Blog

NAN-AE-11

Produce

Damaturu, Oct.6, 2016 (NAN) The Yobe Government has cautioned farmers against early selling of their farm produce at give-away prices to avoid food shortage in the state.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mustapha Gajerima, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Thursday.

Gajerima said farmers should resist traders who wanted to buy and hoard the crops to cause inflation and scarcity.

“We should be guided by the past experience of threat to food security, protect the newly-harvested crops and avoid temptations by traders who may dangle cash to buy off the harvests,” he said.

The commissioner said the state had recorded good harvests this season.

“Farmers in the state have had good yields this year. Government also assisted them in fighting locusts against invasion of the farms.

“We should, therefore, use the harvests judiciously to guarantee food security in the state,” he said.

He said government would support irrigation farmers to cultivate more food and cash crops in the state.

“Government has already cleared 1,500 hectares of land for irrigation farming project on the Nguru and Giedam wetlands to cultivate rice, wheat and vegetables,” he said.

The commissioner said the irrigation programme would complement crops cultivated during the rainy season to promote food security.

“Over 4,000 youths will be engaged in the irrigation project to cultivate rice, wheat and vegetables on the Nguru and Giedam wetlands.”

He assured that the Programme would be extended to other wetlands including Nyakire, Ngeji, Ngalda and Yunusari wetlands to promote food security and diversify the economy.(NAN)

MM/ADA/AMY

Edited by Deji Abdulwahab and Abdullahi Yusuf

NAN-F-12

Warning
Moscow, Oct. 6 (Xinhua/NAN)  The Russian Defence Ministry on Thursday warned that it could shoot down U.S. missiles in Syria if they were used against the Syrian government forces.

“One should really be aware that crews of Russian air defence systems are unlikely to have time to clarify via a direct line the accurate flight programmes of missiles and who their carriers belong to,” the ministry’s spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. media reported that Washington is considering plans to launch air strikes against the Syrian government army.

Konashenkov said that the Syrian army now have effective Russian-made S-200, Buk and other air defense missile systems, while the Russian forces have deployed in Syria the advanced S-400 and S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, “the range of which may come as a surprise to any unidentified flying objects.”

He added that any missile strikes against territories controlled by the Syrian government might present a threat to Russian servicemen working for the Russian Centre for Reconciliation in Syria.

“I would recommend to colleagues in Washington that they carefully calculate possible consequences of such plans,” said the spokesman.

On Sept. 10, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced a week-long nationwide ceasefire in Syria, but crossfire resumed in the first hours the truce expired on Sept. 19.

On Sept. 17, the U.S.-led coalition airstrikes killed over 90 Syrian troops in Syria’s eastern province of Deir al-Zour, incurring a strong response from Moscow, which accused Washington of violating the ceasefire.

Konashenkov said Russia “had taken all necessary measures to avoid any such ‘mistakes’ aimed against Russian troops and military targets in Syria.”

Earlier this week, the U.S. suspended negotiations with Russia on restoring ceasefire in Syria, blaming Moscow for its military role in the attack on the Syrian city of Aleppo. (Xinhua/ NAN)

(Edited by Julius Enehikhuere)

Police arrest mother, 19 others for allegedly killing child

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Police

By Mohammed Bababusu

Lafia, Oct 6, 2016 (NAN) Nasarawa State Police Command on Thursday said it had arrested a lady in Gunduma, Karu Local Government Area of the state for allegedly strangulating her daughter.

The state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq-Bello, while addressing newsmen, said the woman and 19 other suspects allegedly dumped the body of the baby in a river in the area.

“As you can see, many suspects and exhibits are lined up here for you to see and inform members of the public.

“One Asabe Bawa Andrew 25 years of Gunduma was arrested for strangulating her daughter, Ester Andrew, 1 year 3 months old and threw the dead body into a river in Gunduma.”

He said another 20-year old man in Wuse town was arrested for the murder of his friend who allegedly made him impotent through the administration of a native concoction on him.

According to him, “the command also arrested one other man in Angwan Ninzo, Keffi, for murder of his girl friend   who was pregnant for him by pushing her into the river where she was drowned.

