August 2021 – Page 35

Post Date : August 16, 2021

Three Zamfara college abductees escape from bandits

Three people who were among those abducted by bandits at the College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Bakura, Zamfara state, have escaped. Ali Atiku, deputy provost of the college, while speaking with journalists on Monday, said two staff and one student have escaped and returned to the college. The deputy provost said the bandits kidnapped 15 students, all of which are male, and four other persons. “Two staff and one student escaped from the bandits after they kidnapped them and returned to the school early this morning,” he said. “As I am talking to you now, we have formally discovered that the bandits have kidnapped 15 students all of them male, three women and one person who are also our staff and killed two of our security watchmen.” On Sunday night, bandits invaded the school and abducted some students, killing four persons in the attack. In July, Habibu Mainasara, provost of the school, was kidnapped from his official residence in the institution but was later released when his family negotiated with the bandits after three days in custody. This is not the first time bandits will abduct students from schools in Zamfara. On February 26, bandits invaded Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara state and abducted many female students who were later released after spending weeks in captivity.

Post Date : August 16, 2021

Kayvee withdrawn from BBNaija due to health issues

Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye housemate, Kayvee, has been withdrawn from the BBNaija season six show due to health issues. This was announced via a brief from Big Brother, read by the Head of House, Pere, to all the housemates on Monday. According to the brief, Kayvee has been advised by medical personnel to withdraw from the show due to health issues. The announcement read, “Housemates, Big Brother trusts that you are all well and settling into the brand new week. “As you have noticed, your fellow housemate Kayvee has been unwell for a few hours now. “During this period, he has consulted with the medical doctor and has been advised to withdraw from the show to take care of his health. “Based on this advice, Kayvee will no longer be part of the show for this season. “Kayvee would like you all to know that he appreciates the time spent in the house with everyone. Your friendship, support, and love truly means a lot to him. “Big Brother would like you to assist Kayvee with packing his bags and belongings and place them in the store room immediately.” This announcement left the housemates very emotional as some were seen shedding tears as they helped Kayvee to pack his bags. Kayvee has been emotionally detached from the housemates recently and that ahs caused major concern from fans and housemates. Wth this withdrawal, it is believed Kayvee will be able to bounce back from his health issues.

Post Date : August 16, 2021

Nigeria’s Unity Should Be Strengthened, Not Negotiated – Babangida

Former Head of State General Ibrahim Babangida believes Nigeria’s unity should be strengthened rather than negotiated. Calls for secession, especially from the southern part of the country, have made headlines in recent years. Despite the agitations – largely led by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB ) and most recently the Yoruba Nation agitators – Babangida is calling on Nigerians to support the country’s leaders. “I don’t think it is right for Nigerians to start talking about the unity of this country. I believe it is a settled issue,” he told Channels Television’s Newsnight. “We all agreed that we are going to be a united country. So, nobody should be talking about an enclave that he calls his own. What we should be doing is how we strengthen our unity.” On the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, the ex-military president defended his decision, saying it was taken in the best interest of the nation. “It is a decision we took. I had to take that decision, I did that to the best of my knowledge, in the interest of the country,” he explained. “I did the right thing. I can sit back and say some of the things I said manifested after I had left. We had the coup and that coup lasted for five years.” The poll, considered as Nigeria’s fairest election, was keenly contested between the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Moshood Abiola and Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC). The SDP flagbearer, better known as MKO Abiola, was believed to be coasting to victory before the election was annulled by Babangida who cited irregularities at the time.

