A third class traditional ruler of Elete town in Kogi state, Chief Aminu Aku has been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) gathered that Aku was kidnapped by a gang of five masked gunmen at about 8:30 pm on Friday in his town located on the Lokoja-Ajaokuta highway.
The incident came barely 24 hours after the kidnap of two chieftains of the Kwara chapter of the APC on the Lokoja-Okene road.
Aku was said to be returning from a function at Ajaokuta and was just alighting from his car when he was abducted. He was subsequently driven away in a vehicle brought by the abductors.
NAN learnt that the gunmen had already called to demand for a N10 million ransom.
The state Police Commissioner, Yakubu Usman however said that the abduction of the traditional ruler was yet to be confirmed. [myad]
Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has said that the future of the country’s economy looks very bright in spite of the present challenges the country is going through.
According to him, investment in agriculture and allied businesses is the answer to the puzzle of how to get the country out of her addiction to fossil fuels, and over-reliance on rent-seeking enterprises.
The former Vice President spoke on Saturday in Abuja at the ground-breaking of an animal feeds factory, Rico Gado Nutrition, Nigeria.
Atiku said from the experience he has gained in the agro-business enterprise, he is sure that agriculture is a key ingredient for unlocking the nation’s future fortunes, adding that it is an opportunity to change the way Nigerians look at the economy and agriculture.
“Despite the doubts about our economy because of current challenges, we are confident about Nigeria’s future and about our future. I think I speak for my partners in this joint venture when I say: We know what we are getting into, and we’re doing it because we believe in Nigeria, because we believe that Nigeria will overcome its current difficulties, because we believe our nation will change for the better.” [myad]
The United States seat of power, the White House was thrown into panic on Friday after the secret service shot a man at a nearby checkpoint.
The man was reportedly carrying a weapon and was ordered to stop by security officers before being shot. He is currently in a critical condition even as the White House was placed in lockdown. The lockdown was lifted before the close of the day.
US Park Police said the shooting was on West Executive Drive, about a block from the White House.
President Barack Obama was not at the White House at the time of the incident as he had left earlier to play golf.
It is understood Vice-President Joe Biden was at the White House and was taken to a secure location. [myad]
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), John-Kennedy Opara, has been removed from office.
A statement by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, said that the disengagement of Mr. Opara from office as head of the commission became effective, Thursday.
The statement added that President Muhammadu Buhari thanked Mr. Opara for spearheading the affairs of the commission in the last eight years, and wished him success in his future endeavours.
Opara was appointed in 2008 by the Shehu Musa Yar’dua-led administration, for an initial tenure of five years. He was reappointed in June 2013, after his first tenure ended, by former President Goodluck Jonathan for a second and final tenure.
He was removed from office two years before the expiration of his tenure in June 2018. According to the law setting up the pilgrims agency: “The Chairman or any members of the Commission may be removed from office by the president, if the president is satisfied that it is not in the interest of the Commission or the public that the member should continue in office.” [myad]
The ECOWAS Parliament has called on Liberia to reconsider aspects of its constitutional review where proposals have been made to make the country a Christian state.
Members made the call following the presentation of Liberia’s country report at the parliament’s ongoing 2016 first ordinary session in Abuja on Friday.
Members noted that the aspect of defining religious differences was a sensitive one and urged that it should put into consideration the consequences of making such decisions.
Responding, Mr. Edwin Snowe a representative of Liberia said the proposal was subject to amendment.
“The comments from member states are welcoming but I do not subscribe to Liberia being a Christian state. It has its security concerns.
“We have coexisted as a secular state over the years, we have lived together as one people.
“Constitutional reforms come from the people and then it is incumbent upon the leadership to be able to go through those suggestions before putting them up for referendum.
“It is very unlikely, extremely unlikely that a legislation will pass on such and Liberia becomes a Christian state. It was founded on Christian principles but we respect each other and have lived as one.
“The Inter-Religious Council of Liberia have had major discussions and have spoken against Liberia becoming a Christian state.
“Yes, it is out, it is before the legislature and I look forward to us denying the passage of such,” he said.
Liberia seeks to review its constitution and the country’s Constitution Review Committee has held several conferences with proposals for amendments being made by delegates.
The proposed amendments include the reduction of tenure of the president from six to four years and amendments on laws against dual citizenship, among others. [myad]
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has challenged the newly inaugurated Chairmen of the six Area Councils to be proactive and think out of the box towards improving the councils’ revenue.
Muhammad Bello who spoke on Friday at the inauguration ceremony of the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, stressed that the dwindling economy has affected all tiers of government with the ever increasing obligations.
“Permit me to tell you that serious challenges await you at the Area Councils. The bitter truth is that all the six Area Councils cannot be able to pay staff salaries and other obligations.
“Even though the FCT Administration has gone extra mile to assist the Area Councils, you are better off taking proactive measure to your various councils”.
Muhammad Bello reminded the new chairmen that they made a lot of campaign promises and the people have a lot of expectation on them to deliver.
He advised Chairmen to provide leadership to all the people in their areas, irrespective of party affiliation, tribe or religious inclination, even as he enjoined them to lead with the utmost fear of God and the best interest of the people at all times.
“You are now for all, irrespective of party, religion, tribe, age or gender. So be humble in your leadership and appreciate the role played by all stakeholders towards your victory.”
Muhammad Bello asked the chairmen to ensure accountability and prudence in the management of their councils’ resources, saying: “you must turn around the potentials of your Area Councils into wealth, by boosting revenue and blocking leakages, so that your Councils’ can be financially independent and you will be able to deliver the expected dividends of democracy.”
