With President Buhari, Nigeria Is In Good Hand – Equatorial Guinea

April 12, 2019

Equatorial Guinea has expressed gratitude to God that it is Muhammadu Buhari that was voted by Nigerians in the recent election to continue as President for the next four years.

The country, via its Ambassador Job Obiang Esono Mbengono, said: “Nigeria is in good hands, and we are happy.”

Ambassador Job Obiang Esono Mbengono, who paid a farewell visit to President Buhari today, Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, conveyed the best wishes of his home President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to President Buhari.

Ambassador Mbengono acknowledged that Nigeria made great impact on his life, as he learnt a lot “about this big and important country,” adding that the people are very friendly and warm.

This was even as President Buhari assured that Nigeria will always cooperate with its neighbors and lend helping hand as necessary.

The President said that Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea have always identified with each other, “and we will continue to maintain good neighborliness.”

He expressed joy that the outgoing Ambassador had spent nine years here and is going away with a lot of knowledge of the people’s culture quite well.

After 22 Years In Marriage, TV Star, Wendy, Seeks For Divorce

Editorial staff

April 12, 2019

Media personality, Wendy William has filed for divorce from her husband Kelvin Hunter after 22 years of marriage over what was termed:‘irreconcilable differences.’

The media personality served him the papers at the studio they both run together as host and manager under tight security just in case the situation got out of control which didn’t actually happen, says TMZ news platform.

The divorce document states a “breakdown” of the marriage over a period of at least 6 months, requesting the court to determine an “appropriate amount” of child support to their over 18 years-old son, Kelvin.

The TV show star has been struggling to keep up with her marriage to Hunter, which has been embroiled with infidelity accusations.

There have been reports of Hunter’s relationship with his mistress, Sharina Hudson and there have been the rumors of the two of them welcoming a child together.

Hunter and Hudson have been alleged to be in a relationship for over 10 years.

This relationship has affected Williams’s health to a large extent.

Source: NAN.

JAMB Nabs 2 Impersonators In Ongoing UTM Exam

Editorial staff

April 12, 2019

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has arrested two impersonators: a third year medical student and another undergraduate who were alleged to be attempting to write the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for the real candidates.

The board’s Head of Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Lagos today, Friday despite the measures put in place to stamp out impersonation and other forms of examination malpractice, desperate individuals still attempted to commit the offence.
“It has come to our notice that a lady was caught at the Rainbow Digital Tech centre, one of the centres for the examination in Kano, trying to impersonate by way of trying to sit for the examination for a candidate. On interrogation, it was discovered that the said lady is a medical student of the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto.
He said that the second suspect is an undergraduate of the University of Benin.
“We will like to state in clear terms that the board has zero tolerance for such an offence and related crimes aimed at undermining the integrity of its examination and its processes.
“We have been briefed about these developments; at the appropriate time, they will face the full wrath of the law.”
The 2019 UTME commenced on April 11 in 678 centres across Nigeria.
Source: NAN.

Communications Minister’s Suit Against APC/INEC Fails To Sail Through

Editorial staff

April 12, 2019

A suit filed at the Federal High Court in Ibadan by the federal minister of communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, against his own political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has failed to sail through.

Adebayo Shittu had filed the suit marked FHC/IB/CS/111/2018, challenging his exclusion from the APC governorship primaries in Oyo state for not having the mandatory NYSC certificate ahead of the March 9 general elections. He joined the Independent National Electoral Commission in the suit.

Striking out the suit, in a ruling today, Friday, the judge, Justice P I. Ajoku said that Adebayo Shittu did not file the case within the time stipulated by law.

“I must first consider the provision of Section 285 of the constitution that makes it mandatory for all pre-election matters to be filed within 14 days of occurrence. This particular case was not filed within 14 days, but outside the date.

“Therefore, I will not bother going into the merit of the case. Haven’t failed to satisfy the dictates of the constitution, the matter is hereby, struck out.”

In his reaction to the ruling , the defence counsel, Adebayo Ojo, who was the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for justice , Oyo State , said that the law has taken it due course.

“The judge acted by the 1999 constitution and it is a victory for democracy,” Ojo said.

NAN reports that the plaintiff’s counsel, Abdulhakeem Mustafa, (SAN) had tendered a 38 paragraph affidavit and 13 exhibits to support his claims.

Shittu had prayed the court to determine whether the action of his party to omit his name in the list of gubernatorial aspirants was lawful or a contravention of the constitution.

The minister, who is also a member of the APC, had claimed that APC’s national leadership omitted his name in the list of its gubernatorial aspirants for the primaries in Oyo State because he did not participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

He urged the court to, among all other things, determine whether the ground for disqualifying his client was lawful or a contravention of the constitution.

