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Good Friday should be celebrated with fasting, prayers

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in Oyo State,says Christians should celebrate Good Friday with fasting and prayers.

The Oyo State CAN Chairman, Apostle Joshua Akinyemiju, made the remark in his Good Friday message, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ibadan.

NAN reports that Good Friday is the day in which Christians commemorate the death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Akinyemiju said Good Friday should be a day to focus on the suffering and sacrifice made by Jesus Christ.

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He added that similarly, God Almighty must also be appreciated for His love for mankind.

“It is important on Good Friday to reflect on the suffering of Jesus Christ on the day and love of God for His creations. We can then share the pain and reciprocate that wonderful love of the Father by being faithful to Him through implicitly obedience of all His commandments.

“In our fasting and prayer, we should hand over Nigeria and its leadership at all levels to God for direction and guidance towards peace, security and economic revival.

“May the Lord help to appreciate the sacrifice and reciprocate the love,” he said.

Akinyemiju remarks that Good Friday is the day in which the church also commemorates everything from Christ’s condemnation to His passion, crucifixion and death.

“According to Heb 12: 2, Good Friday is a day that Jesus Christ endured the Cross knowing it will lead to His resurrection, our salvation and the beginning of God’s reign of righteousness and peace.

“It marked the day when wrath and mercy met at the Cross. A day when Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of our redemption. He became the sinless sacrificial lamb sacrificed for all mankind to enjoy an everlasting life with God.

“For Christians, Good Friday is an important day of the year because it celebrates what we believe to be the most momentous weekend in the history of mankind.

“Ever since Jesus died and was raised, Christians have proclaimed the Cross and resurrection of Jesus to be a decisive turning point for all creation,” the Oyo CAN Chairman said. (NAN)

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko

Publisher commends Gov Sani, hits critics

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Mr Victor Bobai, Director, Privilege Magazine and Communications Nig. Ltd, has commended Kaduna Governor Uba Sani over the heroic efforts that ensured the release of abducted Kuriga school children.

Bobai told newsmen on Friday in Kaduna that the governor’s efforts had further confirmed him as a great leader.

“He proved he is a great leader that has his people at heart.

“Ever since the school children were abducted, he did not rest until they were freed. That is the mark of a good leader,” he said.

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Bobai craved support for the governor, and cautioned critics and political rivals against politicising the incident.

“Rescuing the school children is a commendable feat, but some people are more interested in making political capital out of it.

“Some politicians are hurling some unhealthy insinuations around this great feat just out of jealousy. This is not good,” he said.

He cautioned against such negative tendencies, saying that they were capable of discouraging leaders from putting in their best for the populace.

He particularly decried the use of the social media to throw negative sentiments against the governor that had demonstrated deep love for the people.

Bobai emphasised the need for unity and support towards the governor’s positive endeavours, vowing to expose those working against the progress of Kaduna State.

He said that the negative tendencies were disappointing, especially when they come from people from whom society expects so much.

“It is not good to criticise leaders just for the fun of it. Much as such criticisms could be useful, we must commend leaders when they do well.

“Such open disregard and contempt for great achievements could be disheartening. Every right-thinking politician knows when to play politics and when to look at issues fairly,” he said.

Highlighting the united front that ensured the release of the school children, Bobai questioned the motives of those individuals who chose to undermine the governor’s achievements.

He stressed the importance of unity and support in times like this, urging the people to stand together against the enemies of the state.

“Now, more than ever, we need to be united and support our governor. It is evident that there are forces at play who are working against the progress of our state for their selfish interests.

“We cannot allow this to continue,” Bobai said.

Bobai called on the people to rise above petty politics and focus on the greater good that the Sani administration was striving to achieve.

He urged the citizens to rally behind the governor’s initiatives and expose those who are sponsoring evil acts against the state.

“We should not let politics overshadow the great things that are being done. Governor Sani has shown what true leadership is, it is our duty to support and stand by him,” Bobai stated.

Highlighting the criticisms against Sani, he said that some people had been asking him to disclose the amount of money paid as ransom to rescue children.

“I find this odd because what is important is the fact that the children had been rescued and reunited with their families.

“Another absurd claim is that Sani is paying the bandits more money, enabling them to acquire more weapons and engage in further criminal activities.

“These false accusations aim to tarnish the governor’s reputation and divert attention from his achievements.

“It is crucial not to fall prey to baseless narratives that have no factual basis.

“Critics have also questioned why the Kuriga school children were prioritised for rescue. I see that as unfair because every circumstance is unique and rescue missions have their own challenges.

“Some have also argued that the Senator representing Kaduna Central was more instrumental in the rescue efforts. I find that awkward because such collaborations are usually necessary for every undertaking to succeed.

“The aim should be to celebrate the successful rescue rather than seeking to diminish the role of any individual involved,” he said.

Bobai urged Sani to remain focused and lead Kaduna State to greatness by building on what he had started.

He commended President Bola Tinubu and the service chiefs led by Gen. Chris Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, for the efforts toward making Nigeria safe for all. (NAN)

By Polycarp Auta

Akpabio hails Tinubu at 72, describes him as transformational

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The President of Senate, Mr Godswill Akpabio has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on the occasion of his 72nd birthday, describing  him as a transformational leader.

Akpabio, in a congratulatory message  by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Eseme Eyiboh on Friday in Abuja,  also described Tinubu as a developmental democrat and bridge builder.

Akpabio said : “As a transformational leader, His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu leads from the front.

“This is exemplified in his developmental strides as governor of Lagos State and since coming on stream as the Commander-in-Chief and President of Nigeria

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“As a developmental democrat, he has over the decades,  demonstrated uncommon commitment in nurturing and instituting a firm foundation for democracy in Nigeria.

“As a bridge builder, he has remained the greatest mobiliser of men and women in contemporary Nigeria and the politician with the most robust political machinery.

“Mr President, as you mark 72 years today, I, on behalf of my family, the good people of my Senatorial district,  Akwa Ibom, and of course, the National Assembly, wish you good health and many more prosperous years ahead.

“Your Excellency, may God give you the strength and wisdom to re-engineer and reposition Nigeria for today and posterity.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls  that President Tinubu announced that he would not be celebrating his 72nd  birthday, in deference to challenging times in the country. (NAN)

By Kingsley Okoye

Tinubu’s refusal to celebrate 72nd birthday mark of a good

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Mr Tunde Rahman, a media aide to President Bola Tinubu, has said that his boss’ refusal to celebrate his 72nd  birthday was a mark of a good leader.

Tinubu had opted to mark the day quietly due to the challenging times in the country.

To identify with the mood of the nation, the President directed that there should be no celebration of any kind, including the placing of advertorials in newspapers, radio or television in his honour.

He urged anyone wishing to do such for him to donate the money to charity organisations.

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Rahman, while reacting to that gesture in a statement on Friday, said that the decision showed that Tinubu was sensitive to current challenging times.

“It is a mark of good leadership for a leader to have compassion for people.

“It is good to identify with the people  and demonstrate that he shares in their pains,” he said.

Rahman described the President as an individual who is compassionate and emphatic toward the pain of others.

He recounted how Tinubu had, on several occasions, shelved his birthday celebrations to identify with the weak and vulnerable in the society.

“In March 2020, on the cusp of his 68th birthday, the President cancelled his birthday colloquium over the outbreak of coronavirus.

“At that time, the President said the decision was important in view of overriding public concern over the pandemic.

“Also, on his 70th birthday in March 2022, Tinubu called off an ongoing birthday colloquium to honour victims of Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

“Likewise, in 2023, even after he had convincingly won the election, Tinubu did not celebrate his birthday, opting to devote the moment to reflecting on the huge task ahead.

“This is a mark of good leadership. It is the mark of a leader worthy of that name. It is the mark of a leader with  compassion for the people,” he said.

Rolling out the achievements of the Tinubu administration, Rahman identified the bold reforms like the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the multiple foreign exchange rates as outstanding.

He assured Nigerians that there was light at the end of the tunnel.

“Light is not only assured at the end of the tunnel, it is currently beginning to shine brighter and brighter through the tunnel.

“For instance, the naira has continued its streak of rebound and steady appreciation.

“More remarkable is the courage, political will and personal commitment to effecting a change and improving the quality of life of the people in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Tinubu has shone brilliantly in his handling of hydra-headed problems.

“To speedily effect changes in the country’s security architecture and enhance safety of lives and property, the President, working in collaboration with state governments, has set up a high-powered committee to draw up modalities for the introduction of state police.

“There is also the Pulaaku initiative, a non-kinetic effort aimed at addressing the root causes of farmer-herder conflicts,” he said.

Rahman lauded the President’s order releasing N50 billion as operational fund for its immediate take off.

He also commended the presidential initiative to revitalise the communities through the construction of houses, roads, schools and essential facilities.

According to him, the initiative will focus on seven states – Sokoto, Kebbi, Benue, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger and Kaduna.

“The President has given an executive order to further boost investment, create jobs and business opportunities in the oil and gas sector, while government is collaborating with states to shore up mechanised agriculture.

“The Tinubu government is thinking and working frantically to ensure initiatives put in place are executed effectively; we all want governance that is impactful with enduring legacies,” he said.

The presidential aide urged Nigerians to continue to play their part toward making the country a prosperous nation. (NAN)

By Oluwatope Lawanson

NCC Directs Telecom coys to bar non compliant…

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has confirmed that contrary to the impression being created by fake news merchants, it would not be reviewing its deadline to bar owners of more than four SIM cards whose SIM registration data failed to match their National Identity Number (NIN) data.

A source within the Commission explained that the Commission’s position was hinged on its objective to clean the country’s SIM ownership database, and ensure that criminals could not take advantage of having multiple unlinked SIMs to carry out their nefarious activities.

“We are not standing back on our decision. March 29th is sacrosanct. Our resolve is hinged on the need to close in on the chaos of untoward ownership of multiple SIM cards with unverified NIN details. We have instances where a single individual has over 10,000 lines linked to his NIN. In some cases, we have seen a single person with 1,000 lines, some 3,000 plus lines. What are they doing with these lines?

“From our interim findings, the owners of these lines did not purchase them for decent purposes or to undertake legitimate activities.

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“We have given them enough time to make the decision of which of their lines they want to keep, and discard the others. They did not. All lines in this category with unverified NINs will be barred. They will be then expected to go to their operators and decide which of the lines they want to keep, as well as submit correct NIN details.

“Some people would say they want to use it for car trackers, or for IoTs, but provision has been made for these services already. They are not under the ‘Max-4 Rule.’

“Across the world, no country allows you to have 1,000 SIM cards to make calls or texts.”

The Max-4 Rule announced by the Federal Government in April 2021 provides that telecom subscribers cannot have more than four lines per mobile network operator.

The NCC has also provided Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) an extension till July 31st 2024 within which they are expected to verify all NINs submitted by subscribers with four (4) or less SIMs, as well as bar those whose NIN fail verification with NIMC.

An authoritative source within the Commission who is familiar with the matter stated that the Commission’s management arrived at the decision at a crucial meeting it held today to review requests from the major Mobile Network Operators requesting for extension for the verification of NINs submitted.

The source also stated that the Commission is mulling the idea to approve an online application solution for MNOs where their subscribers whose NIN verification failed due to biometric mismatch can update their records on the app, while existing subscribers can register additional lines.

USAID, SON partner to tackle lead poisoning in Nigeria

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By Mark Longyen

The United States Government through its Agency for International Development (USAID) has agreed to collaborate with the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), towards mitigating cases of lead poisoning in Nigeria.

This is contained in a statement by the spokesperson of the U.S. Embassy, Aisha Gambari, in Abuja.

Gambari said that USAID’s Nigeria Mission Director, Melissa Jones, made this known during a courtesy visit to SON’s  Director-General, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, in Abuja.

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Gambari explained that the partnership included plans to enhance surveillance, regulation, and enforcement of standards related to consumer goods and paints in Nigeria.

“USAID is committed to leading the Government of Nigeria’s mitigation efforts to save Nigerian children from further risk of lead exposure.

“USAID will provide technical assistance to SON to raise awareness about the safe use of products that contain lead, support Nigeria in joining the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (Lead Paint Alliance).

“It will aid SON in enacting legislation to identify lead-containing products and its manufacturers, while SON will lead engagement with other federal agencies working on lead removal in high-risk communities,” the statement quoted Jones as saying.

She said Okeke explained that to limit lead in consumer goods and paints, SON had adopted global and regional standards prohibiting the production and importation of paint products with lead concentration beyond 90 parts per million.

He said that in April, 2024, SON would participate in a U.S.-Nigeria Bi-National Commission meeting, to contribute to technical discussions on policy framework, regulation, and sensitization on lead mitigation in Nigeria.

“A 2011 survey by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that unsafe mining and ore processing are the leading causes of lead poisoning in Nigeria.

“USAID leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance and help nations progress beyond assistance.

“In Nigeria, USAID supports health systems strengthening, transparent and accountable governance, basic education, and a more market-led, trade-friendly economy,” she further said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that lead can affect individuals of any age, but children are particularly vulnerable due to their behavioral patterns and susceptibility to toxicity at lower exposure levels.

Globally, an estimated one-third of children have blood lead concentrations that impair cognitive development and contribute to learning disabilities and attention deficits.(NAN)

NSCDC arrests 3 suspects with 1,625 litres of adulterated diesel

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The Anambra Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested three suspects with 1,625 litres of adulterated diesel.

The NSCDC Commandant in Anambra, Olatunde Maku, told newsmen on Friday in Awka, that the suspects were arrested on March 23 along Atani Road, in Odekpe, Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.

He said that his team arrested Oluchukwu Okeke, 28, from Ogbaru in Anambra; Emeka Chukwuma, 34, also from Ogbaru in Anambra; and Ifunanya Ike, 29, from Mbano in Imo state.

According to Maku, they were conveying 65 kegs of 25 litres each of suspected adulterated diesel, estimated to be 1,625 litres in four different vehicles.

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He said that the vehicles were two shuttle buses, a white-colored bus with registration number AWK429XY and another ash-coloured bus with registration number GDD277XB.

“This arrest was made possible in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy, and preliminary investigation revealed that the illegally refined products were loaded at Ogbakuma and headed to Okoti community, both in Ogbaru area.

“I want to commend the Nigerian Navy for their support in the fight against criminality in the state.

“This type of synergy is what is needed to wage a full-scale war against perpetrators of this heinous crime.

“NSCDC, as the lead agency in the protection of critical national, state, and local government assets and infrastructure, is known for its zero tolerance in crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities.

“We remain focused on freeing Anambra state of illegal petroleum products racketeering and other related criminalities,” he said.

Maku added that the suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigations were completed.

He called on members of the public to assist the command in its renewed vigour to stamp out illegal oil refining activities in the state through the provision of intelligence on illegal oil bunkering activities within their domains. (NAN)

By Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu

FG upgrades FMC Birnin Kebbi to teaching hospital 

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Senate approves FG’s 2022-2024 external borrowing plan

The Federal Government has approved the upgrade of Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi to a Teaching Hospital.

It will be used for the clinical training of medical students of the College of Health Sciences, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi.

This was announced on Friday by the Head of Information and Public Relations, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Malam Jamilu Magaji.

He said that the approval for the upgrade was contained in a letter to the university signed by the Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa.

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Magaji said the letter dated March 23, 2024, was a “testament to the passion and commitment of President Bola Tinubu aimed at ensuring that Nigerians get the best healthcare at an affordable cost and to increase the much-needed human resources for health”.

He said that the university would engage the  the management of the Federal Medical Centre to work out the modalities for smooth transition of the facility to a teaching hospital.

According to him, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Zaiyan-Umar, has expressed commitment to ensure the full take off of the teaching hospital in the interest of the students and people of Kebbi. (NAN) 

By Ibrahim Bello

Biden gets campaign help from Obama, Clinton Newsdiaryonline

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Former U. S. presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have jumped to the aid of incumbent Joe Biden in the election campaign.

The three Democrats appeared together at a major fundraising event in New York.

The event at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan also featured several music stars.

Biden’s campaign team said it raised more than 26 million U.S. dollars.

The campaign show was accompanied by protests against the U. S. government’s Middle East policy, with hecklers interrupting the prominent Democrats on stage several times, and others demonstrating outside.

Several thousand people attended the event, having paid between 225 dollars half a million dollars for a ticket.

Former president Obama flew from Washington to New York in the government aircraft Air Force One with his former vice president Biden.

Clinton made his own way to the event.

The three sat together on stage for a moderated panel discussion, talking about democracy, life in the White House, international conflicts and difficult decisions as president.

Obama and Clinton praised Biden’s work.

He, in turn, attacked the Republican former presi

dent Donald Trump, who wants to run against the incumbent in November’s election.

Biden warned that his rival denies climate change, is on good terms with autocrats around the world and wants to curtail fundamental rights.

Obama said that voters are faced with the question of who is really interested in their concerns and cares about them.

“I’m pretty sure the other guy doesn’t,” he said of Trump. But on Biden, he said, “this guy does.” (dpa/NAN)

APC celebrates Tinubu at 72, describes him as a true patriot

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described President Bola Tinubu as a true patriot, statesman and a visionary leader ,who has made great contributions to the enthronement of democracy and nation building

Mr Felix Morka, the party’s National Publicity ,said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja .

The statement was issued to celebrate Tinubu on the occasion of his 72 birth annivesary.

“On this day, we celebrate a true patriot, statesman, veteran democrat and visionary leader.

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“We proudly salute a pre-eminent party man, an exemplary progressive, a tireless builder and founding architect of our great party.

“The APC family stands united with President Tinubu as he continues his illustrious service to our dear country,” he said

He said the president was leading the country with determination to steer the ship of state to a safe and stable harbour of peace, unity, security, social cohesion, economic stability and sustainable prosperity.

Morka wished the president a happy birthday anniversary and prayed for more wisdom, excellent health and divine grace upon him.(NAN)

By Emmanuel Mogbede