State
Report: Many Delta residents not aware of ongoing council poll
Some residents of Asaba and its and environs on Saturday said they that they were not aware of the local government poll taking place across Delta State, according to a report by newsmen. Agnes Afam, a business centre operator, said, “I never knew today is election. I only came out to discover that today election.” Sunday Ugwu, a carpenter who lives on Ibusa Road, said that he was not aware that there was an election, and as such, would not go to vote. Others have also complained that their polling units were far from their homes and would not participate in the election as a result. Okechukwu Onu told newsmen that he lived around ULO Ibusa Road and his polling unit was at the College of Education, Asaba, a distance he considered too far. “I advise the people in charge of elections to brin...
Osun governor seeks government-citizens parley on security
Osun State governor Adegboyega Oyetola has urged the citizens to rally support for the government to protect the state against any form of security challenge. This was made known today while the Special Adviser to the Governor on civic engagement, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, visited Isale – Agbe community in continuation of the community engagement tour organized by the government. Speaking on behalf of the Governor, Oyintiloye reiterated that the only way by which insecurity could be defeated is through collective efforts of all communities in the state. “It’s generally believed that insecurity has become a topical issue in the national discourse, hence the need to pursue it as a common cause and work towards a society that is free of threat and violence. “As we are all aware, Osun remains on...
Policeman arrested for stealing AK-47 rifles in Abịa
A police man, Shedrack Aleke Igwe, working in armoury section of MOPOL base 28, Umuahia, Abia state has been arrested with 5 AK-47 rifles he stole from the armoury. Igwe, a constable, was reported to have carted away rifles in the armoury section with the help of others unnoticed. He was arrested in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi state where he hails from He committed the act on 2nd of March after which he fled to Ebonyi state. But two days later, a combined team of policemen from Abia and Ebonyi states arrested and moved him to Abia Police Command for investigation. The combined team from the two states had trailed him to his Ikwo community by where he was hiding. He was immediately arrested with the help of Divisional Police Officer, Ikwo and investigation commenced. Five of the mi...
Food blockade: AFAN blames institutional failure, inequity
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Friday, blamed institutional failure for the blockade of foodstuff supply and transportation to Southern Nigeria as the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria, AUFCDN, embarked on the protest over factors militating against their business. Speaking with newsmen, National President, AFAN, Arc Ibrahim Kabir, said the whole issue boils down to poor discharge of constitutional duties by relevant government organisations that would have mitigated the plight of members of AUFCDN earlier, and such blockade of food supply would not have happened. Kabir said: “The situation arose principally due to institutional failure and inequity. The institutions saddled with maintaining national security must work properly so also those charge...
Governors reach decisions on coronavirus vaccine roll-out
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has asked the federal government to take the necessary steps to support logistics and inoculation activities in states to ensure a smooth vaccine roll-out exercise across the country. According to a communique on Friday by Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, at the end of the 27th emergency teleconference meeting, the governors said efforts must be made to initiate the launch of the vaccination programme in all states from 10th March 2021. Kayode said the Forum received a briefing from the Executive Secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, in the company of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Tax Force (PTF) on COVID-19, ...
‘Pretty Mike’ arrested over Cubana Club’s coronavirus violation
The police in Lagos have arrested a socialite and Instagram celebrity, Mike Eze, aka Pretty Mike, for allegedly facilitating operations at Cubana Nightclub in Victoria Island, Lagos State. The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, while parading 172 persons arrested for flouting COVID-19 protocols after a raid on the nightclub, had called for the arrest of the owner. According to Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, Pretty Mike’s, who was a consultant for the club, allegedly facilitated its operations on the day the police raided. Adejobi said: “We picked him as a consultant for Cubana club. He allegedly facilitated the operations of the club on that day and he will be charged to court. We have our findings that he is the consultant/manager of that clu...
