Author: Isah Mukhtar

One dead as suspected cultists attack LASPOTECH Ikorodu Campus

NAN-H-117
Security
By Iyiola Pedro
Ikorodu (Lagos State) Feb. 21, 2018 (NAN) One person was killed while several others were wounded on Tuesday following a bloody attack on Ikorodu Campus of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) by suspected cultists.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the deceased, identified as Ahmed Amao, was a former LASPOTECH student who had been expelled from the institution.

NAN gathered that the groups of hoodlums invaded the Ikorodu campus from different directions on Tuesday evening, chasing the students around the polytechnic with guns, machettes and knives.

LASPOTECH spokesman, Olanrewaju Kuye, told NAN that the terrified students alerted the institution’s security personnel on sighting the hoodlums, comprising some former students of the polytechnic.

“So, we had to chase them out the campus via the polytechnic’s first gate; but when we got there, we discovered another set (hoodlums) approaching from the adjourning village to attack our students.

“Upon sighting our security men the gang began to shoot at will and our security men had no choice but to retaliate.

“Unfortunately, we hit one of the hoodlums, Ahmed Amao, a former student who had been expelled for examination malpractice. We learnt he died on Wednesday,’’ Kuye said.

He added that but for the prompt response of the institution’s security personnel, many students could have lost their lives in the attack.

Kuye assured parents of the safety of their wards following the attack on the campus by suspected cultists, saying “this will never be allowed to happen again.

“They should go on with their normal duties because nothing untoward will happen to them.

“Our security men now wield firearms too and our students have our phone numbers for prompt response. We will not take chances,’’ said the LASPOTECH spokesman.

Confirming the incident, Chike Oti, Spokesman, Lagos State Police Command, told NAN that the attackers were on revenge mission following an attack on one of their members.

Oti said two suspects were arrested with a locally made pistol following the incident.

There was heavy presence of gun-wielding security personnel comprising the police, Oyabo (local vigilante) and private guards when NAN correspondent visited LASPOTECH Ikorodu Campus on Wednesday.

NAN reports that calm is gradually returning to the institution as students and other members of the polytechnic community were seen going about their normal activities on Wednesday. (NAN).

IYI/BOM/WOJ
============

(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

Nigeria’s men table tennis players in action

NAN-S-5
T/Tennis
By Kemi Ajayi
Lagos, Feb. 21, 2018 (NAN) The National Table Tennis Coach, Nosiru Bello, on Wednesday said the country would perform credibly at the forthcoming International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Top 16 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the championships which will hold from March 1 to March 3 will feature top 16 players in men and women singles in Africa.

Bello told NAN that the players are well prepared for the task ahead and would do the country proud.

“Nigerians should be rest assured that our representatives are well experienced players who have seen it all as far as the ping pong game is concerned.

“They are presently training in their respective clubs in Europe,’’ he said.

He noted that the championships would also serve as a good avenue for the players to improve on themselves ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

“The Top 16 is coming at the right time and I strongly believe the athletes will take advantage of the event to sharpen their competitive edge,’’ he said.

NAN also reports that the Top 16 will serve as qualification for ITTF World Cups later in the year.

Aruna Quadri, Segun Toriola, Olufunke Oshonaike and Edem Offiong will be in action for the country at the three-day event.

Aruna and Dina Mesref of Eygpt won the 2016 Africa Top 16 men and women singles respectively in Khartoum, Sudan.

Aruna defeated Omar Assar in the men’s event, while Meshref defeated Offiong in the women finals. (NAN)
KOA/ENN/PDE
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-AE-2
Census
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, Feb. 21, 2018 (NAN) Mr Ibrahim Ahmadu, Chief Executive Officer, Sponge Analytics Nigeria, has advised the Federal Government to conduct an animal census so as to facilitate the development of the nation’s livestock sector.

Ahmadu gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that such exercise would pave the way for livestock traceability, management and disease surveillance, with a view to treating the diseases on time.

“We are talking of plans to diversify our oil-based economy into an agriculture-based economy and yet, we do not have animal identification.

“We thought about insurance, increased investments in the sector but without proper animal identification, there would be no data and without data, there would not be investments in the sector from financial agencies and individuals.

“Of all the enterprises in the livestock sector, only the poultry industry has achieved an appreciable level of commercialisation.

