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  • Nigeria Youth League will expose budding talents, CEO says

    Nigeria Youth League will expose budding talents, CEO says

    Players

    By Emmanuel Jonathan

    Abuja, June 10, 2024 (NAN) The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria Youth League (N-Youth League), Robinson Adakosa says the  League will expose budding and  skillful players to limelight.

    Adakosa stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

    He said that the management of the league would ensure that its objective of getting the best legs from the grassroots was actualised.

    He thanked the Ministry of Sports Development for endorsing the upcoming N-Youth League.

    Adakosa  also expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and the Federal Capital Territory Football Association (FCT-FA) for their support.

    He said the endorsement by the football bodies was a proof that the sports administrators want the best for the country’s football from the grassroots level.

    The administrator said that their actions also showed that they believe in the youths to be the projectors of Nigerian football to the outside world.

    He promised not to let Nigeria down, adding management will give its best in ensuring that the objective of the competition was strictly adhered to.

    “Our target is to expose budding, skillful and talented players to the national and international limelight.

    “Our target is equally to promote Nigerian football on the global stage. So, with the endorsement of the League, we promise not to let Nigeria down.”

    “We will make sure that the League is in line with the best global practices and regulations governing football worldwide,” Adakosa stated.

    While noting that registration for participating clubs has commenced since June 1, he urged that the rules and guidelines should be strictly followed.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2024 Nigeria Youth League will commence in September. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    EIJ/MUYI/JPE

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    Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh/Joseph Edeh

     

  • NAF engineers undertake 4800-hour inspection on DO-228 aircraft

    NAF engineers undertake 4800-hour inspection on DO-228 aircraft

    Inspection

    By Sumaila Ogbaje

    Abuja, June 10, 2024 (NAN) In a significant engineering milestone, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) engineers have, for the first time, successfully undertaken a 4800-hour Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) on a Dornier -228 (DO-228) aircraft.

    This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, on Monday in Abuja.

    Gabkwet said that such level of scheduled maintenance on the DO-228 aircraft, previously performed by foreign Maintenance Repair Organisations (MROs), was completed at a significantly cheaper rate and with reduced aircraft downtime.

    In his remarks, the Chief of Aircraft Engineering (CACE), AVM Pius Oahimire, said that the completion of the in-country PDM was a major boost to capacity building and demonstrated a newfound confidence in aircraft maintenance in the NAF.

    Oahimire said the motivation for the feat was no doubt derived from a key enabler of the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Command Philosophy which harped on prioritising logistics support and strong maintenance culture.

    He commended the Unit Commander, AVM Olanrewaju Oyename, for his exceptional leadership and creating the enabling environment for his engineers to thrive and achieve this remarkable milestone.

    Oahimire encouraged the engineers to continue striving for excellence, adding that the NAF would remain committed to providing the necessary support and conducive working environment for personnel to function effectively and achieve the service’s mission objectives.

    He appreciated the CAS for his unwavering commitment to ensuring quality aircraft maintenance in the NAF.

    On his part, the Air Officer Commanding, Air Training Command, Kaduna, AVM Nnamdi Ananaba, expressed delight at the command for the attainment of the feat.

    Ananaba said that the vision for the 431 Engineering Group Kaduna, was to be an MRO, saying the accomplishment of the 4800-hours inspection indicated that the vision was achievable.

    Earlier, the Commander, AVM Oyename, said the inspection of the aircraft which was designated NAF 031, began in May 2021 but faced several delays, primarily due to challenges in acquiring necessary spare parts.

    He praised the determination, commitment, and expertise of the engineers and technicians who undertook the historic task.

    According to him, this is the first PDM on a NAF aircraft conducted entirely by NAF personnel in the First Engineering Unit of the NAF at the Premier NAF Base in Kaduna.

    The Commander emphasised the need for NAF engineers to undertake further specialist training to enhance their maintenance capabilities.

    In his remarks, the Commanding Officer of 30 Engineering Wing, Wing Commander Micheal Aransiola, explained that the 4800-hours inspection was the highest level of maintenance carried out on the DO-228 aircraft.

    Aransiola said the PDM was done in five-phase processes, saying that Phase one involved acceptance, documentation and docking while the Phase two included paint stripping and removal of components.

