Author: Isah Mukhtar

NAN-H-77
Kidnap
Lokoja, Oct. 16, 2017 (NAN) Abductors of Miss Adetutu Adebanjo, a student of the Kogi State Polytechnic, have demanded for a N10 million ransom for her release.

A statement by the National Association of Kogi Students (NAKOSS) on Monday said that Adetutu, a HND 1 student was kidnapped on Friday at Itakpe junction, on Lokoja-Okene road.

It disclosed that she was travelling to Ogun State in a commercial bus when the abductors stopped the vehicle at gunpoint and abducted her.

Mr Salihu Lukman, NAKOSS Director of Student Affairs who signed the statement, said that the abductors had reduced the ransom to N500,000 after negotiations.

“As I speak to you, negotiations are still on going. Today makes it the 4th day now and the poor mother of Adetutu who happens to be a widow can’t afford the ransom.

“We are pleading with the government and the public to come to the aid of this poor student so that we can secure her release,” the statement said.

While confirming the incident, the Public Relation Officer of the state police command, ASP William Aya said that the police was working hard to rescue the student.

Aya said that the command had already deployed a special squad which was on the trail of the kidnappers.

He, however, said that he was not aware of the demand for a N10 million ransom by the abductors. (NAN)
KKA/IS
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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

NAN-H-15

Gunmen

Lokoja, Oct. 15, 2017 (NAN) Three operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have been shot dead by gunmen in Okene.

The Commandant of the NDLEA in Kogi, Alhaji Idris Bello, told reporters on Sunday in Lokoja that the three operatives were gunned down while on patrol.

He said that they were killed at about 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 by the gunmen, “who emerged from nowhere’’.

Bello said that gunmen came on foot and that the incident occurred close to the main gate of the Federal College of Education, Okene.

He identified the operatives killed as Nicholas Onwumere, Ebun Peters and Abdulrahman Musa.

The commandant explained that the NDLEA officers were on duty alongside their three other colleagues when the gunmen struck.

Bello said that the officers died on the spot, while the three other colleagues escaped unhurt.

He said that the gunmen collected the rifles of the dead officers and vanished.  

Bello said that other security agencies in the state had been contacted on the development, saying that efforts were being made to track down the killers.

The Kogi Government had in August established a Forward Operation Base in Okene in partnership with the Nigerian Army to check kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes.

However, the initiative has yet to yield the desired result, according to observers.

Analysts suggest that the latest killing may be the handiwork of the jihadist Boko Haram group, which has been striking at soft targets in northern Nigeria, having been degraded substantially by the Nigerian armed forces.

Kogi, regarded as the spiritual headquarters of the jihadist movement, has witnessed bloody attacks by Boko Haram in recent years. (NAN)

KKA/SN

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Edited by Silas Nwoha

Broker earmarks N100m to empower 100 students in Okun land

NAN-H-20
Empowerment
Lokoja, Oct. 14, 2017 (NAN) Dr Julius Olusegun, a Lagos-based Stock broker, has promised to empower 20 students each from the five local government areas of Okun land in Kogi with N100million education fund.

Olusegun, who is also an investment expert, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Saturday.

He appealed to the Federal Government to put all machinery in motion to ensure that institutions do not go on strike, saying that persistent industrial action is affecting the education standard.

Olusegun, who decried the level of decadence in the educational system in the state, said an emergency must be declared in the sector to restore its lost glory.

“This gave me a level of concern, hence I resolved to return home and give back to the society where I hail from.

“I am giving scholarships to 20 students from each of the five local governments of Okunland cutting across the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions,’’ he said.

“Overtime, Kogi was known among states in the country for its level of intelligence and academic excellence, but unfortunately, the reverse was now the case,’’ he said.

He urged government to avert incessant strikes that could jeopardise the education of students.

Olusegun expressed his readiness to put smiles on the faces of students and parents, particularly from the five council areas of Okunland.

NAN reports that Okunland consisted of five local government areas – Kabba/Bunu, Ijumu, Mopa-Amuro, Yagba East and Yagba West.

Olusegun had also donated 100 boreholes to the people of Yagba East and Yagba West Council areas. (NAN)
WAL/AIJ/AFA
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Edited by Abigael Joshua/Felix Ajide

NAN-H-11

Environment

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Lagos, Oct. 14, 2017 (NAN) Mr Tony Elumelu, a philanthropist and Chairman, United Bank of Africa (UBA), has called on African leaders to create the enabling environment for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to thrive.

Elumelu made this call at the 2017 Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), African Journalism Fellowship and 3rd Annual TEF Entrepreneurship Forum on Saturday in Lagos.

He said that the provision of the needed enabling environment by African leaders would enhance the growth of entrepreneurs and their businesses.

Elumelu said that SMEs, which is the live wire in any economy, would help government to create the needed jobs with the right operating environment.

