Tuesday, August 27, 2019 Edition

Tuesday, August 27, 2019/ Zhul Hajj 26, 1440 AH

1962 Days after

Court summons AGF, EFCC over ex-Gov Yari’s property

Vol. 32 No. 036 N150

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The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

No IPOB protest against Buhari in Japan -Presidency

Kogi guber: Court dismisses suit against indirect primary

Beware of fraudulent loans, CBN warns Nigerians PAGE 8

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President Muhammadu Buhari accompanied by the Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Alhaji Mohammed Gana Yisa being received by Samuel Kim of International Youth Fellowship on arrival ahead of the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), yesterday in Japan. Photo: State House

Hajj: NAHCON Minimum wage: NLC alleges mourns, as Nigerian deliberate delay, demands nurse dies in S/ immediate implementation Arabia >>>PAGE 3

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

NEWS CONTENTS News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-20 21

World Analysis 22 Africa News

23

World News

24

Gunmen kill 2 policemen, kidnap hospital CMD in Edo Page 4

Digest

25

Feature 26 Sports 30-31 Back Page

32

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Atiku: EFCC trying to create discord between myself and Obasanjo

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

F

ormer Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has raised the alarm that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is attempting to cause disaffection and bad blood between him and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Atiku pointed out that the EFCC is trying to do this by feeding members of the media with deliberate falsehoods.

The former Vice President raised the alarm in a statement released by his Media office in Abuja.

The action of the EFCC, Atiku pointed out, is tantamount to a river denying its own source, “since Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the fountain of origin of the EFCC, seeing as he founded the institution and nurtured it to maturity”.

The former Vice President noted with sadness that there is desperation on the part of the current administration to rope in former President Olusegun Obasanjo into a crime as a way of silencing his voice, “which they see as the preeminent critical voice against the misrule that they have foisted on Nigerians”.

This, he added, is the reason why they asked the Federal Inland Revenue Service to falsely and libellously include his (Obasanjo’s) name in a published list of tax evaders, along with the names of other Peoples Democratic Party sympathisers, such as prominent international singer and pride of Nigeria, Davido (David Adeleke), who played a prominent role in PDP’s gubernatorial campaign in Osun state, for which he is being punished.

The statement reads, ‘It has come to our attention that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is feeding members of the media with deliberate falsehoods in an attempt to cause disaffection and bad blood between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, on one hand, and between former President Obasanjo and Nigerians in general.

“Patriotic journalists, alarmed by the wickedness of the EFCC’s underhand and unprofessional actions, have exposed their dastardly plans to us and we are indeed disappointed at the EFCC. “An action such as this is tantamount to a river denying its own source, since Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the fountain of origin of the EFCC, seeing as he founded the institution and nurtured it to maturity.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Mallam Babalele Abdullahi, Atiku Abubakar’s son-in-law, did not donate any money in cash to the Olusegun Obasanjo Library. “Yes, he did facilitate a donation of fifty million naira to the Olusegun

Obasanjo Presidential Library, but so did many other individuals, including civic-minded traditional rulers, state Governors, bankers and captains of industry.

“This is because the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library is a non-governmental organisation that plays a pivotal role in promoting peace and stability in Nigeria, and that should be applauded.

“Unlike another past leader, who did not improve himself or Nigeria after leaving office, but sat down nursing grudges and plotting revenge, former President Olusegun Obasanjo improved himself and Nigeria by authoring books, founding international think tanks and engaging in peace and capacity building efforts.

“Donations to institutions set up to promote peace in Nigeria and Africa are to be commended, not criminalised. Presidential libraries in America and other parts of the world are similarly funded by donations from civic-minded individuals.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Mallam Abdullahi’s donation of

fifty million naira was made via a bank transfer, in full compliance with the law.

“He did not donate or make any payment in cash, as the EFCC is erroneously and salaciously misleading the public.

Furthermore, the sources of these funds are completely legitimate and have been conclusively proven to the EFCC. “It is instructive to note that even the EFCC has not once claimed these funds to be the proceeds of any illegal activity whatsoever.

“The truth is that there is desperation on the part of the current administration to rope in former President Olusegun Obasanjo into a crime as a way of silencing his voice, which they see as the preeminent critical voice against the misrule that they have foisted on Nigerians.

“This is why they asked the Federal Inland Revenue Service to falsely and libelously include his name in a published list of tax evaders, along with the names of other Peoples Democratic Party sympathisers, such as

prominent international singer and pride of Nigeria, Davido, who played a prominent role in PDP’s gubernatorial campaign in Osun state, for which he is being punished.

“We are therefore calling on Nigerians to be watchful for false and misleading stories planted in the media by the EFCC against Atiku Abubakar, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other persons deemed to be opponents of this government.

“Let it be known that former President Olusegun Obasanjo established the EFCC to be an investigative body and not a propaganda or enforcement arm of the ruling party, as it is now being misused.

“May we also add that whenever the EFCC wish to come up with mischief, they fly their kite in The NationNewspaper. This is now a pattern.

“It should be clear to Nigerians that the Presidency, APC, the EFCC, The FIRS and The Nation are now working together as five fingers of the same leprous hands”, it said.

L-R: Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State in a handshake with the newly posted Commander of the 27 Task Force Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Buni-Yadi Brigadier General OO Oluyede when the army commander visited him, yesterday in his office in Damaturu.

Buhari mourns ex-S/Falcons striker, Chiejine

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with family, friends and fans of former Super Falcons striker, Ifeanyi Stephanie Chiejine, who passed on at her prime, 36 years.

In a statement made available to newsmen yesterday by his

spokesman, Femi Adesina, the President condoled with the Super Falcons and sports authorities over the loss of the dedicated and passionate player who made history as the youngest player in the Women’s World Cup in 1999.

Buhari affirmed that Chiejine was a worthy ambassador of Nigeria with her dexterity on the

field and providing leadership for the team as the first captain, commending her patriotism in playing for the country at three World Cup tournaments and two Olympic finals.

The President prayed that the Almighty God will receive the soul of the departed, and grant her family the fortitude to bear the loss.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

NEWS

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

FG approves N2.8bn for SBMC -SIP project From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

T

he Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has approved the total sum of N2.8 billion for the take-off of the School-Based Management Committee SchoolImprovement Program (SBMCSIP) in Nigeria.

Speaking at the flag off of the programme, held at Kano State Government House yesterday, the Director of Social Mobilization, UBEC, Bello Kagara announced the approval of the money, saying that 2,500 communities would benefit from the project.

He stated that an output of 5,010 classrooms would benefit, adding that there would be an average of 2 classrooms per project.

Kagara explained that the estimation is on construction only, but communities that opt for supply of furniture, renovation, completion of abandoned buildings and purchase of teaching materials are also eligible.

Explaining the qualification criteria for benefitting from the project, Kagara stated that “such schools must be public primary schools, constituting SBMC or having functional SBMCs, have the ability to provide at least 10 percent counterpart contribution and have valid justification for

the support fund.”

In his remark, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Sony Ochenu said that the programme is one of the collaboration strategies for creating linkages and partnerships with stakeholders in the delivery of education in Nigeria.

“The UBE program, as you are aware, is Nigeria’s homegrown initiative aimed at addressing national aspirations and meeting global expectations through the provision of qualitative functional

education free if charge, to all children of school-going age,” Adamu said On his part, the Executive Secretary, UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi also said “It is a widely held view that no nation can sustain a robust, functional and qualitative Basic Education without the meaningful and strategic involvement of its citizenry. The need for institution the SBMC-SIP was informed by the fact that the overall success of the basic education sub-sector in Nigeria depends largely on the level of community awareness,

participation and support to the program.

“The vision of the Commission in the SBMC-SIP was therefore to put up a strategy for school development whereby community initiated Self-help projects would be implemented by the SBMCs. “Since globally the SMBCs have been recognized as school development agents the approach will also have the advantage of increasing and functionality of the SBMCs to be vehicles for facilitating grassroots advocacy, sensitization and mobilization in favor of school development and

the enrollment and and retention of all categories of children in schools.” He said In his remarks, Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje assured that his administration would continue to support such projects at his level.

Ganduje also called on communities in the state to embrace and benefit from such projects for the development of the state.

Our correspondent reports that cheques were handed to the beneficiary communities at the flag-off ceremony.

L-R: Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi and Chairman, Police Service Commission, Alhaji Musliu Adeola Smith, during the 2019 INTERPOL Week, Theme: “FOR A SAFER WORLD”, held at International Conference Centre, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Kaduna begins payment of new minimum wage September -Govt.

From Femi Oyelola, kaduna

K

aduna State Executive Council has risen from its meeting to approve that payment of the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments to civil servants begins from 1st September, 2019.

The Executive Council meeting held yesterday , chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, noted the commitment of Governor Nasir El-Rufai to strengthen the public service and its capacity to deliver quality and

responsive public service.

The council according to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media & Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, deliberated on the minimum wage memo and unanimously approved commencement of the implementation in September 2019.

According to Adekeye, “The Executive Council stated it’s that commitment to the public service includes a desire to improve the standard of living of workers in the state.

“Pursuant to that, the

Kaduna State Government launched a pay review process early in 2018. A cabinet committee was charged with exploring how the Kaduna State Government can sustainably improve public sector salaries.

“Guided by the twin principles of ability to pay and sustainability, the government considered several scenarios, bearing in mind the trend of internally generated revenues and allocations from the federation account.

“Several salary scenarios were considered, and one option was identified as most

prudent. A final decision was suspended as negotiations for a new national minimum wage appeared to gather momentum. It was reactivated after the Federal Government announced the new national minimum wage in April 2019.

“Paying the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments will increase the wage bill of the Kaduna State Government by 33%. Gross monthly salary outlay will rise to N3.759bn from the current N2.827bn.

“This almost N1bn monthly increase in the wage bill

means that salary and pension commitments will take the lion’s share of state government expenditure. Meeting these salary obligations while meeting development objectives for citizens will further raise the pressure to expand and deepen revenue sources and collections.

“According to the new wage structure, the lowest paid workers in the civil service enjoyed increments of as much as 67%. Middle-ranking officers from Grade 10 to 14 were awarded increments of 60%.”

Justice Bozimo harps on efficient judiciary as asset for national wealth

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI) Justice R.P.I Bozimo, yesterday, reiterated that a high performing justice sector is an asset for national wealth, which guarantees an orderly society.

Speaking at the National Workshop for Investigators and Prosecutors, held at the NJI, Bozimo

said the quest for justice may be far-fetched without the proper functioning of all the compartments that make up the justice sector.

She maintained that the justice sector is in need of an urgent but deliberate redefinition, a directional compass that reassures the public and restores public confidence.

Highly represented by the Director of Research of the institute, Mr. Gbenga Omotosho, Bozimo

said the workshop with the theme; “Adhering to the Rule of Law in Investigation and Prosecutions” is imperative.

She said, “This concept is the bedrock of the system of justice, on it lies the principles of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, private or public must be accountable to.

“This workshop is considered a fundamental step in making you

understand the enormity of the responsibility of adhering to rule of laws in discharging of your duties.

“As investigators and Prosecutors, it is also necessary for you to imbibe the ethics and conducts of your profession.

“I which to remind you that strict observance of your Code of Conduct, comportment, fairness, impartiality and accountability amongst others are indeed the

attributes of your profession,” she concluded.

While advising the participants to make the best use of the opportunity the program presents, Justice Bozimo commended the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, Board of Governors of the Institute, Justice Tanko Ibrahim Muhammad’s commitment to capacity building which she described as legendary.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

NEWS

Hajj: NAHCON mourns, as Nigerian nurse dies in S/Arabia

By Ese Awhotu

A

Nigerian pilgrim, Aminu Rufa’i, has died in Saudi Arabia, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON has disclosed.

A statement by the commission spokesperson, Fatima Usara, yesterday said the late nurse named Aminu Rufa’i from Zaria Local Government of Kaduna State died in his sleep.

The statement noted that Nurse

Aminu was apparently healthy at the time he went to bed, adding that, “His remains have since been buried according to Islamic rites.”

“On a sad note, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria mourns the passing away of one of its National Medical Team members, Nurse Aminu Rufa’i from Zaria Local Government of Kaduna State who died in his sleep. Nurse Aminu was apparently healthy at the time he went to bed. His remains have

since been buried according to Islamic rites. The Chairman, on behalf of the management and staff of NAHCON, prays Almighty Allah gives his family the fortitude to bear the loss,” the statement reads..

Usara also said over 9,000 pilgrims have returned to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia after this year’s hajj exercise.

“Airlift of Nigerian pilgrims back into the country is in its ninth day having begun as scheduled, on

the 17th of August, 2019. The two participating airlines, namely Max Air and FlyNas have operated a total of 21 flights that conveyed 9, 658 pilgrims back to Nigeria.

“Distribution of the flights so far shows Max Air has conveyed 5,428 pilgrims in 11 trips while FlyNas on its part transported 4,306 pilgrims in 10 flights.

“Max Air has conducted flights to Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, plus a special flight to Federal Capital Territory.

The special flight conveyed few pilgrims and officials that formed the advance team of officials into the kingdom from the National Medical, Media and Ulama teams as well as some NAHCON staff on essential duties.

“Meanwhile, FlyNas has conducted flights to Lagos, Kebbi, Zamfara Sokoto and Osun. It also conveyed some pilgrims from Oyo, Ogun, Cross River, Delta, Abia and Edo states back to Nigeria,” She revealed..

Torrential rainfall wreaks havoc in Delta communities

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

H

eavy rainfall which started at about 4pm on Monday has submerged several houses in Okwe quarters in Asaba and Ubulu Okiti Communities near Asaba including the drinking spots in the community.

Although the rain in the early hours had swept away Makeshifts in Okpanam Community especially Ibusa Community and stopped, but the evening rains was worsened by speed and unimmaginable storms brewing in shocking manners while it lasted in the destruction of properties.

In Awai Community near Asaba,a Middle Aged Woman Identified as Elizabeth was swept away from her home in Camp 74 into Awai River where she allegedly gave up the ghost before help came her way.

Eyewitness Ifeoma Gabriel said that the victim not too known to Awai Community residents before the incident Identified herself as Elizabeth,a visitor seeking where to farm and eke a living after the death of her husband in Akwa in Anambra state, adding that she had gone to her farm land in the early hours to o some work when the rain started She was said to have missed her steps on top of the locally Constructed Awai River Bridge when she allegedly slipped and fell into the river amidst the heavy rainfall.

Residents of Camp 74, one of them, Ejiro Oghenevo who spoke to Journalists in the area however called on the state government to come to their aid and help solve the yearly Challenges of flooding in their fish farm lands, adding that the woman died as a result of the poor locally Constructed Awai River Bridge. But the police Commissioner in the state, Adeyinka Adeleke who confirmed the incident to Journalists said it was unfortunate, and advised residents of the community to be careful especially with the coming of heavy rainfall across the globe.

Owners of the destroyed drinking spots and houses in Ubulu Okiti and Okwe quarters in Asaba, one of them, Chief Martins Igbadi regretted the destruction, adding that they have lost close to N4million to the heavy rainfall and however appealed to the state government to fashion solutions to the problem.

As at the time of this report, vehicular movements from Benin to Onitsha and far Eastern states were

literally stalled as drivers plying the express way had to park their vehicles following the heavy rainfall

that was accompanied with storms.

The state Commissioner for Environment,Mr Chris Onogba in

a swift reaction, however assured of the state government’s support and protection during the rainy season

and appealed to Deltans to avoid dangerous areas where the rains could wreak havoc.

R-L: Minister of State for Science and Technology, Alh. Muhammed Abdullahi; Minister of Science and Technology Chief Dr.Ogbonnaya Onu and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Bitrus Nabasu Bako, during the ministers meeting with the Directors and Head of agencies under the ministry, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Gunmen kill 2 policemen, kidnap hospital CMD in Edo

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Bwnin

G

unmen suspected to be kidnappers struck at Ikpoba Hill in Benin City, Edo State capital and abducted the Chief Medical Director of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, ISTH in the state, Dr Syvanus Okogbeni.

The two unidentified policemen who rode in the same car with him, were reportedly shot dead during the incident which occurred on Monday morning.

The doctor’s armoured plated vehicle was riddled with bullets during the attack which caused pandemonium around the Ramat Park axis of Benin-Auchi Abuja Express road.

Dr Okogbeni was said to have been whisked away while on his way to work at ISTH in Esan Central Local Government Area of the State which is over one hour drive from the scene of crime.

