Blog

NAN-H-10

Robbery

By Carol Utulu

Asaba, Nov. 12, 2016 (NAN) The Police in Delta has arrested a gang of robbery suspects, who disguise in military uniforms and rob victims of their valuables in Warri and environs.

A statement by SP Celestina Kalu, spokesperson of the police command in the state, said the suspects were arrested on the Evereni axis of the East-West road, after a police Dragon patrol intercepted a tricycle.

“On Nov. 10, 2016, a Dragon patrol team, while on duty along Ughelli/Patani road at Evereni, intercepted one tricycle with two different registration numbers: Delta PIN 504 UP at the rear and YEN 403 QU at the front.

“The tricycle was driven by one Obinna Emele.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect claimed he was sent to deliver the tricycle to one Chigozie Uzodibe at Patani.’’

The statement said that while the suspect was being interrogated, one Kingsley Izunna and Ikechukwu Okonoma, both residents of Port-Harcourt, emerged in a green-coloured BMW car and claimed ownership of the tricycle.

According to the statement, shortly after, a lady, Mercy Itedjere and one Mr Akinbehinje Folorunsho of Bunkery road Ekpan, came to the scene to claim that the said tricycle was snatched from them in Ekpan on the same day.

“They said four men dressed in military uniform operating in a green-coloured BMW car snatched the tricycle from them while they were riding along Bunkery road in Ekpan,’’ Kalu said.

She disclosed that upon searching the car, two Nigerian Army camouflage uniforms, one other uniform belonging to NIMASA, one walkie-talkie, and six different handsets were recovered.

The police spokesperson said that one stamp and ink pad, cash receipt booklet bearing – Izu Kings oil and gas Port-Harcourt and seven forged vehicle particulars were recovered.

She said the suspects were members of a notorious robbery gang, which usually operate in a green-coloured vehicle around Warri.

The statement explained that the four suspects are currently under investigation. (NAN)
CVU/AIB/YEE

Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Emmanuel Yashim

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FG to stop wheat importation from Russia soon, calls for investment in agriculture.

NAN-H-4

Wheat
By Isaac Aregbesola

Abuja, Nov. 12, 2016 (NAN) The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs,  Hajiya Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, has said that Nigeria will soon stop the importation of wheat from Russia. .

Abba-Ibrahim, represented by Amb. Baba Garba, Director, European Affairs in the ministry, made the disclosure at the end of the fourth Joint Commission meeting between Russia and Nigeria in Abuja on Friday.

“We import a lot of wheat from Russia and we are telling  Russia that this has to stop.

“We want the Russian companies and farmers to come to Nigeria to show us how we can grow our agriculture sector with modern technology,” the minister said.

The Russian delegation was led by Mr Dianov Alexandar Yurievich, Deputy, Head Russian Delegation  in Nigeria.

Abba-Ibrahim said the meeting was to foster the existing relationship between the two countries and noted that Nigeria and Russia had enjoyed cordial relations over time.

“Russia has always been in support of Nigeria at different international fora, it has been in support of Nigeria in the area of fighting terrorism,” she said.

Abba-Ibrahim said the meeting considered various areas of cooperation, including solid minerals, atomic energy, trade, power, works and housing, transport, petroleum, communication, water resources, defence, agriculture and health.

She said Russian companies expressed interest in investing in some areas of the Nigerian economy, especially in pursuing the diversification of the economy through mining, agriculture, among others.

“We have two agreements on military cooperation which we have negotiated and are likely to be signed very soon.

“They are on technical cooperation, training and purchase of modern military equipment at a moderate prices than going into the international market,” she said.

Yurievich lauded the cordial relations between the two countries.

He said that the expert meetings showed that many Russian companies were interested in investing in Nigeria, while Nigerian companies also showed interest in Russia. (NAN)

IAA/JCE
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Chukwudi Ekezie

Gov Oshiomhole passes hands over notes to Obaseki
NAN-H-
Hand Over
Benin, Nov 11, 2016 (NAN) Gov Adams Oshiomhole of Edo on Friday in Benin passed on his hand over notes to Governor-Elect Godwin Obaseki.