“Other industries in the livestock sector are predominantly in the hands of subsistence farmers, with the pastoralist system of production contributing over 90 per cent of cattle production in the country,’’ he said.

Ahmadu said that the animal census, which conducted by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in 2016, was not precise, adding that the 1991 animal census was more accurate.

He quoted the FMARD report as saying that the 2011 National Agricultural Sample Survey indicated that Nigeria was endowed with an estimated 19.5 million cattle, 72.5 million goats, 41.3 million sheep, 7.1 million pigs and 28,000 camels.

“They are saying the country has 145 million chicken, 11.6 million ducks, 1.2 million turkeys and 974, 499 donkeys.

“The minister was impressive with the statistics which, he said, had made Nigeria the leading country in livestock production in Africa.

“All the same, the output has yet to meet the national demand for animal protein or contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the years,’’ he said.

Ahmadu said that the animal census would give the government correct data as regards where, how, who owned what in the livestock sector, adding that the knowledge would enable the country to sustain its top position in Africa.

He said that it would also help the exportation of livestock to other countries.

“Nigeria has the largest livestock market in West Africa, which is Lagos, in terms of consumption; based on the statistics of Lagos State Commissioner of Agriculture in Lagos, about 6,000 cows are slaughtered in Lagos every day.

“All these animals are coming from the North and based on economic calculations, the transaction is worth one billion naira daily,’’ he added.

Ahmadu, who underscored the need to develop and strengthen the country’s livestock sector, urged Nigerians to stop looking at the sector strictly as a cultural thing “because a cow does not live on languages but on grass and others.

“If this is done, we will stop the generalisation of criminality and see cattle breeding as a good economic venture that can create a lot of jobs,’’ he said.

He also urged the Federal Government to provide irrigation facilities for all-year commercial fodder production so as to engender the settlement of pastoralists, while improving livestock production via expanded breeding programmes through schemes such as artificial insemination.

He said that pragmatic efforts should be made to improve the livestock sector and the dairy industry with considerable emphasis placed on the development of their value chains. (NAN)
ROK/MOL/OOK
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi and Dayo Komolafe

Police nab 13 cross-border, cyber criminals in Lagos

NAN-H-87

Suspects

By Mateen Badru

Lagos, Feb. 20, 2018 (NAN) The police in Lagos said they have arrested 13 suspected cross-border and cyber criminals, including four Beninois who specialised in snatching exotic cars in Nigeria for sale in Benin Republic.

Parading the suspects before newsmen on Tuesday, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Edgar Imohimi, said the command arrested six men who specialised in generating users’ bank details from stolen phones.

According to the police commissioner, the command also recovered hard drugs worth over N90 million from three suspects at Akala area of Mushin, Lagos.

Narating how the Beninois gang, at gun point, snatched a Toyota Prado from a victim using an ATM machine in Victoria Island, Imohimi said:

“Their exploits started on Jan. 21 at Ajose Adeogun, Victoria Island, Lagos when the owner of a Toyota Prado jeep went to use a Zenith Bank ATM.

“After using the ATM, before he could drive off his car, the three hoodlums that had been stalking him forced him out of the car to the back seat and drove him off with his car.

“He was later stripped naked and dropped somewhere at Ikoyi while his car was driven away with mobile phones, a laptop computer and N45,000 cash.

” When the hoodlums got to Ikoyi, they sighted a couple in a Toyota Jeep buying barbecue at Southern Sun area. The hoodlums forcefully took control of the car and drove the victims away.

“The victim’s wife was later dropped at a junction before Third Mainland Bridge while the husband was dropped off on Third Mainland Bridge.

” After a careful analysis and undercover operations, on Feb. 11, the group were intercepted at Mile 2 while on a mission.

“An AK-47 rifle, 43 AK-49 ammunitions, one locally made cut to size double barrel gun, six live cartridges, one licensed plate number and assorted charms were recovered from the hoodlums,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a native doctor who specialised in making charms for the hoodlums was also paraded along with the suspects.

Imohimi said that the six cyber criminals specialised in stealing mobile phones from which they generate users’ bank details and withdraw money from their bank accounts.

“On Feb. 7, at 6pm, a woman reported to the police at Egbeda that her sister’s phone was stolen at a birthday party.

