Author: Isah Mukhtar

Graduation
(Ijebu-Igbo) Ogun, March 30, 2018 (NAN) A total of 39 Controllers of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) on Friday completed a six-week advance management training aimed at repositioning correctional services in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 8th Advance Command Course for the Controllers of Prisons was held at the NPS Academy, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State.

Speaking at the passing out parade of the participants, Comptroller General of NPS, Ja’afaru Ahmed, said that the academy was a penal training institution and first of its kind in Africa.
The NPS boss said that the training was aimed at equipping the controllers with prerequisite managerial and leadership skills for their next rank of Assistant Comptroller General of Prison (ACG).

Represented by Kunle Babalola, an Assistant Comptroller General in charge of Lagos and Ogun States, Ahmed commended participants for their hard work and commitment during the course.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, the overall best student of the course, Mr Tunde Ladipo, called on his colleagues to use the skills acquired at the academy to transform the prisons.
Ladipo, who is Controller of Prisons in Lagos State, said that the prisons were correctional centres established to reposition and refine inmates.
NAN reports that the ceremony was attended by the Ago-Iwoye monarch, Oba Abdulrasak Adenugba and the Chairman Ijebu-Igbo West Local Government, Mr Adegoke Adekanbi.
The monarch congratulated the participants and commended the NPS for siting the prisons academy in the community. (NAN)
ADEX/WOJ
Edited by Wale Ojetimi
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Peace

By Reporters

Nnewi (Anambra), March 30, 2018 (NAN) The Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Hillary Okeke, has urged Christians in Nigeria to use the occasion of this year’s Easter to promote peaceful co-existence in the country.

Okeke made this call in his Easter message entitled, ‘Easter; Victory over Enmity and Violence’ at Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral, Nnewi on Friday.

He said Christians should take a cue from Jesus Christ, who demonstrated love for humanity when in spite of the suffering ahead of him, submitted himself to those who humiliated and killed him.

The bishop said that the security situation in Nigeria was not at its best but enjoined the people not to return violence for violence, but have faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“Christians in Nigeria are challenged to bring about peace and reconciliation for all Nigerians; with the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Christians are assured of victory not minding what people do.

“Christians are expected to emulate the way of Jesus Christ; the way is one of love and peace in the world,” he said.

He said the resurrection, which gave Christ the ultimate victory could still give lovers of peace in Nigeria victory in the face of attacks, violence, killings, hardship and swords.

“While people have the right to defend themselves against attacks and violence, Christians should not be multipliers and promoters of enmity and violence.

“I appeal to you all Nigerians; Christians and members of other religions, especially those in government to do all that is possible to reduce violence, killings and destructions in our country.

“May Easter, the celebration of victory of Jesus Christ’s suffering and dead bring peace to Nigeria,” he said.

Also in Lagos, the Most Rev. Adebola Ademowo, the Diocesan Bishop of the Church of Nigeria, has urged Nigerians to play their part in reviving the value system of the citizenry.

Ademowo, the Dean Emeritus (Anglican Communion), in his Easter message, on Friday, urged Nigerians to be God fearing, hardworking and responsible as citizens, who would want to see Nigeria as a country worth sacrificing for.

“There is the need to restore our values; we have sacrificed our value system on the altar of greed, indiscipline, selfishness and insatiable craze for material wealth acquisition.

“The national rebirth must begin with the family through the inculcation of values and virtues of truth, fairness, selflessness and justice in the youth.

“It is time for our leaders to demonstrate the fear of God and consult with Him on the affairs of the nation.

“The point of worry is that corruption has in the last 35 years, assumed a dimension that is difficult to explain; a new culture of accountability should replace the prevailing reign of impurity,” he said.

