Blog

 
NAN-H-23
Witness
Abuja, Nov. 3, 2016 (NAN) Mr Richard Ihediwa, a witness in the ongoing trial of former National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisah Metuh, said on Thursday that the N400 million Metuh got was disbursed as directed.
Ihediwa, led in evidence by Mr Emeka Etiaba (SAN), counsel to Metuh, told the Abuja High Court that former President Goodluck Jonathan gave the directive on how the amount was to be spent.
He said that N21 million was paid to Chief Tony Anenih, former PDP Chairman, for a property acquired for use by the party as its media intervention centre.
He added that although the property, located in Asokoro area of Abuja, did not belong to Anenih, he assisted the PDP media team headed by the accused, in securing it.
“The amount covered the cost of hiring the structure, utility vehicles as well as security gadgets at the centre,’’ he said.
The witness also told the court that various sums were paid to some groups coordinated by some government functionaries, including late Oronto Douglas and Mallam Abbah Dabo.
He said he was not very certain about the amount released to late Douglas, but added that N25 million was released to Dabo as mobilization for advocacy groups, in line with the directive.
Ihediwa said the former president also approved different amounts for some other groups and Metuh disbursed the funds to them accordingly.
He said because of the tension and high level of insecurity across the six geo-political regions of the country then, there was the need for government to mobilise various advocacy groups to stabilise the system.
Meanwhile, Justice Okon Abang has reserved ruling for Nov. 15 on applications filed by the defence counsel.
WS/EMO/PAD
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Edited by Ejike Obeta, controlled by Peter Dada

NAN-AE-12

Pest
By Chukwuemeka Opara
Ikwo (Ebonyi) Nov. 3, 2016 (NAN) The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has advised rice farmers to plant early in order to prevent “rice gall midge pests attack’’ on their farms.

Mr Ben Odoemena, IFAD Country Programme Officer in Ebonyi, gave the advice on Thursday when he was inspecting some rice farms owned by the programme’s beneficiaries at Ikwo and Izzi council areas of Ebonyi.

He said that the solution to check the pests attack was for farmers to plant early, as those who did so were often not affected by the attack.

“The rice farms planted early were not affected by the gall midge attack but those farmers who did not plant early were affected.

“We are presently consulting with experts on pest control to discover ways of breaking new grounds on the use of chemicals.

“We hope to attain the best chemical-usage approach in controlling pest attacks, to give rice production a more disciplinary approach,” he said.

Odoemena commended the farmers for effectively adopting IFAD improved varieties and practices which had contributed to yield of rice per hectare in 2016.

“They have also effectively applied fertilisers and chemicals in the best form, which implies that our intervention has yielded fruits on their ventures.

“Their crops yield has improved with accompanying increase in cultivated farmlands and income after sales of their produce.

“Most of them cultivated five hectares from the minimum cultivation requirement of one hectare, while they recorded five tonnes per hectares yield from previous low figures.”

The IFAD official also said that IFAD was assisting the farmers in implementing dry season farming, to meet all- year- cultivation requirements.

Mr Sunday Ituma, IFAD Project Coordinator in Ebonyi, said that the agency had implemented stipulated programmes which greatly benefited farmers.

“We have trained extension agents and liaison officers to effectively demonstrate our technological modalities to farmers in their various farms.

“We also adequately monitor the extension agents and liaison officers’ activities to ensure effective compliance while receiving feedback from the farmers on the tutelage given to them,” he said.

Mrs Jane Ogodo, A rice farmer in Ndierukwu Community of Izzi urged IFAD to assist farmers in checking pest attacks and to get irrigational facilities for dry season farming.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Odoemena led team inspected rice farms and clusters at Ekpomaka in Ikwo and Ndierukwu in Izzi council areas respectively.

The team also had interactive sessions with the farmers. (NAN)

RCO/AOS/MO
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Morayo Omolade

NAN-H-64
Women
Bauchi, Nov.3 2016 (NAN) No fewer than 450 women in Dass Local Government Area benefited from  training programmes sponsored by the member representing  Dass State Constituency  in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Mrs Maryam Bargel.

Begel, who is also the Chairman,House Committee on Women Affairs and the only female member of the House,, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Thursday that the women were trained on  improved farming methods to boost farming activities in the area.

According to her, women as vulnerable members of the society need to be engaged in various activities that would impact on the society.

She said women in Dass area were known to be fully engaged in farming, as such needed to be trained on how to improve their output.

The lawmaker said apart from imparting knowledge on farming techniques, some of the women were also given additional training on poultry farming, as well as the production of local insecticide, soap and pomade.

“ In all the 79 polling units in my constituency, five women were selected for the training so that there will be representation and everyone is carried along,’’ she said. (NAN)
AE/ASH/ASH

NAN-F-18

Jail

Tel Aviv, Nov. 3, 2016 (dpa/NAN) A 16-year-old Palestinian on Thursday was sentenced to life in prison for killing an Israeli woman and must pay the mother-of-six’s family a total of 454,000 dollars, a military court in the West Bank ruled.

