Checks
Man arrested for ‘beheading’ woman in Calabar
A young man identified as Christian Edem Eyo in Mbukpa, Calabar South, is reported to have beheaded one of his aunts, identified as Mrs Uduak. Checks indicated that the incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday when the deceased, who was a neighbour to Christain, left her apartment to take her bath outside. Apparently not aware that she was being watched, as she approached the make-shift bathroom outside, Christain accosted her and hacked her down with a big stick and later cut off her head. According to other neighbours, the incident happened at about 5:00 am when Mrs Uduak left her apartment. A witness identified as Grace, who is a worshipper at an adjoining church which was having an all-night prayer service, said that she observed the young man burying a headless body. Grace sa...
Troops launch major rescue operation for kidnapped Kebbi students
A major rescue operation is ongoing for the kidnapped students and teachers of the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State. Over 100 people, the majority of them girls, and five teachers, were kidnapped last week after bandits stormed the school. Top security sources told newsmen that some of the students had been rescued by troops. The remaining abducted students, the source said, had been split into five groups by the bandits, who had now been surrounded by troops. The troops have however not stormed the locations so that the girls will not be caught in the crossfire or killed by the bandits. “They have been surrounded by troops but they are negotiating so that the girls would not be killed,” the source said. Meanwhile, about 15 people recently kidnapped by bandits in Tegin...
Nigerian airlines record low patronage over insecurity
Nigerian airlines have confirmed that passenger traffic has reduced in the last four weeks. This, they attributed to the growing insecurity in different parts of the country. Those who spoke to newsmen insisted that high airfares could be a factor, but insecurity was also identified as major reason. They noted that even at the peak of high cost of tickets in May and April, passenger traffic was still high. Newsmen learnt that some airlines that resumed flights to some destinations in the north had to withdraw, while the south-east airports, which used to be lucrative routes after Lagos and Abuja have recorded reduction in passenger movement. Head of Communications, Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa, told newsmen that there is slight reduction in the airline’s load factor in its flights to Enugu, O...
Kaduna paralysed as NLC begins warning strike
Activities in Kaduna State have been paralysed as the five-day warning strike directed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over irregular sacking of civil servants began on Monday. Checks revealed that schools, banks and other business premises had been closed. The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Finance Institutions Employees had directed its members to withdraw banking and insurance services in Kaduna state from Monday 17. The Zonal State Secretary of the union, Mr Adamu Danladi explained that the directive followed the NLC’s warning strike in response to what he described as Gov. El-Rufai’s “anti-workers policies”. He said that the withdrawal of services would continue until otherwise directed by the congress. Also, while some schools were closed, others were open but only a few...
Segun Adeniyi: Devolution of power alone can’t solve Nigeria’s problems
Nigerian Monitor The chairman of THISDAY editorial board, Olusegun Adeniyi, says devolution of power is not the only solution to Nigeria’s problems. Adeniyi said for it to be effective, devolution of power must come with accountability at all levels especially at the local government where administration “has been castrated”. He was speaking at ‘The Platform’, an annual programme organised by Covenant Christian Centre, which was held in Lagos on Saturday. The seasoned journalist added that from past experience, closer government does not necessarily translate to better governance. “Today, there is hardly anybody in our country who is not angry about the situation in which we find ourselves. But nobody is accepting responsibility because the other person or the other ethnic group is to blam...
Report: US says ex-Egypt premier had diplomatic immunity from lawsuit
The Biden administration has said a lawsuit seeking to hold former Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi accountable for alleged involvement in torture against an Egyptian-American activist should be thrown out because he held diplomatic immunity, the Washington Post reported on Monday. In a submission to the US District Court in Washington, DC, shared by the Post, lawyers for the US Justice Department said “El Beblawi held diplomatic status at the time when the suit was commenced” and the court should dismiss “claims falling with the scope of his immunity”. El-Beblawi had served as Egypt’s representative to the International Monetary Fund, but quit and left the US in late October, the Post reported. The department said in its court filing that it was not making any judgements on the me...
Official: Why CCB denies Nigerians access to public officers’ assets information
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Wednesday explained why it denies Nigerians access to the details of the assets declared by public officers. The chair person of the bureau, Muhammad Isah, also disclosed that assets declaration would soon become online-based. Mr Isah, represented by his special assistant, Mustapha Musa, spoke in Lagos at a meeting on ‘Promoting Transparency and Accountability in Asset Declaration by High-Ranking Public Officers’. Newsmen report that the meeting was organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). On access to public officers’ assets information, the CCB chair said the bureau never honoured citizens’ requests for such information because the National Assembly had yet to give the guidelines for such public disclosure. He said the...
Femi Falana: EFCC can mandate bank MDs, executives to declare assets
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of all laws relating to economic and financial crimes, Africa’s leading human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has said. Consequently, according to the senior advocate, the anti-graft commission is empowered to cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person as stipulated under Section 7 (1) (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004. Also yesterday, Transparency International (TI) argued that if the provisions of the Bank Employees, etc. (Declaration of Assets) Act, 1986 were effectively enforced, Nigeria could save between $15 billion and $18 billion illicit financial flows (IFFs) annually. Falana clarified the roles of the EFCC in a response to inquiries on whethe...
Former England skipper wants brain tested for dementia signs
Former England striker Gary Lineker says he will get extra checks on his brain for signs of dementia. Research has found that former professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to die from a brain disorder than the general population. Already, an inquiry was launched by the UK parliament this month into sport’s link to dementia. Lineker, who has previously suggested a complete ban on heading in training, joined a radio programme for a Dementia in Football documentary. He revealed he and colleagues Alan Shearer and Ian Wright fear they could end up with a brain disorder. “I’ve had conversations with Alan Shearer and Ian Wright and others about the worry that, come 10, 15 years, that it might happen to one of us,” said the 60-year-old former England captain turned broadca...
Official: Three teachers kidnapped in Kaduna school attack
Three teachers were kidnapped in the attack Monday morning by bandits on a primary school in Kaduna State. According to the state government, two pupils initially declared missing after the attack have been found. The state goverment had earlier on Monday announced the attack on the primary school in Rema, about 150 kilometres from the state capital, but said it was awaiting details on the incident. In an update he provided later, the state’s Commissioner of Internal Security and Homeland Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said only three teachers were kidnapped in the attack. He said this was according to the report provided by the school authorities and as gathered by security operatives and the state government. According to Mr Aruwan at a press conference in Kaduna, after the state government com...
Official: 39 students missing from forestry mechanization college
Kaduna state government has said further checks in the wake of the attack by armed bandits on the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Igabi LGA indicated that 39 students are currently unaccounted for. In a statement issued by Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, said the missing students included males and females. The statement said: “In an earlier update, citizens were informed that troops rescued 180 persons following an attack by armed bandits on the College late Thursday night, with about 30 still missing. The number of missing students is now confirmed to be 39, comprising 23 females and 16 males. Aruwan said the state government, “is maintaining close communication with the management of the College as efforts are sustained by security agen...
How to tackle students’ abduction – NUT, NAPTAN
Nigeria Union of Teachers The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, and the National Parents Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, have proffered solutions to the incessant abduction of students by bandits in some parts of the country. Speaking in separate interviews with our correspodent, the two groups called on the federal and state governments to entrench the Safe Schools Initiative and deploy military personnel in schools across the country. National Secretary of the NUT, Dr. Mike Ene, said apart from the steps expected to be taken by the government to stem the ugly trend, every citizen should develop psychic eyes to help them be security-conscious at all times. He said: “These abductions here and there are deliberate steps to discourage education and encourage school drop out. It is unfo...
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