An eye witness who refused to disclose his name, said, people

ran helter skelter when the bandits who apparently laid a snare for the Medical Director shot at the vehicle in a hail of bullets at the scene.

The witness said, the Okogbeni was dragged out the car after the policemen were killed and drove away in their vehicle to an unknown destination.

The Edo State Police spokesman, Mr. Chidi Nwanbuzor confirmed the incident.

He said the Police Command was on top of the situation and was

determined to arrest the culprits and free the victim.

Nwanbuzor, said, “The incident happened but we are still investigating.

“We are yet to determine the identity of the victim. We don’t know how many people were killed. We are on the trail of the kidnappers”, he said.

A Staff of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital also confirmed the incident to our correspondent a telephone interview on Monday.

Court remands Abuja driver for being in possession of cutlass

A

Karmo Area Court Abuja, on Monday ordered that a driver, Kalu Chukwu, who pleaded guilty to being in possession of a dangerous weapon, be remanded in prison custody pending sentencing.

Mr Chukwu of Gwarinpa was arraigned on two counts of joint act

and being in possession of dangerous weapon.

The Judge, Inuwa Maiwada, adjourned the case until Sept. 4, for sentencing.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Ukagha Ijeoma, told the court that on August 8 Utako Police got a distress

call from NNPC filling Station Wusa II. Ms Ijeoma said that Mr Chukwu and one other, at large, went to the filling station, bought fuel and refused to pay.

She said that when the defendant was arrested, the police recovered two

cutlasses and one big iron rod from his Mazda 323 car.

Mr Ijeoma alleged that during police investigation and interrogation, the defendant could not give satisfactory account of his actions.

NAN

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

NEWS

Beware of fraudulent loans, CBN warns Nigerians

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday alerted Nigerians on the fraudulent loan offers being circulated on the Social Media.

CBN said, the fraudulent messages are requesting unsuspecting loan seekers and owners of smallscale businesses to apply for loans provided by

the Federal Government through an e-mail address (empowermentcbnloan@ gmail.com) purportedly being handled by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

A statement signed by the Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Isaac Okorafor said, while the CBN, indeed, has several development finance intervention programmes from

which different categories of businesses have benefitted (and still benefit), the Bank does not do so through direct interaction with prospective applicants.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there are clearly spelt out procedures for accessing CBN intervention funds, which are disbursed through Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs), such as Deposit Money Banks

(DMBs), Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and Microfinance Banks (MFBs).

“Members of the public, particularly youth and owners of small-scale businesses, are therefore advised to disregard any message requesting them to send their personal details, including mobile phone numbers, to emails such asempowermentcbnloan@ gmail.com or any other one

that may be contrived. These messages are fake and anyone who enters into correspondence with them does so at his or her own risk.

“Prospective applicants are advised to approach their respective banks or the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch nearest to them for clarification on the procedure for accessing any of the CBN-related loans,” the statement said.

Minimum Wage: NLC alleges deliberate delay, demands immediate implementation

T

he National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the federal government of delaying the implementation of the new national minimum wage.

The union called for the immediate implementation effective from the day the law was assented to

by President Muhammadu Buhari.

It made the demand in a communique signed by its president, Ayuba Wabba, and immediate past General Secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson, at the end of its meeting in Kano.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new minimum wage bill, which was signed into law by the president in April, had been stalled over the issue of relativity and consequential adjustment of salaries following deliberations between government and labour.

“The NEC noted with dismay the continued delay by the federal government and other tiers of government to implement the new national minimum wage of N30,000 as recently enacted.

“The NEC emphatically posited that the government can no longer hide under protracted negotiations with workers in the public sector for consequential salary adjustment based on the new national minimum wage to delay the implementation of the new national minimum wage.

“After very vigorous deliberation on the need to immediately implement the national minimum wage, the NEC insists that the payment of the new national minimum wage should commence immediately.’’

On challenges of insecurity, the NEC said that there had been an increase in the wave of insecurity in the country, especially due to resurgence in kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery, communal clashes and Boko Haram attacks.

The NEC expressed alarm at the recent confessions of a recently arrested bandit who allegedly disclosed that helicopters drop weapons for criminals, thus suggesting possible collusion

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state (middle), Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Transmission Company of Nigeria ( TCN), Usman Gur Mohammed, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Kari, during the governor’s visit to TCN Headquarters, recently in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

between criminal elements and bigtime financiers of criminality.

“The NEC also expressed worries over the recent upsurge in attacks by Boko Haram terrorists who recently attacked three local governments of Gubio, Magumeri and Konduga in Borno North and the villages of Dille, Lassa, Ngurthlavu, Dagu, Yaffa, Maikadiri, and Kidlindila in Askira/Uba local government area of Borno South.”

According to the communiqué, most of the victims of the renewed security breaches in the country are workers and poor citizens, noting with alarm the impact of the rising wave of criminality on the lives of citizens and the socio-economic conditions in the country.

It reiterated that the primary responsibility of government was the security of lives and property. It called on government at all levels to improve in the quality and quantity of policing deployed for the security of citizens and property.

It noted that the NLC had resolved to convene a National Security Summit to dispassionately

engage the current challenge of insecurity in Nigeria and proffer sustainable solutions.

NLC said that to this effect, rallies would hold across the country to sensitise government and citizens on the need to address insecurity.

It called on the government to further empower the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to prevail upon DISCOs to scrap the practice of estimated billings, enforce relevant laws and guidelines outlawing estimated billings and immediately deploy prepaid meters to electricity consumers all over the country.

“This would be in line with earlier deadlines given by NERC to DISCOs to supply pre-paid meters to electricity consumers in the country; and “While rejecting further hike in electricity tariff, the NEC called on the government to make electricity available and affordable.

“It was the conviction of the NEC that continuous hike in electricity tariff and persistent power outages present a huge financial burden

for businesses thus making goods and services produced in Nigeria not to be competitive as goods cum services produced elsewhere.’’

On the national economy, the NEC also urged the government to take adequate steps to develop people-oriented socio-economic policies to address endemic poverty and inequality faced by workers and citizens all over the country.

It commended the Federal government for the executive order mandating that the uniforms used by the military and para-military services, students, prisoners and other persons required to wear uniforms be produced in Nigeria.

“It was the considered view of the NEC that such policy directives go a long way in mobilising support for locally produced goods and ensuring the competitiveness of local industries and manufacturers.’’

The NEC commended the federal government for robustly engaging social partners particularly organised labour and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, prior to Nigeria’s ratification of the signed

African Continental Free Trade Agreement AfCFTA. It urged the federal government to robustly negotiate and finalise the clause on “The Rule of Origin” and “Sensitive Products” to ensure that goods traded within the AfCFTA have significant local content.

“The NEC also implored government to ensure protection of identified sensitive products. This is in order to pre-empt turning Nigeria into a dumping ground.

“We encourage sister trade union centres in Africa to robustly engage their governments on AfCFTA implementation to protect the interest of workers and local economies in the continent.’’

On protection of Civil Liberties including Right to Peaceful Protests, the NEC reiterated the traditional position of congress on the protection of fundamental human rights including the right to freedom of association and right to peaceful protest.

It, however, urged government security agencies to ensure respect for those rights. (NAN)

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

NEWS

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

E

do State Government has spent the sum of N300 million on migrant returnees from North Africa and Europe to the state in the past two years.

The amount includes the sum of N100 million used for the payment of stipends to the 4,943 returnees during the period.

Besides, a total of 3,329 of the migrants are male while 1,400 are female alongside 214 Children who were deported and returned to the State.

The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof.

Yinka Omorogbe disclosed this at a

Edo spends N300m on returnee migrants in 2 years-Commissioner media briefing on Monday in Benin City.

Quoting curiously from a demographic survey that was supported by Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking (ETAHT), she identified push and pull factors that are responsible for vulnerabilities as Gender inequality, especially in the rural areas, poor working conditions, unemployment

both in the rural and urban areas and lack of access to basic and social services such as health care, education, electricity supply.

She also listed other factors as lack of social protection, ignorance, decay in societal morals and values.

The Commissioner stated that Uhunmwode, Orhionmwon and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas of the State as the most

endemic areas for human trafficking and irregular migration.

According to her, “Edo State is the most affected State when it comes to the problem of human trafficking in Nigeria, having over 50 percent of the cases of human trafficking”.

In the light of the above challenges, Prof. Omorogbe said, the Taskforce has been involved in different programmes which

include Advocacy, investigation, research, Prosecution. Research, and rehabilitation of Returnees migrant.

The Commissioner, paid tribute to International Organization for Migrants (IOM) and other international organizations for their support towards sensitization, rehabilitation and vocational training programmes for returnees in the past two years.

Zamfara fixes September 2 for 100 days anniversary celebration From Ibrahim Gusau

T

Sidi

Muh’d,

he Zamfara State Government has announced the conclusion of all arrangements aimed at celebrating first 100 days of Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle led administration in office.

This was heralded yesterday at a press conference by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Bala Bello Maru, in his office at Jubril Bala Yakubu secretariat Gusau, the state capital, saying, it will take the state government five for the 100 days celebrations.

According to Bello Maru, the 100 days anniversary will begin by series of prayer sessions by religious leaders which was planned to seek Almighty blessings on both the federal and state governments, security agencies, repented bandits for unreserved contributions towards restoration of peace in the state.

He said, security experts which includes both serving and retired personnel, were invited to deliver lectures through which they will preach the importance of being peace-loving, law abiding, religious tolerance and brotherhood keeping.

“During the 100 days anniversary, Governor Bello Matawalle will visit one of the proposed sites secured for the construction Ruga settlements to lay the foundation. And a grand durbar will also take place in the state capital as symbol of peace and unity”, the SSG has maintained.

Illicit acts: Kebbi NUT charges parents to monitor children From Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi The Kebbi State chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Umar Issa has admonished parents to be monitoring their children in order to avoid any illicit acts in the society.

He gave this charge on Monday while addressing newsmen in his office adding that is the responsibility of the parents to caution their children on how their leaving and study after returning back from schools.

He explained further that by next month all schools will be opened for another calendar , urged the teachers to demonstrate sense of modesty to the students whenever they resume from

vacation.

“We are calling on the parents to also complement on the good deeds efforts of the teachers in order to show the student a good behaviour and orientation. They need a lot of counseling in order

to curb any illicit acts such as drug abuse, drinking of alcohol, smoking and others,” he added.

Issa who said further those arrangements have been concluded for the celebration of Teachers Day which is coming up on 5th October,

urged everyone to support the teachers as they are all bed rock of the society.

He commended the National President of NUT Comrade Nasiru Idris kaura as well as the Kebbi State Government for supporting

teachers in the state, promising them more commitments toward promoting education leaner.

“We are also appealing to you for sponsor our staff for training for them to have more knowledge on teaching,” he said.

L-R: General Manager, External Relations, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, Eyono Fatai-Williams; Conference Chairman and Managing Director, Exxon Mobil Nigeria, Mr Paul Grath; representative of the Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Malam Umar Ajiya; Group Managing Director, Aiteo Eastern E and P Company Ltd., Victor Okoronkwo; representative of the Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, Mrs Ibiyemi Asaolu; and President Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC), Olatunde Dodondawa, during the 2019 NAEC Conference and Award, recently in Lagos. Photo: NAN

College lecturers declare strike over removal of provost

T

he Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA) chapter, has suspended academic activities over alleged removal of the school’s acting provost, Emmanuel Moyinjesu.

The teachers carried different placards with various inscriptions such as: “Dissolve FECA Governing Board Now”, “Save FECA from Collapse”, “Call ARCN to Order” and “Corruption in FECA, FG Probe FECA” to show their grievances.

Speaking to journalists, Abimbola Ogunyinka, the chairman of FECA ASUP, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Akure that the removed acting

provost had been piloting the affairs of the college peacefully since he assumed office last year.

Mr Ogunyinka alleged that the stipulated rules for appointing a new provost were not followed.

“There is no problem with removing him but they must tell us his offence because the rules say the most senior staff should be appointed as acting provost when there is a vacancy.

“But surprisingly, the newly appointed acting provost is the fourth position on the line and it came to us suddenly just late last Friday.

“We have had many acting provosts in the college and the due

process was followed. Why the difference now? Even of recent, the Agric Research College of Nigeria (ARCN) appointed the most senior officer at Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan,” he said.

Mr Ogunyinka threatened that there would be no academic activities in the college until issues bothering the institution were resolved.

However, the newly appointed acting provost, Fadiyimu Akinyemi, said that protest was normal in any organisation because everyone has right to his or her views, He said that it was bound to happen, “especially when there is a change of leadership.

“There are bound to be different

opinions and views because we have freedom of expression to air our thoughts.

“But I must tell you that we have other two unions in the college that are not protesting and they are at their duty posts,” he said.

Mr Akinyemi promised that the school management would look into the complaints of ASUP when officially channelled.

“The management is in place.

We are together and we have appealed to them. Their grievances should be officially channelled to the appropriate quarters,” he said.

He implored the aggrieved union to allow the existing peace in the institution to continue.(NAN)

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

CRIME NEWS

MACBAM bemoans recurrent attacks, cattle rustling in Plateau From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

T

he Plateau State chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria ( MACBAN), has decried over the recent attacks and cattle rustling in some communities of Barikin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The group made its complaint

in a letter addressed to the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Austin Agbonlahor, and made available to our reporter yesterday.

According to the letter signed by its state chairman, Malam Nura Abdullahi, on the August, 13 , 2019, four cattle were killed by gunmen around Nding village of Barikin Ladi LGA.

The chairman added that on August 18, about 17 cows were killed by criminal armed group around Nding village of Barikin Ladi.

In another attack according to the letter, about 187 cows were rustled by armed bandits, in Gora village of Jos East LGA of the state.

The group, however, called on the state Commissioner of Police, “ to use intelligence

and bring an end to the attacks and killing of cows in the state.

“We are soliciting and urging the security agencies to as a matter of urgency step into action and recover the rustled cows.

“As peace and loving citizens, we will continue to support all the security apparatus to ensuring peace on the Plateau, “ the group added.

Court summons AGF, EFCC over ex-Gov Yari’s property

T

he Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, summoned the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to appear before it over plans to seize the property of the immediate-past Zamfara governor, Abdulaziz Yari.

Justice Nkeonye Maha, who gave the order after listening to the arguments canvassed in a motion exparte by counsel to Mr Yari, Mahmud Magaji, adjourned the matter until August 30.

The motion exparte, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/948/2019, was brought pursuant to Section 46(1) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution and Order 4 Rule 3 and 4, of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AGF, who is also the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is the 1st respondent while the EFCC is the 2nd respondent in the suit.

The former governor had attributed his travails in the hands of the respondents to the fallout of the 2019 elections in the state.

He described the actions of the respondents against him as politically motivated to witch-hunt him.

Mr Yari in a 17-paragraph affidavit in support of his motion, further stated that “the 1st and 2nd respondents are determined on a follow up attack upon him and his family by the use of allegations of wrongdoing which had been concocted against him in 2019 as an excuse to arrest him and his wife and to arraign them on trumped-up charges.”

The affidavit, deposed to by Affis Matanmi, traced the genesis of the case against Mr Yari to the political events within the Zamfara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that eventually led to the party losing out the leadership of the state to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the judgment of the Supreme Court.

It read: “that after the decision of the Supreme Court, some aggrieved individuals who are very powerful decided to use agents of the 1st and 2nd respondents against the applicant.

“These individuals thus decided to carry out a vendetta and revenge against the applicant including instigating the respondents against the applicant upon their spurious conclusion without evidence that

he was guilty of corrupt practices as former governor of Zamfara and was in breach of the Code of Conduct Act. “This witch-hunt, is clearly politically motivated, baseless, and has been designed only to discredit and humiliate the applicant in a bid to decimate him politically.

“That the agents of the 2nd respondents invaded the applicant private residence without a court order in Talata Marafa, off Sokoto road, Zamfara and nothing incriminating was ever found against the applicant despite the several investigations carried out by the respondents.”

Mr Magaji further informed the court that his client’s residence in Talafa Marafa, off Sokoto road, Zamfara, was on August 5 invaded by the EFCC for five hours without

any court order, in its bid to effect his arrest.

He said that during the said invasion, the “agents forcefully did not allow the family members of the applicant who was away in Saudi Arabia for Haji, to go out and come in from the residence.

“The action of the EFCC has made it impossible for the applicant to exercise his right or his freedom of movement without fear of being arrested and intimidated by the commission,” he said.

