November 2020 – Page 21

Post Date : November 25, 2020

ICYMI: Selfish Northerners Opposing Restructuring, Says El-Rufai

…Says APC still committed to restructuring The Kaduna State Governor and Chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC, Restructuring Committee, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday took a swipe at Northerners opposed to restructuring of the country, saying they were doing so for selfish reasons. He also said the draft bill produced on restructuring by his committee in January 2018 was stepped down for fear of politicization, ahead of 2019 general elections. However, El-Rufai’s comments drew the ire of Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, and its counterpart in the South-East, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who described it as a ploy to hoodwink Nigerians. But the governor, who spoke while fielding questions at a panel discussion at the on-going 26th Nigerian Economic Summit, NESG, holding at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, pointed out that there was a difference between the position of Northern Elders Forum, NEF, against restructuring and northerners as a people. He argued that there were over one hundred million Northerners whose interests were at stake, maintaining that whatever advantages an individual was getting for himself did not apply directly to the entire north. ‘No advantages to the North’ “We have the highest number of out-of-school children. We have the highest poverty rate. We have the lowest JAMB cut-off rate. So, what are the advantages to the North in the current situation? “As governor of Kaduna State, I have had to look at these issues and try to see how I can get the people of my state up on the ladder. I think you need to differentiate the knowledge from a few and the voice of the silent majority,” he said. El-Rufai, however, regretted that certain people present restructuring in a derogatory way in a manner that portrayed all the northerners as backward people. He said: “The way some people present restructuring is so insulting and derogatory. We should have an honest conversation on what is working and what is not. We don’t have anything to benefit making derogatory remarks against a particular group of people because of restructuring. “If there are northern leaders today by virtue of the fact that I am a governor, I must be there. So, who are these northerners against restructuring? Who are they? Who are they speaking for? So, let us have a very honest, unemotional conversation without looking down on people or insulting them or framing them.” ‘APC still committed to restructuring’ El-Rufai, who noted that some interested members of his party are making frantic efforts to get the draft bill presented to the National Assembly for consideration before the end of tenure of the present administration, said the ruling party is still committed to restructuring. The governor spoke while fielding questions at a panel discussion at the on-going 26th Nigerian Economic Summit, NESG, holding at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. He explained that the committee made bold recommendations at the time and prepared a draft bill for onward transmission to the National Assembly which every law maker could take up and sponsor as a private bill. According to him, “we do not need executive bill to start action on the draft bill submitted by the committee.” The governor insisted that it was the position of the party and the President to see the draft bill passed into law, assuring that consideration of the bill would soon commence. “The consideration could be done piecemeal as we do not require an omnibus amendment of the constitution to restructure the country,” he said.

Post Date : November 24, 2020

Just In: Gov.Ikpeazu approves appointment of New ABSU VC

Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has approved the appointment of Prof Onyemachi Maxwell Ogbulu as the new Vice Chancellor of Abia State University with effect from the 1st of December, 2020. The secretary to Abia State Government, Barr Chris Ezem said the appointment follows the formal presentation of the recommendation of the Governing Council led by Senator Adolphus Wabara, PhD, to the Governor sequel to the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent Vice Chancellor, Prof Uche Ikonne, on the 30th of November, 2020.

