you can turn into food.
"Nigerians should be patient with government and, by the grace of God, we shall be out of recession.''
Ayorinde said that the Reps Committee was made up of experienced finance people who could assist in designing programmes that could engender speedy economic recovery.
He commended both the executive and legislature for collaborating to solve the nation's economic problems.
"We are glad that we are on the same page; some of our suggestions have been acknowledged to be the way they were thinking and some of our suggestions have been innovative.
"By the grace of God Nigerians will feel the effect of this committee and the effort of the Federal Government very soon,'' he said.
Ayorinde also said that the recovery plan was being compiled adding that the Federal Government would soon come out with a package to exit the recession in fulfilment of its essence to address the welfare of the people.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (House of Reps),
Mr Suleiman Kawu, who was at the meeting said the executive was glad about the resolutions of the committee adding that the executive would come out with a position.
"We heard what they (Reps) said; we will come up with a position too and, in the end, we want to arrive at a position where Nigerians will be happy with the government,'' he said.
Kawu noted that the Reps and the executive arm of government enjoyed a harmonious relationship that was "rancour-free, intact and doing serious consultations''.
Three people were killed in the terror attack outside Britain’s parliament: a woman picking up her children from school, a man from Utah, and an unarmed police officer.
Westminster Bridge, where the attacker mowed down pedestrians before stabbing a police officer, is a busy tourist spot with its views of parliament’s Big Ben clock tower.Police officers arrive with a bunch of flowers to lay in honour of police officer Keith Palmer, who was killed during the March 22 terror attack in Westminster, at the National Police Memorial in Westminster, central London on March 23, 2017. Britain’s parliament reopened on Thursday with a minute’s silence in a gesture of defiance a day after an attacker sowed terror in the heart of Westminster, killing three people before being shot dead. Sombre-looking lawmakers in a packed House of Commons chamber bowed their heads and police officers also marked the silence standing outside the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police nearby. / AFP PHOTO
Those injured in the attack included many foreigners.
Here is what we know about the victims so far.
– ‘Hero’ police officer – Unarmed police officer Keith Palmer, who was fatally stabbed as he stood guard at an entrance to parliament, has been hailed as a hero.
The 48-year-old husband and father had been a police officer for 15 years and was part of the parliamentary protection force.
Prime Minister Theresa May called him “every inch a hero”.
He previously served in the British army alongside James Cleverly, now a Conservative MP, who tweeted: “A lovely man, a friend. I’m heartbroken.”
As a tribute, Charlton Athletic football club placed a scarf in its red and white colours on Seat 166 of its stadium, which Palmer held as a season ticket holder.
Thousands of people also donated money to Palmer’s family via a crowdfunding page set up by the police force union.
Within a day, it had already collected nearly £200,000 ($250,000, 232,000 euros).
– Mother-of-two – Colleagues of Aysha Frade, a mother who was run down and killed as she was on her way to pick up her children, said she was “loved” and would be “deeply missed”.
A Spanish diplomatic source confirmed to AFP that Frade was a 43-year-old British national whose mother was Spanish.
Media reports said her daughters were seven and nine years old.
Rachel Borland, principal of DLD College London where Frade worked in the administration team, said she was “highly regarded and loved by our students and by her colleagues”.
– ‘A great American’ – Kurt Cochran from Utah in the United States has been named as the third victim.
US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to pay tribute to “a great American” adding that his “prayers and condolences are with the family and friends”.
Clint Payne, Cochran’s brother-in-law, explained in a statement that Cochran and his wife Melissa Payne Cochran had been in London to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
“Our family is heartbroken,” he said in a statement emailed to AFP.
Cochran’s wife is reportedly in hospital, where she is recovering from a broken leg and rib and a cut on her head.
The police said only that a man in his 50s had died.
– Injured – Police said 29 of around 40 people wounded were treated in hospital. Seven remained in “critical condition” on Thursday.
Three French pupils on a school trip to London, all aged 15 or 16, were among those hurt, including two who suffered broken bones but were not reported to be in life-threatening condition.
The teenagers are from a high school in Concarneau, in the western Brittany region, and were joined by their families on Wednesday evening. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault arrived in London on Thursday to visit them.
Five South Korean tourists — four women and a man in their 50s and 60s — were also wounded after being knocked to the ground by people fleeing as the assailant mowed down pedestrians, Seoul’s foreign ministry said.
In an address to parliament on Thursday, May said that among the people admitted to hospital were 12 Britons as well as two Greeks and two Romanians, one German, one Pole, one Irish citizen, one Chinese national, one Italian and one American.
A woman with serious injuries rescued from the River Thames near Westminster Bridge after the attack, as well as her fiance, are believed to be the two Romanians.
Local media in the eastern European country have named them as Andreea Cristea, a 29 year-old architect and Andrei Burnez. Authorities did not confirm the reports.
The injured also included three police officers who were returning from an event recognising their bravery, two of whom remain in serious condition.
Among the injured British nationals were four students from Edge Hill University in Ormskirk in northwest England, who were on an educational visit to the parliament.
The Police in Lokoja on Thursday paraded 20 persons suspected to be kidnappers and armed robbers.
The Commissioner of police in the State, Mr Wilson Inalegwu, said some of them were arrested for criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms and culpable homicide.
He said the suspects were arrested at Igalamela/Odolu, Ankpa, Ibaji, Odo-ere, Okene and Odo-Ape during security operations by men of the Special Anti Robbery Squads (SARS).
Those paraded were Musa Audu, Adamu Lamun and Bodori Ide for allegedly kidnapping one Aishetu Shehu on Feb. 4, 2017.
Inalegwu said the suspects collected N500,000 ransom before releasing her.
He said that Enemona Godwin, Solomon Anthony, Yakubu Abdullahi, Hassan Abdullahi, Ekele Attah, Umar Abubakar, Ahmadu Panya, Jeremiah Olorunmowaju, Idris Umar, Umar Mohammed and Hussaini Yahaya were arrested for armed robbery and kidnapping.
According to him, four pump action guns, four AK47, two pistols, two double barrel guns, two Dane guns, 200 live cartridges, 150 wraps of Indian hemps, military cap, boots and belts are some of the items recovered from the suspects.
Inalegwu said the new security strategies he introduced had started yielding results.
The commissioner, who assumed office barely a month ago, commended members of the local vigilance groups for their contribution to the fight against crime and promised to make the state safer for people.
Last week, Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, accompanied by Inalegwu and other members of the state security council, supervised the demolition of two houses used by terrorists and armed robbers in Okene.
In recent time, many commuters had been kidnapped or robbed while passing through the state.
Worried by misapplication of the federal character principle, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi said on Thursday that the principle should be based strictly on merit rather than on ethnicity.
