Blog

NAN-H-14
Tribute
Jalingo, Oct. 23, 2016 ( NAN ) Gov. Darius Ishaku of Taraba on Sunday commiserated with the people of Gashaka Council Area of the state over the death of Lamdo Gashaka, Alhaji Hammangabdo Sambo.

Sambo, 81, died at the National Hospital Abuja on Saturday night during a protracted illness.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Hassan Mijinyawa, Ishaku said that the death was a huge loss to the government and people of Taraba.

He described Sambo as a courageous and sincere monarch whose wisdom and honest counselling would be missed.

“ I call on the people of Gashaka to uphold the values that late Lamdo Gashaka stood by, especially his disposition toward peace and support for constituted authorities,” the governor  said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Hammangabdo, who was born in 1935, became the Chief of Gashaka in 1965.

He was survived by about 70 children and many grandchildren.
Prominent among his children are Mustapha Hammangabdo and Hajiya Batulu Hammangabdo, both of whom served as commissioners under different administrations in Taraba.

Zubairu Hammangabdo, also the late monarch’s son, is currently serving as a Special Adviser to Ishaku.

The first class chief served as a member of the defunct Northern Nigeria House of Assembly.

He was elected Councillor of Gashaka-Mambilla Native Authority before his ascension to the throne of Lamdo Gashaka in 1965. (NAN)

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(Edited by Ijeoma Popoola)

NAN-H-17

Compliance

By Bridget ikyado

Makurdi, Oct. 23, 2016 (NAN) The Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in Benue said it had recorded low level of compliance in vehicle registration and maintenance.

The State’s Chief Road Traffic Officer(CRTO), Mr Micheal Peven, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria  (NAN) on Sunday in Makurdi.

Peven also said that if motorists complied with the payment of dues and other charges, it would go a long way to boost the Internally Generated Revenue of the state for economic development.

He, however, appealed to motorists to ensure that their vehicles were road-worthy, adding that it was for their own good and that of other road users.

“Driving a car with bad brakes, no side mirror or the rear view mirror is bad, all these can cause serious accidents resulting to death.

“Also, evading tax payments by non-renewal of licenses and proper registration is wrong.

“The VIO is not out to witch-hunt anybody, but doing the right thing is always our watchword.

“So, it always surprises me when drivers run away on sighting VIO personnel,’’ he said.

NAN reports that VIOs are saddled with the responsibility of vehicle inspection to ensure its road worthiness and conducting driving test for the issuance of drivers’ license. (NAN)

BTT/YI/BOS

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Edited by Yahaya Isah/Dele Bodunde

NAN-H-15
Bond
By Raji Rasak
Lagos, Oct. 23, 2016 (NAN) The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) on Sunday appealed the National Assembly to reconsider stoppage of bond for electricity companies to avoid collapse of the power sector.

Mr Sunday Oduntan, the Executive Director, Research and Advocacy of ANED, made the appeal in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Oduntan said that the sector had a huge liquidity gap, which was being bridged by Federal government’s intervention in form of bond, adding that electricity consumers longer show willingness to pay bills.

“Government’s ministries, departments and agencies are owing the sector over N100 billion electricity bills.

The executive director said that bond was a form of promissory notes given to power sector in form of loan to cover some shortfalls in the industry.

He told NAN that electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) had no chances of obtaining bank loans because banks believed that it would be difficult to recover loans given to them.

“We are appealing to the senate to revisit its stand on stoppage of bond for electricity companies.

“At present, electricity companies need bond to balance the liquidity gap in the sector.

“Government is assisting the sector through this medium.

“With stoppage of this intervention, DISCOs will find it difficult to buy new transformers and meters, while Generation Companies (GENCOs) will not have resources to service their plants.

“The stoppage of this bond with contribute to collapse of the power sector,” he said.

