Category: General News

Man, 24, jailed 6 months for stealing canned beer, drinks

Stealing

By Joy Akinsanya

Abeokuta, June 14, 2024 (NAN) An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a 24-year-old man, Wisdom Emmanuel, to six months imprisonment for stealing canned beer and other soft drinks valued N216,000.

The convict, whose address was not provided, was convicted on a one-count charge of stealing.

The Magistrate, Mrs B.V Williams held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, while the defendant was guilty as charged.

She, however, sentenced Emmanuel to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp.Lawrence Olu-Balogun, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May. 18 at about 2:30am at No 2 Olubara Road Housing Estate, Ibara in Abeokuta.

Olu-Balogun said that the convicts broke into the shop of one Mrs Taiwo Olayinka and stole different brands of can drinks, and cartons of Indomie

“Emmanuel entered the shop of the complainant at mid-night and stole one pack of canned Guinness valued N12,000, 12 pieces of Lord’s dry gin valued N18000, 12 pieces of canned Bullet valued N24,000.

“He also stole eight cartons of Indomie valued N64,000, five packs of Maltina valued N20,000, six pieces of Five Alive valued N18,000, six pieces of 33 canned beer valued N5000.

“12 pieces of Goldberg valued N12,000, twelve pieces of Legend Stout valued N12,000, two pieces of Coca-Cola valued N700, and a cash sum of N20,000 all valued N216,000,” he said.

He further explained that the convict was caught by the patrol team of the police, while some of the stolen items were recovered from him.

The prosecutor, however, said the offence contravened sections 383 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun 2006. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

IOJ/AYO/MNA

Edited by Ayodeji Alabi/Maureen Atuonwu

Panel
By Monday Ajogun
Onitsha (Anambra), June 14, 2024 (NAN) The Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has set up a 10-member panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse of a five-storey building in Onitsha, Anambra.

The state Chairman of the council, Mr Victor Metu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Onitsha on Friday.

Metu said that the panel’s mandate was to unravel the truth about the cause of the incident.

He said that the panel was expected to interface with the building committee, the man who laid the foundation but later relieved of his job and Chukwuemeka Ugwuoke, who was later invited to continue with the job.

“I have a picture of the collapsed building, the second and third floor had a crack.

“It showed that it was not done by an engineer because of inconsistencies and corruption.

“I want to know why that was done, as it contributed to the failure of that project.

“We are inviting them and we are going to scrutinise each of them.

“At the end of the day, we are going to come out with a White Paper on the cause of the collapse to be presented to Gov. Charles Soludo,” the COREN chairman said.

He said that the panel is headed by Mr Sylvester Ezeaguyi, with other prominent professionals as members.

He gave assurance that the panel sitting would be made public. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

AJOM/OIF/USO
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Sam Oditah

Sentence
By Joy Akinsanya
Abeokuta, June 14, 2024 (NAN) An Abeokuta Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a 35-year-old man, Kabiru Lawal, to three months imprisonment for stealing goats and ram.
Lawal, who resides at Olomore area of Abeokuta, had pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of stealing and conversion.
The Magistrate, Mrs V.B. William, convicted Lawal, following his guilty plea to the charges preferred against him.
William, thereafter, sentenced him to three months each for the first and second counts, saying that the sentence must run concurrently.
She, however, gave him an option of restituting the amount of the goat and ram to the complainant.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Lawrence Olu-Balogun, told the court that Lawal committed the offences sometime in June 2023 at No. 47, Kuforiji Olubi drive, Abeokuta.
Olu-Balogun said that the defendant fraudulently obtained eight goats and one ram, all valued at N300,000, property of one Mr Ibrahim Akanbi, under the pretence of helping the complainant sell the goats and ram.
“The complainant gave the defendant eight goats and a ram to help him sell them, but the defendant sold all of them and converted the money to his personal use.
“After committing the crime, he ran out of Ogun state without remitting the money to the complainant, but was later caught,” he said.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened the provisions of Section 419(b) and 390(3) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006 (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
IOJ/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Rep. empowers 250 constituents

Empowerment

By Sunday John

Wamba, (Nasarawa State), June 14, 2024 (NAN) A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Jeremiah Umaru, on Friday empowered no fewer than 250 members of his constituency.

Umaru, who represents Akwanga/Nasarawa-Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency of Nasarawa, distributing the items at the Wamba Local Government Council, said the beneficiaries were drawn from the 35 electoral wards of the constituency.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items included refrigerators, sewing machines and grinding machines.

NAN also reports that Akwanga has 11 electoral wards, Nasarawa-Eggon has 14, while Wamba has 10 respectively, bringing the total to 35.

Umaru said that five persons were carefully selected from each of the electoral wards and the remaining 75 slots were allocated to stakeholders and community leaders.

“This is to appreciate them for their votes, support and prayers in the last one year, ” he said.