“When the victim went for sim card replacement, as soon as she inserted her sim into her phone, she received a bank alert of N1.15 million transfered from her account to other banks.

“After investigation, a gang who specialise in dispossessing victims of their mobile phones with the use of motorcycle was apprehended.

“The gang is made up of two groups. One specialise in snatching the mobile phone and sell to the other group that work on the Sim cards to generate bank details and BVN to transfer money from the account.

“Ten laptops, one Infinix mobile phone and 10 Sim cards were recovered from the hoodlums,” Imohimi said.

He called on victims of the cyber fraudsters, especially those whose phones were stolen at Iyana-Ipaja, Iba, Festac and Alaba, to come to the command.

Imohimi said that 183 wraps of drugs suspected to be Marijuana,129 wraps of substance suspected to be cocaine and bottled hard drugs worth over N90m were recovered at a criminals’ hideout in Akala. (NAN)

BOM/WOJ
=========

(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

NAN-AE-6
Clashes
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, Feb. 19, 2018 (NAN) Some lecturers of Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAB) and Bayero University Kano (BUK) have proposed the establishment of integrated crops-livestock settlements to address the protracted farmers-herdsmen clashes.

The dons made the proposal at a validation workshop on controlled grazing, which was organised by Synergos Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.

Prof. Olufemi Onifade of the Department of Pasture and Range Management, FUNAB said that apart from reviving abandoned grazing reserves and establishment of ranches, the proposed integrated settlements could be the most sustainable solution to the farmers-herdsmen crisis.

Onifade said that based on a study on “Support and Inform Development: Review and Implementation of Controlled Grazing Policy”, which was conducted in Benue, Kaduna and Kogi states, farmers and pastoralists had agreed to embrace the proposed scheme.

He said that the initiative would increase the income of farmers and herdsmen, while reducing conflict and strengthening mutual interaction among them.

He identified poor governance and community participation, weak policies and legislations as well as ineffective inter-community relations and dispute resolutions as the major causes of violent conflicts between the two groups.

Onifade said that the conflicts had necessitated stable engagements with political, traditional and religious leaders in the affected states.

As part of recommendations of the study, the professor advised the Federal Government to initiate a National Development Plan and Strategy which would enable farmers and pastoralists to easily have access to land in peaceful and acceptable manner.

“The recommendations include the provision of a framework to ensure quality education for rural populations of pastoralists and farmers as a strategy to build human resources for sustainable development.

“Others are the management of extreme environmental changes such as drought, land degradation, overgrazing and climate change and its associated effects.

“Then, there is the need to take cognizance of regional policies and framework for cooperation such as African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations Charter and conventions,’’ he said.

Onifade, who also spoke on the proposed cattle colonies, advised the Federal Government to allow individual states to determine the best approach to addressing the issue.

Besides, Prof. Abba Aminu of the Department of Agriculture Economics and Extension, BUK, said that the recommendations, when adopted, would be beneficial to both herdsmen and farmers.

According to him, cattle of livestock farmers can graze on uncultivated marginal fields during wet season, while the cattle can graze freely on harvested fields.

He noted that communities in Kogi and Kaduna states, where the study was conducted, largely accepted the initiative except for Benue.

Mr Adewale Ajadi, Synergos Country Director, urged the media to avoid publishing sensational reports, insisting that they should instead promote fair and objective reportage of issues, particularly those relating to communal crisis.

Ajadi, who said that the livestock sub-sector had a vast economic potential, called for collective efforts to step up the campaign against farmers-herdsmen clashes.

He, nonetheless, said that the major objective of the study was to support the development of a comprehensive policy and action plan that would promote mutual coexistence between pastoralists and farming communities.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Synergos — a non-profit international organisation which aims at facilitating systemic changes in the society — is currently executing some development programmes in Kogi, Benue and Kaduna states. (NAN)
ROK/MUYI/OOK
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Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh and Dayo Komolafe

NAN–HE–17

Donation

Idah (Kogi), Feb. 16, 2018 (NAN) The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) on Friday donated a ferry, two outboard engines and 300 units of safety vests to Idah community in Kogi State.

The Chairman of Board of AEDC, Alhaji Sheu Malami, while handing over the items, said that they were meant to ease the movement of people living in the riverine areas of Idah across the River Niger.