Post Date : November 24, 2020

Six soldiers injured as troops eliminate 23 insurgents

The troops of Operation Fire Ball have reportedly killed 23 Boko Haram militants while an Improvised Explosive Device expert was captured alive during an encounter . The operatives also intercepted insurgents attempting to collect a ransom and rescued two women and three children abducted by the criminals and many other victims . The terrorists were said to have been killed by the troops . A statement on Tuesday by the acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig . Gen . Bernard Onyeuko disclosed that six soldiers were injured during a firefight with the terrorists while a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered . The statement was titled , ‘ Operation Lafiya Dole : Update on the activities of troops of Operation Fire Ball from 1- 24 November 2020. ’ It read , “ The following weapons were captured: four gun trucks ; one fabricated vehicle Blinde Leger; two Anti -aircraft guns; one General Purpose Machine Gun; two PKT guns; eight AK47 rifles ; two AK47 rifle magazines; one AK47 rifle cover and one dane gun. ” Other recovered items include 18 rounds of 7. 62 x 51mm; four rounds of Brownie Machine Gun ammunition ; one Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube; one 36 hand grenade ; 23 belted rounds of 7. 62 x 54; one QJC extra barrel; 311 rounds of 7. 62mm NATO ammunition ( Linked); 511 rounds of PKT ammunition and eight rounds of light machine gun ammunition , among others . “ Unfortunately , six gallant soldiers were wounded in action over the period . However, the wounded soldiers have since been evacuated to a military medical facility and are currently responding positively to treatment , ” the statement noted . Meanwhile, the Nigeria Air Force jets have destroyed an Islamic State of West Africa Province logistics base and also neutralized several of their fighters in airstrikes conducted at Tumbun Rego on the fringes of Lake Chad in Borno State . The mission executed on November 22 by the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole was carried out by NAF fighter jets and helicopter gunships . Disclosing this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj . Gen . John Enenche explained that intelligence reports had shown that the makeshift structures camouflaged under dense vegetation were being used by the terrorists as a hub for logistics items conveyed via the lake and its tributaries using trucks and motorcycles . The statement was titled , ‘ Operation Lafiya Dole : Air Task Force knocks out ISWAP logistics base , neutralizes several fighters at Tumbun Rego in Borno State . ’ It read , “ The Air Task Force , therefore , dispatched Nigerian Air Force fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the location . Overhead the target area , a significant number of ISWAP elements were observed . “ These were engaged in successive passes by the NAF attack aircraft resulting in the destruction of the terrorists ’ structures as well as the killing of several of their fighters . ”

Post Date : November 24, 2020

Court remands bank manager for alleged N179.4m Fraud

A Federal High Court, Lagos Tuesday remanded till December 1st a bank manager pending hearing and determination of his bail application. Justice Austine Chuka Obiozor ordered that the manager be kept in the custody of Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos. The order followed his plea of ‘not guilty’ to three counts of conspiracy and N179million fraud. Prosecution counsel Morufu A. Animashaun, told the court that between May 14, 2010 and December 31, 2019, at No. 2 Balogun Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, the defendant and others on the run conspired to obtain the said sum from a firm, Global Select Investment Services Ltd, “by false pretence that he will help the firm sell some goods and remit money to its bank account.” Animashaun alleged that the defendant, upon selling the goods, diverted the proceeds to his Zenith Bank Account Number 1020019782, but told Global Select Investment Services that most of the goods, imported from the USA were inferior and of low demand. The court heard that the alleged offences contravened Section 8(a) and 1(1)(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006 and punishable under Section 390 (7) Criminal Code Act of 2004.

Post Date : November 24, 2020

Igbo’ll resist any attempt to arrest Abaribe over Kanu’s bail— MASSOB

THE Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, warned, on Tuesday, that the Igbo nation would resist any attempt to arrest Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who stood as a surety for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnadi Kanu. MASSOB leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, in a statement, faulted the call by the Alhaji Yerima Shettima-led Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) for the arrest of Abaribe, regretting that the northern youths were always willing tools of destruction in the hands of their leaders. According to Madu, Senator Abaribe’s surety for Nnamdi Kanu was totally different from that of Senator Ali Ndume and Maina Abdulrasheed . He said: “Maina was being charged over allegations of corruption and looting public funds when he was the chairman of the defunct National Pension Task Team. “He was also accused of laundering money meant for aged pensioners. He can, therefore, never be compared with Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB. “Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s surety for Nnamdi Kanu was a unanimous decision of Ndigbo; it was not a personal venture. “The treasonable and felonious court case against Nnamdi Kanu is closed because the Nigerian government knows it has no evidence against him. Therefore, any attempt to arrest Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe will be resisted by Ndigbo.” He warned the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum to stop the systematic and calculated plan to blackmail the personality of Senator Abaribe, who he described as one of Nigeria’s most distinguished Senators in the red chamber. “MASSOB will never allow Arewa people to play the hypocritical game of pulling down the best leaders of Ndigbo in the name of politics,” he said.

