At least 17 labourers working on a railway bridge being built across a ravine in India’s eastern Mizoram state were killed when it collapsed on Wednesday, officials said, with others reported missing. Video footage posted by Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga showed a metal frame that had toppled off towering columns into a wooded valley below. “Under construction railway over bridge at Sairang, near Aizawl collapsed today; at least 17 workers died,” Zoramthanga, who uses only one name, said on X, formerly known as Twitter. The Indian Express newspaper quoted a policeman as saying that 17 bodies had been recovered and “many others” were missing. It was not possible to immediately verify the reports of people missing. “Rescue operations are underway and all possible assistance is being given to those affected,” the office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. Modi was “pained” by the accident and offered his “condolences to those who have lost their loved ones”, his office said on X. The government will pay some $2,400 to the next of kin of those killed, it said. Mizoram is in the far east of India, bordering Myanmar. People had “come out in large numbers to help with rescue”, Zoramthanga said, adding he was “deeply saddened and affected by this tragedy”. Accidents on large infrastructure construction sites are common in India. AFP

  President of Russia, Vladimir Putin has said the Kremlin wants to see an end to the conflict in Ukraine which he claimed was “unleashed by the West and its satellites.” Putin made this statement on Wednesday at the inaugural BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he attended virtually His travel to Africa has been complicated by an outstanding International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest over the abduction of children from Ukraine. The Russian leader who gave a 17-minute prerecorded speech addressed to the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa accused the West of oppression actions aimed at the people of Donbass “Our actions in Ukraine are dictated by only one thing – to stop the war unleashed by the West and their satellites against people living in Donbass,” he said It should be noted that many countries that wanted to preserve their hegemony, launched a difficult conflict in Ukraine. Russia decided to support those who fought for their language, culture and language, and to oppose those who threatened the life of people in Donbass.” Fellow BRICS nations have abstained from condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine On the future of BRICS, he said “Our group of the five countries has rightly proved to be a credible entity in the global arena, with an ever-growing influence in global affairs. The strategic course of BRICS is aimed at the future .” “The main thing is that we are all unanimous for the formation of a multipolar world order that is truly fair and based on international law while respecting the key principles of the UN Charter, including sovereign rights and respect for the right of each nation to its own development model.” Putin took further swipes at the Western bloc, denouncing what he claimed were attempts to influence the political and economic affairs of other countries “We are against any kind of hegemony that some countries promote because of their exclusivity and based on this postulate of a new policy – the policy of continuing neo-colonialism.” President Cyril Ramaphosa had reiterated that arresting the Russian leader would amount to a declaration of war on Russia “It would be inconsistent with our Constitution to risk engaging in war with Russia,” he said, adding that this would go against his duty to protect the country.   South Africa is the current chair of the BRICS group, a gathering of heavyweights that also includes Brazil, Russia, India and China, which sees itself as a counter-balance to Western economic domination.

  A suspect described as a notorious drug dealer based in the Lekki area of Lagos State is on the run after “crushing” an operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with his luxury car, the agency has said. The NDLEA has since launched a manhunt for the suspect whose home was undergoing a search last weekend, a statement by the agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed on Wednesday. “Anti-narcotics officers of the Agency had on Friday 18th August stormed the residence of the wanted drug dealer located at 2/3 Adetola Ayeni close, Lekki, Lagos for a search and possible arrest following credible intelligence that he was dealing in illicit drugs in his house,” the statement said. “Although he was not in the house when operatives got into his compound, he however returned while a search of his apartment was ongoing.” Babafemi explained that the suspect, upon sighting NDLEA officers, put his car in reverse and knocked down one of the officers, pulling down his gate in the process before plunging the vehicle into the fence of the opposite compound. The force of his car’s speed reportedly pulled down the concrete wall of his neighbour’s compound then dove out of the vehicle to escape. “A thorough search of his apartment however led to the recovery of 10.5 kilograms of Loud, while the operative knocked down suffered multiple injuries all over his body and compound fracture on his two legs, for which he is currently on hospital admission for treatment,” he said. The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) is said to have directed the deployment of appropriate operational assets of the agency to smoke out the wanted suspect from his hiding. He also approved adequate medical care for the injured officer so that he can get back on his feet as soon as possible.

  Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, will appear in court in the British capital on October 2 after being charged with bribery offences relating to her time in office, the UK National Crime Agency said on Tuesday. Alison-Madueke has been on bail since first being arrested in London in October 2015. Soon after her arrest, her family’s lawyer told AFP she would strongly contest corruption allegations that have dogged her during and after her time in former president Goodluck Jonathan’s government. She has been linked to a string of money laundering, bribery and asset recovery cases in Nigeria, as well as in Italy and the United States. In a newspaper interview in November 2015, she was quoted as saying, “I challenge anyone to come forward with facts showing that I stole government or public money. “I’ve never stolen Nigeria’s money.” Alison-Madueke, who was in office from 2010 to 2015, was the first woman to be oil minister in Nigeria and the first female president of the global oil cartel, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The head of the NCA’s international corruption unit, Andy Kelly, said, “We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.” The NCA said Alison-Madueke allegedly benefitted from at least £100,000 ($127,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, luxury holidays for her family and the use of multiple London properties. The charges also detail financial rewards including furniture, renovation work and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees and gifts from top designer shops such as Cartier jewellery and Louis Vuitton goods. “Bribery is a pervasive form of corruption, which enables serious criminality and can have devastating consequences for developing countries,” Kelly said. “These charges are a milestone in what has been a thorough and complex international investigation,” he added. Prominent Alison-Madueke has been living in the upmarket St John’s Wood area of north London since she was first arrested and has undergone chemotherapy for breast cancer, according to her family. At the time of her arrest, the NCA said only that it had detained five people in London on suspicion of international corruption, without naming those held. The government of Jonathan’s successor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, later confirmed Alison-Madueke’s arrest and said its law enforcement agencies were cooperating with their British counterparts. Soon after taking office, former army general Buhari began a drive to root out endemic corruption and end impunity in Africa’s most populous nation. That included reforming the notoriously opaque Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which Alison-Madueke oversaw. But Buhari — who said “mind-boggling” sums had been “looted” from the country over decades — was accused of largely targeting his political opponents and those from the previous administration. The NCA said that assets worth millions of pounds in relation to the case have been frozen as part of the long-running investigation. Earlier this year, the agency, which targets international and serious and organised crime, said it provided evidence to US prosecutors allowing them to recover assets totalling $53.1 million linked to Alison-Madueke’s alleged corruption. They included luxury real estate in California and New York, as well as a 65-metre superyacht, the Galactica Star, the US Department of Justice announced on March 27. Alison-Madueke, born to a well-off family in the oil city of Port Harcourt in 1960, studied architecture in Britain and the United States before joining oil major Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary. In politics she held three major positions in government — first as transport minister in 2007 under president Umaru Yar’Adua, then minister of mines and steel development. When Jonathan — who was also from southern Bayelsa state — took over after the death of Yar’Adua, he appointed her minister of petroleum resources in April 2010, making her a powerful figure. AFP

