Category: Uncategorized

  • Militants blow up Trans Forcados export line in Warri

    Some suspected militants have bombed a state-run oil pipeline near the southern Nigerian oil hub of Warri in the latest blow to the industry, a security source and community leader said Wednesday.

    The Trans Forcados export line was attacked late Tuesday, they said, just hours after President Muhammadu Buhari met with representatives of militant groups in the oil-rich Niger delta to discuss how to end the unrest plaguing the region.

    No group has yet claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.

    “The attack was carried out with the aid of dynamite and it is coming less than 48 hours after the resumption of operations at the flow station,” a security official, who declined to be named, told AFP.

  • 264 Gombe women, youths to acquire entrepreneurial training

    The Gombe State Government in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will train additional 264 women and youths in the state on skill acquisition.

    The training, which commenced in 2013, is part of the initiative of the government and UNDP to empower the beneficiaries to be self reliant and employers of labour in the future.

    The beneficiaries will be trained in Plumbing, Plasta of Paris (POP), Solar Power Installation, Tailoring and Fashion Design.

    Addressing the trainees in Gombe, the Commissioner of Economic Planning, Alhaji Danladi Mohammed, said Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo had made skills acquisition and empowerment a priority of his administration.

    “This informed the collaboration with the UNDP which facilitated the training of 930 women and youths and provision of start-up kits in the 2013/2015 programme,’’ he said.

    In his remarks, Prof. Iliya Dongs, the Consultant, assured the beneficiaries that if they attend the training regularly and pay attention to their supervisors, their future is secured.

    Dong, who is the lead Consultant of DOBAST Management Consultants Ltd, called on the 264 women and youths to use the opportunity to acquire necessary skills that would enable them self-reliant and employers of labour in future. He said that skill is important in the life of every human
    being.

    “The reason why many technicians earn more money than some university graduates is because the technicians acquire practical skills than theories; unlike graduates who were fed with theoretical experiences while in the universities.’’

    Dongs said that acquisition of skill could take an individual to places he or she does not expect.

    He stressed the need for youths in Gombe state and Nigeria in general to shun social vices that could mar their future by either getting western education or acquiring relevant skills.

    The consultant attributed some of the causes of escalating crime rate in Nigeria and other developing countries to lack of job among graduates and other segments of the youths.

    “The major causes of the unemployment among these vibrant youths is lack of skill to back up what they learnt from institutions of higher learning.

    “When these graduates were in school, they did not border to learn at least one trade; today there are many unemployed graduates in the country.

    “This is partly as a result of our system of education that is more of grammar and not much practical learning,’’ Dongs said.

  • ⁠⁠⁠Man, 40 nabbed for raping, impregnating 15-year-old stepdaughter

    A 40-year-old man, Victor Emafolomi, has been detained by the police for allegedly raping his wife’s daughter, Keji.

    PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect was apprehended on Sunday by the police from the Agbado division after the mother of the victim reported the case.

    Keji (pseudonym) lived with her mother and Emafolomi on Olukososi Street, Jafa, Agbado, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

    Emafolomi was said to have raped Keji on two occasions in October, threatening to kill her if she informed her mother.

    It was gathered that the first time she was raped, Keji was at a shop where she was learning hairdressing within the community when her stepfather called her on the telephone to come home to prepare lunch for him.

    While the teenager was immersed in the cooking, Emafolomi reportedly descended on her and dragged her into the bedroom.

    She said, “That afternoon, he was drunk. He beat me up when I resisted. I explained to him that he was like a father to me, but he didn’t listen.  He used a pillow to cover my mouth and raped me. He said he would kill me if I told my mother about the rape.

    “Two days after, he had sex with me again. That evening, he beat me up because I insisted that I would tell my mother when she came back from work. He went out and came back with two men after about 30 minutes. The men stared at me and left. He said they would be monitoring my movement and that if I reveal what he did to me, they would kill me.”

    Our correspondent gathered that the suspect left home after the second encounter and did not return until about two weeks later.

    “Before the incident, he had warned a boy called Owolabi to stay away from me because he didn’t want us to have a relationship,” Keji added.

    Keji’s mother, Taiwo, who told PUNCH Metrosaid she was abreast of the time her daughter usually menstruated, said she became worried last Tuesday, October 24, when Keji did not do so.

    “I took her to a clinic in our area and it was confirmed that she was pregnant. I begged her to tell me who impregnated her, but she refused,” Taiwo said.

    After much pestering, Keji was said to have confided in her mother, who reportedly passed out afterwards.

    “I was very shocked, but I could not fault the revelation because my husband had abandoned home for some days and there was no misunderstanding between us. I think it was because of what he did,” she added.

