Blog

Games
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Sept. 7, 2018 (NAN) The Vice President, Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), Abdullahi Saidu, has warned the participating states in the 2018 National Youth Games (NYG) not to feature any athlete above 15 years.

Saidu gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the competition slated to hold in Ilorin, Kwara, from Sept. 7 to Sept. 17.

NAN reports that Are Ademola, the Director, Grassroots Sports and Development, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, had said that only athletes of 15 years and below were eligible to participate in the competition.

The 4th edition of the annual NYG is aimed at developing sports at the grassroots.

Saidu said that the advice became imperative to avoid disqualification of any state athletes that violated the game’s age requirement.

“I am sure that states must have assembled their teams for the competition, but it is also necessary to critically verify their documents to avoid facing disqualification.

“As a federation, we have done the needful by emphasising on the age directive which we expect them to comply with for the purpose of the game to be achieved,” he said.

Saidu also urged the affiliated states to find a way of rewarding victorious athletes so as to appreciate their efforts and encourage them in the sport.

The NTF board member said that the measure was necessary as it would go a long way to attract more young talents to develop their skills in taekwondo sport.

“As upcoming athletes, they need to be encouraged and good welfare package that will be useful for their categories should be considered, especially those with outstanding performance,” he added.

Saidu urged them to exhibit discipline and put in their best during the fights and be self-confident. (NAN)
MIL/BOLA/GOK
=========
Edited by Bola Akingbehin/Olagoke Olatoye

Court remands contractor over alleged robbery

Robbery

By Vivian Ibobo 

Ikeja, Sept. 7, 2018 (NAN) A contractor, Lucky Omogbai, 40, is to spend the next 14 days in prison pending legal advice on his case in which he is standing trial for allegedly robbing a woman of N700,000 cash at gunpoint.

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos gave the ruling on Friday.

The magistrate, Mrs M. I. Dan-Oni, directed that the case file be sent to the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

She adjourned the case till Sept. 20, when the matter will come up for mention.

Omogbai, who resides at No. 37, Unity Estate, Ibie Badagry Expressway, Lagos, is being tried for conspiracy and robbery.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Victor Eruada, told the court that Omogbai committed the offences with others still at large on May 4, at Rice Market Junction, Igbelerin, Okokomaiko, Lagos while on a motorcycle.

He said that Omogbai and his accomplices robbed Mrs Patience Eluma, of her handbag which contained N700, 000 cash.

The prosecutor said that the accused was armed with a gun.

Eruada said that Eluma, was on her way back from the bank where she had gone to withdraw the cash when she was attacked by Omogbai who was later apprehended by the police attached to the bank.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 297 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised). (NAN)
IZU/NNO/MZA

Edited by Nick Nicholas/Maharazu Ahmed

Footballer docked for allegedly stealing valuables from church
Church
By Vivian Ibobo
Ikeja, Sept. 7, 2018 (NAN) A footballer, Sola Fabiyi, was on Friday docked before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing valuables worth 320,000 from Full Gospel Church of God, Alagbado, Lagos.
Fabiyi, whose address was not provided, is being tried for conspiracy, housebreaking and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Victor Eruada told the court that the accused with others now at large, committed the offences on Aug. 18 at 6a.m.

The prosecution said the accused broke into the church at 2, Odutola Estate, Alagbado and stole a mixer organ and an engine valued N320,000 property of the church.

Eruada said that the accused and others also stole a motorcycle marked LAR 537 QJ, with which they allegedly conveyed the items stolen from the church.

He told the court that Fabiyi was caught by members of the neighborhood security watch in the area, who handed him over to the police.

Eruada said the offences violated Sections 287, 311 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015, (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sections 287 and 311 stipulate three-year jail term for offenders.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs M. I. Dan-Oni, granted him bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Dan-Oni said the sureties must be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

She adjourned the case until Sept. 20, for further hearing. (NAN)
IZU/JI/MZA
Editing by Joseph Idika/Maharazu Ahmed

