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  • Troops rescue 4 more abducted students in Kaduna

    Troops of Operation Thunder Strike have rescued the remaining four students of Government Day Secondary School Gwagwada in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who were abducted on their way to school on Oct. 10.
    The Deputy Director Army Public Relations Officer,1 Division Nigerian Army Kaduna, Col Ezindu Idimah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday night that the students have been handed over to their joyful parents at Gurmi village.
    NAN recalls that bandits terrorizing Kaduna/Abuja highway on  October 10, abducted 10 students of the school while on their way to school.
    However, the quick intervention of troops led to the immediate rescue of six out of the 10 students while the bandits escaped into the forest with the four.
    “On Monday October 14,  at about 6 am, following a tip off from a reliable source, troops raided the hideout of the bandits and successfully rescued the remaining 4 students without any injury,” Idima said.
    According to him, during the rescue operation, the bandits ran into the bush with gunshot wounds while abandoning the students after they had engaged the troops in a gun duel.
    Idimah explained that Operation Thunder Strike was a Defence Headquarters operation with troops  drawn from the Army, Air Force, Police, State Services and Civil Defence Corps.
    The spokesman said the General Officer Commanding 1Division, Maj.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya has hailed the performance of troops and reiterated the commitment of the Division in bringing about peace and tranquility to its area of responsibility.
    He assured that despite the toughness of the tasks, the nation should count on the loyalty and commitment of officers and soldiers to deliver.
    NAN

  • Boko Haram: Gov Buni reopens Gaidam Int’l market, relaxes curfew

    Gov. Mai- Mala Buni of Yobe on Monday announced the reopening of Gaidam weekly market with immediate effect.

    The market had been shut for about a year following Boko Haram attacks on the commercial hub.

    Buni made this known in a Town Hall meeting with the people of Gaidam, in Gaidam local government.

    He also approved the upward review of curfew in the town from 6 pm to 10 pm as well as the recruitment of 150 vigilante members to boost the existing 50 vigilantes who are complementing the troops in clearance operations.

    “The closure of Gaidam market will only worsen the security situation in the town rather than improving it, considering the number of youth in the town and strategic location of the market.” Buni said.

    He enjoined the people of Gaidam to be prayerful and cooperate with the security operatives, as security is everyone’s affair.

    NAN

  • Sultan suggests home grown solutions to security challenges

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has called for the development and adoption of home grown solutions to the security challenges facing the country.

    Abubakar, made the call in Sokoto on Monday, during a Town Hall Meeting on Security Matters organised by the Sultanate Council in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sokoto State council.

    Abubakar, who is the President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, decried the rising security threats in the northern region.

    He emphasized the need for a strong partnership between political leaders and traditional rulers towards finding lasting solutions to the challenges.

    The Sultan expressed disappointment over the alleged involvement of some traditional rulers in the activities of armed bandits in parts of Zamfara.

    He advocated prosecution of any traditional ruler involved in the supporting banditry and other criminal activities.

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto called for the strengthening of all law enforcement agencies and other institutions that promote peace in the country.

    Tambuwal lamented the shortage of manpower in some of the security agencies, stressing the need for a total review of the nation’s security architecture.

    He also called for more funding and proper intelligence gathering as well as collaboration with the traditional institution for better results.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three key speakers; Gen. Ishola Williams (rtd), Emir of Zamfara, Alhaji Muhammad Attahiru-Ahmad and Prof. Tukur Baba of Federal University Birnin Kebbi presented papers at the meeting.

    The lecturers dwelled on the need for drastic approaches to security matters, overhauling of security structures, community involvement in tracking security breaches, increased professional training and viable economic empowerment at all strata of the society.

    NAN

  • Update: Typhoon Hagibis: death toll rises 44

    Typhoon Hagibis, which swept across central and eastern Japan on Saturday and Sunday, has claimed at 44 lives in Japan on Monday as search-and-rescue operations continued in flood-and landslide-hit areas of Nagano and other prefectures, Xinhua news agency reported.

    In addition, 14 people are listed as missing, and more than 100 others were injured during the weekend storm. The number of the injured is expected to rise during further search and rescue.

    As of Monday noon, about 38,000 people in 17 prefectures had evacuated their homes, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

    Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a disaster task force meeting that the government will do its utmost to support those affected by the typhoon and its after-effects, vowing to improve conditions at evacuation centers and shelters without waiting for requests from local governments.

