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Why Tinubu can’t be dragged into Rivers crisis — APC

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Why Tinubu can’t be dragged into Rivers crisis — APC

The ruling All Progressives Congress has urged for restraint over the crisis rocking Rivers State, warning that President Bola Tinubu, who is currently in South Africa, should not be pressured into declaring a state of emergency in the state.

The warning comes in the wake of an appeal by the Rivers APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, on Wednesday for the Federal Government to take a drastic step, including the declaration of a state of emergency, saying there is a full-blown war in the state.

Okocha hinged his call on claims that the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was helpless and the police authority has proven to be biased over the tenure elongation quest by former local government chairpersons.

Reacting to the development, the Deputy National Organising Secretary of the APC, Nze Chidi Duru, explained that there was no justifiable reason to drag the president into the ongoing drama.

According to him, the matter is still within the purview of the law enforcement agents.

He said, “This is my personal view. This is something that lies within the purview of the law enforcement agents and Mr President cannot be dragged into matters such as this. Truly, we are in a democracy. What underpins democracy essentially is the rule of law, procedure, and obedience to the relevant orders of the court.

“So, Mr. President cannot be dragged into isolated issues or issues that have to do with the functionalities of states such as this. That is my view.”

Meanwhile, a faction of Rivers APC loyal to the former Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has also dismissed the call for the declaration of state emergency by the party’s caretaker committee as a result of the crisis.

The spokesperson of the faction, Darlington Nwauju, disclosed in a statement that the call for state emergency by members of Tony Okocha led members was not discussed.

He said, “I wish to quickly inform the people of the state that Rivers APC did not at any point in time hold any meeting amongst its members; or hold consultations amongst its leaders to decide that at this point in time, the best strategy or formula to nip in the bud the brewing political crisis is to demand for a state of emergency.

“There were no such consultations; there were no such meetings, and so it cannot stand as the aggregate opinion of members of the APC across the 390 wards in Rivers State.

“So, I want to quickly dispel such the rumour, and dismiss it as unnecessary, illogical, and unpatriotic. Rivers State must have other means to settle these political issues”.

BREAKING: Court nullifies reinstatement of Sanusi as Emir of Kano

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BREAKING: Court nullifies reinstatement of Sanusi as Emir of Kano

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has nullified the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.
The court, which delivered a verdict on Thursday, also nullified all the actions taken after the controversial reinstatement.
The presiding hudge, Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman said, “I hereby order that every step taking by the Government is hereby nullified and becomes null and invalid and that this does not affect the validity of the repealed Emirates Law but actions taken by the Governor, which includes the assenting to the Law and the reappointment (of Sanusi).
“I have listened to the audio of the governor both in Hausa and English after assenting to the Law, and I am convinced that the respondents are aware of the order of maintaining status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motions on notice in the court.
“Having been satisfied that the respondents are aware of the court order, the court in exercise of its powers set aside an action because it is in violation of the court’s order, I think it is a very serious matter for anyone to flout the orders of the court and go scot free with it.”
He said the catastrophic situation could have been averted if the respondents followed due processes by complying with the court order, which would still have allowed them to carry out their assignments.
He noted that the respondents however decided to act according to their whims and caprices, a situation which he said landed them in a serious mess.
BREAKING: Court nullifies reinstatement of Sanusi as Emir of Kano

NNPC, TotalEnergies invest $550m to unlock Nigeria’s gas potential

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NNPC, TotalEnergies invest $550m to unlock Nigeria’s gas potential

In a significant move to enhance Nigeria’s oil and gas production, the NNPC-TotalEnergies JV has announced a $550 million final investment decision for the Ubeta Field Development Project.

This milestone, according to NNPC aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Executive Order on Oil and Gas Reforms, designed to improve the investment climate and position Nigeria as the premier investment destination for the oil and gas sector in Africa.

Discovered in 1964, the Ubeta field, located northwest of Port Harcourt in the eastern Niger Delta, is projected to produce about 350 million standard cubic feet per day (MMScf/d) of gas and 10,000 barrels per day (BBLS/d) of associated liquids. This development will tap into Nigeria’s vast gas reserves and support gas supply to Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited.

In a statement issued by NNPC Ltd.’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, expressed gratitude for stakeholder support and highlighted the role of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in creating a conducive operational environment on Thursday.

“We appreciate Mr. President for supporting us with the appropriate fiscal environment. The Presidential Executive Order is instrumental to us getting to this significant milestone, and we are now seeing the impact of the policy,” Kyari said.