“Entrepreneurship will not grow if the environment is not good; our people are tired of being poor, we have all the resources to change the fortunes of our people for good.

“Our leaders should help us to create the right enabling environment to support the growth of entrepreneurs,’’ he said.

Elumelu, the founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), said that he looked forward to a future of Africa, where poverty would be eradicated and real growth would surface.

He added that Africa needed more investments, capital and agents for growth and development.

“We need to touch Africa more to help it develop through investments, investment in our people,’’ Elumelu said.

He said that Nigeria was beginning to improve and so urged government authorities to engage the youth so as to eradicate poverty.

Elumelu said that the foundation had committed the sum of 100 million dollars  for the empowerment of 10,000 African entrepreneurs in a decade.

The foundation’s long-term investment in empowering African entrepreneurs demonstrates Elumelu’s philosophy of African capitalism, which positions Africa’s private sector, as catalysts for social and economic development.

TEF, which was founded in 2010, was aimed at empowering a generation of successful pro-profit entrepreneurs, who could drive Africa’economic transformation. (NAN)
JNC/FNO/YEMI

Edited by Franca Ofili/Yemi Idris-Aduloju

NPS endorses plea bargain for inmates – Lagos Prisons Controller

NAN-H-45

Decongestion

By Adepote Arowojobe

Lagos, Oct. 13, 2017 (NAN) The Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) would cooperate with the Lagos State Government on its adoption of plea bargain to reduce prison congestion, state Controller of Prisons, Tunde Ladipo, has said.
Ladipo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday that the NPS was ready to partner with stakeholders in the legal sector on the initiative.
The controller spoke to NAN on the side line of a musical concert for inmates of Kirikiri Prisons in Lagos.
“The NPS is ever ready to partner with the government and stakeholders on the initiative as part of ongoing prison reforms.
” The plea bargain initiative by Lagos State Government aims to decongest the prisons in the state, “ Ladipo said.
He said that a team of lawyers from Lagos State Ministry of Justice had visited all the prisons in the state to sensitise inmates on the availability of the plea bargain option for inmates facing criminal trials.
Ladipo thanked the Lagos State Government for its commitment towards prison decongestion.
NAN reports that Lagos State Attorney General, Adeniji Kazeem, last month urged stakeholders in the legal sector to embrace ‘Plea and Sentence Bargain’ when presiding over litigations for prison decongestion.
Launching the Plea Bargain Manual in Lagos, Kazeem urged the judicial sector to embrace it to decongest prisons, considering the length of time awaiting trial inmates remained in prison custody due to lengthy court proceedings.
“My hope is that the formal presentation of this manual would trigger a change of attitude from our “don’t plead guilty” approach even in the face of overwhelming evidence against the defendant.
‘’This would go a long way in decongesting not only the courts but also decongesting the prisons which are already groaning under the burden of the population in their care.”
He lamented that though the plea bargain theory had been part of the criminal justice system for over a decade in Lagos State, yet it’s applicability has been poorly utilized by lawyers. (NAN)
ADEX/WOJ
(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

Benue Govt. signs MoU with IITA to boost quality yields

NAN-AE-14
MoU
By Kudirat Musa
Abuja, Oct. 13, 2017 (NAN) The Benue Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to boost quality yields and the economy of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the MoU was signed by Gov. Samuel Ortom and Dr Ken Dashiell, Deputy Director-General , Partnership for Delivery of IITA, on Friday in Abuja.

Ortom said that the state needs to have working experience with IITA in Agriculture, adding that signing of the MoU would add value and support the state.

“I am happy about the IITA programme because they are looking at all value chain and that is what we stand for too.

“Benue state has been food basket of the nation, making wealth for other people by carry our products from the state to other states and not much returns to build our economy.

“ We have identified this, that is why we want different organisation to come to Benue state to invest.

Responding, Dr Ken Dashiell said that the Benue state government heard about the activities of IITA for the first time during the visit of advocacy of Zero Hunger project teams to Benue last month.

“It was there the governor heard about what  IITA is doing in Nigeria and made a decision of coming to Abuja to meet with the IITA to start working in Benue to boost food productions.

“ The state government wants IITA to introduce some of its technology to promote Benue because they want higher yield for their farmers and develop their economy.

“Benue wants training for different aspect of their varieties, they want IITA to set youth agriculture entrepreneur programme that IITA has successfully done and replicated in several parts of the country.

Dashiell said, “they also want us set up mechanism for the state to start producing their seed instead of going out to get adulterated seeds.

“They want it started as soon as possible, as soon as the stuff is sign,  the implementation will start immediately’’.

Mr Adewale Ajadi, Synergos Nigeria Country Director, said that the synergos was there to felicitate with the good people of Benue on the signing of an MoU between state government and IITA for the development of yam value chain.