The lawyer further stated that Mr Yari had dully declared all his asset in accordance with the Code of Conduct for public officers prior to assuming office as a governor and that he had not committed any offence to warrant the threats of seizure of his asset and property, most of which he

said were acquired even before he became governor of the state.

According to him in the motion exparte dated and filed Aug. 20, the former governor sought, among others: “an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from seizing, impounding, taking over, confiscating or otherwise forfeiting his assets and property wherever they may be located within Nigeria or anywhere in the world pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

“An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from unlawfully interfering with his rights to sections 34, 35, 41 and 43 of the 1999 constitution until the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“An order of interim injunction

restraining the agents of the respondents from freezing his bank accounts in Nigeria and or confiscating his immovable property anywhere in Nigeria pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

Justice Maha, therefore, gave the order that the respondents should come and show cause why they would not be restrained from, among other actions, freezing the bank accounts and or confiscating Yari’s immovable property anywhere in Nigeria pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

She equally ordered that the respondents be served with the court processes within 48 hours before she adjourned further proceedings till August 30.(NAN)

L-R: Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo with the Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission, Gill Atkinson during the signing of MOU on Prosperity Fund›s Global Trade Programme with NEPC, yesterday in Abuja..

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Police arrest man for raping 5 years old in Adamawa From Umar Dankano, Yola.

T

he Adamawa state Police Command has arrested a 19 year old suspected rapist,Adamu Abdullahi fondly known as Abbati for defiling a five (5) years old minor in the ancient city of Yola.

Spokesman of the command,DSP Suleiman Yahaya

Nguroje told journalists in Yola Monday that the suspect committed the alleged rape offence on Friday when there was a heavy downpour where he took the victim in to an un completed building and had her canal knowledge forcefully.

DSP Nguroje stated that the parents initially hide it to authorities until they saw the

magnitude of the injury on the private part of their ward was beyond what they can manage then reported.

“The girl was lured into uncompleted building by the suspect sustained serious injury.

“The parents wanted to hide the incident but when they realized they cannot manage the injury, they took her to hospital and from

there the police was informed.

“When the Commissioner of Police heard of it, he ordered for the arrest of the suspect where ever he is and our men swung into action in tracking and arresting the suspect,” Yahaya said.

Yahaya said investigation was on and that as soon as it’s completed the suspect would be charge to court.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

PAGE 8

NEWS

From: Femi Oyelola, kaduna

T

he Acting Director Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa has called on the media to objectively support the activities and operations of the Nigeria Army.

He made the call while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Directorate of Army Public Relations Combined Second and Third Quarter Study Period which commenced in 1 Division Headquarters, Kaduna yesterday The spokesman frowned at situation where some elements of the media and social media critics with vested interest unjustifiably accuse the military, under report its achievements and glorify or celebrate the terrorists and other criminal elements in the society.

He further advised journalists to desist from unprofessional

Research: Kaduna Varsity in pact with local, foreign varsities - VC From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Insecurity: Army calls for proactive collaboration with media conduct by publication of unverified stories or fake news.

He thanked the media for their support and understanding so far.

He maintained that such negative reportage championed by some journalists and social media negative activists has the potential of affecting the morale of troops in the frontline fighting terrorism and other criminal elements in the country.

He stated that the Nigerian Army has performed excellently in checkmating the activities of the terrorists and bandits across the country in the last four years.

He pledged that the Nigerian

army and the Directorate of Army Public Relations in particular will not be deterred by negative reports.

“The Nigerian Army and indeed DAPR shall continue to do our best in the promotion of Human Rights and must not allow negative reports circulated in some media platforms affect our genuine efforts in serving the nation selflessly.

He said the aim of the study period hosted by 1 division Nigerian Army is to galvanize active participation of participants and personnel of the Directorate in understanding and projecting

the towering image of Nigerian Army activities.

Sagir further enjoined participants to take advantage of the interactive session to engage each other with a view to enhance knowledge through proactive coverage of Nigerian Army events in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff which is “to have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional role”.

He expressed gratitude to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai for his support to the Directorate of Army Public Relations since he

28 anniversary: Jigawa declares today public holiday From Mika'l Tsoho, Dutse

J

igawa State Government has declared Tuesday the 27th of August 2019 as public holiday in commemoration of the 28th Anniversary of the Creation of the State.

This was contained in a

statement signed by the Public Relations Officer to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service Jigawa State Alhaji Isma'il Ibrahim Dutse and issued to news men.

The statement said, Government felicitate with the entire people of Jigawa State and

enjoyed the people to pray for the State and the Country at large while celebrating the day.

Accordingly, it is hope and highly envisaged that all public servants and the entire people of the State will utilize the one day break in thanking the Almighty Allah for conducive atmosphere,

T

he Vice Chancellor, Kaduna State University (KASU), Prof.

Muhammad Tanko, has said the university is promoting research through collaboration with local and foreign universities to effectively respond to societal problems and needs.

Tanko stated this yesterday at the opening of a two-day international conference with the theme, “Contemporary Issues in Social Sciences Research, organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, KASU. Tanko, who was represented by the Vice Chancellor Academics, Prof. Abdullahi Ashafa, said that the university gave premium to research to solve societal problems and contribute to sustainable national development.

He said that the university had so far, entered into collaboration with more than 10 foreign universities in the United States, Japan, Malaysia and Europe.

He explained that the collaboration was on different areas of research in response to human needs, adding that KASU would soon finalise another collaboration with World Health Organization, also on research.

The Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Yahaya Zakari, noted that human behaviour has continued to change, stressing the need for new ideas in research methodology that would provide accurate answers to research questions.

The Keynote Speaker, Ghali Na’abba, former Speaker, House of Representative, who spoke on the topic, “Collegiality in Governance: A Panacea for Sustainable Development”, noted that ‘all is not well with Nigeria’.

According to him, what is required is the creation and sustenance of trust, building and maintenance of institutional cooperation and frameworks that will ensure socioeconomic growth and stability for sustainable development.

assumed duty in July 2015.

In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff represented by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Faruk Yahaya tasked the Directorate to lead the fashioning of better innovation that will promote effective civil military relations and Nigerian Army operations.

The weeklong event with a theme “Strengthening the Nigerian Army Public Relations’ Capacity in Managing Information in Contemporary Warfare” is expected to end Friday the 26th of August 2019.

peaceful co-existence and various developmental projects so far recorded in the State.

According to the statement Government sympathised with the families of those who died and others whose property were destroyed in flood in the state and the country at large.

L-R: President of Compliance Institute, Nigeria, Pattison Boleigha; Adjunct Senior Fellow (Energy, Economics and Security), Center for a New American Security, Peter Harrell; Partnership and Communication Director, Compliance Institute, Abimbola Adeseyoju; and an Analyst for C4ADS, Ben Spevack, at a workshop on sanctions and counter proliferation compliance, recently in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Kwara commits N232m to maternal, child health, others – Governor

G

overnor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara on Monday said that his administration has paid N232 million in counterpart funding to address maternal and child health, nutrition and malaria in the state.

The governor disclosed this at a two-day health symposium held in Ilorin with the theme: “Partnership for Health Innovation in Kwara State.

The governor, who was

represented by his Deputy, Kayode Alabi, said the fund would enable the state to provide subsidised healthcare delivery to the poor and the vulnerable.

“The state’s healthcare system is itself in intensive care and requires urgent attention.

“This is why we have called this symposium, to develop practical and innovative solutions that can be deployed in the short, medium, and long-term to improve on the current

state of healthcare in Kwara.

“The state government will soon commence outreach programmes on maternal and child health, nutrition and malaria,’’ he said.

The governor said the outreach will involve nine surgical procedures with beneficiaries drawn across the state.

He explained that the procedures would include surgical on spinal Bifida and hydro-cephollus shunting, among others.

“We have also approved the sums of N26.9 million for a medical outreach in partnership with the Kwara State Association of Nigeria North America Inc. and Sakinah Medical, which I’m sure are ably represented at this event,’’ he said.

He said the state had taken immediate steps to tackle the menace of vaccine-derived polio, which broke out in January 2019, by mobilising resources for the agencies in charge for the benefit of children.(NAN)

Delta @ 28: Okowa salutes citizens, says better days are here From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta Governor, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated Deltans on the 28th anniversary of the creation of the state.

In a message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, the governor thanked the people of the state for their resilience, patience, cooperation and support to all administrations that had

governed the State in the last 28 years.

He assured that his administration would continue to build on the gains recorded by his predecessors in order to create a stronger Delta .

Felicitating with citizens of the state on the anniversary, the governor said “our beloved State has continued to blossom in spite of challenges confronting us as a people.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

By Lawrence Olaoye

S

pecial Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, has said there was no protest against his principal, Muhammadu Buhari, on his arrival in Japan as reported.

Adesina, in a statement made available to newsmen

FG to strengthen agric research institutes, says Minister

By Eileen Ihemadu

M

inister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono has said he will ensure that agricultural research institutes in the ministry are strengthened to promote improved seedlings that will galvanize food production in the country.

The Minister spoke while receiving briefs from the research agencies under the ministry today in his office. He said “for me, I want to be very serious with the research institutes, so that they will research on improved seeds that will be suitable to our environment “, adding that the institutes are the engine of growth in the sector.

Nanono noted the enormous potentials of Nigerians in many spheres of life and said efforts would be geared towards initiating ways of discovering these potentials especially as they relate to the agricultural sector.

Drawing from his wealth of experience in the farming business and the enormous opportunities that abound, the minister urged Nigerians to refocus on making the agricultural sector the hub of economic growth in Nigeria.

The Minister was joined in the briefing by the Minister of State, Hon Mustapha Baba Shehuri, Representative of the Permanent Secretary and Directors in the ministry.

PAGE 9

NEWS

No IPOB protest against Buhari in Japan -Presidency yesterday stated “The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group has had nothing to do with President Muhammadu Buhari since he arrived Yokohama, Japan, on Monday.

Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora are urged to disregard concocted stories, backed with spurious visuals, of any protest or harassment of the President and his team. It is the stock-

in-trade of hate mongers, who do not realize that the rest of Nigerians have left them far behind.

President Buhari will make his presence at the Seventh

Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) count for Nigeria, and no scare-mongering or sabrerattling will detract from the outing.”

FCT: Be tolerant, District Head advises new Village Head

By ...Abba Onyeka

T

he District Head (DH) of Karmo Sabo, Abuja, Alhaji Yunusa Ashama Karmo has advised the newly turbanned Village Head (VH) of the community, Mallam Umar Sarki Karmo to be tolerant in ruling the indigenes and residents of the community.

The community had on August the 2nd, 2019 turbnaned Mallam Umar Gani Sarki Karmo as a new village head to replace its former

village head, Alh Suleiman Adoga who died on July the 29th, 2019 Speaking to journalists in his palace shortly after the turbanning ceremony in the Village Square of the ancient community, the DH didn't only advise him to be tolerant to the people, but also to involve God, be patient, put himself in the shoes of the other people, have listening ear, carry all along by seeking for their opinion in whatever he wants to do.

He also called on the community members to give him maximum

cooperation, remain united and plan toward moving the community and the country forward, adding that the ruler can't do it all alone without the cooperation of the ruled. He however hailed the residents of the community for peaceful coexistence and cooperation.

Addressing journalists in his palace, the newly turbanned Village Head (VH) promised to involve God in performance of his traditional duties, which he said was the magic behind the success

of his predecessor. He appealed to the indigenes and residents of the community to extend ro him the hands of cooperation they gave his predecessor, to enable the community members achieve common goal of unity, peace, love and progress.

The VH, however, spoke at length on the need to continue to promote peaceful cohabitation in the ancient community, seek the face of God in everything, which if done, according to him, would go a long way.

President Muhammadu Buhari accompanied by the Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Alhaji Mohammed Gana Yisa being received by Samuel Kim of International Youth Fellowship on arrival ahead of the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), yesterday in Japan.

Photo: State House

Delta: 6 suspected vandals in police net From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

R

esidents of Ogwashi - Uku Community in Delta State who have been plunged into total blackout by vandalizing of their transformers, were relieved of their pains, when six suspected vandals were apprehended by resilient community members in the very wee hours of Monday.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Adeyinka Adeleke who confirmed the arrest of the suspects, said that the police acted on intelligence gathering in Ogwashi Uku and arrested the suspects with the vandalized equipment, adding that upon interrogation, the suspects; Job Felix 43, Kingsley Omoh, 39, Emeka Ojugbana 43, Stanley Nwanyi 40, Eugene Marks

46, and Ekene Chukwudi,41, confessed to the crime, disclosing that they are being detained for further investigation.

“The Nigeria Police made some arrests and recovery of some stolen armoured cables from the vandals.

As at the time of this report, the suspects who claimed to be indigenes of Langtang in Plateau State, are cooling off their feet in the

police cell, while the police are busy conducting more investigations.

“The situation in Ogwashi - Uku for over a month now has been appalling. For over 28 transformers in Ogwashi - Uku, more than five are vandalized in a space of one month.

We earnestly hope that Monday operations would put paid these inhumane activities of the wicked and desperate ones,” he said.

NYSC arrests 10 fake ‘corps members’

T

he National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says it has uncovered ten persons who attempted to enrol with fake certificates during registration in some of its orientation camps.

NYSC spokesperson, Adenike Adeyemi, said in a statement, three of the culprits who were apprehended in Taraba State Orientation Camp claimed to have graduated from Istop University, Cotonou.

They include Nasiru Yau from Mass Communication department, Sheu

Muktar – Computer Science and Iliyasu Usman from Sociology department.

The NYSC said it discovered that the culprits could neither write nor say anything logical about their certificates or courses of study.

In a similar vein, NYSC Verification Officers also detected two persons who claimed to have graduated from Imo State University in Katsina State Orientation Camp.

They are: Offor Blessing Chinelo KT/19B/3696 Call-Up-No, NYSC/

ISU/2019/280122, with BSc result in Insurance and Actuarial Science, Mezenwa Ngozi Chidinma KT/19B/3836 with CallUp-No NYSC/ISU/2019/259331 with a degree result in Education/English Language.

Ms Adeyemi added that four persons were also discovered with fake credentials of Imo State University in Kebbi State Orientation Camp, Dakingari.

They are Nwachukwu Chimaobi Curtis KB/19B/3046, Ononuju Amarachi Nwamaka KB/19B/3147, Francis Joseph

Arinze KB/19B/3135 and Chigozie Evidence Chijioke KB/19B/ 3231.

Shuaibu Ibrahim, NYSC DirectorGeneral, had warned that anyone caught with fake documents in its orientation camps would be handed over to the law enforcement agents for prosecution.

The statement added that Mr Ibrahim while addressing corps members at Sokoto State Orientation Camp in Wamakko on Monday, urged them to abide by the Oath of Allegiance to the country which they swore to.

NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

PAGE 10

NEWS NEMA records over 60 disasters in South-South in eight months

T

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Monday that it recorded over 60 incident of disasters from January till date in the South-South geo-political zone of the country.

Brandon Ibarakumo, NEMA’s South-South Zonal Coordinator, made the disclosure at a one-day retreat organised for the agency’s staff in Yenagoa.

Mr Ibarakumo explained that the retreat entitled “Reengineering the Agency for Effective and Proactive Disaster Management’’ was to chart a way forward in the discharge of duties.

The coordinator listed some of the disasters in the region as flooding, building collapse, fire and tanker explosion.

“Disasters are indeed becoming an issue of concern worldwide.

The impacts on the society are on the increase and are a major obstacle to achieving sustainable socio-economic development.

“We have some records of the incident: pipeline vandalism, 12 incidents; fire and tanker explosion, more than 20 incidents; flooding, 30 cases of urban flooding due to none adherence to the city plans,’’ he said.

Mr Ibarakumo, however, called for more collaboration among communities, stakeholders and individuals for effective and proactive disaster management, especially in the coastal towns.

He reiterated the agency’s commitment to awareness campaigns across communities in the zone and urged the staff to be more dedicated in the course of discharging their duties.

Ibomoh Opukeme, a facilitator and lecturer in the Department of Psychology, Niger-Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa, urged the NEMA staff to always be loyal to the government and obey the civil service rule.

Clever Ikisikpo, a participant, said the retreat was a welcome development and urged the agency to make it a regular event.(NAN)

Benue varsity: Why we transferred shot student leader to Abuja -Official From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

T

he National Union of Benue State Students, NUBESS yesterday protested the poor handling and treatment of its National President, Comrade Smith Tyonor, who was shot by unknown persons in Makurdi.