Since then he has been on the run until his arrest on Sept. 16”.

He said two Toyota Carina ll cars were recovered from suspects and a man who specialised in making fake vehicle particulars for them.

He said 20 suspects were arrested for various offences, including armed robbers and car snatchers in September.

The commissioner assured the public that police in the state would not relent on their assault against criminals.

He, however, appealed to the public to work with the police to tackle crime in the state “so that law-abiding citizens can sleep with their two eyes closed”. (NAN)

BAB/IA

(Edited by Idris Abdulrahman)

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Weather
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Oct. 6, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy weather conditions over the central states of the country with prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Abuja, Kogi, Nassarawa and Benue on Friday morning.

NiMet made the predictions in its Weather Outlook issued by the Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Thursday in Abuja.

It said pockets of thunderstorms were expected over the high grounds and the Mambilla Plateau during afternoon and evening period with maximum temperatures of 27 to 33 degrees Celsius.

The agency also predicted that the southern states would experience cloudiness with rains over Port Harcourt, Calabar, Eket, Owerri and the inland city of Enugu and environs in the morning.

It also predicted afternoon rains over Lagos, Ibadan, Aboekuta, Oshogbo, Shaki, Edo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Bayelsa and Port Harcourt with maximum temperatures of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius.

NiMet predicted that northern states would experience partly cloudy to sunny conditions with threat of thundery activities over Sokoto, Yelwa and Gusau axis in the morning hours.

According to the prediction, thundery activities are expected over parts of Borno, Kano, Gombe, Bauchi and Adamawa in the afternoon evening period and temperatures of 34 to 39 degrees Celsius. (NAN)
OYS/AMY
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Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

NYSC  commences posting of corps members for primary assignment

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Corpers
By Yashim Katurak Rebecca
Abuja, Oct. 6, 2016 (NAN) Mr Omotayo Adewoye, the FCT Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), on Thursday in Abuja, said the scheme had commenced posting of corps members for primary assignment only where needed to forestall their rejection by employers.

Adewoye  disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, during the passing out and winding up of the 2015 Batch B stream I set of corps members.

He said that rejection of corps members by employers still remained a major challenge faced by the scheme, but assured that the service was devising new ways of addressing the problem.

The coordinator said that the scheme was therefore, ensuring that corps members were posted only to organisations where their skills were needed to ensure that they were not rejected.

“We have spoken with  several organisations such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Assembly on the  need to sensitise members of the public, private and government offices to request for and absolve corps members during the service year.

“Asides this, we are equally ensuring that we post corps members to areas where they are needed, we do not just post corps members anywhere or anyhow. This has helped us to check the spate of rejection of corps members,” Adewoye said.

He said that each batch of corps members were now divided into two streams  due to inadequate facilities to cope with the population of corps members.

According to him, this will enable the management of the scheme to adequately cater for corps members enlisted from various institutions within and outside the country during the orientation course.

“For example, the Permanent Orientation Camp in Kubwa Village can only take about 2,000 corps members, but we have today over 7,000 corps members exiting from 2015 Batch B stream I and II.

“If we had brought 4,000 corps members here to do the orientation course, the camp would not have contained them that is why they were divided into two streams in the batch,” he said.

He lauded the enthusiasm of corps members to learn the skills acquisition and entrepreneurship training organised by the NYSC, saying that some corps members who passed through the training had become employers of labour.

Adewoye also commended the corps members who carried out several developmental projects in some rural communities within the FCT.

He said that some corps members provided boreholes to communities in the rural areas where they served.

“Some of these villages are facing a hard situation, sharing water with the animals; but these corps members have been able to identify this places and provided them with potable water,” he said.

He however noted that 65 corps members will be facing extension of service for various offences, while others will have to repeat the service year. (NAN)

Edited by Julius Enehikhuere

Oyo Police Command vows to apprehend ex-VC attackers
  
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Attackers
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Oct. 6, 2016(NAN) The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Samuel Adegbuyi, said the state Police Command would arrest the suspected attackers of a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro.