Sanusi spoke at the 10th memorial lecture of Chief Kehinde Sofola (SAN) with the theme: "The Role of the Legal Profession in Nation Building: the Nigerian Context."
The emir, who chaired the lecture, said the government should only ensure that representatives of the people in political, legal, or economic institutions in the country were drawn from suitably qualified individuals and not on ethnic considerations.
The Federal Character Commission Act was promulgated in 1995 and later fused into the 1999 Constitution in the wake of agitations for fair share of political positions across the country.
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano
In the guiding principles and formula for the distribution of all cadres of posts across the country, the Act stipulates in its Part 1 that (1) "Each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory shall be equitably represented in all national institutions and in public enterprises and organisations. (2) The best and the most competent persons shall be recruited from each state of the federation to fill positions reserved for the indigenes of the FCT."
It was introduced to promote national unity and foster national loyalty instead of regional interests and eventually give every Nigerian a sense of belonging no matter anyone's religion, language or ethnic group.
Sanusi said:"The issue of federal character should not be an excuse for nepotism; it should be based strictly on merit and not on family or ethnic sentiments."
According to him, a true application of the federal character principle will help to preserve the rule of law in the country.
Described democracy as rule of law based, the one-time Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria called on Nigerians to protect and defend the integrity and dignity of the nation's legal institutions.
"As we live today, we must understand that it is our duty to respect the various institutions of our country.
"We cannot sit and watch as spectators as our institutions are being destroyed; to be a true Nigerian we must learn to look at our leadership and tell them where they are going wrong," Sanusi said.
On human rights and liberty, the emir stressed the need for the society to pay attention to child rights.
"No religion permits infringement on the rights of any child. You find children in the streets hawking when they should be in school while some female children are even forced into marriage.
"Even the Sharia Law requires you to first seek the consent of your female child before giving her out in marriage and so the rule of law expects us to be law abiding," he said.
Sanusi also urged leaders at all levels to obey the rule of law rather than being intoxicated with power, saying "power is transient".
As leaders, he said, they should perform their duties diligently for the benefit and common good of the people in accordance to the laws of the country.
For Sanusi strict adherence to the rule of law and treading the path of truth was the panacea to the scourge of corruption currently ravaging the country.
A human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), a discussant at the lecture, called on lawyers to abide by the rule of law and shun every form of corrupt practices in court and in public life.
According to Falana, the rule of law demands that the country is governed by law and the constitution.
He appealed to leaders to ensure that the rights and liberties of the citizenry were protected, adding "this can only be done by adherence to the law."
Falana condemned corrupt practices by judicial and political officers and urged citizens to stand up and fight corruption.
He described law as the sole guide and guard for any society, and that the court remained the temple of justice with judges as administrators in the temple.
Comparing the operation of law in Africa and Europe, Falana bemoaned the spate of violation of the law particularly in Nigeria and called for a redress.
He noted that some legal officers use of frivolous applications in court to stall proceedings and put a clog in the wheels of justice.
"Take a look at court proceedings and you find some cases lingering on for more than five years; the situation is even worse when such lawyers still come to the same court to seek adjournments.
"There is also this "rude" practice where lawyers undertake briefs for their clients, and seek their opinion if they would prefer the case to be delayed in court; this is simply absurd."
Falana, who urged lawyers must see themselves as officers of the court and act accordingly, said they should shun practices aimed at subverting the law.
In her remarks, another discussant, Prof. Isabella Okagbue, also criticised frivolous applications aimed at perverting justice and condemned corruption in the legal profession.
"The court must not adjourn any case at the request of counsel; cases must go on and frivolous adjournments must be discouraged."
A former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Philips, who spoke on behalf of Kehinde Sofola Chamber's Alumni, extolled the virtues of the late legal icon.
She described Sofola as a watchdog for all his employees and kept everyone on his toes as well as demanded dedicated to the profession.
She attributed her success in legal practice to the "ever present help" of the late legal icon, adding that lawyers must learn from the good conduct of their predecessors in order to be successful.
The lecture was attended by Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki, a political activist, Dr Junaid Muhammed, Justice Bimbo Obaseki-Adejumo and senior lawyers.
President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded the names of 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) to the Senate for confirmation.
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, read the letter dated 27 February, 2017.
It was signed on behalf of President Buhari by the Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. Osinbajo, who wrote the letter when he was the Acting President.
The letter stated that the nominations were in compliance with the provisions of section 14 (3) (a) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
INEC LOGO
The letter reads: "In compliance with the provisions of Section 14 (3) (a) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I write to request the confirmation of the following nominees for appointment as Resident Electoral Commissioners.
The nominees are: Prof. Godswill Obioma (Abia), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Adamawa), Alhaji Ahmad Makama (Bauchi), James Apam (Benue), Barr. Mike Igini (Delta), Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji ( Ebonyi), Dr. Illoh Joseph Chuks (Enugu), Hussaini Halilu Pai (FCT), Sadiq Abubakar Musa (Kaduna), Jibrin Ibrahim Zarewa (Kano), Dr. (Mrs) and Asmau Sani Maikudi (Katsina).
Others are: Dr. Mahmuda Isah (Kebbi), Prof. Samuel Egwu (Kogi), Amb. Rufus Akeju (Lagos), Prof. Mustapha Zubairu (Niger), Agboke Mutiu Olaleke (Ogun), Sam Olugbadebo Olumekun (Ondo), AbdulGaniyu Olayinka Taju (Oyo), Prof. Riskuwa Shehu (Sokoto),
Also nominated are: Barr. Kasim Gana Geidam (Yobe), Ahmad Bello Mahmud (Zamfara), Dr. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda (Plateau), Umar Ibrahim (Taraba), Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Ezeonu (Anambra), Mr. Emeka Ononamadu Joseph (Imo), Obo. O. Effanga (Cross River) and Dr. Briyai O. Frankland (Baylesa).
After the Senate President read the letter, no action was taken as it has to be listed on the Order Paper on another legislative date for further consideration.
Around 250 African migrants are feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean after a rescue boat found two partially submerged rubber dinghies off Libya, a spokeswoman for the NGO which operates the vessel said Thursday.
Laura Lanuza of Spanish charity Pro-Activa Open Arms said its boat had recovered five floating corpses close to the dinghies, about 15 miles off the Libyan coast.
“We don’t think there can be any other explanation than that these dinghies would have been full of people,” she told AFP, adding that they would typically have been carrying 120-140 migrants each.
The Japanese Government has given a major boost to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board to be able to provide effective waste disposal and management in the capital city of Nigeria.
As part of the collaboration with the AEPB, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, JICA, has established two pilot sanitation and waste disposal schemes at the Maitama General Hospital and the Police Quarters at LifeCamp, all in the FCT with a view to providing a congenial living condition for the residents.
