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  • NAN correspondent quits spinsterhood, weds heartthrob

    Former Miss Suzzy Tolofari of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday signed off her maiden name to become Mrs Ufre-Abasi Eduok.

    The bride and her heartthrob, Mr Ufre-Abasi Eduok, exchanged vows and rings at Fountain of Truth Assembly (FOTA), Lugbe, a suburb of Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    In attendance at the colourful wedding ceremony were family members, friends, colleagues and business associates of the couple.

    Their journey to matrimony began at the airport in France while waiting to board a flight in 2016.

    Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the glamorous wedding reception, the couple recounted how they met and fell in love.

    Eduok said, “I met my wife during my vacation in 2016. We were both at the airport waiting to board a flight.

    “I just noticed her radiance, and the spirit moved me to speak to her; I don’t usually speak to people like that.

    “Her mannerisms were just spectacular, she had a lot of respect, and we were able to talk about various subjects, and we took off from there.”

    The groom said it did not take him long to make up his mind to marry Suzzy, because she met all the qualities in a woman.

    He listed them to include godliness, intelligence, beauty, respect, humility, heart for people, and uncommon love for country.

    Besides, the groom said he saw in his wife deep passion for her job and selflessness, which earned his respect.

    Although the two-year period of courtship was not without some challenges, Uduok said he chose to focus on the many things they had in common.

    On her part, Suzzy said her husband broke the ice with: “Hello, beautiful lady. How are you? My name is Ufre.

    “He had this sweet and captivating voice that got me carried away.

    “We started from there, exchanged phone numbers and got talking especially on WhatsApp afterwards.

    “He would always tell me, ‘oh, you are pretty woman. He is a man that knows how to worship his woman.

    “So, that for me, made him different from other men.”

    On what informed her decision to marry Ufre, the bride explained that her husband was prayerful man, intelligent, hardworking, loving and caring.

    “He is my first line editor, because every story I write, I send to him for editing first before filing it at the office,” she added.

    In a speech, chairman of the occasion and pastor to the bride, Ms Funke Kasali, underscored the importance of communication and understanding in their home.

    She advised the couple to give each other listening ears, and endeavour to resolve their issues without third parties.(NAN)

  • 2019: APC youths pledge 2m votes for Buhari, El-Rufai

    2019: APC youths pledge 2m votes for Buhari, El-Rufai

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) youths in Kaduna State on Saturday pledged two million votes to President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov Nasir El-Rufa’i in the 2019 general elections.

    The youth made the pledge in a communiqué at the end of a summit tagged, “Kaduna State APC Emerging Young Leaders Summit’’, to break the barriers to youth leadership in the state.

    In the communiqué, signed by the APC Youth Head of Mobilisation, Malam Umar Yaro, they, however, appealed for more opportunities in 2019.

    “We the youth of Kaduna State at the end of the Kaduna Emerging Young Leaders Summit, resolve the following:

    “We agreed to support President Muhammadu Buhari and Malam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufa’i for the presidency and Governor of Kaduna State respectively in the 2019 elections because we have hope in them.

    “With the support of local government chairmen in the state, we will replicate the summit in all local government areas to mobilise the youth for a youth-friendly government in Kaduna state.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit was organised to bring youths, young professionals and emerging leaders together to discuss societal issues with a view to bringing positive change in their communities.

    It is geared towards giving youths a platform to hear, learn, engage and collaborate with young professionals on academic, decision making and advocacy for societal change and development.

    At the end of the summit, the forum inaugurated APC youths mobilisation platform called APC Lungu-Lungu Grassroots Programme and a campaign website: www.puttingpeoplefirst.com (NAN

  • Rwanda frees jailed opposition figure Ingabire

    Rwanda frees jailed opposition figure Ingabire

    Rwanda on Saturday freed Victoire Ingabire, an opposition leader, who had served six years of a 15-year jail term, after President Paul Kagame exercised his power to grant a pardon.

    Ingabire, who leads the unregistered FDU-Inkingi opposition party, was freed along with other prisoners, including singer Kizito Mihigo, jailed in 2015 for plotting to kill Kagame.

