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  • Offa Robbery: Police says Saraki has case to answer

     

    The Police today in Abuja reaffirmed that Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki had a case to answer over the  Aril 5, 2018 robbery in Offa in which about 31 persons reportedly were killed.

    Force  Headquarters said in a statement by the Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood,  the Force Public Relations Officer that the Offa robbery incident was still under investigation.

    Moshood debunked media reports that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) advice had exonerated Dr. Saraki, explaining that the DPP “only called for further investigations into the matter”,

     Moshood said: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to publication on Premium Times Online Media publication credited to one Samuel Ogundipe, that “there was no evidence that linked Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and Kwara State Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed to the Armed Robbery attack that left 31 persons dead in Offa, Kwara State, in April, Premium Times can now confirm”

    “It is incumbent on the Force to educate the writer of the story that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the Federation in the legal advice did not restrain or restrict the Force from investigating further, the indictments against the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfattah Ahmed by the principal suspects arrested in connection with the Offa bank robbery of 5th April, 2018.

    “The DPP advice did not exonerate the Senate President, it only called for further investigations into the matter

    “It is in the course of further investigations into the case that a letter of invitation dated 23rd July, 2018 was sent to the Senate President to appear on 24th July, 2018 at 8.00am before the Investigation Team at Intelligence Response Team office, Guzape Junction, Abuja.

    “Consequently, the Force is hereby re-affirming that the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki has case to answer by virtue of the facts that the statements submitted by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki earlier to the Investigation Team was not explicit and detailed enough, and was discovered to require further clarifications and interrogation, and coupled with the fact the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki in his statement, claimed that the full text of the statement of the suspects who indicted him in their confessional statements to the Police was not shown to him.

    “It is therefore, imperative for the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki to report to the Police to make further statement after sighting the full text of the statement of the suspects.

    “ Furthermore, the Force wishes to inform the media and the public that investigation is still ongoing on the Offa bank robbery and the indictment against the Senate President from the confessions of some the arrested principal suspects, and that, there is no  political influence or consideration in the matter.

    “The media and the Police are veritable partners in crime prevention, protection of lives and property, and absolute compliance with the rule of law. The media are implored not to allow the pages of their esteemed publications be used to misinform the public. FB

    Flowerbud News

  • PDP Pack crumbles, Sen. Tejuoso, Akanbi back in APC

    By Ismaila Chafe

    Senators Lanre Tejuoso(Ogun Central) and Adesoji Akanbi from Oyo South who were reported to have joined the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday are back in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    They were among the senators who met President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday night at the Villa in Abuja, in a show of solidarity.

    Tejuoso announced his return at the meeting between APC Senators and President Buhari at Aso Rock.

    While introducing himself to the President, he said: “Mr President, your son has returned home.”

    Senator Shehu Sani from Kaduna, who has been blowing hot and cold about his political allegiance was also at the meeting, exchanging banters with his colleagues.

    Shehu Sani with his colleagues at the Aso Villa

    Other Senators at the meeting were:

    Adamu Aleiro, Bala Ibn Na-Allah, Aliyu Wammako, Ibrahim Gobir, Kabiru Marafa, Abu Ibrahim, Kabiru Gaya, Barau Jibrin, Abdullahi Gumel,  Ahmed Lawan, , Ali Ndume, Abubakar Kyari, Baba Kaka Garbai, Aliyu Abdullahi, David Umaru, , Abdullahi Adamu, George Akume, Francis Alimekhina, Andrew Uchendu, Magnus Abe, Ovie Omo-Agege, John Enoh, Nelson Effiong, Andy Uba, Sunny Ugboji, Hope Uzodinma, Ben Uwajimogu, Yusuf Abubakar, Oluremi Tinubu, Gbenga Ashafa, Solomon Adeola, Tayo Alasoadura, , Soji Akanbi, Ajayi Boroffice, Yele Omogunwa, Fatima Rasaki, Olanrewaju Tejuoso, Yahaya Abdullahi.

    With Tejuoso and Akanbi and Sani now firmly identifying with the APC, the party has now increased its majority in the Upper Chamber to 54, enough to dictate the direction of policy.

    Akanbi had promptly denied defecting with fourteen Senators from the APC to the PDP in the Senate on Tuesday.

    President Buhari at the meeting with senators

    Akanbi affirmed he was still a member of the ruling APC.

    The Senator, in the statement, said he was surprised that his name was mentioned among the name of the defectors by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, during the day’s plenary.

    “It was to my great surprise to hear that my name was read among APC Senators defecting to PDP as announced on the floor of Senate Chamber by the Senate President.

    “I remain an APC member and senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District Oyo State”.