Ex-President Jonathan enlists colleagues to mitigate electoral crises in West Africa
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has enlisted the support of other ex-presidents and Prime Ministers in West Africa to mitigate elections-related conflicts to promote peace in the region. Mrs Ann Iyonu, Executive Director, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) announced this at a news conference in Yenagoa on Friday. Iyonu said that the former leaders’ group christened West African Elders Forum (WAEF) was inaugurated by Jonathan at a virtual meeting held on Thursday. She said that WAEF was an initiative of the GJF aimed at harnessing the goodwill, expertise and experiences of former leaders to promote peaceful elections and deepen democracy in West Africa. According to her, the forum comprises three former leaders of Nigeria, Ex-President Jonathan, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Retired Gen. A...
Senator Dickson: Why I am staying off Bayelsa government events
File Photo A former Governor of Bayelsa, Seriake Dickson, says he has no rift with his predecessor, Douye Diri, who took over from him on February 14, 2020. Dickson said his noticeable absence from government functions was deliberate and in consonance with his values and principles of non interference. In a statement issued on Thursday, Dickson, who is now a senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District of the state, said he remained supportive of Diri’s administration. He said he had no hand in the media attacks against Diri’s administration by some of his former aides. Dickson’s explanation came on the heels of claims by John Idumange, a former general manager of the Bayelsa Broadcasting Corporation, alleging diversion of N3 billion agricultural loan obtained by Dickson’s adminis...
‘Fulani herdsmen’ clash with Amotekun officials, vigilantes in Oyo
Three people have sustained injuries following a bloody clash between Fulani and Yoruba at Aba Abugudu Market in the Atisbo Local Government Area of Oyo State. It was gathered that two officials of Amotekun and a vigilante were injured during the fight which happened on Monday, March 1. According to newsmen, the Amotekun operatives identified as Michael Oguntade and Yekini Tijani and the vigilante were trying to break the fight when a Fulani man drew out his cutlass and attacked them and inflicted varying degrees of injuries on them. Speaking on the development, the Commandant of Amotekun Corps in Oyo State, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd) confirmed the incident. Olayanju said the security operatives were rushed to the hospital. Olayanju said; “Our men who were attacked are still in the hosp...
2,700 Akwa Ibom women benefit from federal government’s special grant
The minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has advised Nigerian women not to regard the N20, 000 special grant given to the rural woman by the federal government as the fabled national cake. She has rather charged the beneficiaries to judiciously use the grant to improve their living standard by utilizing it as seed capital do boost their trades and businesses for greater income. Speaking through Bashir Nura Alkali, the permanent secretary of the ministry, at the flag off of the Grant for Rural Women Project and the symbolic disbursement of the grant to 2700 women of Akwa Ibom state, in Uyo, on Thursday, Farouq explained that the Grant for Rural Women Programme was introduced in 2020 to sustain the social inclusion agenda of Presid...
PIB: Rivers governor supports allocation of 10 per cent oil revenue to host communities
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has advocated not less than 10 percent fund allocation to host communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill that is still before the National Assembly. Governor Wike said it is also necessary that the bill state in clear terms what specific development projects that the allocated fund should be spent on, so that development of host communities can be truly actualised. The governor gave the charge when the members of the National Assembly Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill, visited him at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday. Governor Wike stated that oil bearing communities have suffered the loss of their livelihood, good drinking water and their socio-cultural life disrupted because of the insensitivity of the International Oil compan...
Babagana Zulum: Bauchi governor will soon join APC
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, will join the All Progressives Congress soon, the Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has stated. Zulum spoke when he led the North-East Governors to perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction and upgrading of the Bauchi State Government House on Thursday. He, however, did not give further details on his statement about Mohammed joining the APC. Zulum who is the Chairman of the North-East Governors’ Forum said, “I want to express my appreciation to my colleague, the Governor of Bauchi State, and my other colleagues for giving me the support to take the North-East Governors’ Forum to a greater height and indeed to the next level. “The only quarrel that I am having with my colleague, the Governor of Bauchi State is his refusal to ...