Post Date : November 24, 2020

Gunmen kill two in fresh attack on Kaduna community

Some gunmen in the early hours of Tuesday reportedly invaded Maiginginya village in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State and killed two persons. At least two villagers suffered gunshot wounds during the attack that took place around 3am , a source told The PUNCH . The bandits , it was gathered , rode on motorcycles and shot indiscriminately while in the village. The State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan , confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday. Aruwan , who identified those killed as Nasiru Yahaya and Isah Bature , also gave the names of those who sustained injuries as Magaji Goma and Zurkhalaini Alhassan. The commissioner also disclosed that troops of the Operation Thunder Strike on Monday repelled bandits ’ attacks along the Abuja -Kaduna Expressway. The statement partly read , “ The Kaduna State Government has been informed that troops of the Operation Thunder Strike late Monday night successfully repelled armed bandits on the Kaduna – Abuja Road. “ The armed bandits appeared along the pipeline axis of Kakau general area in an attempt to strike , when troops engaged and repelled them with superior firepower . “ Many of the bandits escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds , having been denied freedom of action. “ When troops cleared the road for traffic , it was discovered that a driver was hit by the bandits who were fleeing the location. “ Also , two buses ran into a ditch resulting in injuries to some passengers, who were rushed to the hospital by the security operatives . “ Similarly , the government was briefed that security agencies foiled a bandit attack in the early hours of today along Zaria -Funtua Road in Giwa local government . “ The Government will continue to keep citizens informed on the security situation in the state. ”

Post Date : November 24, 2020

Hisbah arrest constabulary for alleged sexual exploitation in Kano

A constabulary, Basiru has been arrested by operatives of the Kano State Shariah police popularly known as Hisbah in Rumawa area, Ungogo Local government area for alleged sexual exploitation. It was also gathered that Basiru’s accomplice, one Jamilu has fled as he is now at large. An official of the Hisbah who spoke under condition of anonymity said Basiru and Jamilu occupied an apartment in Rumawa area of the state where they carry out their ungodly activities. He said community members in Rumawa raised alarm about the activities of Basiru and his accomplice leading to his (Basiru’s) arrest and a teenage female victim (name withheld), whose relative were earlier searching for her whereabouts. A guardian of the victim, Usman Ahmad said his daughter suddenly went missing and was later found in the custody of the constabulary. “They (Basiru and Jamilu) built the house in Rumawa area and use it for sexual exploitation of underage girls and other victims. “My daughter always go missing and spent days before she returned back home. This time around she went missing for two days and was later found in the apartment of the constabulary. “Basiru was arrested and the other, Jamilu who is the owner of the house and now at large,” Ahmad however said. Meanwhile, it was however gathered that the matter has been transferred to the police station in the neighborhood for further investigation.

Post Date : November 24, 2020

WIKE TO FG: Relocate corporate headquarters office of oil firms to Niger Detla to restore peace

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said the excuse of insecurity by the multinationals for not relocating to the South-South region is not tenable. The governor at the meeting of a delegation from the federal government and the and governors and leaders of the South-South region stressed that the relocation of the multinationals oil companies to the region will help stem restiveness. He urged the Minister of State for Petroleum to make history by ensuring the oil companies relocate to the region during his reign in office.