NAN reports that on Oct. 12, the senate passed a resolution stopping the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing from using the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) to give electricity companies a N309 billion bond. (NAN)
ROR/DEB/IGO
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(Edited by Debo Oshundun/ Ijeoma Popoola)

NAN-H-16

Fraudsters

Lagos, Oct. 23, 2016 (NAN) Security experts in Lagos on Sunday urged Nigerians to publish and report phone numbers of suspected fraudsters on every available platform, so that the appropriate security agencies could go after them.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, they said that reporting the numbers would reduce cases of fraudsters who deceive unsuspecting members of the public and defraud them.

Mr Festus Akapo, a security consultant, said that with the advent of the social media, Nigerians could easily publish the phone numbers of suspected fraudsters and alert the public to be wary of them.

“Through the social media, security agencies can be alerted and mobile network providers will also be alerted, so that they can work together to track down the fraudsters,” he said.

Also, Mr Charles Sullivan, Head Media Operations at Bells Security, said that Nigerians often take for granted how far the little effort of publishing or reporting a fraudsters’ phone number could go.

“Whenever we receive fraudulent calls, we should endeavour to make public the phone numbers and also share on various social media forum until it gets to the appropriate authority,” he said.

Mr Ayodeji Fadipe, a security consultant, equally said that the only way Nigerians could help security agencies was to provide them with adequate information on any perceived criminal activity.

“One of the ways to do this is to save the suspected fraudsters’ phone number and forward it to security agents for proper investigation.

“Although the fraudulent subscribers should be easily tracked, if the number had been registered, the most important thing is a collaboration between security agencies and network providers.”

Contributing, Mr Michael Ehizoje, another security expert, said that there were mobile phone applications that would ordinarily reveal the identity of a caller and make it easy to report a fraudulent call.

“There are different user-friendly applications to track fraudulent calls; Nigerians should not feel reluctant to report these fraudsters to the relevant security agencies,” he said. (NAN)

BOM/BOS v(Edited by dele bodunde)

Buratai eulogises late Taraba Director

NAN-H-12

Eulogies

Jalingo, Oct. 23,2016 ( NAN ) The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.- Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Sunday eulogised  late Alhaji Aliyu Baba, a retired Director with the Taraba Primary Health Care Management Board.

Baba, who was a father-in- law to the COAS, died on Saturday in Jalingo during a brief illness.

Buratai made this known in Jalingo during a condolence visit to the family of the deceased.

The COAS said that the death of Baba was a great loss to the family and the entire people of the state.

He said the deceased would be remembered for his contributions towards improvement of primary healthcare services in the state.

Buratai prayed God to grant Baba eternal rest and give his family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Dr Tirmizi Aliyu, a son to the deceased, said his father, who retired in 2000, died at the age of 72.

He said the deceased left behind 10 children, among whom are Air Commodore Kabiru Aliyu, Hajiya Umma Buratai and Hajiya Mariam Aliyu . (NAN )

NB/YI/BOS

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Edited by Yahaya Isah/dele bodunde

NAN-H-8
Donation
Madagali (Adamawa State), Oct. 23, 2016 ( NAN) The Federal Government on Sunday donated
three trucks-load of grains to returned Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Madagali Local Government Council of Adamawa.

Mr Sa’ad Bello, the NEMA Camps Coordinator in charge of Adamawa and Taraba, presented the items in Gulak town, Headquarters of Madagali.

Bello said the gesture was part of Federal Government’s humanitarian intervention to assist
returnee communities affected by Boko Haram insurgency.

He explained that the three trucks were, however, not sufficient, considering the large number
of the people but that more assistance would soon reach the community.

He added that “this is the first time grains relief material meant for the returnees through NEMA directly reached Madagali Local Government Area.

“The first relief materials distributed was in neighbouring Michika Local Government Area in
August, where some of the items were shared with people from Madagali.”

He, therefore, urged the beneficiaries to judiciously use the items and not to sell as government was making arrangements to donate more to them.

Earlier, the Chairman of Madagali, Alhaji Yusuf Muhammed, had expressed gratitude to Federal Government for the assistance.