The cleric, who lauded President Muhammadu Buhari administration, urged the government to do all that is possible to rescue all the abducted Chibok and Dapchi girls from captivity. (NAN)

REPORTERS/YEMI

Edited by Halima Sheji/Yemi Idris-Aduloju

Reps Deputy Majority Leader, Buba Jibril is dead

Obituary

Lokoja, March 30, 2018 ( NAN) The member, representing Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Umar Baba Jibril is dead.

Aged 58 years, Jibril, a three time member of the house, died in the early hours of Friday in Abuja, one of his political associates, Mr Amuda Dan Sulaiman confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) .

He was until his death, the Deputy Majority Leader of the house.

He was also a former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly. (NAN)
KKA /YAZ
——

Navy
By Henry Oladele
Lagos, March 29, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Navy has called for stronger synergy among the Gulf of Guinea nations in arresting criminals across member countries’ territorial waters.

The Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Matthew Emuekpere, made the call on Thursday in Lagos at the end of Exercise Obangame Express 2018, attended by 26 countries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four Nigerian naval ships – Okpabana, Unity, Sagbama, Karaduwa and two helicopters, participated in the weeklong exercise which started on March 22.

“One area I will also want us to cooperate more is that member-countries’ assets by way of ships and aircraft should have the liberty to fly into other countries, particularly if a real life situation should occur.

“For instance, the incident that happened off the coast of Togo, if we were the navy pursuing the hijacked vessel, we should be able to sail up to Togo to carry out the arrest.

“This is one area we need to iron out for future exercises,” the naval chief said.

The FOC said one of the objectives of the exercise was to foster cooperation among states of the Gulf of Guinea and combat illegalities in the maritime domain.

“The interesting thing is that during the conduct of the exercise, three live scenarios happened which we were able to deter the attack.

“We were able to deter the attack which happened at Okori Oil Field, Agbara Oil Field and the hijacked vessel off Togolese waters.

“The ship that was involved in hijack was arrested by the Ghanaian Navy while the mother ship was arrested in Benin Republic,” he said.

NAN reports that the exercise took place within the Eastern, Central and Western Naval Command where different mock operations were conducted at sea.

The Nigerian Navy and other maritime forces in the GOG, Europe, USA and other regional and international organisations participated in the eight-day exercise.

Among the countries that participated in the 8-day exercise were USA, UK, Spain, Turkey, Denmark, Portugal, Gabon, Congo, Liberia, Morocco, Canada, Sao Tome and Principe.

Others were Equatorial Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Italy, Benin Republic, Angola, Brazil, France, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Ghana, Togo and Cote d’Ivoire.

During the exercise, there were mock operations where a hijacked ship, MV UNITY, was rescued by the Special Boat Service (SBS) team with no casualty.

Another mock operation was how an SBS team recovered illegal weapons on board a French naval ship codenamed MV ROFAWA.

Other exercises conducted were counter illicit trafficking, search and rescue, counter-piracy and energy security, air operations, communication drills, regional information sharing and anti-illegal fishing.

Also, the exercise featured tactical maneuvering, vessel boarding search and seizure, fire drills and vessel practice fire simulations. (NAN)
HOB/WOJ/IA
Edited by Wale Ojetimi/Idris Abdulrahman)

Escape

Lokoja, March 28, 2018 ( NAN) Police in Lokoja said on Wednesday that the two suspects that named Sen. Dino Melaye as the supplier of guns to them had escaped from custody.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Ali Janga, disclosed this at a press conference in Lokoja.

Janga said that the two suspects, Kabiru Seidu alias Osama and Nuhu Salisu alias Small, escaped at about 3:21 a.m. at the A Police Division in Lokoja where they were being kept in lawful custody.

According to him, four other suspects escaped along with Seidu and Salisu, bringing the total number of fleeing suspects to six.

He said both Seidu and Salisu escaped on Wednesday when they were supposed to be arraigned before a Lokoja Federal High Court alongside Melaye and Mr Mohammed Audu who was also named by the suspects as their sponsor.

The commissioner identified Aliyu Isa , Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa Mohammed as four other suspects that escaped from custody.