Comrade Smith according to the Benue State University authority where he is a 400 level psychology student was shot last Friday at about 9 pm outside the University premises and admitted at the University Teaching Hospital.

Dean Students Affairs of the institution Prof. Joseph Kerker who narrated how the incident happened said Smith was shot by two (2) riding on a motorbike.

“Two (2) persons came on a motorbike where they were holding a meeting opposite the University and a fracas seemed

•As students protest his ‘maltreatment’ to have ensued.

The men inquired what was happening and then went a little distance and shot Smith on the head.

“The next day(Saturday) I went to the hospital to see him but heard a lot of complaints from the Students requesting that he should be transferred to another hospital in Abuja. I arranged for an ambulance from First Fertility Hospital even as we learnt that Governor Samuel Ortom had already released an undisclosed amount of money for his treatment. The hospital authority after conducting a test on Smith said he passed 14% over 15% indicating that he was in a stable condition.

There was improvement on his condition when I visited again on Sunday.

“On the same Sunday night, the students became agitated,

complaining of poor treatment and security of the victim. So, we decided to transfer him to Abuja based on Security and have even spent over 300,000 naira so far on his treatment as well as gave his parents another 100,000 naira for any exigencies”, Prof. Kerker said.

The Students Affairs Dean said though the University is not obligated to handle any incident that occur outside the school premises, however, they are investigating the purpose of the meeting that led to shooting of Smith and out rightly denied claims that it could be cult related. He intimated that they have put in place stringent security measures to deal with cult activities in the institution.

A student leader, Comrade Robert Faga explained that all they are demanding from the

management is to transfer the victim to a secured hospital.

Faga said the student leader was not a cultist and was also not shot by cultist but rather claimed it might be sponsored by other factional NUBESS union group.

“We are protesting because they shot our president and the school is not taking any drastic action towards that. They said that they shot our president outside the school campus.

“We want the school management to take care of his treatment and security because he is not in a secured place.

They are not giving him full attention. “he fumed.

He said the issue is a security one and needed to be treated with all seriousness, adding that BSUTH lacked proper security to guarantee the victims safety.

Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi performing the Foundation of INTERPOL Headquarters Nigeria (middle), Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu (3rd right) and , Head, Interpol Nigeria (National Bureau Centre), CP Garba Baba Umar (left), during the 2019 INTERPOL Week, Theme: “FOR A SAFER WORLD”, held at International Conference Centre, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

NAFDAC arrests suspects for adulteration of chemicals

T

he National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Niger has arrested two suspects in Mokwa Local Government Area of the state over alleged adulteration of agro-chemicals.

Aniko Ibrahim, the state coordinator of NAFDAC, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Monday.

“Before now, we have been getting bad reports about adulteration of agrochemicals in Niger State,” he said. ”Therefore, we decided to set up a surveillance team to monitor them and eventually it yielded a positive result.”

“The two suspects involved were apprehended within their facility in Mokwa Local Government Area of the state last week,” he added.

Mr Ibrahim said the suspects include Jibrin Abubakar, the chairman of Agrochemicals Dealers Association in the area and Babangida Ado. He said that the suspects were involved in adulteration of agrochemicals such as herbicides and pesticides in large quantity.

“The quantity of suspected adulterated agrochemicals

we found on the ground was so much that we had to hire a truck to evacuate them,” he said.

The NAFDAC coordinator said that the suspects confessed to have been doing the illicit business for five years now.

Mr Ibrahim said the successful operation was supported by the police division in the area.

“We took a big risk because

the operation turned out to be a night operation with the police,” he said.

He said that the suspected adulterated agrochemicals have been taken to the laboratory for further investigation and analysis.

Mr Ibrahim added that the suspects have been transferred to its North-West Enforcement and Investigation Directorate in Kaduna. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

PAGE 11

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

S

Ekweremadu assault inexcusable

enator Ike Ekweremadu, the country, on a foreign land. The immensity immediate past Deputy President of of the attack is brought powerfully home the Senate, was attacked Saturday, by the fact that it was carried out by August 17, in Nuremberg, Germany by Nigerians. However, we commend Ndipersons now confirmed as elements Igbo in Germany for quickly distancing of the proscribed Indigenous People itself from the attack on Ekweremadu. In of Biafra (IPOB). He was due to give a statement three days after the attack, it a speech during the 2nd annual Igbo said “Ndi-Igbo Germany wish to offer our Cultural Festival and Convention 2019. unequivocal apology to our special guest A 64-second video clip of the attack went of honour, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for viral on the social media earlier that day. the unfortunate treatment misdirected at Ekweremadu himself would confirm him by members of Indigenous People of it later in a statement by his media Biafra… spokesman.

“It must be emphasised that Senator This was Ekeremadu’s Ekweremadu had explanation of what happened: nothing personal to “I attended the Second gain in attending our Annual Cultural Festival and cultural day. Rather Igbo Convention organized by Ndiresidents in Germany It must be Igbo Germany in Nurnberg lost an opportunity to emphasised today where I was billed to tap into his reservoir of give a keynote address along knowledge. No words that Senator with the President-General of can describe our shock, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Ekweremadu had our consternation, and Nwodo, who, however, could nothing personal to our sadness at this not make it eventually. I was gain in attending our inexcusable, shameful given a resounding welcome and senseless attack.

by Ndigbo in Germany and cultural day. Rather We apologise from the everything went smoothly Igbo residents in depths of our hearts that until some men, who had to experience Germany lost an you identified themselves as IPOB such a horrible thing in members, stormed the venue opportunity to tap our midst.” and began to complain about into his reservoir of We also praise the the killings in the South East, tenacity of the Nigerian knowledge stressing that there would be ambassador to Germany, no Igbo event at the venue.

Mr. Yusuf Tuggar, I tried to engage them, but when they who stood his ground that the German became unruly, I had to leave the venue. police investigate the attack after their The organizers also invited the police and initial reluctance to do so. It is not clear I was accompanied out of the venue. whether Ekweremadu informed him of “Much as I am disappointed in their his presence in Germany. But when the conduct, especially as I am one of the senator eventually told him of the attack persons, who have spoken up on justice Tuggar stepped in to take up the matter for Ndigbo, the Python Dance, judicial with the German government. He has killings in Igbo land and elsewhere both done well. It is now left for the German on the floor of the Senate and in my authorities to do their part. It is good written and personal engagements with to know that the police have identified the Presidency and the media as well as the assailants. We demand the harshest rallied the southeast Senate Caucus to penalty German laws prescribe for secure Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release, with offences of this nature.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe taking him on One lesson to draw from this sad bail to douse tension in the South East, I experience of Ekweremadu: Nigerian nevertheless do not hold this to the heart government officials visiting foreign against them, for they know not what lands, even if in their private capacities, they do. I have received thousands of should make their visits known to the solidarity calls and messages from well- host governments and the Nigerian meaning Ndigbo. I want to assure them embassies there. This, if not for anything, that I am hale and hearty. I have also is to ensure they receive adequate security spoken with the Nigerian Ambassador to during their stay. The Nuremberg attack Germany, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar.” has one positive, for lack of a better word.

We condemn in very strong terms that It is that the eyes of those who, until now, unprovoked physical attack on not just an had refused to accept that IPOB was a ordinary Nigerian, but a serving Nigerian terrorist group, are wide open. They now senator, representing the face of our see it for what it truly is.

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Transforming Nigeria’s oil and gas industry on Buhari’s watch

By Tony Erha

T

he managerial run of the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will begin this week with the announcement of portfolios and swearing in of ministers-designate.

As important as petroleum, together with its derivatives, is to the Nigerian economy, being the biggest revenue earner to the country, a very competent and untainted hand should be assigned to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in order to effectively supervise the critical sector.

Putting a round peg in a round hole should be the concern of President Muhammadu Buhari in this regard. Considering the predilection to assign only those with the requisite savoir faire to the petroleum and gas position, the conjecture

by Nigerians as to who should be saddled with the responsibility of minister of state for petroleum is as good as mine.

Assuming that Buhari decides to assign to himself the position of substantive minister of petroleum; he will likely consider either Prince Clement Ikanade Agba or Prince Godwin JeddyAgba for the position of minister of state. Clement is from Edo State while Goddy is from Cross River State.

A run through the antecedents of both men will validate appropriate recommendations and consideration. However, there is something that appears more unique about Clement Agba and presents him as an ideal petroleum and gas expert, to wit: his about thirty years of solid work experience in and outside of the country with Chevron Nigeria Limited, an appendage of American provenance and a ubiquitous multinational firm, that is into upstream and downstream petroleum and gas operations in Nigeria.

In addition, he had had eight years’ leave-ofabsence to serve as Commissioner in Edo state. He comes to all of these jobs with a solid education background as a trained economist, business administrator and also a specialist in some other areas. He attended the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State (B. Sc. Economics); University of Benin (MBA in Business Administration) and another MBA in Supply Chain Management from the American-based Arizona State University, etc.

Although, there are “striking semblances” between the two Agbas-Clement and Godwinas both have identical surname, royal birth and proficiency in the oil and gas sector, there are more realistic and dispassionate evidence indicating that Clement appears to have the sector under his belt in comparative terms with the other ministersdesignate.

If professionalism, competence, resourcefulness, suaveness, energy, industry, accountability, clean records of previous public service, sans controversy and the zone of origin are some of the parameters, since the oil-producing geo-political zone of the South-South is usually given the preference, then Clement Agba fits the bill.

The country needs to achieve increased earnings from petroleum and allied products and services. As a journalist, with about thirty five years on the twin-beat of energy (including oil and gas) and environmental reporting, I understand the intricate dynamics of the management of the oil and gas sector.

For instance, “economic recession” is a bitter pill Nigerians will not like to swallow again at this juncture or subsequently. Clement Agba could be the malleable instrument, needed to rejig the Nigeria’s oil and gas strategic sectoral needs, with practicable policies and execution of needed reforms, which key national extractive and global oil and gas institutions, such as NEITI and OPEC, etc. had always prescribed.

As an ally of President Buhari, he should be sounded out about his vision and intended drives to bail the country out from the woods of the mono oil and gas economy and how to reflate the national economy. Clement Agba is an engaging technocrat who readily captivates with his ideas and proclivity to deliver the common good or dividends.

A great performer and an effective communicator, Clement Agba once dazzled President Buhari during his inauguration of projects in Edo State, one of the things which might have made Buhari to nominate him. As Commissioner in the Ministries of Environment and Public Utilities as well as Lands, Survey and Housing, his was a superlative performance so much so that he set a performance benchmark for successive commissioners.

His hallmarks of creative policy making, managerial and supervisory skills led to public

infrastructure delivery, as with his exploits in urban renewal, beautification, flood and erosion control, etc. He also ensured forestry protection, environmental conservation, effective cost control, revenue generation, procurement, human resource management and strong team building.

This third party endorsement of Clement Agba, a keen environmentalist and Fellow of the Nigerian Environmental Society, as a petroleum minister, is believed, would greatly assist in mitigating the obnoxious oil exploration activities, wildlife and ecological spoliation, which have impacted negatively on the environment and livelihood, with attendant restiveness, especially in the oilproducing areas of the Niger Delta region.

Clement Agba would evolve a lasting strategy to recommit the federal government to the cleansing of Ogoniland and other communities of the region that continue to groan under neglects, even though the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Federal Government had instituted a clean-up activity for their cleansing, under HYPRES. Having passed through the mill of a meticulous Chevron, a multinational that has a strong tradition for incorruptibility and diligence, especially among its management and staff, Clement Agba is bound to bring that to bear in his cabinet position. In the saddle, he should be easily disposed to a radicalized, painstaking and lasting reformation agenda for the industry through effective regulation strategies like the smooth passage and implementation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

In addition, he should be committed to the repairs and functioning of existing refineries in the country, and curbing of losses through the needless bottlenecks of crude exportation and importation of refined products. He is said to subscribe to a liberalized market and the subjection of products’ prices regime to the binary forces of demand and supply-by market fluctuations and not through price fixing.

He is also said to be sold to the idea of bringing more investments to the country’s stressed petroleum and gas industry with the Ease of Doing Business policy. Foreign investments inflow, going by his idea, could only be tenable where both public and private institutions are at their best and government lives up to its billings by creating the enabling environment.

By and large, in the global oil and gas business and products marketing, intricate and ruthless manipulations are the watchwords, where a petroleum minister is supposedly suave, well-equipped and shrewd at negotiating in the interest of his country’s people. Clement Agba, the technocrat and Nigerian “nationalist”, who is known for this in the local and international circles, would be handy to again act out his salient beliefs.

And in the present-day industry, where oil prices tumble and its fortunes dwindle, his international exposures would be helpful, more so that the United States, once the largest buyer of Nigeria’s crude, may reconsider its decision to resume bulk-buying. The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is only a downstream oil and gas entity, which, however, largely restricts it to that realm devoid of applying other activities of the upstream operations.

Obviously, a Clement Agba as petroleum resources minister would be instrumental to success by bringing his vast expertise in the upstream and downstream sectors in Chevron to bridge the wide gap.

A Clement Agba, with the upstream, midstream and downstream expertise, would form a formidable tag team and “cross-breed” with Mele Kolo Kyari, current boss of NNPC, a governmental corporation that is largely in the downstream, with little or near-absence in the critical upstream sector, for maximum benefits.

A situation where two professionals of NNPC pedigree are at the same time oil minister and NNPC GMD may be counterproductive in a sense that the development may not add new values to the system. It could be likened to two men in the same sitting position who struggle endlessly to put a load on the head.

At the level of South-South politics, the animosity among core oil producing states, which somehow impacts negatively on revenue flow from oil and gas, should be considered as a factor in the choice of a minister of petroleum in whatever capacity. In the circumstance, it would be preferable for a minister-designate from the fringe oil producing state of Edo to attain the position and create a stable balance.

Tony Erha, an Energy and Environmental journalist, contributed this piece from Abuja.

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

The reign of extrajudicial killings in Nigeria

By Edikan Ekanem

A

t about 2pm of 25th December, 2018, i was at the Nigeria Police Headquarters at Ikot Akpan Abia, Akwa Ibom State to secure a bail of a friend. What i saw at the Police Station was so appalling, sickening and quite unbecoming of the police officers.

A young man was dragged on the ground, seriously beaten with batons and rifle; he was already bleeding on the head. One of the officers was shouting “say a word again let me kill you and nobody will ask”. Killing without anybody asking?

I was dumfounded on such torture and malicious utterance. Who knows what followed!

On 14th day of April, 2019, it was reported

by Sahara Reporters that “Two young lovers, identified as Ada Ifeanyi and Emmanuel Akomafuwa, were returning from the nightclub early on Saturday morning when they were waved down by the Police. Akomafuna, the driver, did not immediately stop; so when the Police chased him down, they shot both of them”.

According to the report, Sahara Reporters subsequently confirmed that Akomafuwa eventually died at the hospital while the young lady Adaobi Ojide died instantly on the spot; officers involved had been arrested, detained and subsequently dismissed.

On Sunday 31st March, 2019, Kolade was alleged to have been shot by a member of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), while he was watching a Premier League fixture between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in Lagos.

As reported by Daily Post, Kolade’s foster father, Alhaji Remi Lukman while speaking to

newsmen at his residence on Tuesday 2nd April, 2019, said the deceased was deliberately shot by trigger-happy policemen, adding that stray bullets couldn’t have penetrated his body twice.

Johnson’s death has since sparked widespread criticism, with a renewed call on the Federal Government to end the Federal Special AntiRobbery Squad (F-SARS) unit of the police but unfortunately, the public outcry is not heard.

Again, on March 20th, 2019, the news of how an Assistant Superintendent, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Jumbo Ogah Ochigbo, was allegedly beaten to death before his wife and two children by men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) for violating traffic rules permeated the media.

The Guardian gathered that gathered that he made a U-turn at the wrong spot and was flagged by the police officers on duty in the area. Ochigbo, who identified himself as an officer, pleaded that he was rushing to drop his children in school.

According to the report, the deceased’s wife and children intervened and pleaded on his behalf.

He was, however, allegedly beaten to a stupor and died in the process. One of his children was quoted as saying: “Please, don’t kill my father; leave my father alone.”

“The NSCDC officer was confirmed dead at the Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja. The hospital was thrown into pandemonium as sympathizers started protesting, stating that policemen attempted dumping the body so they could escape” the report added.

Do we still need more examples? These are not the only infractions by the Nigeria Police as several others go unreported while others abounding the

media are unreferenced in this article. It is indeed pathetic.