Muhammed said over 250,000 people had already returned to the area and appealed for more assistance “to prevent another anarchy of hunger and poverty.

“Our hope is that while federal and state governments, as well as NGOs continue to provide our people temporary relief, we want special budgetary provisions through relevant agencies and organisations.

“Such provisions will help the IDPs to recover completely from the ruins of the insurgency.”

He promised that the items would reach those meant for and warned that any village or community head found diverting the commodity would be punished. (NAN)
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-6
Toilets
By Muhammad Nasir Bello
Sokoto ,Oct. 23, 2016 (NAN) The emergence of commercial toilets in Sokoto State has tremendously curbed the menace of open defecation in the metropolis, Alhaji Jabir Ahmad, a commercial toilet operator in Sokoto said.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Sokoto that commercial toilet business in the state had been successful in many ways, as operators had continued to smile to the banks.

He said “it is a good venture as it also assists in controlling the menace of open defecation to prevent the outbreak of contagious diseases in communities.

“Open defecation poses great danger to peoples’ lives as its continued practice, with its resultant
contact with human faeces can wipe out a whole generation through diseases.

Ahmad said operators always ensured proper and regular cleanliness of the toilets, by applying the necessary disinfectants.

“This became imperative in the sense that most of the patrons may have one illness or another and failure to sanitise the toilets might cause so much offensive odour which may be harmful.

He added that in spite of the levies operators paid to government, they still make enough
from the N40 charged for bathing, N20 for excreta and N10 for urination.

Some of the people who patronise the toilets told NAN that the presence of commercial toilets had greatly helped residents and visitors to ease themselves with relative serenity. (NAN)
MNB/BRM/HA
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(Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-3
Immunisation
By Ali Inuwa
Maiduguri, Oct. 23, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Government planned to immunise 41 million children against polio before the end of the year as part of efforts to ensure complete eradication of the virus in Nigeria by 2017, Health Minister Isaac Adewole said.

The minister told newsmen in Maiduguri on Monday that the goal was to ensure that polio was eradicated in Africa by next year.

He said that similar immunisation would take place in neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Central African Republic as part of joint effort to ensure the eradication of  the virus from
Africa.

He added that “our target is for Africa to be free of polio by 2017.

“We have an elaborate ring fence immunisation that is going to take place not only in Nigeria,  but also in Niger, Chad , Cameroon and the Central African Republic.”

He explained that the Federal Government planned to conduct five rounds of immunisation against polio before the end of December.

He said that “in Nigeria, we are planning five rounds of immunisation; we have done one in the  immediate area,  where we immunised about 800, 000 children.

“We will do another round of four states to 18 states and go back to do another round of 18 states.

“By December, we will have immunised nothing less than 41 million children under five years of age in Nigeria.”

The minister pointed out that the discovery of wild polio virus in Borno was a great setback on the country’s journey toward final eradication of polio, stressing that “we thought that we had overcome polio, un fortunately between July and now, we detected  four new cases.

“One case of polio alone is unacceptable, because it is equal to an outbreak.”

He, however, said that the discovery of the virus in the liberated communities from Boko Haram insurgents were was not totally unexpected.

He then commended President Muhammadu Buhari for providing all the support needed in the fight
against polio.

He also commended the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners for their support in the anti polio campaign.

He said “we want to thank the WHO,  UNICEF and all these organisations for their support and partnership in the fight against polio.” (NAN)
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-2
Markets
By Ali Inuwa
Maiduguri, Oct. 23, 2016 (NAN) Night markets have resurfaced in Maiduguri, the Borno capital, nearly three years after they disappeared due to Boko Haram insurgents’ attacks, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The markets disappeared in 2012 at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency in the state.

NAN reports that the markets started resurfacing a few months ago, following the gradual return of peace and the removal of military checkpoints by authorities.