    She emerged from prison in a red dress, green jacket and a broad smile.

    Flanked by her lawyer Gatera Gashabana, she said that her release, together with the election of two opposition parliamentarians earlier this month, were positive signs.

    “There is hope for the opening of the political space,” Ingabire said, thanking the president for granting her mercy.

    “I would also ask him to release other political prisoners who remain here.”

    Government officials downplayed the political significance of her release.

    “There is nothing political about her release, there is nothing political about her imprisonment,” Justice Minister, Johnston Businge, said.

    “ The president has granted mercy, and under the constitution, he is allowed to do that.”

    Eight officials of the FDU-Inkingi, including Ingabire’s deputy, still remain in detention, Gashabana said.

    Another opposition figure, Diane Rwigara, who tried to run against Kagame in a 2017 presidential election, is also in detention.

    Rwigara was arrested with her mother in 2017, accused of inciting an insurrection and using forged documents. The pair is due to appear in court on Sept. 24.

    Kagame, who won a third term in 2017, is lauded for Rwanda’s economic recovery after the 1994 genocide but critics say he has muzzled free media and dissenting voices.

    His office was not immediately available for comment but the government has in the past rejected those accusations.

    Ingabire was handed a 15-year sentence in 2012 for conspiring to form an armed group to undermine the government and for seeking to minimise the 1994 genocide.

    She had returned from exile in the Netherlands to contest a presidential election in January 2010, but was barred from standing after being accused of genocide.

    Her lawyer welcomed the decision to free her but said it came with certain conditions.

    “This is a conditional release,” Gashabana said. He said that Ingabire must report her place of residence to the prosecutor and seek authorization before leaving the country.

    Ingabire, who turns 50 in August, is a mother of three children, who live with her husband in the Netherlands. (Reuters/NAN)

  • NAF acquires 30 aircraft, activates 13 in 3 years — CAS

    NAF acquires 30 aircraft, activates 13 in 3 years — CAS

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, has said that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) acquired 30 aircraft and activated 13 grounded ones in the last three years.

    Abubakar disclosed this on Saturday at the inauguration of the new Headquarters of Air Training Command, and the Sports complex at the Air Force Comprehensive School in Kaduna.

    He said professionalism was about providing serviceable equipment and making case to the Federal Government to provide equipment required.

    “I am very happy in the last three years, we were able to acquire 18 aircraft, similarly the Federal Government have paid for additional 12 aircraft, if put together is 30,” Abubakar said.

    “Professionalism is also ensuring that we activate what currently we have; hence we embarked on renovation of our grounded aircraft.

    “So far, we have activated 13 aircraft and working on the 14 to15 ones both in Port Harcourt in Rivers State,’’ Abubakar said.

    According to him, professionalism is having the right structure, hence the decision to unbundle the former Training Command to Air Training Command and Ground Training Command.

    He disclosed that the NAF increased its manpower from 1,000 a year to 1,500 minimum annually.

    “We also recognised the need to have required numbers of officers, in addition to the one coming from Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and that is why we enlisted 400 Direct Short Service Commission Officers’’ he said.

    The CAS also pledged to improve the welfare of personnel hence it embarked on construction of accommodation and renovation of existing ones including office accommodation.

    He said that the NAF was able to make the achievements through the support of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Air Training Command, AVM Muhammad Idris, commended Abubakar for his visionary and well thought leadership.

    He said the construction of the air training command headquarters was completed in eight months. (NAN)

  • Rustling: 6,622 cattle recovered in 14 months in Niger

    Rustling: 6,622 cattle recovered in 14 months in Niger

    The Director General of Nomadic Affairs, Alhaji Abdullahi Babayo says that the agency has recovered 6,622 cattle in 14 months.

    Babayo made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Saturday.

    He said that most of the cattle recovered were not the specie of cattle in Niger saying that the rustlers usually took advantage of states that had borders with the state.

    “The major problem we are having is that our borders are encroached by cattle rustlers who enter our state.

    “The claimers of the rustled cattle usually come from Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto to claim their cattle,” he said.

