Blog

Adamawa Govt laments poor funding of agriculture
NAN-H-13
Funding
By Muhammad Adam
Yola, Oct. 13, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Muhammadu Jibrillah of Adamawa has identified poor funding of agriculture as a major constraint affecting farmers.

Jibrillah made the observation in Yola on Thursday shortly after holding meeting with farmers’ cooperatives in the state.

The governor said that the only solution to actualising national food security was to give due and proper funding consideration to farming and agriculture.

“Poor funding of the agriculture sector of the economy has been a major constraint of our farmers in meeting the national food security target.

“This is because lending to the agriculture by the appropriate authorities and commercial banks has been greatly inadequate,” Jibrillah said.

He said that it was in view of the development that the Federal Government, through the apex bank, came up with the Anchor Borrowers Programme.

He said that the programme was to serve as a means of providing access to funds by small scale farmers to actualise the national food security target.

Jibrillah said that his administration was making efforts to revive all agro-allied industries in the state. (NAN)
AMA/KOLE/TA
Edited by Remi Koleoso/controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-H-32
Chibokgirls
Ismaila Chafe
Abuja, Oct. 13, 2016(NAN) The Presidency has confirmed the release of 21 abducted Chibok schoolgirls by their abductors.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media, announced the release on his twitter handle on Thursday.

Shehu said the released girls were in the custody of the Department of Security Services (DSS).

He said the Director-General of DSS, Malam Lawal Daura, had briefed Buhari on the development. (NAN)
SYC/JCE
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Edited by Chukwudi Ekezie

NAN-H-12
Cables
Kafanchan (Kaduna) Oct.13, 2016 (NAN) Usage of substandard cables for computer interconnectivity has been identified as one of the causes of students’ failure in examinations.

An engineer, Mr Oluwafemi Oluwale of the Inter-Sky Digital Ltd. Jos, made the observation on Thursday in Kafanchan, Kaduna, at a one-day workshop on Information Technology.

The workshop was organised by a Kafanchan-based Non-Governmental Organisation, Fantswam Foundation.

Oluwale said that the use of poor quality cables contributed much to students’ failure in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations and West African Examination Council-organised tests.

He also said that such cables also caused damage in storage and dissemination of information in both private and public computer systems.

“Substandard cables account for the slow internet connectivity that does not allow students to meet up with allotted time for exams; hence, they perform poorly,” he said.

The engineer said that Nigerian market was flooded with imported substandard cables.

He said that although Nigerian cables were the best in the world, greedy and unpatriotic Nigerian businessmen and regulatory agencies allowed importation of the low quality cables.

“Some of the imported cables are iron-copper coated, instead of pure copper, which has very low resistance,” he said.

The expert urged government and private organisations to seek expert advice on how to identify and procure genuine cables for better computer connectivity.

In his remarks, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Fantswam Foundation, Professor John Dada, urged regulatory agencies to urgently sensitise Nigerians to the existence of substandard cables.

He added that concerted efforts should be made to rid Nigerian markets of substandard products. (NAN)

MGK/IGO
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(Controlled by Ijeoma Popoola)

Safiyanu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Thursday that his association condemned corruption in all its ramification, and urged the Federal Government to punish the givers and takers of bribe.

He said that as professionals, they had taken judicial oath to uphold the rule of the law and defend the constitution of the country and not to engage in anything that was not good for the society.

The president of the association advised the Federal Government to consider the doctrine of separation of powers in the constitution and the independence of the judiciary to enable judiciary function efficiently and effectively.

According to him, the judiciary does not have full autonomy and is under-funded because it is still getting it’s statutory allocation from the executive.

Safiyanu said if there was full separation of powers, the judiciary would not act on anybody’s script.

On the crackdown on some judges across the nation by the Department of State Service (DSS), he said proper channels and procedures were not followed during their arrest and the search on their houses.

Safiyanu explained that there was a laid down procedure if any judge was found wanting whereby such judge would be reported to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for investigation and prosecution.