The lawmaker explained that similar gestures were done in the past to support his constituents in farming, as well as trading in order to make their lives worthwhile.

According to the lawmaker, the beneficiaries cut across party lines.

“Though, I am a member of APC, but as it stands I am representing everyone in my constituency.

“My major interest is to better the living conditions of my constituents irrespective of political party affiliations,” he said.

Umaru further said that he had sponsored 10 bills and moved eight motions in the last one year in the House, in addition to the empowerment items being distributed to the people.

“Some of the bills have passed first reading and if they are finally passed and signed by the President, commercial activities and life generally will be better for our people.

“My focus is to change the narrative and give my constituents the best representation they deserved to justify their choice at the polls,” Umaru said.

The lawmaker had also distributed over 1000 bags of 50kg rice to the 35 electoral wards to enable them celebrate the forthcoming sallah.

Some beneficiaries, who spoke to newsmen appreciated the lawmaker for the gesture and prayed God to continue to guide and protect him.

Hussaini Alaku and Hanatu Sunday, members of APGA PDP from Nassarawa-Eggon LGA, said that the member had distinguished himself and demonstrated that indeed the people are the reason for democracy.

“He is carrying everybody in the constituency along without discriminating on the basis of political parties as such, we will reward him at the appropriate time,” the duo added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng).

SDJ/BEN/AMM

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Edited by Benson Ezugwu and Abiemwense Moru

Food security: NANTS, AGRA inaugurate rice processing centre in Niger

Inauguration
By Rita Iliya
Minna, June 14, 2024 (NAN) The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) in conjunction with Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), has inaugurated a rice processing centre in Niger state.

The project was inaugurated at Gidan Mangoro, Gbamanda community of Bosso Local Government Area of the state on Friday under the AGRA/Niger state consortium.

Dr Ken Ukaoha, President of NANTS said at the inauguration and distribution of Point of Sale (POS) to corporative groups, that the centre would add value to food security and improve productivity.

He added that the centre would provide means of livelihood as more people will go into farming due to the proximity of the centre.

“Rice and maize are major commodities produced in large quality in the community, farmers will not have to travel long distance again to process their crops,” he said.

He lauded Gov. Umaru Bago for the massive investment in agriculture and advised women and youths to form cooperative groups to benefit more from the agriculture revolution.

In his remarks,  Mr Godswill Agwuyi, representative of AGRA disclosed that AGRA was working in 16 local government in rice, maize, soyabean value chain.

He said the focus was to support smallholder farmers to transform from small to large farmers, adding that the centre will help farmers process their products without traveling to another location.

In his speech, Gov. Bago commended AGRA for its intervention as it had become a household name in the state.

Bago, represented by Dr Matthew Ahmed, Permanent Secretary of Niger Ministry for Agriculture, advised various cooperative groups to take advantage of the centre to improve on their production.

“Aside processing crops, the centre will also create job opportunity and women groups are the major beneficiaries, you use the facility to create wealth,” he said.

While appreciating the donor for the facility Alhaji Sani Adamu, the Village Head of Gidan Mangoro, promised that the facility would be used to improve production and adequately maintained. (NAN)
RIS/EAL

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Edited Ekemini Ladejobi

Tax
By Yetunde Fatungase
Abeokuta, June 14, 2024 (NAN) Ogun Government says it is working round the clock to ensure harmonisation of taxes and levies to reduce incidence of double taxation that may affect the revenue base of businesses in the state.
Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Adebola Sofela, said this during a visit to the Managing Director of Nestle Nigeria, Mr Wassim Elhusseini, on Friday.
Sofela said that his visit was occasioned by the need to boost the existing relationship between the state government and its various stakeholders and to further collaborate and share ideas on areas of common interest.
He expressed the Gov. Dapo Abiodun-led administration’s commitment to capacity building at all levels.
As a practical demonstration of this, the commissioner said that that technical schools across the state were being upgraded to ensure companies that did not have any gap in power to fill the technical needs.
Sofela, who was accompanied by top management staff members of the ministry, stated that the present administration had improved land administration system to enable investors get title documents without delay in order to leverage for financing.
He said that government had been creating new industrial clusters to take care of the new influx of investors and prepare for the future.
The commissioner appealed to the various companies across the three senatorial districts to consider the qualified residents of the state for employment, as part of efforts to promote their relationship with host communities.
“We are working to ensure harmonisation of taxes and levies to reduce the incidence of double taxation.
“The governor is particularly interested in creating an enabling environment for business to thrive, considering government’s huge investments in security and infrastructure,” he said.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the firm, said that 80 per cent of his company’s investments were domiciled in Ogun.
According to Elhusseini, the state government is in the right direction with its business-friendly policies. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
YAF/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Eid-el-Kabir
By Salif Atojoko
Abuja, June 14, 2024 (NAN) President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja for Lagos state on Friday ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
This is contained in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, in Abuja.
The statement said the President would observe Eid-el-Kabir in Lagos, where he would also spend the Sallah holidays.
“The President will mark the occasion in prayers and reflection on advancing the transformation of Nigeria in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda,” said the statement. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
SA/JNC
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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Project

