Efforts
Oyo council poll: Police, OYSIEC collaborate to ensure hitch-free elections
The Oyo State Police Command on Monday showed its commitment towards ensuring free and fair local government elections in the state. The Command, in its efforts to secure hitch-free before, during and after the poll, has disclosed its partnership with the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), engaged the stakeholders involved, stressing that all hands must be on deck to ensure free, fair and credible elections. The development according to a press release that was made available to pressmen in Ibadan, the State capital, stated that the Command, in conjunction with the Management of Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), today Monday 10th May 2021, played host to principal political actors and critical stakeholders in the state in readiness for the 22nd May 2021...
Edo: Police arrest 54 suspects for various crimes
The Police Command in Edo said on Monday that it had arrested 54 suspects for various crimes and offences in the last one week. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, SP Kontongs Bello, made the disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin. Bello said the suspects were arrested within the last one week in various parts of the state. He explained that they were arrested for crimes ranging from alleged kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, murder, rape to break-in and arson. The PPRO reteirated the command’s resolve to rid the state of every crime and criminality. According to him, the Edo Commissioner for Police, Phillip Ogbadu, has given assurance to residents of the state that the command will not relent in its efforts to make the state crime free. He als...
Minister: Diaspora voting to start soon
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, has assured Nigerians abroad that Diaspora voting may be realised soon. He said Nigerians abroad are part of the county and as such should be allowed to exercise their franchise. The minister disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission and the National Assembly were currently working to make this materialise. Dada spoke during the Diaspora Quarterly lecture series of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission which was monitored online by our correspondent on Saturday. The minister expressed the hope that participating in elections by Nigerians in Diaspora would soon be a reality as done in other climes. He said, “NIDCOM is working closely with relevant committees of the National Assembly and relevant stakeholders, particu...
Police dismiss explosives in Oshodi market fire
Hours after Lagos Emergency Management Agency said its investigation showed some for of explosive or accelerant was used in the fire which gutted Oshodi Market, police has ruled out any explosive being involved in the incident. It signals a controversy over the cause of the fire, which started with an explosion on Thursday night. Lagos police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said police and expert investigations showed the fire was “not caused” by bombing or explosives. “The commissioner of police has debunked the rumour that the Oshodi market inferno was caused by bombing or explosives. The public is hereby urged to disregard such news or rumour,” said Adejobi. The CP visited the scene on Friday in company of Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD) operatives to assess the scene and give their ex...
Nigerian government establishes 20 new marriage registries
The Federal Government has established 20 new Federal Marriage Registries across the country in a bid to bring Federal Marriage Registry closer to the grassroots. Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola disclosed this Friday in Abuja at a National Stakeholders’ Conference on the Administration and Conduct of Statutory Marriage in Nigeria. According to him, efforts are ongoing to have Federal Marriage Registries in all the State Capitals of the Federation. A statement issued by the ministry’s Department of Press and Public Relations and signed by Towoju Raphael added that the Minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore. He said the Conference was necessitated by need for the Ministry to inform stakeholders and enlighten the public on some new...
CBN governor seeks PPP model to improve healthcare infrastructure
Bloomberg The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged stakeholders in the public and private sectors to collaborate to build a more healthy and robust healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria. The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, made the call at a movie launch titled: “UNMASKED”, a feature documentary on leadership, trust and the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The movie was produced and directed by Mr Femi Odugbemi, a Nigerian documentary filmmaker, and co-produced by Ms Kadaria Ahmed, a renowned journalist, media entrepreneur and television host, on Friday in Lagos. According to Emefiele, addressing the public health crisis along with the downturn in the economy required strong coordination. He said the measures and interventions put in place by the CBN and private sector to improve governme...
Arsenal set for complete overhauling, close in on £43 million move
Arsenal are set for a busy summer in the transfer market as Mikel Arteta looks to better the Gunners’ underwhelming season this time out, and the north London side are being linked several names. With only four Premier League fixtures remaining, attention has already turned to the summer transfer window. It could prove to be a decisive period for Arteta as Arsenal look to close the gap to the top four next campaign. Attracting new faces to the Emirates Stadium could prove challenging, but there is no doubt that change is needed at the club. The ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic will mean many clubs are restricted in their efforts to improve, with Arsenal among those, though winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League will surely boost their hopes of landing ...
CBN governor vows to block maize importation
Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele on Thursday vowed to resist importation of maize as Nigerians have the capacity and capability to grow the crop locally to meet consumption demand. On that note, he has urged youths across the country to embrace agriculture, declaring the bank’s readiness to support those ready to venture into it. Emefiele made the declaration in Katsina at the unveiling of the first maize pyramid and flag-off of the 2021 maize wet season farming under the CBN-Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme. He averred that Nigerian youths could leverage their talents, along with technological tools to improve farm productivity and delivery of agricultural produce to markets. While noting that agriculture offered significant benefi...
NOA sensitises Oyo residents ahead of council election
File Photo The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has embarked on sensitisation of residents of some local government areas in Oyo State, ahead of the May 22 council elections. Newsmen report that the programme was tagged: “Voter education and mobilisation campaign towards free, fair, peaceful and credible local government elections.’’ NAN also reports that the exercise, led by the NOA Director in the state, Mrs Folake Ayoola, took the agency to Ibarapa, Ogbomoso, Iseyin and Egbeda local government areas of the state. Other council areas, which had earlier been visited, included: Ibadan North, Ido, Ibadan South-West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan North-East and Ibadan North-West council areas. Ayoola said that the sensitisation was aimed at intimating the electorate in the state on the importan...
CDS, service chiefs to appear before Senate over insecurity
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, and the three service chiefs are to appear before the Senate Thursday (today) over the deteriorating security situation in the country. The Senate had at plenary last week summoned the CDS and the service chiefs to brief it on the efforts being made by government to surmount the security challenges facing the nation. The service chiefs who will join the CDS to brief the upper legislative chamber by 10am are the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Ishiaka Oladayo Amoo. The top military brass are expected to not only brief the Senators about security issues but also take questions from the legislators over the worrisome securit...
Akwa Ibom first lady leads women’s protest on raped, murdered job seeker
Wife of Akwa Ibom State’s Governor Udom Emmanuel, Dr. Martha Emmanuel, on Wednesday led over 3,000 women from different walks of life on a solidarity march to protest the gruesome murder of Miss Iniubong Umoren. The women took over Uyo metropolis, singing dirges and carrying placards with different inscriptions like: “We want justice for Iniubong,” “Justice for one is justice for all,” “No more rape, no more gender-based violence.” Other inscriptions said: “#Stand in Solidarity with Akwa Ibom State women and demand justiceforIniubongUmoren,” “#Rape is a crime punishable by law,” among others. The women marched from Ibom Connection down to Nuwana Iba and then moved to Wellington Bassey Way leading to the state’s Government House. Other dignitaries who accompanied the wife of the Governor on...
Nigerian government welcomes ECOWAS court judgment dismissing SERAP’s case
Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, on Tuesday welcomed an ECOWAS Court judgment dismissing a case filed by the trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the Federal Government. Malami, in a statement by Dr Umar Gwandu, his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, said the judgment has saved Nigeria from payment of billons of naira for bogus claims. He described the judgment as a clear vindication of the government’s efforts towards respecting human rights and international conventions. Malami, therefore renewed the commitment of his office to protecting the rights of citizens in all ramifications as well as protecting the public interest in the discharge of all constitutionally recognised mandate. Newsmen report that the judgment which...
