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
Ibadan – A mother of three, Nafisat Muhibudeen, on Wednesday pleaded with a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan to dissolve her 13- year-old marriage to Salawu Muhibudeen, over constant battering of their 12-year-old son by his father.
Nafisat, a nurse, who resides at Moniya area of Ibadan with her husband, had filed a suit, seeking the severing of the union, alleging that her husband had been physically assaulting their eldest son.
"Muhibudeen has subjected our first child to constant battering and also sent him out of the house to become a wanderer.
"Anytime he descends on the 12-year-old boy, he will beat him to the point of killing him.
"The child started avoiding the home and for days, may not return home, sleeping in dilapidated or uncompleted buildings in the neighborhood.
"My Lord, if I try to rescue him, Salawu will pounce on me, turning me into a punching bag, " Nafisat testified before the court's president.
"In fact, when the problem became unbearable for me, I reported him at a certain radio station in Ibadan that settles disputes between husbands and wives, but Salawu refused to appear on the programme.''
But Salawu, who denied all allegations, objected to the dissolution of the marriage.
"I am not in the habit of beating Nafisat, she has formulated all the lies.
"My lord, I was the one who cured her of her ailment before marrying her, she cannot abandon me now,'' he told the court.
According to him, anytime Nafisat parks to her father's house, she falls sick and I still cure her.
"About the child, the boy is fast growing up to something else and as a father, I have the duty to teach him some sense.
" I did not commit any child abuse," Salawu said.
The court's President, Mr Ademola Odunade, however, asked the couple to go back and reconsider their positions on the matter and come up with more evidence to support their claims.
He adjourned the case until Sept. 9 for judgment. (NAN)
A middle-aged man who has been chained for 18 months in an apartment at 18 Damigoro street in Mushin area of Lagos , was Wednesday released by policemen attached to Area ‘ D’ command, Mushin.
Victim being led by a policeman out of the room he was chained
Acting on intelligence, policemen led by the Area Commander ‘D" Bayo Olasoji, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, stormed the building at about 1.30pm ,where the victim identified as Bolaji Sholola, was found in a room which was emitting an offensive stench. On closer observation, he was discovered to have been feeding on his faeces .
Upon inquiry, Shoola’s 85-year-old grandmother , told policemen that the victim was mentally deranged, adding that he was chained in order not to go astray .
She further stated that the action was taken in order to administer treatment on him as well to prevent him from attacking residents.
Area Commander ‘D’ , Bayo Olasoji (r) with victim
But Vanguard learned that the victim gave accurate response to questions posed at him by policemen.
ACP Olasoji, immediately directed that he should be unchained and thereafter gave him a change of raiment before he was transferred to a Psychiatric home in Yaba , to ascertain his mental stability.
Residents throng the area on sighting police presence, giving different versions of the incident.
The United Kingdom says it support the warning by President Donald Trump to return "fire and fury" against North Korea if it continued to threaten the U.S. with nuclear attacks.
Amb. Matthew Rycroft, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, told UN Correspondents on Wednesday after a meeting of the Security Council that both countries were united against North Korea over its nuclear threats.
"The United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with the United States in tackling this threat and many others.
"We are united in calling on the North Korean regime to halt its nuclear programme.
"The whole of the Security Council has come together behind that and I think that we should see the President's public comments as one of the many strands of US activism,'' the British envoy said.
Rycroft pledged that the UK would continue to work closely with the United States and its international partners to ensure that the DPRK is not able to pursue its nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile programmes.
"The United States has been very clear about its position.
"The United Kingdom has been very clear about our position and we call on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's regime to listen to that clarity.
"We call on DPRK to act on that clarity, to halt its nuclear programme; to halt its intercontinental ballistic missile programme, and it holds the key to sanctions being removed," Rycroft said.
On Tuesday, North Korea's state media said the country was considering a strategy to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with mid-to long-range missiles.
Trump had responded with a strong warning: "North Korea should not make any more threats to the United States.
"They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.
"He has been very threatening and as I said they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before," Trump warned.
By Bashir Bello KATSINA – Students of Federal University – Dutsinma in Katsina state who graduates with first class honours degree at the end of their study are now to get automatic employment in the university.A cross section of University graduates
The institution’s Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi stated this during it occasion for the award of certificates of excellence to some students of the university who excelled during the 2015/2016 academic session.
Bichi said the students would be offered automatic employment by the university while those students that attained a CGPA of 4.50 and above at the end of any particular academic year will be crowned scholars and will benefit from the University sponsorship in the Vice Chancellor’s honour list of academic excellence with all privileges.
The Acting Vice Chancellor also said the university’s vision is to be top ranking, world-class university and the gestures were to encourage the students towards the set attainment.
Prof. Bichi said the university always focus on excellence and it is in that regard that the institution’s senate approved academic policies and measures to encourage achievers and sanctions to discourage failure.
“It is important to inform you that the university going in line with its vision to be top ranking, world class university, committed to excellence in research and production of it generation of leaders with passion for service organizes such an event every year with the view of encouraging our young scholars to meet the university vision and mission.
“It is equally important to mention that students that attain a CGPA of 4.00 to 4.49 at the end of any academic year will have their names appear on the Dean’s honour list of Academic excellence and shall receive a book allowance.
“These rewards are to challenge all diligent students to set their goals right from beginning of the session to benefit from the valley of rewards for excellence in the subsequent academic year,” Prof. Bichi said.
The Vice Chancellor however urged students at all levels of the institution to work hard to benefit from the gesture and make the institution, their parents and the country at large proud of them.
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA – THE Federal Government Wednesday approved the 2018-2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and the Fiscal Strategic Paper, FSP with the commitment to achieving seven per cent growth rate by 2020 in accordance with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. ERGP.
This is as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, has approved the refinancing of Treasury Bill to $3 billion which as about N900 billion.
Briefing State House Correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting at the Council Chamber Wednesday, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Udo Udoma said that the 2018 budget was predicted on oil projection of 2.3 million per barrel and also at $45 per barrel.
The Minister said that the exchange rate for the 2018 fiscal year was pegged at N305 which was the official amount fixed by the nation’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
According to the Budget and Economic Planning Minister, “The Federal Executive Council approved the 2018-2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the Fiscal Strategy Paper. As you know, we have been having extensive consultations in the last few weeks with the governors, members of the public, leadership of the National Assembly about the medium term expenditure framework.
Experts in the ICT sector have stressed the need for continuity in government policies, saying it is key to achieving success and sustainability of the smart cities vision.
They made this call during a panel discussion at the Smart Cities Summit organised by the Ministry of Communications with the theme "Leveraging on Technology Solutions to Improve the Efficiency of Cities''.
Mr Miebaka Adoki, the Managing Director, Habitters Smart Cities said that there was need for government to ensure policy sustainability of the policy on smart cities when fully implemented.
According to him, continuity will, it entrenched in the system will assure investors of the security of their investments on the smart city plan.
"A situation where one administration or government official will start a programme and when he leaves office that is the end of that project or programme will not augur well with the smart cities initiative.''
The panel spoke on "Building Innovative Public Private Partnerships for Achieving Nigeria Smart Cities Vision''.
Adoki said that for the vision to be realised, investors must be sure that they could recoup their money and still make profit, which could not be assured in an unstable environment.
"Apart from the assurance of continuity of projects, there must be some detailed documentation that nobody will come tomorrow to cancel the project.
"There must also be internal security, meaning that investors should be sure that their infrastructures are secured and not open to vandalism.
"The stakeholders must be carried along; you cannot operate a smart city when the people that you are establishing it for are not smart.
"Citizens should be sensitised to the workings of the smart cities and there must be continuous stakeholders meeting,'' Adoki said.
Mr Folashodun Adebisi, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc., said that government should go beyond licensing infrastructure companies.
According to him, it should also try to remove bottlenecks that hinder private sector participation in business, while ensuring that other revenue sources are harnessed.
Adebisi said that government must ensure that the private sector operators were given free hand to operate while adequate monitoring was key.
The Chairman of the panel, Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) assured the panel that government had ensured that policies in the sector were sustained to make room for development.
Danbatta said that there was need for enabling policies and institutions, adding, "that is why government drew up the national broadband plan which has been approved.
He said that subsidies would also be given to companies to ensure that they succeeded; adding the sharing of the country zones was also to enhance connectivity.
"The idea of dividing the country into zones is to compel the companies to go into the rural areas; we are committed to monitoring the infrastructure companies so that they will deliver on the smart city project.
"Two zones have already been created, there are Lagos and the North Central Zone, this is to ensure that all parts of the country will be covered.
"And on continuity, the Nigerian Broadband plan cannot be cancelled,'' the chairman said.
The panel also discussed the need to address partnerships and collaborations to successfully build smart cities in Nigeria.
This, the panelists noted that would assist in developing a roadmap, implementation plan and establishing coordination mechanisms for the smart cities vision.
Also, the addressing the issue of funding mechanisms and financing alternatives and investments incentives for smart cities projects was brought to the fore.
The two-day summit, which ended on July 9, brought to multi-stakeholders took critical look at the preparedness, unique challenges and emerging solutions necessary for sustainable smart city initiative in Nigeria.
The stakeholders that participated at the summit include Huawei Nigeria, Hwelett Packard, Galaxy Backbone, MainOne Nigeria, SmartCities Plc.
Others include National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigeria Communication Commission, UN-Habitats.
Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna says the payment of the team's match bonuses motivated the club to defeat El-Kanemi of Maiduguri 1-0 in the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
Niger Tornadoes
The team's Captain, Mustapha Aliko, who made the assertion after their training session on Wednesday in Minna, thanked the club's Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu for the motivation on the Match Day 33.
He said that the chairman told the team that his visit to their camp before the encounter with Elkanemi was to encourage them and give the necessary support required to execute the match.
"Our chairman's visit was timely, it was not just timely but encouraging. He paid the club two match bonuses of N700, 000 per match being owed.
"We have just received Elkanemi's defeat match bonus and he also redeemed his pledge of N500, 000 he promised us should we beat them.
