FRSC urges stakeholders to sensitise motorists on importance of speed limiting device

NAN-DS-2
Device
By Muhammad Bashir
Dutse, Oct. 28, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has called on stakeholders in Jigawa to assist in sensitising motorists on the importance of the Speed Limiting Device.

The Spokesman of the FRSC Command in the state, Mr Ado Adamu, said the Deputy Corps Marshall In Charge of Operations at the Corps’ headquarters, Abuja, Mrs Ejeme Erukjafor, made the call when she visited the state Sector Command in Dutse.

Erukjafor said this would help to reduce loss of lives through road crashes.

The spokesperson quoted the deputy corps marshal as saying that road transport unions were part of the decision reached in 2012 to ensure the use of the speed limiters in order to reduce deaths due to speeding.

She urged motorists in the state, especially commercial drivers, to comply with the directive.

She also called on the state government, religious leaders, traditional rulers and community leaders to assist toward reduction of road accidents in the state.

NAN recalls that the state’s Sector Commander of the corps, Mr Angus Ebezim, on Oct. 20 said the command had inspected 1,630 commercial vehicles for compliance with the installation of the Speed Limiting Device in the state.

Ebezim, however, said the level of compliance among commercial drivers across the state was not encouraging.(NAN)
MNB/AMY/AMY
Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

NAN-AE-2

Agriculture

By Suleiman Shehu

Ibadan, Oct. 28,2016 (NAN) The International Institutes of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, said on Friday that it was working to tackle constraints militating against massive production of cassava in Africa.

Dr Kenton Dashiell, IITA Deputy Director-General, Partnership, told newsmen in Ibadan that it had conducted a workshop on Wednesday with key stakeholders to identify vital elements needed to modernise cassava production in Africa.

The theme of the workshop was: “Integrated System for an Effective Cassava Production in Africa.”

Dashiell said that the workshop was meant to change the life of farmers positively and raise cassava production from subsistence to industrial crop.

“We want cassava to be an industrial crop, so that we can have massive garri production and as well extract other products to feed Nigeria and become highly profitable to farmers.

“The workshop would help farmers understand that cassava can be 100 per cent mechanised starting from land preparation, planting, weed control, harvesting among others.

“ There is no doubt that Nigerian government in various levels such as the federal, state and local government levels are very serious in agriculture.

“This informed the determination of IITA to be committed to food security and sufficiency in Africa and Nigeria in particular.”

Contributing, Dr Claude Fauquet, Director Global Cassava Partnership for 21^{st Century (GCP21), said that Africa and Nigeria needed to produce more food due to increase in population.}

Fauquet said that the population of Africa would double from now to 2050 and food issue was important, in view of the need to feed the population.

“We need to mechanise the production of cassava so as to produce in large quantity and make its price affordable to the large number of people, who consume it on daily basis.

“Africa’s production of cassava is 10 tons per hectare which is the lowest compared to Asia and India with 23 tons and 41 tons per hectare respectively,’’ he said.

Also, Mr Enock Chikava, Deputy Director, Agricultural Development, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said that the issue of development was very complex and require the contribution of stakeholders.

Chikava said that unless small scale holder farmers were lifted out of poverty, there may be no real development and different modus had to be adopted in order to do this.

He said the use of appropriate technologies in farming reduce time, increase productivity and address the constraints of small scale farmers.(NAN)

SYS/MO/MZA

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Edited by Morayo Omolade/Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-S-1
Stadium
Jos, Oct. 28, 2016 (NAN) The Plateau Commission of Enquiry on uncompleted new Jos Stadium has summoned the contractors handling the multi-billion naira New Jos Stadium, two consultants and the Ministry of Sports over some missing documents.

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau had set up the six-man commission of inquiry, chaired by Justice Stephen Adah to probe activities of his predecessor, former Gov. Jonah Jang’s administration.

The probe will cover the immediate past administration’s activities between May 2007 and May 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contractor and others are expected to appear before it Monday at the Dadin Kowa Youth Centre.

When the matter about the N11.3 billion stadium came up for hearing, on Thursday, the commission said it was not satisfied with the explanations by a director from the Urban and Housing Ministry.

It said the Director, James Nyemlong, had failed to explain the where about of the site plans/drawings of the new stadium and other relevant documents.

It added that the documents could help the commission to figure out what exactly transpired with award and execution of the contract.

According to Adah, the urban ministry is the supervising ministry, while the sports ministry is the client who will be in the best position to know who did what and who holds what document.