Malami, a former High Commissioner to South Africa, said that the items would particularly be useful to traders travelling on the river between Idah and Agenebode in Edo State.

He said that the gesture was meant to underscore the willingness of the company to support communities within its franchise areas.

The chairman advised the people to make optimal and sustainable use of the facilities.

He also urged the beneficiary communities to reciprocate the gesture by paying their electricity bills regularly as well as protect power facilities in the areas.

The Kogi Deputy Governor, Mr Simon Achuba, who received the items on behalf of the state government, thanked the AEDC for the donation, saying that they would enhance the safety of travellers and reduce travel time.

He promised that the ferry and other items would be put to judicious use, adding that transport fares would be reduced to make it affordable for people.

The Managing Director of AEDC, Mr Ernest Mupwaya, said that his company moved in to resolve a challenge that the people living in the riverine communities of Idah had been battling with for years.

He said that AEDC would continue to add value and guard the environment in where it operated.

On the challenges facing the power sector, Mupwaya said that inadequate infrastructure was the the main problem militating against improvement in power supply.

He, however, said that efforts were being intensified to address the challenge. (NAN)

KKA/NKO/NKO//TÁ
Edited by Nkechi Okoronkwo/Tajudeen Atitebi

IGP advises against inflammatory statements on herdsmen/farmers clashes

NAN-H-117
IGP

By Moses Omogorieva and Mateen Badru

Lagos Feb. 15, 2018 (NAN) The Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, on Thursday advised Nigerians to avoid making inflammatory statements and playing politics with the herders/farmers clashes to achieve genuine reconciliation.

Speaking during the launch of his book in Lagos, Idris said that the security challenges needed to be properly managed so as not to drag the country into unending crisis.

“This is the only way the country can secure genuine reconciliation among herders and farmers so that they can once again live in peace, harmony, love and avoid unnecessary loss of lives.” he said.

The police I-G said that even though President Muhammadu Buhari mandated the security agencies to arrest and prosecute offenders in the clashes, the nation needed serious conversation on the issue.

“I have realised that the issue is beyond apprehension and prosecution of offenders: There has to be speedy dispensation of justice and the protection of the rights and interests of the suspects and victims of crime,” Idris said.

According to the police I-G, this is the only way people will have a sense of justice, peace and reconciliation.

“It is my conviction that when there is security, justice, peace and reconciliation in any nation, civil strife can be avoided.

” Inter-communal harmony and reconciliation is easier when the people are convinced that the police and other security architecture can guarantee them their individual rights, security and justice,” he said.

Idris said that the public image of the police was not impressive and called on policemen to respect the rights of the people while performing their lawful duties.

“While performing their constitutional duties of protection of lives and property, the police must do so within the confines of the law,” the I-G said.

He said that he dedicated the book titled “Security and Justice: The Pathway for Peace and Reconciliation in Nigeria” to officers and men of the force for their selfless service.
Idris said that proceeds from the book would be used to fund “the Security and Justice Initiative,” a foundation being put in place for the promotion of security, peace and reconciliation in Nigeria.
The I-G said that traditional rulers should be accorded rightful place in the security architecture, peace justice and genuine reconciliation of the people.
Speaking at the book launch, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu attributed the herdsmen/farmers clashes to the nation’s porous borders.

The book reviewer, Prof. A.B. Ahmed, said that the 293-page book answered salient questions on security and justice and focused on the author’s childhood and experiences as a policeman.
“This book is original, excellent and very important for everyone that wants the success of the country as it demonstrates the link between security, justice and human life,” he said.
Among dignitaries present at the book launch were former Ogun Governor, Chief Segun Osoba, Lagos Police Commissioner, Edgar Imohimi and a representative of retired Maj. Gen. T. Y. Danjuma. (NAN)
MIO/AOM/WOJ
Edited by Wale Ojetimi

NAN-AE-4
Challenges
By Kudirat Ronke
Abuja, Feb. 14, 2018 (NAN) Climate Adaptation and Agribusiness Support Programme (CASP), a programme of International Food and Agriculture Development (IFAD), says it will address climate change challenges in rural areas to improve food production.

Mr Abdullahi Surajo, the Communication Officer of IFAD-CASP, said this on Wednesday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Surajo said that IFAD, in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, had developed a concept that would improve food production in rural areas, with a special focus on tackling climate change challenges via CASP.

