Author: Isah Mukhtar

Lagos Police mourns ex-CP, James Danbaba

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Police

Lagos, Aug. 7, 2017 (NAN) A former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr James Danbaba, is dead.

A member of the family, Clement Dah, who confirmed the death, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Danbaba died on Sunday at the Military Hospital, Ikoyi, Lagos, after a brief illness.

Lagos Police Command spokesman, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, also confirmed Danbaba’s death, saying that “the command has lost a gallant police officer to the cold hands of death.’’

He added that burial arrangements will be announced by the family shortly.

Born in Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa on Jan. 30, 1943, Danbaba joined the Nigeria Police as a Cadet Sub-Inspector in 1963 and rose to the rank of Commissioner of Police until his retirement in 1998. (NAN)

BOM/WOJ

(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

NAN-H-15

Worshippers

Awka Aug.6, 2017(NAN): The police in Anambra on Sunday confirmed that a gunman killed eight worshippers and injured  18 others in an early morning attack on St. Philip Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Garba Umar, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka that the remains f the dead had been deposited at Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi.

Umar also said that the injured were taken to the hospital.

He said that preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the attack was carried out by a native of the area.

“From our findings, it is very clear that the person who carried the attack must be an indigene of the area.

“We gathered that worshippers for 6 o’clock Sunday mass at St. Philip Ozobulu were in the service when a gunman dressed in black attire covering his face with a cap entered the church and moved straight to a particular direction and opened fire.

“The man after shooting at his targeted victims still went on a shooting spree, killing and wounding other worshippers,’’ he said.

The commissioner said information available to police showed that the attacker was speaking undiluted Igbo Language at the time he was firing at worshippers.

Umar said though no arrest had been made but that the police already learnt that the attack followed a quarrel between two natives of Ozubulu residing overseas.

Describing the act as sacrilegious, the commissioner of police said it was wrong for the perpetrators of the act to extend their quarrel into the church.

He added: “such conduct shows the people behind the act do not fear God.’’

He said the police had launched a manhunt on those behind the act and gave an assurance that everybody behind the act would be brought to justice.

Umar described any insinuation that the attack was carried out by Boko Haram elements as false and urged the people to go about their normal businesses.

He said the police were on top of the situation.’’(NAN)

FEO/JCE
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Edited by Chukwudi Ekezie

NAN-H-14

Emulation

Igbaugba Ehigimetor

Benin, Aug. 5, 2017 (NAN) Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin, has admonished Christians to emulate the virtues of Jesus Christ in their daily activities for a better society.

The Oba of Benin, gave the admonition when he played host to the General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Rev. Felix Meduoye in his palace on Saturday.

The monarch said that Jesus Christ was humble and disliked greed, which had become the hallmark of many Christian leaders in Nigeria today.

He called on the General Overseer and indeed other Christian leaders to always lead by examples and emulate the teachings and humility of Jesus Christ.

According the monarch, God is ever patient unlike some Christian leaders of today, who are in a hurry to get rich at the expense of their congregation.

The Oba of Benin called on Meduoye and other Church leaders to lead their congregation on how to seek the truth, and comply with what is right at all times.

Addressing the monarch, Meduoye said they were in Benin for a special crusade, hence the decision to pay homage to the Oba and seek his royal blessings.

According to the clergy man, when people are in position of authority, Christian leaders recognise them, as Jesus Christ is the one that gives authority to anyone to serve in his vineyard.

The cleric traced the history of the church to 1923, while it started in Nigeria in 1955 and now had more than 19 million members spread over 143 nations.

There was a special prayer offered for the successful reign of the Oba; and for the unity, peace and progress of Benin Kingdom and the people. (NAN)
ESI/AK/YEMI

Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Yemi Idris-Aduloju

Updated:

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Bombers
By Rabiu Sani
Maiduguri, Aug. 5, 2017 (NAN)  Three suicide bombers were killed by the military on Friday in the Simari area of Maiduguri, the police and a vigilance group confirmed. .

The organisations said the incident occurred at Simari on the outskirts of Maiduguri about 10p.m. when a male and two female suicide bombers tried to infiltrate the town.

The attack came 16 hours after dogs foiled an attempt by two suicide bombers  to hit a hospital in Moloi area of Maiduguri.

A witness, Amin Audu, said that the insurgents took advantage of the night to gain access into Maiduguri but  were intercepted by the military who frustrated their  effort.

He said that soldiers shot the male suicide bomber, following which the explosive strapped on his body  exploded.

“The powerful blast also made the explosives strapped on the ladies to detonate and killed them instantly,” he said.

According to him, two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) also sustained various degrees of injuries from the blast.

Malam Abdullahi Danbatta, the spokesman for the CJTF, confirmed that two members of the group were wounded in the incident.

The police also confirmed that the incident.

Mr Victor Isuzu, the Police Public Relations Officer in Borno, made the confirmation in a statement in Maiduguri on Saturday.

“The suicide bombers were chased by security personnel;  in the ensuing stampede and in an attempt to escape arrest, the suicide bombers hurriedly detonated the IEDs strapped on their bodies killing themselves.