    However, the suspect, who hails from Delta State, refuted the allegations, saying it was Owolabi, who impregnated Keji.

    He said, “I am a driver. I left home because my wife is stubborn; she doesn’t take corrections. I left home to punish her so that she would change for better.

    “I never had sex with her daughter and I didn’t know anything about the pregnancy. I don’t want it aborted. When she is delivered of the baby, we will carry out a DNA test on the baby.”

    The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ambibola Oyeyemi, said the case would be transferred to the command’s headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

    “The victim confirmed that the suspect had carnal knowledge of her several times and the pregnancy test conducted on her was positive,” he added.

  • ⁠⁠⁠Buhari reacts to Senate’s decision to reject $30 billion loan

    President Muhammadu Buhari
    President Muhammadu Buhari

    The Presidency has said it will not dispute the decision of the Senate to reject the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to borrow $29.9 billion.

    The Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The Senate on Tuesday rejected the request of Mr. Buhari to borrow $29.9 billion as part of its external borrowing plan for 2016 to 2018.

    The leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, told journalists after plenary that the request was rejected due to the absence of certain documents that should have accompanied the letter.

    Ita Enang, therefore, said that the Presidency would not be disputing with the senate but would rather engage with them on the issue that had been raised.

    “We are not disputing with the distinguished Senate.

    “There are certain information and details which will enable them to consider in detail, and appropriately the request of Mr President.

    “So we are collating that information. The Budget Office of the Federation, the Debt Management Office, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Minister of Finance and the economic team are collating the information so that it can be submitted to the Senate to enable them take the appropriate decision.

    “We would be engaging the Senate. We will not be disputing with them but we will be engaging with them.

    “When we present a matter before the legislature it is for them to consider and as they have considered, more information is needed and that information they are entitled to it and we would provide,” he said.

    (NAN)

  • Odili dissociates self from ‘Democracy Award’

     

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    FORMER Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Otunaya Odili, has distanced himself from a purported “Democracy Heroes In Africa Award” being circulated in some sections of the online media in which the ex-governor was listed as one of the prospective recipients.

    The said award is being promoted by “Vivian Iam Glamour Magazine.”

    The former governor made his position known in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, where he stated emphatically that he never consented to the award; neither does he know anything about the said democracy award.

    “The attention of Dr. Peter Odili has been drawn to a news item posted in some online news media, in which he was listed as one of the prospective recipients of DEMOCRACY HEROES IN AFRICA AWARD, promoted by Vivian Iam Glamour Magazine. “Whilst not averse to the freedom or right of anyone or group of people honouring whosoever they deem fit, Dr. Odili dissociates himself from such an award, as he knows nothing about the award. “For emphasis, he was neither consulted nor his consent sought or given.

    “He wishes other purported recipients well and congratulates them,” the statement read⁠⁠⁠⁠.

  • Glo unveils ‘borrow me data’

    glo

    In line with its commitment to continually empower its subscribers with affordable and innovative telecommunications products and services, Globacom has launched a new product, ‘Glo Borrow Me Data’ and reloaded three other existing products.

    Globacom’s Head, Usage and Retention, Mr. Sola Arowogbadamu, who announced this at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, emphasised that all the four products offered benefits unmatched in the telecom industry, adding that three of the products which were repackaged following their success and appeal in the market included, ‘Double Free Tomorrow, 11k/s for All, and IDD Packs.

    He said that the new product, Glo Borrow Me Data, would allow subscribers to borrow data credit of up to 2GB whenever their data bundles are exhausted and they have no airtime balance to recharge their data plan or in cases of unsuccessful subscription bundle activation due to low balance.

    Arowogbadamu further stated that eligibility criterion for the offer included how long a customer has been on the network and average monthly data usage, stressing that customers could subscribe to Borrow Me Data by dialling *321# and following the menu options and that the service would then push real time Data credit to all eligible subscribers in line with the stated eligibility criterion and the customer will repay the Data credit whenever airtime recharge is made.

    He said: “The next offer, Double Free Tomorrow, gives back to the subscriber 200% of whatever is spent on calls, SMS or data today to use for free the next day. In the re-loaded offer, Globacom calculates all the value of airtime a subscriber used in a day for internet services, phone calls and SMS, and credits the subscriber’s phone with double this value at the start of the next day. The offer will now be available as default for all new customers activating a Glo line.

  • Insurgency: Army troops rescue 36 women, children

    Chif of Army Staff, Gen. Buratai
    Chif of Army Staff, Gen. Buratai

    Additional 36 women and children have been rescued by the troops of the Nigerian Army from the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.

