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Nigeria, UN partner on food availability, safety
To check the growing inequality in food systems in Nigeria and to meet certain components of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Federal Government is partnering with the UN to hold a food systems dialogue. The Nigeria National Food Systems Dialogue (NNFSD) 2021is preparatory to the Food Systems Summit scheduled to hold in September, the National Coordinator of the Dialogue and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mrs Olusola Idowu said on Thursday. Speaking at a webinar to draw the attention of stakeholders to issues relating to food systems, Idowu said that convening the Food Systems Summit was part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. “The Summit is aimed at launching a bold new action to deliver p...
Ex-APC chairman speaks on ‘crisis’ in Ebonyi chapter
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, Eze Nwachukwu, has refuted media report about leadership crisis in the state chapter of the party. Mr Nwachukwu, who is the commissioner for Inter-Governmental Affairs in the state, is the immediate past chairman of APC in the state. “It has become expedient that I react to the publication alleging leadership crisis in our great party over the appointment of Okoro-Emegha as chairman, Caretaker Committee of APC in Ebonyi. “I am the immediate past chairman of APC and the emergence of Okoro-Emegha as the current chairman, caretaker committee is a welcome development and it followed laid down legal and constitutional provisions of our party,” Mr Nwachukwu said on Saturday at a press briefing in Abakaliki. Continuing, the forme...
Official: Kano government amends child rights act ‘to reflect Sharia’
The Kano State Executive Council has approved and amended the proposed bill on Child Rights (protection) Act 2010 “to reflect the position of Sharia on all sections of the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003″. Muhammed Garba, Commissioner for Information in Kano State disclosed this in statement he signed and made available to newsmen in Kano on Saturday, Mr Garba said the decision for the approval was reached at its state council meeting in line with the Federal Government policy of 2003 where states were asked to domesticate the bill . He said that the approval was necessary because of the commitment of the state administration on child welfare. Mr Garba disclosed that the state government was motivated to enact the child right bill after it assented to the bill on free and compulsory education....
Nigerian government berates Amnesty International over call for service chiefs’ prosecution
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has berated the Amnesty International (AI) over its call for the arrest and prosecution of former Service Chiefs AI had in its recent report, called for the arrest and prosecution of the service chiefs at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged human rights violation in the prosecution of war against terror in the North-East region. Speaking on “Politics Nationwide,” a Radio Nigeria programme monitored by newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, Mohammed said the global human rights protection organisation should “shut up because it had no proof of crimes committed by the Nigerian military’’. He said the country was fighting an unconventional war with insurgency that had no rule of engagement, adding that this was a double jeopard...
Court restrains Edo NUT from embarking on strike
Nigeria Union of Teachers The National Industrial Court in Benin, on Monday, restrained the Edo wing of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) from proceeding on any strike in primary schools across the state. Justice Abiola Adewemimo gave the order after listening to the arguments by the state Solicitor-General, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN). Newsmen report that the state government and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) are the applicants in the case, with suit number: NICN/BEN/04/2021. The defendants in the suit are the NUT Chairman in the state, Mr Pius Okhuleliegbe and the state Assistant Secretary- General, Moni Itua, for themselves and on behalf of the members of the union. Delivering her ruling, Adewemimo restrained the NUT chairman and the assistant secretary-general,either acting t...
Nigeria records 1,883 new coronavirus infections
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 1,883 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) infections, bringing the total number of infected people in the country to 130,557. The NCDC disclosed this on its official website late Saturday. Newsmen report that the country has so far tested 1,270,523 people since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was recorded in Nigeria on Feb. 27, 2020. The health agency also confirmed one coronavirus-related death in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1,578 in Nigeria. NCDC noted that the 1,883 new COVID-19 infections occurred in 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It stated that Lagos State registered the highest number with 1,040 infections, taking the total number of infected people in the state to 48,919. The NCDC ...