Post Date : August 16, 2021

Unknown gunmen kill 5 in Imo

At least four workers of Lee Engineering Company operating in Assa Community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State and a police officer attached to the oil company were killed in the early hours of Monday, in Imo State. The Imo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, CSP Michael Abatham confirmed the incident to the Tribune Onlinein a telephone chat, on Monday afternoon. He said that the deceased was found dead after gunmen ambushed them, on Monday morning, in the Assa Community in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State. ‌ The PPRO said that no arrest had been made yet but the investigation was already on to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack. This is even as the Indigenous People of Biafrans (IPOB) has postponed the Monday 16th 2021 sit-at-home order in the South East region of Nigeria. Tribune Online gathered that the oil workers were on transit to their oil plant in the Assa Community when the hoodlums opened fire on them. Four workers out of their number died on the spot, while others sustained gunshot injuries. A village source told our correspondent that the oil plant in the community was under construction by the oil company. The national president of Congress of Ohaji Youths, Emmanuel Chinonye Ugorji, also confirmed the attack to Tribune Online in Owerri. He said that some community leaders and security agents, including himself, had visited the scene. The Youth President called on the government to beef up security in the area, adding that the gunmen had been terrorising the area in recent times. He said: “The first attack by this group was on Oil Serve company and second was the kidnapping of the Cluster Development Board Chairman, Godswill Uzomba, whose whereabouts remained unknown since three months now and followed by burning of ZEROC equipment at Watersmith industrial park by a known criminal gang.” The President-General of the Assa Autonomous Community, Bartholomew Obodo, also confirmed the attack to our correspondent in Owerri. He called on the federal government to come to the rescue of his people.

Post Date : August 16, 2021

US Soldiers Kill Two Armed Men At Kabul Airport

US soldiers killed two armed men at Kabul’s airport Monday after a top Pentagon general met with the Taliban in Doha to urge them not to attack as thousands sought to flee Afghanistan, a defense official said. “In the thousands of people who were there peacefully, two guys who had weapons brandished them menacingly. They were both killed,” the official said, insisting on anonymity. The official said that the head of the US Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie, told Taliban officials in a face-to-face meeting Sunday in Doha not to attack the airport. Thousands of American troops took control of security at Afghanistan’s main international airport outside Kabul on Saturday to enable the evacuations of US officials. Afghans meanwhile massed at the airport and flooded out onto the tarmac seeking to board commercial flights out of the country. Videos showed hundreds trying to impede the takeoff of a US military transport, and there were reports that several were killed, either being crushed or falling from it after it took off. -AFP

Post Date : August 16, 2021

Why Naira Depreciates Against US Dollar — CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has blamed the sharp depreciation of Naira against the United States Dollar on the COVID-19 pandemic, shortage in foreign exchange supply and other factors. CBN Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Edward Adamu, disclosed this on Monday while responding to questions from members of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance during the 2022-2024 MTEF/FSP stakeholders interactive session on Monday. Naira exchanges at 409.11 against the US Dollar, according to data on the CBN website as of August 16, 2021. The CBN had, last month, banned sales of foreign currency to Bureau De Change operators. The apex bank said the BDC operators have become conduits for graft and illicit flows of money. He said the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating effect on the country’s economy and reduced the availability of foreign exchange. According to him, crude oil sales, which is the major source of forex for the country, dropped drastically last year. “We have proceeds from the sale of crude oil, we have foreign portfolio inflows and remittances; those are the three major ways that we get forex. “Crude oil sale has not been as high as we all want it to be and obviously in the aftermath of COVID-19, the global economy was grounded to a halt and the use of crude oil also was reduced. “Sometimes in April last year, we had crude oil selling at a negative money, which means that people were being paid to store what they bought and so avenue for forex inflows was significantly reduced,” he said.

Post Date : August 16, 2021

BBNaija S6: Maria emerges Head of House for week four

Immediate past Deputy Head of House, Maria has emerged as the Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye Head of House for week four. During the Head of House games on Monday evening, Maria victoriously got the highest points and earned the most coveted title of head of house for the week. With this new position, she is free from eviction, gets to stay in the Head of House lounge, and choose a deputy to assist her in her role. The Head of House game had a new twist today as housemates do not have to wait for the dice to reveal number 6 before they start playing. Each housemate was given 60 seconds to finish the course of the Head of House game and start playing according to the number of dice revealed. The aim of this game of luck is to get the farthest within the time limit. The housemate who finishes the course, or goes the farthest, wins and becomes the Head of House. At the end of the game, Maria was able to go the farthest with 28 points, earning her the title of the second Head of House for the Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye season. Peace was the first Head of House, Boma emerged as the Head of House in week two, while Pere recently handed over the emblem of power to Maria, the fourth Head of House for the season.