  • Hajj 2018: Black market operators besiege Nigerian pilgrims for Forex

    Foreign exchange black market operators are making brisk business from Nigerian pilgrims in Madinah, since the arrival of the first batch from Kogi for this year’s Hajj in the Holy land.

    The operators, mainly Nigerians resident in Madinah, transact their businesses in secret as they approach pilgrims in their hotels in groups or individually to introduce the business deal.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that their mode of operation involves offering “affordable rates” to attract the pilgrims into exchanging their Basic Traveling Allowance (BTA) for the local currency, Saudi Riyals, at “cheaper rates”.

    The official rates of the dollar to a Riyal is 3.75 to a dollar but the operators charges range from 3.78 upward.

    One of the dealers, Muhammadu Kano, told NAN that the business had started booming with the arrival of some Nigerian pilgrims, adding that he had made some improvements in sales compared to previous days.

    “This business is seasonal because the Hajj provides us the opportunity to render more service and make money from pilgrims too,” he said.

    He said demand for Forex had increased because of pressure on the market.

    “We make money from exchange of dollars, Naira, CFA Francs and Cameroon money.”

    Ahmed Rufai, another dealer, said many pilgrims experienced difficulties in accessing Forex due to congestion at the Bureau De Change offices, adding the the black market operation provided an alternative platform to facilitate transactions.

    Rufai, who said the operators had formed an association called Qurban Lulu, added that it had registered up to 300 members in Madinah and Makkah.

    “We are offering essential Forex services to our compatriots because we know they will  go through hardships in sourcing the local currency for their survival during the Hajj.”

    Rufai exchanges a dollar at 3.78 Riyals instead of 3.75 official rate while N1000 goes for eight Riyals.

    Asked if some members were not exploiting the situation to involve in malpractice, Rufai said they were conscious of the need to render transparent service “with the fear of Allah”.

    He appealed to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to recognise their business as Nigerians too, to enable them to contribute to national service.

    A pilgrim who bought the riyal from the market (name withheld) said he trusted the operators because “we are in the holy land and they will not cheat us”.

    A NAN correspondent who sought inquiries on what NAHCON was doing to protect pilgrims from the market forces, gathered that its Public Enlightenment Department had already sensitised them to the practice.

    NAN was further told that NAHCON had always educated the pilgrims on the dangers of patronising illegal money transactions, adding that such pilgrims could fall prey to illegal activities of fraudsters

    Alhaji Ahmed Maigari, the Madinah Coordinator of NAHCON, while reacting, said the business operation was illegal and unacceptable.

    “We have warned all our pilgrims not to patronise black markets; we told them to always be led and guided by their officials to registered money changers for such transactions.

    “Those who want to go for visits to historical sites  must be led by officials and females who want to go for tooth cap grillz must equally be accompanied by male officials,” Maigari said.

    NAN reports that state pilgrim welfare agencies always pay their pilgrims their BTA, as a mandate, to prevent them from becoming stranded and also ensure their welfare in the Holy land. (NAN)

  • Over 260,000 uncollected PVCs in FCT -INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the FCT has said that over 260,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have yet to be collected  with 16,931 of the cards in Gwagwalada Area Council.

    Alhaji Yahaya Bello, The Resident Electoral Commissioner in-charge of FCT, made the fact known in Abuja on Thursday during a sensitisation meeting in Gwagwalada.

    He said that the uncollected number of PVCs was  worrisome and added that the commission would not extend the closing date of Aug 17 for voter registration.

    Bello charged the Chairman of the council, Mr Adamu Mustapha-Danze, and all political party executives in the area to refocus on sensitisation rather than focusing only on campaigning.

    He said the electorate ought to know and understand the importance and use of the cards before the 2019 general elections.

    “If you don’t sensitise the people properly on the need to collect their cards, who will vote for you and how will you win?

    “Politicians are the beneficiaries of the PVCs and not INEC; you should be more worried and concerned over the increasing number of uncollected PVCs than us.

    “It is your duty as stakeholders to urge the electorate on the collection of the cards, ” he said.

    The commissioner said while the distribution of cards would continue until one week to the general elections, voter registration would be suspended from Aug. 17 until after the 2019 general elections.

    He explained that the suspension of the exercise was to enable the commission to produce more cards for the  elections.

    Bello assured those who registered before the suspension that they would get their cards before the general elections.

    He added that anyone who reached the eligible age for voting after Aug. 17 would not be registered until after the elections in 2019.

    “Anyone who will turn 18 years after Aug.17 will not be registered to vote,” he said.

    Bello commended the residents of the council for their positive response to the on-going voter registration and urged them to show the same spirit and come out en-masse to vote during the general elections.

    “Once you are registered and issued a PVC, we assure you that your votes on election day will be counted and your votes will count.

    “If 100 persons are registered and only two persons vote, only two votes will be counted.