"As I speak to you, our salaries are being paid promptly; we have been paid up to date.
"The chairman has kept to his promises of seeing to our welfare since he came on board,'' he said.
The captain said that the consistent support of the management would spur the club to finish the league on high note as they were determined to reciprocate the kind gesture.
"We won't let the club down as we enter into the last stages of the league.
"We are going to double our efforts to see if we finish the league better than we did last year,'' he said.
The club ended the 2015/2016 NPFL on 11th position.
The club is currently on 8th position with 58 points from 33 matches in the ongoing NPFL.
A 38-year-old woman, Blessing Igwe, has been arraigned before a Gudu Upper Area Court in Abuja for allegedly battering her disabled husband all the time.Wife
The woman, who was brought to court on Wednesday was also alleged to have resisted arrest.
Igwe, who reside at CBN Estate at Apo in Abuja, is facing a three-count charge of assault, criminal intimidation and resisting lawful arrest.
The Prosecutor, Mr. Fidelix Ogbobe, said that the complainant, one Robinson Igwe of Choos Estate, Apo reported the matter at the Apo Police Station on Aug. 2.
Ogbobe alleged that the defendant was always taking advantage of her husband's physical challenge to assault him all the time.
"The defendant always takes advantage of her husband's disability to assault him. The complainant is a physically challenged person, who uses crutches to walk.
"He has been admitted in hospital because of a head injury as a result of assault and battery from his wife.
"Despite police intervention the accused had repeatedly beaten her husband at the slighted provocation.''
The prosecutor said that the complainant had petitioned the commissioner of police in Abuja on the matter.
He said further the defendant had also absconded with two children produced by the union for over a year to an unknown destination.
The defendant only reappeared on Aug. 1, after more than a year since she left her matrimonial home and sent the complainant out of his house for days.
"But when the complainant reported the matter to the police, the defendant resisted arrest on three different occasions until she was finally arrested on the fourth attempt by the police,'' Ogbobe said.
He also alleged that the defendant had also threatened to kill the complainant.
According to him, the offences contravene Sections 265, 397 and 172 of the Penal Code.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Presiding Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N20, 000 with one surety in like sum.
Others to join them soon, says Home Affairs Commissioner
By Ishola Balogun
The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has successfully airlifted 1,353 pilgrims in four batches from Lagos to Saudi Arabia to participate in this year's hajj exercise.
Hajj Pilgrims arriving from Saudi Arabia
This was disclosed by the Honourable Commissioner for Home Affairs and Amir Ul-Hajj, 2017, Dr. Abdul Hakeem Abdul-Lateef while giving an update on this year's hajj operations.
According to him, the pilgrims have been successfully housed in their respective hotels in Medina and activities of the holy pilgrimage have commenced in earnest.
He pointed out that pilgrims from other continents could not hide their feelings in view of the way Nigerian pilgrims have conducted themselves during their visit to the prophet's Mosque and other important places that form part of the hajj exercise.
Dr. Lateef advised the pilgrims not to hold items on behalf of any other pilgrim, adding that the punishment for drug trafficking in the Middle East is death.
"Drugs could be hidden in onions, dry red chillies, drink cans and other unsuspecting items", he said.
He explained that the pilgrims have begun visitation to historical sites in Medina, some of the places visited included Masjid Nabawi (Prophet Mosque), Raudotul Jannah, the site of the graves of prophet Muhammed, Abu Bakr and Umar.
Lagos Pilgrims are currently receiving lectures and sensitization at designated hotels on the importance of Zihara in the course of performing hajj.
Meanwhile, other intending Pilgrims yet to be airlifted in the state are advised to be fully ready for the journey by following strictly the laid down rule and regulations for the journey as the Board is making preparation to airlift the remaining pilgrims any moment from now.
The Senate on Wednesday condemned the use of force by the Police in dispersing protesters campaigning against the medical vacation of President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Tuesday.
In a statement by the Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, the Senate stated that though it did not support the protest, it would not support violation of fundamental rights of Nigerians.
A group, "OurMuMuDonDo'', led by Mr Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, on Monday began an indefinite sit-out at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, demanding Buhari's resumption of work or resignation.
But, on Tuesday, the police forcefully dispersed them after using water and teargas on them, which led to a "fainting feat'' on Oputa.
"While we are opposed to the subject of the protest, the Senate acknowledges that the protesters have the constitutional right to gather and express their views in a manner that will not breach public peace and order.
"Since the 'Our-Mumu-Don-Do' protesters did not conduct themselves in such a manner as to disturb public peace, it is not right for the Police to brutalize them as they reportedly did yesterday.
"The police should review their rules of engagement and ensure that they are in line with that of modern democratic societies.
"The rights of the people should not be violated by the police employed to protect these rights.
"Where the Police suspect that hoodlums are trying to hijack a protest, it is their duty to apprehend the hoodlums and those who break the law rather than generalise and thus brutalize innocent protesters.
"We, however, urge the organisers of the protest to join other Nigerians in praying for the safe return of President Buhari.
"They should note that any mortal can find himself in the situation where one needs medical attention and more time to fully recuperate.
"More so, in the present case, the president complied with the provisions of the Constitution and all organs of government are not impaired nor hindered by his medical vacation," it stated.
By Nwabueze Okonkwo ONITSHA – In what looked like an attempt to set the records straight about the much publicized killings of members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, at Nkpor in Anambra state on May 30, 2016 during the remembrance ceremony of Biafra Heroes who died during the 1967 – 1970 Biafran war, the governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Obiano Wednesday tendered an unreserved apology to IPOB members. He said it was not only regrettable that such a number of Biafra agitators were massacred but also sad that the impression held in some quarters that he was responsible for the massacre could not be substantiated.
The governor who spoke when he received the members of Biafran War Veterans led by Gen. Joe Achuzie (Air raid) at Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, who paid him a condolence visit over the death of his mother, Mrs. Christiana Obiano (Adinije), said that he could not have ordered the killing of those who voted for him in 2013 election.
Obiano stated that he has a mentality that guides him in issues of conviction which made him against all opinions and vehemence from federal authorities to still go ahead to bury those that died during the civil war, less than a year into the life span of his administration.
“Abuja was against my plan to bury the victims of Biafran war, there was a lot of opposition to it from security agencies but I went on to bury our dead war heroes. As a young boy during the war, I knew what happened. I saw many dead bodies and I know the importance of according proper burial to the departed even more so those that departed in the painful and regrettable way as they did”.
“So, I had to embrace all odds to bury them in an elaborate ceremony on the 12th of January 2015, less that one year into my administration. How then will I contemplate killing their off springs for the same reason of Biafra. I didn’t do that, I’m innocent of the name calling”.
Gov. Willie Obiano further said that the report the security agencies made available to him on the incident showed that nobody was killed but that when he visited the hospitals; Menax hospital and St. Charles Borromeo hospital all in Onitsha, among others to see the victims and to provide succor to them, that he was told at the hospitals that people were killed and that some of those killed and the injured were taken out of the state to neighbouring states as very many of them came from outside Anambra state”.
The governor said that he volunteered to pay the hospital bills of the victims but some of them refused his offer. He said that he is profoundly sorry for what had happened and affirmed that he has since then been battling to ensure that such doesn’t happen again in Anambra state.
While regretting the actions and inactions that led to the current agitation for Biafra, the governor said that he had told the President, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, that if what is being done for the Northeast or close to it was done for the Igbos after the war that there would have been no agitation for Biafra today.
He said the impassable federal roads in the southeast, the issue of 2nd Niger Bridge and general lack of federal presence as viewed by the youths of Igboland made the longing for Biafra a recurring decimal.
The governor said that he has directed that history about Biafra should be taught in schools in the state: “Our children need to know what happened. There are about four or more very good books on Biafra. It is important that our children are told of what happened and I have directed that Biafran history be taught in our schools in Anambra state”.
He told the Biafran Ex-servicemen that he appointed a liaison officer for the Biafran war veterans in order to ensure that issues affecting them and by extension pro-Biafra groups are better handled and that he is the only one that created such office.
Giving insight into what happened when Boko-Haram convicts were brought to the state, Gov. Obiano revealed that they were the worse set of Boko-Haram, adding that they were brought all the way from Njamina (Chad Republic) and one of the nine convicts came with his nine (9) wives and fourteen (14) children.
He disclosed that he had to struggle to get them out of Anambra state and southeast because their presence was a psychological trauma to Ndigbo. He further appealed to members and the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and other pro-Biafra groups to maintain decorum, reminding them the maxim that says: “talk is cheap but war is expensive”.
Responding, the leader of the Biafran war veterans, Gen. Joe Achuzie said that Gov. Willie Obiano was innocent of the accusations as nothing before, during and after the incident suggested that the governor was culpable.
Achuzie who spoke extensively on the build up to the protest that led to the killings whose information he said he was privy to, recalled how he had spoken with the then Anambra State Commissioner of Police to request that they allow the agitators to stage a peaceful protest but noted that on the said day, the army who were not in the picture suddenly appeared and became trigger-happy in killing citizens they were meant to protect.
“Sadly enough, after attacking the IPOB peaceful protesters, a false report was forwarded to the state governor that nobody was killed, adding, let me assure you that giving the spread of the victims that he will also make a formal presentation to the Southeast Governors’ Forum for a concerted effort in assisting the victims in what will take the shape of “victim support” to cater for the families of those killed and injured..
He urged the people not to be misled by the callous and malicious insinuations that the Governor has a hand in the shooting but to rather face the federal authorities that authorized the killings.
General Achuzie who is the leader of Council of Elders of the Indigenous People Of Biafra pointed out that Governor Obiano has shown genuine commitment towards the people’s struggle by undertaking the burial of all Biafran soldiers that died during the Nigerian Civil, noting that such a man cannot carry out such despicable action against his own people as was erroneously held by some Biafrans.
He commended the governor for reaching out to the families of the victims and appealed to him to see to the up keep of those whose loved ones were killed and those who are still undergoing treatment.