With these arbitrariness and recklessness that is sluggishly and seemingly becoming part of the police system; it troubles the minds of many whether extrajudicial killings are part of the functions and duties of the Nigeria Police.

Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended establishes “The Nigeria Police Force”. Section 214 (2)(b) of the Constitution confers the National Assembly with the power to make laws, setting out the powers and duties of the Police Force.

Consequent to the aforementioned provision of the Constitution, the Police Act, Cap P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 was put to birth.

The Act clearly defines the scope of general and specific duties of the Police Force.

Section 4 of the Police Act state generally the duties of the police to include preservation of law and order, protection of life and property, due enforcement of laws and regulations, detection of crimes and apprehension of offenders among others.

In fact, the duty of the Police to ‘protect of life and property, preserve law and order’ under section 4 of the Police Act is equivalent to the primary duty of government under section 14(2) (b) of the Constitution which states that “security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose government”.

Deducing from the above, the Police Force as an agency of the Government is saddled with the duty of preserving life and properties of the citizens, safeguarding their Fundamental Rights under chapter four of the Constitution but sadly,

today reverse is the case, we are from what is expected.

Instead of safeguarding our inalienable right to life as enshrined under section 33 of the Constitution, the Police Force is now an instrument of breaking the law it was meant to preserve and enforce, killing Nigerians unlawfully and without apology. What an unfortunate irony!

Sadly, among the provisions of the law we have examined above, incessant extrajudicial killing is never mentioned as part of the duties of the police but we keep seeing them on daily basis. It is almost a new way to identify our Police Force.

With the current trend, we will not be surprise if officers of the Nigeria Police Force wake up armed, move into public schools or market and start shooting, knowing fully well that they will be defended no matter how indefensible their actions maybe.

It is somewhat embarrassing, ridiculous and ludicrous that after each killing, the best the Force will do is to issue a “Press Release” denying the killing or consoling the family of the victim. If the culprits are arrested or dismissed, the song of justice being done will be sung. One wonders whether the dismissal or arrest will bring the dead back to life. Will it cater for the families that their breadwinners were killed? It is indeed worrisome.

Nnamdi Aduba in this book “The Right to Life under the Constitution, The law, the courts and Reality” while referencing Akintokunbo Adejumo in his work “The Nigeria Police and Public Safety” published in 18/01/2011 has this to say: Edikan Ekanem is an Abuja based Legal Practitioner, a Contemporary Writer and a Columnist.

Ndigbo and the reality of a virtual nation in the Diaspora

By Chimaroke Nnamani

T

he recent spate of the killings in Igboland, the latest being in my own constituency of Enugu East senatorial district where Rev. Fr. Paul Offu and pregnant Regina Mbah were gruesomely murdered by hoodlums alleged to be Fulani herdsmen is barbarous and horrendous. I condemn in totality the odious and dastardly acts and extend my heartfelt commiseration to the families of the victims.

I have taken note of the commendable actions of the governor of Enugu State, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, towards arresting the situation. If given time, these actions will completely stem these atrocities. I also have full confidence in the government and people of Enugu State and all relevant groups within the Enugu system that this too shall pass.

However, and more importantly, this should avert our minds to a deeper socio-political dilemma. Ndigbo, an African ethnic nationality primarily domiciled in South-eastern Nigeria and also some communities in neighbouring states who subscribe to Igboness have gone through travails leading to sociological mutation.

By simple calculations, Ndigbo are the people who occupy the vast mangrove and forest terrain in the political as well as geographical East of Nigeria. Many may wonder what I mean by political alongside geographical Eastern Nigeria.

This is simple. By political actions, particularly emanating from colonialism, Eastern Nigeria starts from the eastern tip of the Niger Bridge in Onitsha, but this is a reductionist partitioning against the more meaningful and natural habitation by which Ndigbo are also known as occupying the vast plain from the western tip of the same Niger Bridge at Asaba to points far beyond the western borders of Agbor in Delta State.

These social trauma include the slave trade that began in 1471 when the Portuguese and the Spanish carted away over 3,000 West Africans, mainly Igbo, and by the time the slave trade ended in 1833, over 3.5 million Igbo had been shipped to the new world.

It is on record that as far back as 1591, the Igbo areas of today’s Nigeria were put on Portuguese world map as inhabited by some vigorous

people whose deep culture celebrated energy, accomplishment and wisdom. The Spanish in 1593 were to expand on this view in identifying the terrain as deeping in a stretch of the Bight called Biafra whose people lived their lives in lifting to art form the career in sojourn (njepu), thought (echiche), industry (olu) and accomplishment (ntozu).

The truth of this glorious past and the joy of her greatness have been celebrated by our modern historians and writers who, though, regret that the same Igbo areas (Bight of Biafra) exploded in one ball of fire with the introduction of the slave trade which depleted the manpower resources as it upturned values.

It is alleged that European slave traders were fairly well informed about various African ethnicities, leading to slavers targeting certain ethnic groups which plantation owners preferred.

Particularly desired ethnic groups consequently became fairly concentrated in certain parts of the Americas. The Igbo were dispersed to colonies such as Jamaica, Cuba, Saint-Domingue, Barbados, Haiti, the future United States within the then Virginia and Maryland colonies and Belize. With the goal for freedom, enslaved Igbo people were known to the British colonialists as being rebellious, cantankerous and having a high rate of suicide in the process of escaping from slavery.

In May 1803 a shipload of captive West Africans, upon surviving the notorious Middle Passage, were caged by U.S.-paid captors in Savannah via a slave ship, to be auctioned off at one of the local slave markets. The ship’s enslaved passengers included a number of Igbo people from the then Portuguese-named Bight of Biafra.

The Igbo were known by planters and slavers of the American South for being fiercely independent and resistant to chattel slavery. The group of 75 Igbo slaves were bought for forced labour on plantations in St. Simons Island for $100 each.

The chained slaves were packed under the deck of a small vessel to be shipped to the island. During this voyage the Igbo slaves rose up in rebellion, taking control of the ship and drowning their captors, in the process causing the grounding of the ship in Dunbar Creek at the site now locally known as Igbo Landing.

With the strongest, the best and the brightest forcibly exported to Europe and the Americas as slaves, the Igbo areas were set in an unprecedented track in retrogression. So, for about two hundred years after formal abolition and about one hundred years after apparent extinction of slave dealing business, the Igbo areas, the people and their resources lay prostrate, yet to recover even in the face of pernicious modern allocation of values.

Even in the grim periods in history, Ndigbo have held on to the dominant values and character traits which elevated those forebears of the people who thought (echiche), sojourned (njepu), worked (oru) and accomplished (ntozu). Their accomplishment showed in the glamourous Bight of Biafra culture seen by the Portuguese and the Spanish. Till date, the modern Igbo explore to the fullest those attributes which are identified as the trinity of Igbo character trait and process of personality. Every Igbo man employs his.

The same Igbo sojourns, home and abroad and at the same time acts, works and creates wealth.

We all know that sojourning is a great industry of the Igbo, which is achieved with the proper deployment of one of the greatest Igbo media of actualisation – Ukwu n’ije.

Ndigbo, rising in their cradle in the Holy City of Nri, had deployed the feet and fanned out into the global arena. As they journeyed, they bore the cot of reason we call akpa uche. This, we all know, we use to direct the strokes of physical gesture which we know as our aka Ikenga. These form the trinity of the Igbo character, at home and abroad. The end product is the accomplishment (ntozu). When it is told in the hills, valleys, cities and village, then we are celebrating that accomplishment. That is Odenigbo – the universal applause for fame.

The process of slavery and dispersal of Ndigbo have continued through search for better occupation, better livelihood and also continued voluntary servitude. The Igbo nation has therefore become a nation exercising perpetual and cultural migratory shift, thus in dispersal with heartbeat outside the boundaries of the South-Eastern states which have now become a mere symbolic home for Ndigbo Global or Ndigbo Worldwide.

With this social mutation, the Igbo has to face the reality that the search for a sovereign ethnic state outside the boundaries of the official Nigeria

has become untenable, elusive, and an infinite national romanticism of the sovereign nature.

This dispersal was impelled by the conditions that have made the Igbo homestead inhospitable – poor infrastructure, lack of basic amenities and the abysmal lack of federal presence in the region decades after the much-touted post-civil war reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation.

Therefore, the heartbeat of a virtual Igbo nation is outside the confines of the Igbo homestead. Ndigbo Global or Ndigbo Worldwide who reside all over the world with the majority still in South-eastern Nigeria have unfettered access to the global basket of fortunes and limitless dreams.

In the global arena where there is no quota system and where the society thrives on competition and merit, an Igbo can achieve his potential including high political offices that apparently elude him in the place he calls home, Nigeria.

The dreams of the Igbo worldwide are not therefore inhibited by socio-political conspiracies that have confined them to an engineered artificial minority status within the Nigerian state. Such conspiracies theorised as prophylaxis to recurrent and future attempt at recreating a Biafra type scenario, an unwritten policy heralded by the win-the-war strategy of the 12-state structure.

In my humble opinion, presidential power as an immediate goal for the Igbo is now secondary.

Physical and fiscal restructuring of the Nigerian socio-political space to allow for full effusion of the trinity of Igbo character is more emergent. Some Nigerians in impulsive uppity have been known to have expressed umbrage at an Igbo becoming Vice President nine years after the then war of blame that is Nigeria versus Biafra.

Zik of Africa, M. I. Power, ‘Boycott the Boycottables’, the ‘Timber and Calibers’ and many others, we pray they will continue to rest in peace in the bosom of the Lord. May they hear our cries and lamentations! Onye mu na ya jere nta sina ukwum dika ukwu anu. That is to say that my fellow hunter is now seeing my legs as those of an antelope. In the mansion they built with their compatriots through their actions and inactions, their men have become consigned to the quarters for the boys.

Chimaroke Nnamani writes from OjiaguAgbani, near Enugu, Nigeria

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

PAGE 13

Comment

France stands to benefit if Mali’s territorial integrity is pulled apart

By Pape Samba Kane

M

ali is breaking apart. After the devolved northeastern region of Kidal, where the presence of the French army failed to prevent mafia-like groups interested in exploiting the region’s immense gold reserves from taking control, the Malian government now appears to be losing its grip on the equally resource-rich neighbouring region of Timbuktu.

As Mali slowly disintegrates, France – which claims to be working to protect the unity and territorial integrity of Mali as part of Operation Barkhane – and the United Nations – which is supposed to be doing the same with MINUSMA – are turning a blind eye. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) are also staying idle, partially because the authorities in Paris deem them unfit to manage conflicts and crises in French-speaking Africa.

But what is behind the looming collapse of the Malian state? Is it the natural outcome of deeprooted local problems, or is there something more sinister at play? Could it be that a former colonial power, which is rapidly losing its influence on the African continent and facing major economic and financial problems as a result, is deliberately creating the conditions for the country’s disintegration?

Mali has been in turmoil since a coup in 2012 cleared the way for Tuareg separatists to seize towns and cities of the north. Al-Qaeda-linked fighters then overpowered the Tuareg, taking control of northern Mali for nearly 10 months until they were thrown out by a French-led military offensive.

On paper, the French military is currently in the country “to fight terrorism” and help it regain

its authority over the northern regions. But, of course, the real reason behind Paris’ decision to continue risking the lives of French soldiers in a faraway country is to protect French economic and geostrategic interests – namely its exploitation of the gold and uranium mines in the region.

As is well known, France has openly supported the National Movement for Liberation of the Azawad (MNLA), the main Tuareg separatist group, for a long time. The MNLA’s “fight for freedom” has been profusely covered by French media throughout Mali’s conflict, with French journalists romanticising the MNLA rebels as “the men in blue” in their poetic reports.

France’s positive attitudes towards the rebels had geopolitical reasons, as Paris saw the MNLA as a group that could protect France’s economic interests in the region from al-Qaeda-linked fighters and any future attempts by the central government to take full control over the nation’s natural resources.

In 2014, encouraged by France, the MNLA along with other Tuareg separatist groups and Arab nationalists formed Coordination of Movements of Azawad (CMA). A year later, it signed a peace deal with the Malian government.

The agreement handed greater autonomy to the sparsely populated northern region of Mali.

International media focused on the role Algeria played in the signing of the deal, but for attentive Mali watchers, it was clear that its real architect was none other than the country’s former colonial “master”, France.

At the time, many analysts both in Africa and France argued that the peace deal would mark the end of the Malian state as we know it. Senegalese political scientist Babacar Justin Ndiaye, for example, said early on that the peace accord “is

so bad we can call it the shroud of Mali”. Joseph Brunet-Jailly, a lecturer at Sciences Po in Paris, meanwhile, said that the peace deal, “without actually spelling it out, plans for the autonomy of a vast region”. This, Brunet-Jailly added, “is obviously suicidal, for the north of Mali, as for Mali as a whole” And four years on, it is clear that the peace deal did indeed pave the way for the disintegration of Mali. The devolved region of Kidal, officially under the control of CMA but in practice dominated by the French military, has become an epicentre of lawlessness and violence completely beyond the reach of the Malian state.

And earlier this month, the media circulated a document released by CMA calling for a meeting on September 3 to discuss “reorganisation” in Timbuktu to take over all aspects of its administration.

This move, which effectively would dissolve the authority the central government exercises over this part of the country can only lead to one outcome: the official partition of Mali.

Neither the Malian army, practically forbidden from entering Kidal and its surroundings, nor the MINUSMA currently have the ability to stop CMA from taking over Timbuktu and further consolidating its power over the northern territories.

It is France and France alone that can stop the disintegration of Mali. However, the French government has no interest in doing so as it perceives the expansion of CMA’s area of influence as a way to solidify its presence in the country.

Mainstream French media is once again presenting a distorted picture of the reality on the ground. It is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the international community by focusing

Football losing its brightest leaf

By Ayobami Okerinde

T

he Nigeria dream team now have the chance to create another history as they did in Atlanta 12 years ago; these words still sound in my head as I remember how a 10 year old me saw Nigeria defeated Belgium 4-1 in the semi finals of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. I said to myself that I will have the chance to watch Nigeria win an Olympic gold medal, I have always been taunted by my older siblings about not watching Nigeria win Gold at the Olympics in Atlanta’96. The Nigerian contingent to the Olympics underperformed with only Blessing Okagbare, Chika Chukwumerije and Mariam Usman winning silver, bronze, bronze in athletics, taekwondo and weightlifting respectively. With the number of followers that the Nigerian team had, winning the gold medal would be something tangible for the Nigerian team especially the football team to take home from China.

The day arrived, and the stage was set. The Nigerian dream team coached by Samson Siasia and captained by John obi Mikel was to face the Lionel Messi of Argentine team. With the level of rivalry between the two teams, most notably a Lionel Messi brace which saw the Nigerian under 20 team take the second position at the 2005 Fifa world championship in Netherlands, the game was set and made to be a fierce one. The time difference between Nigeria and China meant that the game would be played at 6am Nigerian time and that was more of a disadvantage to this side of the World. I remember that the night before the game I couldn’t sleep well as I was hoping that the electricity suppliers would give us light that day.

Unknown to me, my dad had his alarm set for 5am, so at 5am he came to my room to wake me only to find out that I wasn’t asleep. We moved to the sitting room and waited, hoping to see the brink of the light. Just fifteen minutes to the start kick-off, we set out from our house ignoring the warning of my mother that it was too early to look for where to watch the match. I remember how we searched for where to watch the game but couldn’t find any but found one at last. Although, the owner of the house rejected our plea to allow us watch the

game, saying he doesn’t know us and he couldn’t allow us into his house.

Most notably, football today has turned out to be a shadow of its past self. Football today, is now played for playing sake if I may say, and the energy being put into football is long gone. I remember while watching the 2006 world cup that was held in Germany, a man then in my area who had a danfo bus, volunteered to close early from work while the back of his bus was used as a viewing centre just to watch the world cup at night, someone volunteered his television set, one brought his generator set just to make people watch the world cup. Watching football back then was a thing of note as there were people who were willing to give all they had just to make people watch the game of football. I also remember vividly how a man held a certain cable for almost the duration of the 2007 champions league final between Liverpool FC of England and AC Milan of Italy, but today this have become a thing of the past.