He said that 13 policemen comprising five operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and eight conventional policemen on duty when the incident happened had been detained for interrogation.

“ The 13 police officers who were on duty when the incident occurred were defaulted and detained for interrogation,” he said.

Janga also stated that the names of the six fleeing suspects and that of Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu had been sent for watch listing by the Interpol for immediate arrest anywhere they are found.

He appealed to residents to assist the police with useful information on the whereabouts of the suspects by reporting to the nearest police station.

The police enjoined members of the public to go about their lawful businesses as the command was in full control of the situation and determined to provide adequate security for lives and property . ( NAN)
KKA/JPE/AMY

Edited by Joseph Edeh/Abdullahi Yusuf

Income
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, March 28, 2018 (NAN) Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) programme says it has doubled income for  rice farmers in Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Tanzania from two to four dollars per person a day.

Dr Andrew Efisue, the Country Operations Manager of CARI, made this known while reviewing the accomplishments and experiences so far with different stakeholders in Abuja on Wednesday.

Efisue said that after a productive and successful collaboration with partners since the launch of the CARI Phase I in 2013, “we gather that the programme has achieved and even exceeded the objectives agreed upon by donor partners.

“The main objective of CARI is to increase income and nutrition situation of resource poor male and female rice producers and their families in these four countries, which is sustainably improved.

“It has really doubled farmers’ income from two to four dollars per person per day.

“Increase the income of more than 120,000 rice farmers from less than two dollars per person per day to twice the current income,’’ he said.

Efisue said that CARI offered unique services across the entire rice sector such as input providers, primary producer, millers, traders/retailers, final consumers.

“We provide advisory and operational services (including training in land preparation, parboiling, toll milling, business planning) and improved access to financial services.’’

He said that100, 000 farmers integrated in value chains through contracts with off-takers and 120,000 farmers trained in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) under CARI programme.

“CARI also trained 104,000 farmers in business skills, up to 140 per cent increase in yields and 780,500 farmers received pre-financed inputs.

“Additionally, CARI ranks successful or very successful on all five of the DAC Criteria, which include relevance, effectiveness, impact, efficiency and sustainability.

“On the basis of the very good results regarding the achievement of objectives 1 and 2 and the potential for improvement toward objectives 3 and 4, the evaluation mission recommended to plan another phase for CARI.’’

Efisue said in December 2017, CARI Phase II had been commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) which would start by July 1, 2018.

Dr Fahma Aliyu, the Desk Officer, Rice Value Chain in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that CARI had done a lot of work in rice value chain.

Aliyu said that CARI had developed rice farmers with capacity building, promoting good agricultural technology which had increased farmers’ yield per hectare and had given them a stable income.

“There have been practices such as good agronomy services from land preparation up to harvesting and post harvest operation.

“CARI has done a lot in the area of water management, use of certified seed, agro processing aspect because they taught our rural women on parboiling new technique across the state.

“We find out those women, who are using the technology, their income has increased by 30 per cent which we have seen it and verified it.’’

Aliyu said CARI had also done a lot in market access for farmers because it linked them up with the rice millers, promoted contract farming as a result of that millers that are working with them are assured of year-round good quality paddy for processing.

“We are happy with CARI and advocacy platform under CARI, they mobilise the farmers into strong groups for advocacy to make farmers united and have a voice to advance their crops.

“As Phase II is starting July this year, I urge the programme to improve more on facilitating access to finance, focus more on farmers’ business school so that farmers will see themselves as business persons.

“With the starting of CARI II, things will be better and there will be more collaboration with the ministry.

The desk officer, however, said that ministry was always willing to partner with anybody to advance farmers within the limit of its objectives as far as it fell within the agricultural promotional policy and policy of government. (NAN)

ROK/OSA/GY
==========

Edited by Shittu Obassa/Grace Yussuf

Judgment

By Victor Nwachukwu

Abuja, March 27, 2018 (NAN) A Wuse Zone 2 Magistrates’ Court, Abuja on Tuesday, sentenced a 33-year-old civil servant, Aminu Maru, to one year imprison  for breach of official trust.