“ We are happy with state government, especially on the aspect of seed productions, because quality seeds will bring quality yields and it will definitely increase the farmers income.

“We are really glad as government is coming out to take step to ensure and promote productions of yam in Benue as one of the key crop in the state.

“We are hoping that smallholder women farmers and indeed smallholder farmers will benefit from this move,’’ he said.(NAN)
ROK/AFA
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Edited by Felix Ajide

NAN-HG-16
Cancer
By Olusola Oke
Akure, Oct.12, 2017 (NAN) A consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Sunday Adeboye, has called for adequate management of cancer and adoption of strategies to reduce its prevalence in the country.

Adeboye made the call at the 2017 Scientific Conference of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Ondo chapter on Thursday in Akure.

The theme of the conference is: “Cancer: The Ravaging Menace”.

He decried the growing incidence of the disease in the country and the poor attention given to it by government at all levels in spite of its ravaging effects.

“The disease has affected the Nigerian population and breast cancer being the highest being the highest prevalence.’’

He noted that the dearth of cancer management centres in the country had negative implications on the awareness against the disease prevention and cure.

According to him, the development has also made data collation extremely difficult.

“Cancer registration in Nigeria is very poor just as there are no real dedicated centres to research into the disease.

“As we speak, there are only two radiotherapy machines working in the country.

“People that care for cancer patients and medical doctors that specialise on oncology, lack necessary equipment to work with,’’ he said.

According to him, they are not able to provide adequate care and accurate figures of people that are affected.

Adeboye, a former Chief Medical Director of State Specialist Hospital, Akure said that government should prioritise the management of the disease.

He said that this could be achieved through political will to establish more cancer management centres where people could go into research about the disease.

He attributed the poor data collation to the shortage of cancer centres.

He appealed to governments at all levels to give prioritise to the fight against cancer by creating more cancer treatment centres.

The Vice Chairman of the association, Dr Ishaq Ojodu also said that the absence of cancer management centres in the country had drastically slowed down the awareness and sensitisation programmes about the disease.

“Many of our people are dying silently in villages, not to talk of the public figures that have succumbed to the effects of cancer.

“Government needs to put more funds into research and centres that can handle the screening; investigation and treatment of cancers generally not only breast cancer.

“If we don’t have enough data, we will not be able to plan. We need scientific data to enable us chart the way forward.

“We need to have background data for all the diseases, not only cancer so that we can be able to plan ahead.

“If we don’t have data, we will not know the burden of this condition on our population,” he said.

Dr Wahab Adegbenro, the Commissioner for Health, commended MDCAN on its role in creating awareness.

Represented by Dr Taye Oni, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, he said that the association was significant and important to the survival of society.

He identified funding as a major challenge for the association as a result of recession in the economy.

“One thing is to have political will and another is to have resources to back it up, but we must source for the resources because government is committed to ensuring good health services.

“The state government is trying to ensure alternative source of funding, and plans are on to introduce health insurance scheme in the state.

“But with increase in awareness, people will get more information so that they will know that cancer is a disease that can be managed,” he said. (NAN)
OKEO/JIE/GY
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Edited by Julius Enehikhuere/Grace Yussuf

NAN-DS-5

Bumps

By Kudirat Musa

Abuja, Oct. 12, 2017 (NAN) The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) says the Federal Government is working with relevant agencies to remove dangerous speed bumps on the nation’s highways to reduce accidents.

Mr Babagana Alkali, Director Planning Research and Statistic in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Fedartion (OSGF), said this at the Pre-end of the year operation meeting with transport unions organised by Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Thursday in Abuja.

Alkali said that the Federal Government was working with relevant agencies to remove the speed bumps that were dangerous on the highways in compliance with the recent National Assembly resolution.

“ Of recent, you have heard the National Assembly resolution that the speed bumps that are dangerous on the roads should be removed because they cause nuisance and road traffic accidents and crashes along the way

“The federal government is urging that the ones that are not important should be removed and those that are important should be left behind.

“We will work with the relevant agencies to comply with that, but the work has not started yet, but we are hoping that the agencies are going to comply soon,’’ he said.

Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal of FRSC, thanked the stakeholders for their continuous cooperation with the corps, over the years, which helped them to record positive results.

“ I appreciate the support of Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers (NUPENG) for the increase in number of drivers who have driver’s licence.

“ I also appreciate the number of personal attendance of the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at the FRSC fora.

Mr Kassim Baltaya, Chairman NARTO, commended FRSC for what it had been doing to save the lives of people and their investments.

“NARTO will continue to partner with the FRSC because reduction of accidents makes our investment secure.

“ FRSC has done wonderfully well but our drivers need more sensitisation and continuous training with the collaboration of other relevant agencies.