Gone are the days when the starts of every champions league season is a thing of joy for football lovers, the thrill’s and grill’s of the champions league such as advert from multinational companies like Pepsi, Sony, Heineken and most notably the champions league anthem with the lyrics “we are the champions” and also the half time trademark of ” this match between Chelsea and Arsenal is proudly brought to you by Heineken, proud sponsor of the UEFA champions league” is now something that no one could recognize or reckon with. The dearth of football can most notably be associated with loss of passion, the fire that lightens and brightens football is now on it last life just like the warning sign one gets while playing Mario game on Sega in those days. Football is now being played by the highest bidder and sport administration is now being run and done by people who doesn’t have any affiliation with football and hence the viewers of a football game tend to reduce when people no longer get to watch the glamour and fun that football brings.

Another killer on the list is ownership influence. Using Nigerian football as a case study, the ownership policy has led to the extinction of

great football club stationary stores, iwanyawu united and the likes and hence new football clubs are being formed and many changes being made which in turn leads to football fans loosing interest in such clubs. The ownership influence has grown to an alarming rate that if care is not taken, football is on the brink of getting to a point where by football would be compared to a movie where the owners are the real players while the players that are being signed into such clubs are there just to act based on the directions given to them by the owners.

He later challenged everyone present during the lecture to name a soccer player in the Nigerian league and as expected, none of us could mention the players and while I Sat down to think, I discovered that it is a big blow to us as football lovers not to identify a player in each club in our league but we know football stars in other countries such as Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, Eden Hazard, Neymar and the likes. Judging by the above, it can or could be deduce that it has affected football of today compared to the past. While listening to stories about Nigerian football, I was told how people troop to the stadium and how people travel far and wide, within and outside the country just to see their favourite football teams play but now it’s something that has been thrown into the bin. I remember while speaking with a friend moths ago, he bluntly told me that he would never use his money to watch a Nigerian club football game just because of the fact that away team rarely wins and the fact that permutations are been done by the administrators, the owners are also fund of owning players salary and anyone who dare goes against the order of the club owner is on the brink of leaving the club.

Just recently, we saw Chelsea FC of England buy Kepa Arrizabalaga a goalkeeper for a world record fee of seventy-one million pounds. Also a year ago, we saw Neymar of Brazil break the world record fee for a player when he moved from Barcelona to Paris saint German for a fee well over 200 million Euro’s. Ten, fifteen years ago, 200 million Euro’s was enough to buy a club and finance it bit today that fee can only buy a player. Another killer of football in recent years is

its reports on Mali not on the instability, violence and the threat of disintegration that is holding the country hostage, but the major “gold rush” taking place in Kidal.

In September, with CMA officially taking control of Timbuktu, all these efforts could cumulate in the de facto independence of the northern area, which will likely lead to new conflicts between already fractured separatist movements, pushing the region once again into a state of turmoil.

The Malian society is aware of the neo-colonial plan afoot to divide Mali in an attempt to claim ownership of its vast resources. Images from a 2015 protest in which Malians burned the French flag and brandished posters “Holland equals MNLA” are making rounds on Malian social media once again.

The anti-France feeling is not restricted to Mali only, but it is prominent across French-speaking West Africa, with citizens frequently taking to the streets to tell Paris that they want old colonialists to leave their countries The post that got Sagna in trouble was alluding to the example of Mali, where the presence of the French army brought nothing but more disorder and division.

Now, with CMA preparing to take over Timbuktu, the second phase of France’s neocolonial plan to secure its access to Mali’s vast natural resources by dividing the country and weakening the central government has started. It will likely bring more violence and bloodshed to the country, but it appears this does not concern Paris which historically has shown little care for the wellbeing of Africans.

Pape Samba Kane is an Int’l Affairs Analyst. the huge and augmented fees that are being paid for a player to move to their clubs. Now loyalty is nowhere to be found in football as the round leather game is now dominated by people who just want to make mobey. This was the reply of Juventus legend Jianlugi Buffon on why he chose not to leave juventus after they were relegated in 2006; Lorenzo – Hi, I’m Lorenzo, I’m from Parma and here’s my question: Why did you decide to go down to “Serie B” with Juve when you were a World Cup winner? (When many other teams wanted to sign you!)

Buffon – Hi Lorenzo, say hello to Parma for me when you go home – it always has a place in my heart! I chose to drop down into “Serie B” with Juve because i thought of you guys, I thought about you because I really believe at times you need to stop talking and take action.

Given that there are a lot of rumours in football and other industries and people love to preach and then behave badly, without making big statements.

I decided that it was a great opportunity to send out a message to those who wanted to listen, because of course there are some people who don’t want to! But the fact you’ve asked me this question shows that one of the aims I had in mind when I made that decision turned out right. (Courtesy: 101 greatgoals.com) On football players loyalty in recent times, Michelle Martinelli a lover of football since 1994 has this to say while answering the question “is loyalty dead in modern football??” On search engine Quora.com “No, but it’s increasingly rare and that’s largely due to the ridiculous amount of money floating around.

In the past you had players such as Alessandro Del Piero, Paolo Maldini, Carlos Puyol, Steven Gerrard, who were happy to stick around year after year, dedicating themselves to a single club, but now players who might have been loyal in the past, find themselves unable to resist the lure of insanely high wages. Take Robinho – he left Real Madrid, one of the most prestigious clubs in the world, to join oil-rich Manchester City. And that was a long time before they were competing for titles.

Ayobami Okerinde is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PAGE 14

NEWS Buhari greets Olubadan, Oba Adetunji, at 91

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with His Imperial Majesty, ba Saliu Olasupo Adetunji, Olubadan of Ibadan on his 91stbirthday, wishing him more years of good health and strength.

According to a statement made available to newsmen yesterday by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, Buhari joined Oyo State government, Council of Chiefs, royal family and all indigenes in saluting His Imperial Majesty’s visionary and purposeful leadership, which consistently promotes peaceful and harmonious co-existence, and respect for religions and diverse cultures.

As the 41st Olubadan of Ibadan clocks 91, the President believed Oba Adetunji has successfully carried on with the legacies of his forefathers, dating back to the 16th century, with an intentional focus to uphold the beautiful traditions of hospitality, respect for authorities and communal development that has always defined the throne.

The President extolled the royal father for his maturity and wise counsels to leaders and indigenes alike, nudging the younger generation on the path of good education and entrepreneurship.

He prayed that the Almighty God will continue to protect Oba Adetunji and his family, and grant him more strength to look after his people.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

Buhari condoles Dangote over loss of family members

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Africa’s leading industrialist and businessman, following recent loss of some members of his

family.

The large extended family lost three persons, Aliko’s cousin, Madugu Dantata, his uncle, Alhaji Murtala Dantata and Alhaji Sa’idu Fanta, a relation.

According to a statement made available to newsmen by

his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shebu, Buhari in a message of condolence to Aliko Dangote, the Dantata family and the government and people of Kano State through Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, described

the losses, which occurred in rapid succession as irreparable losses that must be accepted as God-ordained.

He prayed to Allah to grant peace for the departed souls and the bereaved families the strength to bear the losses.

Enugu attack: No rifles lost to hoodlums, says Police

T

he Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Sulaiman Balarabe, on Monday, said that the hoodlums who invaded Ikirike police station in Enugu South Local Government Area did not gain access to its armoury.

Mr Balarabe said this during a press briefing in Enugu shortly after a security meeting with Divisional Police Officers and top officers of Enugu State police command.

It would be recalled that some hoodlums, who pretended to have

come to lodge a complaint at the station, turned around to attack the station in the early hours of Sunday.

The commissioner said that the station did not record any case of missing rifles as being erroneously speculated in a section of the media.

The police boss said, “There was no loot or any rifle missing from our preliminary investigation.

“I led the reinforcement team to the station that morning and we ensured that we overpowered the

hoodlums.

“We even gave one of the hoodlums a serious bullet wound, which will likely lead to his death.

“The police team trailed his blood stain into the vast thick forest at the back of the station as far as some kilometres.

“I am sure that the hoodlum in question is going to die from serious bleeding.’’

Mr Balarabe said that the hoodlums escaped into the bush from the back of the station, which had no perimeter fence.

The police commissioner said that four policemen sustained minor bullet wounds, adding that they were responding to treatment and would soon be discharged from the hospital.

He said that the command was trailing the fleeing hoodlums and gave the assurance that they would be apprehended, along with their sponsors.

He urged hospitals and doctors to report anyone with bullet wounds to the nearest police station.(NAN)

Gunmen invade Customs warehouse in Calabar

G

unmen in the early hours of Sunday invaded the Nigerian Customs Service premises in Calabar with the intention of carting away seized food items meant for delivery to Internally Displaced Persons camp across the country.

The hoodlums, who invaded the premises around 4:00 a.m shot indiscriminately while trying to break into the warehouse inside the premises.

When the News Agency of Nigeria correspondent visited the scene of the incident, army personnel and policemen were seen condoning the area in search of the suspects.

Although the gunmen could not gain access into the warehouse, they destroyed a bus stationed in front of the warehouse and carted away the bags of rice loaded in the vehicle.

They also removed one Air Conditioner from the Customs staff quarters close to the warehouse.

One of the officers, who spoke with NAN on the condition of anonymity, said that two suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident.

“The incident happened around 4:00 a.m on Sunday. The guys were heavily armed and they shot indiscriminately for a long time trying to find their way into the warehouse.

“We had to quickly call on the army and police for re-enforcement.

As we speak, two suspects have been arrested and the search to arrest more is ongoing.’’

Mother of (Gbolahan Ejimei ) a Nigerian student killed in Ukraine, Aderemi Ejimei (left) with Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission , Hon Abike Dabiri Erewa during a condolence visit to the bereaved family, at the Weekend in Lagos.

Oyo to devote 10% of budget to education —Makinde

G

overnor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Monday promised to spend at least 10 per cent of the state’s annual budget on the education sector.

Makinde, who made the pledge on Monday in Ibadan at the opening of the 34th Conference of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, also said his administration would increase it annually until it matches the UNESCO standards.

The governor called on the universities and the people of the state to serve as watchdogs by holding his administration accountable.

He said his doors were open to suggestions that would improve the standard of education in the state, adding that he needed partnerships and synergies, especially in the area of quality control.

Makinde expressed his resolve to revisit a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) signed between the state government and the Faculty of Education of the University of Ibadan about 10 years ago.

He said the purpose of the MoU was to strengthen the inspection of curriculum delivery in public primary and secondary schools in

the state.

“The plan is to see members of the faculty conduct independent inspection of teachers in the discharge of their duties. ” This is expected to improve quality assurance in public schools in the state,” the governor said.

Makinde noted that the quality of education in the state when he came into office was low while the quality assurance monitoring mechanism was weak.

Earlier, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, said that Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination candidates

subscribed to public universities by 94 per cent.

He said private universities accounted for six per cent due to the fact that fees in public universities were cheaper.

The vice chancellor further expressed the hope that the conference would afford the participants an opportunity to share ideas on how to cooperate and collaborate for greater efficiency on their various campuses.

The theme of the conference is “Prioritising Quality Assurance: Teaching, Research And Professional Conduct. ”(NAN)

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

Bayelsa guber: PDP youths warn Secondus against interference

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has been warned against interfering in the forthcoming Bayelsa state governorship primary.

The PDP South South Youth Vanguard gave this warning in a statement yesterday in Abuja.

The group specifically warned the PDP Chairman against subverting the party Constitution to pave way for any interest group.

The PDP Youth Vanguard claimed that Secondus is working for the interest of the State governor, Seriake Dickson to manipulate the forthcoming primary.

In the statement signed by its National Chairman, James Efe Akpofure, the Youth Vanguard noted that the party National Chairman is trying to subvert the party's Constitution to please the governor and some stakeholders.

The group said: "The newly elected Chairmen of Bayelsa State Local Governments are not qualified to contest the September 3 primary.

"The Chairman is supporting Governor Dickson to see if the chairmen can vote in the forthcoming primary against the Constitution of the party.

"This is not done anywhere.

The chairmen were newly elected and the party constitution does not recognize this aberration the governor and the Chairman are trying to bring on board.

"Recall that we have few weeks ago urged Governor Dickson to jettison the idea of preferred aspirant and recognised all the 21 aspirants.

"And we have also said that all the aspirants are PDP members and as such should be treated equally and allow to go to the field and fight it out.

"This idea of trying to manipulate the party constitution to please some people will not augur well for the party. It will only help to destroy the party on the long run", it warned.

Kogi guber: Court dismisses suit against indirect primary

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

J

ustice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, had dismissed the suit seeking to stop the All Progressives Congress (APC )from adopting indirect primary for the November 16, 2019 governorship election in Kogi State.

Four members of the factional executive committee of the party in the state, approached the court praying it to order the party to adopt direct mode of primary for the nomination of its governorship candidate.

In his ruling, Justice Taiwo upheld the preliminary objection raised by the respondent (APC) who argued that the suit was

statute-barred.

According to the court, it was needless going into the proprietary of the choice of the party for indirect primary since the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case on merit, having been statute-barred The vacation judge, had on the strength of Section 285(10) of Constitution as amended, held that a pre-election matter ought to have been heard and determined within 189 days, adding that the suit was filed outside the 14 days prescribed by the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution.

He said, “The suit, being incompetent, could not invoke the jurisdiction of the court. It is bound to be dismissed and it

is hereby dismissed. The court cannot therefore delve into the merit of the case as it has no jurisdiction to do so”, Justice Taiwo held.

The plaintiffs, Destiny Aromeh, Isah Abubakar, Noah Aku and Joy Onu, are said to be of the Haddy Ametuo-led executive committee of the APC in the state, with other faction of the party loyal to the Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello, as their rival.

The had through their counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye had prayed the court for an order directing the defendant (APC) to adopt direct mode of primary for the nomination of its governorship candidate in the forthcoming 2019 governorship election in Kogi

State.

In their argument, the plaintiffs posited that the indirect primary would exclude them from participating in the nomination of the party’s governorship candidate.

The plaintiffs argued that the APC NWC adopted the indirect primary for the Kogi governorship election in disregard to a pending suit on the disputed leadership of the party in the state.

They further submitted, “The plaintiffs/applicants were re-elected officials, members of the executive committee of the defendant (APC) in Kogi State, but in 2018, the state governor, caused the party to elect another executives for the party.

Members of Concern Citizen of Nigeria addressing the press after submitting their protest letter to the Embassy of United State of America in FCT calling for arrest of the Leader of IPOB and their members for attacking former Deputy Senate President and their plan attacks on other Nigerians, held yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Nasarawa Assembly inaugurates 22 House standing c’ttee chairmen From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

T

he Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Speaker Rt.Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, yesterday inaugurated 22 House standing committee chairmen and their members to pilot the affairs of the House as well as charged them to live above board while discharging their duties.

Those inaugurated include committee chairmen-,Rules and Business to be chaired by Hon Tanko Tunga the Majority Leader of the House,Hon Danladi Jatau,the Minority Leader of the House is to chair Public Complaints and Petitions, Works and Transport is to be chaired

by Hon Abdullazeez Danladi and Education,Science and Technology is to be chaired by Hon Daniel Ogazi. Public Accounts committee, is to be chaired by Hon. Abdullahi Angibi, Finance and Appropriation committee chairman is Hon Aliyu Dogara and the chairman,Local Government committee is Hon Mohammed Alkali, Lands and Survey committee is to be chaired

by Hon David Maiyaki.

Others are Hon Mohammed Muluku is the chairman,House Committee on Planning, Budget and SDGs, Hon Mohammed Bello is the chairman, House committee on Capital Market/Commerce and Industry and House committee on Youths and Sports is to be chaired

by Musa Iyimoga. he said.

The speaker also announced Hon Usman Shafa as chairman,House committee on Health, Hon Ali Nana, chairman, House committee on Public Service and Pilgrims while Women Affairs committee is to be chaired by Hon Samuel Tsebe.

Also Hon Abel Bala is the Chairman, House Welfare committee, Hon Mohammed Okpoku is the chairman,House committee on NASIEC,Multilateral Cooperative and Community Development, Hon Mohammed Omadefu is the Chairman, House committee on Information as well as Hon Zhekaba Iliya is to chair Housing and Environment

committee ,Hon Ibrahim Akwe is the chairman, House committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The Committee on Water Resources and Rural Development is to be chaired by Hon Suleiman Adamu, Hon Suleiman Yakubu is to chaired Urban and Regional Planning (NUDB) committee and Hon John Osewu is the chairman, Judiciary committee,he added Abdullahi further announced Hon Nehemiah Dandaura, the Deputy speaker of the House as the chairman,Project monitoring.