Speaking while conducting journalists round the two project sites, the JICA Representative in Nigeria Mr Hirotaka Nakamura, said that the sanitation scheme was aimed at providing continuous quality improvement in the health sector of Nigeria.
Nakamura said: "The introduction of the 5S-KAIZEN, a Japanese word meaning change for the better and Total Quality Management (TQM) serves as a tool for continuous quality improvement in the health sector and further strengthen bilateral ties between Nigeria and Japan.
"Our overall aim is in keeping with the Japanese '5S KAIZEN' which means to sort, set, shine, standardize and sustain. "Japan through JICA will continue to explore possible areas of assisting Nigeria to achieve sustainable development and health care delivery for its people in line with our mutual cooperation status," he said.
The Director of the AEPB, Mrs. Omolola Olanipekun, who was represented by Mr Muktar Ibrahim, explained that the partnership between the JICA and the AEPB is basically for the preservation and conservation of the FCT environment so as to ensure better health and sustainable development for the Abuja residents.
The AEPB Director said, “JICA's integrated solid waste management project focuses on prevention, composting, recycling and disposal of waste in such a way as to protect human health and its environment, which clearly explains why the Blue Bin programme was introduced”.
He pointed out that the Blue Bin project is designed to promote and achieve the target of reducing, reusing and recycling waste in the FCT.
At the Maitama General Hospital, the Medical Director, Dr Adetoun Sotimiehin confessed that the introduction of the improved sanitary and waste disposal project by JICA in the hospital had led to a large patronage by Nigerians in recent years and resulting in its emergence as the best hospital in the FCT.
The House of Representatives, on Thursday urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to urgently withdraw and destroy mutilated naira notes in circulation.
The house also charged the National Orientation Agency to carry out sustained public enlightenment to educate Nigerians on the need to handle the naira notes cautiously with care.
The resolutions followed a motion by Rep. Adekola Alexander (PDP- Ekiti).
Moving the motion, Alexander said that the alarming rate of mutilated currency notes in circulation had become a national embarrassment.
He added that banks were issuing torn, mutilated and unhygienic currency notes through ATM machines and across the counter.
"I observe that in spite of arrest and subsequent prosecution of the culprits, there is still a cartel in CBN and commercial banks, which make brisk business recycling old naira notes meant for destruction.
House of Representatives
"They enrich their bank accounts, acquiring properties through these illegal proceeds by converting the equivalent of the mutilated notes into their accounts and selling printed mint meant for customers, to touts and hawkers.
"Section 21(4) of the CBN Act of 2007 makes it a punishable offence for any person to hawk, sell or trade in naira notes, coins or any other issued by the apex bank," he said.
The lawmaker expressed worry that most of the mutilated currency notes in circulation harboured pathogenic micro organisms hazardous to human health.
He said that the mutilated notes also harboured infectious disease such as diarrhea, food poisoning and respiratory problems which could be spread through the notes.
The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.
The house, therefore, mandated the Committee on Banking and Currency to conduct an investigation into the activities of the cartel by beaming searchlight on the CBN, commercial banks and other allied institutions.
The committee was given six weeks to carry out the assignment.
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
The authorities of the Nigerian Youth Service Corps NYSC have released a Mobilization Time Table For 2017 Batch A.
The Time Table state thus The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen. Sule Kazaure takes took over as the 17th DG of the scheme, promising to priotise welfare of corps members and the staff.
Briefing/Sensitization of Final year students/prospective corps Members. 4th – 16th April 2017
Display of list of all approved programmes for institutions on NYSC portal for cross checking feedback. 3rd – 7th April 2017
Collation of Prospective Corps Members’ Data by Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs)
Submission/Uploading of Senate/Academic Board Approved Result for Full/Part-Time Graduates and Revalidation Lists by CPIs 10th – 16th April 2017
Uploading of Corrected Lists by Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs) 10th – 16th April 2017
On-line Registration by Foreign and locally Trained Nigerian Graduates 17th April to 4th May 2017
Entertainment of complaints from Prospective Corps Members by the state Deployment and Relocation officers and NYSC Help Lines/Desks 17th April to 4th May 2017
Forwarding of Complaints to Mobilisation Dept by State Deployment and Relocation officers 17th April to 4th May 2017
Deployment and printing of call-up letters by ICT department 4th – 6th May, 2017
Notification/On-line Printing of Call-up Letters/delivery of call-up letters to institutions 4th – 6th May, 2017
Online printing of deployment disposition by Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs) 6th – 8th May, 2017
My husband is a bully and the kids and I are scared of him to the point that I can no longer bear it . He beat the kid often and has threatened to deal with me if I leave. The only thing is that I don't have anyone to turn to. My mother lives in our hometown and I've lost contact with all my friends. Please help.
Uju by e-mail.
DearUju,
I receive loads of letters from abused women all the time and they almost always say that they have "no one to turn to." This is because as part of the abuse, the man has cut off his partner's contact with other people. The first thing you need to do urgently is to get to know other people. Keep in touch with your mum and make friends with people around you. With outside help, you would get your confidence back enough to cope with your marriage.
I'm not saying you should not take your husband's threat seriously. But with support, you'll get more confidence. If need be, alert the police, who could ask him to keep the peace. In the end, to keep your sanity, you might have to leave. This might even be a wake-up call for your husband to want to save the marriage.
Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk
I have this pepper-soup joint I go to with my friends during the week. The attraction for me really is one of the waitresses that started work there a few months ago. I've been having sex with her in the rooms behind the pepper-soup joint; the proprietress charges extra for that. The girl is a stunner and I'm the envy of my friends.
A couple of weeks ago, however, I was coming out from one of the rooms with the girl when I saw one of my friends' wives talking to the proprietress.
Apparently, she's one of her suppliers. I'm not sure if she suspects anything but what if the proprietress told her? I can't sleep at night in case my friend's wife spills the beans to my wife and she stops me going out so often. Should I have a word with her?
Dear Fatai,
You men are sometimes unbelievable! You're not sorry your action might hurt your wife, only sorry you might be exposed.
I hope your friend's wife did cotton on to what you are up to and tells your wife all about it. If she does, your little toy will certainly be taken from you but I guess you can always find a way round that.
Why don't you concentrate on making your wife sexually happy and cut the risk of catching STD and transferring it to her!
Dear Bunrni, AM 15 and the only child of my mother who remarried about three years ago. We moved into her new husband's home and sometime last year, my step-brother, who is now 18, forced me to have sex with him. Whenever my mother and step- father go to our home town, which is at least once a month, he forces himself on me.
