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  • Businessman docked for alleged N19m scam

    A 45-year-old businessman, Chukwuma Ibe, on Wednesday appeared in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly obtaining 3,285 cartons of assorted wine, valued at N19 million on false pretext.

    Ibe, whose address was not provided, had pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of obtaining by false pretence and stealing.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Abiola Adewale, had told the court that the accused committed the offences between March and May 2017, at Daraina Nigeria Ventures, Apapa, Lagos.

    Adewale said that the accused fraudulently obtained 3,285 cartons of assorted wine valued at N19 million from one Ahmed Ariyo, on the pretext of paying after sales.

    The prosecutor said that the accused intentionally swindled the complainant and failed to pay after the sales of the wine.

    He said the offences contravened sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 314 prescribes 15 years jail term for obtaining money under false pretence.

    The Magistrate, Mr W. A. Salami, granted bail to the accused in the sum of three million Naira with two sureties in like sum.

    He adjourned the case until Sept. 1, for mention. (NAN)

  • Pandemonium as another man shot dead in Ado-Ekiti

    There was confusion in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Monday evening as another man was shot dead by unknown gunmen in broad daylight. (more…)

  • Jigawa to recruit 1,736 teachers

    By Abdullahi Shugaba

    The Chairman of State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) in Jigawa, Alhaji Salisu Zakar, said on Wednesday that the state government would employ 1,736 teachers, to address the shortage of teachers in its primary and junior secondary schools in the state.

    Zakar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that out of the 1,736, the state government had already recruited 868.

    The SUBEB chief said that the shortfall would be recruited, adding that written test had been conducted for those who applied for the vacant teaching jobs.

    “We have conducted written test and interview for those that have applied the job.

    “Any time from now, the result of those who are successful will be released,” he said.

    Zakar said that the state government was in the forefront of paying the counterpart fund in its arrangements with the board, which has made it easy for the agency to access fund for its projects.

    “It is in view of this that we find it easy in accessing money to execute projects in our schools, to keep them afloat.

    “ In fact, we don’t have shortage of classrooms, instructional materials, vehicles to  go for monitoring and supervision in our schools,” he said. (NAN)

  • Zimbabwe president challenges opposition petition against his election victory

    Zimbabwe president challenges opposition petition against his election victory

    President Emmerson Mnangagwa of  Zimbabwe has filed submissions
    in the country’s highest court opposing a court challenge to his victory by main opposition leader
    Nelson Chamisa, one of Mnangagwa’s lawyers said on Wednesday.

    Chamisa has said the July 30 vote was rigged and challenged the result which gave Mnangagwa 2.46 million
    votes against 2.15 million votes for him.

    In the petition on Friday, Chamisa’s party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) filed their paperwork
    with Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court, alleging the result of the July 30 election
    had been rigged in favour of incumbent Mnangagwa, the leader of the ruling ZANU-PF party.

    Party lawyers arrived at the court in the capital, Harare, with plastic boxes full of paperwork.

    Zimbabwe’s electoral commission has said Mnangagwa won the election, the first without longtime President
    Robert Mugabe on the ballot form, garnering 50.8 per cent of the vote against 44.3 per cent for Chamisa.

    Chamisa has claimed he won 56 per cent of votes and called the election “fraudulent, illegal and illegitimate”.

    Judges have 14 days to rule on the case, delaying the inauguration of Mnangagwa which was scheduled for Sunday.

    Mnangagwa, who took over after a military intervention in November 2017, had vowed the first elections after
    the conclusion of Mugabe’s 37-year rule would be free and fair.

    EU observers said that the ZANU-PF candidate had benefitted from an “un-level playing field” and some voter
    intimidation, though international monitors largely praised the conduct of the election.

    On Aug. 1, clashes broke out between security forces and opposition supporters.

    Six died after soldiers opened fire on the protesters in a response the opposition alliance called
    “disproportionate and unjustified”.

    On Aug. 9, opposition figure Tendai Biti was detained by Zimbabwean police after Zambian authorities
    rejected his bid for asylum.

