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  • Police Rescue Remaining Four Abducted ‘RCCG Pastors’

    The Ogun State Police Command says it has rescued the remaining four persons abducted in the state.

    Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed this on Saturday following the rescue of a woman, Mrs Ibelegbo Chidinma, who was also kidnapped earlier.

    The five victims believed to be ministers at the Redeem Christian church of God were abducted by armed men on Friday on the Sagamu-Benin Expressway.

    According to Oyeyemi, all the kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt from their abductors by operatives of the Command.

  • Flood sweeps away FCT High Court finance director at Galadimawa

    A heavy flood has swept away the Director of Finance, Federal Capital Territory High Court, Mr. Tony Okecheme.

    Okecheme was on his way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in his official 2017 Toyota Camry when his car got stuck in the flood at Galadimawa roundabout, Abuja.

    The finance director was swept away by the raging flood, but his driver, whose name could not be immediately ascertained, was rescued by some young boys in the area.

    The driver was said to have been taken to Asokoro hospital, but his boss was yet to be located as of the time of filing this report.

    Eyewitnesses said the National Emergency Management Agency officials who came to the scene failed to rescue Okecheme and his driver who were reportedly trapped in the flood for about an hour before the water swept away the director.

    His car, which was filled with mud water, was, however, pulled out of the ravines by the rescuers, who were angry over NEMA’s failure to rescue the man.

    Two young girls who claimed to be Okecheme’s children were seen weeping uncontrollably at the scene of the incident.

    An FCT judiciary worker, who did not give his name, identified the car as belonging to Okecheme, noting that the man sent him N40,000 this (Friday) morning.

    “I phoned him yesterday that I was broke and he promised to send me money before he travels today.

    “I got N40,000 from him this morning,” he explained, as he showed our Correspondent the text message from the director.

  • Benue prosecutes 81, seize 3,000 cows for violating anti-open grazing law

    By Harrison Arubu
    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue on Saturday in New York said no fewer than 81 herdsmen had been convicted and 3,000 cows seized under the state’s anti-open grazing law.

    Ortom, who gave the update in a keynote address at the 2019 annual convention of the Idoma Association USA, said implementation of the law had brought relative peace to the state.

    “We are implementing our law, and there is relative peace. As at today, we have convicted 81 herdsmen. Some have paid fines; others are still in prison as I talk to you.

    “We have gone a step further. Anywhere we see cattle doing open grazing, we go after them. So far, we have arrested over 3,000 cattle.

    “The law stipulates that within seven days, owners of such cattle should pay fines and reclaim them. We have been collecting fines from them,’’ he said.

    While insisting that ranching remained the best solution to the farmers/herders conflict, the governor challenged anyone with a better alternative to bring it forward.

    Ortom spoke on the topic, “Security and Economic Challenges in Benue State’’, which was a modification of the theme of the conference that centred on Idoma land.

    He said all parts of the state were facing similar development challenges, including insecurity, infrastructural deficit, unemployment, health and sanitation issues, among others, hence his decision to broaden the scope.

    The governor said only four of the 23 local government areas in the state, namely Otukpo, Konshisha, Ushongo and Vandeikya, were spared of conflict between locals and herdsmen in the last six years.

    “As at today, herdsmen have attacked 19 of the 23 local governments in Benue, claiming over 5,000 lives between 2013 and 2018.

    “Over 195,000 homes and 30 churches worth billions of Naira were destroyed in the attacks,’’ Ortom said.

    He thanked Idoma people in the U.S. for their support to victims of the Agatu attack in 2016; award of scholarships to Benue students, among others.

    The governor also lauded them for being of good conduct, noting that to the best of his knowledge no criminal case or report had been brought against them.

    Ortom used the opportunity to brief his hosts on the policies, programmes and projects being executed by the state government under his leadership.

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  • THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY DUTSE IS MASSIVELY RECRUITING LECTURERS IN THE FOLLOWING FIELDS.

    THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY DUTSE IS MASSIVELY RECRUITING LECTURERS IN THE FOLLOWING FIELDS.

    Chemical Pathology

    HaematoIogy

    Hispathology

    Optometry

    Internal Medicine

    Computer Science

    Cyber Security

    Information Technology

    Software Engineering.

    Accounting

    Actuarial Science

    Banking and Finance

    Business Administration

    Taxation.

    Biochemistry

    Biological Science

    Chemistry

    Environmental Science

    Mathematics

    Microbiology and Biotechnology

    Physics.

    Biochemistry

    Biological Science

    Chemistry

    Environmental Science

    Mathematics

    Microbiology and Biotechnology

    Physics.

    Economics & Development Studies

    English and Linguistics

    Political Science

    Human Anatomy

    Human Physiology

    Community Medicine

    Pharmacology.

    Sociology.

    Surgery.

    Interested and qualified candidates are required to submit twenty (20) copies of ther Applications and Curriculum Vitae giving information about themselves supported by photocopies of Qualifications, Publications, Work experience, Present address (where applicable), in the following Order:

    Full names with surname in Capital

    Functional Email and phone contacts

    Post desired and Department

    Date of Birth, Town and State of Origin, Geopolitical Zone

    Nationality

    Current Postal Address

    Permanent Home Address (with Telephone No.)

    Marital Status

    Names, Number and Ages of Children

    Name and Address of Spouse

    Name and Address of Next of Kin

    Institutions attended with dates

    Academic/Professional Qualification with dates

    Work Experience from Date & Status of First Appointment

    Present Employment, status, salary and employer

    List of publications in details i.e Books, Journals, Contributions to Books, Papers presented at National/International Conferences. FUD will not accept letters from editors indicating acceptance for as yet unpublished works.

    Extra-curricular activities and any other relevant information

    Name and Address of three (3) Referees.

    All Applications should be addressed and sent to the address below with the post applied for and Department indicated at the top-left corner of the sealed envelope containing the application:

    The Registrar,

    Federal University Dutse,

    Senate Building,

    Ibrahim Aliyu By-pass,

    P.M.B. 7156, Dutse,

    Jigawa State.

  • Arafat: Saudi introduces electronic system to stone devil

    The Saudi authorities have introduced electronic system into the stoning of the three devils at Muna after Arafat day.

    This is to monitor movement of pilgrims to ensure orderliness and check stampede in the 2019 pilgrimage.

    The Representative of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr Tanko Aliyu, disclosed this to journalists on Sunday at Muna when he led them on inspection of Nigerian pilgrims’ tent at Muna.

    The monitoring is part of efforts by NAHCON in ensuring hitch-free pilgrimage, as the pilgrims prepare to stone devil in Muna after Arafat day, Aug. 10.

    “The new idea is necessitated by the fact that previous stoning was not without some negative developments.

    “Some pilgrims were known to have missed their bearing in the process of stoning the three devils among others,” he said.

    He urged NAHCON officials and their counterparts in the states to swing into action by educating the pilgrims on the need to adapt to the new system, adding that it is meant for their safety.

    According to him, stoning devil is a crucial process leading to acceptable Hajj as well as being the climax of the pilgrimage.

    NAHCON’s representative noted that controlling movement of pilgrims during the event cannot be over emphasised.

    Aliyu promised the pilgrims that they would be conveyed in the buses to areas earmarked for the event, to ease their movement.

    According to him, the pilgrims will be in groups with specific time to carry out stoning, to avoid stampede.

    He said that a particular road leading to the stoning of the devil had been dedicated to Nigerian pilgrims, given the fact that Nigeria constitutes one-third of the population of non-Arab countries performing pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia every year.

    Nigeria’s tent is set to receive its pilgrims while security personnel were seen guarding the tents, 24 hours to check breaching of peace during Arafat day.