Earlier, Gov. Obiano’s Liaison Officer to the Biafran War Veterans, Comrade Arinzechukwu Awogu had said that the rumor of “shoot at sight” was first muted by the opposition elements in the state and giving the level of bitterness pervading the air over the killings, some persons bought into it without a second thought and the erroneous impression began to grow wings.
Affirming that it was opposition parties ploy to cause disaffection between the governor and his own people and enjoined pro-Biafra agitators to jettison such impression as it is not true, he contended that Gov. Willie Obiano is also a Biafran.
Nigerian's indigenous oilfield services company, AOS Orwell, wins first Position exhibition award, category two at the just concluded Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE).
AOS Orwell, Deputy General Manager, Marketing, Mr. Usman Amodu – Shuaibu, displaying the First Place Exhibition Award won by his company at the just concluded Society of Petroleum Engineers( SPE) Annual Banquet and Award in Lagos
The conference organized by the Nigeria Council of the Society of Petroleum Engineers SPE in Lagos, witnessed about 60 companies participating in the exhibition.
The Chairperson 2017 SPE Exhibition Committee, Oghogho Effiom while congratulating the winner said: "We are presenting this award to AOS Orwell for an outstanding display of creativity and technical excellence in their presentation of value offerings throughout the 2017 NAICE SPE Exhibition".
Receiving the award on behalf of his company, AOS Deputy General Manager – Marketing Mr. Usman Amodu thank the SPE for its recognition/ support.
He dedicated the award to the entire AOS Orwell exhibition team who worked tirelessly behind the scene and rally round towards ensuring that the company achieved this great feat that would undeniably bring high impact visibility to his brand in the industry.
Earlier at the SPE Annual banquet and awards ceremony, Mr. Bimbo of PwC thanked the SPE for appointing his company PwC as an independent panel of advisers to appraise the exhibitors. According to him, the final selection of each category of winners is based on:
1. Booth design, quality, Attractiveness
2. Audience engagement: regular live shows, crowd pull, discussions / demonstrations at the booth, popularity of the booth for topical subjects and activities
3. Booth personnel: Diversity of booth representatives (gender & age), Professional appearance, friendly disposition, booth personnel presence always
4. Technology on show: 'WOW Factor' – interesting physical models, videos, other differentiating items on display at the booth
AOS Orwell was adjudged best and first place award winner in category 2 (Exhibitors occupying 2 – 5 booths) for blazing the trails on all the above stated criteria at this year's event.
Super Eagles Assistant Coach and Home-based Eagles handler, Salisu Yusuf, on Wednesday said the team was optimistic of not only beating Republic of Benin on Sunday but qualifying for CHAN.
Salisu-Yusuf
The 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) will be hosted by Kenya from Jan. 11 to Feb. 2, 2018.
Yusuf made the assertion in an interview in Abuja while reacting to the team's preparedness for the Sunday's qualifier in Cotonou.
He said that the team's expectation was positive and with such state of mind, victory was guaranteed.
"The players are working hard to make sure the team qualifies for CHAN and we are very optimistic of qualifying,'' Yusuf said.
The coach, who restated the team's readiness to qualify for the championship, appealed to Nigerians to support them.
The home-based Super Eagles forced Kano Selected side to a 1-1 draw in a friendly match in Kano on Tuesday.
The game was preparatory to their 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) first leg qualifier against Republic of Benin.
The management of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, on Wednesday, advised Nigerians to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the Lassa Fever.
Prof. Chris Bode, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH gave this advice while briefing newsmen in Lagos on the situation of the recent Lassa Fever cases in the institution.
Bode said, "There is no panic; the Lassa fever disease is being contained and all the stakeholders are working hard to make sure that it doesn't spread.
"However, we should all be involved collectively and individually to stop further spread of this disease.
"I urge us to prevent our food items from being contaminated by rats and rat droppings and urine.
"Do not spread your food outside in the open; put food items in rat proof containers so that rats will not get access to the food.''.
The chief medical director also said that personal and environment hygiene were critical measures against Lassa fever.
He said that medical and health workers should adequately protect themselves and be vigilant.
"To all doctors, nurses and health workers who assist patients, we should have a heightened sense of awareness that there are few cases of Lassa fever have been noticed.
"If you see anybody with symptoms that will suggest Lassa fever, let us refer them promptly because this disease can be treated.
"Nigeria can combat such situations; we have done so before and we came out clean and stronger, so we should all collectively work to together to ensure that we do it again,'' Bode said.
Giving a background to the current state of situation, the CMD said: " In the last two weeks, we have treated a few number of cases of Lassa fever in LUTH.
"So, even one case is enough to alert the public that there is Lassa fever; we have seen two cases that came in and died within a day or two of admission.
"Each one of them was brought from other locations; however, we are working in consonance with the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
"The disease is being contained and efforts are ongoing to locate the sources of these occurrences and to effectively monitor those who have been exposed to any of these cases,'' he said.
Also speaking, Dr Eniola Erinosho, Director, Diseases Control, Lagos State Ministry of Health, said the state had the capacity, funds, logistics and manpower to curtail the spread of Lassa fever.
He said that he state was training health professionals in readiness for any likely cases within or without the hospital.
According to him, alert has been sent to all the health facilities in the states on how to curtail the spread of Lassa fever.
"We were informed by the hospital on Aug.3, about the case of two people who died as a result of Lassa fever.
"Three people who were confirmed positive are being managed with drugs and not quarantined, to curb the outbreak.
"The private hospitals where the two dead people were being treated before their transfers to LUTH are also under surveillance for 21 days,'' he said.
Erinosho urged residents to keep their surroundings clean to control rats from breeding around their environment.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the `multimammate rat' called Mastomys natalensis which has many breasts and lives in the bush and around residential areas is the reservoir host of Lassa fever.
The virus is shed in the urine and droppings of the rats, hence can be transmitted through direct contact, touching objects or eating food contaminated with these materials or through cuts or sores.
The onset of the disease is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, muscle and joint pains, prostration and malaise.
After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough and abdominal pain may follow.
"In severe cases facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure may develop; shock, seizures, tremor, disorientation and coma and death may be seen in the later stages.
Any suspected case of Lassa fever is to be reported to the response team in LUTH on 08058019466, 08058744780, 07035521015 and 08023299445
Some stakeholders in the country have urged the Federal Government to implement its policy to expose Nigerian politicians who hide their identities to conceal corruptly-acquired wealth.
They made the call on Wednesday in Abuja, at a multi-stakeholder dialogue on "Supporting Beneficial Ownership Transport Champions in Nigeria" organised by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).
"Beneficial Ownership'' is a legal term for specific property rights which include use and titles in equity belonging to a person even though legal title of the property belongs to another person.
A stakeholder, Dr. Dauda Garuba said politically-exposed persons deliberately created network of companies to hide their identities toward acquired wealth which further increased the risk of corruption in non-fortified economies.
He cited the example of the Malabu Oil scandal involving the award of Nigeria's richest oil bloc by a sitting minister of petroleum resources to a company belonging to him.
Garuba said the award was at a grossly undervalued fee because the real company's ownership was not disclosed.
"This concept is a growing interest across local and international scenes for corporate beneficial ownership information disclosure.
"This interest, beyond seeking to expose conflict of interest among public office holders, also derives from the need to trace criminals who hide their identities behind corporate structures to defraud the country.
"This can be done through corruption, tax evasion, undue favouritism, money laundering and illicit financial flows.
"The unprecedented revelations in the `Panama Papers' involving many politicians around the world and Nigeria with offshore companies in tax havens, have reinforced global attention on the potential and real dangers of anonymous companies,'' he said.
Garuba explained that the new concept aimed at driving corporate business transparency and accountability to boost Nigeria's economy and strengthen its integrity and reputation by pro-actively dealing with perceived challenges.
Mr Uche Igwe, a Consultant to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Nigeria Secretariat, said that the government needed to do more to tackle the issue of fraud among public servants.
Igwe said that there was hardly a politician without a fraud history, adding that most civil servants had companies in disguise without their real names as the owners.
He said that most times, the public officers use their companies to award government contracts to themselves, and that only few of them connected with what they did legitimately.
He said the beneficial ownership transparency when fully applied in Nigeria, would serve as a tool for strengthening the fight against illicit wealth, tax evasion, money laundering and terrorism financing.
Igwe stated that the policy would also provide a level-playing field for businesses, reduce corruption, increase revenue generation and lift the veil of obscurity that clogged accountability chain.
"Openness is the biggest antidote to opacity; we need to open our system as to do away with corruption,'' he said.
On his part, Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, who was represented by Mr Adesina Oke, Director, Legal Services of the group, said the meeting was aimed at making a case for transparency in Nigeria.
This, he said, would rebuild confidence of foreign investors and improve Nigeria's reputation as a reference point for transparency and accountability in business, among other things.
The naira on Wednesday appreciated against the dollar at the parallel market, exchanging at N363 to the dollar from the N364 posted on Tuesday.
The pound sterling and the Euro closed at N477 and N428 to the naira, respectively.
Naira-Dollar
At the Bureau De Change (BDC) window, the naira was traded at N363 to the dollar, while the pound sterling and the Euro closed at N477 and N428, respectively.
Trading at the investors' window saw the naira closing at N367.50 to the dollar.
Traders expressed optimism that the interventions by the CBN at the market were capable of closing the gap further between the rates at the parallel market and other segments.
Not all the BDCs in the South West bought foreign exchange from the weekly auction on Tuesday.
A credible BDC source told newsmen on condition of anonymity that since the near convergence of rates, many BDCs were trading at a loss.
Chairman of the 2017 PDP Special Non-Elective National Convention and Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is set to take over power at the national level in 2019.
Governor Okowa stated this on Wednesday at the meeting of the Convention Planning Committee at the Party’s National Secretariat, Abuja.
The Committee Chairman noted that the Party has realised areas they didn’t meet up with the expectations of Nigerians and has vowed to make corrections and provide Nigerians with good governance, anchored on accountability, rule of law and improved welfare of the citizenry.