When it first happened, I threatened to tell my mum. He laughed and threatened to harm me if I did. When I eventually had the courage to tell my mum, that my stepbrother was touching me, she said I was trying to break up her marriage because I didn't like my step-father. My mum told me my step-brother merely had a crush on me and I was being silly. I'm scared of what would happen if I told her that he was actually having sex with me.
Davidaby e-mail.
Dear Davida,
The most loving of parents sometimes find it hard to accept that a member of the
family or a family friend is abusing their daughter. Yet it's within family relationships that sexual abuse is most likely to occur.
Among the most frequent victims of abuse are girls who fall prey to step-fathers and step-brothers. A young girl being abused within the family is terrified of the effect on those they love most if the truth is revealed – so the secrecy, reinforced by threats – often continues.
It is urgent that you tell someone who has access to your mother no matter what
immediate distress this may cause. Your happiness and peace of mind is important and there is also the danger of your getting pregnant. Speak out now and insist that your mother protect you.
Some citizens of Kogi state, including civil servants and pensioners, have written a Save Our Soul letter to President Mohammadu Buhari asking him to to save them from the severe agony they are going through.
Prseident Muhammadu Buhari
The Kogites in an SOS titled ‘Save Our Soul; A Cry Of Agony From The Army Of Victims Of Maladministration In Kogi State To Your Excellency’ and signed by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youth leaders and a lawyer from the State, Mr Usman Okai Austin, said that it was ‘evident that the common denominators in Kogi State today are; servitude, starvation, depression and neglect which was as a results of the over 14 months nonpayment of salaries and pensions to the workers and pensioners some of whom are dying almost on daily basis arising from avoidable circumstances’
The SOS further said ‘that all these financial interventions meant to ameliorate the sufferings of civil servants and pensioners have been grossly misappropriated and mismanaged’.
Thy begged the President to save them from abject poverty or they will ‘all perish in the hands of Governor Yahaya Bello and his team of oppressors’
Read the letter below
Mr President Sir,
SAVE OUR SOUL; A CRY OF AGONY FROM THE ARMY OF VICTIMS OF MALADMINISTRATION IN KOGI STATE TO YOUR EXCELLENCY
Greetings and best wishes from the army of the oppressed, exploited and victimized citizens of Kogi State. We wish to sincerely thank Almighty Allah (SWT) for the speedy recovery He granted you and at the same time pray that He grants you the strength and wisdom to pilot the affairs of this great nation to lofty heights.
Your Excellency, we are compelled to bother you at this time that you just returned to office,bearing in mind the fact that there are other urgent state matters requiring your attention.
However, we consider this medium as our last life line because of the serious and expedient nature of our case.
Your Excellency, we presume you mind not have been familiar with our situation in Kogi State and as such it is appropriate for us to succinctly explain to you.
Kogi our beloved state is undergoing tough trial and awkward avoidable circumstances imposed on us by his Excellency Governor Yahaya Bello. This may sound unbelievable to you, but Kogi citizens are in severe agony resulting from the maladministration of our Governor.
The suffering of kogites is evident from the over 14 months nonpayment of salaries and pensions to the workers and pensioners some of whom are dying almost on daily basis arising from avoidable circumstances. As it is in Kogi State today, the common denominators are; servitude, starvation, depression and neglect.
Your Excellency, you may recall that the immediate past administration in Kogi state under the leadership of Governor Idris Wada, applied for fairly over Fifty billion naira (N50, 000,000,000) bailout fund to settle all salaries and pensions arrears and other related issues. However, the bailout fund was not released to him. The current administration of Governor Yahaya Bello was able to access the sum of twenty billion (N20, 000,000,000) of that sum. In the same vein, several financial interventions such as Paris Club money refund, refund of the expenses by the administration of former Governor Idris Ibrahim as well as the statutory monthly allocations and the improved Internally Generated Revenue hovering almost a billion naira monthly were all accessed by the current administration.
Regrettably, all these financial interventions meant to ameliorate the sufferings of civil servants and pensioners have been grossly misappropriated and mismanaged by our Governor and his team. Without iota of exaggeration, as we write this letter to you, the civil servants and pensioners are owed 14 months of salaries and pensions respectively and are thereby wallowing in abject poverty.
Currently all the state owns tertiary institutions have been on strike for months now as well as the medical Doctors in the state are also on strike due to non payment of salaries.
Worrisome is the disturbing fact that, whenever we tried to protest against this injustice, the Governor uses the security apparatus to harass and to suppress the hapless innocent citizens. In fact, he has also perpetually played the mind-game on us by making us to understand that he has an intimate rapport with the Presidency and he is more or less a SACRED COW!
Thus, officials at the Federal Level would not hearken to us no matter how much we cry. Sadly enough, the media that is supposed to be the veritable avenue to tell you and your God fearing team about our predicament, has been hijacked by the Governor's team . And these heavily financed media aides have completely dispossessed us of all avenues to be heard.
The Governor's frequent excuse for this deprivation is that there is an ongoing screening of the workers and pensioners. This screening which started on the 22nd of February, 2016 is still ongoing. This has humiliated, exterminated, exhausted, extorted, deprived and tampered with the integrity and the wellbeing of Pensioners and Civil servants. As earlier explained above, civil servants and pensioners meet their on untimely death almost on daily basis in Kogi State because of this arranged screening meant to buy time and dodge from the responsibility of salary payment.
We are ready to furnish you with facts of the civil servants and pensioners' predicaments of mostly heart attack and strokes sequel to the nonpayment of their entitlements and which subsequently culminated to their untimely death.
On this matter, many Kogi citizens believe that the Federal Government had tactically stayed aloof and refused to monitor/ensure these financial interventions benefit the Civil servants and Pensioners they were truly meant for. The reason for this conception is the general opinion that Governor Yahaya Bello is 'The Presidency,s Sacred Cow'. Of course, he has openly boasted about this and there is a recent video clip in which he unequivocally told the workers to report him (the Governor) to whoever they so wished adding that he was invincible.
OBSERVATION AND PRAYERS
It is in view of the above that we make the following observations and prayers. We strongly believe that you would use your good offices to treat this with dispatch as our father and as custodian of justice, equity and fairness.
Hence, we observe and pray as follows:
1. That Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has so far accessed N20 Billion Naira bailout fund and over 11 Billion Naira Paris Club Money Refund, aside the consistent monthly allocations and other funds like the N10 billion Naira ecological funds refund.
2. That Governor Yahaya Bello has deliberately and consistently misappropriated all these financial interventions. And the monies were not used for the purposes (salaries and pensions) meant for except that the funds were diverted for private use by the Governor and his political cronies.
