Blog

Treatment

By Nana Musa

Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) A 24-year-old electrician, Mike Okpara, sentenced to three months  in prison for stealing, on Thursday said that he committed the crime because he needed money to treat his painful haemorrhoids.

In his plea, after Mr Inuwa Maiwada, judge of a Karmo Grade I Area Court in Abuja sentenced him, he said: “My Lord please forgive me.

“Everyone I knew stayed away from me and refused to help me. The pile was growing bigger and I had complications.

“I was forced to steal the 32-inch Samsung plasma Tv, two clippers, six wrist watches, one power bank, two neck lace, two scrap phones and others because I needed money to treat my pile.

“I promise not to steal again..’

After listening to the plea, Maiwada gave the convict an option  to pay a fine of  N5,000, warning him to desist fromcrimes.

The judge advised him to work hard and always pray to God for assistance.

The convict had admitted committing the offence, and begged the court to temper justice with mercy.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Ijeoma Ukagha, told the court that Praise Omoike and Gedion Omoike, of Efab Estate Abuja, reported the matter at the Life Cam Police Station, Abuja, on Dec. 17.

Ukagha said that the convict broke into the complainant’s apartment on Dec. 14, while they were attending a “night vigil”.

She said that Okpara stole a 32-inch Samsung plasma Tv, two clippers, six wrist watches, one power bank, two neck lace, two scrap phones and two good phones.

She also said that the convict stole foot wears, a bag containing jewelries, one international passport, voters card and other vital things, all values yet to be estimated. (NAN)

NHM/SH

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efdited by Sadiya Hamza

Abduction
By Blessing Odega
Jos, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) ) A Jos Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama, on Thursday sentenced a job applicant, Umar Masadu, to two years’ imprisonment without fine option for abducting a minor.

The Presiding Judge, Mr Lawal Suleiman, gave the sentence following the guilty plea of the accused, the facts of the case and his plea for leniency.

Suleiman said that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to those who would want to indulge in the crime.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported at the Laranto Police B Division on Sept. 13, by Mr Yunusa Mohammed, who resides at No. 25, Enimeke St., Kasuwan Nama.

Gokwat said that the accused, who had no fixed address, abducted Mohammed’s six-year-old cousin on his way to an Islamic school and took him to an unknown destination.

The prosecutor told the court that the abduction occurred on Aug.16.

He said that the accused admitted committing the crime during police investigation.

The prosecutor noted that the offence contravened Section 272 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

UBO/HS/IGO
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Edited by Halima Sheji/Ijeoma Popoola

Strike
By Angela Atabo
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN)The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the lingering strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) will have serious impact on  preparations for the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

Mr Festus Okoye, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, made this known in Abuja at a one-day seminar on Media and Gender Sensitive Reporting of Elections.

According to Okoye, it is next to impossible for the members of the National Youth Service Corp to provide all the ad-hoc staff needs and requirements of the commission.

He said that over 70 per cent requirement in some states of the federation were drawn from students of federal tertiary institutions.

“For the 2019 elections, INEC will recruit and deploy over one million adhoc staff made up of lecturers and students in federal tertiary institutions and corps members.

“These category of adhoc staff will serve as returning officers, collation officers, supervisory presiding officers and assistant presiding officers.

“The bulk of assistant presiding officers will be drawn from students of institutions, INEC is presently organising root training for corps members and wants to begin that with students.

“So it is important and imperative that they are in school a month before the election for this to happen.,” he said.

Okoye therefore called on ASUU and the Federal Government to quickly and genuinely resolve the lingering impasse that led to uncertainty in the education sector.

He said the resolution of the problems that led to the strike would be in the national interest and Nigeria’s democracy.

Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, Chairman, Outreach and Partnership Committee INEC, said that the seminar was organised to brainstorm on new ways to use media to promote gender equality in the electoral process.

Ogunmola said that the commission understood the indisputable role of the media in setting and resetting the mindset of electorates to make the 2019 elections more gender sensitive.