    Alhaji Usman Sambo, officer in charge of Administration, NAHCON, for 2019 Hajj and other officials of the commission also attended the event.

  • Kogi indigenes reject Bello, APC’s Indirect Guber Primaries

    The Coalition of Kogi State Indigenes, a group of concerned persons from Kogi state, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to revisit its decision to conduct indirect primaries for the Kogi Governorship election.

    The Group which staged a protest in Abuja to get the attention of the party leadership and that of President Muhammadu Buhari, said that indirect primaries was against the wishes of the people.

    Speaking in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday, Convener of the group, Comrade Richards Adebayo, pleaded with President Buhari to wade in to ensure the right thing was done.

    Adebayo argued that direct primaries was the best way of choosing a candidate which the people truly want, adding that it is a more democratic process than indirect primaries.

    He accused the APC leadership of plotting to force the wrong person on Kogi people, warning that if they carried on with their plans then the party risked losing the elections.

    With particular reference to the Incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello, Adebayo stressed that the people of Kogi were tired of his bad leadership and would prefer a better candidate from APC.

    “For the past three and half years, our good people of Kogi state have suffered under the heavy burden of bad leadership on account of the near- zero governance initiatives of the ill-fated Yahaya Bello’s administration.

    “We, the indigenes of Kogi state have resolved not to allow a repeat of the leadership disaster which happened to Kogi state.

    “Democracy is all about the people and their inalienable right to choose who would lead them. The plan by the APC to foist indirect primaries on the good people of Kogi is not and would never be acceptable.

    “We reject it and whatever it portends. We are aware that it is a ploy to surreptitiously sneak Yahaya Bello back into Kogi government house.

    “We demand for direct primaries because we believe it is a sure way to test the resolve of our people and what we want in leadership under APC.

    The group challenged the governor to test his popularity in a direct primaries rather than hiding under an ‘undemocratic’ process to emerge APC’s candidate.

    The group said that the people of the state would never stand for the return of Bello to the Government house, stressing that he had dealt them a bitter lesson.

    “Kogi people had never known suffering of such magnitude as they have been made to undergo these past three years. This is the ‘curse’ we want to cancel and chase away through direct primaries.

    “Of what use is a government that has demonstrated the highest level of insensitivity and irresponsibility by owing its workers for over twenty months?

    “Now, the APC, the party we built trust upon and believe would bring succor into governance are playing ‘more papal than the Pope’. We say No!

    “While commending the leadership of our great party, the APC, for their proactivity in determining the process of choosing the flag bearer for the forthcoming kogi state gubernatorial election, we implore them to reverse themselves and approve direct primaries which is a more democratic and people centered process.

    “We are resolute that if they fail to do so, the party runs at the risk of losing the Kogi state governorship polls.

    “We say enough is enough to leadership without human face: We say enough is enough to a leadership without followership: We say no to leadership of extreme selfishness: We say no to leadership without vision: We say no to leadership of retrogression,” the group said.

  • Gusau Airport project handler promises to build hospital, school for host community

    Uche Oko-ponu, the contractor handling the Gusau Airport project in Zamfara, has promised to construct a school and a hospital for the community hosting the facility.

    Oko-ponu made the promise on Sunday, when Gov Bello Matawalle took him to inspect the project site at Tashar Rawayya in Bungudu Local Government Area of the state.

    Oko-ponu, whose firm, ULO Consultants Ltd, is expected to commence work later this month, made the promise in response to a loud voice from among the villagers that gathered, asking the firm to “build a school for us”.

    “We will build a school and a hospital to the community before the project is completed,” he told the elated villagers.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the contractor was in the state to inspect the site where the new Gusau Cargo and Aviation Airport will be constructed.

    The airport project is one of the components of the Zamfara economic revival scheme initiated by Gov Bello Matawalle for which the Afrexim bank agreed to invest 1 billion US dollars.

