Category: General News

The NLC has urged the Federal Government to use the stick and carrot approach in handling the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IML) and protest by its members.

The NLC National President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, in a statement on Wednesday said that doing that was “no sign of weakness.’’

Waba expressed sadness over the destruction of both private and public property, injuries and deaths arising from confrontation between the police and members of the movement otherwise known as `Shi’ite.’

News Agency of Nigeria reports that members of the movement have been protesting the prolonged detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky; and his wife, Zeenah.

Both El-Zakzaky and wife have been in custody since 2015.

Wabba noted that the bloody conflict on Monday would not be the first or second or even third by members of the sect.

“While we support government’s right and duty to maintain law and order, we equally urge it to do so with the benefit of its previous experiences in dealing with sects.

“We call upon the government with every sense of responsibility and concern for our national security, to deal imaginatively with the issue of El-Zak-Zaky whom it has kept in detention in defiance of a court order to release him from detention.

“We expect the government to be firm but flexible, use the stick and carrot approach. It is no sign of weakness.”

The labour leader, while urging leadership and members of the sect to eschew violence, stressed that they should be guided at all times by fundamental principles and practices of peaceful protest.

He said the exercise of the right to protest which the organised labour has routinely exercised in spite of occasional objections had helped in strengthening democracy in no small way.

“In the years of those protests, it was guided by discipline (even in the face of provocation) and principles of peaceful engagement.’’

Waba urged security forces to be guided by the rules of engagement, saying that it was reprehensible and completely objectionable to turn against peacefully- protesting people.

NAN recalls that the Presidency had said the case involving the leader of the Shiites, Ibrahim El Zakzaky, is no longer in the hands of the Federal Government.

“As far as this country’s Ministry of Justice is concerned, the case involving El-Zakzaky is no longer in its domain,” President Muhammadu Buhari spokesman, Garba Shehu said in a statement.

“The Federal Government no more has hands in the matter and to that extent, the government at the centre can be said to be clear of any alleged violations of court orders as being trumpeted everyday,” he added.

El-Zakzaky was charged with murder in April 2018. His alleged offence took place during the December 2015 clash between the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and a convoy of Nigeria’s army chief, Tukur Buratai.(NAN)

Two female intending pilgrims in Katsina had their dream of performing this year’s pilgrimage, scuttled,  as a test conducted on them indicated they were pregnant.

Alhaji Muhammad Abu-Rimi, Executive Director of Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board, told newsmen on Wednesday that the pilgrims were discovered to be pregnant as they were about to depart for Saudi Arabia.

He said that sequel to the discovery, they were prevented from traveling to the Holyland.

‘’The day these two female intending pilgrims were to be transported to the Holy land, we conducted a pregnancy test on them, which indicated positive, meaning that they are pregnant.

‘’We want people to know that the reasons for preventing pregnant women from going for Hajj, is to save them and what is in their womb from suffering,’’ he said.

He also said that the airlift of the intending pilgrims to the Holy land was going on smoothly as over 2,072 pilgrims had already been transported.

‘’The problems we normally encounter is issuance of visas; now, Saudi Arabian authorities have simplified the process because we print it here; we do not need to go to anywhere to get it,’’ he said.

He urged pilgrims to abide by the rules and regulations of Saudi Arabia governing the conduct of the pilgrimage.

Abu-Rimi further urged the pilgrims to desist from spreading rumour, as the Board was committed to enhancing pilgrims’ welfare. (NAN)

The Managing Director of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), Dr Jamilu Gwamna, has said that the power deal signed between the federal government and German-based company, Siemens would revolutionise the power sector in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Kano, Gwamma commended the federal government for signing the electricity road map agreement noting that it would resuscitate the power sector.

The statement signed by Malam Ibrahim Shawai the Head of Corporate communications of KEDCO, the MD said the agreement upon implementation would open up opportunities for the nation.

“Going by the terms of the agreement, if the deal is successful, millions of jobs will be created automatically and the manufacturing sector will come back to life.

“The power sector has been neglected for too long.

“Several attempts made by previous administrations had failed and huge money allocated for the sector was embezzled, with no power to commensurate with what was spent.”

Gwamna said the German-based company, Siemens, was known for quality and professionalism in view of the impact made in the power sector in Egypt.

“With 7000MW by 2021 and 11000MW by 2023, we may not solve all the problems in the sector but it will bring about a positive change that will do the magic in the manufacturing sector, rural development and industrialization,’’ he said.

He added that with improved power capacity, a lot of agro-industries would emerge and every other sector would witness the impact.

The MD noted that cost of doing business would reduce to the barest minimum.

He, therefore, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure strict monitoring of the deal to avoid hijacking and going the way of other failed power agreements signed in the past.

Gwamma appealed to the other arms of government to support the move and work towards the success of the project.

Buhari on Monday witnessed the signing of the Electricity Road Map Agreement which was a fall out of a meeting the President had held with German Chancellor, Angela Merkel on August 31, 2018. ( NAN)

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Tuesday mourned the death of a corps member attached to the Channels Television, Precious Owolabi, during the Shi’ites’ protest in Abuja on Monday.

A statement by Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, Director of Press and Public Relations, NYSC, the corpse of the deceased has been retrieved from the morgue of the National Hospital, Garki, Abuja, and dispatched to to his family in Zaria.

“NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, led other management staff to the morgue of the National Hospital, Garki, on Tuesday morning to retrieve the corpse.

” It was retrieved and sent by an official ambulance to his parents in Zaria, Kaduna State,” Adeyemi stated.

She added that the NYSC was saddened by the unfortunate death of the corps member.