    “We urge all religious leaders, traditional heads and political representatives to preach peace and violence-free elections to the people.

    “We cannot over-emphasise the importance of a peaceful and violence- free election.

    “When you conduct yourselves in a peaceful manner as stakeholders, the people will emulate your good conduct and this attitude will simplify the work of the security agents too, ” he said.

    Bello reiterated that the commission would include weekends and public holidays from Aug. 1 to fast track the registration process.

    Earlier, Mustapha-Danze the Chairman of the council, expressed appreciation to the commission for the visit to the council.

    Mustapha-Danze said that the effort was timely and  expressed optimism that it would increase the level of preparedness of the people toward the upcoming general elections.

    He also appealed to religious heads to preach the good message of peace to their followers at their various places of worship.

    “I appeal to our clerics in churches, our chief imams in mosques to sensitise their faithful.

    “Registration is not enough. Collection of PVCs and voting is not enough also if there is no peace.

    “We need peace in order for our votes to be counted and to count.

    “Come 2019 we want to see residents in the council come out en-masse to participate in the process in a peaceful manner, ” he said.

    He lauded the effort made by INEC to include weekends and public holidays for registration in order  to fast track the process before the closing date.

    Mustapha-Danze also gave an assurance that the council would ensure that the number of uncollected PVCs in the area was  reduced.

    Heads of departments in the council and FCT INEC, political party executives, religious and traditional leaders, security agents, market women and youths attended the event.  (NAN)

  • Young Innovators, Baze University train kids on summer tech programmes

    Young Innovators, Baze University train kids on summer tech programmes

    The Young Innovators of Nigeria (YIN) on Thursday it was collaborating with Baze University to train 50 children and teenagers in Summer Tech Programmes.

    Mr Andrew Abu, the President of the group disclosed this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    Abu said that the training was targeted at bridging the skill gap among Nigerian youths and the Information Technology industry.

    According to him, by training the children who will eventually get into the universities to study courses on Information Communication Technology will help solve the challenge.

    “Young Innovators of Nigeria has partnered with Baze University for the 2nd edition of the Kids Code Summer Camp tagged: Summer Tech Programmes for Kids and Teens.

    “This is train kids and teens for six days in Introduction to Computing, Web Design with Word Press and Robotics.

    “This will foster an interest in the minds of the kids and teenagers on innovation and IT related fields.

    “This training presents the perfect opportunity for children to launch toward an exciting career. They will learn the basic technical skills by working in team solve problems,” he said.

    Abu said other programmes include Django Girl’s Python programming training, Startup Arewa Capacity building programme.

    He encouraged interested children to register is on: http://www.yinigeria.com.ng/news.    (NAN)

  • NYSC scheme instrument of national unity — Ganduje

    NYSC scheme instrument of national unity — Ganduje

    Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has described the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme as an important instrument of national unity and integration.

    Ganduje made the remark at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2018 Batch B Corps members held at the NYSC permanent orientation camp Kusalla, Karaye local government area on Thursday.

    Ganduje, who was represented by the Commissioner of Information, Malam Mohammad Garba, said the the scheme initiated 45 years ago, remained an important tool for uniting Nigerian youths irrespective of their religious and ethnic differences.

    He charged the corps members deployed to the state to be committed to the experience they would acquire during the orientation programme.

    He assured them that his administration was committed to providing adequate security throughout their stay in the state during the service year.

    In his remarks, the state NYSC Coordinator, Malam Ladan Baba, said the over 2,400 corps members comprising
    1,159 males and 1,221 females were registered.

    According to him, the objectives of the scheme is to acquaint the corps members with the geography, socio-cultural, political and economic setting of the state and the nation.

    He charged the corps members to make the best use of what they would learn during the orientation course to enable them to be self-reliant after the service year. (NAN)

  • South Africa opens door to future Russian nuclear power deal

    JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa cannot afford large-scale expansion of its nuclear power capacity but would still be open to future deals with Russia, a senior ruling party official said on Thursday, shortly before the arrival of President Vladimir Putin for a summit.

    Russian state firm Rosatom was one of the front runners for a project to increase South Africa’s nuclear power-generating capacity championed by former president Jacob Zuma.

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has put nuclear expansion on the back burner since taking office in February, saying it is too expensive, and has focused instead on pledges to revive the economy and crack down on corruption.

    African National Congress Treasurer General Paul Mashatile, one of the six most powerful members of the ruling party, said Pretoria would not rush into major nuclear investments but that it was still open to deals.

    “Once we are clear that this is affordable for us to do, we are open for business including with Russia,” Mashatile said on the sidelines of a three-day BRICS summit due to be attended by the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

    “I think the approach we will take is to avoid the Big Bang approach. The initial intervention was that we would do close to 10,000 megawatts… It’s unaffordable,” he said.