He said that beyond the freedom to vote and adherence to electoral laws, a free and fair election was also about a participatory process where voters were well informed to make right choices.

Ogunmola added that the media serve this role through objective and impartial reporting of political events which help to shape public opinion and deepen democracy.

He urged the media to plan contents that would support gender in their reportage of the electoral process to ensure inclusiveness.

Mr Lansana Wonneh, representative of UN Women, said that when politics is inclusive and women participate, the results would be better.

Wonneh said that Nigeria leads Africa in almost everything except in terms of female participation in governance and politics where Nigeria was among countries with the lowest number.

“We are several weeks away from the general elections and this seminar could not be more appropriate.

“At UN Women, we are working with INEC to make sure that there are efforts in making elections free and fair and inclusive especially gender inclusive,” he said.

He urged the media to use it’s power to promote women in politics to change the narrative. (NAN)
ATAB/CHOM/MZA
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Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Maharazu Ahmed

NBA roundup: Rockets sink record 26 3-pointers
NBA
Houston, Dec.20, 2018 (Reuters/ NAN) James Harden continued his torrid scoring but received plenty of help as the Houston Rockets set an NBA single-game record, by sinking 26 3-pointers in a 136-118 victory over the visiting Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
Harden scored 35 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 6-of-11 success on 3-point attempts, to lead the Rockets to their fifth consecutive victory.
Houston shot 55.3 per cent overall, drilling 26 of 55 3-point tries.
With the outcome well in hand and Houston reserves on the floor, the partisan crowd begged for 3-pointers in the waning moments until Michael Carter-Williams sank the record-breaker with 31.1 seconds remaining.
With nine assists, Harden finished just shy of posting a double-double, a feat accomplished by teammates Clint Capela (20 points, 12 rebounds) and P.J. Tucker (11 points, 11 rebounds).
Chris Paul added 21 points and eight assists. Bradley Beal led Washington with 28 points.
Rudy Gobert stopped a Golden State run with a late dunk, and Utah used superior 3-point shooting to record a victory in Salt Lake City.
Jae Crowder, Joe Ingles and Kyle Korver combined for 13 3-pointers, helping the Jazz outscore the Warriors 48-30 from beyond the arc en route to a win that evened the season series at a win apiece.
The Jazz held the Warriors scoreless over the final 1:13, including a missed 3-point attempt by Kevin Durant that could have tied the score.