    According to him, Phase three focused on repairing discrepancies; Phase four involved reinstallation of components and operational checks; and Phase five concluded with ground checks, taxi checks, and a Functional Check Flight.

    “The successful completion of the 4800-hours inspection marks a new era of self-reliance and technical proficiency for the NAF,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    OYS/AMM

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    Edited by Abiemwense Moru

  • Police arrest robbery suspect, recover weapon in Delta

    Police arrest robbery suspect, recover weapons in Delta
    Suspect
    By Edeki Igafe
    Warri (Delta), June 10, 2024 (NAN) The Police Command in Delta has apprehended a robbery suspect and recovered an AK-47 rifle with 13 rounds of ammunition from him in Sapele.
    SP Bright Edafe, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command disclosed this to newsmen on Monday in Warri.
    Edafe said that the 55-year-old suspect was arrested on Saturday by a Police Special Patrol.
    He said that police special team deployed to Ughelli, led by ASP Julius Robinson, intercepted the suspect at the Jesse junction in Sapele Town and effected his arrest.
    “Acting on credible intelligence at about 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, operatives on Special assignment led by ASP Robinson stormed Jesse junction and effected the arrest of the suspect.
    “Upon search of the suspect’s residence, a locally fabricated Ak-47 rifle with revolver-like magazine and 13 rounds of 7.6mm ammunition were recovered,” he said.
    Edafe said that the suspect was also suspected to be a member of the Eiye confraternity.
    The Police spokesman said that the suspect would be prosecuted at the completion of investigations. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    EDI/AOS
    =========
    Edited by Bayo Sekoni

  • Zelensky refutes Russian claims of village capture in Sumy region

    Zelensky refutes Russian claims of village capture in Sumy region

    Claim

    Kiev, June 10, 2024 (dpa/NAN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Russian statements regarding the capture of a village in Ukraine’s north-eastern Sumy region.

    “As of this morning, the Russian flag in the village (of Ryzhivka) has been destroyed, and there are no occupiers present,’’ Zelensky wrote on Telegram on Monday.

    He added that the alleged conquest of the village was a Russian propaganda campaign.

    On Sunday evening, the head of Russia’s semi-autonomous republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, stated that a special unit had seized the border village of Ryzhivka.

    Ryzhivka is in the Sumy region and inflicted significant losses on Ukrainian forces.

    However, military observers quickly cast doubt on the claim, although for weeks there has been mounting speculation about Russian troops opening another front in Sumy.

    Ukraine has been fending off an all-out Russian invasion for more than two years. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    COO/AMM
    =========

    Edited by Cecilia Odey and Abiemwense Moru

  • Tariff hike: N230m monthly electricity bill not sustainable – Unilorin VC

    Electricity bill
    By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
    Ilorin, June 10, 2024 (NAN) Vice-Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, says the institution’s monthly electricity bill has jumped from N70 million to N230 million.
    Egbewole, in an e-mail message sent to staff members and students of the university, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Monday in Ilorin, said that the new monthly electricity bill was not sustainable.
    He said that the recent hike in electricity tariffs by Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) had seriously affected the institution’s budget.
    Egbewole, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), stressed the urgent need for critical re-assessment of the current electricity usage in the university.
    He appealed to both staff members and students to adopt more responsible electricity consumption habits and support the administration’s efforts to implement some cost-saving measures.
    According to the vice-chancellor, the management has intensified efforts in negotiations for alternative power supply to the university.
    He said that all the buildings under construction in the Faculties of Agriculture, Arts, Environmental Science, Law and Social Sciences would include provisions for alternative power sources as part of their designs.
    He added that strategies were being developed to ensure that all faculties and units were equipped with reliable alternative power options.
    Egbewole also stressed the need for safeguarding the new facilities from theft and vandalism, adding that they should be protected and maintained. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    FATY/WAS
    Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

  • South-East among highest in human trafficking — NAPTIP

    South-East among highest in human trafficking — NAPTIP

    Trafficking
    By Ifeoma Aka
    Enugu, June 10, 2024 (NAN) Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, Director General (DG) of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), says the South-East ranks among the regions with the highest human trafficking infractions in the country.

    Waziri-Azi said this on Monday at the opening of a one-day workshop organised in Enugu by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), in partnership with NAPTIP.