He gave the  documents  to Obaseki at exactly 8:44pm on Friday.

Oshiomhole said that the governor-elect is   familiar with the information contained in the documents as he had been part of his administration as head of his economic team.

” I hand over the comprehensive hand over note and formerly bring to a close my tenure”, Oshiomhole said.

Oshiomhole hoped that the governor-elect would do well for the people.

Obaseki, who will be sworn-in on Saturday gave assurance that he would put in every pint of his sweat and energy into the governance of the state.

He thanked Govs Simeon Lalung of Plateau and Mohamed Abubakar of Bauchi for witnessing  the presentation of the hand over notes.

Oshiomhole thereafter formerly announced the dissolution of the State Executive Council. (NAN)
DCO

Skye bank takes over Obat Oil depot
NAN-H-
Order
By Sandra Umeh
Lagos, Nov. 11, 2016 (NAN) A Federal High Court in Lagos has given Skye Bank Plc the legal backing to take over Obat Oil and Petroleum Ltd’s depot over an alleged N2.1billion debt.

Justice Jude Dagat asked  the  Inspector-General of Police, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police to assist in the enforcement of the order.

The order followed an Originating Motion by the bank seeking the enforcement of an arbitral award dated Aug. 7, 2015.

Skye Bank had sought to recover a debt of N2. 1billion owed it by Obat Oil and Petroleum.

The loan was guaranteed by Oba (Dr.) Frederick  Akinruntan.

The bank further sought to recover 15 per cent interest on the amount from April 2014 till the liquidation of the debt.

The case was taken before an arbitrator, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), during which Obat Oil and Dr. Akinruntan appealed for concessions and waivers on the amount of accrued interest.

The Arbitrator had held that it would be fair and equitable to award N1.4 billion to the claimant, which represents the amount the respondents admitted as being outstanding balance as at March 31.

Babalola also awarded 10 per cent interest annually on the N1.4billion from the April, 2014, till final liquidation of the amount.

The bank, however, alleged that Obat Oil and Dr Akinruntan failed to comply with the Arbitration Award.

It applied to the court to order the award’s enforcement.

Granting the application, Justice Dagat made an order granting Skye Bank leave to enforce the Arbitration Award against the respondents.

In compliance with the order, Skye Bank took steps  Friday to enforce the Arbitration Award against Obat Oil and Petroleum and Oba Akinruntan.(NAN)
UNS/
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NAN-H-84
Advice
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Nov. 11, 2016 (NAN) Bishop Sunday Onuoha, Executive Director, Nigerian Interfaith Action Association, has advised Nigerian youths to stop celebrating corrupt leaders and avoid being used by politicians for their selfish gains.
Onuoha gave the advice in Abuja on Friday at the Christian Youth Conference with the theme: “Setting an Agenda for the Christian Youths in Nigeria.”
He said that young people should be encouraged to see that it was good to do right things and have confidence in the system that when people should be punished when they commit offence.
“We don’t need to celebrate corruption and evil. It is wrong for youths to celebrate and  demonstrate on behalf people who have stolen their money.
“Youths need to tell them to return our money, build industries and factories because if 20 or 30 of Dangotes are in Nigeria there would be employment everywhere.
“People stole this money and banked them in foreign countries, something is wrong with the system.

“When you celebrate sin and evil to the extent of giving titles to corrupt people even in churches and villages shows that something is wrong.
“Young people want to see that when people commit a crime, they are punished for it’’, he said.
The cleric said that Nigerian youth were intelligent people who could match their mates anywhere in the world if given the opportunity.
He added that youths needed to be given opportunity to showcase their capability, stressing that the older people were not allowing the younger generation to have opportunity to express themselves.
According to him, young people need to reclaim their destiny. When youths show responsibility, elders will give them role to function.