Ingles finished with a team-high 20 points, Crowder had 18, and Gobert and Donovan Mitchell added 17 apiece for the Jazz, who won their fourth straight at home.
Stephen Curry put up a game-high 32 points and Durant added 30 for the Warriors, who had won their previous four road games.
Final scores Jazz 108, Warriors 103.
Fred VanVleet made a 3-pointer with 25.9 seconds to play to give injury-depleted Toronto a one-point lead, and the Raptors overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat visiting Indiana.
Kawhi Leonard had 28 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and four steals for the Raptors, who had lost their two previous games.
Pascal Siakam had 17 points and seven rebounds, Greg Monroe added 13 points and eight rebounds and VanVleet had 11 points.
Victor Oladipo scored 20 points for the Pacers, who have lost two in a row after winning seven straight.
Final scores Raptors 99, Pacers 96.
Forced into an expanded role thanks to a pair of suspensions, Paul George turned in yet another big-time performance for Oklahoma City by scoring 43 points in a win at Sacramento.
While George started in his typical spot, he also served as the Thunder’s backup point guard after the NBA levied one-game suspensions to Dennis Schroder and Raymond Felton earlier in the day.
Russell Westbrook had his eighth triple-double of the season (19 points, 11 rebounds, 17 assists).
Buddy Hield scored a career-high 37 points for Sacramento, hitting seven 3-pointers. De’Aaron Fox added 28 points and 12 assists in the loss.
Final scores Thunder 132, Kings 113.
Kelly Oubre Jr. bombed in a 3-pointer with 49.9 seconds left in his Phoenix debut, helping the Suns hold on to beat host Boston.
In running their winning streak to four games, the Suns fell immediately behind 11-2 before pulling ahead by as many as six in the second quarter and eight in the third.
The win at Boston was Phoenix’s first since November 2014.
Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with game highs in points (29) and assists (10).
Pistons 129, Timberwolves 123 (OT)
Blake Griffin poured in 34 points, Reggie Bullock had a career-high 33, and Detroit topped Minnesota at Minneapolis.
Reggie Jackson contributed 24 points and six assists for the Pistons while Andre Drummond supplied 16 points and 16 rebounds. Drummond’s basket in the final second of regulation sent the game to overtime.
Derrick Rose had 33 points and seven assists to lead Minnesota. Robert Covington tossed in 22 points, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins added 16 apiece.
Final scores Pistons 129, Timberwolves 123 (OT).
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to help Milwaukee post a victory over visiting New Orleans.
Malcolm Brogdon added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Khris Middleton had 14 points for the Bucks, who won for the fifth time in the past six games.
Anthony Davis registered 27 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes for the Pelicans despite missing the second quarter and the first half of the third due to illness.
Jrue Holiday had 25 points and 12 assists for New Orleans.
Final scores Bucks 123, Pelicans 115.
Joel Embiid had 24 points and 10 rebounds for his 28th double-double this season, carrying host Philadelphia past New York.
Ben Simmons turned in his fourth triple-double of the season with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the Sixers, who improved to 15-3 at home.
Simmons has 16 career triple-doubles, good for second place in franchise history behind only Wilt Chamberlain.
Tim Hardaway Jr. paced New York with 27 points while rookie Kevin Knox added 21. Enes Kanter had 15 for the Knicks, who have lost eight of their past nine games.
Final scores 76ers 131, Knicks 109.
Kemba Walker snapped out of a recent slump with 30 points, and host Charlotte ended a two-game losing streak by beating Cleveland.
Walker erupted for 17-points in the third quarter, when the Hornets outscored the Cavs 41-29 to assume control. The Hornets scored only 41 points in the first half, a season low. Charlotte has won four of its past six.
The Cavaliers, who were playing the second night of a back-to-back after winning at Indiana on Tuesday night, were led by Jordan Clarkson’s 20 points.
Final scores Hornets 110, Cavaliers 99.
Damian Lillard scored 24 points to lead Portland past visiting Memphis.
Meyers Leonard came off the bench to chip in 12 points and eight rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who won their third consecutive game.
Mike Conley scored 23 points and Marc Gasol had 14 points and nine boards for the Grizzlies, who lost their fourth straight game and fell for the sixth time in seven outings.
Final scores Trail Blazers 99, Grizzlies 92.
Joe Harris hit the go-ahead basket with 43 seconds left as Brooklyn continued its surge with a win at Chicago.
Harris’ driving layup off the glass provided the 23rd and final lead change in a gritty defensive battle that also featured 21 ties. The victory was the seventh straight for the Nets, who have the longest active winning streak in the NBA.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored a game-high 27 points and Jarrett Allen had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets. Dunn scored 24 points for the Bulls, who have lost two straight and 12 of 14.
Final scores Nets 96, Bulls 93.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 20 points on 6-for-9 shooting in just three quarters of play, and San Antonio stayed hot from 3-point territory while posting an easy victory at Orlando.
San Antonio has won two straight and six of seven. The loss snapped the Magic’s two-game win streak and denied Orlando a season sweep of the Spurs.
Marco Belinelli scored 18 for San Antonio, while DeMar DeRozan and Bryn Forbes added 17 points each.
The Spurs outshot the Magic 64.9 percent to 38.2 percent from the floor. D.J. Augustin led the Magic with 17 points. Final scores Spurs 129, Magic 90. (Reuters/NAN)
ERO/SA

Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Salif Atojoko
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Imprisonment

By Dorcas Elusogbon

Ile-Ife (Osun), Dec 20, 2018 (NAN) An Osun Magistates’ Court sitting in Ile-Ife, on Thursday, sentenced one Kayode Soyemi, 52, to one month in prison for contempt of court.