    Babayo said that 80 per cent of the cattle recovered were from Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto saying that the specie of cattle was different from what they had in Niger.

    The director general advocated for states bordering Niger to have nomadic affairs agency to enable them address issues of cattle rustling.

    “If other northern states will have this office, I think we will be able to collaborate to tackle the menace of cattle rustlers.

    “If Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto will create nomadic office, I can assure that rustling will be radically reduced and there will be less pressure on us,” he said.

    Babayo said that the agency was working round the clock to see that rustling were brought to the barest minimum especially in the Ember month. (NAN)

  • Malpractice: WAEC wants law enabling demobilisation of telephone networks in exam centres

    Malpractice: WAEC wants law enabling demobilisation of telephone networks in exam centres

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has urged the Federal Government to enact a law that would enable it to demobilise networks in all centres during the conduct of its examinations.

    The Head, Public Affairs of the council, Mr Damianus Ojijeogu, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

    Ojijeogu said this would help to further tackle the rising cases of examination malpratice among candidates in the country.

    He spoke against the backdrop of activities of some fraudulent persons who operated rogue websites and use it to defraud candidates by posting wrong questions and answers during its examinations.

    “You know, WAEC is not a national body. It is a regional body and as a result, we must always strive to operate within the ambit of the law that sets up the examination body.

    “The fight against malpractice has remained one of our key challenges in ensuring that the integrity of our examination is not compromised.

    “As such, we want all stakeholders, especially the Federal Government to join hands with us in taking it seriously and fighting the scourge.

    “Indeed we want to appeal to the Federal Government to assist us further by passing a law that will enable WAEC to jam the respective networks in all centres during our examinations.

    “This is because countries where this has been successfully carried out, it is the governments of such countries that made it possible, for the sake of the future of their children and their education,’’ Ojijeogu said.

    According to him, the council on its own, is doing all it can to tackle the menace by continually deploying cutting edge technologies and training and re-training of staff, to be able to detect and nip all forms of malpractice before it can be carried out.

    “It will be recalled that we use persons who are not WAEC staff during the conduct of our examinations and therefore, we must always be proactive by being ahead.

    “We are always putting measures in place to ensure that operators of those rogue websites are also apprehended and charged to court.

    “In April this year, during the conduct of our West African Senior School Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, some operators were caught and paraded, same as last year.

    “For this year, we have also been notified about their activities at our ongoing second series 2018 WASSCE for private candidates and we are already investigating to find out their location.

    “We are indeed working hard to get as much information as possible in order to assist the police to swing into action.

    “So far, about 12 persons who have been arrested in connection with these fraudulent activities have been charged to court and our expectation is that the law will take its full course to serve as deterrent to others,’’ he said.

    Ojijeogu noted that the fraudsters were currently working hard to defraud gullible candidates writing the WASSCE for private candidates by posting past questions of some subjects using various social media platforms.

    “These questions are papers already taken at the Gambia and Sierra Leone and we want to admonish candidates not to fall prey to these persons as it is capable of compromising their performance and their future,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • UN urges African CSOs to advance continent’s environmental agenda

    The UN Environment on Saturday called on African civil society organisations (CSOs) to help advance essential environmental agenda that are critical to the effective implementation of policies and projects in the field of environment and sustainable development.

    Juliette Koudenoukpo, Director and Regional Representative at UN Environment Africa office, said that the CSOs could shape African countries’ innovative solutions to tackle environmental challenges that are facing the society.

    “Use your networks and diplomacy to shape the environmental agenda in the continent,” Koudenoukpo said during the opening a two-day African Major Groups and Stakeholders forum in Nairobi.

    Koudenoukpo said there was need to move faster from “business as usual” approach and devise ways and means to address issues such as rising energy costs, poverty, environmental degradation, pollution and social inequality.

    She said that African continent had the capacity and the knowledge to innovatively overcome environmental challenges.

    The UN Environment official noted that Africa needs to invest in innovative solutions to unlock its economic and social potential and create inclusive wealth for the well-being of their populations.