A NAN correspondent who went round the city on Saturday night found that there was large-scale trading in markets located in Bulumkutu, Wulari, Gomari, Gwange, Customs and other areas.

NAN learnt that commodities sold included fresh meat, fish, grains and other perishables.

Also, there were local tea sellers popularly called “maishayi”, bean cake sellers and even fried grasshopper sellers in some of the markets.

Traders interviewed expressed happiness over the return of the markets, describing it as good omen.

Malam Ibrahim Yusuf, a meat seller at Customs night market, said that the return of the market had brought great relief to his family.

He said “we thank God that the markets have return; this allows us to operate here for some time in the evenings; it is a thing of joy for us who cannot afford to rent shops at the Monday market or Gamboru market.

“Our customers are mainly labourers who earn daily wages who usually pass through this market to buy food items for their families before heading home.”

He pointed out that the closure of the market in the past months created hardship to traders who had no other means of livelihood.

He added that “honesty speaking I had to beg to feed my family because things were difficult and I had nothing doing.

“But now, I am very okay as I make ends meet at the market.”

Malam Ado Zaga, a trader in the Customs market also said that the return of night markets had helped in boosting economic activities in the state.

He said “most traders have returned to business since the markets reopened and residents are
happy now that they can stroll down to the markets and buy few things in the evenings.”

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his sincerity and commitment toward ending the Boko Haram menace in the North East.

He added that “I think Buhari deserves commendation for his effort in the gradual return of peace in Borno and the North East.

“We must commend him for chasing away the Boko Haram terrorists from Maiduguri, whether we like him or not.”

Malam Aji Kolo, a grain seller in Sabon-Layi, Gwange market, appealed to the state government to assist traders with soft loans to further boost economic activities in the state.

He said “we wish to thank Gov. Kashim Shettima for his numerous support to victims of Boko Haram terrorism in the state.

“However, we want him to extend this to local traders who have lost their business capital due to numerous attacks by the terrorists, by providing soft loans for them to begin again.” (NAN)
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-ND-5

Arrest

By Nathan Nwakamma

Yenagoa, Oct. 23, 2016 (NAN) The Joint Military Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, said on Sunday that it arrested five suspected pipeline vandals and repelled a hijack attempt of a vessel by heavily armed sea pirates.

Lt.-Cdr. Thomas Otuji, spokesman of the joint military force, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa

Otuji said that the suspects were arrested between Oct. 17 and 18 near some oil wellheads at Apala, off Nana Creeks in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta

“Troops of Operations Base 2 in Delta State, while on anti-crude oil theft patrol on Oct. 17 and 18, intercepted pipeline vandals in a large Cotonou and speed boats.

“Five suspected vandals were arrested and they confessed to their plan to vandalise the wellheads. The two boats were recovered in the crackdown.

“Similarly, troops of Operation Base 2 repelled a hijack of a vessel (MT VAJARA) by heavily armed bandits in Ramos River, around Agge area of Delta State.

“The criminals were repelled after fierce exchange of fire with our troops of the maritime component,” he said.

He recalled that the force recently responded to distress calls by some travelers who were attacked by sea pirates in Cross River and Rivers, killing the suspected pirates and rescuing the victims.

Otuji said that last week, other seven suspected pirates and militants were killed in crossfire during rescue operations while the hostages were freed unhurt.

He said that the force was committed to making the entire Niger Delta and the waterways safe as Operation Delta Safe was working tirelessly to secure the region.

He said the force had intensified patrols and raids on the criminals’ hideouts and was poised to halt the renewed violence in the region and restore peace for legitimate businesses to thrive.

The spokesperson told NAN that the successes recorded in the ongoing military operation had raised the morale and commitment of the troops.

Otuji said that the timely and credible information from the coastal communities led to the successes and commended them for cooperating with the force.

He assured that if the support was sustained, the force would soon flush out criminals from the Niger Delta. (NAN)

NN/EMO/IA
Edited by Idris Abdulrahman