Domestic violence: Police urge women in Gombe to speak up
Violence
By Uwumarogie Peter
Gombe, Sept. 7, 2018 (NAN) The Commissioner of Police in Gombe State, Mr Shina Olukolu, on Friday advised women in the state to always report cases of domestic violence.
Olukolu who gave this advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe said domestic violence was poorly reported in Gombe, and that there was need for women to speak up.
He said the statistics on domestic violence in the state had been very low in the past three years, noting that most women were afraid of reporting it to save their marriages amongst other reasons.
According to him, the police are now better trained and abreast of the current ways of handling domestic violence to ensure that lives are protected and needed counselling given by personnel of the command.
“Domestic violence is as old as the human race, so gaining global attention is expected. However, in Gombe the case has not been given prominence in view of the available statistics.
“The statistics have almost remained same for the past three years. In 2015, 21 cases were handled by the police, in 2016, 20 and in 2017, 20 cases. So the statistics is insignificant.
“The statistics we have is due to poor reportage of such cases. Most women are afraid to report and then lose their marriages amongst other reasons. So they tend to bottle up issues like these.
“There is need for the women to speak up, seek help and advice by reporting to the security agencies so as to prevent subsequent victimisation which may lead to death,” he said.
The police commissioner emphasised that the command was committed to resolving issues and not breaking homes as feared by most victims.
“I want to inform the public that our gender-based unit has been given series of trainings within and outside the state to handle issues of domestic violence so as to protect lives.
“Our personnel are now well exposed to the mechanism and understanding of the nature of reactions by women to issues that result to marital conflicts and how to resolve these issues.
“All cases we have received so far were minor and the police have handled them through counselling and legal means. Most of those victimised women are living peacefully in their homes with the protection they deserved.
“Such issues must be reported so as to call the offenders to order at an early stage in view of the danger of such violence leading to the death of any of the partners,” he said.
Olukolu appealed to all stakeholders to sensitise the public on the need to control their emotions at home, and that the implications of domestic violence on the children was devastating. (NAN)
UP/SA
Edited by Salif Atojoko
=================

Tremor

By Bukola Adewumi/Jessica Dogo

Abuja,Sept.6,2018(NAN) FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Friday assured residents of the territory that there was no likelihood of earthquake within the territory and the country, after the earth tremor in Mpappe and its environs  on Thursday.

Residents  in the Federal Capital Territory  were alarmed by the sudden shake of the earth in the the affected areas  which was their first experience in many years.

The tremor  instilled some fear  in the residents, resulting in confusion about the cause of  the terrific happening around them.

Tremor is an involuntary movement.

The Director-General of the Agency, Mr Abass Idris,  had said there no cause for alarm,  in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja while  reacting to distress calls by residents of the FCT.

According to him,  the earth-shaking around Mpape and some parts of Maitama district does not imply that the FCT  and indeed the country is under the threat of earth quake,  saying  that the agency  is in firm control of the situation.

“We are urging all residents to calm down and be rest assured that the abnormal situation would soon stop.”

According to him, the possible cause of the incident may be due to earth tumor which he explained, is a “sign of seismic movement within the earth that was caused by a sudden break along a fault line.

“This sudden release of energy makes the ground to shake which may be caused by stress in underground rocks and may be due to rock blasting and mining activities in the area.

“When personnel of the agency interacted with residents of Mpape and its environs, they gathered that this was not the first time the shaking has occurred but has happened five years ago”.

The D-G appealed to the residents of the affected area to remain calm as the agency was doing all within its powers to bring the situation under control within the shortest time.

He, however, said that there was need for residents to relocate to  a safer zone if living in a building during the tremor.

He urged the residents to vacate their houses and take cover under desks or tables and hold tight until the  shake is over.

He also said that residents should stay away from windows and objects that were likely to fall and also  find a clear spot away from buildings, trees and power lines.

“ If you are in the car, slow down and drive to a clear place, stay in the car until the shaking stops.”

A resident in Maitama, Mr Victor Okoye who experienced the tremor, told NAN that he initially thought it was a blast from one of the quarry sites in Mpape which sometime happened but found out that it was not what he initially assumed.

“ When I came outside my house, I discovered it was indeed a shaking and a lot began to run through my mind as I thought the end of the world was here.”

Another resident in Mpape, Mrs Alice Adetola, expressed shock over the incident, adding that the experience terrified her children.

“ I held on to my children and began to pray to God for mercy. I even began to think towards relocating if we make it through the night.”

Also, Mr John Eson said the prompt response of FEMA to the area had assured residents that the situation was under control.

According to him, personnel of the agency have been on ground since the incident, carrying out investigations, survey and research. (NAN)

BOL/JEZ/OSA/IA

===============

Edited by Shittu Obassa/Idris Abdulrahman

Remand
By Amen Gajira
Minna, Sept. 7, 2018 (NAN) A Minna Magistrates’ Court on Friday ordered the remand in prison custody of a 35-year-old driver, Liman Mohammed, for cheating.

Mohammed was docked on a two count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating, contrary to sections 312 and 322 of the penal code.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Ahmed Ali, had told the court that one Mohammed Agaie of Gidan Mangoro arrested and brought the accused person to the station on Sept. 4.