Post Date : August 16, 2021

How Gov. Willie Obiano looted N3.5billion security vote in one day

Outgoing and controversial Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Willie Obiano, looted over N3billion from Security Vote Account in one day, according to 2017 financial documents of the state exclusively obtained by Pointblanknews.com. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has been grappling with the prosecution of Governors hiding under security challenges to convert security votes to personal use. Only recently, the Nigerian Governors Forum went to court to stop the EFCC from prosecuting Governors over security vote looting. But Governor Obiano would have no one stop him from digging into the Security votes account and helping himself with as much as he wants. On January 26, 2017, the Anambra Governor went to the security votes account with number 5110032568 at Fidelity Bank and took N500million in one shot. Barely a month after, on February 23, 2017, he took additional N500million from same account. On March 29, 2017, Obiano’s insatiable quest to loot, took him back to the same account. This time, he smiled home with over N3.5billion withdrawing N509.2million, N504.9million and N500million withdrawn five times in one day, according to the documents in possession by Pointblanknews.com. The Governor went back on March 31, 2017 just two days after swallowing N3.5 billion and took additional N283.6million. He took a little break and on July 4, 2017, and July 7, 2017, he went back and took N30million and 19million respectively from the same Fidelity account number 5110032568 housing the Security Votes of the State. On August 4 of 2016, according to the documents still being scrutinized by Pointblanknews.com, Obiano took N500million and about two weeks after on August 22, 2016, he took another N500million. Sources told Pointblanknews.com that Obiano’s lifestyle is largely fueled by his looting of security votes and padding of contracts. On April 22, 2020, during the peak period of the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria and global lockdown, his Chief of Staff, Chief Primus Odili, purchased a palatial home at 1804 Terrabrooke Private Court, Brentwood, Tennessee for the exact price of $1,818,718. He purchased the palatial home from Partners in Building of TN LLC through Chuddy Nnodu of Hodges and Fooshee Realty Inc. The palatial home seats on a 1.1 Arce of compound and has six bathrooms, six bedrooms. The house has an area of 5,575sq ft. Prior to becoming a staff of the Obiano administration, Primus Odili worked as an administrative assistant for a private clinic in Nashville – where he was discharged shortly before his return to serve the Obiano administration – initially at the capacity of Special Assistant on Special Duties. After the successful reelection of Governor Obiano, he was appointed the Chief of Staff. He is considered Man-Friday to the Governor. He is the closest man to the Governor. The former acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, had alleged that some state governors deliberately fueled insecurity in their states just to collect more money as security vote. He noted that some of the governors “now covertly promote insecurity as justification to inflate their security vote.” Governors of the 36 states in Nigeria under the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) had engaged the services of lawyers to challenge the probe of states’ security votes by the EFCC. The amount allocated to security votes for both Governors and the Presidency in Nigeria has always been top level secret. The EFCC and other anti-graft agencies have had troubles probing present and past Governors’ expenditures of Security Votes. Transparency International says Nigeria allocates an estimated N241.2billion, about $670million on Security Votes annually. Since 2012, the US has spent over $68.6million in Security assistance to Nigeria, while the UK has spent over $53.5million in counterterrorism support to Nigeria between 2016-2020. Yet, despite these humungous expenditures, insecurity is still high in Nigeria and has now spread from the north to all parts of the country. Security Votes By States (Wikipedia Source) SOUTHEAST Imo State: N333.333M Monthly (N4B Annually) Enugu State: N600M Monthly (N7.2B Annually) Anambra State: N850M Monthly (N10B Annually) Abia State: N700M Monthly (N8.4B Annually) Ebonyi State: No Record Available SOUTH SOUTH: Cross River State: N500M Monthly (N6B Annually) Rivers State: N1.5B Monthly (N18B Annually) Akwa Ibom State: N1.8B Monthly (N21.6B Annually) Edo State: N900M Monthly (N10.8B Annually) Delta State: N2B Monthly (N24B Annually) [3] Bayelsa State: No Record Available SOUTHWEST Lagos State: N1.429B Monthly [N1.297B (Public order and safety) + N132.5M (Social Protection)] (N17.149B Annually [N15.559B + N1.59B]) Ondo State: N600M Monthly (N7.2B Annually) Osun State: N400M Monthly (N4.8B Annually) Ogun State: N80-N100M Monthly (N960M-N1.2B Annually) Ekiti State: N100M Monthly (N1.2B annually) NORTH EAST Borno State: N806.25M Monthly (N9.675B Annually) Yobe State: N316.667M Monthly (N3.8B Annually) Taraba State: N200M Monthly (N2.4B Annually) Bauchi State: N1.417B Monthly (N17B Annually) NORTHWEST Kano State: N0.00 Kaduna State: N400M Monthly [N175M (Security vote) + N225M (Security Vote (Preventive and Supportive) for the SSG’s office)] N4.8B Annually [N2.1B + N2.7B] Katsina State: N17.583M Monthly (N211M Annually) Zamfara State: N600M Monthly (N7.2B Annually) NORTH CENTRAL Benue State: N3.092B allocation to personnel and overhead costs monthly which covers security vote, among others. (N37.1B Annually) [8] Niger State: N1.308B Monthly (N15.7B Annually) [9] Plateau State: N216.667M Monthly (N2.6B Annually) [10] Kogi State: N400M Monthly (N4.8B Annually) Nasarawa State: N100M Monthly (N1.2B annually) Kwara State: No Record Available.