Mustafa argued that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria required anyone seeking to be a state governor to possess a maximum of Senior Secondary School Certificate and not necessarily an NYSC certificate.

Source: NAN.

Kogi House Speaker Blames Previous Governments For Accumulated Workers’ Salaries

Greenbarge Reporters

April 11, 2019

The Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, has blamed the previous government for the accumulated workers’ salaries that has given the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello a headache.

Speaking to news men today, Thursday in Lokoja, the State capital, speaker Mathew Kolawole said that Yahaya Bello’s administration inherited four months’ salary arrears owed to state government workers, and 34 months arrears owed local government workers.

According to him, while the immediate past administration paid between 25 and 30 per cent of local government workers’ salaries, the current regime had been paying 65 per cent of the salaries.

“The governor is presently working out plans to clear all outstanding salaries owed to state government workers in the next two months.

“It is not easy to run a state like Kogi with a huge debt profile, and so Gov. Bello is doing his best to uplift the living standard of its inhabitants.”

The speaker said that the state government is now using N840 million monthly to service loans inherited from past administrations in the state, adding that the amount was sourced from the state’s allocation from the Federation Account.

He said that governor Yahaya Bello’s administration inherited huge debts from loans obtained by previous administrations in the state, explaining that the loans accrued during the tenure of Alhaji Idris Wada, when the amount for servicing was about N700 million.

The speaker said that the amount increased to N840 million with the loans obtained by the regime before the present administration.

He explained that the debt servicing had adversely affected the payment of workers’ salaries and the overall development of the state.

Speaker Mathew Kolawole said that the state government would soon create over 10, 000 job opportunities through the Omi Rice project which would be inaugurated in the next two months.

Pope Francis Begs South Sudan Leaders, On His Knees, To Embrace Peace

Editorial staff

April 11, 2019

Pope Francis has begged South Sudan warring leaders on his knees, asking them to embrace peace and to be one another’s brothers they are supposed to be.

In a dramatic gesture after an unprecedented retreat at the Vatican today, Thursday, the Pope appealed to them not to return to a civil war. He also appealed to President Salva Kiir, his former deputy turned rebel leader Riek Machar, and three other vice presidents to respect a peace agreement they signed and commit to forming a unity government in May.

“I am asking you as a brother to stay in peace. I am asking you with my heart, let us go forward. There will be many problems but they will not overcome us. Resolve your problems. Francis said in improvised remarks.

The leaders appeared to be stunned as the 82-year-old pope, helped by aides, knelt with difficulty to kiss the shoes of the two main opposing leaders and several other people in the room.

The Pope’s words were made even more pressing as anxiety grew in South Sudan over whether Thursday’s coup in neighbouring Sudan could scupper a fragile peace deal that ended South Sudan’s brutal five-year civil war.

The Vatican brought together South Sudanese leaders for 24 hours of prayer and preaching inside the pope’s residence in a last ditch attempt to heal bitter divisions a month before the war-ravaged nation is due to set up a unity government.

Police Boss Warns Top Officers To Be More Proactive As Crimes Rise In Nigeria

Editorial staff

April 11, 2019

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu has warned lazy police leadership to wake up to the new challenge and be more proactive in the renewed determination to contain the rising cases of criminal activities in the country.

The IGP, who attributed the rise in criminal activities to among others, the conclusion of the general elections, stressed that the current security realities in the country have made laziness amongst the top police officers intolerable.

“While some of you have demonstrated a very high and commendable level of professional competence which has manifested in the moderation of crimes in your commands, unfortunately, the professional proficiency and sense of commitment to duty of some others are being called to question in the face of inappropriate response to threats of crimes in their jurisdictions.”

The police boss, who spoke when he had a meeting with strategic police management in Abuja today, Thursday, charged the leadership of the police to renew their sense of commitment to duty and demonstrate requisite professional leadership needed to roll-back the current unacceptable trend of crimes in your commands.

“In so doing, you must have the knowledge to see things differently, wisdom to think differently and courage to act creatively. Because as noted by Albert Einstein: you cannot be ‘doing the same thing over and over and expect different results.’”

“The dynamics of crime should task you to evolve new thoughts and new approaches to crime management. Your ability to this is what defines you as a professional and an experienced police manager.

“You must therefore, return to your commands to evaluate and coordinate actions directed at overhauling your current crime control structure and strategies being conscious that the current security challenges represent a test on your leadership ability. You must learn to crime-map your jurisdiction and harness the strength within to neutralize all forms of crimes and security threats.

