Author: Isah Mukhtar

The Kidnapped students of Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe, have been found and on their way  home, Presidential Aide Garba Shehu confirms.

Killings

Lokoja, March 20, 2018 ( NAN) The Police Command in Kogi has confirmed the killing of three persons by gunmen at Agbenema village in Omala Local Government Area of the state.

A statement signed by the command’s spokesman, ASP William Aya said that the attack was carried out on March 19.

Aya denied media reports that 11 persons, including the traditional ruler of the village, were killed in the attack.

According to him , the reports are false, mischievous and aimed at disturbing the existing peace in the state.

“ The traditional ruler was not among the victims ,” he said.

The Spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ali Janga, urged citizens to discountenance the report and go about their normal activities without fear of any attack.

“The Commissioner equally urges members of the press as well as social media handlers to always find out the true state of incidents and get confirmation from the police before publishing the story.

“So as not to misinform the general public and create mistrust among the good people of the state ,” he said. ( NAN)
KKA /AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

Millers
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, March 19, 2018 (NAN) Some rice millers have called on the Federal Government, agencies and stakeholders to educate farmers and paddy traders on quality paddy standard so as to standardise the trade in paddy.

The millers made the call in Abuja on Monday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the just-concluded Paddy Grading Training, organised by Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI).

Mr Ashi Yangedue, the Production Manager of Kclysat Food and Beverages Limited, said that the training was significant to them, adding that although they had existing standards but the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) standard would unify the rice sector.

“Some of us are familiar with the requirements of the new standard because we were part of the stakeholders that drafted the standard.

“Our standards have been synchronised with the SON standard and the uniform grading standard will be applied to paddy rice in all the rice mills.

“All the rice mills in the country will be on the same page. It is good to have quality standard because rice farmers will know what their expectations, the different mills notwithstanding; so, there will be uniformity,’’ he said.

Yangedue urged the Federal Government and others stakeholders to train rice farmers, paddy traders on the new paddy grading standard in order to facilitate a synergy between them and the millers.

“The CARI training is purely practical and this has increased our knowledge on paddy grading but we do not have some of the equipment, which was introduced to us, in our factory.

“Since we have seen the usefulness of the equipment, my company is planning to acquire the equipment, so as to enable to move from manual way rice grading to scientific way of doing things,’’ he said.

Mr Vinod Godara of Stallion Group said that the CARI training on the paddy grading standard would help to bring paddy traders and millers on the same platform to produce quality rice with quality grading specifications.

“Although each mill has its peculiar grading standard but SON brought its own quality standard to harmonise all the paddy grading standards of the different rice mills so as to have a uniform grading standard.

“It has enlightened us about the importance and quality of paddy standard; at the same time, it has economic benefits because if rice millers are able to buy quality paddy, the output will definitely come out well,’’ he said.

Godara said that the Stallion Group, Popular Farms and Mills Limited and Masco Agro Allied Industries Limited had organised rice millers’ out-grower programme for over 14,000 farmers in 16 states across the country.

“We have been doing this training for the past 10 years and it is aimed at enabling us to get quality paddy but the SON quality standard will really go a long way to ensure the production of quality paddy across the country.

“I urge other millers, Federal Government and other stakeholders to educate farmers and paddy traders on the importance of the SON grading standard because it will boost rice production and the country’s economy as a whole,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Mr Micheal Okunoye, Head, Administration, Paddy and Out-growers, Onyx Rice Mills, said that the SON standard would unify the whole paddy purchasing and grading system in the country.

“It will go a long way to help us spend less time in educating farmers since we now have unified system in the country.

“It will give us guarantee and confidence in buying paddy anywhere in the country; it will promote profitability for us and we will spend less time in cleaning paddy.

“The SON standard will also solve the issues of rice admixture, uniformity of size, empty shell, immature paddy, pest damage and discoloured grains, among others,’’ he said. (NAN)
ROK/OIF/OOK
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Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo and Dayo Komolafe

Microcred MFB unveils new name, changes to Baobab

MFB

By Bukola. Adetoye

Lagos, March 17, 2018 (NAN) Microcred Microfinance Bank on Saturday changed its name to Baobab Microfinance Bank as its new brand identity in Nigeria and across its operations in eight other African countries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bank, which was established by French investors in 2005, was granted national licence in Nigeria in 2015.