Ali quoted the complainant as alleging that sometimes in June 2018, one Bologi Ndakogi of Dutsen Kura, Minna entrusted the sum of N870,000 with the accused person for the purchase of a tractor.

He said that the accused person neither bought the tractor nor refunded the said money to Ndakogi.

When the charges were read to him, Mohammed pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency.

The prosecutor thereafter prayed the court to try him summarily in line with section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The Presiding Magistrate, Sa’adatu Gambo, however, reserved sentence until Sept. 10. (NAN)
AMEN/IS
=======

Decay

Enugu, Sept 7, 2018 (NAN)  Mrs Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu, the Special Adviser to the President on Justice Sector Reforms and National Coordinator Open Government Partnership, says society can only be shaped through the active participation of the citizenry.

Ibekaku-Nwagwu, an All Progressives Congress (APC) female senatorial aspirant in Enugu West, made this known at Egede Economic Summit in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State on Friday.

The presidential aide spoke on the topic “Shaping the Society through Political Participation”, at the community maiden conference.

She said that her mission in politics was to correct the 16 years of misrepresentation and infrastructure decay in the senatorial district.

The aspirant decried the infrastructural decay, bad road network and poor health facilities in the five council areas of Udi, Awgu, Aniniri, Ezeagu and Oji River.

Ibekaku-Nwagwu urged the people to take their destiny in hands by voting wisely in the 2019 election.

She urged the people to get the right persons to represent them at the National and State Assemblies to attract meaningful development to the community.

She said the Egede summit became imperative to brainstorm and proffer solutions to the decaying infrastructure and other problems plaguing the community as well as a road map to tackle it.

The aspirant, who promised to make the summit an annual event, said that the conference would be replicated in the remaining five council areas to fast track the economic development of the zone.

Ibekaku-Nwagwu said that everybody had a role to play, adding: “we will engage the state government to assist in bailing out its people.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Danmallam Mohammed, in his paper titled: “Advancement of Community and Neigbhourhood Security to Economy of the Society,” said security was important to overall economic development.

Mohammed, represented CSP Ezenwa Onyekaba said that no meaningful development can take place where there is no security adding that no reasonable person would like to invest in an atmosphere of insecurity.

The commissioner said that farming was the mainstay of the community and the police were working round the clock to prevent farmers and herders clash.

“We recorded minor cases and resolved them amicably,” Mohammed said, noting that the community was calm and peaceful.

On abduction, he also said that it had been tackled with the deployment of 25 policemen to flash points, adding that after the release of John Mikel’s father in the jurisdiction, no abduction had been recorded in the area.

He gave assurance that police would not rest on its oars to ensure full protection of lives and property of the people as enshrined in its enabling law. (NAN)
OFN/MNA
Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Maureen Atuonwu

Sealing

By Ejike Obeta

Asaba, Sept. 7, 2018 (NAN) The Department of Weights and Measures, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, has sealed Seven petrol stations in Warri and Asaba in Delta, by for under-dispensing petroleum products.

Mr Ibrahim Isah, the Head of the Surveillance Team in the ministry, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba on Friday, after inspecting petroleum product outlets in the state.

Isah said that the stations were also sealed because they either operated without verification certificates or with expired ones, in violation of the Weights and Measures Act of 2004.

He gave the names of the stations sealed as Anioma, Chyz and Irowil petrol stations all in Asaba, and Falcon Bay, Pedico, God’s Time and Lausa filling stations in Warri.

Isah, who is also an Assistant Director, said that the department generated N6.3 million as revenue in Delta between January and August from fines and certification, among others.

He said that the department was concerned with ensuring that customers got the correct measures of any product they paid for and value for their money in any sector of the economy.

“We are involved anywhere trade is going on, be it in the petroleum sector, breweries or manufacturing industries,” he said.

Isah called on Delta residents, who felt being short-changed by petroleum product dealers, to always contact the department at Room 422, Federal Secretariat, Okpanam Road, Asaba for prompt action.

He hinted that the department was in the process of introducing indigenous and uniform weights and measures of products across the federation.

The assistant director said the pilot scheme on measures of grains had commenced in six northern states, pointing out that the scheme would soon be launched.  (NAN)

EMO/DUA

Edited by Dada Ahmed

Delta CJ tasks experienced lawyers on mentorship

Mentoring

By Eguonor Ighure

Asaba, Sept. 7, 2018 (NAN) The Chief Judge of Delta, Justice Marshal Umukoro, has charged  experienced lawyers in the state to assist in mentoring their junior colleagues in the interest of the Bar.

