State
Zamfara government moves against illegal miners
Zamfara state government has warned illegal miners operating in the state despite Federal Government’s ban on mining activities, to desist or face prosecution. Dr Nuruddwen Isah, the state’s Commissioner of Environment, issued the warning on Saturday when he visited one of the suspected illegal mining sites at Sauna village in Talata Mafara local government area of the state. Newsmen report that the government’s warning followed an allegation and complaint by the Director of one of the licensed mining companies, Shamsudeen Sani. Sani alleged that the sole administrator of Talata Mafara local government area had mobilised machinery and was allegedly escavating precious stone on his (Sani) site. The commissioner warned all miners to as a matter of public importance, desist from engaging in m...
Senator Basiru: Senate has no plan to secretly pass social media bill
Senator representing Osun Central and Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, has said the Red Chamber has no plan to hurriedly pass the controversial Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation and Other Related Matters Bill 2019 into law. An online platform, SaharaReporters, has published that the Senate on its resumption on September 15 has sealed a plot to pass the Bill popularly known as Social Media bill for presidential assent. Sponsored by Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa, the bill was unanimously rejected at the Senate Public Hearing. Reacting to the report at the weekend, Senator Basiru dismissed it as “false and a lie concocted by the medium to ridicule and tarnish the image of the senate.” The former Attorney General and ...
Governor Zulum: I criticise troops to help them improve
Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno state, says he is critical of the Nigerian army so that they can improve in their fight against insurgency. Zulum said this on Thursday when he commissioned the Tukur Buratai Institute for War and Peace, located in Biu local government area of the state. The institute is named after Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff. The governor has come down hard on the army in recent times. In January, he accused troops of extorting road users. He also threatened to replace soldiers with local hunters if they are unable to secure Baga following the attack on his convoy in June. While the attack was believed to have been carried out by Boko Haram insurgents, Zulum accused the military officials of sabotage, alleging that they were the ones who attacked him. The military...
NCDC certifies molecular laboratory in Bayelsa
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated the newly inaugurated Bayelsa State Molecular Laboratory, Research and Diagnostic Centre for COVID-19 testing. The facility, which was inaugurated by Gov. Douye Diri, brought the number of NCDC accredited laboratories in the country to 66 in 34 states. The Acting Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Daniel Alabrah, announced this in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Yenagoa. He said that the NCDC in a letter by the Laboratory Network Advisor, Celestina Obiekea, to the Bayelsa Commissioner for Health, stated that the laboratory had fulfilled the necessary requirements to test for COVID-19. He quoted the NCDC as saying that the state would be responsible for procurement of consumables, equipment and other mater...
Former Oyo lawmaker arrested over ‘assault’ on APC leader
A former Oyo State House of Assembly member, Mr Wasiu Lafioye Akinmoyede, has been arrested by the police for allegedly assaulting a leader of the All Progressives Congress in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State. Akinmoyede, who represented Lagelu State consistency in the 8th Assembly, reportedly broke a chair on the head of a former House of Representatives member and chieftain of APC in the local government, Mr Remi Adebayo. He was reportedly arrested yesterday by one SP. Bolaji from Zone 11, Osogbo, Osun State. Newsmen gathered that the incident took place on Wednesday, August 13, during the APC elders meeting held in the local government. A source who did not want his name in print told Vanguard that, in the course of the meeting, Mr. Adebayo observed and mentioned the names of s...
NGO laments Yobe communities attitude towards projects sustainability
Saving One Million Lives Programme for Result (SMOL P for R), a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) has lamented some of the non challant attitudes of some beneficiary communities of the various projects it is implementing in Yobe state. Dr. Babagana Abba, State Programme Manager SMOL P for R expressed concern while receiving an NGO, Spotlight for Transparency and Accountability Initiative which paid him a courtesy visit in Damaturu. Abba said SMOL P for R had been implementing various projects for the benefit of the citizens of the state which include procurements and civil works. He further explained that benefiting communities were exhibiting attitudes of negligence over such projects cited in their communities. “Our people are very negligent. They never take the issue of ownership of p...