Post Date : November 24, 2020

Russia says Sputnik V virus vaccine 95% effective

Russia said Tuesday its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine was 95 percent effective and would be cheaper and easier to store than some alternatives, as the global race heats up to develop a jab. The announcement was the latest in a flurry of breakthroughs as several vaccine makers worldwide published preliminary data showing efficacy rates of 90 percent and higher. Countries are hoping to begin inoculating their populations by year’s end or in early 2021 to stop a pandemic that has claimed the lives of nearly 1.4 million people. Russia was one of the first to announce the development of a vaccine in August — dubbed Sputnik V after the Soviet-era satellite — but before the start of final clinical trials. In a statement on Tuesday, the vaccine’s developers said preliminary data after trials involving thousands of volunteers showed “an efficacy of the vaccine above 95 percent” after a second dose. Russia’s health ministry, the state-run Gamaleya research centre and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said in the statement they expected the vaccine to record an even higher effectiveness after the next analysis. “No unexpected adverse events were identified as part of the research,” it said, though some of those vaccinated suffered short-term effects including fever, weakness, fatigue, and headache. Less than $10 per dose The two-dose vaccine will be available on international markets for less than $10 (8.40 euros) per dose, they said, and will be free for Russian citizens. It can be stored at between two and eight degrees Celsius (between 35.6 and 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit), they said, instead of the temperatures far below freezing required for some other vaccines. Pharma giants Pfizer and BioNTech announced that their virus vaccine is 95 percent effective, while US company Moderna said last week early results showed its candidate was 94.5 percent effective. Western experts have in the past expressed concern over Russia’s vaccine, fearing that its development could be rushed. Several welcomed Tuesday’s announcement though they said more data was needed. “This is yet more good news demonstrating a high interim vaccine efficacy,” said Azra Ghani, an infectious diseases specialist at Imperial College London. “The lack of any serious adverse events in approximately 20,000 trial participants is also very encouraging,” she said. Russia has applied to the World Health Organization for accelerated registration and pre-qualification of the Sputnik V vaccine. President Vladimir Putin last week said that Russia had manufacturing agreements in place with China and India and encouraged Brazil and South Africa to also mass produce Russian-developed vaccines. The head of the RDIF, Kirill Dmitriev, said Tuesday that European Union member Hungary would also manufacture the Sputnik V vaccine. Russia in recent weeks has registered a steep increase in new coronavirus infections but has stopped short of introducing strict measures like some European countries. ‘Alarming’ rise in Russia cases The country’s total infections on Tuesday stood at 2.14 million, the fifth-highest caseload in the world. But at 37,031, virus deaths are significantly lower than other badly hit countries, raising concerns that the authorities are downplaying the pandemic’s severity. Data published by Russia’s federal statistics service earlier this month indicated excess deaths of more than 117,000 year-on-year between March and September, suggesting that virus fatalities could be much higher. While Moscow remains the epicentre of Russia’s outbreak, the country’s poorly funded regions are taking the brunt of the second wave. Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova on Tuesday said that in six of Russia’s 85 regions, over 90 percent of hospital beds dedicated to Covid-19 patients were occupied. Russia hopes to avoid a second nationwide lockdown by accelerating the production of vaccines. Putin has dismissed talk of another lockdown and emphasised last week that vaccines are on their way despite voicing concern over the country’s “alarming” case totals and fatality rate. He last month announced that Russia had registered a second coronavirus vaccine, EpiVacCorona. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday said that Putin — who has said that one of his daughters took part in the Sputnik V clinical trials — could not volunteer to take the vaccine as “head of state”.

Post Date : November 24, 2020

Family demands N500m from Gbajabiamila over newspaper vendor’s death

The family of Ifeanyichukwu Okereke , a vendor who died after being shot by a security aide to the Speaker of the House of Representatives , Femi Gbajabiamila, has written a letter to the Speaker , demanding N 500 million. This is according to a letter dated November 23, 2020, signed by the lawyer of the family, Chief Mike Ozekhome ( SAN) . Ozekhome was given the mandate to write the letter by the father of the deceased , Okorie Okereke ; and the younger brother to the deceased , Destiny Okereke . The Department of State Services had last week arrested the operative , Abdullahi Hassan , who shot Okereke while Gbajabiamila had also visited the family of the deceased and promised to ensure that they do not suffer . However, the family demanded more, adding that nothing could bring the dead vendor back to life. The letter read in part, “ Our clients have instructed us to make from your good self , the following modest demands : That you use your good offices to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide ( Abdullahi Hassan ) , who went on a frolic of his own , clearly acted outside the purview of his duty and responsibility by shooting to death an innocent, harmless and armless citizen . “ That you adequately compensate the Okereke family with a modest sum of N 500m only. This monetary demand can never adequately replace or take the place of their son , husband , brother, and breadwinner ’ s life. But it will at least mitigate the obvious trauma and hardship the premature demise of their irreplaceable breadwinner has placed on them . ” The family also asked the Speaker to ensure that the safety of vendors is guaranteed as they had become afraid to return to the streets since the tragic incident. The Okereke family said it would take legal action against Gbajabiamila if all the demands are not met within seven days. “ Take note therefore that it is our clients’ firm instruction that in the event that you fail , refuse and/or neglect to accede to or proffer reasonable compensatory terms to our above modest demands within seven days from the date of this letter, we shall without any further correspondences from us , take appropriate legal steps to enforce our clients’ constitutional rights , ” the letter stated.