Personnel
2023: Delta governor cautions political office holders against distractions
Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has cautioned those who hold political appointments in his government against all forms of complacency or dereliction of duty because of their vested interest in the 2023 general election in the country. In a veiled reference to why he dissolved the state executive council and numerous senior political appointees, Okowa stressed that they should rather be preoccupied by the desire to redouble their efforts in contributing to the administration to enable it deliver on his electoral promises and finish strongly. The governor gave the charge yesterday at the Government House in Asaba while swearing in the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Patrick Ukah, as well as eight special advisers whose appointments were announced last week. He ca...
NAF chief: Armed forces committed to end insecurity
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, yesterday declared that the Armed Forces remained committed to ending the crisis of insecurity ravaging the nation. He said the expected delivery of six A-29 Super Tucano fighter jets by the United States in July and two drones from China, would be a “game changer” in the war against insurgency. The position of the air force chief is coming on a day the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, sought the assistance of the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, to provide security for train stations and railway construction sites across the country. Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 1,031 recruits of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Basic Military Training Course 41/2020, Amao affirmed that “the NAF in consonance w...
Borno government shutdowns another IDP camp in Maiduguri
The Borno government has shutdown another Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp located at the state NYSC orientation camp in Maiduguri. Newsmen report that the closing of the camp, housing about I,464 households was done by officials of the state government on Monday in Maiduguri. The camp was the second to be closed by the government in three days in its bid to return all IDPs back to their communities. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Mustafa Gubio, the state’s Commissioner for Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, said the closing of the camp was to allow for renovation work to take place at the NYSC orientation camp. Also speaking, the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr Bukar Talba, said government has established mega farms in Auno and Damasak for allocated...
INEC to create 2,673 centres as continuous voter registration resumes
The Independent National Electoral Commission said it plans to create 2,673 registration centres and deploy 5,346 officials for the Continuous Voter Registration scheduled to resume June 28. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at the commission’s emergency meeting with security agencies under the auspices of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security. Yakubu said that INEC was preparing for the resumption of the nationwide CVR to enable Nigerians who have attained the age 18 years and those who did not register previously to do so. He said: “Similarly, registered voters who wish to change their voting locations and those who wish to correct their names and other details on their Permanent Voters Cards can do so. “We plan to create 2,673 registration centre...
Centre decries burning of INEC offices
The Centre for Transparency Advocacy has decried the incessant cases of burning of offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission across the nation, describing it as a dangerous trend which could impede the process of organizing the November 6, Anambra State governorship election. It noted that the coordinated attacks have in recent times affected three states in the South East in particular – the INEC office in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area in Imo State, the Igboeze Local Government Area office in Enugu State, the Udenu office of INEC on May 16, 2021 and the attack on the INEC headquarters in Enugu. It also noted that the INEC headquarters in Awka, Anambra State, was invaded and set on fire on Sunday night, May 23, 2021. “It appears that these dastard events are targeted a...
21 runners dead as extreme weather hits China ultramarathon
Twenty-one people were killed after hail, freezing rain and high winds hit runners taking part in a 100-kilometre (62-mile) cross-country mountain race in China, state media said Sunday. The extreme weather struck a high-altitude section of the race held in the scenic Yellow River Stone Forest near Baiyin city in northwestern Gansu province Saturday afternoon. Among the dead were elite Chinese long-distance runners, local media reported. Official news agency Xinhua confirmed the death toll had risen to 21, citing the local rescue command headquarters. State broadcaster CCTV also reported the final missing competitor had been found dead. Baiyin city mayor Zhang Xuchen said that at around midday Saturday a section of the rugged ultramarathon course — between kilometres 20 and 31 — was “sudde...
NDLEA intercepts 4.9 million capsules of Tramadol
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday said it intercepted 4,995,200 capsules of tramadol weighing 2,498.2kilogrammes at the Onne port, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja. He said efforts by the NDLEA to block access and availability of illicit substances led to the interception of the container conveying the illicit drugs. Babafemi said the seizure of the illicit drug concealed in 1,387 cartons on Tuesday, May 18 followed a joint examination by NDLEA operatives and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) personnel. He said the drugs were concealed in a container marked MRKU 0764717 which had been on the agency’s watch list. In another development, a 42-year-old man, Muntari Hamidu, has been arrest...
Police dismiss explosives in Oshodi market fire
Hours after Lagos Emergency Management Agency said its investigation showed some for of explosive or accelerant was used in the fire which gutted Oshodi Market, police has ruled out any explosive being involved in the incident. It signals a controversy over the cause of the fire, which started with an explosion on Thursday night. Lagos police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said police and expert investigations showed the fire was “not caused” by bombing or explosives. “The commissioner of police has debunked the rumour that the Oshodi market inferno was caused by bombing or explosives. The public is hereby urged to disregard such news or rumour,” said Adejobi. The CP visited the scene on Friday in company of Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD) operatives to assess the scene and give their ex...
VP Osinbajo: Nigeria’s unity must not be compromised
Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo, on Thursday, insisted that the unity of the country should not be compromised in anyway. He said irrespective of the current challenges, Nigeria remained great nation with its diversity. Osinbajo urged Nigerians to harness the inherent benefits in the nation’s diversity to promote sustainable socio-economic growth and development, and cautioned those fanning the embers of discord to desist from it. The Vice President spoke during a courtesy call on the Obi of Owa Kingdom in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II. He was in Delta to officially inaugurate and formally hand over the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Marshal Inspectorate Training School built by the state government in Owa-Alero community. “...
Two ‘killed’, one injured as robbers attack bullion van in Ondo
Two persons were feared killed while one was injured as bank robbers attacked a bullion van at Bolorunduro area in Ondo East council area of Ondo state. An unspecified amount of money were reportedly carted away by the robbers numbering over eight. The robbery attack occurred at about 5:30pm. Eyewitness account said that the robbers who came in two vehicles including a Lexus car ambushed the bullion van at Elemoso village along Akure/ Ondo highway. It was gathered that the bullion van left Ondo town and was heading for Akure, the state capital when it was attacked by the robbers. Newsmen learnt that the driver and other police officers escorting the bullion van fled to different directions following the sophisticated weapon displayed by the robbers. The bullion van was reportedly shot seve...
CP Yaro: How I will end insecurity in Imo
The newly posted Imo state Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, on Thursday, said that he would introduce visibility policing as well as reinvigorate community policing in the state to restore fully the security of lives and properties in Imo. Yaro started this to newsmen in Owerri, while taking over from Nasiru Mohammed, the outgoing commissioner of police. To achieve it, he said it would be a community participatory process where everybody will be involved. According to him, “Within the period the Imo State Police Command will be under my watch, we will do our best to revive our visibility policing. Visibility policing by way of ensuring that police asset and personnel are seen in the public domain and in ungoverned places because visibility policing has the potentials of reducing crimina...
NBMA reiterates commitment to clamp down on GMOs
The National Biosafety Management Agency, NBMA, Tuesday, reiterated commitment to ensuring the eradication of Genetically Modified Organisms, (GMOs) in the country, as well as assuring Nigerians of safe products in the market. The Director-General of the NBMA, Dr. Rufus Ebegba, made the disclosure while addressing newsmen in Abuja, stating that Nigerians should be aware of the roles of the Agency in the proper regulation of GMOs in the country. He insisted that the NBMA has not been resting on its oars in ensuring that only safe and approved genetically modified seeds and grains for food and feed processing are allowed into the Nigerian market. Hence, he said, the constant upgrading of GM detection, analysis laboratory, and constant inspection of GMO facilities, confined field trial sites,...