“Yesterday we were inaugurated with the task of organising a successful National Convention for our great party, it is our hope that the various committees will set out to work immediately as we have barley few days to go”
“As an organised party, i’ve confidence in our leaders of the various sub-committees that we will be able to deliver a successful National Convention that we can all be proud of”.
“I trust in your abilities because I have seen a good number of committed party members who are dedicated to the cause of ensuring we return back to power in 2019,”
“Our party is back alive and with the National Convention, PDP will send a very strong message that will make Nigerians to realise that we are very much ready to take over power come 2019,” he said
Members of the planning committee including Barr. Kelechi Igwe; John Jonah, Deputy Governors of Ebonyi and Bayelsa States and Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen, Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries of all the Sub-Committees attended the meeting.
Massive deportation of Nigerians from other parts of the world, especially from African countries, frightening, says NAPTIP DG.
Five hundred and forty Nigerians are set for deportation from Libya, beginning from Aug. 10, Mrs. Julie Okah-Donli, Director-General, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP), has said.
Okah-Donli disclosed this on Wednesday in Osogbo, at the inauguration of the North-West Zonal Command Office of the agency.
She said that the deportees would be brought back to Nigeria in three batches of 180 each.
Deported Nigerians
The NAPTIP boss said that more than 2000 Nigerians were deported from various part of the world from February till date, over various migration offences, including human trafficking.
Okah-Doni disclosed that the agency had rescued and supported more than 12,000 victims of human trafficking, and also secured 325 convictions since its inception in 2003.
She decried the rising trend of deportation of Nigerians from different parts of the world, especially in Africa, and described the situation as "frightening".
"Such massive deportations are not good for us as a people. Government at all levels must take steps to halt it by initiating measures that will reduce the vulnerability of our people to being trafficked.
"We must also strive to enlighten our people to resist the temptation to leave the country at all cost," she said.
Okah-Donli, who described human trafficking as a modern day slavery, urged stern measures to end it.
She reaffirmed NAPTIP's commitment to implementing the Trafficking in Persons(Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act of 2015, and declared that there would be no sacred cows.
Okah-Donli identified Osun, Ekiti and Ondo among the endemic states in trafficking in persons in Nigeria, saying that all hands must be on deck to change the trend.
"Nigeria is a source, transit and destination country. Women and young girls are recruited for sexual and labour exploitation in parts of Europe, the Middle East and even within the African continent.
"This calls for concerted action by all as Nigerians cannot make meaningful progress in its human capital development index, with a sustained depletion of her young and brightest stars."
Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Mr Tope Adejumo, promised that the state government would collaborate with the agency to minimise human trafficking.
In his remarks, a former governor of the state, Mr Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who is also the royal ambassador of the agency, said that he was ready to support the agency in its war against human trafficking.
Oyinlola urged the agency to take the campaign against human trafficking to the grassroots, using the native language as a means of communication.
Oil rose toward 53 dollars a barrel on Wednesday ahead of a U.S. inventory report expected to show crude stocks dropped for a sixth week.
Brent crude LCOc1, the global benchmark, was up 50 cents at 52.64 dollars, after two days of decline.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 added 44 cents to 49.61 dollars.
Wednesday's focus will be on the U.S. government report to see whether it confirms the figures from the API, an industry group.
Analysts expect crude stocks to have fallen by 2.7 million barrels and gasoline by 1.5 million barrels.
A further drop in U.S. crude stocks would raise hopes that an OPEC-led effort to wipe out a three-year, price-sapping supply glut is working.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and other producers are cutting output by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) under a deal that took effect on Jan. 1.
The deal is currently set to run until March 2018.
The deal has supported prices but an output recovery in Libya and Nigeria, OPEC members exempted from the cut, has complicated the effort.
U.S. shale oil drillers have also ramped up production.
OPEC officials met on Monday and Tuesday in Abu Dhabi in an effort to boost producers' adherence to the supply cuts, which has been high on average in spite of relatively low compliance by Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement after the meeting, OPEC said the conclusions reached would help boost prices.
The Member representing the Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Daniel Reyenieju, has frowned at the recent rejection of the principle of 'devolution of power' by the National House of Assembly in the ongoing 'Constitutional Amendment exercise, noting that it was a collective mistake by members of the House , which will continue to constitute a fundamental 'albatross' to the peace and development of the Nigerian state, if not revisited and remedied.
The lawmaker made this disclosure in a chat with Vanguard yesterday.
Reyenieju expressed utter disgust on why the National Assembly as a collective would opt for an unnecessarily over bloated federal government at the expense of the federating units, and consequently undermining the universal principal of federal arrangement which we claim we are.
Daniel Reyenieju
He lamented the untold hardship that his constituency suffers as a result of the present lopsided federal arrangement.
The lawmaker also noted that his constituency suffers grave alienation in the oil industry, despite the fact that the Warri Federal Constituency remain the highest oil bearing and producing in the country, the two sea ports of Koko and Warri have been left to waste with the Nigerian Ports Authorities turning blind eyes, despite all entreaties.
" As long as this current arrangement which borders on unitary political structure persists, the country will remain vulnerable to crises of different dimensions in the form of disunity, political instability, underdevelopment, separatist agitations among others; such that it will continue to threaten Nigeria’s survival as a united Country".
"If the National Assembly has voted for Nigeria’s devolution of power, a less-burdened federal government will emerge bring about component units that will be dynamic, entrepreneurial, innovative and ambitious; as against the present of over-burdened federal government, with component units that are inherently beggarly, and thus dis-empowered to be innovative and creative"
However Reyenieju is optimistic that the National Assembly will revisit the issue given the bitterness and instability that the action of the National Assembly is generating
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
Ibadan – Dr. Reuben Abati, former Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to President Goodluck Jonathan, has said that the poor working conditions of journalists was making them vulnerable.Reuben Abati
Abati, in a speech on Tuesday in Ibadan, at an information summit organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Information, particularly decried a situation some journalists were not paid salaries and other basic entitlements.
He challenged owners of media outfits to ensure good working conditions for journalists to make them independent in their news judgements.
According to him, poorly paid journalists that arrive assignments with empty stomach were vulnerable to being influenced which could affect the quality of news content.
While advocating a sustainable partnership between government and journalists, he said that there were lots of grey areas that must be considered "especially since government officials like popularity and want only positive things reported about them".
"They (government officials) imagine that journalists must do their bidding; they go all out to ensure that, which tasks the journalists' capacity for independent news judgement," he said.
Abati, a keynote speaker at the two-day seminar with the theme "Managing Information and Communications: The Catalyst for Sustainable Development'', urged special attention to journalists welfare so as to promote professionalism.
Mr Felix Adenaike, former Managing Director, Sketch Press Limited, in his speech, said that the most important aspect of the summit was the implementation of the outcome.
Adenaike said that the implementation would fortify information dissemination processes and avoid distorted information and rumour mongering.
In a remark, Mallam Mohammed Bello, Zonal Director, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ibadan described the summit as a commendable step toward advocating credibility, accuracy and integrity.
"There is no problem about facilitating partnership between government and professional journalists, but I doubt if our leaders are transparent and willing to submit to scrutiny,'' he said.
In her remarks, Mrs. Olajumoke Coker, Zonal Director, Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC), said that the broadcast stations had important roles to play toward ensuring a united Nigeria.
She urged radio and television outfits to ensure that their programmes were in line with national goals and the nation's broadcasting codes.
"Broadcasters should ensure that their content is designed to inject the culture of peaceful co-existence from the cradle.
"On our part at the NBC, we will continue to play our role as a regulator by upholding standard at all times, irrespective of religion, ethnicity and political leanings,'' she said.
Mr Adewunmi Faniran, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, called on government to make the welfare of media professionals a priority.
Faniran, who was represented by Mr Bola Ogunlayi, Oyo NUJ Secretary, called on the state government to review the sack of media professionals at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS).
Earlier, Mr Toye Arulogun, the State Commissioner for Information, Cuture and Tourism, had said that the summit was organised to broaden communication processes so as to rid the society of rumour mongering and distorted information. (NAN)
I'm divorced with grown-up children and have a decent job. Two months ago, I received a text message from a work colleague saying how he felt about me and
some of the things he told me were really flattering. For once in my life I felt really special. In all the years we were married, my husband never spoke to me that ay.
I''vc always liked this man but never thought he'd fancy someone like me.
We've seen each other a few times since. The only problem is, he's married. My head is saying that having an affair is wrong but my heart is saying the opposite. I just can't get him out of my mind.
Anifat, by e-mail.
Dear Anifat,
The attention of a man who you believe was unavailable to you could be very flattering, and he's very eager to massage your ego with honeyed words. He's obviously pressing the right buttons but what's his plan? He may have strong feelings for you but it's obvious he wants to sleep with you as often as he can. Yet where do you envisage things will go from there?
Becoming a married man's bit on the side or consenting to some kind of romantic experiment with him in which he tests his love for his wife is an unacceptable proposition. You need a man who is able to offer you love and commitment that any woman deserves. Do not compromise.
Having a secret affair with another woman's husband will bring you nothing but humiliation. Tell him, 'thanks but no thanks.' Make a decision to find a man who's single and a suitable match – there are so many honest, decent handsome
men out there who would give you the love you need.
… Resident doctor infected …By Sola Ogundipe and Chioma Obinna
Two persons were Tuesday confirmed dead from Lassa fever at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, even as a resident doctor has been infected with the disease. Confirming the development, the Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof Chris Bode, said no less than 100 hospital workers exposed to the index case are currently being monitored.
According to Bode, the patients who presented very late died after spending a few days in admission.
"Each of these two patients presented very late and died in spite of efforts to salvage them. The first was a 39-year old pregnant lady with bleeding disorder who died after a stillbirth."
He said a post-mortem examination had been conducted before her Lassa fever status was eventually suspected and confirmed.
Bode also confirmed that a resident doctor from the Department of Anatomic and Molecular Pathology who took part in the autopsy was later confirmed with the disease and is currently on admission and responding well to treatment at the Isolation Ward of LUTH.