    Under the arrangement which would be funded through the Heritage Bank, the state government plans to reactivate the Bakalori dam to enable it produce electricity.

    Other components include the reactivation of industries and textiles, as well as improving water supply to the state. (NAN)

  • 2019 WRD: Perm Sec. urges support for Rangers

    Mrs Ibukun Odusote, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, has urged NGOs, donor agencies and individuals to support the efforts of the National Park Service in its conservation efforts.

    Odesote made the call during the 2019 World Rangers Day celebration in Abuja on Wednesday with the theme “I Stand With The World’s Rangers”

    The Nigeria News Agency reports that the World Rangers Day is celebrated annually on July 31 on the anniversary of the founding of the International Ranger Federation (IRF).

    The federation supports the work of rangers as the key protectors of parks and conservation.

    The day is set aside to commemorate rangers killed or injured in the line of duty and to celebrate the bravery of those on the field.

    The Permanent Secretary said Rangers faced numerous challenges in the discharge of their duties which had led to loss of life and being maimed.

    Odusote said the Rangers were under-paid, under-equipped, under-appreciated and under-staffed.

    She however said that the present administration was interested in appreciating Rangers.

    “These Rangers face numerous challenges of walking long distances under harsh weather, they get attacked by wild animals, poachers, illegal miners, herders which has led to maiming and loss of life.

    “The 2,081 staff strength of our Rangers is far below the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) standard of protected area managed.

    “We have an administration that is interested in appreciating the Rangers. So I charge all directors of the various MDAs here to support the Rangers especially the families of those who have died in the line of duty.”

    She made a personal commitment to the Conservator-General on behalf of her family to support one child of a deceased ranger through school.

    The Conservator-General, National Park Service, Ibrahim Goni, said record from the IRF state that a total of 1,027 Rangers had lost their lives in the last 10 years across the globe.

    Goni said Nigeria accounted for 27 out of the figure, adding that there was the need to reflect on the sacrifices made by Rangers by honouring the fallen heroes and celebrating the ones still undertaking the task.

    “It is however sad to note that they are under appreciated because they work in remote places so they are not captured by the cameras of the media.

    “They work tirelessly and risk their lives to ensure our heritage is protected and conserved for prosperity.”

    Mr Ben Nwaobasi, the Board Chairman of the National Park Service, assured the Rangers that their rights and priviledges would be made available at the appropriate time.

    The Director General, National Oil Spill and Detection Agency, Mr Musa Idris, said the agency would continue to support the national park service in ensuring less pollution in the environment so as to protect the animals.

    Dr Rufus Egbeba, Director General National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) said the issue of conserving the biodiversity remained an issue for any country.

    Rufus, represented by Dr Agha Agha, HOD, Socioeconomic and Food Safety Department, NBMA, said the agency would ensure the use of biotechnology have no negative effect on the environment.

    He said the agency joined the park service to celebrate the dedication and commitment shown by the hardworking rangers daily and prayed for guidance in helping them protect Nigeria’s natural resources.

    Dr Adekunle Ogunjimi, representative of the Wildlife Society of Nigeria, said Nigeria’s game reserves were suffering, noting that many of them were non-existent.

    Ogunjinmi,therefore called on the permanent secretary to address the issues affecting the game reserves.

    Highlights of the celebration include tree planting by the board chairman, inspection of guard by the permanent secretary and drama by the Rangers.

  • Peer Review: Focus on grassroots, Gambari urges AUDA/APRM Nigeria

    Peer Review: Focus on grassroots Gambari urges AUDA/APRM Nigeria

    Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Chairperson, Panel of Eminent Persons, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has called on African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development/ APRM (AUDA-NEPAD/APRM) Nigeria to focus on the grassroots and avoid tampering with their findings in the second peer review assessment of the country.

    This was contained in a statement signed on Thursday by Abolade Ogundimu,  Media Assistant to the National Coordinator, Chief Executive Officer,  AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria.