The Palestinian killed a woman in the settlement of Otniel in the south of the West Bank and was arrested shortly thereafter.

Israel and the Palestinian areas have suffered a wave of violence since October 2015.

The violence includes knife attacks launched by Palestinians protesting the on-going occupation and perceived Israeli violations denied by Israel at a disputed Jerusalem holy site.

The violence has resulted in more than 37 Israeli deaths and more than 200 dead Palestinians, many of whom died while carrying out attacks.

In October 2015, more than 600 attacks were reported by Israel’s security agency, Shin Bet. (dpa/NAN)

OYE/IS

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Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Ismail Abdulaziz

NAN-H-22
Training
Bauchi, Nov. 3, 2016 (NAN) The Bauchi State Health care Development Agency has advised policy makers in the state health sector to adopt data from research findings to reduce infant and maternal mortality in the state.
The Chairman of the agency, Mr Adamu Gamawa, said this on Thursday in Bauchi during the training on “ Moving Evidence to Policy Project’’.
It was organised by the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN) in collaboration with the West African Health Organisation.
Gamawa said: “Results of data collected at the end of researches will be a stepping stone for policy makers to improve on maternal, neo- natal and child care in the state.
“There should be a connection between research and implementation so that the data can be used to formulate policies that can reduce maternal and infant mortality as well as improve primary health care,’’ he said.
Also, the chairperson of FOMWAN Bauchi Chapter, Hajiya Yagana Gidado, in her remarks said that Toro Local Government was selected for the pilot exercise.
Gidado said that `house visit’ was selected as the method used in conducting the research on issues affecting mothers and their children.
“For the pilot exercise, we chose the `house visit method’ to enable us to bypass the structural obstacles that prevent women from attending pre-natal meetings.
“We spoke, one-on-one, with women and men to educate them on symptoms and dangers of maternal issues as well as preventions and the way forward.
“From the data collected so far, we have started recording behavioural change; more people have begun to visit hospitals on issues affecting their health.
“We intend to disseminate the findings of this research to the appropriate policy makers so that the data result will be used by government and non-governmental organisations in formulating policies on maternal health,’’ she said.
Gidado commended the agency for its support in the on-going research and pledged to spread the exercise to the 20 local government areas in the state.
Earlier in his speech, Dr Emel Johnson, an official of West African Health Organisation, said that the goal was to improve the health situations of mothers , child and new-born through strengthening of the system.
He said that Bauchi State was selected as the first centre for such training because of its numerous health care activities and applauded the state government for the effort.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-day training had participants from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as NGOs in the state. (NAN)

AE/HAS/PAD
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Edited By Hajia Sani, controlled by Peter Dada

NAN-DS-6

Inmates

By Moji Eniola

Badagry, Nov. 3, 2016 (NAN) The Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade, on Thursday released 11 inmates at the Badagry Prisons during her maiden jail-delivery in the prison.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this is the first visit by Atilade to the Badagry Prison in her tenure as the Chief Judge of Lagos.

The Badagry Prison which has a capacity for 160 inmates is currently holding 370 inmates, out of which 207 are convicted and 163 are awaiting trial.

Atilade, said that the visit was for amnesty purposes.

“This is the first visit by me and my team to the Badagry Prisons to release inmates and those incarcerated unduly.

“Today, a number of inmates are qualified for amnesty and will breathe the air of freedom, the purpose of which is not only for them to be released but to contribute meaningfully to society,” she said.

The chief judge urged the Badagry Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and other Non-Governmental Organisations to take up cases of inmates probono to help with the administration of criminal justice.

“This amnesty is provided for in Section 1(1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Special Provision Act and Section 35 of the 1999 constitution.

“You are hereby released conditionally from custody without prejudice to further proceedings against you. I enjoin you to go and sin no more,” the chief judge cautioned.

NAN reports that names of 174 inmates were submitted to the Prison Decongestion Committee to review for amnesty but was narrowed to 12 inmates.

One of the inmates could not be released because a lot of information was missing in his file making 11 the number of inmates eligible for release.

In his address of welcome, the Officer in Charge of the Badagry Prison, Mr Timothy Tinuoye, said that the prison was currently experiencing various infrastructural challenges.

Tinuoye, who was represented by Mr O.O Oladokun, said: “The prison has only one vehicle which conveys all the inmates to eight different courts daily and there is insufficient fund to maintain the vehicle.”

Atilade also made a brief stop at the Shola Thomas Courthouse for an inspection of the facility and later held a closed door meeting at the courthouse with the Chairman of the Badagry Chapter of the NBA, Mr Deyon Kiki. (NAN)

MAE/MNA/IS

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Edited by Maureen Atuonwu/Ismail Abdulaziz

NAN-F-12

Pilgrims

Vatican City, Nov. 3, 2016 (dpa/NAN) The Jubilee of Mercy, a year-long Catholic festival due to wrap up in two weeks, has attracted more than 20 million pilgrims to Rome, a Vatican official said on Thursday.