  A 14-year-old girl, Desola Adeoye, yesterday committed suicide in Shogunle community, Lagos. It was learned that Desola, who has suffered untold domestic violence in the hands of her father, Sunday Adeoye, and his wife, allegedly drank insecticide to escape torture. Trouble, it was gathered, that started when Desola returned from her summer school lesson and her step-mother started threatening her, telling her that when her father returns, he would pounce on her. It was learned that Desola, who was worried by the threat, sneaked out of the house and drank the insecticide kept in the house. She was reportedly rushed to a nearby private hospital where she gave up the ghost. Vanguard gathered when her father came back, he quickly retrieved her lifeless body from the hospital, took it back home with the intention of burying her secretly. His plan was, however, thwarted by police operatives from Shogunle Divisional Police station, who were alerted by neighbours. A neighbour, who drew the attention of a non-governmental organisation called, Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network, ACVPN, to the incident told Vanguard: “The late Desola and her two younger sisters were regularly subjected to domestic violence by their biological father and stepmother every time they made mistake.” Explaining further, the neighbour said Desola took her life for fear of being beaten by her father all the time. “Shogunle Community Development Association in Oshodi, CDA, had, on numerous occasions, cautioned their father and stepmother to stop the physical abuse unleashed on their children especially late Desola Adeoye.” Reacting to the development, Chief Operating Officer, ACVPN, Mr. Ebenezer Omejalile, called on Lagos State government, the Nigeria Police and Nigeria Bar Association to rescue the remaining two children still under the care of the couple and also get justice for the late Desola.

  The Imo State Police Command has arrested an Inspector of police seen in a viral video assaulting a young man. The incident which happened in Owerri, the state capital, elicited reactions as many condemned the inhumane act meted out to the victim. In a statement issued by the spokesperson for the police in the State, Henry Okoye, on Wednesday, the CP condemned the cop’s unprofessional conduct. He ordered that the cop be identified and arrested immediately, saying that the officer’s act was unacceptable. The statement read, “The attention of Imo State Police Command has been drawn to a viral video with a caption; ”Nigeria Police can Never be Your Friend Especially the Ones in Owerri”, where a Police Inspector alleged to be serving in Imo State was seen forcefully removing the cap of a young man and slapping him several times on his face. The Commissioner of Police, Imo State, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, psc(+), condemns this irritating act in totality as it highly contradicts the professional ethics and code of conduct of the Force. The Nigeria Police Force is a highly disciplined organisation and will never tolerate the misconduct of the officer seen in the video. “To this effect, the CP has mandated his monitoring team to investigate and identify the officer for necessary disciplinary action. More so, the victim is encouraged to call the PPRO Imo on 08148024755 or come to the Police Public Relations Department Owerri and make his complaint.” In an update a few hours later, the same Wednesday, the police spokesman announced that the erring cop had been identified and arrested. Okoye said the cop is currently undergoing an orderly room trial. The police spokesman confirmed “the irritating incident happened in Owerri. The recalcitrant Inspector has been identified; he is currently undergoing orderly room trial after which necessary disciplinary action will be taken against him.” Video of policeman assaulting young man bellow

Nigerian billionaire businessman, philanthropist and chairman/founder of BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu, has emerged the ‘Man of Year’ in the 2023 Leadership Excellence Awards (5th LEEX Awards). In a Nationwide 7-day online poll monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), Rabiu polled a total of 568,247 votes to defeat other nominees including Chief Allen Onyema, Chairman, Air Peace; Alhaji Auwalu Abdullahi Rano, Chief Executive Officer, A.A Rano Nigeria Limited and Aloysius Ikegwuonu, Founder, Ebubechukwuzo Foundation; who polled 478,117; 286,374; and 68,352 votes respectively. The prestigious Leadership Excellence Awards (LEEX Awards), the fifth in a row, is organised annually by IgbereTV, the popular online community TV. It recognises and honours the outstanding impacts of leaders across both the public and private sectors in Nigeria. LEEX Awards also promotes outstanding leaders and personalities whose impacts have been felt in Nigeria’s political, social and economic spheres. The Award also applauds excellence, achievements, performance, humanitarian activities and philanthropy. Born 4th August, 1960, in modern day Kano State, Rabiu is an illustrious businessman, who is widely known and recognised for his philanthropy across the African continent, through his foundation, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative Africa (ASR Africa). Rabiu was equally nominated for the ‘Man of the Year’ award category by Nigerians during the last two editions but lost out to Mr. Peter Obi in 2022 and Obi Cubana in 2021. Abdul Samad Rabiu recently came to the aid of Nigerian educational system with a 5.5Billion NAIRA grant for infrastructural development to 22 Universities and other tertiary institutions. The grant is coming under the ASR Tertiary Education Grants Scheme. NAN recalls that the new recipients brought to 30 the number of Nigerian higher institutions that have benefited from the scheme. Before the new set, eight Universities in Nigeria had benefited from the Scheme, receiving billions of Naira in grants with some of their targeted projects nearing completion. The LEEX Awards was proudly endorsed in 2020 by the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC), and in 2021 by the African Union Film Institute (AFI). The prestigious ‘Man of the Year’ Award will be presented to Rabiu alongside other winners of the various award categories on November 4, 2023 in a grand ceremony to be held at the Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. NAN