    Gambari made the call on Wednesday, July 31 in his opening statement at the interactive session, organised by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha (the Focal Point of APRM in Nigeria) for the newly inaugurated National Governing Council (NGC) of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM.

    It will be recalled that after President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval for transformation of NEPAD Nigeria to AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria and conduct of Second Peer Review of the country, he appointed 15-man into the NGC of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria to complete its structure of operation.

    The SGF inaugurated the Council on Tuesday which led to the interactive session for further interactions among Council members and relevant resource persons on the task ahead.

    According to Gambari, the review is not for the purpose of competition with other nations but to identify level of development in key areas of governance and socio-economy of individual nation, with the aim of sharing ideas on improvement.

    ” Peer Review is a voluntary mechanism put in place by the African Union for the assessment of member nations development in certain areas of governance and economy.

    “The report should be a true reflection of situations in the assessed socio- economic issues like child enrolment in schools, access to healthcare, and so on.

    “It is important to note that self-assessment should be focused on grassroots and not national stage in order to have very good report, it is better to assess at local government ” he said.

    The advice became necessary because majority of Nigerians live in the rural areas, hence the need to assess their standard of living, for effective planning on how to improve their living standard and harness their productivity for national development.

    “True self- assessment will not only help the nation to identify areas of weakness and strength in her developmental life but also help other nations to know how to achieve similar growth or avoid underdevelopment in certain areas,” he said.

    Gambari also reminded the council of cross checking system of APRM continental secretariat, ahead of publication of a nation’s Review Report for others to use, saying a team always visit to verify the claims.

    He therefore urged the national secretariat to engage various stakeholders on issues that would be assessed for a national report.

    Similarly, the SGF, represented by Mr. Gabriel Aduda, Permanent Secretary, Politics and Economic Affairs Office, (office of the SGF) assured the council and the entire secretariat, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria that the Federal Government would provide needed support for effective delivery of their mandates.

    He however urged them to divorce themselves from sentiments in the course of carrying out their duties, saying President Muhammadu Buhari-led government was ready to work on the outcome to boost development and improve governance.

    Sen. ABBA Ali, Chairman, NGC of AUDA-NEPAD/ APRM Nigeria assured the eminent personality of APRM, and the entire nation that his team would ensure success of the 2nd Peer Review of the country after 11 years.

    Princess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator, Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria and Secretary of the NGC expressed appreciation to Buhari for the choice of persons appointed into the council.

    ” I thank Mr. President for appointing persons with pedigree and dedication into the NGC of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria, that goes a long way to once again confirm his passion for better developed nation that can all be proud off.

    “They were selected from every part of the country, representing various sector of human endeavour in order to ensure that the agency delivers on its mandate,” she said.

    Other members of the NGC : Amb. Haliru Sodangi, Dr. Bala Zakari, Mr. Dozie Madu, Chief Barnabas Chimezie Njoku, Chom Bagu, Mrs. Tawakalitu Olayemi Yusuf, Dr. Ugo Beke Hon. (Barr.) Thomas Okasun, Comrade Ayuba Wabba , Mrs. Halima Kiyari Joda Dr. Louis Mandema, Mr. Kola Adesina, Mrs. Okieimen Funke Iyabo.

    Different papers are relevant to the achievement of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM mandates were presented by various resource servers.

    They include ‘ Second Review APRM PROCESS’ by Miss Mary Izobo from APRM Headquarters, South Africa, while Mr Partick Okigbo, a resource mobilisation Consultant who presented a paper titled ‘Transformation of NEPAD to AUDA-NEPAD’ .

    Also a paper on ‘NGC Roles/Responsibilities ‘ was presented by Mr. Gabriel Aduda, Permanent Secretary, Politics and Economic Affairs Office, (office of the SGF) .

    APRM is the world’s first known mechanism, collectively embraced to ensure collective development of any continent of multiple nations.