Mr Daniel Kadzai, President, Youth Wing, Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), said the conference was to reawaken the consciousness of the Christian youths on the need to set agenda for the government.
Kadzai said the programme was also borne out of the desire of the youths to seek a redress to the prevailing situation in the country.
He said youths would be able to contribute their quota to the development of the nation through faithfulness to the teaching of the Bible.
According to him, a situation where young people celebrate people with questionable character is not good for the progress of the country.
“Today in Nigeria, even churches appoint people to positions on the basis of the material or financial contribution to the church not minding their character.
“The church must go back to the drawing board by teaching the fundamentals of the Bible and act according to the provisions of the word of God’’, he said.
YOWICAN president called on the political leaders to always have the interest of the masses at heart while formulating policies and programmes.
He called on youths to rise to the challenge of rebuilding the nation by learning how to hold their leaders accountable in order to discourage corruption. (NAN)
OYS/IEA
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Edited by Idahosa Asowata

NAN-H-53

Fraud

By Collins Yakubu-hammer

Abuja, Nov. 11, 2016 (NAN) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, arraigned Sada Adamu and Babatunde Faro at the Federal High Court Maitama in Abuja over charges of money laundering, false declaration of assets and fraud to the tune of one million dollars.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Mr Wilson Uwujaren, Head of Media & Publicity of EFCC and made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja on Friday.

One of the counts reads:

“That you, Sada Adamu, on or about the 2^nd day of March 2015 in Abuja made a cash payment of One Million Dollars being an amount exceeding Five Million Naira to Babatunde Faro.

“You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Act 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (2) (b) of the same Act’’, he said.

However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel to the accused, W. Y. Maman and W. T. Iorshe prayed the court to grant them bail pending the commencement of trial.

Counsel to EFCC, S. A. Ugwuebulam, asked the court for a date to commence trial.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba adjourned the case to Nov. 14 to rule on the application for bail and ordered the accused persons to be remanded in Kuje prison. (NAN)

CMY/AK/IEA

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NAN-H-80
Promotion
By Uche Bibilari
Abuja, Nov. 11, 2016 (NAN) Mr Gregory Olatunji, the General Secretary, National Union of Lottery Agents and Employees, has called on stakeholders in the lottery industry to develop a framework that would help promote lottery activities in the country.

Olatunji made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

He said the framework would be a step in the right direction that would facilitate mutual understanding between proprietors of lottery outfits and members of the public.

Olatunji said  owners of lottery businesses must assist the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to regulate and monitor their activities.

He said that such proper monitoring would help generate more money for the development of the country.

“We need a platform for all stakeholders to come together and iron out issues affecting the industry.

“They should come together and speak their mind so we can find a way forward,’’ he said.

Olatunji, who said that lottery was a game of chance, dismissed  the notion by some people that it  was gambling.

The general secretary said that lottery was played in developed countries as a means of creating wealth.

He said since lottery was a game of chance, there was tendency for somebody who had not played before to win.

“ I don’t agree with the notion that it is gambling because everybody knows that lottery is a game of chance; so if you are not ready for it don’t even go near it.

“Lottery is played in the developed countries as social responsibility and we can replicate the same in our own country,’’ he said.

He said that the framework would enable the regulatory body to witness the draw as there was no deceit in the game of lottery.

“There is no deceit in lottery activities; if the framework is put in place, then people will be eager to play the game because it is made transparent,’’ he said further. (NAN)
UU/DO/OJO
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( Edited by David Onilede/Mufutau Ojo)

NAN-H-79

Headquarter

By Desmond Ejibas

Port Harcourt, Nov. 11, 2016 (NAN) The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is to set up a taskforce to ensure completion of its 12-storey headquarter building before the end of fourth quarter of 2017.

Mr Nsima Ekere, Managing Director of NDDC, announced this when he led board members of the commission to inspect the building in Port Harcourt on Friday.

“It is very sad that we are inspecting a project 20 years after its commencement. We will look at causes of the delay, including the contractor’s capacity to deliver on this project.

“This project must be completed in time and we will not condone non-performance by our contractors because we will have the privilege of inviting Mr President to inaugurate the building”, he said.