Adegbuyi said this on Thursday in Ibadan at the inauguration of a Communication House, Repeater Stations and Walkie-talkies donated to the command by the Oyo State Security Trust Fund.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bamiro, who was shot on Tuesday in Ibadan, is presently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital, .

Adegbuyi said that the hoodlums that attacked the ex-VC could only run but would not be able to hide from the long arm of the law, assuring residents of continued safety.

“And let me use this opportunity to inform the people that those behind the recent attack on the former VC (Bamiro) will soon be arrested and brought to justice. We are on their trail. They will not escape from our dragnet,” he said.

The commissioner commended Gov.Abiola Ajimobi for what he called, his “morale-boosting gesture” to the police and other security agencies in the state in the last five years.

“Let me restate the preparedness of the officers and men of the command to join hands with the governor in sustaining his efforts targeted at securing lives and property across the state.

“We thank the governor and promise to make effective use of the equipment and edifice in combating crime and criminalities in Oyo State.

“The items inaugurated today can be just little among other assistance that have been rendered by Oyo State Government through the Security Trust Fund to improve security of our people,”he said.

The police boss assured law-abiding residents of the state of continued safety, saying, “we will not allow hoodlums any breathing space in any part of this state”.

Gov.Ajimobi, who was represented by Mr Segun Bolarinwa, his Special Adviser on Security, assured residents of the state of the continued commitment of his administration to the sustenance of peace and security, as well as an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

He said that the latest gesture of the state government was in the furtherance of the administration’s cardinal objective of restoration of law and order.

“This gesture is in realisation of the present administration’s efforts on peace and security.

“The structure here, which used to be a dilapidated porter’s cabin, has now been rehabilitated to consist an office, conveniences and communication room.

“We are confident that the command will make judicious use of the equipment,” he said. (NAN)
TAA/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

NAN-H-90

Prisons

By Mohammed Bababusu

Lafia, Oct 6, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has appealed to the Federal Government to urgently build modern prisons in states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Al-Makura made the appeal while playing host to  Mr Nkanu Effong-Etowa, the Assistant Controller-General of Prisons (ACG), in charge of Zone H, Makurdi, on Thursday in Lafia.

Al-Makura, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alkaji Suleiman-Azores, called for the rehabilitation and renovation of the existing structures in all the prison formations across the federation.

He said, “If this is done, I believe it will assist in decongesting the prisons, enable inmates to have sense of belonging and make them responsible members of the society.”

The governor re-iterated his administration’s commitment to partner with prison authorities to improve the condition of prisons.

He said that the state government would support any effort to rehabilitate both inmates and facilities in all the prisons across the state.

“Although the prisons service is one of the Federal Government’s institutions, the state government will do whatever it could to complement the Federal Government in this regard.

“We will also support you because the services you render in all the prisons in the state are mostly to indigenes of the state and to maintain law and order.”

Earlier, the ACG commended the efforts of the government in its collaborative efforts with prison service in the state.

He appealed for more effort from the government and other spirited individuals in and outside the state.

Effong-Etowa said that the visit was part of his on-the-spot assessment and tour to inspect facilities and inmates in all the six prison formations in the state. (NAN)
BAB/DUA/IA
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Edited by Dada Ahmed/Idris Abdulrahman
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NAN-H-88
Construction
By Uche Bibilari/Funmi Adeyemi
Abuja, Oct. 6, 2016 (NAN) The construction of a transit way corridor on the recently demolished canopy market at Zone Three, Abuja, will soon begin, according to Mr Muktar Galadima, the Acting Director, Department of Development Control,  Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC).

Galadima made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

NAN reports that the market was demolished on Sept. 23  following several warning to traders to evacuate their goods.

Galadima said that the demolition was carried out to allow for a road construction to ease the problem of gridlock on the arteries.

“As I always say, Abuja is a creation of law and the development of Abuja is guided by a document called Abuja Master Plan where every space has been planned for.

“Where you call the Zone Three Neighbourhood Centre or where people call Canopy Market is a transit way corridor or a road corridor.

“Construction work will take effect any moment from now and the occupants of that transit way corridor knew that they where there ona temporary basis’’.

