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Kano will pay N700m for 7,000 natives’ BUK fees, N854m for large wedding

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7,000 Kano natives are enrolled at Bayero University Kano, and the Kano State Executive Council has approved the disbursement of N700 million to pay their tuition.

N854 million was also set aside for the Auren Zaurawa Mass Wedding Initiative.

On his verified X page, formerly known as Twitter, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf made this information public.

In response to the nation’s economic crisis, the State Executive Council decided to approve N700 million for Kano students attending the BUK on Wednesday, according to the governor.

The governor stated, “As part of our efforts to soften the biting effects of our current economic reality, the Kano State Executive Council under my leadership has today approved the release of the sum of N700m to settle tuition fees for 7,000 students of Bayero University Kano.

“Further information about the initiative will be made available as soon as possible.”

the creation of a special committee to resolve outstanding pension arrears for retirees from the Kano State Civil Service; the rehabilitation of three pedestrian bridges at Bayero University Kano Old Campus, Aminu Kano College of Legal and Islamic Studies; and the release of the sum of N854 million for the first phase of the Auren Zaurawa Mass Wedding Initiative. The governor added this on Thursday.

Robbers break into female dormitory at Rivers University

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Students protest, police launch an investigation

Port Harcourt’s Dennis Naku

On Thursday morning, thugs who are thought to be armed robbers broke into a female hostel at Rivers State University in Port Harcourt and stole valuables like cash, cell phones, and jewellery.

Many of the female students are housed in hostels “D” and “C,” which were raided at around 1:45 am, and some of the students there reportedly suffered sexual assaults.

About four female students were hurt, according to a student who spoke to our correspondent on the phone. They (the hoodlums) had guns and machetes at their disposal.

They operated for roughly 45 minutes, seizing the girls’ (students’) phones, cash, and other valuables.

Students protested the incident’s poor security at around 8 a.m. after it occurred.

In order to stop the riotous situation from getting worse, the institution’s management immediately closed the two entrances to the school.

Anele Miracle, the president of the students’ union government, did not respond to multiple calls placed to his phone, making attempts to contact him fruitless. On a second attempt, a voice that answered claimed that Mr. Anele was speaking with the school’s chief security officer.

Grace Iringe-Koko, a spokeswoman for the State Police Command, confirmed the incident when contacted but insisted that no student was sexually assaulted.

“I am aware of the incident, and an investigation is ongoing,” she said. As of right now, the Divisional Police Officer has sent his team to the school where they have met with the school’s chief security officer, and things are back to normal.

Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, responded to the accusation of rape by saying, “It is not true. Only their phones were taken.

Akwa Ibom gov orders relocation of Chinese firm over alleged emission

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Golden Tripod Limited, a Chinese company with offices on Ikot Ekpene Road in Uyo, has been ordered to move to the Akwa Ibom State’s Ibom Industrial Park in the state’s Itam, Itu Local Government Area.

He also gave the Environment Commissioner and the Internal Security Commissioner instructions to look into the company’s operations and submit a report within 48 hours.

Eno said it was improper to locate factories in the middle of a city when he gave the order on Thursday as work on the 2.2 km Tabernacle Road project off Ikot Ekpene Road began. He claimed that according to the report he had, there were consistently harmful emissions coming from the factory.

I need a report on the products this factory produces in the next 48 hours, Commissioners for Environment and Internal Security.

I am aware that there are frequently harmful emissions in this area. Please first ascertain what they do, then relocate them right away to the industrial park. The governor said, “It is not appropriate to cite factories in the middle of a city.

The governor promised that with new government innovations, the industrial park would provide a favourable environment for industries to thrive while urging investors to use it.

“That park has been divided into 150 plots, each between 4,000 and 5,000 square metres in size.

“What we’re saying is that people who are prepared to launch businesses should visit and research the industry they want to launch. We will allot land for them after they inform us of the anticipated start date and the anticipated workforce size.

“We’ll enclose it with a fence. We’ll build a police station there, secure a power plant for the area, and provide water access as well. It will function just like any other industrial park anywhere in the world, allowing us to allocate land for your project there,” he continued.