Umokoro gave the charge when members of the new executive of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Udu branch, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Asaba.

He said that most young lawyers, fresh from the Nigerian Law School, though ambitious, often found themselves at crossroads on whether to practise or not.

He said that most times, “their paramount concern is how to make quick money.

“It therefore behoves on senior lawyers who have cut their teeth in the profession to mentor the pupil-lawyers in order to help them to make the right decision,” Umukoro said.

He described the young lawyers as the future of the profession because the veterans would retire from active practice one day.

He also advised the young lawyers to humble themselves to undergo pupillage and learn the rudiments of the practice from their senior and experienced colleagues.

He listed the tips for a successful legal practice to include identifying and starting a career with a reputable law firm, setting development goals and strategies to achieve them and having a role model.

The state’s chief law officer congratulated the new excutive members on their election and assured them that the bench would always carry them along.

“The judiciary alone cannot dispense justice in the state without your cooperation,” he said.

He admonished them to emulate the leadership qualities of the Oleh branch which, he said had begun the construction of a bar centre, barely three months after it was inaugurated.

The chief judge told them that they would only be remembered by the legacy they left behind.

Earlier, the Chairman of the branch, Mr Benedict Asaboro, said that they came to introduce the new executive to him and also thank him for all his support to the activities of the branch.

Asaboro lauded the CJ for initiating some reforms that led to an increase in the jurisdiction of magistrates, inauguration of more courts and establishment of criminal jurisdictions, among others.

He pledged the unflinching support of the branch to the chief judge, adding that the new executive would strive to sustain the existing cordial relationship between the brand and bench.

Accompanying the new executive were the immediate past chairman and vice chairman of the branch, Mr Ayo Asala and Mr Augustine Oliseh respectively. (NAN)

EGI/USO/EMO

==========

Edited by Sam Oditah/Ejike Obeta

Forms

By Angela Atabo

Abuja, Sept. 6, 2018 (NAN) The Not-Too-Young-To-Run Movement has appealed to the All Progreasives Congress (APC) to reduce the cost of its nomination forms to enable youths participate in 2019 elections.

One of the Conveners of the Movement, Mr Samson Itodo, made the call at the Public Dialogue with Political Parties on Youth Candidacy and Party Primaries, it organised in Abuja on Thursday.

Itodo said that though the Not-Too-Young-To-Run law had been made, young people were still contending with challenges in political parties.

“One major challenge is the cost of nomination forms; many young people have fallen victims of the autocratic and undemocratic nature of political parties across the country.

“Today, we have got young people who, inspired by the Not-Too-Young-To-Run agitation, are unable to purchase forms because they are not products or stakeholders of the contentious primaries being held.

“Today, most of the young people want to run for offices but the cost of nomination forms is too high; so, we will keep engaging political parties to reduce cost of nomination forms for youths, especially the APC.

“We want to believe the party is truly a people’s party because if it is, then the onus is actually on them to reduce the cost of forms.”

Itodo said that the APC had already accepted and adopted one of the movement’s recommendations, which was direct primary.

He said that there was need to take a further step to reduce the cost of its nomination form so that youths, women and persons with disabilities could afford it.

He lauded the party for signing the bill.

Itodo, however, said that APC needed to act “so it won’t be a double-standard party because they won’t celebrate passage of the bill and take the opportunity away from youths through high cost of forms.

“It is important the party reduces its nomination form cost because this has the potential of breeding corruption.

“When people pay high for forms, when they get into office, their first preoccupation is how they will recoup this money.” he said.
Itodo said that the movement believed that reducing the cost of its nomination forms was one of the steps that APC needed to take to tell Nigerians that it was a youth-friendly party.

He reiterated that the movement remained a non-partisan group and would not endorse any candidate.

He, however, said that the movement, with its Ready-to-Run project, would locate competent youths who were interested in running for elective office.

He said the movement would inspire them, support them and link competent youths who were running for elective offices.

Ms Cynthia Mbamalu, one of the conveners, said that the group would not relent in supporting youth candidacy.

Mbamalu said that the aim of the dialogue was to advocate for political parties to deliberately enhance and support youth candidacy.

She said the movement was tracking the commitment of political parties to the dialogue and would follow it up.

She added that aspiring youths seeking to contest in 2019 and advised them to link up with the movement.

Mbamalu said that the group would meet with all the political parties to push for the promotion of youth inclusiveness. (NAN)

ATAP/OPI