By Joshua Olomu

Abuja, June 14, 2024((NAN) The French Embassy in Nigeria, through its Cooperation and Cultural Department, has launched a plastic waste management project to be executed in 13 Nigerian universities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Sebastien Bede, Science and Higher Education Attache, stated this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, the  project, under the French Embassy Fund(FEF), is worth €753,000 and is  focused on developing innovative and adaptive ideas for reducing plastic waste and enhancing campus sustainable practices.

He said a steering committee  has been set up involving , participating universities, representatives of  the National Universities Commission, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, and the Ministry of Environment.

Bede said the benefiting universities include the Alex Ekwueme Federal University; Bayero University, Kano, Nile University of Nigeria, Covenant University; Babcock University and  the University of Jos.

Others he said, include  Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Yaba College of  Technology, University of Calabar, University of  Nigeria Nsukka and the University of Delta.

“Plastic waste is a pressing global issue and through this project, we aim to  reduce the plastic footprint on Nigerian campuses.

“It will  also inspire a new generation of environmental stewards who can champion the cause for a plastic-free world starting with their immediate communities.

“I also see the opportunity that we organise a study tour in Nigerian universities, French universities, business schools, and engineering schools, to discuss cooperation.

“Whether it is for plastic recycling or any other areas of cooperation, we are willing to open the cooperation to more universities in Nigeria.

“A key component of this project is sustainability and that is why I said that we have also co-designed a business model for these microplants, and  total amount for this project is €753,000,” he said.

Bede added that the components of the project for deployment within the next 18 months include delivering two micro plants co-designed by and for two universities, research initiatives in innovative solutions for sustainable development.

He added that  circular economy, qualitative value chain, gender inclusivity, and entrepreneurship to support the research projects, and an exchange programme between Nigerian and French researchers  were also parts of the project’s components.

In her remark, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, Vice-Chancellor of  the University of Lagos, said the project is not just about money but about value delivery, especially through students.

“I think it is with the young ones  we can find that and we have to ask them, we have to test whatever hypothesis we have, and that you can only do on the campus in the university, so it’s a lot of work.

“We have already started it at the University of Lagos and we do know that students will do it, but not every student is doing it.

“Right now, with what we already do, we make about a million from waste but it is ploughed back, and we still have a lot of waste to get rid of.

“So working with the French government and the other French universities, we will be able to up our game, improve the technology, and we’re looking at technology that’s robust that we can use .

“We looking forward to the micro plans because it is going to make what we do more efficient, we already have things to help with sorting but it is  not enough,” she said.

Also, Prof Dilli Dogo, Vice Chancellor,Nile University of Nigeria, said  about 70 per cent of the component of waste generated in Nigeria is food waste or recyclable organic waste.

Dogo, who was represented by Prof Abdulhameed Mambo, Dean  Faculty of Environmental Science, said recyclable waste comprises vapour, metals, as well as plastic which is about 30 per cent.

“If you look at that 30 per cent again, around 10 per cent is made of plastic, and this is what you see outside campuses.

“But studies carried out in Nigeria found close to 60 per cent of the waste component on campus, while the food component and the other components are quite low,” he said.

The FEF-funded project is an initiative of the French government as part of the global dynamic to fight against plastic pollution.(NAN)(nannews.ng)

JOSH/EAL

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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi

Katsina Hisbah shuts down hotel for allegedly lodging underage girls

Hisbah
By Abbas Bamalli

Katsina, June 14 (NAN) The Katsina State Hisbah Board has ordered the immediate closure of New Palace Hotel, located within the metropolis, over  allegations of corrupting the morals of underaged girls.

Dr Aminu Usman (Abu Ammar), the Hisbah Commander General in the state confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Katsina.

He said the hotel was found to be violating an agreement earlier reached with hoteliers across the state.

“The hotel violated the board’s regulations by allowing underage girls to stay at the premises.

“The board discovered that two underage girls were lodged in the same room during a recent inspection, which contravenes the hisbah laws.

“This is the second time such an offence was committed at the New Palace Hotel, inspite of previous warnings by the board and a promise by the hotel’s management to stop such incidents.”

He added that during a collaborative meeting with hotel managers across the state, they agreed that no hotel would accommodate underage children.

“Due to the hotel’s failure to comply with the board’s regulations and meet the stipulated conditions, we have decided to shut it down with immediate effect.

“We remain committed to enforcing reforms and instilling discipline that aligns with the religious and cultural values of the state under the rule of law to ensure lasting peace,” the commander said. (NAN)
AABS/SH

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edited by Sadiya Hamza