Unveiling the bank’s new identity in Lagos, Baobab Group Chairman, Ben Zwinkels, said that the name was inspired by the famous Baobab African tree which had great cultural significance in the continent.

“Thirteen years after our creation, the name Microcred no longer fits – it doesn’t describe who we are or what we do. This is why we’re changing our identity to reflect this evolution,”  Zwinkels said.

He said that Baobab has over 650,000 customers and 3, 800 employees in Nigeria, Madagascar, Senegal, Ivory Coast,  Mali, Tunisia,  Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo as well as China.

Also speaking, Baobab Microfinance Chief Executive in Nigeria, Kazeem Olanrewaju, said the bank has 11 and seven branches in Lagos and Kaduna, respectively.

According to Olanrewaju,  Baobab Microfinance Bank has granted over N32 billion credit facility to 65, 000 micro entrepreneurs  since its take off in Nigeria in 2016.

“Over 112, 000 Nigerians that were financially excluded had also been captured into the banking sector and now banked with Baobab,” he said.

The MFB boss said the bank has introduced digitized services to make more credit facilities accessible to you thy entrepreneurs. (NAN)

OBA/WOJ

(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

Rice
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, March 16, 2018 (NAN) The Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) has started the training of 16 integrated rice millers in the country in paddy grading standard so as to boost the quality of Nigerian rice.

Dr Andrew Efisue, the Country Operations Manager of CARI — a programme aimed at boosting the competitiveness of domestic rice supply in selected African countries — made this known Friday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said that the training in paddy grading standard in Abuja was organised to enable the rice millers to use uniform standard in grading paddy, instead of using personal standards that were different from one another.

He said that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) had come up with a grading paddy standard which should be used by all millers across the country.

“Some mills have their own grading standard but once SON grading standard comes into force, the standards of the rice mills are expected to be synchronised with the SON standard and a uniform grading standard would be applied to paddy in all the mills.

“The non-uniform grading has been causing confusion for rice farmers because if farmers sell paddy directly or indirectly to millers, the same paddy would attract different grades in different mills.

“The standard guideline, which has been signed by the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, relevant agencies and stakeholders, will mandatorily be used and sub-standard paddy cannot be officially traded,’’ he said.

Mr Mike Nasamu, Managing Director, Minaaz Agro Services, said that CARI was training rice millers, especially paddy buyers, quality control managers and relevant officers of the integrated rice mills, in the paddy grading standard.

Nasamu, who is also a Lead Trainer and Consultant, said that one of the objectives of the training was to know how to process rice in Nigeria in ways that conform to international standards.

“The only way to achieve that is to process quality paddy, and the selected trainers will go back to their respective states to step the knowledge down to rice farmers and other stakeholders.

“Farmers do accept the results of the grading and even receive the payment of cheaper prices because most of them cannot go to rice mills or afford equipment for paddy grading to verify the exact grade of their produce.

“The standard manual will make the process simple and save time, while farmers will be able to ascertain the grade of their paddy with less expensive tools,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Alhaji Shuibu Ishaka, Chief Agriculture Superintendent, FMARD, said that the selected integrated millers were trained on how to identify quality paddy before processing it to avoid its mix-up with other kinds of paddy.

“The training will empower the millers with skills on how to get quality paddy, mill rice and train the farmers who supply the paddy to them.

“A farmer can discuss with the miller over particular grades, if the mill gives his or her paddy a grade that is lower than the expected grade.

“We will show them our laboratory that has been equipped by JICA; we will also train them on how to use the equipment if any of the integrated mills have some of the equipment,’’ he added. (NAN)
ROK/YMU/OOK
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Edited by Yakubu Uba and Dayo Komolafe

Partnership
By Deji Abdulwahab
Abuja, March 16, 2018 (NAN) Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (CCMAI), an NGO, says it is partnering with a company, Pad Up Creations, to implement “Operation Reduce Waste” (OPERA Waste) a programme in secondary schools in North-central.

The Senior Programme Officer of the initiative, Mr Richard Inyamkume, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that the partnership also involved creating awareness on menstrual hygiene among school girls.

“CCMAI has concluded partnership with Pad up Creations, a social Enterprise Company with office in Niger State that produces Reusable Sanitary Pads for women.