The Chief Medical Director further disclosed that two other suspected cases from Lagos state are also presently admitted and quarantined while undergoing confirmatory laboratory tests.
He enjoined all LUTH workers to maintain a heightened level of alert in the wake of this new outbreak and observe universal precautions in handling all suspected cases of this viral hemorrhagic fever.
Bode said already, LUTH was working with officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Health to contain the present Lassa fever outbreak by mobilising human and material resources to trace the sources and extent of the disease, follow up on potential contacts, identify early and test suspected cases.
"There are adequate materials for containment of the disease while drugs have been made available to treat anyone confirmed with the disease. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Nigeria has also been contacted."
In a related development, Vanguard gathered that the Lagos state epidemiology unit has put out a notice to all heads of health departments in Ikorodu local government area over one of the corpses of the victims allegedly released from LUTH. The unit has directed health officials to list all contacts with the body.
Unconfirmed report said the family had collected the corpse for burial, but the unit directed the officials to prevent the body from being buried in Imota, Ikorodu in order to prevent the spread of the disease.
A notice issued by the Lagos state government to all health workers reads in part: "All HODs in lkorodu LGA and the 5 LCDAs are hereby alerted to swing into immediate action to line list all contacts with the body from the hospital to their destination.
"They should also prevent the body from being buried at home. The address would be posted as soon as it is confirmed. Meanwhile, all officers in lmota are by this notice directed to mount surveillance in lmota town to know where a woman died in LUTH today.
"In addition, we should all note that on NO account should a patient suspected to have any of the viral hemorrhagic fevers be moved or transferred from where he/she is once that diagnosis is being entertained. The officer there should contact his superiors locally plus the state epidemiology unit at Alausa and receive clear instructions on what to do next.
"Moving or transferring the suspect will only ignorantly expose more people and create unnecessary, irrational panic. Detain the patient there and make the call. We have two Lassa fever suspects admitted at Mainland Hospital, Yaba."
All HODs in lkorodu LGA and the 5 LCDAs are on alert and ready to swing into immediate action to line list all contacts with the body from the hospital to their destination.
Meanwhile, all officers in lmota are by this notice directed to mount surveillance in lmota town.
"In addition, we should all note that on NO account should a patient suspected to have any of the viral hemorrhagic fevers be moved or transferred from where he/she is once that diagnosis is being entertained. The officer there should contact his superiors locally plus the state epidemiology unit at Alausa and receive clear instructions on what to do next.
"Moving or transferring the suspect will only ignorantly expose more people and create unnecessary, irrational panic. Detain the patient there and make the call. We have two Lassa fever suspects admitted at Mainland Hospital, Yaba."
Acting president, Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said that the federal government has sanitize the processes of procurement in the armed services in the wake of the discovery of the $2.1 billion arms scandal in the last administration.
He spoke in Kaduna Tuesday during the induction of 5 brand new Super Mushshak training aircrafts at the Nigerian Air force base in Kaduna to boost the efficiency of the Nigerian Airforce in the fight against insecurity and insurgency in the North east.
Professor Osinbajo who was represented at the induction of the aircrafts and graduation ceremony of 16 pilots by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali, described the procurement of the aircraft as timely especially with the renewed ambushes by degraded Boko Haram elements in the Maiduguri, Borno State.
According to him, “We have sanitised the procurement process of military hardware with a view to eliminating corruption and inefficiency. I make bold to say that we have achieved remarkable savings and infused quality into the system.
“This has contributed in no small way to the acquisition of these new aircrafts without any encumbrances. I have no doubt that the acquisition of the Super Mushshak aircraft would add impetus to the training efforts of 401 FTS.
“This administration as promised two years ago is determined to protect everyone living in the country and their property. That is why it has taken the issue of insurgency and terrorism very seriously.
“The FG is also including training and capacity building to what we are doing that is, acquisition of more Air hardware and training so that our armed forces especially, the Air Force personnel can perform better in securing our national integrity.
“On corruption in the system and Boko Haram, we have restrategised and all these attacks you see are just sign of weakness and we have been doing a lot to see that all these ambushes come to an end. We also want to train civil defence and police so they can join us where we are and move forward instead of remaining in one place”, he added.
“You will recall that Mr President promised in his inaugural address about 2 years ago to build the capacity of the armed forces to effectively address the Boko Haram insurgency as well as other national security threats.
“This has been a major security policy thrust of this administration. We have since embarked on qualitative training and acquisition of new platforms and other supporting equipment for the Armed Forces and security agencies”, the Acting President said.
The chief of Air staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar who spoke with journalists shortly after a solo acrobatic display by the new aircraft at 401 training command, Kaduna, said the relocation of service Chiefs to Maiduguri on the directive of the Acting President has improved the intelligence gathering and final clean up of insurgents in that part of the country.
He said the Nigerian Airforce aircrafts having been carrying out aerial patrol for at least nine hours daily to ensure security of lives and property as well as protection of “air asset to guide against reoccurrence of what happened few years ago where insurgents attacked our base in Maiduguri and destroyed some air asset.
He said unlike two years ago when the Air Force had only three trainer aircrafts, the fleet has been increased to 10 training aircraft while five additional aircrafts are being expected by the end of the year.
“That shows that the federal government is doing very well in providing both manpower and hardware for defence of our national integrity.
“We have already relocated to Maiduguri at the wake of renewed Boko Haram attack. We are on air more than before. We are on air for nine hours, non stop with cameras to see how to make the country safer.
“The Super Mushshak is not only for the training. It can be used to fight crime because it has compactment where ammunition can be kept and applied. It can also be use for intelligence surveillance, ambulance among others”, he added.
Speaking on the graduation of 16 students pilots the Air Chief said, “the training school here is where you prepare the pilots and give them all they require to perform well in the field.
“We are excited that this training is happening for the first time in 30 years. When I was here as a cadet, I spent more than four years to acquire the training. But today, within four months, the training will be over and this is because we now have enough training facilities within reach.
On maintenance, he said, ”we have trained 19 personnel in Pakistan and Pakistani engineers are also here. The guys you just saw flying are Nigerians. They are trained by Pakistan which is a sister country”.
Acting president, Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said that the federal government has sanitize the processes of procurement in the armed services in the wake of the discovery of the $2.1 billion arms scandal in the last administration.
He spoke in Kaduna Tuesday during the induction of 5 brand new Super Mushshak training aircrafts at the Nigerian Air force base in Kaduna to boost the efficiency of the Nigerian Airforce in the fight against insecurity and insurgency in the North east.
Professor Osinbajo who was represented at the induction of the aircrafts and graduation ceremony of 16 pilots by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali, described the procurement of the aircraft as timely especially with the renewed ambushes by degraded Boko Haram elements in the Maiduguri, Borno State.
According to him, “We have sanitised the procurement process of military hardware with a view to eliminating corruption and inefficiency. I make bold to say that we have achieved remarkable savings and infused quality into the system.
“This has contributed in no small way to the acquisition of these new aircrafts without any encumbrances. I have no doubt that the acquisition of the Super Mushshak aircraft would add impetus to the training efforts of 401 FTS.
“This administration as promised two years ago is determined to protect everyone living in the country and their property. That is why it has taken the issue of insurgency and terrorism very seriously.
“The FG is also including training and capacity building to what we are doing that is, acquisition of more Air hardware and training so that our armed forces especially, the Air Force personnel can perform better in securing our national integrity.
“On corruption in the system and Boko Haram, we have restrategised and all these attacks you see are just sign of weakness and we have been doing a lot to see that all these ambushes come to an end. We also want to train civil defence and police so they can join us where we are and move forward instead of remaining in one place”, he added.
“You will recall that Mr President promised in his inaugural address about 2 years ago to build the capacity of the armed forces to effectively address the Boko Haram insurgency as well as other national security threats.
“This has been a major security policy thrust of this administration. We have since embarked on qualitative training and acquisition of new platforms and other supporting equipment for the Armed Forces and security agencies”, the Acting President said.
The chief of Air staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar who spoke with journalists shortly after a solo acrobatic display by the new aircraft at 401 training command, Kaduna, said the relocation of service Chiefs to Maiduguri on the directive of the Acting President has improved the intelligence gathering and final clean up of insurgents in that part of the country.
He said the Nigerian Airforce aircrafts having been carrying out aerial patrol for at least nine hours daily to ensure security of lives and property as well as protection of “air asset to guide against reoccurrence of what happened few years ago where insurgents attacked our base in Maiduguri and destroyed some air asset.
He said unlike two years ago when the Air Force had only three trainer aircrafts, the fleet has been increased to 10 training aircraft while five additional aircrafts are being expected by the end of the year.
“That shows that the federal government is doing very well in providing both manpower and hardware for defence of our national integrity.
“We have already relocated to Maiduguri at the wake of renewed Boko Haram attack. We are on air more than before. We are on air for nine hours, non stop with cameras to see how to make the country safer.
“The Super Mushshak is not only for the training. It can be used to fight crime because it has compactment where ammunition can be kept and applied. It can also be use for intelligence surveillance, ambulance among others”, he added.
Speaking on the graduation of 16 students pilots the Air Chief said, “the training school here is where you prepare the pilots and give them all they require to perform well in the field.
“We are excited that this training is happening for the first time in 30 years. When I was here as a cadet, I spent more than four years to acquire the training. But today, within four months, the training will be over and this is because we now have enough training facilities within reach.
On maintenance, he said, ”we have trained 19 personnel in Pakistan and Pakistani engineers are also here. The guys you just saw flying are Nigerians. They are trained by Pakistan which is a sister country”.
Liverpool have reportedly agreed to sell Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for £108.8million.
A group from Barca according to reports flew over to Liverpool on Monday for detailed talks with Liverpool bosses after after two failed bids.
Chief executive Oscar Grau headed the delegation, who have been desperate to get a deal done for Coutinho as they seek to replace Neymar in the Barca squad.