Court orders final forfeiture of ex-Zamfara governor’s money in Zenith, Polaris banks
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the final forfeiture of former Governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari’s funds domiciled in Zenith and Polaris Banks. While 56, 056.75 dollars was lodged in Polaris Bank account, the sums of N12.9 million, N11.2 million, 301, 319.99 dollars; N217, 388.04 and 311, 872.15 dollars were kept in different Zenith Bank accounts in the name of Yari and his companies. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in a judgment, held that the former governor had not shown good cause why the order sought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) should not be granted. Yari served as governor of Zamfara between May 2011 and May 2019. The ICPC had instituted a suit, praying the court for the former governor to show cause why the money unde...
Ebonyi governor vows to prosecute officials linked to communal crisis
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has vowed to arrest and prosecute people, including government officials, linked to the communal crisis involving Effium and Ezza Effium indigenes of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state. Over 60 people have been arrested, according to newsmen. The police have confirmed that eight people died, while several houses have been razed in the crisis caused by a leadership dispute at a local motor park, newsmen reported. Even government officials involved in the carnage would not be spared, Mr Umahi said on Monday during a tour of the affected community. “All political appointments and developmental projects being executed in the crisis area should be suspended until permanent peace returns to the area,” the governor said, adding that a judicial panel of...
Mob sets robbery suspect ablaze in Benue
The Police in Benue on Sunday said a robbery suspect was set ablaze by an angry mob while attempting to steal a motorcycle in Makurdi. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Catherine Anene, disclosed this to newsmen in Makurdi through a text message. Anene said that the command received a piece of information that a young man, while attempting to snatch a motorcycle from its rider, was arrested by the mob and immediately set ablaze. She, however, appealed to the public to stop taking laws into their hands, and rather report all cases to appropriate authorities for action. “Information was received at Wurukum area that a young man attempted to snatch a motorcycle from a cyclist and was arrested by a mob. “On reaching the scene, it was discovered that the suspect had b...
Court fixes date to hear suit seeking to oust ex-Speaker Dogara from House over defection to APC
Twitter The Federal High Court, Abuja, will, on February 4, hear a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) asking for the declaration of the seat of Rep Yakubu Dogara vacate on account of his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Justice Okon Abang fixed the date on the grounds that it was not convenient for the court to take the matter. Newsmen report that while the PDP and its Bauchi State Chairman, Hamza Akuyam, are the plaintiffs, Dogara, who was the immediate-past Speaker, House of Representatives; the speaker of the House; the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF); Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC are 1st to 5th defendants respectively in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/2020. NAN reports that Dogara, who represents Dass, Tafawa Bal...
Several dead as freight ship sinks off Turkey’s Black Sea coast
A Palau-flagged freight ship has sunk off the coast of Turkey’s Black Sea province of Bartin, killing at least three crew members, according to Bartin Governor Sinan Guner. Guner had said earlier on Sunday that the ship, the Arvin, was a Russian dry freight vessel that sank off the coast of the Inkumu region in poor weather, but later corrected that. “The Arvin ship attempted to take refuge at the Bartin port due to poor weather conditions as it carried cargo from Georgia to Bulgaria,” Guner was quoted as saying by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency. The coastguard said the ship had sunk after taking in water amid poor weather. Six crew members had been rescued and efforts were under way to rescue others, it said in a statement. Anadolu said that all of them were hospitalised and were ...
Voter apathy mars Kano council poll
Saturday’s Kano State local government election, recorded low turnout of voters, as only a handful voters were seen in polling units, newsmen reports. NAN correspondent who went round polling units across the metropolis, reports that there was voter apathy in almost all polling units during the poll. Areas visited included Chedi, Zage, Zango, Gandu, Sharada, Wailawa, Dorayi, Kabuga, Rijiyar Zaki in Kano Municipal, Gwale, and Ungogo local government areas of the state. NAN reports that the election started around 10:30 a.m. with heavy presence of policemen and other security personnel.However, voters interviewed, expressed delight at participating in the election. Malam Jazuli Yusuf a voter in Gwale, said he voted at the election to exercise his civic right. Yusuf said the election would en...