Gunmen kill two in failed kidnap attempt in Kaduna
File Photo Two members of a surrounding community in Juji, Chikun-LGA of Kaduna State lost their lives as suspected kidnappers invaded the community at the late hour on Friday night. The raid in the community, which was said to have started at exactly 11.15pm, kept the residents of the area in fear. It was gathered from the youth leader of the community, Comrade Hosea Bawa that the dead victims came in from Baban Saura community to assist in keeping off the hoodlums. According to him, “They attacked our community yesterday at 11:15pm. They killed two Babban Saura boys but didn’t get away with anyone.” Residents in several communities surrounding Juji said sporadic gunshots reverberated for several hours. Juji Community has suffered several attacks from bandits in recent times, with the mos...
ICPC busts vehicle particulars fraud syndicate in Lagos, arrests 25
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) and Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has arrested twenty-five (25) officials of Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), FRSC, Motor Vehicle Licensing Authority (MVLA), and other persons in connection with drivers’ license and vehicle particulars fraud in Lagos State. The operation was conducted in Ikeja, Somolu, Eti-Osa, and Anthony Drivers’ License Centres. Other places were Ojo, Oshodi, University of Lagos, Surulere, Agege and Coker centres in Lagos State. The Commission received information that the officials connive with touts to extort extra fees from applicants before their drivers’ licenses and vehicles particulars are processed. Various sums of mon...
Kaduna maize farmers decry delay in supply of fertiliser, other farm inputs
File Photo Maize farmers under the aegis of Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MAGPAMAN) in Kaduna state, have decried the late distribution of seeds, chemicals, and other components of the EcoBank/MAGPMAN Anchor Borrowers Scheme. The farmers made this known during the stakeholders’ review meeting of 2020 wet season EcoBank/MAGPMAN Anchor Borrowers Scheme on Thursday in Zaria. Newsmen recall that on June 20, MAGPAMAN inaugurated the distribution of N644.99 million farming inputs to 3,535 members in the state for the 2020 wet season farming. The state Chairman of the association, Alhaji Lawal-Maishanu Gazara said the review meeting was aimed at evaluating the challenges of the scheme with a view to finding lasting solutions to the identified challenges. The chai...
Three men in court over ‘N40.3 million furniture theft’
Sahara Reporters Three men appeared in a Magistrates’ Court in Yaba, Lagos, on Thursday over alleged N40.3 million furniture theft. The police charged Owolabi Sikiru, 43, Adeolu Ojedokun, 34, and Yinusa Ejika, 35 with two counts of conspiracy and stealing. They however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The Prosecutor, ASP Roman Unuigbe, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on Aug. 8, at South Wood Resources and Services Ltd., at No. 23, Owolewa Str., Surulere, Lagos. He said the defendants who were supposed to deliver furniture to the store, diverted the truckload of the furniture worth about N40m to their personal use and tried to sell them illegally. He said that the defendants stole 149 leather chairs valued at N80,000 each, 45 leather chairs valued at N100,000 each...
Court dissolves 20-year-old marriage over ‘laziness, battery’
File Photo A housewife, Omolola Aluko, on Thursday requested a Customary Court, sitting at Mapo in Ibadan, Oyo State to dissolve her 20-year-old marriage with her husband, Segun, over constant beating. Omolola, who resides at Oluwo area in Ibadan, made the request while testifying before the court’s President, Chief Ademola Odunade. She said her request had become inevitable because her husband had threatened to kill her through constant beating. “Once Segun finishes beating me, he usually strips me naked even in the presence of our children and other onlookers. “My lord, my explanation may not be enough to tell how terrible Segun is and how he had subjected me to the most degrading dehumanisation. “Moreover, he does nothing to cater for our four children, let alone myself. “I have been so...
Governor Abdulrazaq: EFCC stopped withdrawal of N4 billion from Kwara government account on eve of handover
Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, on Wednesday praised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for helping to stop withdrawal and sharing of the sum of N4 billion by officials of his predecessor at the eve of handover of government in 2019. The Governor said this while expressed his support to the anti graft agency when the Ilorin zonal head of the EFCC Oseni Kazeem Oluwasina, paid him a courtesy bisit. The Governor noted that the EFCC has offered enormous support to the Kwara State Government in tackling graft and stabilising the government and any hand of fellowship offered to the Commission would be a gesture in the right direction. ”It is a good thing you are here, I thank you for the service you rendered for the Kwara State, humanity and Nigeria as a who...