Magistrate Ishola Omisade sentenced Soyemi after he refused to attend his trial on Dec 17,  after the court ruled that he must be present.

Omisade said that sentence would serve as deterrent to others who disrespect court orders.

He, however, held that the convict should serve out his term or pay an option of N10,000 fine.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Christian Olajide told the court that the convict committed the offence on Dec 17, 2018 around 9 a.m. at Ile-Ife Chief Magistrates’ Court I.

Olajide said that the accused refused to attend  his trail when his case MIF/310/2018, Commissioner of Police Vs Kayode Soyemi was called.

He added that the convict was not in court contrary to the court ordered that he should be coming to court on  hearing of the case.

The prosecution, said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 133 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.

The accused Counsel, Mrs Innocental Akhigbe, had urged the court to tamper justice with mercy, saying that her client always attends his trial. (NAN)

EDA/EOB/SH

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edited by Edith Bolokor/Sadiya Hamza

Sentence
By Ugochi Ugochukwu
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court in the FCT on Thursday sentenced four labourers to five months’ imprisonment each for stealing N8,000.

Bello Adamu, 23; Mubarrack Ibrahim, 25;  Abdulkareem Mohammed; 28 and Jamilu Ahmed, 25, all residents of Utako Village in Abuja, were  convicted of conspiracy and extortion.

Although the judge, Alhaji Inuwa Maiwada, gave them an option to pay N5,000 fine each, they could not pay the fine and were taken to prison.

The judge warned them to desist from crime.

The Prosecutor, Mrs Ijeoma Ukagha, had told the court that the convicts blocked one Mr Hudu Haruna, dragged him to an unknown place, brought out knifes, threatened him and collected his cell phone  and N8, 000.

She said that Haruna went to buy food when the incidents occurred.

The prosecutor said that a vigilance group in the village caught the convicts and handed them to the police.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the alleged offences contravene Sections 79 and 292 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

UGO/HS/IGO
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Edited by Halima Sheji/Ijeoma Popoola

Health

By Lizzy Okoji

Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) The D-8 organisation for Economic Cooperation has said that it will strengthen Nigeria’s health system as part of its programmes  to enhance economic development among member countries.

Dr Ado Muhammad, the Special Adviser, D8 Health and Social Protection Programme, made this known on Thursday in Abuja when he appeared on the News agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum.

Muhammad said that the organisation was targeting five areas of intervention in the health sector, including expanding Primary Health Care services in member countries, tackling communicable diseases and tackling issues of clinical governance.

“We are looking at five areas of interventions, we are looking at how we can expand primary health care services in member countries in terms of nutrition, immunisation, tackling maternal mortality and tackling child mortality.

“These are areas that we find across board is affecting member countries particularly; there are countries like Nigeria that has high burden with regard to these indices.

“We want to see how we can tackle non communicable diseases because as economy progresses, as member countries move from high income to low income you start seeing less of infectious diseases and more of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

“Thirdly, we also want to tackle the issue of clinical governance and quality of care in the health system because it is one thing to have a health system and another thing to have quality health system that works.

“We will also see how we can unlock the huge potential of the health sector along the value chain between member countries.

“Ill-health and poverty are interlinked; ill-health and hunger are interlinked; so we want to see how to tackle those three so we have complimented that intervention with the Social Investment Programme,’’ Muhammad said.

According to Muhammad, to achieve development and economic growth, there is the need for a working and quality healthcare system, hence the nexus between development and health.

He explained that bearing in mind the importance of health as a key factor for economic development, the D8 as an organisation, was diversifying to health as another area of cooperation.

He listed other areas of intervention to include unlocking the huge potential of the health sector along the value chain and Social Investment Programmes to address health-induced challenges.