    He was represented at the eveny by the Director of Research and Programme Development in the agency, Mr Josiah Emerole.

    The NAPTIP boss said that the essence of the workshop was to validate the report of the baseline carried out for the advocacy project by NAPTIP and ICMPD.

    The ICMPD is an inter-governmental organisation with headquarters in Vienna, Austria, with 20 member states.

    According to him, the project was carried out in the five states of Enugu, Edo, Delta, Benue and Ogun.

    Waziri-Azi said that Enugu was chosen as one of the pilot states because of the high rate of human trafficking in the zone.

    He described human trafficking as the second major crime in the world but regretted that “Nigerians see it as a minor crime.”

    He encouraged stakeholders to pool resources and collectively fight the menace.

    According to him, the fight against human trafficking is a collaborative one because anybody can be trafficked, both young and adult, in the name of making money.

    “It is time to say no to sexual exploitation, use of children to make money and organ harvesting because those children are our future hope,” he said.

    He urged people to take the campaign to their various communities for effective sensitisation.

    In an opening remark, the Head of West Africa Region of ICMPD, Mr Mojisola Sodeinde, lauded the significant steps taken by spme people in the fight against human trafficking.

    Sodeinde, represented by ICMPD’s Project Coordinator, Mrs Rhoda Dia-Johnson, thanked their partners from NAPTIP, government officials, educational leaders and members of civil societies at the event.

    He said that their commitment was fundamental to the success of the school’s Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project.

    “The necessity of this project cannot be overlooked, with over 75 per cent of trafficked victims in West Africa being minors, as the urgency of our mission is clear.

    “Our collective goal is to embed a strong educational framework within our schools that will not only inform and protect our students but also empower them to be vigilant guardians of their own futures,” he said.

    According to Sodeinde, ICMPD promotes innovative, comprehensive and sustainable migration policies to harmonise and make migration management more efficient.

    “It also functions as a service exchange mechanism for governments and organisations.

    “ICMPD does this by using a holistic three-pillar approach – research, capacity building and migration dialogues, funded by the European Union under the framework of the project Support to free movement of persons and migration in West Africa (FMM),” he said

    Sodeinde said that the FMM West Africa project is co-funded by the European Union and ECOWAS and being implemented by IOM, ICMPD and ILO.

    “Within this context, ICMPD supports NAPTIP to strengthen the agency’s capacity in the areas of training and public education.

    “Through this action, human trafficking concepts are infused into the school curricula at primary and secondary school levels.

    “This innovation was achieved in collaboration with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.

    He said that ICMPD and NAPTIP recently collaborated with the National Commission for Colleges of Education to infuse trafficking concepts into teacher training curricula for NCE teachers, while updating the NCE minimum standards to include awareness on the issues of trafficking.

    “Today, we embark on a crucial journey starting with the selection of 50 schools in Enugu that will become the pillars of our project, where young minds will be nurtured to recognise, resist, and report the dangers of human trafficking.

    “Our activities will include indepth discussions and collaborations to finalise the schools’ selection and review and validate our baseline report.

    “This report is not just a document; it is a blueprint that will guide our strategies and actions in the coming year.

    “As we move forward, let us remember that the essence of our work is to safeguard our future, a future where every child can pursue education without fear, and every community can thrive free from the chains of exploitation,” Sodeinde said.

    Also contributing, the Commissioner for Education in Enugu State, Prof. Leonard Mbah, represented by his Permanent Secretary, Mr Patrick Ochi, promised to take the sensitisation to secondary schools, where clubs would be formed to educate students on the dangers of the crime.

