Blog

By Ismail Abdulazeez

Sept 12, 2023

President Bola Tinubu has called for a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the recurring tragedy of fatal boat incidents across the nation.

This is contained in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Tinubu said government agencies would be held accountable for any regulatory or safety lapses, urging that comprehensive safety measures and enforcement must be carried out on boating activities in the country.

The president directed various government agencies, including law enforcement, maritime safety and transportation safety authorities to collaborate in identifying the causes of these unfortunate and preventable disasters.

Tinubu extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims who lost their lives in the recent boat mishaps in Mokwa Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger and Gurin village, in Fufore LGA of Adamawa.

He expressed solidarity with the governments and people of Niger and Adamawa as they mobilized emergency response teams and volunteers to provide assistance to victims of the incidents.

Tinubu wished those injured in the incidences a most speedy recovery, assuring the affected families and communities of government’s continued support in this trying period.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a boat conveying people to their farms in Njuwa Lake capsized and killed about 15 persons on Friday.

On Monday, another boat capsized in a river in Gurin of Fufore Local Government Area, Adamawa with many people on board.

Similarly, 26 bodies were recovered while 44 are still missing after a boat capsized in a river between the Jebba and Kainji dams in Mokwa Local Government of Niger on Sunday.

NAN

President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate payment of insurance entitlements owed to families of officers and soldiers who died while fighting to defend the nation.

 

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, made this known at the opening of the Combined Second and Third Quarters COAS Conference, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference is being attended by army field commanders and heads of insti.tutions and establishments.

Lagbaja said said that the welfare of troops and their families was of paramount importance and pledged to consolidate all existing welfare arrangements to enhance the well-being of troops and their families to keep them focused on their tasks.

 

“In addition to providing befitting living quarters for our personnel, we shall ensure the newly introduced ‘Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers Scheme’ designed to provide affordable and high-quality post-service homes for our soldiers work.

 

“We shall also ensure that our injured warriors get the best medical care and continue to support the widows and next-of-kin of our fallen heroes.”

 

Lagbaja appreciated President Tinubu for directing that all pending insurance payments owed to the families were paid without delay, and for his strategic guidance of the Armed Forces.

 

“On behalf of the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, I want to reiterate our unalloyed loyalty and pledge our total commitment to the defence of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

 

The COAS urged army personnel to continue to work with other security agencies to decisively deal with all security challenges facing the country.

 

He told the participants of his Command Philosophy, which was to “transform the Nigerian Army into a well-trained force, equipped and highly motivated force towards achieving constitutional responsibilities within a joint environment.

According to him, the philosophy would guide and drive the actions and engagements of the army in all operations within and outside the boundaries of Nigeria.

In his address, the Chief of Policy and Plans, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Ibrahim, said the conference was for the officers to brainstorm on the state of affairs of the Nigerian army and develop plans for future engagements.

 

Ibrahim said the conference was also an avenue for the COAS to physically convey his command philosophy to the field commanders and heads of institutions and establishments.

 

He said the kinetic operations of the army across various theaters of operations had continued to record unprecedented successes, just as the non-kinetic efforts had continued to yield desirable outcomes.

 

“We are encouraged not to be demoralised by the incident in Niger State, but intensify our efforts to make the adversaries to continuously pay for their sins until they disappear or surrender.

This conference is designed to provide us with a platform to reflect on achievements while appraising our operations and activities in the second and third quarters of this year in order to obtain plans that align with our overall goals.

 

“It will also provide us the unique opportunity to engage in honest discussions and insightful conversations and decisions that will guarantee more successes in our operations,” he said.

 

NAN reports that Lagbaja used the occasion to present new Toyota Hilux vehicle each to eight Regimental Sergeant Majors (RSMs) from different army units and formations

The death toll from freak floods in eastern Libya is expected to soar dramatically, with 10,000 people reported missing, the Red Cross warned on Tuesday.

 

Officials in Libya have said at least 150 people were killed in the sudden flooding on Sunday afternoon after storm Daniel swept the Mediterranean, lashing Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey.

But Tamer Ramadan of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said the actual toll was likely to be many times higher.

Our teams on the ground are still doing their assessment (but) from what we see and from the news coming to us, the death toll is huge,” he told reporters in Geneva via video link from Tunis.

 

“It might reach to the thousands,” he said in English. “We don’t have a definite number right now.”

 

Independent sources had told the IFRC the number reported missing was “hitting 10,000 persons so far”.

 

“The humanitarian needs are much more beyond the abilities of the Libyan Red Crescent and even the abilities of the government,” Ramadan said.