“The only way we can stay ahead of criminals is to continually generate actionable criminal intelligence to support our anti-crime functions. This can only be achieved if we cultivate citizens’ partnership and confidence by returning policing to the people.

“Consequently, in reviewing your current strategies, you must fully engage the two core policing policies of the current police dispensation which are built on community policing andintelligence-led policing values. While we at the apex leadership level will strive to support and motivate you, we shall, henceforth, not hold back in sanctioning any officer whose dereliction or weak leadership capacity continually occasions increase in crimes.

“Indeed, it is in furtherance to our commitment to complementing you that Operation Puff Adder was conceptualized and launched on 5^thApril, 2019 to address in the shortest possible time the threat of kidnapping, armed robbery and armed banditry in Kogi, Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina States as well as the FCT. It is gladdening to note that this initiative has recorded remarkable achievements. Between 5^th April, 2019 (when the operation was launched) and today, the initiative has recorded the following achievements:

i. No. of kidnapping suspects/armed bandits arrested – 46

ii. No. of Suspects killed in operations – 10

iii. No. of victims safely rescued – 2

iv. No. of firearms recovered – 18 (9 AK 47 rifles and 9 other locally fabricated/automatic weapons)

v. No. of live AK47 ammunition recovered – 1300

vi. No. of live cartridges recovered – 28

vii. No. extra rifle magazines recovered – 10

“I expect you to replicate this strategy in your various commands in order to restore order in the public space and enhance public confidence in the Police. Let me reassure all citizens of our renewed commitment to emplacing effective strategies towards addressing the current security challenges. The threats might appear challenging, but I can assure that they are surmountable and we shall provide the requisite leadership needed to address them. We, however, cannot do it alone.

“We seek the citizens’ support and we trust that you shall all partner with us to present a common front in the war against criminal elements that are bent on re-ordering our national values and testing our common will.”

National Common Entrance Exam Now To Hold April 27 – NECO

Editorial staff

April 11, 2019

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has postponed the 2019 National Common Entrance Examination into unity schools to April 27.

Astatement signed by the head of public relations, Azeez Sani, said that the examination, which was initially scheduled for April 13, has been rescheduled to give more time and opportunity to states with low registration to increase their portal.

He said that already, a total of 70,720 candidates have so far registered for the examination, which will qualify them into the nation’s unity schools.

According to him, the federal government is committed towards upgrading and maintaining their standards.

Group Worries Over Spate Of Killings In Parts Of Nigeria

Editorial staff

April 11, 2019

Berom Youth Moulders (BYM), a sociocultural group of Berom Youths, has expressed worry over spate of killings in zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina and Benue States.

President of BYM, Rwas Gabriel Sunday Badung, in a statement today, Thursday, said that members of the group are upset with the spate of unwanted and indiscriminate killings of innocent lives and the destruction of property.

“These killings are not just inhuman but very unfortunate, at a time when most developing countries like Rwanda that had similar experiences in the past are constantly in touch with the reality and is poised to sustain the peace in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide.

“Berom Youth Moulders calls on the Federal Government of Nigeria to rise up to its constitutional responsibility of defending the lives and properties of citizens and this can only be possible if the fight against criminality is objective. “The Government should exert the political will needed to apprehend and prosecute criminal elements whose activities have made peace elusive.”

The association reminded the Federal Government that the continued killings and heightened criminal activities has the potentiality of retarding development as investors would prefer to invest their resources in countries they are assured of maximum security of lives and properties.”

BYM advised citizens to be law abiding even as it called on the people, especially in the rural areas to be vigilant, considering that the farming season is approaching.

“Ensure that all suspicious activities and movements are reported to security agencies for prompt action please. Also, avoid divisive comments but rather make good and positive use of the social media so as not to escalate tension in the country.”

Insecurity: Police Boss Gives Bill Of Clean Health On Abuja-Kaduna Road

Editorial staff

April 11, 2019

File: Area view of Abuja-Kaduna expressway

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu has given assurance to those plying Abuja-Kaduna road that it is now safe to travel on the road without fear of attack.

“I want to assure Nigerians that Kaduna–Abuja roads are now safe. We have cleared the roads. We have arrested a lot of kidnappers and in confrontation with some of them, some were fatally injured. “So the road is cleared. Our patrol teams, the combined security services that are patrolling the road are constantly there, 24 hours.”

The police boss spoke to news men today, Thursday, shortly after the security meeting which President Muhammadu Buhari held with service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to review the security situation in the country.

At the meeting, the President gave the security agents a marching order to deal with bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers that have been tormenting Nigerians across the country.

“The President ordered us to deal with the issue immediately and ruthlessly and ensure that all those bandits are immediately dealt with and all those issues that are bordering with our security are properly addressed.”

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