    The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement on Tuesday that those rescued comprised 19 women and 19 children.

    Usman said the captives were released by the troops of the 8 Task Force Division at Dumba Village.

    According to him, the troops rescued the captives while commencing a new military operation code-named ‘Operation Hardknock’ designed to clear the insurgents from the borderline between Nigeria and Niger.

    Usman said the troops killed six insurgents and recovered 22 motorcycles, flags and other items from the group.

  • Why Senate rejected Buhari’s $29.9bn loan request – Ndume

     

    Senator Ali Ndume

    Fact has emerged on the intrigues behind the rejection of the proposed loan by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Royal News gathered that the Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, on Tuesday said senators voted against President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for $29.9bn foreign loan due to technical issues.

    Briefing newsmen shortly after plenary, Ndume, who said that he was shocked that the request suffered such setback, expressed optimism the issues would be resolved and the request would be represented.

    He said, “The problem came on a technical ground; it is supposed to go to the committee level and the committee is supposed to take a look at it.

    “I am going to appeal to my colleagues to take a look at it again and see how we are going to bring it back.

    “One of the technical things that were missing is that in the letter, if you read it, says: ‘attached is a draft’ but there was no attachment.

    “So, these are some of the lapses that we will look at in bringing it back.

    “We were thinking that there was going to be details but there was no detail of the borrowing plan.

    “I believe that those will be included in the next one.”

    The lawmaker said that the red chamber did not have the power to give anticipatory approval of any bill or document that it had not received.

    He assured that the senate was poised to do things the right way and would reconsider the request on its merits.

    He said, “We are trying to do things the way it should be done this time around, but we cannot throw away the baby with the bath water.

    “In the Appropriation Act we approved that the budget will be financed through internal and external borrowing.

    “The internal borrowing is going on; we also approved external borrowing, so we will look at these areas that are necessary for the funding of the budget.”

    Ndume could not give a specific date or period within which the president was likely to represent the request, but assured that he was going to interface with him.

    He said, “I cannot tell you now when it would be represented; I, as a leader, I am in contact with the executive which I try to market in the senate.

    “As I told you I was shocked by the decision; my colleagues surprised me today. I was not expecting that.

    “If I had a little inclination that such a thing was going to happen, I would have tried to market the request or at worse, I will not present it.

    “Today, the senators had their way and I had my say.”

  • Jegede Vs Jimoh Ibrahim: Controversy as Judges bow Out

    BREAKING: Judges Pull Out From Case Involving Ondo PDP Crisis

    Investigation has emerged that the panel of judges to hear the case of Eyitayo Jegede, factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has pulled out of the case over bribery allegations.

    Royal news has gathered that Jegede had gone to the appeal court to challenge the federal high court ruling, which asked the Independent to recognize Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP candidate in the November 26 election.

    INEC complied with the order, but Jegede expressed optimism that the appellate court would upturn the ruling.

    It would be recalled that Jummai Sankey, head of the panel, had on Saturday said due to urgency of Jegede’s application, the court would hear the matter on tuesday.

    But on Tuesday, Sankey announced the decision of the judges to pull out of the case.

    She said Biyi Okporoye, chairman of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP in Ondo, had written a petition, accusing them of taking bribe.

    Sankey said they only got to know of the petition addressed to Zainab Bulkachuwa, president of the court of appeal, on Monday.

    Sankey said the petitioner also copied the National Judicial Commission (NJC).

    She said the case had been handed back to Bulkachuwa for re-assignment.

    Jegede is of the Ahmed Makarfi group.

     

     

  • Jegede Vs Jimoh Ibrahim: Judges bow Out

    BREAKING: Judges Pull Out From Case Involving Ondo PDP Crisis

    The panel of judges to hear the case of Eyitayo Jegede, factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has pulled out of the case over bribery allegations Royal news has gathered.

    Jegede had gone to the appeal court to challenge the federal high court ruling, which asked the Independent to recognise Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP candidate in the November 26 election.

    INEC complied with the order, but Jegede expressed optimism that the appellate court would upturn the ruling.

    On Saturday, Jummai Sankey, head of the panel, had said due to urgency of Jegede’s application, the court would hear the matter on tuesday.

    But on Tuesday, Sankey announced the decision of the judges to pull out of the case.

    She said Biyi Okporoye, chairman of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP in Ondo, had written a petition, accusing them of taking bribe.

    Sankey said they only got to know of the petition addressed to Zainab Bulkachuwa, president of the court of appeal, on Monday.

    Sankey said the petitioner also copied the National Judicial Commission (NJC).

    She said the case had been handed back to Bulkachuwa for re-assignment.

    Jegede is of the Ahmed Makarfi group.