The convict, who resides in Janyan house, opposite Gwagwalada Park, Area 1, Abuja,however, pleaded guilty to the one count charge of breach of official trust.and begged for mercy.

The Magistrate, Mr Raphael Egbe, in his judgement said the court relied on the provision of section 99 B of the penal code to sentence the convict.

Egbe, who told the convict to be of good behaviour so as not to go back to crime, however, gave him an option of N100, 000.

The prosecutor, Mr Jamil Hamisu, had told the court that investigations by the State Security Service (SSS) revealed that Maru committed the offence between Nov. 15 and Nov. 21, 2017.

Hamisu said that the convict was an accountant attached to the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) but seconded to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

He further told the court that Maru released sensitive official documents of NAHCON to one Ibrahim Wala, a self-acclaimed Human Rights activist without authority to do so.

Hamisu  said Wala later published the NAHCON documents on Facebook, an act Hamisu he said was intended to discredit the management of the commission.

According to the prosecutor, the action of the convict was also calculated to damage the good public image of NAHCON and make its members of staff vulnerable to security risk.

He said the offence leveled against the convict contravened Section 98 and is punishable under section 99B of the Penal Code. (NAN)

VIN/KOLE/DUA

Edited by Remi Koleoso/Dada Ahmed

Innovation
By Sunday John
Lafia, March 27, 2018 (NAN) The Nasarawa State Government, has built a technology incubation centre to encourage innovative enterprises in the state.

Prof. Jonathan Ayuba, the Commissioner for Special Education, Science and Technology, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia.

The centre is part of the State Government’s measures to nurture young persons found to be interested in innovative enterprises.

“The centre, when inaugurated, will be responsible for developing talents as a way of promoting science and technology.

“The Federal Government is happy about the incubation centre and the Minister of Science and Technology will soon come to inaugurate the centres,” he added.

He explained that science equipment to be used in secondary schools in the state would also be produced in the centre.

“The government has concluded plans to establish the institute of technical education in Lafia.

“All that is needed in terms of planning was concluded by a team of experts engaged by the government; the institute when established, will award diplomas.

“All technical schools in the state will serve as feeders to the institute and government will make it a policy for the technical colleges to supply candidates to the institute”.

According to him, the institute will produce graduates, who are self-reliant and employers of labour.

Ayuba added that the ministry was collaborating with the ministry of education to get all the courses at the three technical colleges in the state accredited.

“Some of the courses were given interim accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education and we are putting measures to get full accreditation to all of them,” he added.

He said that government would also upgrade facilities in the technical colleges, train and retrain the manpower for better service delivery.

The commissioner said that government had already procured the equipment and would soon get them installed. (NAN)
SDJ/OIF/YEMI
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Yemi Idris-Aduloju

Food
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, March 27, 2018 (NAN) The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) has warned travellers and smugglers to be wary of listeria-infected food items.

The Coordinating Director of NAQS, Dr Vincent Isegbe, gave the warning in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
NAN reports that listeriosis is food poisoning caused by eating foods contaminated with the listeria monocytogenes bacterium.

The disease primarily affects adults, persons with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.
A person suffering from listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhoea or gastro-intestinal symptoms.

The NAQS boss issued the warning against the backdrop of the recent UN alert that Nigeria and five other countries stood the risk of experiencing an outbreak of the disease.
Isegbe said that the UN listed Nigeria because “we travel a lot; and also because of our population and human activities.
“As a nation, we should be careful of whatever we eat; if there are cases of any disease in other countries, it is our duty to avoid importation of any items from such countries.
“It is also our duty to sensitise the citizens to the need to avoid such products because the packaging and storage of infected products can still contaminate other products.
“It is better to avoid imported products and eat our local products because most of the imported products are not healthy,’’ he said.
Isegbe, however, noted that it was difficult to stop outbreak of diseases because diseases could occur due to breaches or uncontrolled habits, as people often travelled from one place to another.
“No one can domicile human beings and prevent them from travelling and as they travel, they eat and carry food items along the way. And those items can be sources of infection and contamination from one country to another.
“We urge Nigerians who travel to South Africa or other countries not to bring any food items; they should also be careful of what they eat outside of the country so that they would not get infected.

“Nigeria as a country does not allow importation of meat and some other items; the service does not give anyone permits to import meat or any meat products but illegal importation into the country is our major challenge,’’ he said.
Besides, Isegbe noted that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had set up a ministerial committee on illegal importation and smuggling, chaired by the Minister of State, adding that the committee had held several meetings to curb the aberration.
“We have gone to most of the big supermarkets and retail shops to verify our suspicions; we, however, found out that they do not import poultry and fish products but they only feed their stock with Nigerian products.
“Our major concern is smuggling through the land borders, which the Federal Government is seriously kicking against and most of the items coming from neighbouring countries are banned in Nigeria.
“If there are no buyers, those selling imported products will run out of the business; if nobody is buying, they will not restock.
“As a citizen of this country, we have responsibility to prevent such products from coming in and as a nation; we ought to discourage citizens from patronising such products.

“If there is less importation, there is no way animal and food items such as like beef, sausage and fruits contaminated with listeria can flood our markets,’’ he added.

Isegbe commended the Nigerian Customs Service for supporting NAQS in efforts to accomplish its mandate, saying: “It’s not easy for NAQS to cover all the perimeters of our land but we have complimentary services from the Customs Service.
“We safeguard the Nigerian population through the prevention of importation of illegal products into the country. (NAN)
ROK/KOO/OOK
============

Attempted Murder

By Teniola Ibitola

Lagos, March 26, 2018 (NAN) An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Monday ordered that a 19-year-old housemaid, Susan Samson, be remanded at Kirikiri Prison for allegedly attempting to kill her boss.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Adegite, ordered that the accused should remain in custody until she perfected her N500,000 bail with two responsible and gainfully employed sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must be a senior civil servant above Grade Level 14 who must also own a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

In addition, each of the two sureties must deposit N100,000 into the account of the Chief Registrar of the court.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Cousin Adam, told the court that the accused on March 5 in Ejigbo attempted to murder her employer, Mistura Ogundipe, 58, by repeatedly smashing a big bottle of Fidossi Spumante wine on her head.

The prosecutor said that the accused had also stolen assorted beverages and wines valued at N200,000, belonging to her employer.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the alleged offences contravened Sections 230, 245 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate Adegite said that the case file should be duplicated and forwarded to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP’s) for advice.

The case was adjourned until April 30 pending legal advice. 

 On March 5, Susan Samson attacked her boss, Mistura, with blended pepper and hit her head repeatedly with a big bottle of Fidossi Spumante champagne, which grievously harmed the woman.
The victim went into coma for several days and was on Monday still receiving treatment at Intensive Care Unit of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

It was learnt that Mistura, a teacher in a public secondary school in Lagos, had employed Samson on Feb. 4, 2018 to assist her with domestic chores.
The 19-year-old suspect was reported to have stolen her boss’ money and property, which was recovered from Samson’s room.
Mistura was said to have alerted the agent who brought her.
The Ogoja, Cross River State indigene in a desperate bid to escape from the house, which Mistura had locked, allegedly poured blended pepper on the boss while she lay on the bed.
She then grabbed the champagne bottle and smashed it on the victim’s head repeatedly until she passed out.

The suspect was reportedly apprehended and handed over to police by residents who heard the victim’s scream for help.(NAN)

OAT/WOJ

Edited by Wale Ojetimi