    “There are concerns that the impact on lives and economic activities may persist,” he said. “We will respond as best we can as we continue to think about those who are suffering.”

    Defense Minister Taro Kono told senior officials at a special Ministry of Defense meeting to ensure the Self-Defence Forces (SDF) makes its best efforts in responding to the disaster, adding that the first 72 hours that follow a disaster are crucial when it comes to saving lives.

    Japan’s Self-Defence Forces, police and firefighters are carrying out the operations in the wake of the typhoon. By Monday morning, some 31,000 personnel have been mobilised to carry out rescue operations that had saved 1,518 people, said the defence ministry.

  • Falana urges FG to use recover looted wealth to fund budget

    Human Rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has told the Federal Government to embark on a drive to recover Nigeria’s looted wealth to garner resources to fund the 2020 budget.

    Falana made the assertion in an interview with a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Imota, near Abeokuta on Sunday.

    He said the Nigerian Government must urgently seek other means of generating funds to complement the N10.33 trillion 2020 budget recently unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to him, the N10.33 trillion budget presented by Buhari is not enough to stimulate the rapid development expected by Nigerians.

    “From the budget breakdown, N2.5 trillion has been earmarked to service debt; about 70 per cent of the balance would go for paying salaries and recurrent expenditure while the remaining 30 per cent will hardly be enough for necessary developmental projects.

    “The budget is not sufficient and so the government must look at other areas to generate more wealth for the country and embark on a serious drive to recover looted wealth.”

    According to him, there may also be need to increase tax but it should not be now that Nigerians are facing economic hardships.

    Falana, however, charged the president and other public office holders to cut down their expenditures, travelling and allowances and divert such money to developing the country.

    The legal luminary also advised the government to desist from adopting any policy that could bring suffering to the masses.

    He described the recent increment on value-added tax as ill-timed, saying that the interest levied on cash deposits and withdrawals should be cancelled.

    Falana said the government could use other means to foster a cashless economy, including placing an embargo on the amount of money to be withdrawn from banks daily, rather than imposing charges.

    “The National Assembly by virtue of the constitution would have to look at VAT whether it can be increased or not,” he said.

  • U.S. to evacuate 1,000 troops from Syria

    The United States says it is evacuating all its troops from northern Syria amid heavy clashes between Turkish-led forces and Kurdish fighters.

    U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on October 13 that Turkey “likely intends” to extend its attack further than originally planned.

    The Turkish offensive is aimed at dislodging the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Ankara claims is a branch of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for three decades.

    Esper said the SDF was in negotiations with the Syrian and Russian governments to form an alliance against the Turkish force.

    The Kurdish authorities are “looking to cut a deal, if you will, with the Syrians and the Russians to counterattack against the Turks in the north,” Esper said.

    The Kurdish administration later announced on October 13 that it had struck an agreement with the Damascus government.

    “In order to prevent and confront this aggression, an agreement has been reached with the Syrian government… so that the Syrian Army can deploy along the Syrian-Turkish border to assist the Syrian Democratic Forces,” the Kurdish administration said.

    Earlier, Syrian government media said the army was sending troops to the north to “confront the Turkish aggression,” without giving further details.

    The United Nations has said that more than 130,000 people have fled their homes because of the Turkish offensive.

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement last week to pull out all American troops from Syria has been widely criticized, with many observers warning that the president’s move will likely lead to a resurgence of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

    Kurdish forces are holding an estimated 10,000 IS prisoners and experts fear they will escape detention as Kurdish and Turkish forces engage in battle.

    On October 13, some 700 IS supporters escaped from a detention facility near the northern town of Ain Issa.