The speaker also urged them not to compromised while performing their committee oversight function in the interest of peace and development.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

Tribute

17

As Justice Hakila Yalla Heman retires as Gombe State Chief Judge

By Ibrahim Ahmad Kala, LL.M

A

n array to his biography culled from the ‘Icon & Archiever in Gombe State’ reveals that, Hon. Justice Hakila Yalla Heman was born on the 4th September, 1954 in Nyuwar, Balanga Local Government Area, Gombe state. Educated at Primary School, Nyuwar from 1962 to 1968, and Government Secondary School, Kaltungo from1968 to 1973, Hon Justice Heman proceeded to the North-East College of Arts and Science (now University of Maiduguri) from 1973 to 1975. He thereafter, got admitted to read Law at the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1975 and graduated with LL.B degree (Hon) in 1978. His Lordship was immediately enrolled into Nigerian Law School in 1978, and was later Called-to-Bar in July,1979 accordingly.

His Lordship’s sojourn into public service could be traced from 1978 when he joined the service of the defunct Bauchi state Ministry of Justice as Legal Trainee. He rose to the position of State Counsel in 1980, and subsequently, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in 1986. Between 1988 and 1989, he was Solicitor - General and Director - General, Ministry of Justice, Bauchi state. He was appointed Attorney General/Commissioner of Justice in the defunct Bauchi State from 1989 to 1990.

His Lordship’s judicial carrier in the bench glowed with his appointment as a judge of High Court of Justice, in then Bauchi State on the 9th August, 1990.

While on the bench, My Lord was made the Chairman, Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Bauchi state in 1995. Upon the creation of Gombe State out of Bauchi state in 1996, His Lordship still remained a Judge of High Court of justice of Gombe state and still reserved his position as the Chairman of the robbery tribunal from 1997 to 1999. My Lord reached the zenith of his carrier on the 3rd May, 1998

Hon. Justice Hakila Yalla Heman

when he rose to the position of Hon. Chief Judge, Gombe State - a position he deligently hold until his retirement on the 4th September, 2019.

Hon Justice H.Y. Heman, legal jurist and administrator served in several capacities in various commissions and boards. He

was a member, High Powered Board of Inquiry into the finances of all Boards, Parastatals and Commissions in Bauchi State 1979 to 1984; Member, prosecuting Team in the Supreme Military Tribunal at Dodson Barrack, Lagos, 1984; Member, Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Circumstances

“

In 1998, upon elevation of our noble Lord, the current President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab A. Bulkachuwa to the appellate court, Justice Heman was then sworn to as the Chief Judge of Gombe state - a position His Lordship held for more than two decades, and unarguably, one of the most longest Chief Judge in Nigeria

Surrounding the Missing Motor Vehicles, Motocycles and Bicycles Confiscated from Banned Political Parties, Bauchi state, 1986; Member, High Powered Committee for Establishing Teachers Service Commission, Bauchi state 1985; Counsel to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Maitatsine Civil Disturbances, 1985; Counsel to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Faulty Construction Works in Some Educational Institutions in Bauchi state, 1986; Member, High Powered Committee of Inquiry into Fire Incidence of Women Teachers College, Nabardo, Bauch state, 1987; Member, Screening Committee of Candidates for Local Government Elections, Bauchi state, 1987; Member, Board of Governors, National Judicial Institute, Abuja. In 1998, upon elevation of our noble Lord, the current President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab A. Bulkachuwa to the appellate court, Justice Heman was then sworn to as the Chief Judge of Gombe state - a position His Lordship held for more than two decades, and unarguably, one of the most longest Chief Judge in Nigeria.

No any closing farewell remark befit this Legal Clossus than what was credited to Jacques in his literature book, “As You Like It” by William Shakespear: Act 2, Scene 7: “All the world is a stage. And all the men and women merely players. They have there entrance and their exits. And one mean in his time plays many parts. His acts being seven ages”.

A Fulbright legal guru who has garnered extensive experience in all area of law with numerous honors under his belt, Hon justice Hakila Yalla Heman CON, has played his part having attained the mandatory retirement age of 65 years on the 4th September, 2019.

I wish my noble Law Lord happy retirement!

Barr. Kala is a.researcher and can be reached via ibrokalaesq@ yahoo.com

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

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0.21 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.63 0.43 0 0.43 0.43 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 1.15 2.05 261 2.05 2.05 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 24.80 184.80 0 184.80 184.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 1.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 6.50 3.50 0 3.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 12.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 68.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 1.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 1.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 52.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 NESF 0.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 1.60 1.65 0 1.60 1.60 NPFMCRFBK -0.05 0 4.60 4.80 0 4.60 4.75 OANDO -0.20 0 80.00 76.20 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 3.80 0 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 12.30 12.30 0 12.30 12.30 PZ 0.00 0 4.20 4.20 0 4.20 4.20 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.21 0 0.20 0.21 REGALINS -0.01 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 RESORTSAL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.21 0.22 ROYALEX -0.02 0 640.00 640.00 405 640.00 640.00 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 SOVRENINS 0.01 0 46.50 46.00 0 46.50 46.50 STANBIC 0.50 0 102.00 102.00 122 102.00 102.00 STANBICETF30 0.00 0 1.97 1.96 0 1.97 1.97 STERLNBANK 0.01 0 203.00 203.00 0 203.00 203.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 632 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.21 0 1.16 1.18 TRANSCORP -0.05 0 9.60 9.60 0 9.60 9.60 UACN 0.00 0 1.74 1.92 0 1.74 1.74 UAC-PROP -0.18 0 7.60 7.80 0 7.90 7.95 UBA 0.10 0 6.00 6.05 0 6.00 6.05 UBN -0.05 0 2.89 2.94 0 2.89 2.91 UCAP -0.05 0 36.30 37.00 0 36.30 36.30 UNILEVER -0.70 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 1.00 0.99 0 1.00 1.00 UNITYBNK 0.01 0 2.04 1.97 0 2.14 2.14 UPL 0.17 0 0.23 0.23 0 0.23 0.23 VERITASKAP 0.00 0 4.50 4.99 0 4.50 4.50 VITAFOAM -0.49 0 11.30 11.50 0 11.30 11.65 WAPCO -0.20 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.59 0.61 0 0.59 0.61 WEMABANK -0.02 0 21.20 22.70 0 21.70 22.50 ZENITHBANK -1.00 0 Copyright © 2019 NgTradeOnline

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Stock Close Loss DIAMONDBNK 1.70 -0.30 BOCGAS 1.89 -0.42 VITAFOAM 2.20 -0.69 DANGFLOUR 3.00 -0.85 UAC-PROP 0.94 -0.28

PAGE 19

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

We have no reasons not to distribute power, if available -Kano DisCo

By Etuka Sunday

S

equel to the allegation that power is available but KEDCO are not taking it to the people. It is implausible if not total outrageous for any company in business not to be business-minded. We are in business and no businessman or woman runs away from what he or she is selling.

Our goal over the years has been to satisfy our numerous customers as well as see to the growth of the economy of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States in view of the sacrosanct role of power in propelling the diversification of our economy in line with the drive of the federal government.

The Head, Corporate Communications,

KEDCO, Ibrahim Sani Shawai in a statement said, it is inconceivable that a company like KEDCO which strives to provide reliable, stable and regular power supply will have a reason not to take power from the national grid.

It was recently reported that power output from Nigeria’s generating companies (GenCos) dropped to 3,014.8 megawatts (MW), from a monthly average of 3,578MW in August, latest data from the National Control Centre (NCC), Osogbo, has shown. At 50.17Hz with installed capacity of 6,985.9MW and generation capability of 5,983.1MW of available units, power generation has remained low and insufficient to meet the nation’s energy demand.

In spite of this, KEDCO has remained positive and futuristic by spending over N100 million trying to upgrade the line that that are used for power distribution all in efforts to make ready for any improvement of megawatts that will be coming. And it is in this light that KEDCO is working hard on securing more megawatts to improve supplies to our customers.

In a similar vein, it is no news that KEDCO is still under disconnection from TCN as our two feeders are under disconnection on account that they (TCN) are demanding 100 per cent payment on monthly basis, while we don’t collect or get such 100 per cent from our customers on monthly basis and this is why we are doing rationing to ensure fair play to our

customers, whom we are in business to serve.

Also, as we are all aware, we are in the raining season and obviously there are issues with regard to power distribution. Now the poles are falling, some thieves are also taking advantage of this to carry out their evil acts as well as destroying installations. Due to issues like this some communities may not have regular supplies.

We are however determined and undaunted in our resolve to ensure adequate power supply to guarantee maximum satisfaction for all our customers, hence we plead with our customers to bear with us, considering our present challenges while we appeal to them to pay their current electricity bills and clear all outstanding bills too.

CAC explains disruption of online services

By Miriam Humbe

T

he Corporate Affairs Commission has said that the current disruption in its online services was due to infrastructure upgrade, aimed at enhancing service efficiency and customer experience.

A statement signed by CAC's Head, Public Affairs, Mr. Moses Adaguusu, tendered the apologies of the Commission to its esteemed customers and the general public for the disruption of its online services.

Adaguusu said, the Commission had on Monday, August 19, 2019 deployed additional online services for the processing of post incorporation applications as part of its infrastructure upgrade.

He said: "Consequent upon the disruption due to the infrastructure upgrade, the Commission has set up Customer Support Services (CSS) at its state offices nationwide to attend to complaints from members of the public. The CSS is in addition to the existing help lines.

"Also, the Commission has set up a dedicated support team at the on-going Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Lagos to attend to complaints from delegates during the one week event".

While appealing to the public to exercise calm, Adaguusu said CAC regrets all inconveniences caused as a result of the disruption in its services and is doing everything possible to ensure that normal services resume soon.

L-R: Vice President, Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), Dr Nnamdi Onuka; National Internal Auditor, ASURI, Mokwunye Chukwuka; President of ASURI, Prof. Bayo Ajala; Public Relation Office, ASURI, Christopher Onotu; and the Secretary-General ofASURI, Dr Theophilus Ndubuaku, during the National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting of ASURI, recently in Abuja. Photo: NAN

SEC to engage Stakeholders on implementation of 10-Year Master Plan

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said it would engage relevant stakeholders on the implementation of some initiatives of its 10 year Capital Market Master Plan Specifically, the engagements would be on E-Dividend registration and Multiple Accounts regularisation in a bid to reduce the unclaimed dividends profile in the Capital Market.

This was stated by Acting Director General of the SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk at the end of the Second Quarter Capital Market Committee Meeting in Lagos.

As part of the engagement, Brokers

and registrars are required to make available to the Committee on Multiple Subscription Account, on a periodic basis, the number of regularized accounts.

Uduk said specific areas of engagement are Ensuring that complete investor data are transferred among operators such as Brokers, Registrars and CSCS, Discouraging unclaimed dividends from building up from securities of newlylisted companies.

According to Uduk, “ Another thing we need to do is developing the modalities for validating register of members, where the registrars are furnished with incomplete information such as missing account numbers.

“We believe the capital market of our dreams can only be achieved through the collaboration of all stakeholders.

Following the expiration of free e-dividend mandate registration period offered to investors, the Securities and Exchange The SEC boss also unveiled plans to partner the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure that e-dividend charges are included in the guideline for bank charges. This follows the expiration of the free e-Dividend mandate registration period offered to investors by the SEC. According to Uduk, “SEC has been underwriting the e-dividend charges of N1.50 kobo but since we stopped, we

have received a lot of complaints from investors due to the e-dividend charges.

“But after extensive discussions with the capital market committee, the Commission intends to partner with the apex bank to issue charges on E-DMMS transactions. The CBN has a published charge for the banks. This means that any transactions carried out by any bank, there is an established charge.”

She added: “The e-dividend charge is not part of the charges from the CBN and so because of that, investors are having issues with banks where they are charged for some transactions that are not listed as bank charges, which they do not know.”

ICT

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

PAGE 20

1ST ITU Digital African Week opens in Abuja

By Etuka Sunday

T

he International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will today begin a four-day 1st Digital African Week Conference in Abuja, a statement by the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Henry Nkemadu has disclosed.

Hosted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the event which holds in the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja is expected to bring together leading Specialists in the field, from top policymakers to engineers, designers, smart city planners, government officials,

regulators, standards experts, the academia among others.

Executive Vice Chairman (EVC)/CEO of the NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said “this Conference is first of its kind and it will bring together everybody that has a role in the fast growing telecommunications industry

in Africa.”

Danbatta, who is also a telecommunications engineer, explained that “the conference will run from Tuesday August 27, to Friday August 30, 2019 and will be communicated both in English and French.”

“Participation in the trainings and forum is strictly

for those who have preregistered online and open to anyone with interest in topics related to smart and sustainable cities, frontier technologies, Electro Magnetic Fields (EMFs) and circular economy and it is at no cost to participants.” Danbatta added.

U.S. raises concerns over Facebook’s plans to launch cryptocurrency

T

he chair of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee said on Sunday she remained concerned about Facebook’s plans for a digital currency after meeting the government officials in Switzerland that Facebook has said will regulate it.

“While I appreciate the time that the Swiss government officials took to meet with us, my concerns remain with allowing a large tech company to create a privately controlled, alternative global currency,” Congresswoman Maxine Waters said in a statement.

Facebook is trying to get Washington on its side after the social media company shocked regulators and lawmakers with its announcement in June that it was hoping to launch a new digital coin called Libra in 2020.

Policymakers and financial watchdogs at home and abroad are concerned about the effect of widespread adoption of Libra

by Facebook’s 2.38 billion users on the global financial system.

The currency will be issued and managed by the Geneva, Switzerland-based “Libra Association”, Facebook has said.

Waters met representatives from Switzerland’s State Secretariat for International Financial Matters, the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner, the Financial Market Supervisory Authority, and Swiss legislators.

The Swiss officials were helpful in understanding the “status, complexity, and magnitude of Facebook’s plans,” she said.

U.S. lawmakers bashed Facebook over its plans at a hearing of Waters’ committee in July, saying the company had not shown it could be trusted to safeguard the world financial system and consumers’ data.

(Reuters)

Vandalism of telecoms infrastructure impades quality service delivery -NCC

By Etuka Sunday

N

igerian Communications Commission (NCC) has identified vandalism as a major threat to quality service delivery in the telecoms industry, therefore, called on consumers and other stakeholders to protect the facilities.

The Director, Zonal Operations, NCC, Mrs Amina Shehu made the call at a sensitization workshop organized by the Commission on the Protection of Telecoms Infrastructure, at the weekend in Nasarawa Eggon, Nasarawa state.

The Sensitization Workshop was organized by NCC to enlighten the public and other stakeholders on the need to protect Telecom infrastructure within their communities.

It was also intended to present

a platform for cooperation between stakeholders in the Telecommunications Industry to reach an understanding towards putting into proper perspective the concerns most often expressed by the public about telecoms infrastructure.

Represented by the Principal Manager, Zonal Operations, NCC, Mr Abubakar Usman, Mrs Shehu stressed the need for consumers to treat telecoms facilities as collectively-owned infrastructure that are crucial and essential for the provision of efficient and acceptable Quality of Service (QoS), and ought to be keenly protected.

She however, regretted that vandalism of telecom infrastructure has continued to be a major challenge in the telecoms industry.

She assured that the Commission has continued to collaborate with the relevant

Agencies to ensure adequate security for telecoms facilities.

Mrs Shehu said, the Commission’s attention was also drawn to rising public concerns regarding alleged likely negative health effects of Electromagnetic Frequency (EMF) radiation emanating from telecommunications infrastructure.

“Those negative concerns about this subject have in some cases led to interference and or agitation against the deployment of required infrastructure to the detriment of delivering of quality telecom services in the country.

“In response to these growing concerns and commitment to public safety, the NCC through the Zonal Operations Department deems it necessary as one of its core functions to organize this sensitization workshop,” she said.

In a presentation, the Principal Manager, Technical Standard and Network Integrity, NCC, Engr. Kunle Olorundare spoke intensively on the need to protect Telecoms Infrastructure noting that the benefits are enormous, such as: job creation, attractiveness to investors among others.

He urged the indigenes to ensure they protect Telecom Infrastructure, desist from illegal restrictions of Telecoms facilities and report any act of vandalism to the authority.

Earlier, the Chairman, Nasarawa EGGON Local Government, Hon. Idris Danlami Mohammed who was represented by Hon. Masin Godiya pledged to mobilise the District Heads and Youths of Nasarawa Eggon to ensure the protection of the facilities in their domain.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

METRO

PAGE 21

Bello reads riot act to FCTA staff

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has warned staff and management of the Administration to be up and doing in the discharge of their duties or face swift rustication from the system.