The Brazilian made his decision to move known to the club. This decision softened the club’s stance and it has now been revealed that they have reluctantly agreed a fee for the player.
The deal will see an initial fee of £81.6m being paid for the 25-year-old – although publicly the club are still briefing no deal has been agreed.
The Senate has charged contractor handling the Lagos to Kano railway modernization project, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC, to maximize local content in the area of raw materials and labour force during implementation of the project.
Members of Senate had earlier approved the loan request for the execution of Lagos to Kano, and Lagos to Calabar railway modernization projects.
Federal Government had laid before the National Assembly on the 26thof April, 2017, a request seeking an approval for a loan in the sum of $6.4 Billion from China Exim Bank.
The sum of $5,851 Billion of the total is however, being sought to execute the Modernisation of Lagos to Kano, Kano to Kaduna, Lagos to Ibadan and Lagos to Calabar rail segment.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly gave the charge, yesterday, when the Joint Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt and Land Transport conducted an oversight visit to the Nigerian Railway Corporation Headquarters and the project office of CCECC in Ebute Metta, Lagos to access the Lagos-Ibadan segment of the project.
The purpose of the visit it was gathered to assist the committee assess the project implementation plan for the recently approved loan request by the Federal Government from the China Exim Bank for the purpose of completing various railway rehabilitation/construction projects across the country.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport Senator, Gbenga Ashafa, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Senator Shehu Sanni, led the delegation from the Senate.
Ashafa, stressed the need for project contractor to ensure that they maximize the local materials and manpower in order to have direct impact on the Nigerian economy.
According to Ashafa, "We are confident that the Lagos to Kano, and Calabar to Lagos railway modernization projects would in no small way further reinvigorate the Nigerian economy through the creation of jobs.
“We therefore, call on CCECC to maximize local content in the area of raw materials and labour force.
“The focus of this visit is to immediately set in perspective our commitment to ensuring a high level of accountability in public expenditure.
“This is in line with our constitutional responsibility to carry out periodic oversight functions to the Ministries, Departments and Agencies under the supervision of the Joint Committee."
Similarly, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign debt, Senator Shehu Sanni stated that with the recent approval of the Railway Loan by the Senate, the Contractor has no excuse but to deliver on its mandate.
On his part, the representative of the contractor, Mr. Leo Yinv conducted members of the committee through the project implementation plan for the completion of the Lagos to Ibadan Segment of the Lagos to Kano Railway modernization project and assured that while all pre-fabrication works was being done in the interim, substantial earthwork would commence on the project towards the end of November 2017.
From the headquarters of project in Ebute Metta, the Senators also conducted an on the spot assessment of the earthwork of the project across Lagos and assured all stakeholders of the Nigerian Senate's commitment to assisting the Executive arm in the actualization of every developmental project within its purview.
Other members of the Joint Committee who were present include: Senator Yahaya Abdulai and Senator Philip Gyunka. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Alhaji Sabiu Zakari, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, among others.
The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC has condemned the ongoing production and circulation of an Hausa song aimed at disparaging Igbos and incites hate against them among other Nigerians.
The Director General of the Commission, Dr. Modibo Kawu who made the condemnation in an interview with Vanguard vowed to sanction all the broadcast stations spreading the hate songs against the Igbos.
Kawu who expressed disappointment with the spread of the hate songs said the Commission had deployed its monitoring team to ascertain all the broadcast stations responsible for the spread of such unwarranted songs in the air waves to be able to hand them the appropriate sanctions in line with the broadcasting code that established the NBC.
He described the development as a dangerous omen that could spark of violence and lead the country into war.
''Our monitoring team is already at work to monitor all broadcast stations spreading the Hate songs. This is not acceptable. As a responsible regulator, we have devoted 24th August to host a conference to enlighten all stakeholders in the broadcast industry and indeed Nigerians about the danger of hate speeches and hate songs.
''It is a serious crisis we have on our hand. We have identified Kano and Kaduna as the most hostile states in the North and have decided to engage stakeholders including the broadcasters on the danger of hate Speeches to national security.
''As a result of this, we have developed a new entry code for all broadcasters because we have a serious crisis in our hands and if we fail to nip it in the bud, it may degenerate to a genocide, we will not allow to happen.
''I was in Lagos last week to sensitize major stakeholders on the same issue. We are also planning to engage political parties, media, INEC, security agencies to play according to the rule in the forthcoming electioneering campaigns.
''Hate speech is endangering our national peace, it was responsible for genocide in Rwanda and we will not allow it to happen in Nigeria. We are collaborating with all security agents to find a lasting solution to these emerging and negative trends,'' he added.
Recall that an Hausa hate and inciting song against the Igbos has been trending in the social media and currently circulating in some radio stations across the Northern Nigeria.
Some prominent Nigerians, who reacted to the development, urged the Federal Government to take immediate action to avert the Rwanda Genocide experience that may likely occur as a result of the destructive song.
The trending song, which was voiced by an unknown female artist in Hausa language, was carefully worded, with the intention of causing deliberate mass incitement of Nigerians from the North against those from the Igbo extraction.
Accoording to them, this is a serious matter that must be addressed with the speed of light if the current peace shall be preserved.
The song is considered as a serious threat to national security capable of degenerating into a genocide that may, should the Federal Government not mobilize all resources within its capacity to avert the catastrophic response that may break out in few days time.
The song they said is dangerous, inciting and capable of drawing the country into another civil war and we must act fast to stop it.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its acting Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, has advocated the introduction of an anti-corruption course into the country's university curriculum.
Magu, according to a statement by the commission's spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, also promised to sponsor anti-corruption research works work at doctorate level for the next 10 years.
He spoke during a visit to the National Universities Commission (NUC) headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, the statement said.
"From January 2018, the EFCC will sponsor up to 20 Ph.D. researchers on any aspect of corruption every year for the next 10 years.
"We shall also support the publication of research papers relevant to teaching of anti-corruption courses," Magu stated.
He said that the educational sector was critical to winning the war against corruption in addition to reinventing Nigeria's cherished value systems.
"We believe that university students constitute a strategic target of anti-corruption training and awareness raising activities, as they will become tomorrow's managers," he said.
The EFCC said the proposed anti-corruption course should focus on preventing corrupt practices.
The commission, he said, viewed the NUC as a critical partner in its quest to reach out to all youths in the country as part of the anti-graft strategy.
"The NUC has a vital role to play as it can assist us at the EFCC to extend our anti-corruption message to the universities.
"We need to sensitise youths to the ills of corruption, so that they will not be tools in hands of corrupt politicians," he said.
The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, commended the EFCC boss for the initiative.
Rasheed noted that Nigeria was where it was today because of corruption, adding that the country might not get to the Promised Land unless everybody began to do things right.
He also acknowledged the efforts of the anti-graft agency in arresting and prosecuting fraudsters operating illegal institutions and using same to defraud Nigerians.
"This interaction will go a long way in re-positioning our country and the university system," the executive secretary said.
The Borno Government on Tuesday said about 1 million houses and public structures were destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in the 27 local government areas of the state.
The insurgents also destroyed properties worth over N1.9 trillion in the past six years.
Alhaji Yerima Saleh, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement, disclosed this at a news conference in Maiduguri.
Saleh also said that the insurgents razed down 986, 453 residential homes; 5, 335 classrooms, 201 health facilities, 1, 630 water facilities and 726 power distribution stations and transformers.
He added that 800 public structures such offices, prisons, police posts and other structures were destroyed by the sect members.
"The quantum of destruction caused by insurgents is monumental resulting in serious humanitarian crisis.
"The damage calls for serious intervention from government, development and humanitarian organisations.
"The destruction has rendered 22 out of the 27 local government council areas uninhabitable," he said.
To mitigate the problem, the permanent secretary said the state government had established the ministry to facilitate rapid rehabilitation and re-settlement of ravaged communities.
He said that the ministry had so far rebuilt and rehabilitated public and private buildings in 14 councils in the state.
He disclosed that the state government had so far constructed about 25, 000 houses in the liberated communities.
Saleh said that more than 10,000 houses were reconstructed in Bama, while 7,000 others were completed in Gwoza.
He listed other projects to include classrooms, clinics, police posts, markets, slaughter slabs, roads, palaces, courts and places of worship in the liberated communities.
"We are going into total reconstruction and rehabilitation in Bama, Dikwa and Ngala.
"The projects have reached between 50 and 75 per cent completion in the affected areas," he said.
Other projects, he said, were ongoing in Mafa, Dikwa, Ngala, Damboa, Chibok, Askira Uba, Mobar, Biu and Hawul local government areas.
The permanent secretary reiterated the commitment of the state government to provide humanitarian support services to persons displaced by the insurgency.
"The state government is collaborating with Federal Government and development organisations to address the humanitarian crisis in the state,'' he added.
By Joseph Erunke ABUJA-THE Federal Capital Territory, FCT Police Command has identified disturbance of public peace and a near breakdown of law and order in the nation’s capital, Tuesday, as possible reasons it clamped down on anti-Buhari protesters.
The police explained that the protest which was going on at the Unity Fountain got its attention to intervene when it was turning volatile following infiltration by hoodlums. It said some miscreants, hoodlums and other criminal elements had infiltrated the protest being carried out by a group of concerned Nigerians under the aegis of “Our-Mumu-Don-do Movement", led by famous Nigerian musician, Charles Oputa popularly known as “Charlie Boy”.
The FCT Police Command, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manza, in Abuja, todday said the group carried out their protest on Monday at the same venue were accorded necessary police presence to safe guard public safety and public peace, and protect their rights to freedom of expression, rights to peaceful Assembly and Association, and right to freedom of movement as provided for in sections 39, 40, and 41 of the 1999 constitution as amended.
The statement reads: “Today 8th August, 2017 the same group assembled at the same venue but allowed miscreants, hoodlums and other unruly individuals to infiltrate the protests, who started blocking the major roads adjoining the Unity fountain, obstructing traffic and preventing movements of other innocent citizens from going to their means of livelihood, and thereby exhibiting unruly behaviours and other violent acts very likely to cause the breakdown of law and order and disturbance of public peace.