Muhammad pointed out that for the economy of Member States to grow, it was important to strengthen the health sector which was a major stimulant for economic development.

He also said the D8 under its health interventions would be strengthening the health system of member countries in other to achieve universal coverage as the agenda of World Health Organisation.

“We should be able to improve our health system to similar organisations like the G8 countries,’’ Muhammad added.

The D-8 Special Adviser also noted that all developed countries in the world were able to attain development by having very strong health system.

According to him, a study has shown that for every one dollar that is invested in health, you get a return of about 20 dollars in the near 10 to 15 years.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that D-8, an acronym for Developing -8 countries,  is an organisation for development and cooperation among eight countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey.

Established in 1997 its main objectives are to improve Member States position in the global economy, diversify and create new opportunities in trade relations and improve standards of living.

During its last summit in 2017, the D8 expanded areas of cooperation to Science and Technology, health, innovation, environment and some other issues. (NAN)

LIZ/DCU/YEE

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Edited by Donald Ugwu/Emmanuel Yashim

Trader
By Deborah Akpede
Ikeja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) A 26-year-old trader, Amoo Sabode, on Thursday appeared in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for a allegedly stealing a cellphone valued at N48,000 and N96,000 belonging to two police officers.

The police charged Sabode, who lives in Agege area of Lagos, with stealing.

Police prosecutor, Sgt. Innocent Odugbo, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Nov. 14 at Pen-Cinema, Agege, Lagos.

He said that the accused, visited a friend at the police station, sneaked into one of the offices and stole a phone valued at N48,000 and a cash of N96,000 belonging to Jamiu Obiyemi and Olufunke Oni respectively.

The prosecution said that the phone was tracked and recovered from the accused in Ondo State.

The offence, he added, contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Section prescribes three years jail term for stealing.

Following Sabode’s plea of not guilty, Magistrate Mrs S.K Matepo, admitted him to bail in the sum  of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum.

Matepo ordered that the surety must be gainfully employed and show evidences of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government(LASG).

The magistrate adjourned until Dec. 28, for further hearing. (NAN)
DOA/SH

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Shipping

By Uchenna Eletuo

Lagos, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Thursday, said it would take the necessary steps to curb the untold hardship being faced by Ports users due to the burden of congestion.

Hadiza Bala-Usman, NPA Managing Director, who gave the promise while speaking with newsmen in Lagos, said the authority was determined to especially curb traffic among other things.

Bala-Usman, while reeling out reform measures by the organisation, said that it would take immediate effort to halt loss of investment capital and man hour.

She said that there would be an increase in rent-free period for cargoes housed in the terminals, from the current three free days, before commencement of rent charges to 21 free days, adding that the exercise,however, last four months.

The managing director also said that there would be an increase in the demurrage free period on return of empty containers from 5 days to 15 days for four months.

She said: “Shipping companies should immediately deploy sweeper vessels to evacuate empty containers from the Ports to clear the backlog of empty containers littering the country.

“Within four months, the authority will encourage the use of Onne Ports for such sweeper vessels.The Nigerian Customs Service is urged to immediately commence the process of auctioning of overtime cargoes.This is imperative as the Ports are meant to be transit and not storage facilities.

“Auctions should be carried out on the spot at Port locations and every buyer will be given short period to evacuate the cargoes out of the Ports, after which they will be re-auctioned, “ she said.

Bala-Usman, however, urged terminal operators to negotiate and grant waivers to consignees to facilitate the evacuation of the cargoes and militate against auctioning.

“The authority wishes to state that these measures are emergency steps taken to immediately reduce the financial burden of congestion on citizens, the Federal Government has proceeded to permanently resolve the congestion through the following:

“Reconstruction of the Ports access road, the provision of trailer park and holding bays with e-call up system, the enhancement of cargo evacuation, using rail transportation and inland waterways with barges among others.“ (NAN)

EUC/FF/DUA
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Dada Ahmed