“We are not satisfied with what you are telling us here since you don’t know where the original plan/drawings of the stadium is, and even the new drawing that is being used by the contractor, BCC Tropical Nig. Ltd.

“The first and second consultants, the contractor and the Ministry of Sports should be summoned to come with all necessary documents.

“This is for us to know what exactly went on and is going on at the stadium,’’ the chairman said.

When the director was asked which parts of the stadium had been completed, he said only the football pitch and tracks.

Adah said the commission was surprised and wondered why after spending a little above N7 billion on the stadium, nothing much had been done.

“It’s  surprising that only the pitch and the track are ready even though we are told the sitting capacity of the stadium has been increased to 32, 000.

“The consultants and contractor alongside the sports ministry should provide us with the site plans and other documents when they come to help us to complete our findings on the stadium,’’ Adah said. (NAN)
TYC/PDE
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(Edited by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-AE -1
Harvest
By Mustapha Sumaila
Dutse, Oct. 28, 2016 (NAN) The Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alhaji Idris Maiunguwa has said that farmers in Jigawa are expecting bumper harvest in various crops this farming season.

Maiunguwa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Friday that there had never been high expectations and hope of good harvest for a long time as this year.

He explained that there was high yield in rice, sesame, millet, among others across the state.

According to him, the effort of the state government in grouping farmers in various wards into clusters had helped to boost this year’s farming season.

He said the state government’s intervention by engaging extension workers to guide farmers in various aspects as well as supplying of farm inputs had assisted in achieving the fit.

The chairman disclosed that some rice farmers around Hadejia Jamare Area had harvested between 100 and 110 bags per hectare as against 40 to 50 bags in the past.

“There is specialisation aspect of farming this year because farmers in the state cultivate different crops, some local government areas concentrated on rice, some on groundnut while others on millet,” he said.

Maiunguwa commended Gov. Muhammad Badaru for his various interventions to make farming a major occupation and business in the state. (NAN)
MS/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

AD suspends 3 principal officers over Ondo governorship candidacy

NAN-H-3

Suspension

By Cecilia Odey

Abuja, Oct. 28, 2016 (NAN) The Alliance for Democracy (AD) has suspended three principal officers of the party for their alleged involvement in the governorship candidacy saga in Ondo State.

A communique signed by AD National Chairman, Mr Joseph Avazi issued in Abuja on Friday, said the three officials were suspended by the party’s National Executive Council [NEC] at its meeting on Oct. 26.

It listed those affected as: Alhaji Shehu Musa, Deputy National Chairman North, Mr Kehinde Aworele, the National Legal Adviser, and the National Organising Secretary, Mr Abdallah Ibrahim.

The communique added that the suspension was to allow the NEC to meet again and resolve the matter.

It stated that the NEC had appointed Alhaji Magaji Kwairanga to act as Deputy National Chairman North, Mr Roland Kientey, as acting National Organising Secretary, and the Deputy Legal Adviser to oversee the legal department.

According to the communique, the NEC has recognised Mr Olusola Oke as the AD candidate in the Nov. 26 governorship election in Ondo state[NAN]
COO/MZA
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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Akure protest: Police assure residents of safety
NAN-DS-1
Protest
By Ayodeji Alabi
Akure, Oct. 28, 2016 (NAN) The Police Command in Ondo has assured the residents of Akure of their safety from the violent protest which erupted in the state in early hours of Friday.

The protest followed the publication of the name of Jimoh Ibrahim by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  as the PDP governorship candidate for the Nov. 26 election.

The command’s spokesman, ASP Femi Joseph, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the police were committed to the protection of the lives and property.

Joseph enjoined the people to keep calm as normalcy would soon be restored, adding that the command had  dispatched officer and men to the scene of protests on Oba Adesida Road.

“We are aware and our men are on their way to the scene, I will speak with you more later as the incident develops.

“We are trying to coordinate our men so that the incident will not escalate,” he said.

NAN reports that passengers had to alight from taxis and buses due to burnt tyres and debris on roads in Akure (NAN)
AYO/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

Envoy reiterates call for global efforts to restore peace in Kashmir

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Peace

By Temitope Ponle

Abuja, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) Pakistani High Commissioner to Nigeria, Agha Umer Farook has urged the international community to put hands together to bring peace to Kashmir.

Farook, who made the call at a reception to mark 69 years of India’s occupation of Kashmir on Thursday in Abuja, noted that the crisis in Kashmir was a core issue between India and Pakistan.