“FRSC in collaboration with Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) needs to be checking the quality of tyres because some people are importing sub-standard tyre into the country, which endangers our lives.

“ I urge the RTEAN and NURTW to do more in this area and we can partner with both State and Local Governments to achieve it.

Mr Zabairu Tijani, representative of NUPENG, thanked the corps marshal for uniting all the stakeholders in the transport sector to work together, saying this had helped in reducing accidents and quarrels among them.

Tijani said that NUPENG had just trained 4,500 drivers to show commitment and support to what the FRSC was doing.

“Our challenge is bad road, government should always award the road contract to competent contractors to make journeys smooth for both drivers and passengers.

“We need specific parking spaces for our trailers, if government should allocate parking spaces for us, we will not pack anyhow along the road.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  reports that stakeholders who attended the meeting were; NUPENG, NURTW, RTEAN, NARTO, SGF,  Department of  State Services (DSS), and representative of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to show their continuous support to FRSC. (NAN)

ROK/AMY/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

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NAN-H-39
Solar
By Moses Omorogieva
Lagos, Oct. 11, 2017 (NAN) The police in Lagos have arrested 11 suspects, including three soldiers and one dismissed Airforce man, for allegedly stealing solar panels worth N100 million belonging to the state government.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Imohimi Edgal, told newsmen on Wednesday that the suspects had been on the command’s wanted list before they were finally arrested in Epe area.
Imohimi said that the three soldiers had been handed over to 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army for further investigation.

The CP said that the group had sold stolen solar panels from Epe, Sangotedo, Elerngbe and Badagry areas to buyers in many parts of the country.
“On Sept. 5, at about 2 a.m, the seven suspects came in a truck with registration number LND 61 XQ, invaded Okemagba Senior Secondary School, Epe with three soldiers and stole 71 solar panels.

“They also forced the door of the container where the inverter batteries and accessories were kept and went away with it.

“ Some of the buyers were traced to Delta, Anambra and Imo where one buyer was later picked up in an hotel and confessed to have received solar panels and inverters batteries from the suspects,” he said.

The police Commissioner said the suspects would be charged to court after completion of investigation on the matter.
MIO/WOJ
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(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

EFCC nabs 4 National Theatre directors for alleged embezzlement

NAN-H-38
Arrest
By Olanrewaju Akojede
Lagos, Oct. 11, 2017 (NAN) Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arrested four directors of The National Theatre in Lagos for alleged embezzlement of government funds.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four directors, including a woman, were picked up at their Iganmu office for allegedly diverting “huge sums” of revenue and statutory allocation into private use.
NAN learnt that the directors allegedly failed to remit revenues realised from the use of facilities at the National Theatre into the Federal Government Treasury Single Account (TSA).

According to sources, among government revenue allegedly embezzled were N24 million annual rent paid by Nigerian Breweries for its 20 branded kiosks and N9 million paid for the use of National Theatre during the “Lagos @ 50” celebrations.

NAN reports that the affected directors were whisked out of the promises after they refused to honour EFCC invitation for questioning in the office of the Artistic Director and Chief Executive of National Theatre, Mr Tar Ukoh.

The intervention of Mrs Grace Gekpe, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, on telephone could not save the officials from being whisked away by the EFCC operatives.

Addressing an Anti – Corruption Rally earlier in the premises, the National Theatre boss vowed to stamp out graft in the Agency.

“Culture must kill corruption before corruption kills culture “ said Ukoh who also oversees the National Troupe of Nigeria.

Reacting to the development, Henry Udubuisi, Vice President, National Theatre Chapter of AUPCTRE, said that the union was behind the management decision to get rid the Agency of corruption.

AUPCTRE is the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporationns, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services.

Udubuisi told NAN that the union would give its support to the new management to cleanse the Agency of graft.

“The position of the union is that we are solidly behind the management to fight corruption in National Theatre. We are also proud to be associated with it.

“We are using this medium to appreciate the management on its “Change must begin with me project.

“The Artistic Director means well; he wants to address some administrative impunity here.

“He is not victimising anybody, he is just asking them to be accountable for what has happened for those who has questions to answer. We need someone like him here to stamp out corruption.

“The union will never condone corruption; infact the union stands against corruption and we are happy that the management key into our vision,” he said.

Udubuisi said that the union had been in the fight against corruption before the new management came in, adding that it was a step in the right direction.

“The union has been fighting corruption even before the new management came in, especially when there was a proposal on the sale of the theatre.

“We fought against what we regarded to as administrative impunity under the then Chief Executive but all what we got was dismissal.

“Most of the executive members of the union were dismissed for standing against corruption and the sale of the only cultural iconic building in Nigeria,” he said.

Contacted, EFCC spokesman in Lagos, Mr Sam Amadin, told NAN that he was yet to be briefed on the arrest. (NAN)
KOJE/MIO/WOJ
(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)