    Police declared Biti and eight other opposition leaders wanted for allegedly fomenting violence following
    the disputed national election.(Reuters/NAN)
    SH

  • Nigeria, India trade hits $12 bn – High Commissioner

    By Temitope Ponle

    The trade volume between India and Nigeria hit 12 billion dollars between April 2017 to March 2018, Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Nagabhushana Reddy, has said.

    Reddy said this while speaking with newsmen at a flag hoisting ceremony to mark the 72nd Independence of India in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the trade figures between both countries as at January 2018 was 10 billion dollars.

    The high commissioner, however, said that the current figures represented a 26 per cent increase from the previous financial year.

    “Looking at the bilateral relations, our financial year is from April last year to March this year. We have been able to register 12 billion dollars of bilateral trade which marks an increase of 26 per cent from the previous year.”

    He reiterated that Nigeria remained one of India’s major exporter of crude oil, adding that both countries were exploring other areas of bilateral relations.

    “We are looking at bringing more Indian companies here and looking at not just a buyer-seller arrangement but to do more investments.

    “As of today, Indian companies have invested about 10 billion dollars and I think there are about 135 Indian companies in Nigeria.

    “I can mention that Indian investments are in the field of pharmaceuticals, electrical manufacturing, assembly lines for automobiles particularly agricultural related.”

    The envoy said that 2018 also marked 60 years of diplomatic relations between both countries adding that several programmes were being organised to harness various areas of cooperation.

    Reddy said that the upcoming India-West Africa conclave was one of such programmes being organised to bring together chambers of commerce business people and policy makers.

    “We will be inviting all the 15 West African countries at the trade ministers’ level to review existing arrangements and to see how we can harness the complementarities that exist between our two regions.

    “With a number of planned events we are looking at within the year, I am very confident that we will be able to take the already existing strategic partnership that India has with Nigeria to the next high level.”

    He further said that the recently announced 10 guiding principles for deepening India’s engagement with Africa would foster future relations with Nigeria in line with the Federal Government’s economic growth plan.

    “In November 1958, India established the diplomatic house in Lagos; that that was the beginning of our journey.

    “Our prime minister has initiated the 10 guiding principles of India and our prime minister’s drive is to see that we can support your national efforts, to merge with your economic growth plan and national priorities.

    “We would like to bring about a transformation in our engagement which is mutually beneficial.”

    Furthermore, the envoy said that India had trained about 8000 African nationals since 2015, in various capacity building programmes with more than 500 Nigerian officials benefiting from the training opportunities.

    He further reiterated the Indian Government’s commitment to stronger relations with Nigeria and Africa as a whole. (NAN)       edited by Sadiya Hanza

  • NBS says price of 5kg cooking gas decreased in July

    NBS says price of 5kg cooking gas decreased in July

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the average price for refilling of a five kilogramme cylinder for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Cooking Gas) decreased to N2,010.45 in July from N2,034.93 in June.
    The NBS disclosed this in its “Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Cooking Gas) Price Watch’’ released on Wednesday.
    The report indicated that the price paid by consumers for a five kilogramme cooking gas decreased by -1.20per cent month-on-month and -9.69 per cent year-on-year.
    It named the states with the highest average price for refilling of a five kilogramme cylinder for cooking gas to include Bauchi, N2,500.00; Borno, N2,401.43; and Gombe, N2,314.29.
    It said states with the lowest average price for the refilling of a 5kg cylinder for Liquefied Petroleum Gas were Edo, N1,731.25; Abuja, N1,730.00; and Ebonyi, N1,700.00.

    “Similarly, average price for the refilling of a 12.5kg cylinder for Liquefied Petroleum Gas decreased by -0.81 per cent month-on-month and -2.97 per cent year-on-year to N4,244.35 in July 2018 from N4,278.95 in June 2018.
    “States with the highest average price for the refilling of a 12.5kg cylinder for Liquefied Petroleum Gas were Benue, N4,775.00; Kaduna, N4,716.67; and Akwa Ibom, N4,660.00.
    “Also, states with the lowest average price for the refilling of a 12.5kg cylinder for Liquefied Petroleum Gas were Oyo, N3,855.63; Ogun, N3,849.09; and Lagos, N3,615.38.
    The bureau’s “Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch’’ revealed that the average price paid by consumers for petrol decreased to N146.80 in July from N148.10 in June.