    Also, the Chairman, South-East Traditional Rulers Council, Chief Samuel Asadu, urged the organisation to partner celebrities to achieve speedy awareness. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    IFO/KOO/USO
    Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Sam Oditah

     

  • Commission engages youths on consumer protection initiatives

    Commission engages youths on consumer protection initiatives

    Youths
    By Ginika Okoye
    Abuja, June 10, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has began engagement with students of tertiary institutions to sensitise them on their consumer rights and responsibilities.
    Dr Adamu Abdullahi, the acting Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, said in Abuja on Monday, that the engagement was to equip youths with the knowledge to make consumer protection easier.
    Abdullahi said the move was to create a generation of informed and proactive consumers to promote fairness and accountability in the market place.
    He said the Commission had recognised the potentials of youths as agents of change in the market place.
    ”We believe that youths are the ones who go to the market, use social media, know what the market is all about and they can guide us on the way we do our work.
    ”We will also guide them on our Acts to know what their rights are.
    ”Advocacy is what is always needed in a Commission like ours so we want them to know that we exist to protect their rights,” he said.
    The acting executive vice chairman said the Commission would review secondary schools’ curriculum to upgrade consumer education and sensitise students on their rights and responsibilities.
    Abdullahi said that a committee was working on the review to come up with up-to-date and standard curriculum to sensitise children at a younger age.
    ”What we are trying to do is to review the curriculum so that children from that tender age will get to know what the FCCPC does.
    ”We want them to know what their rights are and to educate them on their responsibilities, demand and insist on your rights, ”he said.
    Some of the youths who spoke through webinar, emphasised the role of the youths to support the Commission to ensure effective consumer protection.
    Mr Ibrahim Sanni, a corp member, said the population of the country was youths dominated.
    Sanni said that if youths were adequately sensitised and they know their rights, service providers would be careful in treating consumers.
    Mr Bashiru Ibrahim, a student, said that there was need for consumer protection courses to be included in school curriculum to better educate youths.
    Also, Ijeoma Nnabuike, appealed to the Commission to extend their advocacy to primary schools to enable pupils know their rights at a younger age. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    GINI/EAL
    =======
    Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi

  • FAO to distribute farm inputs to 26,750 vulnerable households in NE

    FAO to distribute farm inputs to 26,750 vulnerable households in NE

    Farming

    By Hamza Suleiman

    Maiduguri, June 10, 2024(NAN) The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) says it is supporting 26,750 vulnerable households in the North-East with productive agriculture assets to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

    Mr. Dominique Kouacou, the FAO Representative ad-interim in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, stated this on Monday at the launch of the 2024 Rainy Season Input Distribution in Maiduguri, with the  theme, “Good Prospects for Improving Food Security’’.

    Kouacou disclosed that no fewer than 9,975 households in Borno state would benefit from the FAO intervention

    He said that the support by FAO would help the households to mitigate the escalating food insecurity and build resilience of returnees in their settled communities.

    “It is our expectation that these interventions will improve food production, income generation and build resilience among conflict-affected returnee households,’’ he said.

    Kouacou said the gesture was in fulfillment of his commitment to support Nigeria to strengthen the resilience capacity of displaced persons.

    “You will recall that a few months ago in Abuja, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, while presenting the result of the March 2024 harmonised food security analysis for 26 states and the FCT noted that 31.8 million people in the analysed states were in a food insecurity situation.

    “Out of the projected population, 4.84 million people are in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

    “The report shows an increase in the number of people projected to experience high acute food insecurity compared to the 4.4 million reported during the October 2023 analysis.

    “All the vulnerable populations require protection, interventions in addition to food, livelihood, and nutrition assistance,” he said.

    He added that FAO had been implementing extensive programme targeting IDPs, returnees and host communities in the three states most affected by conflict in the northeast.

    “FAOs vision of zero hunger as highlighted by the SDG2 guides our intervention through procurement and distribution of nutrient dense vegetables, cereals, and legume quality seeds and NPK fertilizers.

    “We are doing these with the funding support from four financing partners, including the Governments of Norway, United States of America, Switzerland, and the European Commission,” he said.

    Also speaking, Alhaji Bawu Musami, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources said that the occasion was one of the yearly events of FAO, characterised with distribution of crop production inputs to farmers.

    Represented by, Bulama Gana, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the commissioner said that the program also aimed at curtailing problems faced by farmers in accessing agricultural inputs.

    He recalled that the state government recently released 312 tractors and implements for the 2024 wet season in order to increase food production and ensure food security

    The commissioner said the machines were to cultivate farmlands in all the accessible farms across the State free of charge.

    On his part, Borno Governor, Babagana Zulum, acknowledged the strategic role being played by FAO, particularly in assisting victims of insurgency and to bring about viable and sustainable peace and security in the state.

    Represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Usman Kadafur, the governor said his administration would continue to solicit the cooperation of international organisations in addressing the multifarious challenges of development confronting the state.

    “As you are aware, Borno State is essentially an agrarian state and the majority of the people are engaged in various aspects of agricultural activities.

    “The distribution of these crop production inputs will therefore encourage our farmers to be more determined in engaging in farming activities.

    “Agricultural production is one of the cardinal policies of our Ten-Pact Agenda, which has been strategically captured in the 25-year Development Plan and the 10-year Strategic Transformation Initiative.

    “This administration is therefore ever ready and willing to improve, not only the overall agricultural productivity in the State, but also to enhance the general standard of our rural farmers who constitute the majority of our teeming population.

    “In order to achieve this objective, there is a compelling need for governments at all levels to collaborate with our international partners in working hard to end the humanitarian crises caused by the insurgency in our State,’’ he said.

    The governor assured that his administration would continue to mobilise its scarce resources in ensuring that youths were given the opportunity to develop themselves for self-employment. (NAN)

    HMS/ROT
    Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

     

  • 2 men in court for allegedly stealing  N12m Oyo Govt. House bus

    2 men in court for allegedly stealing  N12m Oyo Govt. House bus

    Arraignment

    By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko

    Ibadan, June 10, 2024 (NAN) Two men, Mutiu Adeyemo, 50 and Michael Omidiji, 44, who allegedly stole a bus, property of the Oyo State Goverment, were on Monday arraigned before an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan.

    The men, whose addresses were not provided, were charged with conspiracy and theft, to which they pleaded not guilty.

    The Prosecutor, Insp Sikiru Opaleye told the court that the defendants allegedly committed the offences on Feb. 20, at 9.30 p.m, at Ikoloba area, Ibadan.

    He alleged that the defendants removed the bus, estimated to be worth N12 million, from where it was parked without the state government’s consent.

    Opaleye said that the defendants allegedly committed the offences contrary to Sections 516 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

    She thereafter adjourned the case until Aug. 12, for hearing. (NAN)
    CC/AOS
    =======

    Edited by Bayo Sekoni

  •  NPFL: Turnout at Rangers, Enyimba game excites football enthusiasts

     

    NPFL: Turnout at Rangers, Enyimba game excites football  enthusiasts

    NPFL

    By Chimezie Anaso

    Enugu, June 10, 2024 (NAN) Football  enthusiasts were excited at the large turnout  of football fans at the Rangers International FC of Enugu and Enyimba FC of Aba, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on Sunday.

    In spite of the late minute disruption of the Match day 35, spectators  were excited with the  scintillating display of skills and energy from both teams before the game was abandoned.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 22,000 capacity stadium was filled to capacity with about the same number standing in the overflow section.

    Rommy Ezeonwuka, Managing Director of Rojenny Stadium and Games Village, Oba near Onitsha,  said the crowd at the stadium was a reminder of the golden days of the Nigerian football league.

    He expressed happiness that the Nigerian league which had been abandoned for European leagues could be appreciated once again in his time lifetime

    “What I saw can only be compared to the crowd that we used to have at Rojenny Stadium in the 90s and early 2,000s during the days of the defunct Udoji United FC.

    “I am impressed with the crowd in Enugu, that is how our league used to be before European football killed it. I am hopeful that our football will be great again; I hope to see Rojenny come alive again.

    “I cannot talk about what led to the abandonment of that beautiful match but our league officials must convince us that they mean well, how the whole crowd can be against their decision,” he said.

    Also speaking, Olisa Onuchukwu, an ex-Rangers International player, said the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium had not seen such a crowd since it was inaugurated in January 1986.

    Onuchukwu said the game would have gone down as the greatest in the history of the league if not for the last minute confusion.

    Ikem Asika, an ace sports journalist, regretted the circumstances that brought the game to an abrupt end.

    He called on the officials of the football league to be careful in their decision in order to save the game from disrepute.

    NAN reports that a win would have guaranteed Rangers the league trophy while a victory for Enyimba, would have given them an advantage over Remo Stars…

    Rangers FC currently have 61 points from 34 games ahead of Enyimba`s   59 points from the same number of matches and Remo with 59 points from 35 games.

    (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    APC/JPE

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    Edited by Joseph Edeh