TotalEnergies’ Senior Vice President Africa, Exploration & Production, Mike Sangster, remarked, “Ubeta is the latest in a series of projects developed by TotalEnergies in Nigeria, most recently Ikike and Akpo West. I am pleased that we can launch this new gas project, enabled by the Government’s recent incentives for non-associated gas developments.

“Ubeta fits perfectly with our strategy of developing low-cost and low-emission projects and will contribute to the Nigerian economy through higher NLNG exports.”

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, praised President Tinubu for rekindling investor confidence in the oil and gas industry, assuring that more investments are forthcoming.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas),  Ekperikpe Ekpo, stated that the project demonstrates the effectiveness of government policies in fostering a conducive environment for investment in the gas sector.

“The Ubeta gas condensate field, located in OML58, will feature a new 6-well cluster connected to the existing Obite facilities via an 11km buried pipeline. Production is expected to start in 2027, with a peak output of 300 million cubic feet per day (about 70,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, including condensates). Gas from Ubeta will be supplied to NLNG, a liquefaction plant on Bonny Island, which is expanding its capacity from 22 to 30 Mtpa, with NNPC Limited holding a 49% interest.

“Ubeta is a low-emission and low-cost project, leveraging existing gas processing facilities in OML58. The carbon intensity of the project will be further reduced through a 5 MW solar plant under construction at the Obite site and the electrification of the drilling rig. TotalEnergies is collaborating with NNPC Limited to enhance local content, with over 90% of man-hours expected to be worked locally.

“The Ubeta FID reflects NNPC Limited’s commitment, with strong executive support, to address the challenges that have hindered the attractiveness of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry to foreign investors in recent years”, NNPC quoted in the statement.

The Ubeta project features a comprehensive Nigerian Content plan and is set to stimulate economic activities, create job opportunities, and generate significant value for stakeholders.

34 reported dead, 100 in hospital after drinking toxic alcohol in India

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34 reported dead, 100 in hospital after drinking toxic alcohol in India

At least 34 people have been confirmed dead with more than 100 hospitalized after drinking a batch of toxic illegal alcohol in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, state officials said on Thursday.
According to the Press Trust of India news agency quoting Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, the deadly mix of locally brewed arrack drink was laced with poisonous methanol.
Stalin said arrests have been made over the deaths and warned such crimes “ruin society and will be suppressed with an iron fist,” according to a statement from his office.
The Hindu Times also reports that hundreds of people die every year in India from cheap alcohol made in backstreet distilleries.
“In order to increase its potency the liquor is often spiked with methanol which can cause blindness, liver damage and death,” the tabloid said.
“In the Tamil Nadu case, more than 100 people were hospitalised according to M.S. Prasanth, top government official in the state’s Kallakurichi district say.”
The state governor, R.N. Ravi told reporters that he was “deeply shocked” at the deaths, adding that “many more victims are in serious condition battling for (their) lives.”
“The death toll in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy rose to 34 with 25 more people losing their lives after consuming spurious liquor at Karunapuram in Kallakurichi on June 18, 2024,” the Hindu Times posted.
The post 34 reported dead, 100 in hospital after drinking toxic alcohol in India appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.

I have to ensure quality recruitment into police — IG

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I have to ensure quality recruitment into police — IG

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Thursday, denied that there is any conflict between the police and the Police Service Commission over the recently concluded recruitment exercise.

This is as he also said that as the Inspector General Police of the largest police force in Africa, he has to ensure quality recruitment into the police.

The police in a statement on Saturday by the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, had rejected the list of successful candidates released by the commission, adding that it was marred by corruption and other irregularities.

In response, the Joint Union Congress of the Police Service Commission chairman, Adoyi Adoyi, on the same day, denied the allegations and accused the police of a failed attempt to smuggle names into the list released by the commission.

On Wednesday, Adoyi called for the removal of the IGP for wrongly accusing the commission.

Speaking on during a meeting with commanders in Abuja, the IGP said the police had no problem with the supreme court judgement giving the authority to recruit to the PSC.

Egbetokun noted that while the Supreme Court gave the PSC the power to recruit, it, however, did not order the exclusion of the force from the process.

He said, “The wise men sitting at the Supreme Court, while ruling on the controversial and questionable issue surrounding police recruitment, gave the final authority to the police to the Police Service Commission. There is no problem with that.

‘’The judgment of the Supreme Court is sound, clear, and unambiguous. The issue lies elsewhere. The Supreme Court in its wisdom, recognising that the police is the end user of this recruitment, did not exclude the police from participating in the recruitment exercise into the police force.