Post Date : August 16, 2021

June 12 Annulment: I Did The Right Thing In Nigeria’s Interest – Babangida

Former Military President General Ibrahim Babangida has explained that he annulled the June 12, 1993, presidential election in the overall interest of Nigeria. The poll, considered as Nigeria’s fairest election, was keenly contested between the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Moshood Abiola and Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC). The SDP flagbearer, better known as MKO Abiola, was believed to be in the lead to become the country’s next president before the election was annulled by Babangida who cited irregularities at the time. But speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Newsnight which aired on Monday, the ex-military president blamed his decision on the need to prevent a coup in the country. “It is a decision we took. I had to take that decision, I did that to the best of my knowledge, in the interest of the country,” he said. “I did the right thing. I can sit back and say some of the things I said manifested after I had left. We had the coup and that coup lasted for five years.” While noting that he drew up a plan for national elections to hold in five to six months, Babangida explained that his intention was for the poll to hold in November 1993 after the Interim Government headed by Ernest Shonekan. He stated that the agreement reached by politicians and groups was for the same set of contestants to recontest in the scheduled polls. According to the ex-Nigerian leader, the citizens complained that they were tired of elections, thus paving the way for Sani Abacha who ruled the nation for five years.

Post Date : August 16, 2021

Strike continues as court adjourns case against doctors till September 15

The Industrial Court has adjourned a suit against striking resident doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) instituted by the Federal Government till September 15, 2021. The Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige took the striking doctors to court over the abdication of their responsibilities. The Industrial Court summoned the doctors to explain why the “no work, no pay” rule should not be applied against them. The resident doctors began an indefinite strike on August 2, 2021, due to the failure of the government to meet most of their demands. Some of them were the withdrawal of the circular by the Head of Service removing House Officers from the scheme of service and the transfer of its members from the GIFMIS platform to the IPPIS platform because of the hardship caused by the GIFMIS platform due to the delays in payment of their salaries ranging from three to seven months. Present at the court were key members of the NARD and the Ministry of Health. However, officials of Ministry of Labour and Employment were absent. Speaking in a briefing after the case was adjourned, President of the NARD, Dr Uyilawa Ukh, said: “Good afternoon Nigerians, I want to deeply on the behalf of all resident doctors in Nigeria thank you wholeheartedly for the show of love and empathy towards our cause. “We are not unaware of the sufferings you all are going through due to government insincerity of purpose. “It is one hundred and twenty days (120) TODAY since we headed your call to call off our industrial action following the government memorandum of action. “It is five (5) years and eleven (11) months since we signed the memorandum of terms of settlement (MOTOS) yet the Government has reneged. “As you are aware, today the Government sued us to the National Industrial Court. “As a law-abiding association, we were in court as summoned, but the Ministry of Labour was absent, and only the ministry of Health was present representing the Federal Government. The case was adjourned to 15th September 2021. “We once again appeal to Nigerians to bear with us because a hungry Doctor is a dangerous doctor. “We are hopeful the government shall do the needful as it pertains to the welfare of our members, thus curbing the ugly incidence of brain drain. Together we can. God bless the beautiful people of Nigeria.”