“The Police personnel intervened at the point that the concerned Nigerians Group lost control of the crowd and prevented miscreants, hoodlums and other criminal elements from hijacking the protest to cause mayhem and chaos.
“It is pertinent to state here that the FCT Police command is fully aware and recognizes the constitutional rights of every citizen including Our Mumu Dondo group to assemble and move freely in any part of the Federal Capital Territory, but the command will not allow any protest under any guise to turn violent and jeopardise the prevailing peace, law and order currently being enjoyed in the FCT.
“The command wishes to assure all residents and visitors to the territory of adequate security and protection of lives and property of everyone including those who choose to express their constitutional rights of protest with decorum.
“Consequently, members of the public, parents and guardians, religious/opinion leaders and other interest groups are advised to prevail on their children and wards, followers and adherents not to allow themselves to be used by any group to cause disturbance of public peace and break down of law and order,” the statement added.
…Irate mob lynch two suspected ritualists , injure two policemen
By Evelyn Usman
There was commotion today at Ojokoro , along Lagos /Abeokuta expressway, after an underground ritualists den was uncovered.
Consequently, two suspected ritualists were set ablaze by an angry mob while two policemen who attempted to prevent one o f the suspects from the mob action were over powered and inflicted with severe injuries.
The ritualists den popularly known as ‘ Ajele ‘ is an underground man hole which stretched from one end of the road at Obadeyi bus-stop to an adjourning street where unsuspecting victims are reportedly kidnapped unnoticed and taken inside the manhole.
Inside the man hole, is a dark tunnel with lots of banana trees and mud.
Vanguard gathered that the bubble burst yesterday morning after the cry for help from a woman was heard by a member of staff of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority , LAWMA who was sweeping.
Partners for Electoral Reforms (PEF), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), said ongoing constitutional amendment by the National Assembly was the most non-participatory in Nigeria's history.
The Chairman of the organisation, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, told Newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja that the national assembly could not make such "life-changing'' decision without the involvement of Nigerians.
"We cannot lump issues that are divisive that tend to tear the country apart without necessary input of citizens.
"Issues around land tenure will not just be legislated upon; there is a need for engagement with citizens to get a buy-in by them.
"This is the most non-participatory constitutional amendment that we have seen in the history of constitutional amendments in the country.
"They just went on a retreat and afterwards, got into a vote of `yes', and so the big challenge with all of these is that the political work that was necessary to have be done before constitutional amendment was not done.
"So, some of the tendentious issues like devolution of power, land tenure, will continue to be testy, going forward.
"Thus, even though the battle has gone down to the states' houses of assembly, it might hit the rock in those places and we will go back to another circle,'' he said.
Nwagwu also decried the discarding of women's right and gender issues, including their right to choose where they wanted to belong in terms of marriage and other rights that should accrue to them.
He said the legislators did not "take one step around affirmative action'', adding that that in itself, was an affront on the rights of women to join the rest of the world in enjoying the benefits that women enjoyed.
He said women in Uganda, Rwanda and some other African countries as well as Europe and the America, enjoyed such rights, insisting that it was also important for Nigerian women to also enjoy such.
On age to contest elections, the CSO chairman said that those bottlenecks and limitations should be completely removed so that young people could participate in governance.
"The atomistic nature with which the legislatures also engaged the age limits for elective offices was without rationale. Why won't we allow 18 years to vote and 18 years to aspire to be voted for?
"What we have seen is the reduction from 40 years to 35 years. What argument sustains non-reduction from 35 to 30?
"I hear that going forward, we might still have to amend the Constitution, but it is important that we do what we have to do when we have the opportunity to do it.
"We cannot continue to shift and postpone and prolong the democratic tenure for the generation coming because they will blackmail us that we actually compromised on something that would have been of benefit to them,'' he said.
Nwagwu stated that law-making should take into cognisance making laws that would serve for 20 years, 40 years and 50 years, adding that "we cannot be making laws for ourselves all the time''.
He said that Nigerians may begin to oversight constitutional amendments in such a way that it would always be conclusive and enduring to avoid subjecting the Constitution to regular review due to poor processes.
By Dirisu Yakubu ABUJA- The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tuesday inaugurated its Convention, Disciplinary and Reconciliation Committees as part of efforts aimed at rebuilding the party ahead of the 2019 elections.Gov. Okowa
The Convention Committee is to be chaired by the governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa while Alhaji Sule Lamido and Senator Abiodun Olujimi were named deputy chairman and secretary respectively.
Nyesom Wike and Ibrahim Dankwambo, executive governors of Rivers and Gombe States respectively will co-chair the Reconciliatory Committee while Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi was named Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee.
Inaugurating the committees, Chairman, PDP National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi charged members to go do their best in bringing back into the fold of the party all those who left the PDP for one reason or the other.
“Reconciliation is very important. We must reconcile and bring back all those who have held important positions in the past including past President, Vice President and others,” Said Makarfi who added that the reconciliation is not restricted to post 2015 when some members quit the party following the defeat it suffered in the last general elections.
“The reconciliation goes as far back as possible. It is not an issue that has to do with the past one or two years,” he stressed.
Responding on behalf of the Convention Planning Committee, Governor Okowa pledged to conduct a successful convention which he said would “be the first place to showcase our strength,” adding that that the convention will be the first of its kind in recent times.
“Though a non-elective, we will organise a convention that will shake Abuja and Nigeria,” he said, urging members to get ready to work in the interest of the party.
On his part, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Chief Tom Ikimi said he would work with the reconciliation committee to ensure that all aggrieved members return to the party.
Ikimi who said he played a key role in the formation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) noted that the party is “now dying and is almost dead.”
PDP sacks Anambra factional leader
Meanwhile, the PDP yesterday kept faith with its promising of sanctioning erring members with the suspension of Chief Ken Emeakayi, a leader of a faction of the party in Anambra State.
Briefing newsmen at the party secretariat, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said the decision was arrived at following Emeakayi’s flagrant disobedience of the party national leadership which had earlier dissolved all three parallel executives of the party in the state.
He added that Emeakayi, a known loyalist of former PDP Acting Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was suspended for one month.
South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday survived a parliamentary vote of no confidence, with enough ANC lawmakers sticking by their leader despite divisions and fierce criticism of his rule.
President Zuma
The motion brought by the opposition needed to secure 201 of the 400 votes in parliament to succeed, but fell short with 177 votes, national assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete announced.
If Zuma had lost, he would have been forced to resign along with his entire cabinet.
Criticism of Zuma from within the African National Congress (ANC) has grown amid multiple corruption scandals and South Africa’s mounting economic woes, while the celebrated party of Nelson Mandela has declined sharply at the polls.
But ANC officials and analysts had predicted the president would survive the vote given the party’s large parliamentary majority.
“The party will spin this as a win, but it’s a weak victory,” independent analyst Daniel Silke told AFP, after at least 30 of the 249 ANC lawmakers voted to oust the president.
“There are marked signs of a rebellion within the ANC. It will perpetuate the factional infighting after a relatively close vote. There was a relatively substantial mutiny,” Silke said.
The ANC parliamentary party celebrated victory over what it described as an attempted “soft coup”.
“It has been the publicly stated intention of the opposition… to sow seeds of chaos in society to ultimately grab power,” it said in a statement.
Several opposition parties led thousands of anti-Zuma protesters outside the national assembly before the vote, while supporters of the president held a rival march.
Zuma, who has built up a network of loyalists in the ANC since coming to power in 2009, has survived several previous parliamentary votes but these had been held without secret balloting.
“Today’s motion of no confidence result is closer than anyone expected,” Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance party said, hailing “brave” ANC lawmakers who voted against Zuma.
“Jacob Zuma is the manifestation of what the ANC has become — a toxic mix of corruption, cronyism and nepotism.”
– ANC loses its lustre –
Mbete, the speaker of parliament, made a surprise decision Monday to hold the ballot in secret after a campaign by the opposition who hoped to encourage ANC members to vote against their leader without fear of intimidation.
Zuma, 75, is due to step down as head of the ANC in December, and as president before the 2019 general election — lessening pressure for his party to trigger imminent change.
The ANC has acknowledged recent criticism of the party, including the impact of a cabinet reshuffle in March when respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan was replaced with a close Zuma ally.
Gordhan’s sacking led to a string of downgrades to South Africa’s credit rating as well as causing the rand currency to tumble.
Public support for the ANC, which swept to power under Mandela in the first non-racial elections in 1994, slipped to 55 percent in last year’s local polls — its worst-ever result.
A handful of MPs, including Gordhan, have publicly joined calls from anti-apartheid veterans and trade unions for Zuma to resign, as South Africa endures record unemployment and a recession.
Zuma has been engulfed by corruption allegations while in office.
A court last year found him guilty of violating the constitution after he refused to repay taxpayers’ money used to refurbish his private rural house.
He has been accused of being in the sway of the Gupta business family, allegedly granting them influence over government appointments, contracts and state-owned businesses.
He is also fighting a court order that could reinstate almost 800 corruption charges against him over a multi-billion dollar arms deal in the 1990s.
Zuma is seen as favouring his ex-wife, former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to succeed him ahead of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Special Assistant to the Governor of Ekiti State on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka has dismissed comments by those gathered in Lagos Tuesday, by Senator Buruji Kashamu and paraded as PDP leaders in the Southwest, saying; "the Peoples Democratic Party PDP house will not be rebuilt with termites infested woods." Ayodele Fayose and Buruji Kashamu
Olayinka, who reacted to the call by the Kashamu group that the National Caretaker Committee, led by Sen Ahmed Makarfi should desist from relating with Governor Fayose as it regards the South West zone, said; "Governor Ayodele Fayose will not waste his time on people whose faces are abhorred in the gathering of people of good conscience."
He said; "Governor Fayose is more concerned with rebuilding the PDP and it is sure that the PDP house will not be reconstructed with termites infested woods."