He said that the letter given to the traders by the FCT authority stated that they had the right to remove them anytime without notice, adding that they agreed to the terms of the letter.

According to him, the traders where adequately informed of the intended demolition of the market since July and were advised to evacuate their valuables.

“We had marked the structure since July and a week to the demolition; we were there on site to enlighten them on the need to evacuate the area before the demolition.

“We told them to remove their valuable items, but some of them were adamant, believing that we would not come for the demolition.

“The demolition was done as promised but hopefully, before the end of the month you will see some construction activities there.

“What we intend to do is to try and open the road even on a temporary basis so that some of the problems we are experiencing in the major arteries will be reduced.’’

Meanwhile, Mr Joseph Odey, said some of the traders sustained losses due to the demolition because of inadequate time to evacuate their goods.

Odey said that with the current economic recession, the demolition had imposed additional suffering on the citizenry.

“When Development Control came, they gave us about two to three hours to vacate and move our property but it was not possible for us to remove all our belongings.

“We don’t have anywhere to go and as you can see, people are still hanging around to see if they can make some sales.’’

He said that with a population of about 3,000 traders currently without anything doing, it would only worsen the challenge the country was facing and compound the unemployment situation.

“We are about 3,000 traders in this market and as you can see; every one of us is stranded.

“ We are calling on the government to assign another place that we can do our business,’’ Odey said.

Also, Mr Williams Ijakoli, another trader, said that he was now stranded as his goods worth about N300, 000 had been stolen.

“They came for demolition early in the morning. I was not even there; from the gate people where rushing out I asked what was happening. Before I could know they have demolished the other places.

“Before I could get to my shop my neighbours had broke into my shop and parked my goods for me. A lot of things are missing and a lot of people have similar issues as me.’’

He called on the government to make available alternative market spaces for business transactions. (NAN)
FAK/UU/DO/NKO

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Edited by David Onilede/Nkechi Okoronkwo

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ICT
By Constance Athekame
Abuja, Oct 6, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Government says it will set up six new ICT Hubs in the country to boost empowerment and growth in the sector.

The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by Mrs Fummi Oyemade, Deputy Director Press, and Ministry of Communications.

The statement quoted the minister as saying this when Global Y Combinators and Ventures Platform, an ICT concern, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.

An ICT hub is a space where technologists congregate to bounce ideas around, network, programme and design to bring their ideas to fruition.

Shittu said that the setting up of the hub was for government to ensure that investment in ICT and its multiplying effect went round the country.

Earlier, Mr Michael Isabel, the leader of the platform, said that the group was out on a mission to invest in the nation’s ICT sector and empower the youth.

Isabel said that the empowerment rendered to youths by his group had produced the likes of Mr Sola Akinlade who was empowered with $500 and had succeeded in getting returns of over $1 million in Information Technology (IT) .

Also commenting, Mr Sunny Echono, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, said that there was a high potential for investment in ICT sector in the country.

“The Ministry of Communications is ready to offer help in the area of regulatory control which will help investors in ICT.

Mr Afolabi Imoukhuede, the representative of the Vice-President’s Office, said that the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was very much interested in what Global Y Combinators and Ventures Platform could offer the youth in the area of ICT. (NAN)
COA/DUA/AMY
Edited by Dada Ahmed and Abdullahi Yusuf
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NAN-S-19

Badminton

By Dorcas Jonah

Abuja, Oct. 6, 2016 (NAN) Mohammed Bako, the Technical Director of Association of Badminton Clubs in Nigeria (ABCIN), on Thursday said 265 players from 30 clubs are participating in the ongoing All-Badminton Clubs Championships.

Bako told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the participants in the championships which started on Wednesday in Katsina comprise 123 active and 142 veteran players.

“The active players will take part in the male and female singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

“Veterans of ages 35 to 45 will take part in the mixed doubles, while these from 50 and above will take part in the singles events,’’ he said.

Bako said the championships would help to boost the game in Nigeria, as well as offer players an opportunity to showcase their talents and boost their career.

NAN recalls that veterans of the sport had come together to form ABCIN to address the problem of lack of badminton competitions in the country.(NAN)

(Edited and Controlled by Olawale Alabi)