3. That the Civil Servants and Pensioners are still owed 14 months of salaries and pension arrears.
4. That the Governor has cleverly employed an unending screening exercise as a delay tactics and excuse to keep us quiet. A screening which could have been long concluded using BVN to sort out the ghost workers.
5. That the Federal Ministry of Finance should stop all financial interventions to Kogi State especially the forthcoming Paris Refund money, until the Governor is able to account for the ones he has received so far.
6. That we know as a fact that Governor Yahaya Bello would still refuse to pay workers and pensioners even if you give him the Paris Club Refund money.
7. That the Federal Government should send a monitoring team that would ensure further financial interventions is judiciously used to resolve salaries and pensions.
8. That refusal to check the reckless and profligate lifestyle and spending of the Governor and his aides would continue to deepen the agony of workers and pensioners and invariably undermine the war against corruption.
We therefore, appeal at this point to hastily come to our aid or we all perish in the hands of Governor Yahaya Bello and his team of oppressors.
Some Nigerian Bishops under the banner, Niger Delta Bishops and Ministers Forum (NDBMF), have warned the Canada-based self-professed stripper, Ms. Stephanie Otobo to retrace her steps from her allegations against Apostle Suleman or face the wrath of God.
Recall that Ms. Otobo had accused the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman of ditching her after allegedly promising her marriage in an amorous relationship she claimed equally got her pregnant.
But Apostle Suleman has vehemently denied the allegations, saying the Stripper is only acting out a script from powers that be, particularly Governor El-Rufai of Kaduna state, who took to the offensives when he (Suleman) spoke vociferously against the killings of Christians in Kaduna state.
However, president of NDBMF, His Eminence, Dr. Julius Ediwe, who spoke to newsmen in Port Harcourt said the allegations of Ms. Otobo against Apostle Suleman is pure falsehood.
Stephanie Otobo and Apostle Joshua Suleiman
"We want to let Nigerians and the whole world know that this is propaganda. It is false. As spiritual fathers in the land, we will not be quiet and watch a young girl with whoever that is sponsoring her, spoil the name of a man of God. A man of God who has single-handedly stood in defense of Christians in this country, Africa and the whole world."
"We cannot sit down and watch a young girl like that speak blasphemy of such a man of God. We are here to say it is an error. As Niger Delta Bishops and Ministers Forum, we condemn the actions of the young girl and whoever that is sponsoring her."
"We want to advise them to leave Apostle Suleiman alone; allow him to do what God has sent him to do in Nigeria, in Africa and the whole world. God called him to preach the gospel and we are enjoying the gospel and we love what he is doing. I want to let Nigerians know that Apostle Suleiman has made us, clergymen proud in this country. Such a man is not somebody who that little girl should come up to rubbish."
"So, we are saying, please, if you love your life, run away from this evil paid for against the man of God. If not, the wrath of God is coming upon you! We know that such allegation can come at any time to any man of God who preached the truth and has integrity."
"We want to urge Nigerians not to buy into what that young girl is saying. Anybody that is following the girl should be careful, because they are incurring the wrath of God. Remember, the Bible said, touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm. God has not permitted anybody to speak such evil of any man of God. We are warning whoever is involved in this to be careful with men of God."
Although Ms. Otobo has released no reliable evidence to prove her allegations except some pictures which many people adjudged as photoshopped, she had equally engaged the services of a lawyer, Keyamo to press charges of N500 million naira against Apostle Suleman.
However, the Police, Monday, arraigned Ms. Otobo over alleged intent to steal and blackmail. She was charged alongside Wisdom Godstime, aged 43 who is believed to be her accomplice.
They are facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, blackmail, and threat to life, preferred against them by the police.
The prosecutor, M. A. Animashaun, told the court that the defendants and others at large committed the alleged offence on February 14, 2017, at about 10:30am, at Police College, Ikeja, Lagos. He said the duo conspired to steal by demanding for property with menace and an attempt to extort money.
Animashaun also said the defendants, with intent to blackmail, unlawfully demanded the payment of $1 million to Otobo by Apostle Suleiman, else she would call a press conference and accuse him of committing adultery with her and having illicit relationship with her and thereafter kill him.
The prosecutor further alleged that the defendants with intent to extort money from Suleiman, accused him of committing adultery with Otobo, and also promised to marry her. According to the Animashaun, the offences committed are punishable under sections 411, 301 and 303 of the criminal law of Lagos State 2015.
However the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge against them. Magistrate Mrs Kikelomo Bukola- Ayeye, in her ruling granted the defendants bail in liberal term and asked them to deposit the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum, who must be gainfully employed.
Recall also that on March 6, Magistrate Ayeye had refused a request to remand Stephanie Otobo and Wisdom Godstime on the grounds that there is no substantial evidence to deny Stephanie of her fundamental right to freedom.
She had held that the matter was a case between two Nigerians and it does not matter if one of the parties was a man of God. She adjourned the case to April 27, for the commencement of trial.
Some female lawyers have called for the use of social media, as a means to address the menace of sexual harassment of children.
They said this in separate interviews in Lagos that the psychological effects of sexual harassment of girls and boys were profound and needed to be eradicated.
Mrs Amaka Agbakoba-Onyejianya, a Lawyer said that sexual harassment was a threat that had always been present from the beginning of time, but was now at an alarming rate.
She added that the use of social media to create awareness would go a long way at educating the masses.
"Knowledge begins with awareness.
"Once we start to have notable individuals as spokespersons going around and talking about the punishable fine of the evil in this act; it will gradually recede.
"People will start to understand that these are behaviours that are not accepted in the society, and it will attract strict rigorous penalties to the defaulters," the lawyer said.
Ify Oji, Managing Partner of Haldane Law firm, said that early sexual education should start in the family, in order to expose the children early and create awareness against paedophiles.
"We should not limit everything a child learns to the school alone, but as parents we should endeavour to teach our children on the need for proper dressing and indecent acts," she said.
Oji said that sometimes girls fall prey to child prostitution out of ignorance, and the devious acts of unscrupulous child traffickers who use make belief stories to lure them away from home.
"Most of the times they get themselves into child prostitution or dangerous situations when they don't have money without even knowing it," she said.
The lawyer, however, blamed the increase on the level of poverty in the country and the lack of a well-structured system, to impart adequate knowledge for the increased sexual incidences.
Also, Ricky Asamota, a business consultant said that teaching courses in schools to educate young ones, on proper ways to make money is one way of eliminating such occurrence in future.
Asomata said that all hand must be on deck; to ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are caught and brought to book instantly.
"The law will also play their part so that it will be like one big interconnected system of people, government, social media and individuals all working seamlessly together to raise that awareness.
"We cannot and should not allow such criminal acts to go on without stamping out feet on the ground for the safe future of our children," she said.