    Mashatile also said the ANC wanted greater private investment in struggling state-owned power utility Eskom, which swung to a loss for the year to end-March.

    Russia wants to turn nuclear energy into a major export industry. It has signed agreements with African countries with no nuclear tradition, including Rwanda and Zambia, and is set to build a large nuclear plant in Egypt.

    Rosatom signed a separate agreement with South Africa’s state nuclear firm on Thursday to explore joint production of nuclear medicines and other ways of harnessing nuclear technology, a statement from the two firms showed.

    The agreement, which is non-binding and is not related to large-scale power generation, is a further sign that Rosatom is keen to cement its position on the African continent.

    The deal will involve the construction of two small reactors and a commercial cyclotron to produce medical isotopes and radiopharmaceuticals at a facility near Pretoria.

     

  • BRICS emerging economies reaffirm support for multilateral trade under WTO rules

    JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Leaders of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies, meeting in the wake of tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump, signed a declaration supporting an open and inclusive multilateral trading system under World Trade Organisation rules at their summit in South Africa on Thursday.

    Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa agreed at the three-day meeting to fight unilateralism and protectionism.

    “We reaffirm the centrality of the rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open and inclusive multilateral trading system, as embodied in the World Trade Organisation, that promotes a predictable trade environment and the centrality of the WTO,” the declaration signed by the five leaders said.

    The leaders said: “We recognise that the multilateral trading system is facing unprecedented challenges. We underscore the importance of an open world economy.”

    They called on all WTO members to abide by WTO rules.

    The meeting of BRICS leaders is the first since the U.S. administration launched a push to rebalance trade multilateralism that Trump has deemed unfair – relationships that the United States once championed.

    Earlier on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a concerted effort by global institutions such as the United Nations and the WTO to fight unilateralism and protectionism.

    Xi, who leads the world’s second-biggest economy, also called for dialogue to settle disputes on global trade, underlining remarks he made at the opening of the summit the previous day.

    ‘REJECT PROTECTIONISM’

    “We must work together … to safeguard the rule-based multilateral trading regime, promote trade and investment, globalisation and facilitation, and reject protectionism outright,” Xi said.

    On Wednesday, Xi said there would be no winner in a global trade war.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin called for more trade within the BRICS bloc.

    “We should work to reduce administrative barriers to stimulate trade between our countries,” Putin said.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for the bloc’s members to harness technology to develop their economies.

    A handful of protesters gathered near the conference hall where the summit was being held. Their leader, activist Trevor Ngwane, said “none of these heads of state speak for the working class or the poor”.

    He handed a list of complaints to South African Public Works Minister Thilas Nxesi, who said the BRICS forum would help attract investment and create jobs.

    “The forum must not be seen as if it is for the rich or the bourgeoisie,” he said.

    Additional reporting by Nomvelo Chalumbira; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Andrew Bolton

  • 2018 hajj: 540 Kano State intending pilgrims transported to Saudi Arabia

    2018 hajj: 540 Kano State intending pilgrims transported to Saudi Arabia

    The first batch of 540 Kano State intending pilgrims have been transported to Saudi Arabia for the 2018 hajj.

    The pilgrims departed the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport on board a Max Air Boeing 747 aircraft at exactly 12:23a.m. on Saturday.

    Hajiya Hadiza Abbas, the Public Relations Officer of the State Pilgrims Welfare Board, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the pilgrims arrived the holy land safety.

    She said the pilgrims comprising 292 males and 248 females, were from Ungoggo, Dala, Gwale and Fagge local government areas of the state.

    She said that preparations for the transportation of the second batch of the intending pilgrims had also commenced, pointing out that the pilgrims had been directed to await the announcement.

    “The second batch of our pilgrims are expected to leave the country anytime the aircraft returns, so we have asked them to await further directive so that they can converge on the hajj camp for screening.

    “We have also directed them to ensure that they report to the camp immediately they hear the announcement over the state radio, “Abbas said.

    Meanwhile, the state governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje has charged the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the state and the country while at the holy land.

    He gave the charge while addressing the pilgrims shortly before their departure to the holy land from the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.

    He cautioned them against acts capable of tarnishing the image of the country, and to exhibit highest sense of responsibility wherever they might found themselves.

    Ganduje also called on the intending pilgrims not to take any prohibited items into the holy land as the Saudi authorities have stiffer penalties for erring pilgrims.

    He charged the pilgrims to pray for continuous peace and unity of the country as well as peaceful conduct of the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

    NAN reports that no fewer than 5,500 intending pilgrims from the state are expected to perform the 2018 hajj, even though only 2, 800 pilgrims completed payment of their hajj fares as at last week. (NAN)