    She called on the organisations to engage the youths in changing policy, since they have innovative ideas and initiatives capable of making a difference in transforming societies.

    “You represent the many voices of those most likely to be directly affected by environmental crisis and the adverse effects of natural resource degradation,” Koudenoukpo said.

    She said that the CSOs have a role in bridging the gap between science and policy, and engaging key stakeholders in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s (AU) agenda 2063.

    The two-day consultation conference for the African Major Groups and Stakeholders is being held to prepare their inputs for the seventh special session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment which starts Monday.

    The outcome of the meeting will be a regional statement including key messages by civil society from Africa.

    This regional statement will be incorporated into the overall information document comprised all regional statements by civil society and presented as an official preparatory document to the UN Environment Assembly in 2019. (Xinhua/NAN)

  • 110,542 tonnes of cannabis burn in Ondo — NDLEA

    110,542 tonnes of cannabis burn in Ondo — NDLEA

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ondo State on Thursday destroyed drugs weighing 110,542 tonnes.

    Speaking during the exercise in Akure, the Chief Executive of NDLEA, retired Col. Muhammad Mustapha, said drug trafficking and abuse were not abating.

    Mustapha, represented by his Chief of  Staff, Femi Oloruntoba, said the magnitude of drugs coming out of the farmlands “ was not a thing of joy.’’

    “ Ondo State remains one of the six states in the country where cannabis is cultivated in large quantities.

    “ As a result of cannabis plantations, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find virgin forests.

    “The agency has invested a lot of resources to seize this magnitude of drugs. I commend the commander, officers and men of this command for a job well done.

    “This quantity of drugs, weighing 110,542 tonnes, is frightening and demands more reflections,” he said.

    Mustapha also said the use of cannabis remains high in the state because of availability and affordability.

    He, however,  added that abuse of tramadol and cough syrup containing codeine rampant in other states was not common in the state.

    Mr Haruna Gagara, the Commander of the NDLEA in the state, also disclosed that one tonne of cannabis was seized in August alone.

    Gagara said no fewer than  200 suspects were also arrested,  while some had been convicted.

    He said collaboration with the community was part of strategies used to sensitise the people against the cultivation of cannabis.

    Gagara added that between January and August,  the agency destroyed over 300 hectares of  farmland used in cultivating cannabis. (NAN)

  • Buhari pledges enhanced welfare, documentation of Nigerian Students in Malaysia

    Buhari pledges enhanced welfare, documentation of Nigerian Students in Malaysia

    President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the Malaysian government that issues relating to the documentation and welfare of Nigerian students in the country will be properly handled to avoid hitches during their stay.

    Buhari said this when he received Letters of Credence from High Commissioner of Malaysia to Nigeria, Mrs Gloria Corina Peter Tiwet, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

    He said he had instructed the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs to ensure full compliance of students with all the requirements for studying abroad, including visas, before departure.

    “I have given instructions to the Minister of Education and Minister of Foreign affairs to resolve all the problems related to Nigerians studying in Malaysia.

    “We want to ensure that students don’t get stranded while pursuing their education abroad, especially on issues that have to do with their visas and documentation.’’

    The President also received Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of the Republic of North Korea, Mr Jon Tong Chol, and High Commissioner of Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Wendell Vincent Carlton De Landro.

    He told the Ambassador of the Republic of North Korea that the recent opening of discussions between the country and America, and South Korea, was very encouraging to the ongoing peace efforts across the globe.

    “We have observed with keen interest the technological developments in North Korea, and really congratulate you for the innovation.

    “The meeting between North Korea and America received a lot of international publicity and we are all encouraged on the efforts towards global peace.’’

    He assured the High Commissioner of Republic of Trinidad and Tobago that the bilateral relations with the country would be improved, especially in the shared interest of petroleum exploration.

    In her remarks, Mrs Peter Tiwet said the process of improving relationship in trade, training and education with Nigeria had already started, promising that all outstanding issues would be resolved.

    Mr Tong Chol and Carlton De Landro assured the President that they would work hard to strengthen relations with Nigeria.(NAN)