In the same vein, Mrs Florence Ogunsanya, an educationist, said that it was important to teach children especially girls at an early age about their bodies to prevent been taken advantage of.
"You should tell your girl very early in life that her genitals and buttocks should not be touched by anybody especially a man.
"You should even encourage her to shout if any person does so. This technique helps to deter would be molesters," she said.
Ogunsanya, however, pointed out that sexual harassment involved both male and female adding that boys also suffer such violation from female predators which needed to be addressed.
An Abuja-based lawyer has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order to restrain the National Assembly from compelling retired Col. Hameed Ali, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) from wearing uniform.
Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, the plaintiff in the suit, made copies of the process available to newsmen on Tuesday.
The suit listed other defendants to include the Comptroller-General of NCS, the NCS, the Senate and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
The plaintiff is seeking a declaration of the court that the oversight functions of the National Assembly did not extend to compelling, mandating and enforcing the first defendant to wear uniform before performing his duties.
He is also seeking the court to declare that the first defendant, who is not a commissioned officer of the NCS, is not mandated by law to wear the service's uniform.
Ibrahim further asked the court to declare if Ali's appointment made pursuant to Sections 5 and 171 of the Constitution could be subjected to the provision of Customs and Excise Management Act or any other law.
The plaintiff, therefore, urged the court to decide whether the first defendant's appointment, having been made pursuant to the provisions of the constitution, could be subjected to the provisions of other laws.
He also asked the court to explain whether there was any legal provision that prescribed the wearing of uniform as a condition precedent by the first defendant in view of his appointment under Section 171 of the constitution.
He asked the court to decide whether the first defendant, not being commissioned custom officer, could be mandated to wear the service's uniform for the performance of the duties of Comptroller-General.
The plaintiff further urged the court to decide whether every directive or power hitherto exercised by the first defendant while not in uniform was null and void.
Ibrahim had also asked the court to decide whether, in view of Section 88 (1) of the constitution, the senate could summon the first defendant having not published a resolution to that effect.
The defendants are mandated to, within 30 days after service of the originating summons on them appear in court.
Alumni of the China Europe International Business school (CEIBS), the number 1 MBA in Asia according to Forbes, financial times, Bloomberg and Businessweek,and 11th in the world according to the financial times held their reunion and induction ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria on the 18th of March 2017.
CEIBS which according to Alumni and analysts is unparalleled in preparing internationals to do business in and with China, has19,000 Alumni globally and was founded by the Chinese government and European union in 1994.
L-R: Head of SME banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank,Obinna Ukachukwu ; Council Member China Europe International Business School, Alumni Nigeria Chapter, Mrs Omoyemi Chukwurah; Acting President CEIBS/Group Head Private Sector, eTranzact, Mr Sunday Adebayo Agboola; Head,Business Development, Sales and Marketing, Africa, CEIBS Dr. Thelma Oparaand Professor Mathew Tsamenyi, Professor of Accounting and Academic Director, Africa,CEIBS, during the reunion and Induction ceremony of CEIBS Alumni Association, Nigeria Chapter held in Lagos.
The reunion and induction ceremony was organized by the CEIBS Nigeria chapter headed by acting President, Mr Adebayo Sunday Agboola, Group Head, Private Sector, eTranzact International PLC and also had in attendance, Head of SME banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, ObinnaUkachukwu, Head,Business Development, Sales and Marketing, Africa,CEIBS, Dr. Thelma Oparaand Professor Mathew Tsamenyi. Professor of Accounting and Academic Director, Africa,CEIBS.
The event allowed the acting president of the Nigeria Alumni chapter to share his vision and mission with the Alumni body comprising of captains of various industries and graduates of CEIBS's Global Executive MBA, Women Entrepreneurship & Leadership for Africa Programme (WELA) and the EMBA.
In his address, the acting president, Sunday Adebayo Agboola thanked all the members for working hard to make the event a success.
He said; "As Alumni of CEIBS, we play a key role in extending the opportunity we enjoyed with CEIBS to other Africans. We have a lot of work to do in establishing and maintaining the CEIBS brand in Africa especially at a time where Asia- Africa relations are on the rise and more synergies for growth are emerging.
Today, we will be inducting new members into the Alumni as well as creating committees that will help us realize our goals".
The Alumni body also came together to present a chequeof N3 million naira to MrsAdebimpeTalabi, the wife of the late president of the Nigerian Alumni chapter.
The CEIBS Africa project was launched in 2008 with a mission to prepare highly competent innovation oriented managers and executives who are capable of leading and growing their organisations in the increasingly dynamic African economic environment. These are leaders who are capable of negotiating the forces of globalisation and international competition for the benefit of their organisations.
The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau, on Tuesday said that the Federal Government would and could monitor all immigrants to enhance national security.
Dambazau said this while addressing State House Correspondents on the new Immigration Policy which the Nigeria Immigration Service was due to implement.
"It is possible to monitor all immigrants from the entry point up to where he is going to stay,'' he said, while reacting to the obvious challenges inherent in the implementation.
According to him, there are immigration personnel up to the ward level; adding that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) would partner the local communities, community and religious leaders therein to achieve the objective.
The minister noted that anyone coming into the country should be known as long as the visitor would spend more than 90 days.
He said the immigrant had to be registered and that it was important both for the efficiency of the NIS as well as for internal security.
"Quite a lot of foreign visitors come into the country without registration and nobody knows who they are, where they come from and that itself is a security risk,'' he said.
Dambazau said the policy would not be implemented in such a way that it would inconvenience people but that it was done by using the standards of international law.
"We certainly will observe the basic standards of human rights, we are going to do what will not scare the person; but for the person to know that it is something that is done all over the world,'' he said.
The minister said that the NIS would have challenges manning the illegal entry routes in the country with the existence of about 4,500km border lines in land and sea.
He, however, noted that the service would use surveillance helicopters to cover such extensive borders since it would be difficult to physically man them.
He noted that there existed some entry points that could be easy to man in terms of access.
He explained that the NIS had three helicopters that were grounded for some time which would be revived and used before looking for new aircraft in view of the economic challenges in the country.
He said the aircraft would be fitted with monitoring equipment and would work with the existing but abandoned eight ground stations which would also be revamped.
Dambazau said computers were already purchased for the ground stations but abandoned; adding that the ministry was re-negotiating with the contractors to fix and put them to use.
"We really need to see how we can use modern technology to monitor our borders. We require the capacity to monitor and also the capacity to respond,'' he said.
He identified the ECOWAS protocol on free movement, which Nigeria also signed, as another challenge in the implementation of the programme.
According to him, the administration has to be responsive to that protocol but also do it in a way that the country must be concerned about its security.