  Wednesday 23 August 2023 EFCC mum as Diezani faces bribery charge in UK Niger: AU plans fresh sanctions, Abdulsalami warns against war Ogun doctors plan Sept 1 strike over unpaid allowance NSCDC impounds rail tracks worth N800m, arrests 13 suspects Ex-Govs, Others Appointed As Ministers Are Technocrats, Says Analyst Troops Ambush Insurgents In Zamfara, Foil Attack By Suspected IPOB Members In Imo ‘We Mean Well For This Country, Be Patient’, Remi Tinubu Tells Nigerians Tinubu Appoints Coker-Odusote NIMC DG, Yakub Technical Corps Boss LP Can Reposition Nigeria, Says Obi As Achonu Flags Off Gov Campaign In Imo 15 Dead As Bus Carrying Migrants Crashes In Mexico Wike to FCT officials: Wahala don come, I’ll increase your BP 14-yr-old girl commits suicide for fear of continuous torture by father, step-mother Gunmen abduct eight graduates travelling to NYSC camp in Zamfara Tinubu’s 48 Ministers To Gulp N8.6bn In 4yrs You Can’t Frustrate Me, Umahi Warns Civil Servants NSIA Spends $1.5bn On Domestic Infrastructure, Third Party Investments Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 13 suspected railway vandals with large quantities of long rails and sleepers worth N800m. They were nabbed around the Manchock area of Kaura LGA, the Zonkwa area in Zango Kataf LGA, and the Kaffanchan area in Jama’a LGA of Kaduna State, according to a Tuesday statement from NSCDC’s spokesman Babawale Afolabi. He said the suspects were arrested by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CGs SIS). The suspects were paraded alongside five trucks conveying the large quantities of vandalised rails and sleepers at the NSCDC Headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday. “The 13 suspects and 5 trucks impounded have been taken into custody for profiling and further investigation and prosecution. “The 13 suspects are still being interrogated and cross-examined after which other accomplices will be arrested and charged to court,” the statement quoted Afolabi as saying. When they were apprehended, the Commander of the squad was offered the sum of N30 million which was rejected,” he added. While quoting the NSCDC Commandant General (CG), Ahmed Audi, he said the agency’s boss is decrying the activities of vandals across the country. This is as he frowned at the yet-to-identified iron and steel companies who always process and melt these vandalised rail materials and sleepers. But he said: “Efforts are in top gear to smash and unmask these syndicates and make them face the wrath of the law no matter how highly or lowly placed”. According to the statement, one of the suspects, a truck driver, said he was offered N1.2m to deliver the stolen items to Ilorin, Kwara State. The suspect said that he was however given N200,000 advance payment from which he gave N100,000 to the agent who contacted him for the job. “I want to confirm to you that these are vandalised long railways that had been cut into pieces and everywhere in the North-Central district is experiencing a surge in vandalisation of track materials,” Federal Railway Corporation, North Central District Manager, Austin Ashibekong, said. ADVERTISEMENT “They vandalize the long rails, the sleepers, android clips, and other railway components which has been a major hurt in our management.” “Even the nuts can not be sourced locally and all these costs the Federal Government a great deal and somebody will come overnight to vandalise them for selfish and personal interest,” Ashibekong was further quoted as saying.