PAGE 6
Niger to be reference point for youth development Commissioner By Adamu Saleh
N
iger state will soon be a reference point for youth development and achievement in the country, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mrs. Victoria Jummai Jiya, has asserted. Mrs. Jiya made the assertion when officials of the state's Directorate of Monitoring and Evaluation paid her a visit in her office in Minna. In a statement signed by Malam Umar Muhammad Kwatach Focal Officer in the directorate, the commissioner noted that there were great achievements in youth development and achievements through the Youth Empowerment Scheme designed for youths in the state. In his remarks the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youth Development, Malam Iliyasu Dhacko, highlighted the ministry's achievement in youth empowerment especially in welding, fabrication, painting embroidery making, and shoe making.
PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012
Thugs attack teachers for flogging Oba’s grand daughter From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin
S
uspected thugs have attacked Federal Government Girls College, Benin teacher for allegedly flogging the granddaughter of the Oba of Benin. The student was said to have been injured in her hand. Academic activities at the school are at the lowest ebb as the teachers now leave the school premises before closing hours. Unconfirmed reports from the school, suggest that the staff are warming up for industrial action to protest the assault.
It was learnt that thugs invaded the school on Monday and started beating up some teachers over alleged flogging of a student in the school one of the teachers. The thugs, allegedly led by one Tony, started attacking the teachers including one of the vice principals when the teacher that did the flogging could not be produced. Edo state chairman of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Joe Aligbe said the flogging incident which took place two weeks ago was not reported to the school authorities. Aligbe said the thugs were
armed and threatened to return if the staff was not produced. According to him, our members are now afraid. We are here to appeal to them for calm. The principal is not aware. I know the Benin Monarch will not approve of this action". Vice principal, Special Duties, Mr. Ihiridan Harga, said the school management team are new and was not aware of the flogging of a Benin princess. According to him, "the alleged offence was committed before we resumed here. We were not aware of the flogging. They were many and led by two chiefs". "We didn't even know the staff
NDLEA seizes 301g of cocaine, 3,000 Euros in Aba
T
45,000 visually impaired people get free medical support in Jigawa From Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse
D
evelopment partners on eye care in collaboration with the Jigawa state government have offered free eye treatment to about 45, 000 less privileged people and mostly rural dwellers as part of effort to achieve the Vision 2020 Right to Sight. This was disclosed by the state's commissioner for Health, Dr. Tafida Abubakar while presenting his address during the 2012 World Sight Day celebration and public lecture at the Manpower Development Institute in Dutse capital of the state. Dr. Tafida Abubakar explained that this year's celebration was titled: "Elimination of Avoidable Blindness", noting that over 19,000 cataract operations and 24,000 traciasis surgeries were conducted on various patients with the ailments in the state between 2007 to date. The commissioner explained that the state government is highly committed to achieve the elimination of avoidable blindness and based on this, "we introduced eye care programme which is accessible to all people of the state including rural dwellers". Dr. Abubakar maintained that, "Right to Sight" which is included in the Vision 20-20-20 is primarily aimed at eliminating the avoidable causes of blindness in order to give all people in the world particularly millions of the needless blind the right to sight.
they claim that beat up the granddaughter of the Oba of Benin. They started beating up everybody. The principal invited the police and the police said they must get invitation by writing before they come. The police didn't come". Efforts to get comments from the palace were unsuccessful. Some staff at the Public Relations Department said they did not have the official approval to respond. Public Relations Officer to the Oba of Benin, Mr. Robinson Osayamen, in a telephone interview said: “We have not heard of it all, apart from journalists calling me�.
First contingent of the 501 Kano State Government sponsored students in Malaysia for postgraduate studies posing with officials of the Malaysia government and college authories.
Ireland to partner Taraba in development From Yusha'u Alhassan, Jalingo
I
reland has indicated interest to partner with Taraba state government to develop the state. The Irish High Commissioner to Nigeria, Patrick Fay, gave the indication yesterday in Jalingo when he called on Governor Danbaba Suntai at the Government House, Jalingo. He said over the years his country had partnered with a number of states in Nigeria, pointing out that a lot of business
ventures abound in Ireland. He urged Taraba state to avail itself of the opportunities with a view to enhancing its economic and infrastructural status. He thanked the Government and people of the state for commiserating with Ireland over the death of its nationale working with the PW Construction Company on Takum road. The High Commissioner also expressed delight with the warm reception accorded him and his entourage in Taraba, saying it was a sign of a good working
partnership between Ireland and Taraba state. Responding, Governor Danbaba Suntai described Ireland as fast growing economy in Europe adding that people of the country are hardworking and industrious. He said P.W Construction Company which had its root from Ireland was doing great construction works in Taraba state saying its charges were moderate compared to other high profile construction firms in Nigeria.
2 bag 1-year jail term for conspiracy From Yusha'u Alhassan Jalingo.
A
Jalingo Magistrate Court has sentenced two persons to one year imprisonment without the option of fine for criminal conspiracy, intimidation and defiling a church in Jalingo. The convicts are Ahmed Mohammed and Usman Alhaji Yusuf, both from Kogi state. The two sometimes last month,
were alleged to have criminally conspired and trespassed into a place of worship, Integrity and Prayer Centre, Jalingo, and buried charm (juju) inside the church. The two convicts also within the period under review, intimidated the pastor of the church, Reverend Andy Moses, threatening that his four daughters would die if they continued fellowshipping with the church.
The convicts had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them in the court, hence their summary trial following the application by the prosecution. Delivering his judgment, the Chief Magistrate Bulus Nyinputen, said the judgment was in pursuance of section 97 and 246 of the Penal Code and that the convicts have the right to appeal within 30 days.
he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested a university dropout with 301.6 grams of cocaine and 3,000 Euros concealed in spiritual candles for export. Mrs. Florence Ezeonye, the Commander, NDLEA in Abia state, told newsmen in Aba yesterday that the suspect was a former civil engineering student of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, (FUTO). She said that the suspect was arrested on Oct. 5, in a courier house while trying to dispatch the hard drug in five spiritual candles to his former school mate living in Vietnam. She said that the officers attached to the courier house became suspicious when the suspect arrived the office late and wanted the candles in a parcel couriered. According to her, they took the candles in the parcel from him and opened them only to find cocaine and money in travelers' cheques of 500 Euros each. "This is peculiar because of the way the drug was concealed in spiritual candles. "In my 20 years experience in the job I have not seen such concealment where all the candles being exported to Vietnam carry drugs and foreign currency. "When all of them were destroyed and opened we found a total of 301.6 grams of cocaine and about 3,000 Euros concealed in what were called spiritual candles", Ezeonye said. The commander urged the youths between 22 years and 30 years to know the kind of friends they keep. She said that the suspect had confessed that he never knew that something like that could be concealed in a candle, stressing that he thought he was just helping a school mate. Ezeonye said that the case would soon be charged to court. (NAN)