He said that programme was conceived because of the problems created by climate change, low rainfall, droughts, floods and low crop production.

He said that the problems had impacted negatively on the development and sustainability of cash and food crop production in the country.

“Nigeria is an agrarian state with more than 60 to 70 per cent of its population living in rural areas; these people are mostly farmers who engage in subsistence farming to take care of their needs and their families.

“The goal of CASP is reduced rural poverty, increased food security and accelerated economic growth on a sustainable basis.

“The programme’s development objective is increased incomes, enhanced food security and reduced vulnerability of smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, in the participating states,” he said.

The communication officer said that CASP was initiated to consolidate on the feats of the Community Based Agricultural and Rural Development Project (CBARDP), while making use of the lessons learnt from the previous project in the current programme.

He said that the objective of CASP was to economically empower poor farmers in the rural areas, who were vulnerable to the challenges of climate change and financially incapacitated to enhance their living standards through agriculture.

Surajo said that CASP was implemented in seven states in the northern part of Nigeria, adding that the states were Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Borno and Yobe.

“The programme, which covers a total of 727 village areas, also involves 207 village areas and 520 new village areas across 104 local government areas in the seven northern states.

“However, the programme’s target groups that are moderately poor and productive core poor households, who represent over 90 per cent of the population in the states. (NAN)
ROK/OOK
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NAN- H-44

Measles

Lokoja, Feb. 13, 2018 ( NAN) No fewer than 654, 804 children aged between nine months and five years will be immunised during the March measles vaccination in Kogi, a World Health Organisation (WHO) consultant has said.

Dr Muhammad Salihu, a National Measles Consultant to WHO, made this known to newsmen in Lokoja on Tuesday, and said the exercise would last from March 1 to 13.

The consultant said that WHO had taken delivery of 720, 290 doses of vaccines required for the exercise.

Salihu who spoke at a one-day sensitisation programme for the media on the exercise, said it would hold simultaneously in all the 239 wards across the state.

He said the exercise would be handled by 614 teams of vaccinators and that it would hold at places of worship, markets, palaces, schools and health facilities across the state.

Also speaking, a facilitator, Dr Uzoma Ogbonna, said that the exercise would hold only in designated areas, adding that there was no resources to carry out house-to-house immunisation.

“We are using this to complement the routine immuniaation.

“Parents are advised not to wait; they should just walk down to the nearest health facility to immunise their children irrespective of previous immunisation,” he said.

Ogbonna said the vaccinators had been instructed not to administer the vaccine on children above 10 years.

The facilitator emphasised that the exercise was essentially for those within the age bracket of nine months and five years.

The state Health Educator, Mr Acheku Yusuf, urged journalists to join hands with the State Government to make the exercise a success.

He said that only measles vaccines would be administered during the exercise, calling on parents to take advantage of it to immunise their children against measles. (NAN)

KKA /YMU/EMO
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Edited by Yakubu Uba/Ejike Obeta

NAN-H-53
Pilgrimage
Lokoja, Feb. 12, 2018 (NAN) The Kogi Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board says 717 slots had been allocated to the state for this year’s hajj by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria.

The Executive Chairman of the board, Sheikh Lukman Abdullah, who disclosed this on Monday in Lokoja, said that the figure was far less than the 838 slots allocated to the state in 2017.

Abdullah spoke during  a courtesy call on the Chairman of the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Adeiza Momoh Jimoh.

He, however,  said that the board was making efforts to get additional slots, adding that  preparations for the 2018 hajj had commenced.

Abdallah, who said  that the greatest challenge facing the board and intending pilgrims was time, noted  that all intending pilgrims had been given March 31 deadline to complete the payment of N1.5 million hajj fare.

The Chairman reiterated that the green color e-passport, national identity card and medical report are compulsory  for all intending pilgrims.

He said that accommodation  had been secured near the sacred mosques in Mecca and Medinah, adding that efforts were in the pipeline to enhance the welfare of pilgrims before, during and after the hajj.

In his remarks,  Jimoh assured the board of support,  especially in the area of sensitisation of  pilgrims and members of the public.

He urged  the board to always carry along the media in all its activities, adding that  more slots should  be allocated  to Muslim journalists. ( NAN)
KKA /OJO
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)