 

“That’s why the government in the east has issued an international appeal for support,” he said, adding that IFRC was also preparing to launch an emergency appeal for funds towards the response.

 

‘Epic proportions’

World Health Organization spokeswoman Margaret Harris meanwhile described the situation in Libya as “a calamity of epic proportions”.

 

Experts have described storm Daniel — which killed at least 27 people when it struck parts of Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey in recent days — as “extreme in terms of the amount of water falling in a space of 24 hours”

In eastern Libya, the storm hit the coastal town of Jabal al-Akhdar especially hard, as well as Benghazi, where a curfew was declared and schools closed for several days.

 

The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) meanwhile described how “entire neighbourhoods” in Derna had disappeared and their inhabitants been “swept away by water, after two ageing dams collapsed making the situation catastrophic and out of control”.

 

Speaking on Libyan network Almasar, Oussama Hamad, prime minister of the east-based government, has reported “more than 2,000 dead and thousands missing” in the city of Derna alone.

 

Hamad’s government — which in war-battered Libya rivals a UN-brokered, internationally recognised transitional administration in Tripoli — has declared Derna a “disaster area”.

 

While no medical sources or emergency services have confirmed Hamad’s figures, Ramadan said it appeared “very likely that the number declared (by the eastern official) could be close to the correct number.

He said he hoped the IFRC would be able to provide a more precise toll of the disaster later on Tuesday.

 

The UN’s Organization for Migration meanwhile voiced concern about the impact the flooding may have had on the many already very vulnerable migrants in the country.

 

 

 

The total revenue generated from postal activities in 2022 dropped from N3.63 billion in 2021 to N3.01 billion in 2022, indicating a decline of about 17.05 per cent.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated in its Postal Service Data for 2022 released in Abuja on Tuesday.

The report said the total number of Post Offices and Postal Agencies declined by 19.43 per cent from 2,794 recorded in 2021 to 2,251 in 2022.

It stated that the total number of boxes installed in 2022 was 836,731, indicating a decline of 0.08 per cent from 837,428 recorded in 2021.

The report said the total number of PMBs available in 2022 was 20,775, indicating a decline of 8.44 per cent from 22,689 recorded in 2021.

The NBS said the total number of postal articles handled in 2022 increased by 102.05 per cent from 17.7 million recorded in 2021 to 35.7 million in 2022.

“Domestic mail handled was 15,669,072, while mail dispatched abroad was 543,893 and mail received from abroad and delivered in Nigeria was 19,463,153.”

The report indicated that Lagos State had the highest number of boxes installed in 2022 with 143,416, while Jigawa recorded the least with 1,800.

NAN

By Philip Yatai

Sept 12, 2023

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has released the list of some of the 135 roads inaugurated for rehabilitation and resurfacing in Wuse, Garki, Gwarimpa and Maitama Districts.

The Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, who inaugurated Phase I of the projects on Monday, gave the contractors six-month completion timeline.

The list of the streets for rehabilitation and resurfacing obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, showed that most of the projects would be executed in Wuse District.

In Wuse Zone 1, the streets to be rehabilitated include Daloa, Kayes, Umme, Bumbuna, Masana, Badundu, Oran, Sawhaj, Arusha Crescent, Sunyani, Bamako, Takorade, Dakar, Bulawayo, Soka, Darioa, Kaolack, Kigali, and Gonder Street.

In Zone II,  the streets are Kribi, Kumba, Touggourf, Kisumu, Gaborone, Faranah, Gabes, Lavumisa, Niami, Johannesbourg, Angola, Korhogo, Bechar, Senanga, Hargeysa and 2, Khartoum, and Damba Street.

In Zone 3, six streets would be rehabilitated or resurfaced namely Idimba, Port Loko, Ndele, Yele, Al-Fayyun, and Aswan.

The streets for rehabilitation in Zone 4 include Mandingou, Lubumbashi, Port Said, Mogadishu, Shinyanga, Sfax, Zinglunchor, Kitwe, Elminya Close, Sefadu, Meknes, Safi, Mbala, Gwelo, Melange, Savalou, Sheraton and Yar’adua Road.

A total of five roads would be rehabilitated in Zone 5 namely Doula Streets, Mombasa Street, Windhoek Street, Boffa street and Jessaoua Close.

In Zone six, the streets for rehabilitation are Cotonou, Yaounde, Makeni, Massenya, Annaba, Bukoma, Mobondo, Mbabani, Diovo, Berbera, Chiongola, Jima, Kinshahsha, Bouake, Rabat, Tanga, Timbuktu, Zinder, Rumbek, Zuwai, Beyia, and Tema.

Others are Diredawa Street, Kalemie, Asmara, Mbandaka, Macenata/Welkom, Harare, Tripoli, Maseru, Iringa, and Dodoma Streets.