“For instance, it is just similar to the military, they are court martialed if they are found guilty of any offence before they are handed over to conventional court for final judgment.

“For our senior colleagues, the right steps were not adhered in their arrest because the NJC is the constituted body that is saddled with powers to recruit, promote and fire any erring judge of supreme court and even hand him over to the appropriate body for further action.” he added  (NAN)
AIS/ORO/OFN
Edited by Razak Owolabi//Felix Nwadioha

Presidency confirms the release of 21 Chibok girls, says they are in the custody of DSS.

NAN-H-2
Road
By Monday ijeh
Abuja, Oct. 13, 2016 (NAN) Teachers and parents of students of Junior Secondary School, Shadadi in Kuje Area Council, FCT, have called on the Council’s administration to rehabilitate the road leading to the school.

Some of the parents and teachers who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kuje, lamented the deplorable state of the road.

A teacher in the school, who wished anonymity, also appealed to the administration to take advantage of the coming dry season to rehabilitate the road.

He said that the deplorable state of the road had made it very difficult for motorcycles and motor vehicles to access the school.

“As you can see, it has been a very big challenge coming to school every morning because of the deplorable state of the road.

“Motorcycles bringing students to school drop them about a kilometre away from the school.

“The children have to trek down and the same was done by inspectors who visited the school recently,” he said.

Another teacher, who also wished anonymity, said the difficulty in accessing the school had tendency of discouraging parents from enrolling their children in the school.

The teacher called on relevant authorities to come to the aid of students, teachers and visitors to the school.

He said the call was meant to enhance access and increase students’ enrolment.

“As you can see, the road has been ravaged by erosion and the only solution as it is now is to grade and create drainage system to allow free flow of water.

“As it is now, we cannot help any emergency situation because of the road and this is dangerous where we have students,’’ the teacher said.

Mr Samuel Lanto, a parent and Shadadi Community leader, said the road had been a major source of concern to students, parents and the entire residents of the community.

He said that the community had made several attempts to fix the road through collective efforts but could not because of its cost implication.

The community leader also appealed to the council to intervene in the rehabilitation of the road in the interest of the primary and secondary schools situated in the area.

Another parent, Mr Ismaila Yakubu, told NAN that the situation was worse for students coming from Lanto village, who had to cross a river on daily basis before getting to the school.

“Any time it rains heavily in the morning, we do not allow our children to go to school because of fear of their safety in crossing the river,’’ he said.

He said that rehabilitation of the road and creating a temporary structure to ease crossing of the river would build parents’ confidence and enhance students’ enrolment. (NAN)

IMC/DUA/AJA
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(Edited by Dada Ahmed and controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)

Bierhoff: Germany looking at 2018 World Cup quarters in Moscow area

NAN-S-6
Bierhoff
Berlin, Oct. 13, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Title-holders Germany are set to have their 2018 World Cup base camp in the Moscow area, team general manager Oliver Bierhoff told Thursday’s edition of Kicker sports magazine.

“We must make a decision before the draw and we won’t know where we will be playing. At the moment it looks like the best quarters options are around Moscow,’’ Bierhoff said.

Dpa learnt they include the facilities of the Saturn Ramenskoye club some 50 kilometres south-east of Moscow.

Provided they qualify for the June 14 to July 15, 2018 tournament in Russia, Germany are to be seeded and would play at least one group match in Moscow. The World Cup draw is on Dec. 1, 2017.

A German delegation including coach Joachim Loew will be in Russia for the Nov. 26 Confederations Cup draw, and Loew said that the World Cup camp issue is also on their agenda.

Germany had their own hotel built in a remote area at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil which they won. But Bierhoff said “you can’t build a Campo Bahia everywhere, and it won’t be possible in Russia.’’ (dpa/NAN)
TON
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NAN-DS-1
Security
Damaturu, Oct. 13, 2016 (NAN) The Yobe command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Thursday, launched special programme to coordinate activities of private security guard firms and vigilance groups for supervision and monitoring.