“However, two members of the security personnel sustained injuries and were rushed to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

“Police and IED personnel visited the scene to secure and render the area safe,” Isuzu said.

Maiduguri and other liberated areas have witnessed an upsurge in suicide bomb attacks in the last two months from which many lives and property have been lost.

The insurgents  recently attacked a team of workers prospecting oil in the Lake Chad Basin.

The insurgents also attacked Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri and Dikwa local government areas of Borno.

Also, 14 women including police personnel, were recently abducted by the insurgents in the state. (NAN)
RSA/AK/GY/JCE
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Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Grace Yussuf/Chukwudi Ekezie

Economist gives panacea to African Growth Opportunity

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Partnership
By Simon Akoje
Lagos, Aug. 4, 2017 (NAN) An Economist, Mr Nnemeka Obiaeri, says  Public Private Partnership (PPP) of the Federal Government is panacea that would enable Nigerians to maximise the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade to boost the economy.

Obiaeri, Chief Executive Officer, Tarux Capital and Advisory Services, made the observation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

AGOA is a U.S. Trade Act, enacted on May 18, 2000 as Public Law 106 of the 200th Congress. It has since been renewed to 2025. The legislation significantly enhances market access to the U.S. for qualifying Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.

Obiaeri noted that the nation’s economy was not generating much from the AGOA trade pact because of inadequate PPP arrangement, regardless of the country’s potential.

“We ought to be making millions of Dollars from the AGOA treaty but our people are not earning enough revenue from it due to lack of collaboration among the various stakeholders.

“Ideally, government should provide the land and facilitate the quick export, while the businessmen must source for funds to bankroll the AGOA project.

“Almost all the value chain in the textile and garment industry can be harnessed to increase our earnings,’’ the economist said.

He, however, added that improving the volumes of export in textile and garment to the U.S. would automatically increase investment into the industry.

“Given the successful export, more Nigerians will be interested in the industry to create wealth and improve their domestic capacity.

“This could be our next cash cow and not depending on hydrocarbon which is prone to international volatility.

“However, increasing the earnings from the non-oil sector contribution to the Gross Domestic Products, (GDP),’’ he said. (NAN)
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Idris Abdulrahman)

NAN-AE-1
Certificates
By Philomina Attah/ Kudirat Ogunyemi
Abuja, Aug. 3, 2017 (NAN) Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) has advised potential importers of reptiles and other wild animals to obtain CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) certificates.

Dr Vincent Isegbe, the Coordinating Director of NAQS, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday that those who wanted to import wildlife should obtain CITES permits from Federal Ministry of Environment to avoid any embarrassment.

He said that reptiles were some of endangered species which could not be imported or exported to any country without CITES certificates.

“The essence of issuing CITES certificates is to make sure that every nation preserves its own species of wildlife.

“So, anybody who wants to import, trade or move wild animals as pets from one country to another must register the animals.

“The world wants to keep track of the movement of such endangered species,’’ he said.

Isegbe said that the extant laws never forbade people from keeping wild animals as pets, adding, however, that those who wanted to have such pets must follow the due process.

“Nobody says you must not have wild animals in your home as pets.

“If you already have them at home and keep them as pets, you must register them; you need to have a permit to keep them.

“If you have any of these species that have CITES certificates in Nigeria and you want to move to them to another country, you have to write and inform the country you are going to and seek its permission to move them.

“We want to ensure that as a nation, we have national rules and regulations protecting these animals,’’ he said.

Isagbe said that all the endangered species could also be moved as articles of trade to earn money.

The coordinating director stressed that the animals which were recently intercepted in Cross River had no CITES certificates, no import permits and no export permits, adding that the animals were, therefore, illegal consignments.

He said that the seized animals were still in the custody of the Federal Ministry of Environment, adding that investigations on their importation were still ongoing.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Nigeria Customs Service on July 26 intercepted three consignments containing 140 species of snakes and 660 other animals in Calabar, Cross River.

NAN reports that the containers were brought in aboard a Cameroonian vessel, ‘MV Flesh,’ through the Calabar waterway.

The containers reportedly contained snakes and other animals such as geckos, millipedes, hairy frogs and spiders. (NAN)
APA/ROK/MOL/OOK
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi and dayo Komolafe

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Support
By Kudirat Ogunyemi
Abuja, Aug. 2, 2017 (NAN) The Ondo State Government has pledged to support beneficiaries of the FADAMA Graduate Unemployed Youth Support programme (FADAMA GUYS).

Funmilayo Ikueduranni, Communications Officer for the FADAMA GUYS programme, said in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja that Mr Akin Olotu, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agriculture, made the promise in Akure.

The statement quoted Olotu as saying that the government had demonstrated its passion to develop the state through agriculture by seeking partnership with the World Bank and the FADAMA Office.

Olotu said that Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had visited both the offices of the World Bank and FADAMA programme, within the first two months of his administration, to seek their collaboration.

He said that 200, out of the 300 business plans submitted by participating youths in the state, would be funded by the FADAMA GUYS programme.