The official dismissed claims that the festival had been a flop.

The special event, called by Pope Francis and also known as a Holy Year, opened on Dec. 8 and ends on Nov. 20.

It offers the faithful a special chance to make pilgrimages and seek a general pardon for their sins as they walk through a holy door.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who heads a Vatican department that is organising the festival said that as at October ending, 19,797,653 people had walked through the jubilee door in St Peter’s Basilica.

“Daily arrivals hovered around the 60,000-mark in the last weekend, the archbishop added:

“I have reason to believe that today we are likely to have reached 20 million (arrivals) and the Jubilee is not over yet.

“When I read headlines about the jubilee being a flop, there is no limit to imagination, however, news should not be based on imagination”, he said.

The closing schedule of the jubilee foresees pilgrimages and meetings with the pope for more than 1,000 prison inmates from Italy and Spain by weekend.

This will include murder convicts and 6,000 homeless people from across Europe the following weekend.

The final ceremonies are scheduled to take place on Nov. 19-20.

Francis is set to appoint 17 new cardinals on the Saturday, and they will celebrate with him a closing Mass in St Peter’s Basilica the next day. (dpa/NAN)
OYE/IEA
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NAN-DS-5
Fire
By Bosede Olufunmi
Kano, Nov. 3, 2016 (NAN) The Kano State Fire Service recorded 38 cases of fire outbreaks in October, which destroyed goods worth N36.6 million.

The Director of the State Fire Service, Alhaji Mustapha Rilwan, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Thursday.

He, however, put the estimated property saved from the fire during the period at N87 million.

“We also received 118 rescue calls and 28 false alarms from the public, ’’ he said.

Rilwan said that 149 lives were saved from the fire incidents, while 16 others were lost.

The director advised the public to be cautious during the harmattan period.

He also advised the public to avoid storing petrol in the house to avoid fire disaster. (NAN)
BO/JPE/AJA
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(Edited by Joseph Edeh/Adeleye Ajayi)
 

NAN-H-20

Drinks

By David Adeoye

Ikole(Ekiti) Nov 3, 2016 (NAN) Two accused persons, Babajide Adu, 19 and Modupe Ajayi, 30, were on Thursday arraigned in Ikole Ekiti, over the theft of a crate of soft drinks and other items.

The accused persons were brought before an Ikole Magistrates’ Court for allegedly conspiring with others at large with intent to commit felony on Oct. 16.

According to the police prosecutor, Sgt Gbenga Adebayo, the accused persons and others at large conspired to commit the offence at about 8am, on Irode Street, Oke-Ijebu Ekiti.

Adebayo said that the accused persons broke into the shop of one Idowu Oyeyemi in Ikole Ekiti and stole one crate of soft drinks and other provisions valued N35,000.

He said that the accused persons had in their possession some property reasonably suspected to be stolen items.

The prosecutor said the offences were contrary to and punishable under sections 516,413(1) and 430(2) of the Criminal Code Cap 16 Vol 1, Ekiti State Laws of Nigeria 2010.

The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of N50, 000 and one surety each in the like sum.

The Magistrate, Mr Adedayo Oladija, said that the sureties should reside within the jurisdiction of the court and adjourned the case till Nov 10 for hearing. (NAN)

DAK/SOA

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Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

NAN-H-21
Skill
By Muhammad Baba Busu
Lafia, Nov. 3, 2016 (NAN) Hajiya Salamatu Al-makura, the wife of the Nasarawa State governor, says that her NGO will soon commence the training of some internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Shabu and Shinge camps in various skills acquisition.
Al-makura told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lafia that her NGO: Mother and Child Care Foundation ((McCEF) ,was set for the training of the IDPS.
NAN reports that Shabu and Shinge camps are located in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
“Already some key staff of my NGO have been mobilised for the training of the IDPs”, to make them become self reliant, she said.
According to her, the gesture will promote productivity amongst the IDPs who had been forced out of their places of abode but should not remain idle.

The governor’s wife promised to assist the less privileged in the society to improve their standards of living through her NGO’s pet project.
She said that the training would also keep them away from criminality, adding that, “an idle mind is a devil’s workshop”.
She said such skills would keep those in the camp busy in the pursuit of their legitimate livelihood and encourage them to promote harmonious relationships.
The wife of the governor said that those that would be meaningfully engaged in economic activities would not likely succumb to act of lawlessness.
Al-makura’s wife also disclosed that she had donated: rice, beans, grains, bags of Semovita and indomine packs worth thousands of naira to the IDPs’ camps.
She said that the gesture would cushion the hardship that the IDPs might be facing having fled their natural homes.
The governor’s wife urged the IDPs to remain steadfast while she prayed that God should continue to sustain them in their present predicaments. (NAN)
BAB/COO/PAD
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Edited by Cecilia Odey, controlled by Peter Dada