    It said the price of petrol declined by -0.09 per cent year-on-year and -0.9 per cent month on month.
    According to the report, states with the highest average price of petrol are Borno, N155.00; Taraba; N151.82; and Bayelsa, N151.67.
    It said states with the lowest average price of petrol were Oyo, N144.72; Katsina, N144.06; and Gombe, N142.79. (NAN)
    LCN/OFN/SA

  • Pakistan president pays tribute to victims of anti-terror war in Independence Day speech

    President Mamnoon Hussain of Pakistan on Tuesday paid tribute
    to security personnel who have scarified lives in the war against terrorism, saying that their
    sacrifices have eliminated the scourge of terrorism in the country.

    Hussain was addressing the national flag hoisting ceremony in the capital Islamabad as part of the
    Independence Day celebrations of Pakistan.

    Pakistan got independence from the British colonial rule on Aug. 14, 1947 after a heroic struggle
    under the leadership of Muhammad Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

    The day dawned with a 31 gun salute in the Federal Capital and 21 gun salute in the provincial
    headquarters.

    The main feature of the celebrations was the national flag hoisting ceremony in Islamabad.

    Hussain and caretaker Prime Minister Nasir ul-Mulk joined hands to hoist the flag at a ceremony
    attended by diplomats, lawmakers, military and civil officials and important personalities.

    President Hussain mentioned the parliamentary elections held on July 25 and said that in spite of
    terrorist attacks, the elections were held with the full participation of the people.

    Deadly terrorist attacks in southwestern Balochistan and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces
    killed nearly 200 people, including three candidates in July.

    The Taliban and Islamic State group had claimed the attacks.

    The president noted that this year the general elections coincided with the Independence Day.

    “This also envisages a message that the decisions in the country which was achieved through a
    democratic struggle will also be taken through the power of vote.

    “I want to remember and pay homage to all those who sacrificed lives for the country and the system.

    “Terrorists could not break the will of the people,” the president said.

    He also called for peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute with India in accordance with the UN
    resolutions. (Xinhua/NAN)

  • Poland’s president vetoes altered election rules

    Poland’s president vetoes altered election rules

    President Andrzej Duda of Polnad on Thursday vetoed a law proposed by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party that would benefit bigger parties such as PiS and its main opposition grouping in European Parliament elections next year.

    “I’ve decided to veto this bill. This change would mean that the effective electoral threshold would rise to as much as 16.5 per cent from five per cent,” Duda said.

    “This means only two parties would have a real chance of winning representation in the European Parliament,” Duda said.

    A PiS ally, Duda may need the support of smaller parties to secure re-election in 2020. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Estu Nupe lauds INEC for extending the deadline for continuous voter registration

    Estu Nupe lauds INEC for extending the deadline for continuous voter registration

    The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, on Thursday lauded  the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), for extending the Continuous Voter Registration(CVR) exercise to Aug. 31 in response to the demand of Nigerians.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had earlier given Aug. 17 as the deadline for CVR but due to the complaints of eligible voters across the country the commission deemed it necessary to announce a new deadline for the exercise.

    According to INEC, the registered voters can collect the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from the designated centres up to the early part of 2019.

    Yahaya told newsmen in his palace in Bida that he had already directed ward and district heads to mobilise eligible voters, to take the advantage of the two weeks extension  for the exercise.

    He said that it was imperative for eligible voters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in order to exercise their civic rights in the general elections slated to begin in February 2019.

    The royal father noted that the people would only be eligible to participate in the elections if they were registered and given their PVCs.

    He explained that traditional rulers in Niger State would not relent in sensitising their subjects to the extension of the deadline by INEC, to enable them collect their PVCs, after being duly registered.

    “ We will also mobilise those who had earlier registered and have not collected their PVCs to  come forward for collection in the commission’s offices across the 25 local government areas of the state,” he said.

    “ I urge media organisations to deploy all sustainable and effective mass media strategies to mobilise eligible voters to participate actively in the exercise.

    He stressed the need for eligible voters to be educated on the importance of obtaining PVCs, saying that  it would allow them the opportunity to vote in the elections.(NAN)