Ekere described the number of abandoned NDDC projects in the region as worrisome and pointed out that audit would be carried out to prioritise them.

He said it was important to prioritise the projects to enable the commission to determine the projects it could afford to complete and make the most impact on communities.

The NDDC boss said the commission’s projects would henceforth be covered by bank guarantees to ensure their completion.

“Our legal department will prepare agreement performance guarantees and further payments for project will be guided by such agreements.

“We will check the number of new projects and then concentrate on completing ongoing ones because we are focused to complete our projects”, he said. (NAN)

DES/DO/IEA
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Edited by David Onilede/Idahosa Asowata

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NAN-HE-24

Incentive

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Lagos, Nov. 11, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Government on Friday said it would consider introduction of incentives to ensure listing of multinationals and telecommunication companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Vice President  Yemi Osinbajo  stated this during a courtesy visit to the management of the exchange and stock market community in Lagos.

Osinbajo said government would encourage more  companies to list on the NSE in order to create prosperity for the investing public.

“We are considering incentives regime that will enable businesses to thrive because as you know the immediate challenges are power, exchange rate and infrastructure, and all of these are things we are working on day by day basis.

“My interaction today with the council has helped in a great deal in understanding some of the issues and we are looking at a way we can deal with it,” he said.

He noted that the new investors of the privatised state-owned-assets had the prerogative to go public but the government could persuade the boards to list.

He said that government would work with the exchange to encourage an incentive regime to ensure listing of more companies on the NSE to create deepen the market.

The vice president said that partnership with the broker-dealer community was needed to tackle the present economic challenges.

Osinbajo stated that government would also support private sector partnership, noting that private sector holds the economy.

He said that private sector must work hand in hand with the government to tackle the country’s economic challenges.

“We must see ourselves as partners working together to move our nation forward,” Osinbajo said.

Also speaking, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, NSE Council President, who commended the vice president for the visit said that the exchange would work with the federal government to overcome economic challenges.

Aig-Imoukhuede said that the exchange had consulted with Osinbajo over time on difficult issues in the market and the economy.

He stated the NSE would follow up on the federal government’s plans for the market.

He said that the vice president had given hope and confidence to the market community to overcome the challenges facing the market.

“We are going through difficult times no doubt but very soon we will see better times,” Aig-Imoukhuede stated.

Alhaji Rasheed Yussuf, doyen of stockbrokers, said that the present government had taken some bold steps to strengthen the economy.

He called for proper interaction between the stock market community and the federal government to ensure growth and development of the economy.

Yussuf, who is also the Managing Director, Trust Yields Securities Ltd., urged Osinbajo to ensure the inclusion of one of the stockbrokers in the government economic team.

“We want to have one of us on the federal government economic management team to ensure friendly policies that will lift the market forward,” Yussuf said.

He said that most of the policies taken in the past were not investor friendly, noting that, the capital market was a barometer for any economy. (NAN)
JNC/YAZ

NAN-ELS-5
Invitation
By Collins Yakubu-hammer
Abuja, Nov.11, 2016 (NAN) Mr Han Sungrae, the Director of Korean Cultural Centre
in Nigeria, has invited Abuja residents to visit the Silverbird Cinema on Friday and Saturday to watch Korean movies for free.

The director told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that the free movies would be shown to end the Korean Cultural Festival.

He said “three movies will be shown for free to commemorate the Korean Cultural Festival.

“The plan Man’ was shown on Nov. 10., `A family comedy drama, ‘Born to Sing’
will be shown on Friday and ‘A Hard Way’ on Saturday, all at the Silverbird Cinema
in Abuja at 6 p.m.

“I call on Abuja resident to seize this opportunity and watch interesting Korean movies and also win prizes after the movie.

“There will be a raffle draw where people with tickets can win fantastic prizes.”

NAN reports that the Korean Cultural Festival is an annual event celebrated in
Abuja by the Korean community to celebrate their culture.

This year’s celebration started on Nov. 8 in Abuja with the Korean National Day Reception.

It will end on Nov. 12. (NAN)
CMY/HA
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