The governor’s aide assured the participants of the state government’s support by engaging them in its agricultural programmes.

Olotu said that the government had set aside 15,000 hectares of land for cassava cultivation to boost production of ethanol, adding that the scheme would involve 2,000 youths.

He said: “The state government has approved that five youths from each of the 18 local government areas of the state be trained in modern technology and nursery management.

“Each youth will have access to five hectares with irrigation facilities to practise grafting, budding and production of a variety of cash crops like oil palm, cocoa and citrus.’’

Also speaking, the State Project Coordinator of FADAMA, Olusiji Olatunji, urged the beneficiaries of FADAMA GUYS programme to remain focused and committed.

He advised the beneficiaries to demonstrate a high level of commitment so as to encourage the government to extend the opportunity to more youths.

He commended the facilitators of the training for organising a robust training programme for the youths.

One of the beneficiaries, Miss Taye Amosun, who spoke on behalf of others, pledged to make the training a life changing one.

She thanked the State Fadama Project Office for its support in the course of the two-week training.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Government and the World Bank, under the FADAMA III Programme, in April approved a new scheme under FADAMA GUYS programme, with the aim of engaging about 6,000 youths in agricultural enterprises. (NAN)
ROK/AIB/OOK
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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde and Dayo Komolafe

NAN-H-24

Kidnap

Lagos, Aug. 2, 2017 (NAN) A staff of Ikeja Local Government in Lagos State, Mr Shamsideen Omotayo, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on Agbowa-Imota road, near Ikorodu on Wednesday.

Sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Omotayo, a clerk in the council, was abducted on his way to work.

Mr Afolabi Olawale, Head, Public Affairs, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), who confirmed the kidnap, said that the abductors have contacted the council, demanding for N20 million ransom.

“Mr Omotayo was abducted at Imota on his way to work this morning.

“The kidnappers have contacted the Head of Administration of the council, Mrs Mosunmola Otaiku-Okoka and demanded for N20 million ransom,’’ the LNSC official said.

The Lagos State Police spokesperson, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said that the incident was reported to police in the area, adding that investigation was ongoing on the matter. (NAN)

BOM/ WOJ

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Accident
By Kola Adeyemi
Lokoja, July 31, 2017 (NAN) The FRSC  in Kogi has urged relatives  of the 13 dead victims of the July 28 tanker fire in Lokoja  to come out and  identify the corpses with a view to claiming them.

The Sector Commander in the state, Mr Segun Martins, who made the plea on Monday in Lokoja,  said that the corpses  were made up of   11 males and two females.

Martins told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the dead were largely the travellers  in a commercial Toyota Hiace bus which left Abuja either for  the South South Zone or South West Zone  on July 28.

He said the corpses were still being kept at the morgue of Hankuri Hospital in Lokoja, adding  that some of them were  still identifiable.

Martins  said that the bus was  believed to be owned by  Delta Line.

NAN recalls  that a collision between the bus and a petrol tanker at Felele area of Lokoja  ignited a fire which burnt the two vehicles and a commercial tricycle.

Ten people died  instantly while three others died in the hospital on July 29.

The sector commander called on  people whose relatives  travelled on the Abuja -Lokoja -Okene route on the  day and had  not heard from them to visit the morgue.

He, however, said the remaining six  victims were responding to treatment at the Federal Medical Centre  and the State Specialist Hospital,  all in Lokoja.

In a related  development, the Kogi State Polytechnic said a female student of the school died in the inferno.

The Public Relations  Officer of the polytechnic, Mr Tijani Yakubu,  who disclosed this to NAN on phone,  said some students also sustained injuries in the incident.

He said a team from the school had started visiting  hospitals to ascertain the exact number of students affected. (NAN)
KKA/OJO
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)

NAN-H-37

Driver

By Deborah Akpede

Lagos, July 31, 2017(NAN) A 24-year-old driver, Sefiu Oladokun, who allegedly absconded with his employer’s N144,000 was on Monday brought in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The accused is facing a count of stealing.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Yomi Egunjobi, told court that the accused committed the offence on July 24 at Oke-Odo market, Abule-Egba, Lagos.

Egunjobi said the N144, 000 belonged to Oladoku’s employer, Mrs Ronke Olorunda.

“The accused was a driver to the complainant but ran away with his employer’s money,’’ he said.

Egunjobi also said the complainant gave the accused some cartoons of noodles to deliver to one of her customers but failed to deliver the money from the delivery of goods to his employer.

“The complainant gave the accused some cartoons of noodle to deliver to a customer who needs them urgently.

“He delivered the goods, collected the money and absconded with it.

“Thereafter, the accused refused to pick the calls from the complainant, but he was later arrested by the police,’’ he said.

The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised).

The accused pleaded not guilty.

The accused risks three-year jail, if found guilty of stealing according to the provisions of Section 287.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.I Raji, granted the accused N 50,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

She said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The Magistrate adjourned the case until Aug.9 for mention. (NAN)

DOA/DEB/DUA