Those sworn-in were Abdul_Rahman Ajiya-Abaji; Abdullahi Adamu Candido-AMAC; Musa Dikko-Bwari; Adamu Mustapha Denze-Gwagwalada; Abdullahi Galadima- Kuje and Joseph Shazin-Kwali. [myad]
“We have to be very serious with the situation in the Niger Delta because it threatens the national economy. I assure you that everything possible will be done to protect personnel and oil assets in the region.”
President Muhammadu Buhari made this declaration on Friday in Abuja at a meeting with the Global Director (Upstream) of the Royal Dutch Shell Group, Mr. Andrew Brown.
The President assured oil companies operating in the Niger Delta that the Federal Government is taking all necessary actions to protect strategic assets in the region from vandals and criminals.
President Buhari said that he has directed the Chief of Naval Staff to reorganize and strengthen the military Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta to deal effectively with the resurgence of militancy and the sabotage of oil installations.
The President told Mr. Brown that the operations of the JTF were also being enhanced with increased support and cooperation from the United States and Europe in the areas of training, intelligence, equipment and logistics.
The President urged aggrieved persons, militants and communities in the Niger Delta to drop their confrontational stance and work with those who have been charged by the Federal Government to review the Amnesty Programme initiated by the Yar’Adua Administration for the benefit of all parties.
President Buhari praised the resilience and staying power of Shell in Nigeria despite the operational challenges of the environment.
He urged the company to do its best to end gas-flaring in the Niger Delta quickly and produce more gas for electricity generation to support manufacturing and job creation in the country.
Mr. Brown had appealed for an urgent solution to rising crime and militancy in the Niger Delta.
The Shell Executive also dispelled speculations that the company was pulling out of Nigeria.
He said that contrary to such speculations, Shell was currently in discussions with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on new joint oil and gas projects. [myad]
Chief Executive of Hitlist N Cruzin Mursty Adinoyi, won the Best Entertainment Programme on TV at the just concluded Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA) held in Lagos.
Producer-/Presenter, Hitlist N Cruzing, said: “Entertainment industry in Nigeria has come a long way and we are proud to be part of that success story.
The TV programme, produced and presented by Adinoyi, which prides itself as the best entertainment programme on television, made the prestigious list of winners at the highly rated NBMA event and is not relenting in repositioning the entertainment industry in the country. Talking about the award, Adinoyi said: “I am very excited that HNC won the NBMA’s Best Entertainment Programme on TV category.
“Not only that I am excited and happy, I’m also very thankful to God because without His grace, it wouldn’t have been possible.
“Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards is a highly rated award and for Hitlist N Cruzin to win the best entertainment category, it means we are doing something right.
“The award is just a proof that our creativity talent with lot of research and effort that goes into HNC programme is well appreciated by our teaming audience.
“I want to assure our fans and teeming audience that we will not rest, but will do more to enhance Hitlist N Cruzin programme which airs on AIT Network, TVC and other stations across the globe.”
Adinoyi then called on President Muhammadu Buhari to support the Entertainment sector, as the industry accounts for a reasonable percentage in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation’s economy.
“This particular sector that accounts to some measure of GDP percentage in the nation’s economic growth must not be ignored by the federal government in its ‘Change Mantra’ agenda.” [myad]
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has called for a decentralized policing and reinforcement of the federal police to help combat the nation’s security challenges.
“I still hold my view that in addition to the central police, which we have today, we need other levels of policing. States, local governments, and possibly other major institutions should be able to have their own police that is well coordinated.” The Deputy Senate President spoke on Friday in Abuja while decorating one of his newly promoted security aides, Mr. Uchenna Igwebuike, with the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Ekweremadu, who commended the Police for rewarding hard work through the promotion, observed that Nigeria could no longer afford to do the same thing continually and expect a different result.
He said that unitary police, which the country currently operates, is out of tune with a federal arrangement.
“First of all, let me say that I am happy with this promotion. It shows that hard work pays and this is the reward for hard work. The officer has showed exemplary dedication to his work; he has been a true professional. So, he deserves this promotion and I also believe that the sky is his limit in his chosen profession.
“But, in the interim, we need to ensure efficiency in the central policing we have. We need to ensure that they are equipped, trained, and motivated to do the work they have been constitutionally empowered to do, while we explore modalities to work out the decentralized policing system for our country in tandem with all federal institutions all over the world.” [myad]
The Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has made it clear that he is not President Muhammadu Buhari’s sycophant even as he took a swipe on the Kaduna State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that threatened to expel him from the party for criticizing the new price of fuel introduced by the Federal Government.
He accused Governor Nasir El-Rufai of engineering the sack threat, and declared that he is in no way intimidated by the threat.
Senator Sani, who has been having a running battle with the governor over what he termed anti people policies, said he remained a 100 percent supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, but that he is neither a sycophant nor a hypocrite who will not speak his mind when there is the need to do so.
Reacting to the threat through his Special Adviser on Politics and Ideology, Suleiman Ahmed, the senator described the threat as mere hallucination, dismissing the state APC as a tool in hand of the governor.
“It will be interesting for the general public to know that even the so-called state headquarters of the APC is a building owned by a top PDP chieftain in the state.
“The press conference and threat of expulsion made by one Tanko Wusono of Kaduna APC against comrade Senator Shehu Sani for objecting to the increase in pump price of petroleum products stands unambiguously condemned. Kaduna APC as it exists today is simply an extension of El-Rufai’s government.” [myad]
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A third class traditional ruler of Elete town in Kogi state, Chief Aminu Aku has been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen.