For Zone 7, the streets include Lome, Harper, Huambo, Ndola, Sokode, Sirasso and Bambari Crescents, Masaka Close and Dalaba Street.

In Garki District, Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Garki II would be rehabilitated, while Strabag Road, Gwarimpa Life-Camp would also be rehabilitated.

In Maitama, the roads are N16 Road, Maitama Roundabout and N11/B4 (Ahmadu Bello Way/This Day Dome Junction) Maitama, Junction between Ring Road 1/Tafawa Balewa Way Area 3-Garki.

Others are House 14, 1 and 2, off Jere Street, behind Rita Lori Hotel.

Wike had explained during the inauguration that the projects were in line with the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Tinubu administration.

NAN

 

An accident involving an upturned loaded truck has taken a lane on Otedola Bridge, Ojodu Berger, Lagos State.

 

The accident, which happened on Tuesday, has resulted in traffic congestion inward Lagos/Ibadan Expressway and Ojodu Berger as the bridge is flooded.

 

However, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has said effort is on to remove the truck from the road.

A fatal accident involving an upturned loaded (wheat) truck that has taken a lane on Otedola bridge inw Ojodu Berger.

Traffic is a bit slow coupled with the flooded portion on the bridge.

 

“Effort is on for the recovery of the contents and the truck from the road,” LASTMA said via its X handle.

 

Details later…

By Mohammed Baba Busu

Sept 12, 2023

Mr Joshua Audu-Gana, the member representing Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency of Niger State, in the House of Representatives, says he will appeal the judgment of the election petition tribunal.

The News Agency of Nigeria (MAN) reports that delivering judgment on Monday, a three-member tribunal headed by Sylvester Godspower agreed with the submissions of the petitioners.

The tribunal invalidated votes in the 26 polling units of the constituency, thereby reducing the votes of Gana to 46,494 while those of Gbatamagi were reduced to 39,159.

Speaking to newsmen, Audu-Gana said:”while the tribunal has ruled for a rerun in some polling units in my constituency, I remain a member of the House of Representatives until all judicial processes are exhausted”.

NAN reports that the tribunal ordered for a rerun in 23 out of 482 polling units of the constituency affecting 14, 411 PVCs collected in the area.

“Well, this is not what we expected but this is democracy and we remain confident that our time in the House of Representatives is far from over.

“I understand the exuberance of the media to attract readership. But it is established that the judicial process does not end at the tribunal.

” Therefore, I am focused on discharging my legislative responsibility to the good people of Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency, while also defending the mandate freely and creditably given to me by my constituents at the Court of Appeal.

“I am confident that this judgment by the tribunal will not stand.

” I urge the good and hardworking people of Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency to keep the faith and be rest assured that their mandate will not be taken away under any guise.”

NAN reports that Audu-Gana  of the PDP, was declared the winner after polling 47,942 votes to defeat Abdullahi Gbatamagi, candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), who garnered 40,003 votes.

But the APC and its candidate, Gbatamagi, lodged a petition at the tribunal through their counsel, Johnson Usman, to challenge Gana’s victory.

The petitioners alleged that the election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.

They added that the margin of win was less than the permanent voter cards (PVCs) collected in the polling units where elections did not hold or were cancelled.

NAN

Suspected armed men have reportedly hijacked two fully loaded buses belonging to the Benue state government-owned Benue Links Transport Company whisking away over 10 passengers from the Lagos-bound vehicles that took off from Makurdi.

It was gathered that the armed men waylaid the vehicles at about 2pm on Sunday along Ajaokuta-Okene road in Kogi state.

A source in the company who spoke on condition of anonymity in Makurdi disclosed that some of the passengers sustained injuries during the attack while some were lucky to have escaped unhurt.

 

He said, “It is true, the incident happened along Ajaokuta-Okene road yesterday between 2pm and 3pm when the two buses were heading to Lagos.

 

“Available information indicated that ten passengers were abducted during the attack. And the incident was reported at Adogo Police station near Okene.”

 

The official lamented that the Okene-Ajaokuta road had become synonymous with the rampant kidnap of unsuspecting commuters.

 

He said, “this is not the first time we are recording this type of incident on that particular axis of Kogi state and it is not peculiar to us. Several travelers have also fallen victim to the armed gang on that axis. Even at that nothing is being done to check the menace.

 

“We are appealing to security agencies to do something about these ugly incidents because people now feel very unsafe while plying that road to any part of the country.”

 

No management staff of the transport company was willing to speak on the matter while the Benue State Police Command also kept mute over the issue probably because the incident did not occur within its jurisdiction