It was your wish to have a government that will come and remember the poor and rural residents, the governor said when discussing the Tabernacle Road project. You selected that type of government. I kept my promise to you, and this is the democratic dividend. We came here to express our gratitude to the Uyo and Itu communities for their support during the election.

In providing an overview of the Tabernacle Road project, Commissioner for Works and Fire Service Professor Eno Ibanga stated that in addition to road construction, the project involves significant de-flooding work to reclaim the entire area and will provide relief for the residents of Uyo and Itu LGAs.

He assured that his Ministry would make sure that contractors met the requirements provided to them by the state government by saying that the 2.2 km road project will be completed with a 0.97 km underground drain that will empty into the Calabar-Itu road drainage.

Ogun court jails two for stealing Dangote truck parts

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A Magistrate Court in Isabo, Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State, sentenced two individuals, Emmanuel Choice and Ojuola Akande, to three months in prison on Thursday for stealing motor parts from a truck that belonged to the Dangote Cement Transport company.

In a separate ruling, the court also handed down a six-month prison term to one Olaiya Abdulrahman for reckless driving that resulted in Olusegun Olusanya’s injury.

The prosecutor, Lawrence Olu-Balogun, noted that on August 22, 2023, Emmanuel and Ojuola stole two sets of tyres, two sets of rims and one drum hub worth N976,715.00 from the trailer body marked DT/7579/CH and two sets of tyres, two sets of rims and one drum hub worth N976,715.00 from the trailer body marked DT/7736/CH belonging to Dangote Cement Transport, Ibese.

The defendants, he said, violated Sections 516 and 383 of the Criminal Code Vol. II Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2004, by committing offences that were on the verge of being felonies, such as stealing.

The charge stated, in part, “That you Emmanuel Choice “M,” Ojuola Akande “M,” and one other now at large on August 22, 2023, at or about 3:00 a.m. at Dangote Cement Transport Premises, Ibese, in the Ayetoro Magisterial District, did conspire within yourself to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Vol.

“That you Emmanuel Choice ‘M’, Ojuola Akande ‘M’, and one other currently at large on the same date, time, and location in the aforementioned Magisterial District did steal Four tyres, Four rims, and Four drum hub from Trailer body marked DT/7736/CH and Two tyres, Two rims, and one drum hub from Trailer body marked DT/7579/CH valued at N976,715.00k only property of Dangote Cement Transport

The victim, 53-year-old Onasanya, suffered body injuries as a result of Abdulrahman’s careless driving on August 12, 2023, Olu-Balogun noted. The incident occurred along Afami Road in the Yewa-North local government area of Ogun State.

According to Olu-Balogun, the Federal High Way Act, CAP 135 of Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which is applicable in Ogun State, violated and penalised Abdulraham’s offences under sections 6(1) and 13(1)(a).

The charge stated, in part, “That you OLAIYA ABDULRAHMAN ‘M’ did drive the şaid vehicle on the Public Road in a manner which was dangerously, recklessly and knocked down one Onasanya Olusegun’m’ 53 years a security operative at Dangote Cement Transport, Ibese, as such caused bodily injuries includ…”

“That you OLAIYA ABDULRAHMAN ‘M’ on the same date, time, and location in the aforementioned Magisterial District did cause bodily injuries to one Onasanya Olusegun’m’ but failed to stop or attend to the injured person in order to secure for him medical attention nor report the accident to the nearest Police Station, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 13 (1) (a) (c) and punishable under Section 13 (2) of the Federal High Court Rules

The two-count charge levied against them was accepted as guilty by all of the defendants.

Emmanuel and Ojuola were sentenced to three months in prison without the option of a fine after Chief Magistrate E. O. Idowu found the defendants guilty of the crimes, while Abdulrahman was given a six-month sentence with the option of a N10,000 fine if he could pay N200,000 to the victim who had been injured.

Allow palliatives to reach disadvantaged, vulnerable

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Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti and a prominent traditional leader, advised the federal government on Thursday to use the money saved by eliminating fuel subsidies to repair infrastructure, including refineries.

Adejugbe further advised the Federal Government to make sure the palliatives it was releasing for the poor and vulnerable citizens to lessen the pain of the effects of subsidy removal on them reached the people it was intended for.

The monarch spoke in Ado Ekiti while touring rural and urban areas of the kingdom to evaluate the need for development as part of preparations for the 2023 Udiroko Festival.

The federal government should ensure that the palliatives intended for the poor people reach them, the Oba Adejugbe said in his appeal.

The federal government must ensure that the funds raised from the elimination of oil subsidies are used to improve the nation’s infrastructure. The refineries in this nation need to be fixed. Prices for petroleum products will decrease if refineries are operating properly.

The monarch urged Nigerians to have patience with the Federal Government and praised President Bola Tinubu’s plans for the nation. “If we give the President the opportunity to prove himself, he means well for this country,” he said.

The traditional leader praised the Ekiti State Government for the ongoing construction of Omisanjana – Ajebandele Road in the state’s capital and argued for the project’s prompt completion, claiming it would improve the lives of the locals and stimulate the local economy.

When Oba Adejugbe visited the Ado Local Government and Ado West, Ado North, and Ado Central local council development areas, he expressed satisfaction with the councils’ activities and the growth and development of Ado Ekiti.

The Ado LG’s Bosun Osaloni, Ado West LCDA’s Taiwo Alagba, Ado Central LCDA’s Toyin Ojo, and Ado North LCDA’s Yomi Oso praised the traditional ruler for the visit, calling it unusual.

Ojo stated that his administration would work to complete all ongoing projects in his LCDA by the end of December.

Best ways to address African issues are domestic ones – Tinubu

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According to President Bola Tinubu, Africa’s chances of resolving its economic and security problems are higher if it finds indigenous solutions and is consistent with its promises and commitments.

At the State House in Abuja on Thursday, Tinubu was receiving letters of credence from three envoys when he made this statement.

The ambassadors are Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, from the United Arab Emirates; Mr. Awall Wagris Mohammed, from Cuba; and Mrs. Miriam Morales Palmero, from Ethiopia.

The President gave the ambassador of Ethiopia assurances that Nigeria would keep fortifying its connections with African nations in the fields of trade, security, and economic development during a side discussion with the ambassador.

Africans must put in effort to advance their continent. Our internal issues ought to be amenable to group resolution. We need to make that significant commitment, though.

“We are the only ones who have a true understanding of our people. Homemade cures work better for everyone and last longer, he asserted.

Assuring the President of his commitment to enhancing ties between Nigeria and Ethiopia, Mohammed praised the President for the decisions he had made in the nation and the impact of his policies on the continent.

Tinubu praised Cuba’s proficiency in indigenous medical sciences, accessible healthcare at the community level, and maintaining the stability of their surrounding region during a separate meeting with the Cuban ambassador.

The president mentioned that there are some cultural parallels between Cuba and Nigeria that may be explored in order to better the lives of the populace, particularly in the tourism and other economic areas.

It would improve the lives of our people, especially the young generation Nigeria is so fortunate to have, Tinubu added. “We should collaborate more in science and technology.”

When the UAE Ambassador was welcomed, the President gave the order that problems impacting relations with Emirates Airline and the issuing of visas to Nigerians should be “quickly” handled. He also added that, if necessary, he would “personally” interfere.

“Even if we only have our own rooms, we are a family with UAE, and we all live in the same home. We ought to approach the problems as a family matter and find a peaceful solution.

“As you well know, there are oddities in every family. Even if your son or daughter makes mistakes, we still need to cooperate. Core aviation and immigration concerns must be resolved, the President added.

Given the historical roots of the nation, its longstanding leadership position in Africa, and its well-known reputation for welcoming visitors, the UAE ambassador claimed that he already considers himself to be “Nigerian.”

“I’ve been working on 24 agreements since I got here. Our progress is encouraging. They will be remedied because they are only minor problems that affect one family.

Thank you for having me in Nigeria. Furthermore, I am glad for the opportunity to speak with His Excellency, President Tinubu, a superb figurehead for both Nigeria and Africa. Consider me a member of your team and accept me as a Nigerian, he pleaded.

Experts want Electoral Act reviewed, tribunal for electoral offenders established

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The Centre for Transparency Advocacy, experts in election monitoring, on Thursday proposed additional amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act to address some of the difficulties the Independent National Electoral Commission faced in the general elections of 2023.

As a result, they argued in favour of creating an electoral offences commission and tribunal to handle electoral offenders.

Faith Nwadishi, the executive director of CTA, made the suggestion while presenting three reports on the general elections of 2023 in Abuja.

The reports included ‘The 2023 General Elections Observation Report: A Perception Study on the Understanding of the Mandate of the Electoral Umpire by Stakeholders’ and ‘The 2023 Local Elections Observation Report: A Perception Study on the Local Elections “A compendium of the 2019 general elections and off-season elections conducted by INEC up to 2022,” etc.

Nwadishi claimed that despite ongoing difficulties, the Nigerian electoral system has improved despite concerns being raised about voting procedures, logistics, vote buying, intimidation, and violence.

There are some areas we suggested be reviewed, the speaker said. The Electoral Act, for example, mentions civic and voter education, and INEC was given the responsibility. However, we also know that civic education should fall under the purview of a national orientation organisation. Voter education is distinct from civic education. Voter education is included in civic education. We must be able to actually transfer INEC’s responsibility for civic education to the agency designated by law to carry out the task.

“We’re also urging the parties involved to quickly establish an electoral offences commission. The course we are currently on is unsustainable. People are committing crimes, but we assert that INEC is the prosecuting agency most often because INEC has that authority.

“On election day, we encountered members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Commission. How successful was that, though? It would greatly improve our electoral system if we had a dedicated commission tasked with prosecuting those who violate the law regarding elections. With high profile cases and all of that, I believe it will greatly aid in the rule reforming of our electoral system itself.

Additionally, Nwadishi called for sanctions against political parties that fail to send enough agents to polling places on election day.

“Polling units determine the outcome of elections because that is where voters gather to cast their ballots and where the results are announced prior to being collected. Therefore, she said, “There should actually be a sanction for a political party running for office but unable to deploy party agents at that level. If you don’t have people representing you at that level, that means you won’t have a copy of your result.

The issues surrounding political party primaries should be reviewed by INEC, according to Emeka Ononammadu, a former resident electoral commissioner in Enugu State.

While highlighting the need for INEC to continue utilising technology in the electoral process, Ononammadu insisted that INEC must be given the freedom to concentrate on the technical administration of elections.

First of all, the Electoral Act as it relates to political party primaries needs to be reviewed, he said. This is because, as Nigerians who are party members, that particular law doesn’t seem to make political party primaries more inclusive of a larger population of party members. Of course, we all know that the test of political party primaries almost graduates to the general elections.

“I believe that whether the election administration agency performed well or poorly each year, there always seems to be a problem with how people view it, and advancing technology in our elections is the key to lowering either a positive or negative perception.

The creation of the Electoral Offences Tribunal has also been under discussion, but I believe that adding INEC’s investigative authority would be excessive.

He also urged INEC to reconsider the hiring and use of ad hoc staff, arguing that the problem of impersonation needs to be thoroughly examined.

Army denies capture of armoured vehicle by bandit kingpin

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The claim that Turji Bello, the leader of a band of robbers, had taken one of the Nigerian Army’s armoured personnel carriers was refuted on Thursday.

The Nigerian Army’s APC was filmed in a viral video posted to social media, according to the army.

The video was fake, according to a statement released on Thursday by Brig. General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations.

The statement said, in part, “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a widely shared, unfounded, and seemingly fabricated video clip circulating on social media, portraying stage-managed capture of a Nigerian Army armoured personnel carrier by Turji Bello, one of the notorious terrorists’ leaders in North West Nigeria.

“The Army wishes to strongly emphasise that there was no such occurrence that entailed the capture of any of its APCs within the theatre of operations in the North-West, as mischievously and unjustly depicted in the video,”

He said that the service’s analysis of the video revealed that it had been altered.

“Analysis of the video clip demonstrates that the film was doctored, as NA vehicles, including APCs, have NA engraved on the number plates, which is noticeably absent on the allegedly captured APC in the video.

Additionally, according to our records, the entire incident depicted in the video did not occur at any time on Nigerian soil; rather, the information available indicates that it took place in Burkina Faso at some point in 2021. Further investigation revealed that the identical video was published on Facebook on November 9, 2021, with the URL https://web.facebook.com/watch?v=1544154362616622, the statement continued.

He urged the public to ignore the video and added that the Army protects its equipment with a great degree of expertise.

Onyema said, “Furthermore, the NA maintains a high level of vigilance and professionalism in defending its own armoured vehicles by making sure that they are not compromised by any criminal element, the statement continued.

“The NA consequently asks the public to be careful of misinformation and propaganda deployed by the rebels, which are intended to arouse fear and destabilise the peace and security of our country.

Obaseki to swear in four new commissioners Friday

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Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo State, will ordain four new commissioners on Friday after their selection was approved by the state House of Assembly.

Osarodion Ogie, the secretary to the state government, announced in a statement that the event will start at 1 pm at the New Festival Hall in the Government House in Benin City, the capital of Edo State.

Asi Surajo Jubril, Zubairu Dada Abubakar, Osilama Okuofo, and Ogbeide Ifaluyi-Isibor will all take the oath of office as commissioners.

According to Ogie, “His Excellency, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, will administer the oath of office to the four commissioner-nominees on Friday, August 25, 2023.”

Criminals in Lagos are making pistols, AK-47s – CP Owohunwa

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Idowu Owohunwa, the commissioner of police for Lagos State, has claimed that criminal elements in the region are becoming more skilled at manufacturing firearms locally.

At the state command Complaint Response Unit’s unveiling on Wednesday by acting Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, he revealed this.

According to Owohunwa, the weapons include AK47s and other assault rifles, as well as copies of pistols made abroad.

The state’s security is at serious risk as a result of the trend and the uptick in cult activities, the police chief continued.

The thin line between civil and criminal dynamics of land disputes, which are also common in the state, is something we constantly have to analyse and deal with, he continued. Traffic congestion and the sporadic traffic robberies it causes are also regularly concerning, and they are made worse by the state’s ongoing road projects, particularly those on the Lagos-Ibadan highway. The prevalence of illegal firearms, illegal drug use, and traffic robberies further accentuate the state’s crime profile.

“Hardly a day goes by without the command’s ever-vigilant agents discovering weapons and illegal substances of various kinds during stop-and-search operations, raids of hot spots, and other operational engagements; all such discoveries are connected to the completion of crimes across the state. The most concerning aspect of all of this is a discernible pattern that points to growing local proficiency in the production of different types of firearms, including copies of pistols, AK-47s, and other rifles made abroad.

Owohunwa urged all strategically important state actors as well as the populace to support the police in their efforts to stem the dangerous tide. In an effort to start a conversation about containing cultism and violent crimes in the state, he mentioned that the command would arrange a conference in the upcoming weeks.

However, Egbetokun cautioned police officers to abstain from improper behaviour and adhere to professionalism.

He made particular note of how allegations of extortion against police officers have damaged the reputation of the force.

Egbetokun revealed that personnel mobilisation had started in response to the proposed creation of a special intervention squad.

He claimed that this was consistent with ongoing initiatives to purge criminal elements from some troubled regions of the nation.

If you have been following our activities ever since I took over as acting Inspector General of Police, he said, “you will know that we have taken steps to ensure that crime is kept to a minimum and to restore security to troubled areas. To eliminate criminal elements terrorising drivers on the Abuja-Kaduna route, we are taking the necessary action. You’re going to start seeing results very soon.

“We’re starting the process of creating a special intervention squad. To make that a success, we have begun mobilising. And in the states that we have selected as pilot states, the SIS will soon begin to operate. Give us a little more time, and you’ll start to see the fruits of our labour.

“Fortunately, we have a government in place that is concerned about the problems relating to welfare and the well-being of the police officers. Mr. President has assured me that efforts are being made to put smiles on Nigerian police officers’ faces.