News Agency of Nigeria
Police arrest father of six for ‘rape’ of 13-year-old girl
The Police in Jos have arrested a 39-year-old businessman, Abdul Abdul, for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl after buying N20 sachet water in her mother’s makeshift store. Abdul, a married man and father of six who resides in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area, allegedly committed the crime on June 8, when he went into the shop to buy water. The suspect told newsmen behind bars in Jos, on Monday, that he did not know what came over him when he had ‘sex’ with the minor. “On June 8, it was raining heavily, and I needed a place to take shelter after alighting from the tricycle, so I went into the shop, opposite a house I am building. “I bought a sachet of water from the girl after which we started discussing. “I placed my hand on her shoulder, and she did not resist, so I went ahead t...
Ibrahim Magu failed to account for interest on N550 billion recovered loot – panel
Voice of Nigeria A prior presidential panel, which investigated the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, indicted him, a report has alleged. The report noted that the embattled EFCC boss had been unable to account for the interest generated from N550bn cash recovered from 2015 to 2020. The panel is separate from the panel led by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, which is currently probing Magu and other top officials of the agency. The chairman of the previous committee was Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim and the members were DIG Anthony Ogbizi; a member from Federal Ministry of Justice; Mualledi Dogondaji from the EFCC; Hassan Abdullahi from the DSS; an unnamed member from the Office of the Accountant General of the...
Osun SSG, 21 others recover from coronavirus
Mr Wole Oyebamiji, Secretary to Osun State Government (SSG), who was earlier tested positive to Coronavirus, has recovered from the virus. Dr Rafiu Isamotu, the state Commissioner for Health, said in a statement in Osogbo on Saturday that the SSG and 21 other patients had also tested negative to the virus. Newsmen report that the state commissioner for health had on July 1 announced that the SSG and some of his staff had tested positive to the virus. The commissioner said that the test conducted on the SSG on Friday after days of treatment returned negative. He also noted that some of the staff of the SSG, who had previously tested positive to the virus, were among those that tested negative. Isamotu said that 23 fresh cases of the virus were also recorded in the state, adding that they we...
NUJ: Restore military checkpoints on Okene-Lokoja-Abuja road
File Photo Amidst worsening security situation on the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called for immediate restoration of military checkpoints on the road. The Chairman of the Kogi State council of NUJ, Adeiza Jimoh, made the appeal in a statement issued in Lokoja on Friday. He said that the incessant kidnappings and killings almost on a daily basis on the road by armed bandits necessitated the call. Mr Jimoh gave kudos to the police for their efforts at checkmating the criminals but said that the establishment of military checkpoints will further reduce criminal activities on the road. According to the statement, the Osara-Irepeni section of the road has become notorious for the activities of the men of the underworld. Newsmen recall that on the same...
Benue Assembly suspends plenary for members to undergo coronavirus tests
The Benue House of Assembly has suspended its plenary sessions to allow lawmakers and members of staff to subject themselves to COVID-19 screening. Mr Tertsea Gbiseh, the Chairman House Standing Committee on Information and Orientation, announced this in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Makurdi. The statement said the decision to undergo COVID-19 screening by members was arrived at after the noticeable spike in cases around the state. “Going by the nature of the Assembly’s functions which warrant us to interact closely with constituents at the grassroots on one hand and top government functionaries in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, on the other hand, it has become imperative to embark on regular COVID-19 tests due to the risk of exposure encountere...
Aviation, education ministries, others make presentations at FEC meeting
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently presiding over the seventh virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Newsmen report that the Federal Ministries of Aviation; Niger Delta; Education as well as Works and Housing are expected to make presentations at the meeting. Those at the meeting include Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno. Newsmen observed that 11 cabinet ministers joined the president at the Council Chamber for the virtual meeting while other ministers are participating directly from their respective off...