According to him, the resolution of the crisis will ensure durable peace in that region.

“Pakistan is requesting and demanding the UN military observer group be allowed to visit the area of conflict and be able to report back to mutual impartial outlook.

“We demand for immediate ceasefire and the conditions set by the international community at the UN, Pakistan is willing to abide by all those regulations and actions required.

“We are looking forward to a better and peaceful world, we have seen enough of conflicts and suffering; we all have an obligation, let us play our part,” he said.

He also recalled the agreements made by the international community through the UN which he said, was a global commitment to restore peace in that region.

“The issue was taken to the UN Security Council and General Assembly and both agreed on a ceasefire with three conditions binding both countries, India and Pakistan:

“First off all acknowledging and recognising the right to choose, the right of self-determination through plebiscite.

“Both countries will take out their forces and a commission will be formed to ascertain the conditions to set the impetus of the right to choose.

“India will ensure the smooth transition, and these were the three conditions agreed by every nation part of the UN.

“Those people are not only asking for independence, they are questioning world conscience, legality, honesty of the world at large and those who signed the resolution and pledged to practice it.”

Former Nigerian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr Dauda Danladi, however, noted that bringing peace to Kashmir and Southeast Asia would contribute to global peace.

Danladi reiterated that more than 60,00 people had lost their lives as a result of the conflict in the region and added that the figures would rise if the issue remained unresolved.

“The dispute has the tendency to lead to a nuclear war and I do not think the world can afford another Hiroshima.

“When people’s rights have been taken, the next alternative is the eruption of insurgency and insurgency has many dimensions and because we live in a global village it can resonate anywhere.

“In order to contain the rise of insurgency in the world, disputes like that of Kashmir should be resolved.

“This therefore calls for concerted efforts, vigorous diplomacy to sort out the issue of Kashmir because it is one of the oldest human struggles that has been unresolved,” he said.

He also noted that Nigeria could play a vital role in the resolution of the crisis in Kashmir, adding that “through the AU, Nigeria can impress on the international community to sort out the issue”. (NAN)

TOP/SYC
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Edited by Ismaila Chafe

1. Stories for Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016

H = 130

DS = 18

AE = 11

ELS = 4

HG = 15

F = 29

HE = 27

Navy arrests 4 suspected cattle rustlers, recovers 95 cows in Kaduna


NAN-DS-18
Arrest
By Mohammad Tijjani
Kachia (Kaduna) Oct 27,2016(NAN) The Commandant, Nigerian Navy School of Armament Technology, Commodore Timothy Dakwat said on Thursday that the command arrested four cattle rustlers and recovered 95 cows from them.

Dakwat made this known to newsmen at a public presentation of the suspects and the cows in Kachia local government area of Kaduna.

He said the suspects were arrested on Oct. 21 and 22 following an intelligent report on activities of the rustlers.

”Acting on a tip off on their activities at Apele village, near Gurara Dam in Kachia LGA, we swung into action which led to the arrest of the rustlers, recovery and evacuation of the cows.”

According to him, there was exchange of fire between the security operatives and the rustlers before we overpowered the bandits.

“The main kingpin is still at large but we will trail him and make sure that he faces the law.”

The commandant said the success of the raid was the collective effort of the security operatives, under Kaduna State coordinated security outfit,”Operation Yaki.”

” After investigation, we will hand over the suspects and the cows to the appropriate authority,” Dakwat said.

He said that the command was committed to flushing out criminals in the state.

The commandant urged the public to support the command with useful information to curtail activities of hoodlums in the state. (NAN)
TJ/JEO/AFA
Edited by Jane-Frances Oraka
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NAN-F-29
Trump
Los Angeles (U.S.), Oct. 27, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Police in Los Angeles on Thursday said they had arrested the man caught on video smashing Donald Trump’s Hollywood star.

In media interviews, James Otis admitted to taking a sledgehammer and pickaxe to the terrazzo-and-brass star in the pavement on the Hollywood Walk of Fame along Hollywood Boulevard.

He told reporters that he had “had enough” of the Republican presidential candidate’s “aggressive language toward women and his behavior, his sexual violence with women and against women.”

Damage to the star was estimated at 2,500 dollars.

Otis told the Los Angeles Times he would “gladly” pay for the damage.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame, a registered historic landmark, pays tribute to nearly 2,600 television, film, recordings and radio personalities with stars in the sidewalk along several streets.

Trump was honoured with the star in January 2007 for his television work on reality show The Apprentice. dpa/NAN)
OYE/HA
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(Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)