“The partnership is to implement a programme called “Operation Reduce Waste” (OPERA Waste) in secondary schools, to increase awareness about menstrual hygiene and access to reusable menstrual Pads among school girls, targeting North Central Nigeria.

“Pad up Creations is donating free reusable menstrual pads to school girls to encourage safe and hygienic practices,” Inyamkume said.

He said the NGO had also concluded plans to commence the execution of its “Women Go Clean Naija” programme which aimed at strengthening communities in Nigeria to take up sanitation of communities.

According to him, the programme is designed to mobilise 10 million women and empower at least one million women to raise voices for sanitation and take up community sanitation programmes across the country.

Inyamkume said the programme which would begin in Bwari Area Council, Abuja in May would be replicated in communities within the FCT and states in the North Central in the first phase. (NAN)
ADA/AAB/DUA
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi/Dada Ahmed

Bishop Bagobiri buried in Kafanchan

Bishop
By Moses Kolo
Kafanchan (Kaduna State),  March 15, 2018  (NAN) The remains of the late Bishop Danlami Joseph Bagobiri of Kafanchan Catholic Diocese were buried at  St. Peter Clever Cathedral, Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Thursday.

Bagobiri died in Kaduna on March 7 at the age of 61 after a protracted illness.

In a sermon at the funeral service, the Rt. Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah, the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, described Bagobiri as one who made efforts at managing conflicts in a world full of rage.

“Bishop Bagobiri was part of the efforts of bringing peace to Southern Kaduna.

“He had a way of dealing with corruption and injustice,” Kukah said.

He said the funeral mass was the celebration of a great man.

Kukah said, “the Christian faith is a verifiable and tested hope of the promise in the scriptures that the tomb is not a final resting place but a departure lounge.’’

The bishop noted that Southern Kaduna had in the past three years witnessed wanton destruction of lives and property and right in the middle of it was the late the  Bagobiri.

Kukah said the deceased made tremendous contributions to humanity and expressed the hope that his legacies would live for a long time.

Earlier, Rev. Fr. Abba Biliyok, the Administrator of Kafanchan Diocese, said Bagobiri had gone through difficult moment in the last one and a half years with health challenge but God deemed it fit to take him home at the time he did.

Biliyok said the departure of the bishop was answered prayer knowing full well he was with the Lord.

“He rose to become a star and a bishop to
all whose leadership style were purposeful,” he said.

The administrator promised that the diocese would pursue his vision vigorously to the service of God and humanity.

The event witnessed an unprecedented turnout from persons from all walks of life, such as the clergy,  including representatives of traditional rulers and  politicians. (NAN)
MGK/JCE
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Edited by Chukwudi Ekezie

Why we’ve not arraigned housemaid who attempted killing her boss – Police
Housemaid
By Mateen Badru
Lagos, March 15, 2018 (NAN) The police are yet to arraign the housemaid who allegedly attempted to kill her boss, 10 days after the attack at her residence in Ejigbo area of Lagos.
Detectives at State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos they were monitoring the victim’s health status before laying charges against the suspect.
“We don’t want a situation where the suspect will be charged to court when we are not sure of the outcome of the victim’s treatment.
“Investigation is still on and the suspect is still in custody. As soon as we confirm the status of the victim’s health, the suspect will be charged to court,” a detective at SCID told NAN.
On March 5, Susan Samson attacked her boss, identified as Mistura, with blended pepper and hit her head repeatedly with a big bottle of champagne which grievously harmed the woman.
The victim went into coma for several days and was on Thursday still receiving treatment at Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.
Doctors at LASUTH, however, told NAN that the victim was responding “speedily” to treatment at the hospital.
“The patient came out of coma few days ago and she has been recovering speedily.
“Her condition is getting better by the day but she’s still under close observation to determine further surgeries to be carried out on her,’’ said a doctor at LASUTH.
He said that only few close family members were allowed to see the patient at periodic intervals at ICU.
The Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Wale Oke, told NAN that the victim did not need intensive care again.
“The plan now is to move the patient to the ward as soon as there is bed space available,’’ said the LASUTH boss.
He, however, added that the victim was not completely conscious.
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 18-year-old suspect was reported to have stolen her boss’ money and property which was recovered from Samson’s bag.
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 a 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.
BOM/EEI/WOJ
Edited by Wale Ojetimi

FADAMA
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, March 15, 2018 (NAN) The FADAMA III Second Additional Financing (AFII) Programme will, before the end of March, disburse 9 million U.S. dollars to 60,480 direct beneficiaries of its food and livelihoods scheme in the North East.