"Part of what we are trying to do now is to go back and see how we can implement the ECOWAS bio-metric identity card which itself is a traveling document and at the same time an identity card.
`With that card you will be able to identify movement,'' he said.
On how soon the programme would start, the minister said that the ministry was now relying on the budget; but added that it would collaborate with development partners to pull it through.
He hinted that Italy had shown concern on the programme because of the number of Nigerians that migrate to the country mostly through human trafficking.
"They (Italian government) are ready to assist in this project in terms of not only returnees but also in preventive measures.
"These are the things that we want to do as quickly as we can but we want to pick one stage after the other,'' the minister noted.
The minister had on Monday unveiled a new immigration policy known as "Immigration Regulations 2017'' to check the entry of terrorists and other trans-border crimes in the country.
While unveiling the document on Monday in Abuja, Dambazau said that the document would also fast-track the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
He explained that the "Immigration Regulations 2017'' is a vital document that sought to operationalise the Immigration Act, 2015 and provide the legal framework for the dynamic and unfolding migratory realities.
Dambazau said that the new regulation would replace the old and outdated Immigration Act of 1963, which could not take care of modern realities such as terrorism, technology and new immigration challenges.
"The objective of this new Immigration Regulations 2007 is to provide the legal framework for the effective implementation of the Immigration Act, 2015 and consolidate existing immigration regulations.
"This new document therefore replaces the outdated Immigration Act of 1963,'' he said.
He explained that the new document empowers the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to properly register all foreigners, protect the borders, enhance internal security and attract foreign investors using the latest technology.
Dambazau said with the policy in place, the NIS would be empowered to register and monitor the entry and movement of foreign herdsmen who come into the country.
According to him, this will also go a long way in checking the herdsmen/ farmers clashes.
A receding hairline is usually more common in men than women, nevertheless it's a menace suffered by all. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency shares 9 ways to help stop and regrow a receding hairline.
Avoid Too Much Styling
Excessive styling tends to cause front hair loss and thus a receding hairline. Hairstyles like braids, pony tails or cornrows, especially when done too tightly, can damage the hair shaft and follicles. In addition, extreme amounts of combing and rubbing of hair, particularly forceful combing and vigorous rubbing of hair, can cause a receding hairline. You should avoid excessive styling, combing or rubbing of your hair to save a receding hairline.
Wear Wigs
This largely applies to women. There are a hundred styles of wigs to choose from and wear so as to give your hair a break from the constant handling and styling. This can give your hairline time to naturally regrow.
Minimize the Use of Chemicals on Your Hair
Excessive amounts of shampooing, drying and over-processing of your hair can weaken your hair causing thinning and some temporary hair loss. Also, the buildup of these products alongside dandruff on your scalp can clog hair follicles making it more difficult for the hair to grow.
Consider Using Sulphate-Free and Anti-Fungal/Dandruff Shampoos
Sulphate-free shampoos are good for the hair because they tend not to dry out the hair when used regularly. Dandruff or anti-fungal shampoos kill yeast that causes dandruff in the hair which helps prevent flaky dandruff. This helps to reduce the amount of yeast on the scalp which may help reduce hair loss.
Be Selective About Your Hairstyles
For men, haircuts like the Caesar haircut are best to help a receding hairline. Also, you can get a buzz cut or shave your head bald to conceal a receding hairline and give it time to regrow. But this requires regular maintenance to ensure the hair does not regrow in a way that makes the receding hairline more visible.
For women, hairstyles that are about shoulder length or shorter are best if your hair is thick in front but thin at the crown. Longer hairs tend to further define the receding hairline you intend to conceal. You can also opt for styles that include bangs or fringes and have blunt rather than layered ends.
Eat Healthily
Ensure you consume foods high in substances like protein, minerals, carbohydrates and 'good' fats. Foods high in protein typically aid hair growth and help maintain a healthy hair. You should also supplement your diet with vitamins essential for regeneration and overall well-being like Vitamin B, E, Iron etc. However, you should avoid excessive consumption of these vitamins. For example, too much of Vitamin A and E has been linked to shedding of hair.
Try Natural Shampoos
Natural shampoos are great for helping to regrow your hair from hair loss because they typically don't contain harsh ingredients that can damage the hair and cause hair loss.
Use Essential Oils
Essential oils help to stimulate and circulate the hair to grow in its healthy state. They can help to give that extra boost the scalp of your hair needs to regrow. Some of the best essential oils are tea tree oil, cedar wood and lavender.
Eggs
You can consider using a mixture of olive oil and egg white to promote your hair growth and stimulate the regrowth of new hair. The mixture is thoroughly applied into the entire scalp of your hair and left for twenty minutes, before being washed and rinsed off with a mild shampoo.
An Ikeja High Court on Tuesday remanded a lawyer, Oluwafunmilayo Ademosun, in Ikoyi Prison, for allegedly defrauding a company of N108 million.
Justice Josephine Oyefeso, who ordered the remand. said that the defendant should remain in the prison until March 24 when he should file the necessary applications.
The court also fixed between April 7 and April 10 for trial.
Ademosun, apart from being a legal practitioner, is also a banker and the Managing Director of a real estate company — H.T Real Estate Ltd.
He is facing a 19-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He, however, denied all the charges.
According to the anti-graft agency, the lawyer allegedly defrauded Mr Matthew Aiyeola, the Managing Director of Golden Treasure Investment of N108 million in a failed foreign exchange transaction.
Ademosun, who is also a Director of Keystone Bank, had approached Aiyeola to assist him in converting some money to American currency at a fair rate being a director in the bank.
Aiyeola allegedly gave the defendant N108 million with the agreement that the sum would be converted to $921,560, using a fair bank rate.
The defendant allegedly converted the money to personal use and all efforts to retrieve the amount failed.
Ademosun also allegedly issued a dud cheque in the sum of N6 million to Aiyeola as part payment of the N108 million he received from him.
After the dud cheque was issued, Aiyeola petitioned the EFCC on April 17, 2013 over the alleged fraud.
During the proceedings, Ademosun's counsel, Mr O.A. Fasugba, urged the court to be lenient with the defendant by granting him bail on self-recognizance or on liberal terms.
"My client is a legal practitioner as well as a banker; this is a civil matter and the offence for which he is charged is bailable,'' Fasugba said.
Opposing the bail application, counsel to the EFCC, Mr Samuel Daji, argued that it took the anti-graft agency three years to apprehend the defendant.
Daji requested that the defendant be remanded in prison while the case should be given accelerated hearing.
"The EFCC had received a petition against the defendant since 2013 and all efforts to arrest him were in vain.
"It took the commission three years before the defendant was apprehended, he should be remanded in prison for the offence,'' he urged the court.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday put new restrictions on presidential powers, limiting a president's authority to staff certain top government posts in a case involving an appointment to the National Labour Relations Board (NLRB).