“So it is expected that while recruiting into the police force by the commission, the police will be carried along.“

Egbetokun said what he was doing was to ensure the right set of people were recruited into the force.

He said, “The Inspector General Police of Nigeria leads the largest police force in Africa. Over 300,000 officers and men look up to him for guidance and leadership. He cannot sit down and look on and see how recruitment into the police force is anyhow. He cannot afford to disappoint the officers and men that he is leading. He has to ensure quality recruitment into the police.

“And that includes quality participation of the police in the recruitment exercise. And that is exactly what we are doing. We are doing everything possible to make sure that qualified and capable individuals are recruited into the police.

“The problems we are having with the police now start with the recruitment. If we don’t pay attention to recruitment, a disaster is awaiting us. We can’t sit here as members of the force management team and allow that to happen.

“So there is no fight between the police and the Police Service Commission. The police will play their role. The Police Service Commission will play its role We recognize the power of the Commission to recruit for the police. We respect that power. What we are doing is not prejudiced against the powers of the Police Service Commission to recruit for the police. So there is no fight between the police and the Police Service Commission. The police will play their role. The Police Service Commission will play their role.”

Egbetokun stated that the police’s actions did not infringe upon the PSC’s authority to recruit for the police force.

He said, “We recognize the power of the Commission to recruit for the police. We respect that power. What we are doing is not prejudiced against the powers of the Police Service Commission to recruit for the police. So we have to be careful with the kind of people we recruit into the police. And that’s what we are saying. So we are not fighting anybody. We are not fighting.

“I won’t respond to a call for my remover. Anybody can call for my remover.
Anybody who doesn’t like me can come out tomorrow and say, remove the IG. That’s not a problem. We are all entitled to our opinion.”

Addressing the Rivers State crisis concerning the extension of the Local Government Chairmen’s tenure, Egbetokun said the barricade mounted would be removed after the court delivers its verdict.

He said, “You are all aware that in what happened three days ago, we lost a police inspector. We are sad about that. We don’t want to lose more men. We don’t want to lose more Nigerians. We don’t want to lose more citizens of Rivers State. So we have a duty to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

“And that’s why we have our men taking over the secretariat while we await the outcome of the case in court. As soon as the court makes its pronouncement, we will remove the barricade. Thank you.“

Serbia threatens to exit Euro 2024 over chants

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Serbia threatens to exit Euro 2024 over chants

The head of the Serbian football association threatened to pull the team out of the European Championships over chants made during the draw between Albania and Croatia.

Jovan Surbatovic — the General Secretary of the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) — told Serbian broadcaster RTS late Wednesday — the country demanded action from authorities over remarks made during the match, including the chant: “Kill, kill, kill the Serb”.

Surbatovic told RTS that the FSS would seek sanctions from UEFA “even at the cost of not continuing the competition.”

Serbia has had tense relations with both Albania and Croatia in past decades.

In the 1990s, a string of wars broke out across the former Yugoslavia that saw bloody fighting in Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia.

Many blamed late Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic for instigating the conflicts.

Serbia also fought a war against ethnic Albanian insurgents in the breakaway province of Kosovo in the late 1990s, which triggered a NATO intervention in the conflict.

Serbia is competing in their first European Championship since the dissolution of Yugoslavia.

The squad lost 1-0 to England in their opening match, with their coach Dragan Stojkovic saying the team showed “too much respect” to their rivals.

AFP

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NANS lauds Tinubu for reconstituting tertiary institutions’ governing councils

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NANS lauds Tinubu for reconstituting tertiary institutions’ governing councils

The National Association of Nigerian Students has lauded President Bola Tinubu for reconstituting the governing councils of tertiary institutions and appointing technocrats, and politicians to spearhead the development of Nigerian institutions.

In a statement signed by its President, Pedro Chibuzor, on Wednesday, NANS thanked Tinubu for appointing “worthy and competent individuals” to the councils.

The students’ body believes that these appointments have the potential to fast-track the rapid development of Nigerian institutions.

The statement read, “We the Nigerian students, therefore, commend President Bola Tinubu for his love and concern about the transformation of academic institutions through this sound appointment of an incorruptible team of thoroughbred administrators to help fasten the development in our ivory towers after the recent introduction of student loan for Nigerian students.”

The association noted that the appointment of over 200 academicians, including 100 professors and PhD holders, to university, polytechnic, and college of education councils, marks a significant departure from past appointments that had fewer academicians.

While congratulating the governing council members and chairmen on their appointment, NANS urged them to uphold justice and prevent victimisation of students by institution management.

The statement added, “We are proud of Mr President’s foresight to have appointed some of the finest Nigerians to run the affairs of Nigeria’s ivory towers.

“Lastly, we appeal to the Academic Staff Union of Universities to cooperate with the new council members and Mr President’s genuine concern for the development of our education sector.”

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IG orders continuous barricade of Rivers LG secretariats

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IG orders continuous barricade of Rivers LG secretariats

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said his men would continue to barricade all local government secretariats in Rivers State amidst the ongoing political tension.

He also said the recent controversy surrounding the recruitment of police constables is really appalling, as he highlighted the rigorous standards expected of officers.

Egbetokun made this known on Thursday in Abuja while addressing journalists on the sidelines of a conference with Commissioners of Police and other senior officers.

He disclosed that policemen will not leave the headquarters until a court judgement on the controversy over the tenure of local government council chairmen in the State.

Egbetokun said the presence of the police officers was to ensure peace and order and not to intimidate anyone. He also reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force on the need for preemptive measures to forestall any escalation of violence.

“The police will continue to occupy the secretariats until a court of competent jurisdiction delivers judgment on the local government crisis in Rivers State,” he said.

The state police command had on Tuesday announced that it had taken over all the council headquarters to forestall further bloodshed and to prevent a breakdown of law and order.”

A policeman and a member of a local security outfit were killed during a clash between supporters of the governor and his predecessor, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, at Eberi-Omuma in the Omuma Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking with The According on the development, the state Commissioner for Police, Olatunji Disu, said the LG council headquarters would remain shut for the time being due to the clash between the feuding parties.

Police recrutiment controversy

Speaking further, the police boss said the recent controversy surrounding the recruitment of police constables is really appalling, highlighting the rigorous standards expected of officers.

On the allegation from the Police Service Commission (PSC) about the recruitment process, Egbetokun said the police management is wary of recruiting individuals deemed untrainable or unsuitable for police duties.

He said, “The Nigeria Police Force is a specialised institution that is not meant for all Nigerians.”

Tinubu hails Onanuga on 67th birthday

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Tinubu hails Onanuga on 67th birthday

President Bola Tinubu has felicitated his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on the occasion of his 67th birthday.

Tinubu, in a statement on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, hailed Onanuga for his achievements in the media, adding that he was a prominent figure in the pro-democracy struggles.

The statement read, “Mr Onanuga is one of Nigeria’s finest journalists with a string of accomplishments in the media and beyond to show for his efforts,” the

“He was a prominent figure in the pro-democracy struggles in Nigeria and, at various times, had to endure indignities over his progressive beliefs and pursuits.

“He co-founded The News Magazine and was the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of PM News.”

The president noted that Onanuga previously served as Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria and commended the ace journalist for professional excellence.

Tinubu described his media aide as a dependable and resourceful adviser. He, therefore, wished Onanuga many more years in good health as well as renewed strength in his service to the nation.

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Nasarawa NDLEA seized 7,148.945kg drugs in one year

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Nasarawa NDLEA seized 7,148.945kg drugs in one year

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nasarawa State Command said it seized 7,149kg of drugs in one year between July 2023 and June 2024.

Commander of NDLEA in the state, Peter Onche-Odaudu, disclosed this at a news briefing on Thursday in Lafia, the state capital

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the briefing was part of week-long activities to mark the 2024 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Onche-Odaudu said that the task of checking the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking, “despite the daunting challenges of logistics and paucity of funds, had resulted in modest achievements.”

He said that cannabis sativa accounted for 7,037.2 kg of the seizures; cocaine, 0.011 kg, methamphetamine, 0.185 kg, while sundry psychotropic substances accounted for 111.534 kg.

The commander said that the United Nations had set aside June 26 of every year for the commemoration of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking by member nations.

He stated that the theme for this year’s Day: “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention”, was apt, as it emphasised the importance of prevention over cure in issues of drug abuse.

Onche-Odaudu said that a couple of activities had been lined up by his command to commemorate this year’s day.

These, he said, would include an advocacy walk, starting from Lafia and ending at Lafia Stadium, with the grand finale held on June 22 at the Conference Room of the Federal Secretariat, Lafia.

The commander further stated that the command would take an anti-drug sensitisation campaign to GSM Village, Lafia and Lafia Custodial Centre on Monday and Tuesday.

He thanked Gov. Abdullahi Sule for his support to the command toward the drug war in the state.

The commander also appreciated the support of journalists, sister security agencies and stakeholders in the war against drug abuse in the state.

NAN.

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