Mr Ibrahim Alkali, North East Desk Officer of FADAMA III (AFII) programme, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that the World Bank and the Federal Government had given the programme the permission to use the money to fund 189 Community Action Plans (CAPs) across the six states in the North East.

He said that out of the figure, Borno had 40 CAPs; Yobe, 50; Adamawa, 29; Bauchi State, 25, Gombe State, 22 and Taraba, 23; adding that the target was 7,560 households and 60,480 direct beneficiaries.

NAN reports that the FADAMA III AFII programme, a World Bank intervention project, has been receiving wide commendations for its efforts to restore the livelihoods of the people in the North East.

Alkali said that the project, known as the North East Food Security and Livelihood Emergency Support Project, which started its first funds disbursement in October 2016, had really achieved its objectives.

Alkali said that the project was expected to close its disbursement in the first quarter of this year but due to the fluctuation in foreign exchange rates, the project made extra money which amounted to about 9 million dollars.

The desk officer said that the money would go a long way to help those people who hitherto had not benefited from the project.

Alkali said that most of the new beneficiaries had been appealing to the World Bank and the Federal Government to incorporate them in the programme.

“The project has restored the beneficiaries’ joy after their harrowing experiences during the Boko Haram insurgency because they were once hopeless.

“They were overwhelmed with joy because of the abundant supply of food items, livestock and agricultural inputs by the project.

“We also involve more women and youths in project. We re-orientated the youths, even the young ladies, because they also passed through some trauma and they are happy now.

“This second phase will really go a long way in restoring the livelihoods of our beneficiaries and improving the people’s lives in every area,’’ he said.

Alkali, however, commended the state governments for paying their counterpart funds to support the project.

He urged those states that were defaulting to pay up so as to enable more people to benefit from the programme.

NAN recalls that the total amount earmarked for the project in the six beneficiary states of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe is 50 million U.S. dollars

The official closing date of FADAMA (AF II) programme is December 2019. (NAN)
ROK/MOL/OOK
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi and Dayo Komolafe

Kdney diseases: Medics task Nigerians on check-up
By Kola Adeyemi
Kidney
Lokoja, March 14, 2018 ( NAN) Nigerians have been advised to go for periodic medical check-up to stem the rising cases of chronic kidney diseases.
The Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, Dr Olatunde Alabi, gave the task in Lokoja on Wednesday while speaking at the 2018 World Kidney Day, organised by the centre.
Alabi said that it had been established that one in every 10 people in the World suffers from the disease, saying that periodic medical check-up can help in stemming the tide.
He warned Nigerians against indiscriminate use of herbal medicines, saying that some herbal medicines can be harmful to the kidney.
“It is not all plants that are good for consumption; some are toxic and injurious to health.
“Whenever you notice any change in your body, kindly rush to a government approved hospital for test and treatment rather than buying concoctions they claimed can cure all diseases,” he counselled.
According to him, all kidney diseases are silent killers that affect the quality of life of the people.
“All preventive measures should be strictly adhered to in order to reduce the risk of developing the disease,” he said.
The theme of this year’s event is “Women and Kidney diseases’’.
The chief medical director disclosed that women are more susceptible to kidney diseases hence they are the target of this year’s celebration.

He called on husbands to show more interest in the health of their wives, especially during pregnancy.
In a paper presented to mark the day, Dr Grace Ogoke also urged Nigerians to adopt preventive measures and go for regular medical check-up to reduce the scourge of kidney diseases.
According to her, kidney diseases can manifest in humans at any age while treatment can be very expensive.
She called on Nigerians to maintain healthy life styles and avoid consumption of alcohol, junk foods and observe physical exercise regularly to reduce the risk of having the disease.
Ogoke, a consultant obstetric and gynaecologist, said that the theme of this year’s celebration was apt considering the fact that women are more prone to have kidney diseases.
She appealed that all hands must be on the deck to check the menace of kidney diseases.
The Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Dr Mack Femi, had earlier said the focus of this year’s celebration was to create awareness among the people on the need to take preventive measures against the disease.
He warned those already afflicted with the disease to stop taking herbal medicines so as not to hasten their death. (NAN)
KKA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola