Snake sneaked into the room of a young couple in Chibiri, in Kuje Area Council of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) last night and killed their two year old daughter.
Eye witness account said that the mother of the child was doing some domestic work in front of the one-room apartment when she suddenly heard the daughter crying inside where she was sleeping on the bed.
It was learnt that when the woman rushed to the room, she found the snake holding the neck of the child with its poisonous mouth.
The source said that the mother had to forcefully pull the snake from the child’s mouth, who died a few hours after.
It was learnt that the snake escaped, without being killed, into the nearby bush.
“The dead child is the first one for the couple who got married about three years ago. The child was very bubbling with life,” a neighbour of the couple told our reporter.
The couple were said to have taken the child to a garden to enjoy the recently concluded Sallah break and even travelled with her to show their parents in the village, in Kogi State.
When our reporter arrived at the scene of the incidence, the mother and father of the dead child were said to have moved out of the house. [myad]
The police in Anambra has warned that they would stop at nothing to ensure the success of the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election, irrespective of the call for the boycott of the election by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The State Commissioner of Police, Garba Umar, who spoke today, Saturday in Awka, the State Capital, in reaction to the call by the IPOB on residents of the state to boycott the November 18 governorship election, stressed that no person or group could stop the election in the State.
“We have the capacity to provide a peaceful atmosphere in Anambra State for that election. Nobody or group can issue such threat and succeed because we have all it will take to subdue such threat.
“The people of the state have the right to have periodic elections to choose their leaders; nobody or group can stop them from exercising such right. We can’t allow it.
“We are fully on the ground and we can suppress such threats,” he said.
The police boss said that consultations are ongoing with relevant stakeholders in the state to ensure a peaceful poll. The stakeholders, including political parties and Ohanaeze, the apex Igbo socio-cultural body, had cautioned IPOB after it called for the boycott of the guber poll.
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has said that the state has woken up from slumber and is set to fly in terms of physical development.
He said: “Kogi state is moving; it has woken up from its slumber and it is on the verge of taking off to fly. We are not just walking or running; we are about to fly. Kogi is really working and it’s moving.”
Governor Yahaya Bello made these remarks today when he spoke to news men at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after observing Friday Jum’at prayer.
He said that with ongoing efforts to take the state to an enviable height, it would soon catch up with Lagos State.
“As an ambassador of the youth, I’m providing good leadership in Kogi and in no distant time, we are going to see that Kogi will catch up with Lagos by the grace of God.”
According to him, there is no political crisis in the state, contrary to speculations in some quarters.
He said that the state was very stable even as he denied having a hand in the travails of Senator Dino Melaye, the embattled lawmaker representing Kogi West in the Senate.
“I’m not behind his problems. He should know who is behind his problems.” [myad]
The restructuring of a giant mobile telecommunication company, Etisalat Nigeria, by the new owners – consortium of banks – has forced its chairman, Hakeem Belo-Osagie, out.
The chairman today, Friday, announced his stepping down with immediate effect without giving any reason. Etisalat was taken over by a consortium of banks two weeks ago.
The banks, led by Access Bank PLC and other local and foreign banks have taken over the telecommunication company effective June 15.
The take-over came as a result of a futile effort by Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS), promoted by-one time Chairman, United Bank for Africa, UBA, Hakeem Bello-Osagie, to reach agreement with the banks on debt restructuring plan in the protracted $1.72 billion (about N541.8 billion) debt impasse. [myad]
“We are glad to inform you that President Muhammadu Buhari is recovering in a very robust manner. We hope he takes it easy and when he comes back, I have no doubt at all that we will have a new and active period of activities.”
These were the assurances given by the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun when he addressed newsmen at the end of a meeting between the party`s National Working Committee (NWC) and state governors elected on the party’s platform today, Friday.
Chief Oyegun said however that only the president’s doctors abroad could decide when he would be fit to return to the country.
President Buhari left Nigeria on May 7 on medical vacation in London. [myad]
Two former governors of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief TA Orji, attacked themselves with words over who did what during their tenures at different times.
The two former state chef executives launched attack on each other during the burial ceremony of the former Secretary to the Government (SSG), Dr Elekwachi Nwogbo at the Ntalakwu Secondary School, Oboro, in Ikwuano Local Government Area, venue of the burial
Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, who stormed the venue of the burial with his brother, Mascot Uzor Kalu and bus loads of his supporters, praised the departed man and said that while he (Uzor Kalu) was governor, the late Dr Nwogbo helped him to ensure that workers and pensioners were taken care of instead of suffering with no hope.
He said that Abia State stopped working after he left the government and since then no other Governor has been able to do as well as he did.
Governor T A Orji
However, the immediate past Governor of the State and Senator representing Abia central senatorial zone, Senator T .A Orji, praised the work ethics of the departed former SSG who worked with him while he was serving as Chief of Staff in the government, led by Orji Uzor Kalu.
Senator Orji who attended the event with his wife also launched a counter attack by saying: “if there is nothing else, I achieved as Governor of Abia State. I can at least, beat my chest and say I ended idol worship in this state.
“On my watch, Commissioners and appointees didn’t have to go to Okija or any other shrine to pledge allegiance to me and my mother or wife. Even the inherited debts and outstanding salaries/pensions were largely settled and I left the state as one of the least indebted in the country while adding many legacy projects that Abia people are enjoying to date.
“It is on record that I am the only elected former Governor of this state that our people massively elected to represent them at the senate whereas others have tried many times and were rejected by our people.”
Both political gladiators received loud applauses from their supporters at the event which featured the Who is who in Abia politics from 1999 to date. [myad]
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja has cleared Senator Andy Uba of certificate forgery, brought before him by a member of Senator Uba’s constituency, Uchenna Nnamdi.
In a ruling that lasted for over two hours, the trial Judge, Valentine Ashi, held that, the Plaintiff failed to discharge the burden of proof bestowed on him, and dismissed the suit.
The Judge held that the same WAEC certificate has been used by the defendant since 2007, without any alteration and wonders the foundation upon which the suit was based.
He said that the defendant’s election forms submitted in INEC over three elections he participated in was the same, without any alteration.
Justice Ashi ruled that the defendant was eligible to hold any elective position as far as he meets the minimum educational requirement provided by the constitution of Nigeria.
Uchenna Nnamdi had alleged that the Senator forged his Ordinary Level certificate, issued to him by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in 1980. [myad]
A group known of indigenes of Anambra State, under the umbrella of Anambra Peoples Assembly (APA), has concluded that there are no men in Igbo land to denounce the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and his struggle for secession.
The group made it clear that Anambra people will participate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state and warned Biafra agitators to maintain a distance from the state.
In a statement signed by its coordinator, Mazi Nnamdi Okorafor, the group noted that the people of Anambra State are law-abiding and will not be dragged along by any individual or group of persons.
“I will assume that there are no men in Igbo land, if we allow a small boy to drag all of us into war against Nigeria through hate speech.
“Nnamdi Kanu is making a fool of himself, very soon his paymasters will distance themselves from him. He and his illiterate minions will be dancing alone in the market square Unclad. Being Igbo does not mean you are an IPOB member, neither does being an IPOB leader makes you the leader of the Igbos.
“Let truth be told. But with due respect to the right thinking and illustrious sons and daughters of Abia State. Let me ask these questions, When did an Abia man become wiser than the Anambra man to warrant a confusionist like Nnamdi Kanu to order Anambra people not to vote while his Abia governor is still on seat?”
“Why would the good, wise and hard-working Anambra sons and daughters listen to a guy man who kept his wife and kids in London come here to suggest what is capable of destroying the lives of young Anambra youths. Anambra people should not allow anybody to toy with their future and destiny,” Okorafor added.
“We agree that self-determination is the right of every person or group in Nigeria, that being said. We hereby declare that Anambra state has distanced self from Biafra struggle. All Biafra activists and agitators are warned to leave Anambra and return to their various states of origin.