The court decided 6-2 to uphold a lower court's ruling that former President Barack Obama exceeded his legal authority with his temporary appointment of an NLRB general counsel in 2011.
In an opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court said that under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, a person would not be able to serve as the acting head of a federal agency once the president nominates him or her to permanently serve in the role.
This is according to if it is a position that requires U.S. Senate confirmation.
SW General Inc, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based private ambulance company and a subsidiary of Envision Healthcare Holdings Inc (EVHC.N), had challenged the makeup of the NLRB.
It sought to invalidate a board ruling that said it violated federal labour law by discontinuing bonus payments for longtime employees.
The NLRB had argued that the law's restriction applied only to politically appoint "first assistants" who were first in line for acting positions when the heads of agencies leave office, and not to other officials.
The ruling would give President Donald Trump and future presidents less flexibility in filling jobs that require Senate confirmation. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissented.
"The court ignored the fact that since the law governing vacancies was adopted in 1998; over 100 people have served in acting roles while the U.S. Senate considered their nominations for permanent jobs,'' the judges said.
The case focused on Obama's appointment of Lafe Solomon as the NLRB's acting general counsel to fill a vacancy in the job.
The position requires Senate confirmation.
Obama nominated Solomon to fill the position permanently, but also named him to fill in for former general counsel Ronald Meisburg, who resigned in 2010, in the interim while awaiting Senate action.
Obama eventually withdrew Solomon's nomination after it stalled for more than two years. The Senate ultimately confirmed Richard Griffin to the post in 2013.
SW General argued that Solomon should not have continued to fill the position on a temporary basis pending Senate confirmation, and the Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed.
The case is National Labour Relations Board vs SW General Inc, U.S. Supreme Court No. 15–1251.
The Lagos Police Tuesday have said that they are not sure of the identity of the body recovered from the Lagos Lagoon, after confirming that the body of Dr. Allwell Orji who jumped into the Lagos Lagoon on Sunday had been recovered.
Vanguard had earlier reported the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, confirmed that the body of the doctor has been recovered. He said the body was recovered by the Marine Police at the Onikan end of the lagoon.
Also the doctor's mother, had said that the deceased was not her son.
The spokesperson for the Zone 2 Police Command, SP Dolapo Badmos said, "The mother has come to identify the body recovered, but she said the deceased was not her son."
The National Youth Service Corps has assured of commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC) for the mutual benefit of both organizations.
The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Sulaiman Kazaure, gave the assurance when he received the Acting Director-General of the CLTC, Mr. Jonah Bitrus Bawa, who paid him a courtesy visit.
Kazaure noted that the CLTC is one of the critical stakeholders in the NYSC, especially with the role it plays during the induction of Corps members.
He stressed the need for the two organizations to work closely to achieve common goals while assuring that the doors of the Scheme are open to the CLTC.
He assured that the observations and requests made by his guest would be discussed by the Management with a view to taking appropriate decisions.
Earlier, Bawa, who took over as CLTC's Acting Director-General two months ago, had expressed his determination to address some observed challenges in his agency's working relationship with the NYSC Scheme.
The Acting DG requested the NYSC Management to grant usage of some Orientation camps across the country for CLTC trainings.
He noted that the Man O' War gadgets in some NYSC camps needed to be upgraded; adding that his agency was ready to offer professional guidance on the procurement of standard ones.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said on Tuesday that a flight operation in Kaduna Airport following the closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, has so far recorded success.
Mohammed stated this on Tuesday after a facility tour of Kaduna airport with newsmen together with the Minister of State, Aviation.
Newsmen report Mohammed travelled with the newsmen by rail from Idu station to Kaduna airport and returned with them in the free bus services provided by the government.
Mohammed said the purpose of the visit to the airport was to allow the newsmen have first hand information and assessment of the arrangement.
He added that arrangements put in place to alleviate the inconveniences caused passengers and airlines were perfect.
According to him, there is no alternative to closing down the airport as it needs a total reconstruction.
"No doubt, it has brought about hardship to people but as a government, we have tried to minimize the hardship.
"The government has put in place to the best of her ability arrangement that will ensure and guarantee safety,'' he said.
Mohammed said the successes recorded in diverting flights to Kaduna had shown that Nigerian government could rise to any challenge at any given time.
The minister said the transport arrangement put in place by providing free buses and free train ride to and from Kaduna was a sign of government's commitment to the welfare of Nigerians.
He also commended the security agencies and other government agencies that had ensured smooth and seamless operation within the first two weeks of the operation.
According to him, it happens everywhere in the world and if you are faced with a difficult situation and you have to take the only available option.
"We could not continue to operate Abuja airport because of the fear that the runway may fail one day with its dire consequences,'' he said.
Mohammed said that considering the capacity of Kaduna airport and situation that led to the diversion of flight to Kaduna, the operation had been successful.
He added that the government had done all that it needed to do within a short time, adding that the objective was to ensure seamless operation.
According to him, there is no alternative to closing the airport because what is going on is not maintenance but total rehabilitation of the runway.
"We came with train we are going to go back by road so that we can have comprehensive experience,'' he added.
Felix Odika, Comptroller of Immigration at the airport said so far, they had been having seamless operations, adding that there were no hitches.
Specifically, he said that most of the passengers did not have any immigration issues.
He said they have been issuing visa on arrival particularly to businessmen coming into the country based on directive from the headquarters in Abuja.
At the port health desk the head the medical team said they were the final point of call for passengers.
He said their duties were to certify that passengers coming and going out of the country have clean bill of health.
The heads of the Nigerian Army and that of the Air Force on Tuesday briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on their operations and reassured him of their unalloyed loyalty.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai
The meetings with Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, were held behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Buratai said that he briefed the president on the welfare as well as the general administration of the army.
"I briefed His Excellency Mr President Commander-In-Chief President Muhammadu Buhari on our operations and the general security situation that the army is involved in terms of defending the territorial integrity of the country and the welfare of the troops, the state of our general administration.
"The president is happy with the Nigerian army and the military.
"We will continue to do our work as enshrined in the constitution and we equally assured him of our absolute loyalty to ensure that we discharge our constitutional responsibility accordingly.'' said Buratai.
Similarly, the Chief of Air Staff said that he briefed the president on the operations of the air force in ensuring security and stability in the country. (Abubakar) says ,"We are doing everything humanly possible, to ensure that our societies are secured, our communities are stable, so that people can go about pursuing their legitimate aspirations without any fear.
"That is the purpose for which the air force is established and that is what we are working to ensure that we do everything humanly possible, to create such an enabling environment.''
Dear Bunmi,
DearBunmi,