The news Agency of Nigeria reports that the late Owolabi has already been buried.

“The management is deeply saddened with the sudden and unfortunate death of Owolabi, FC/18C/5226, while on an official assignment during the Shi’ites’ and Police clash in Abuja.

“We join the entire Owolabi family in this moment of grief and pray that the Almighty God console them and repose the soul of the departed,” Adeyemi said.

She said the director-general was said to have described the incident as “a sad day for the NYSC family.”

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that another corps member serving with the Leadership Newspapers, was also hit by a stray bullet during the protests and is currently recuperating at the National Hospital.

The Nasarawa State Government has donated 5.6 hectares of land to the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) for the establishment of the institute’s outstation in the state.

Alhaji Usman Abu, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Environment, made the presentation of the land on Monday in Nasarawa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the donation, Abu was accompanied by his counterpart from the state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Naphtali Dachor.

Abu said that the handing over of the land to the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria followed an application by the Federal Ministry of Environment, which was approved by the state government.

According to him, the land will assist FRIN in meeting its mandates to conduct research into all aspects of forestry, forest products utilisation, wildlife, watershed management and agro-forestry.

“The importance of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria to the socio-economic development of the society cannot be overemphasised, hence the resolve by the state government to provide land for the institute in the state,’’ Abu said.

Abu commended critical stakeholders, particularly the Emir of Nasarawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman, for their support and cooperation in securing the land.

He said that the host communities and the state would benefit a lot when the research institute’s outstation begins full operation.

In his remarks, the Emir of Nasarawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman, said the partnership between the state and the Federal Government toward establishing the research institute’s outstation was a welcome development.

The Emir noted that the partnership would go a long way in checkmating environmental degradation and effects of climate change in the state and the country at large.

He gave an assurance of continuous support and cooperation to ensure a smooth take-off of the research institute in the area.

Responding, Prof. Adeshola Adepoju, the Director-General, FRIN, thanked the state government for donating the land.

Adepoju, who was represented by the Head of Station – Montane Forest Research Station Jos, Dr Kingsley Okeke-Agulu, assured the state government of the judicious use of the land. (NAN)

Women in Politics (WIP) on Wednesday expressed worry over the low representation of women in the ministerial list released by President Muhammadu Buhari for his second tenure.

Mrs Ebere Ifendu, the President, Women in Politics in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja said that the number “is low and very poor’’.

Ifendu said women were not happy with the nomination list  though the few women listed were women of character and integrity who had done well for the society.

“We are saying we have many more women that should also be part of this list considering the promise the president made to women.

“He said he will work with the Nigerian gender policy which is about affirmative action, so what happened to the promises he made to women?’’

Ifendu said there was need for the president to fulfil that promise due to the already low number of women in elected offices after the 2019 elections.

She said that 2,970 women contested elections into different positions in the 2019 general elections but only 67 got elected across the nation.

Ifendu said a breakdown of the elected members showed that no woman was elected as president, vice president or governor while only seven were elected to the Senate.

She said that 12 were elected to the House of Representatives and 44 to the State Assemblies with about 11 states without a female member.

Ifedu said that the Nigerian women went to the elections with high expectations but the overall level of representation of women in politics remained a cause for concern as their number continued to dwindle. (NAN)

 The Presidency has appealed to El-Zakzaky-led Shiite members to desist from needless violent, street protests and await the decision of the court in Kaduna where their leader is currently being tried.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Friday, the issue of El-ZakZaky is before the court in Kaduna and his supporters should focus on his ongoing trial instead of causing daily damages, disruptions and public nuisance in Abuja.

“It is wrong to be in court and resort to violence at the same time in order to get justice for anybody accused.

“The destruction of public property in the name of protest is not within the right of this group of Shiite members.

“And no government anywhere would have tolerated a situation where any group would take over public roads in cities as they have done in Abuja and interfere with the rights of other citizens who are prevented from reaching their destinations.

“We imagine a situation where families are taking their loved ones to hospital for emergency treatment and they are held up needlessly by the protesters. No government anywhere in the world would turn a blind eye to this unlawful behavior,’’ he added.

Shehu maintained that the case involving El-zakzaky was no longer in government domain, stressing that the federal government no more has hands in the matter.

“As far as this country’s Ministry of Justice is concerned, the case involving El-Zakzaky is no longer in its domain.

“The Federal Government no more has hands in the matter and to that extent, the government at the centre can be said to be clear of any alleged violations of court orders as being trumpeted everyday.

“These rallies and street dances ostensibly to openly insult the President and other leaders, threatening bloodshed will lead nowhere because President Buhari will not ask the country’s judiciary to abandon due process and set a suspect free,’’ he said.

Shehu stated that the Buhari administration was determined to enforce the decision of the court clearly issued.

According to the presidential aide, the administration has absolutely no hand in the ongoing court case and the courts are free to determine the bail request and the final outcome.

“The mentality that you are above the law and that your own rights are superior to other people’s rights is unacceptable.

“You can’t be provoking other citizens by interfering with their own rights on public roads and disrupting their businesses and call it democratic freedom. In democratic traditions, their rights end where the rights of others begin.

“Law abiding citizens must avoid deliberate lawlessness. It is not within the rights of any group to enter protected public institutions such as the National Assembly by force to attack police and destroy public and private property,’’ he said.

Shehu advised all citizens to embrace dialogue and eschew violence in all their actions to promote peacefully coexistence among the diverse ethno-religious groups in the country.

“We therefore appeal to the Shiite group to stop deliberate provocations that result in violence and fatalities and allow the trial of El-ZakZaky to take its course,’’ he maintained.(NAN)