Dr Muhammad Fari, the NSCDC Commandant in the state, said at the launch in Damaturu that
the programme was for private security guard operators.

He said that the programme became imperative “as the state steps out of the insurgency
challenge to a post insurgency era.

“The NSCDC is by law, mandated to supervise and monitor the activities of private security guard companies and what we are doing is to ensure that operators comply with the laws.

“This is the first time  in Yobe that stakeholders in private security are brought together to ensure that they abide by the rules regulating private security guard operations in Nigeria.”

Fari added that security of lives and property was a cardinal objective of government “and NSCDC is working in collaboration with other security organisations to actualise this objective.”

The commandant said NSCDC would liaise with Yobe Government to sensitise vigilance groups on recruitment of members, mode of operation and their limitations to ensure that they operated within the confines of law.

“We will discuss with the state government on the activities of the vigilance groups and their operation within the provisions of the law to avoid abuse,” he said.

He then urged private security guard firms to be mindful of who they employed and ensure that people of good standing in the society served as guarantors to their employees to avoid recruiting questionable characters.

He appealed to the public to provide security agencies with timely information on security threats, suspicious movements and persons in their communities for proactive approach to defuse such threats and avoidable casualties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the companies expressed commitment to work with NSCDC and other organisations to promote security in the state. (NAN)
MM/HA
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-26
Death
Omu-Aran (Kwara), Oct. 11, 2016 (NAN) A 20-year-old senior secondary school student, Moji Agboola, died on Wednesday in Omu-Aran, Kwara, after taking poison.

The deceased, an SS1 student died at Adeyemo Hospital in the town due to complications in her body system as a result of the poison.

The girl was rushed to the hospital by her mother, Abigel, about three weeks ago.

The deceased was said to have taken poisonous substance after she failed her promotion examination.

“It was the deceased’s sister who first gave us the clue to her sickness before she later confessed to the act at the hospital,” Abigel told NAN at her residence on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the deceased was initially taken to Christ Apostolic Church, Ori-Oke Irapada, along Omu-Aran-Ilofa Road for prayers and deliverance.

The prophet in-charge of the church, Christopher Owolabi, said a prayer team was quickly organised for the deceased, before she was taken to the private hospital for treatment.

It was at the hospital that she was confirmed dead.

Meanwhile, a middle-age trader, simply identified as Iya Ayo, was also rushed to Omu-Aran General Hospital on Wednesday evening, for taking substance believed to be poison.

The mother of two, who lived around Orolodo area of the town, was said to have complained severally over her husband’s inability to offset their rent arrears.

A doctor at the hospital, who preferred anonymity, told NAN at the hospital on Thursday that the woman was responding to treatment. (NAN)
ISHO/MZA

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Suspected rapist remanded in Lagos prison

NAN-H-6
Rape
By Chinyere Omeire
Lagos, Oct.13, 2016 (NAN) A 50-year-old man, Suleman Buhari, who is charged with raping a 13-year-old girl in a Lagos Island market, is to remain behind bars indefinitely, a court has ruled.

An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court which gave the ruling, denied the accused bail even after he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He was ordered to be remanded in Ikoyi Prisons.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.A.Ogunbowale, asked the accused to approach a competent court of jurisdiction — High Court – for bail.

She directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward a copy to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

The accused, who resides at Shop 50, Ojaoba Market (named after the traditional ruler) on the island, is being tried for unlawful carnal knowledge and sexual assault.

Earlier, Police Prosecutor Ajaga Agboko said the accused committed the offence of rape on Oct. 5 in the market.

“The accused unlawfully had a carnal knowledge of the girl in the market.’’

The offences contravened Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

The case has been adjourned to Nov. 9 for DPP’s advice. (NAN)
OCC/ENN/DA
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Controlled by Dele Akinsola & edited by Edwin Nwachukwu