“We are too big to be dragged along by any person or group of persons. Anambra state indigenes and lawful residents will register and participate fully in the forthcoming governorship elections of November 2017 in the state.” [myad]
In recent times, the call for restructuring of Nigeria has gained some momentum. The call was not just coming from jokers like Nnamdi Kanu of the infamous Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), but from supposedly respected leaders.
As a matter of fact, it was the former Nigeria’s Vice President, Atiku Abubakar who first raised the idea during the launch of a book…
Since then, many other notable Nigerians have openly shown their support for such idea. To cap it all, the former Nigeria’s military President, retired General Ibrahim Babangida lent his voice recently to the idea of restructuring the country.
The central issue that runs through all such calls was the idea that the restructuring would ensure a more united Nigeria, founded on mutual trust amongst the citizenry.
Of course, while one is not against the restructuring, the drum being beaten so far seems to have the tendency of diverting attention from the main issue that has dragged this country back for a very long time: the issue of corruption for which even the judiciary has become an accomplice. In deed, if the supposed respected leaders of this great country have as much as raising strong voice against the devastating effect of corruption, perhaps, much of the huge nation’s wealth stashed away in many outlets by a negligible few, would have been recovered and put to use for the benefit of many.
People talk about restructuring as if it is the only thing this country needs to advance beyond the present sorry state in which it finds itself, in the hand of corruption and corruption tendencies. And to think that the chieftain of such corruption and corruption tendencies are the now chief advocates of restructuring? [myad]
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has forewarned tax evaders in Nigeria that they have some few months to begin to pay taxes to the government after which they would be treated as economic saboteurs and tax defaulters.
He stressed that after some months grace: “we will consider those who have failed to take advantage of this offer or who have declared falsely, to be willful tax defaulters and economic saboteurs. We will then proceed with aggressive investigation with a view to criminal prosecution. We will also publish a tax defaulters list to name and shame those refusing to do the right thing.”
Acting President Osinbajo who spoke today when he launched Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) at the Presidential Villa Abuja said that VAIDS scheme will be operated from July 1st 2017 to 31st March 2018 and that it will be supported by an executive order that he signed into law today (Thursday).
According to him, VAIDS will offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to those in default
to regularise their tax affairs, adding that this is an offer in the spirit of national reconciliation and rebuilding that should be taken as such.
“ In addition, because we understand that some tax payers may have challenges raising tax. We have built in a system that will allow those owing to pay over a period of time, subject to conditions.
Professor Osinbajo made it clear that the issue of accountability for tax revenue is one that this
government is fully ready and able to address.
“In our war on waste and inefficiency at all levels, we have positioned ourselves to ensure that
tax revenues will be a driver of real lasting progress. Based on information on tax evasion that is now available, our personal preference is that those who have diverted Nigeria’s legitimate tax revenues abroad or concealed them at home, should taste the full force of the law.
“However the extent of noncompliance, coupled with the urgent need to revive the economy has persuaded all of our policy makers that we adopt the pragmatic approach of declaring a time
limited programme of the VAIDS.
He said that available data showed that many companies have distorted the ancient account concept of double entry and now maintain two or three sets of books; one for the tax man, showing low revenues and high expenses and another set showing the reverse, even as others collude with tax officials to fraudulently understate their obligations to government.
“Some have charged VAT and not remitted it to the FIRS. Others have deducted taxes from employees salaries and pocketed the sum.
“Tax evasion is of course not a uniquely Nigerian practice. Some multi nationals have used pricing and profit shifting to rob Nigeria of its share of the revenue generated within this nation.
“For the last fifteen months, a high level team has been working with the ministry of finance undertaking a major data mining exercise. The project was called project Light House and has been able to search various databases including but not limited to bank verification numbers.
“Corporate Affairs Commission, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, land registry records, vehicle registration records, immigration and travel records and of course, whistle blowers tips to stop cash flows. The project has also engaged a retainership of one of the World’s leading asset tracing firms. Nigeria has also solicited and obtained input from various nations who have availed us with data under the many conventions and treaties we have signed. The project has been able to create accurate financial profiles of many thousands of Nigerian companies and individuals which shows levels of noncompliance. [myad]
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