The Governor's spokesperson described those gathered by Senator Buruji Kashamu in his hotel in Lagos today, as pseudo PDP members, saying "Methinks Senator Kashamu and his men should rather face their Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN).
"As at today, Senator Buruji’s Omo Ilu Foundation’s office in Ado Ekiti is now the State Secretariat of MPN and all his men have openly declared for the party. Or is MPN no longer Mega again?"
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Acting President said on Tuesday that smart cities initiative was key to building smart connections, inspire, empower people and deliver innovative in public services.
Osinbajo said this at the opening of the two-day 2017 Smart Cities Summit holding in Abuja with the theme: Leveraging on Technology Solutions to improve Efficiency of Cities.
The acting president was represented by Mr Muhammed Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, the world is experiencing a shift from the traditional ways of doing things to a more ICT-driven approach where government and administrators are forced to use technology to shape policies.
"The existence of technological advancements is evident enough that the fourth industrial revolution is upon us. This is envisaged to contribute substantially to innovation and become the new driver of economic growth in Africa.
"Government has a role to play for the smooth sailing and the seamless adoption and application of these new technologies and ways of doing things
"According to Indian's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, cities in the past were built on riverbanks. They are now built along highways but in the future they will be based on availability of optic fiber networks and next generation infrastructure.'' Osinbajo said.
He said that Nigeria therefore must have a paradigm shift, adding that information technology needs were more than just setting up smart phones and fixing laptops.
"At every turn, our cities and towns must think outside the box about making things work better where energy, transportation, water, and other key services are managed efficiently.
"And to support smooth operation of critical infrastructure while providing a clean, economic and safe environment for our citizens to live and work.''
Osinbajo said that the journey toward smart cities development was a collective effort.
He said that smart cities were well thought out, purpose driven, well-articulated concerted efforts.
He said that initiative would be driven by implementable and measurable road maps with the buy-ins of all sectors of government, especially the state government.
The Minister of the Ministry of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said the main objective of the summit was to tap into the vast knowledge of experts in the smart city space.
He said that the summit would leverage on their experiences to assist the Federal Government in developing practical steps and solutions that would assist in formulating a unified roadmap toward an effective smart cities initiative for Nigeria.
Shittu said that it was also intended to x-ray the huge business opportunities for providers of smart city technologies to exhibit and pitch their solutions to all levels of government.
He therefore charged participants to provide diverse and global inputs in developing a comprehensive framework to help public and private stakeholders to make informed decisions about smart cities investment strategies.
The Smart Cities Summit initiative Nigeria (SCSN) is driven by the Federal Ministry of Communications in partnership with Afritex Initative.
It is designed to bring city administrators, urban developers and emerging innovations together to develop scalable, replicable and measurable solutions to enhance resilience of Nigerian cities.
The two-day summit brought to multi-stakeholders that will among others take a critical look at the preparedness, unique challenges and emerging solutions necessary for sustainable smart city initiative in Nigeria.
The stakeholders participating at the summit include Huawei Nigeria, Hwelett Packard, Galaxy Backbone, MainOne Nigeria, SmartCities Plc.
Others include National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigeria Communication Commission, UN-Habitats.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has again charged troops to move deep into the bushes to engage and clear remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists from the North-East region.
Burati who told soldiers that he won’t accept situations where troops are being unnecessarily killed equally charged them with the responsibility of taken Boko Haram terrorist by surprise by entering into their various hide outs to bring them to justice.
"You must take this fight to their hideouts. You must go further, that should be the next state.''
Buratai gave the charge on Tuesday in Bama, after he decorated two officers and 63 soldiers with "Gallantry Medals" for their exceptional performances in the clearance operation.
The officers and soldiers are from 151 Armoured Battalion, 21 Brigade of Operation Lafiya Dole.
Newsmen report that on July 10 and Aug. 5, respectively, the troops ambushed and repelled the terrorists, neutralising over 13 insurgents and recovered weapons from them.
Two solders died in those incidents.
The COS moved to the Theare Command of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri, after the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo ordered service chiefs to relocate to Borno to take charge of operations, following renewed attacks.
Buratai, who relocated in compliance with the directive, had been visiting troops in the front line to boost their morale.
"I won't accept a situation where our troops are being unnecessarily killed or innocent civilians are ambushed on the highways or in some other areas.
"The remnants (of terrorists) that are roaming in the bushes and forest must be followed through.
"They must be identified and cleared. Don't rest on your oars. We still have little to accomplish. You have done the greater part
"We are moving to the end of this operation, but there are still more tasks to be accomplished.
"It requires perseverance and discipline, so, let us work harder and clear these criminals, "Buratai told the troops.
He congratulated the recipients of the award and reminded soldiers fighting the terrorists that they were rendering national service to keep Nigeria united.
The army chief urged the troops to replicate the feat achieved by the awardee and assured them of their welfare.
The Senate on Tuesday said President Muhammadu Buhari had not violated any law by not returning from medical vacation after 90 days.
The Senate made this known in a statement by its spokesman, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, in Abuja.
It was reacting to protests by a coalition of civil society organizations, operating under the aegis of "OurMumuDonDo", demanding the resignation of the president over his long medical vacation in London.
It urged the protesters to stop heating up the polity, saying that it was creating unnecessary tension in the country.
The upper chamber said that the protest was an attempt to divert the attention of the Presidency from the economic and security issues, which were already being tackled.
It explained that Buhari had complied with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulated that he must handover to the Vice President and duly inform the two chambers of the legislature about his medical vacation.
"The president has broken no law and therefore we do not see any justification for this diversion and noise-making.
"The sponsors are merely seeking cheap publicity at the expense of the peace of Nigeria.
"We, in the National Assembly, are satisfied that there is no vacuum. The Federal Government is working.
"Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is providing the required leadership. So, there is no reason for the protests.
"All Nigerians now should focus on praying for the safe return of the President.
'We in the Senate are happy about the report by the governors and party leaders, who recently visited President Buhari in London and we know he will soon return to continue to provide leadership to our people and the rest of Africa.
"We therefore call on the protesters to stop all these demonstrations and let their sense of patriotism overshadow the zeal for activism by joining other Nigerians to pray for the president.
"We should also pray for the acting president and Nigeria as a country at this critical period,'' it stated.
Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Li Keqiang, had said that China will import $8 trillion worth of goods from Nigeria and other parts of the world in the next five years.
Speaking at the end of its annual meeting of the new champion, otherwise known as Summer Davos, in Dalian, China, Keqiang said the country would make $750 billion US dollars outbound investment within the same period.
"China is now ready to work with Nigeria and all countries to achieve inclusive growth in economic globalization and the new industrial revolution. In the coming five years, China is going to import 8 trillion US dollars worth of goods from the world and make 750 billion US dollars outbound investment, which will deliver massive benefits to the world including Nigeria.
"China is also committed to international cooperation in industrial capacity and equipment manufacturing, which will not only benefits China but also accelerates other developing countries' industrialization," he said.
“Although, global economy recovery remains weighed down by lack of growth drivers, structural imbalances are yet to be fundamentally addressed and risk of de-globalization hangs over the world economy.
"This new round of industrial revolution is expected to give a strong boost to economic growth to Nigeria and countries across the globe, as well as targeted at delivering massive benefits to all countries, including Nigeria, to bring about new and better hope for citizens,” he added.
The meeting with the theme, 'Achieving Inclusive Growth in the fourth Industrial Revolution', was attended by over 2,000 participants from over 80 countries including Nigeria.
…..Dedicates resumed tours to victims of Ozubulu massacre
Former aviation minister and frontline contender in the November 18, 2017 Anambra Governorship election, Chief Osita Chidoka, on Tuesday, resumed tours and commissioning of his campaign offices, as well as consolidation of his political structures in all the 326 electoral wards across the state.
Chief Chidoka who has since set up campaign offices and political structures in all the 21 local government areas across the state, out of which he has already toured and commissioned 12, announced that the remaining tours are dedicated to victims of the gruesome gun attack at St. Philips Catholic Church Ozubulu, Anambra state.
Speaking while commissioning his campaign office in Atani in Ogbaru Local Government, Chief Chidoka who led his supporters to hold prayers and a minute's silence in honour of the victims insisted that their suffering and death must not be in vain but must be the "clarion call on all citizens of Anambra to stand up in one accord against any order that nurtures, promotes and endorses impunity and recklessness in our state".
Chief Osita Chidoka during the commissioning of his campaign office in Atani in Ogbaru Local Government, Anambra state
Chief Chidoka who is contesting on the platform of the United Progressive Party (UPP), said the incident is a clear indication of the erosion of values, moral standard and failure of leadership in the state adding that nobody should rest until those responsible for the Ozubulu attack and similar killings in the state are brought to book.
Stating that the coming election offers the people of Anambra the opportunity to institute a responsible and resourceful government that dedicates its energies to the good of the ordinary people, Chidoka lamented the level of government neglect and dearth of amenities in the Ogbaru area despite the rich natural resources and the commitment and contribution of the people towards the state.
"The level of government neglect here is very alarming. The failure of the government to open up the economic potentials of Ogbaru is unexplainable and unforgivable. Ogbaru is blessed with huge gas deposit, fertile land for agricultural activities, abundant aquatic resources and a waterway that connects the inland of our state to the rest of the world, yet we have done nothing to develop the resources for the benefit of our people. Clearly the people of Ogbaru have not been treated well", Chidoka lamented.
He said his government will set up a special development programme to unlock the economic potentials of Ogbaru and other such areas across the state.
Chief Chidoka who later in the day commissioned his campaign office in Onitsha South Local Government, also restated the vision of his government to modernize markets in the state and boost small scale businesses with aids and international connection. He said the era where the benefits of government are restricted to a privileged few must come to an end.
Speaking at the event, a woman leader in the area, Mrs. Roselyn Okafor commended Chief Chidoka for his commitment and dedication to the developmental needs of the ordinary people. He said of all the aspirants, only Chief Chidoka is genuinely in touch with the people at the grassroot level, while sincerely championing the course of the ordinary people in the state.
Wife