NDA reaffirms commitment to turn out best officers
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Comandant Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, reaffirmed the academy’s commitment to turn out the best officers for the Nigerian Armed Forces. The Academy Public Relations Officer, Major Abubakar Abdullahi, said in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna. “The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna has reaffirmed its commitment towards producing the finest quality officers to be commissioned into the Nigerian Armed Forces. The NDA Commandant Gen Sarham revealed this on top of Shere Hills in Jos Plateau State on Tuesday as he inspected the progress being made by final year army cadets of 67 Regular Course and Short Service Course 46 conducting Exercise Camp Highland. According to Sarham, who ascended the peak of the Hills in company of his Deputy and other NDA manag...
FRSC alerts motorists on imminent diversion on Lagos 3rd mainland bridge
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, says diversion and safety precaution are imminent, owing to the emergency rehabilitation on the third mainland bridge in Lagos. In a statement issued by the FRSC Public Education Officer (CPEO), Mr Bisi Kazeem, on Wednesday in Abuja, Oyeyemi said that the bridge would be partially closed for three months for the first phase of the job. Newsmen report that the Federal Government had announced plans to shut down the third mainland bridge for maintenance work from July 24 to Jan. 24, 2021. The first phase of the project covers the rehabilitation of the Oworonshoki bound lanes. He added that another three months for the second phase would cover the repairs of the Lagos bound lanes. “Traffic will be diverted to make wa...
Lagos Assembly urges governor to probe highway workers protests
The Lagos House of Assembly has urged Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to investigate the recent protest by street sweepers engaged by Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) over non-payment of their salaries. The resolution followed a motion, entitled; “Need to Enhance Waste Management In Lagos State,” moved by Mr Desmond Elliot (Surulere Constituency I) during plenary on Monday. Newsmen report that highway workers had on June 23 embarked on protest over non-payment of their three-month salaries. The sweepers also took to social media to express their grievance. In a video posted on Twitter, the sweepers were seen removing their uniforms and dumping them on the floor, which formed a huge pile. Elliot said the House condemned those behind the videos that went viral on the issue of non-payme...
Kwara college speaks on discovery of 2,000 fake certificates
The Kwara College of Education, Ilorin, says the college is yet to uncover how more than 2,000 fake certificates of the school were used to secure employment with various government agencies in the state. Prof. Abdulraheem Yusuf, the Provost of the college, said in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Ilorin that recent reports had twisted his response in the interview he granted. The statement asserted that he never made mention of fake Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) in the interview, but statement of results. NAN recalls that there was a media report recently disclosing that the college had so far uncovered about 2,000 fake certificates of the institution used to secure teaching jobs with the state. “The attention of the management of Kwara State College of Educa...
75% of Nigerians at risk for non-communicable diseases – study
Three quarters of Nigerians are at risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), a nationwide study by WellNewMe, a health technology company, has revealed. According to the study, the situation needs to be urgently addressed, especially in the present COVID-19 pandemic era, as persons with underlying conditions are most vulnerable to the deadly virus. Dr Obi Igbokwe, the Co-founder of WellNewMe and author of the pilot report, told newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday that in 2019, the company partnered Novartis to run a year-long pilot to determine Nigerians’ risks for developing chronic diseases. Igbokwe quoted the World Health Organisation (WHO) as saying that the COVID-19 pandemic might have had significant impacts on the health of people with NCDs, such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, di...
NGO laments dilapidated infrastructure in Enugu
Enugu-based Non Governmental Organisation, Daniel Ukwu Leadership Foundation, has urged the state and local governments to pay adequate attention to public schools and hospitals in the state. Mr Daniel Ukwu, Executive Director of the foundation, made the call during a courtesy visit to newsmen in Enugu on Monday. Ukwu decried the deplorable state of government schools and health centres in the state. He said that he discovered the deplorable situation when the foundation went on inspection tour of over 12 local government areas in the state. The councils areas visited were Ezeagu, Nkanu West, Udi, Awgu, Oji River, Igboeze North, Isi-Uzo, Nkanu East, Enugu North, Enugu South, Igbo Etiti and Nsukka local government. The executive director attributed the infrastructure problems to lack of pol...