  • Climate change activists target London’s financial district

    Climate change activists targeted London’s financial district on Monday blocking Bank junction, vowing a day of disruption for major institutions which they said were financing an environmental catastrophe.
    Extinction Rebellion protesters blocked the streets around Bank in the heart of the City of London.
    “The City of London is a preeminent nexus of power in the global system that is killing our world,” said Carolina Rosa, spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion.
    The activists will target major financial institutions which they say are financing fossil fuel exploration and infrastructure.
    A mock trial of the financial sector will take place at shortly after midday.
    The group, which promotes a rebellion against the political, economic and social structure of the modern world to avert the worst devastation outlined by scientists studying climate, is engaged in two weeks of civil disobedience in London.
    Police said there had been more than 1,300 arrests since the protests began.
    “There are currently protesters blocking roads around Bank Junction,” the City of London Police said on Twitter, which has previously warned of disruptive demonstrations on Monday.
    Extinction Rebellion wants non-violent civil disobedience to force governments to cut carbon emissions and avert a climate crisis it says will bring starvation and social collapse.
    Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has said the financial sector must transform its management of climate risk, warning that global warming would prompt reassessments of the value of every single financial asset.
    Carney has been a leading voice among regulators in warning of the risks climate change poses to the stability of the global financial system.
    He has led various international initiatives to improve supervision and disclosure.
    “Climate disclosure must become comprehensive, climate risk management must be transformed, and sustainable investing must go mainstream,” he told a UN climate summit in September.

  • UK employers slam $249bn cost of Labour renationalization plans

    A British employers’ group criticised on Monday what it said would be the “beyond eye-watering” cost of the opposition Labour Party’s plans to return utilities, train companies and the Royal Mail to public ownership.

    The Labour Party has moved sharply to the left under its leader Jeremy Corbyn, and although it lags the ruling Conservatives in opinion polls, Brexit turmoil and the likelihood of an early election could see it take power.

    The Confederation of British Industry said Labour’s plans would have an upfront cost of 196 billion pounds (249 billion dollars), assuming Labour paid the full market value of companies involved – similar to a 176 billion-pound estimate made last year by the pro-privatization Centre for Policy Studies think tank.

    “The price tag for Labour’s renationalization plans is beyond eye-watering,” CBI chief economist Rain Newton-Smith said.

    “Firms want politicians to invest in major infrastructure projects rather than undermine confidence in our economy and waste time, energy and public money in a renationalization project with no clear benefits,” she added.

    Labour described the CBI’s estimate as “incoherent scaremongering” and said it overvalued the assets of utilities owned by privately held companies by applying a 30 per cent premium to their book value.

    “It is disappointing that the CBI seems incapable of having a grown-up conversation about public ownership – which is hugely popular, and common across Europe,” a party spokesperson said.

    John McDonnell, the Labour legislator most likely to become finance minister if the party wins an election, has said nationalization would be cost-neutral as the companies’ profits would cover the cost of borrowing needed to finance it.

    This view is broadly shared by the non-partisan Institute for Fiscal Studies, which said last week that focusing on the upfront cost of Labour’s plans was the wrong approach.

    “Economically what matters is whether these assets would be better managed by the public or the private sector,” it said.

    Opinion polls before the last national election in 2017 showed the public supported the type of nationalization proposed by Labour, despite the poor reputation some of the firms also held when they were last in public ownership.

  • Minimum Wage: NLC tells state councils to prepare for strike

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed its state councils to prepare for strike on Oct. 16 if negotiation breaks down again with Federal Government.

    In a circular sent to state councils, signed by its General Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, NLC said this was a notice in case the proposed negotiations slated for Oct. 15 with the Federal Government broke down.

    “You will recall that a joint Communiqué was issued by the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Committee (JNPSNC) stating that two weeks from the date of the said communiqué, industrial harmony could not be guaranteed in the country should an agreement not be reached with the Federal Government on the Consequential Adjustment of Salaries as a result of the New National Minimum Wage of N30,000.

    “You are hereby directed to coordinate preparations with TUC and JNPSNC in your States for necessary industrial action should the time expire without an agreement as contained in the circular.’’

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the organised labour demanded 29 per cent salary increase for officers on salary level 07 to 14 and 24 per cent adjustment for officers on salary grade level 15 to 17.

    The Federal Government had, however, presented a proposal of 11 per cent salary increase for officers on grade level 07 to14 and 6.5 per cent adjustment for workers of grade level 15 to 17.

    NAN reports that implementation of the new wage has remained a problem, arising from the issue of relativity and consequential adjustments.

    On May 14, the Federal Government inaugurated the relativity and consequential adjustment committee, which in turn set up a technical sub-committee to work out a template for the adjustment of salaries of public service employees.

    However, government and labour have failed to reach an agreement over relativity and consequential adjustments for the implementation of the new minimum wage more than six months after it was signed into law.

    NAN