Bello, who was reappointed and reassigned to the FCT, declared zero tolerance for unproductivity, as his second tenure would not be business as usual.

He made this assertion yesterday while recieving handover notes from the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Christian Ohaa, in Abuja.

The Minister noted that he was not prepared to waste time and resources in cajoling staff to do their duties, as the exit door awaits any staff of the administration who does not want to add value to the system.

He added that performance is paramount in the agenda of the current administration, as he was prepared to deliver the mandate given to him by the President.

According to him, during his first tenure, he expended a lot of time working on the identified deficiencies found in the workforce, and also in the system.

“During my first time, I used a lot of time pursuing workers around and encouraging all to be their best. I gave all of you free hand. I spent a lot of time ensuring that various departments strive to be productive.

“This time around, every agencies must do its work. All must be held accountable, any body who does not do its work shall be out of the system.

“Every agency will be expected to do its work and every head of agency will be held responsible and accountable.

“And this time around, I will not be cajoling, lobbying, pushing you, begging you to do your work. Anybody that does his work will be part of the team and anyone that does not do his or her work will be kicked out,” Bello stressed.

The Minister, who expressed displeasure that most of the senior staff of the administration could not brace up to the challenge of creating a positive image needed to support the change agenda of the past administration, noted that now, everybody must sit up.

...Threatens to kick out unproductive staff He disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had clearly stated the objectives he wants all ministers to achieve, hence while the Presidency monitors him to do his job, he would not relent to ensure that all staff in FCT live up to their responsibilities.

He therefore assured that he will focus on the provision of funding for the successful

execution of projects that have direct bearing to the upliftment of residents of the territory and the development of the nation’s capital.

“There is going to be enforcement of extant rules and regulations and this is going to cut across boards, including in the Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs), Area Councils and traditional

institutions in the FCT,” he stated.

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Christian Ohaa while assuring the Ministers of loyalty and full support, noted that within the three months he held sway, overseeing the administration, SDAs have remained alive to their duties.

Ohaa expressed the delight of

the entire staff of the FCTA over the reappointment of Malam Bello as FCT Minister and the appointment of Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu as Minister of State.

His words: “On behalf of the entire staff of the FCTA, I wish to pledge our full support, cooperation and loyalty to ensure that you achieve the mandate of taking the FCT to the next level.”

Unity cultural troupe entertaining guest at the school feeding programme , recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Vandalism: Stakeholders tasked on protection of water projects at Abuja Train Stations

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has through its Department of Monitoring And Inspection, warned against vandalisation of water projects located at the Railway Stations across the Federal Capital City (FCC).

The Director Department Of Monitoring And Inspection Mr. Olawale Labiyi, made this point penultimate week, during

inspection exercise at Idu Railway Station.

Labiyi, who was represented

by Malam Sani Abdullahi Tswako, a Quantity Surveyor, said that the Department was interested in the inspection of new works, water supply and reticulation works in the city.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by Head, Public Relations Unit, Department Of Monitoring And Inspection, Josie Mudasiru.

The statement reads: “We

are here to inspect the water supply and reticulation to all Train Stations and ensure their functionality.

“All the 12 Stations have been connected to water from FCT Water Board and we want to ensure the work was properly executed.”

He further stressed the need for the protection of the water Chambers from vandals.

The Director also explained that the quality of works covered

by Certificate Of Valuation

No.33 is satisfactory as it was done in line with contract specifications.

Speaking earlier, Mr. Valentine Obumeyan who represented the contractors revealed that the initial plan was to put up a borehole in each of the stations.

According to him, “but the FCT Transportation Secretariat insisted we connect the Rail Stations to Water Board hence this new phase of the project.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

PAGE 22

world news

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Trump says US and China to resume trade talks

P

resident Donald Trump has said the US and China will “very shortly” resume trade talks after a weekend of escalating tension with Beijing.

“China called last night... said let’s get back to the table. So we’ll be getting back to the table,” he said.

On Friday Mr Trump sharply hiked tariffs on billions of dollars of Chinese imports in retaliation for fresh duties from Beijing.

China has yet to confirm any talks, but said it would not bow to threats.

Mr Trump sent out conflicting messages over the weekend, at first appearing to express regret about the latest tariffs, only for the White House to retract his comments on Sunday.

However, at the G7 summit in Biarritz on Monday he said Chinese officials had made two “very, very good calls” on Sunday night and that Beijing wanted to “make a deal”.

Suggesting his pressure had brought the Chinese back to the negotiating table, he added: “They hurt very badly, but they understand this is the right thing to do.

“We’re going to start very shortly to negotiate... but I think we’re going to make a deal.”

The US is trying to force Beijing to reform its trade practices, arguing that American firms face an uneven playing field due to issues such as intellectual property theft.

However, US allies have pressured Mr Trump at the G7 summit in France, warning that the trade war is threatening the global

US allies have pressured Donald Trump at the G7 summit, saying the trade war is threatening the world economy economy.

Media captionJay Powell or Xi Jinping: Which chairman is Trump’s enemy?

Earlier on Monday Asian stock markets tumbled over concerns about the trade war, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index losing more than 3% before regaining ground.

However, European shares climbed after Mr Trump’s more conciliatory comments and US markets opened between 0.7% and

1% higher, having fallen sharply on Friday.

How has the trade war escalated?

On Friday, the US said it would begin the process of raising tariffs on around $250bn (£203.8bn) of Chinese imports from 25% to 30% from 1 October.

The US also said fresh tariffs on an additional $300bn of Chinese goods, announced earlier this month, would now be at a rate of 15% instead of 10%. The first

batch of those tariffs will be introduced in September.

In a tweet, Mr Trump said he planned to order US firms working in China to move their operations back to the US, although it is unclear how he could force them to comply.

The moves came after China delivered its latest trade war strike, announcing plans to hit $75bn worth of US goods with new tariffs and hikes to existing duties.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said he had not heard that talks were about to re-start.

But he said: “We strongly urge the US not to miscalculate the situation and immediately cease its wrong actions. If the US implements its plan of raising tariffs, China will definitely continue to take measures and safeguard its own legitimate rights. China does not accept any threats or intimidation.”

How did we get here?

The world’s two largest economies have been locked in a bruising trade battle for the past year that has seen tariffs imposed on billions of dollars worth of one another’s goods.

Mr Trump has long accused China of unfair trading practices, but in China there is a perception that the US is trying to curb its rise.

Sharp falls in the yuan earlier this month prompted the US to officially name China a “currency manipulator”, adding to tensions between the two countries.

Macron condemns Bolsonaro for ‘disrespectful’ post about his wife

F

rench President Emmanuel Macron has lashed out at Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro for endorsing “rude” remarks about his

wife.

A supporter of the Brazilian president mocked Mr Macron’s wife, Brigitte, 66, in a Facebook post.

The post contained a photo contrasting the French first lady’s appearance with that of Mr Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, 37.

“Now you understand why Macron is persecuting Bolsonaro?” its reads.

In response to the comment, Mr Bolsonaro wrote (in Portuguese): “Do not humiliate (him)... man, ha ha.”

Asked about Mr Bolsonaro’s remarks, Mr Macron said it was “extraordinarily rude” and “sad”.

“He said very disrespectful things about my wife. I have great respect for the Brazilian people and can only hope they soon have a president who is up to the job,” Mr Macron said at a news conference at the G7 summit in Biarritz on Monday.

The exchange highlights the acrimony between Mr Macron and Mr Bolsonaro in a diplomatic spat sparked by the Amazon fires.

Amazon fires: Ten of your questions answered In graphics: How bad are the Amazon fires?

What is the ‘historic’ EU-Mercosur trade deal?

Mr Macron is spearheading efforts to get world leaders to do something about the fires ravaging parts of the Amazon rainforest.

Mr Macon has described the wildfires as an “international crisis”, which critics have blamed on Mr Bolsonaro’s antienvironmental rhetoric and lack of action on deforestation.

But Mr Bolsonaro, whose country is not

in the G7, accused Mr Macron of having a “colonialist mentality”.

The right-wing Brazilian president has a long track record of making abusive comments about women, black people and minorities.

One of his most infamous remarks came during a heated debate in parliament with left-wing congresswoman Maria do Rosario

in September 2014.

“I wouldn’t rape you because you don’t deserve it,” Mr Bolsonaro told Ms Rosario.

Mr Bolsonaro also caused uproar while talking about his own daughter during a public event in April 2017. “I have five children. I had four boys, and in the fifth, I weakened and a girl came,” he said at the time.

Amazon fires: G7 to release funds for fire-fighting planes

I

nternational leaders at the G7 summit have agreed to provide logistical and financial support to help fight fires in the Amazon rainforest.

French President Emmanuel Macron said G7 countries would release $22m (£18m).

However, President Jair Bolsonaro said Mr Macron’s plan of an “alliance” to “save” the Amazon treated Brazil “as if we were a colony or no man’s land”.

A record number of fires is burning in Brazil, mostly in the Amazon, according to the country’s space research agency.

The funding pledge was announced as the leaders of the G7 - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US continue to meet in Biarritz, France.

Mr Macron said the funds would be made available “immediately” - primarily to pay for more fire-fighting planes - and that

France would also “offer concrete support with military in the region within the next few hours”.

However, Mr Bolsonaro - who has been engaged in a public row with Mr Macron in recent weeks - accused the French leader of launching “unreasonable and gratuitous attacks against the Amazon region”, and “hiding his intentions behind the idea of an ‘alliance’ of G7 countries”.

He wrote on Twitter that Brazil’s sovereignty should be respected - and said he had discussed with Colombia’s president the need for “a joint plan” from the countries that actually made up the Amazon region.

Despite Mr Bolsonaro’s comments, his environment minister, Ricardo Salles, told reporters that the funding was welcome, Reuters news agency reports.

In graphics: How bad are the Amazon fires?

What is the ‘historic’ EU-Mercosur trade deal?

President Macron last week described the fires as an “international crisis” and pushed for them to be prioritised at the G7 summit which his country is hosting.

G7 leaders also intend to discuss plans to reforest the Amazon, at the United Nations general assembly meeting in September.

The severity of the fires, and the response

by Brazil’s government, has prompted a global outcry and protests.

According to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), more than 75,000 fires have been recorded in Brazil so far in 2019, most of them in the Amazon region.

Critics have accused Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsonaro, of “green lighting” the Amazon’s destruction through antienvironmental rhetoric and a lack of action on deforestation violations.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

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e w s

F

Amnesty: Zimbabwe still sees Mugabe-era brutality

A

mnesty International has accused the Zimbabwean leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, of presiding over a ruthless and systematic attack on human rights since he was sworn in a year ago.

Amnesty accused him of resorting to what it called the “same brutal tactics” as his predecessor, Robert Mugabe.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change has complained of a continuing wave of abductions of its supporters since a demonstration was violently broken up by police earlier this month.

Doctors in Zimbabwe have become the latest state employees to reject a pay offer from the government. They said a planned increase of 60% fell far short of inflation.

The government stopped publishing inflation figures when the annual rate exceeded 175% in June.

r o m

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f r i c a

Kenya exports its first crude oil

K

enya has exported its first batch of oil as President Uhuru Kenyatta flagged off the crude shipment from the port of Mombasa on Monday morning.

It is being described as a historic day and an important step on the way to the full exploration and development of oil in the East African nation.

This is an experimental phase to test the country’s crude oil before full production and exportation begins in around 2024.

The country is expected to earn $84m (£69m) over the next two years.

UK-based Chinese company ChemChina UK Ltd won the bid to buy the first batch of 240,000 barrels under the Early Oil Pilot Scheme (EOPS).

Oil bids were received from firms in Asia and Europe, but the joint oil production consortium, led by explorer Tullow Oil, awarded the contract to ChemChina.

The crude was transported 850km (528 miles) by road from the country’s northwestern oil fields in Turkana to Mombasa.

Kenya currently does not have an oil pipeline in place.

A plan to build a joint pipeline with Uganda failed after Kampala opted to partner with Tanzania.

Kenya hopes to be at full oil production by 2024 Tullow estimates that Kenya’s fields in Turkana hold up to 560 million barrels of

oil and expects to produce up to 100,000 barrels per day from 2022.

Mozambique Kabila’s choices dominate DR Congo’s new cabinet firms withholding T $40m for pensions

W

orkers risk losing their pensions if the companies do not pay up.Image caption: Workers risk losing their pensions if the companies do not pay up.

Mozambique’s National Social Security Institute (INSS) is owed about $40m (£32.6m) by companies that have not handed over workers’ contributions, Labour Minister Victoria Diogo says.

The contributions have been deducted from workers’ salaries over the last five years, but not been paid to the INSS. Workers risk losing their pensions if the companies do not pay up.

Over the weekend Ms Diogo told a social security seminar that some companies deny knowing about the debts and blame their accountants and bookkeepers for not submitting the contributions.

The minister said the INSS had recovered $43m over the last four years from companies that had not submitted workers’ contributions, most of it through out-of-court settlements.

Only $1.9m was recovered through the courts.

Workers must make a minimum of 200 monthly contributions to qualify for pension - that’s a period of more than 16 years.

If they make contributions over a period of more than 33 years they will receive a pension equivalent to their salary.

he new cabinet in the Democratic Republic of Congo, announced on Monday morning seven months after the inauguration of President Félix Tshisekedi, reflects the continued influence of former leader Joseph Kabila, reports the BBC’s Gaius Kowene from the capital, Kinshasa.

Forty two of the 65 members of the cabinet come from the FCC, his coalition which holds the majority in both houses of parliament.

This leaves President Tshisekedi’s side holding just one-third of ministerial posts.

Key ministries like defence, interior and finance have been split 50/50 between the two coalitions: Interior and security - Gilbert Malaba, a member of Mr Tshisekedi’s party Defence - Ngoy Mukena, a close ally of Mr Kabila Mining - Willy Samsoni, a member of Mr Kabila’s coalition and an ex-mines minister in Haut Katanga province Finance - Sele Yalaghuli, also a Kabila stalwart, and an ex-director general of taxes Budget - Jean-Baudouin Mayo Mambeke, an ally of Mr Tshisekedi, takes a more junior role.

Just 17% of the ministerial appointees are women, including the ministers of foreign affairs and planning. One of the five vice

Mr Kabila (R) was expected to have big say in the new government of Mr Tshisekedi (L) as his coalition has a parliamentary majorityImage caption: Mr Kabila (R) was expected to have big say in the new government of Mr Tshisekedi (L) as his coalition has a parliamentary majority prime ministers is also a woman.

For the first time there is a person living with a disability in the government - part of efforts by Mr Tshisekedi to show that everybody is being represented in his cabinet, our reporter says.

Around three-quarters of the ministers are serving in government for the first time.

The new cabinet must be confirmed by parliament and is set to be inaugurated before the end of next week.

Mr Kabila stood down after 18 years in office following disputed elections last December.

He was barred from running for another term under the constitution.

Namibia probes poisoning, mutilation of crocodiles

N

amibia is investigating the deaths of at least five crocodiles in the Kunene - the river that flows between it and Angola.

Reports from people on the Namibian bank say the reptiles appear to have been poisoned, then cut open, with their limbs removed.

Namibia has laws against the killing of crocodiles, which are a tourist attraction.

Romeo Muyunda, chief public relations officer for Namibia’s Ministry of

Environment, told BBC Focus on Africa radio it was suspected the crocodiles were poisoned on the Angolan side.

A meeting has been set up with the ministry’s Angolan counterparts at the end of August to discuss the killings, he said.

Namibian authorities suspect people on the bank could have killed the crocodiles in retaliation to an attack, Mr Muyunda said.

Quote Message: There might be people that were affected... maybe their livestock was killed by these crocodiles or maybe a person,

a loved one, was killed by the crocodile and as a result - in fury - these people poisoned a carcass and used it as a bait for crocodiles to come and eat.”

There might be people that were affected... maybe their livestock was killed by these crocodiles or maybe a person, a loved one, was killed by the crocodile and as a result - in fury - these people poisoned a carcass and used it as a bait for crocodiles to come and eat.”

Investigators will also explore whether the crocodiles were killed for their meat.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

G7 summit: Iranian foreign minister attends unexpected talks

I

ran’s foreign minister made a brief and unannounced visit to the G7 summit in France on Sunday.

Mohammad Javad Zarif attended side-line talks in the seaside town of Biarritz where world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, have gathered.

Reports suggest the US delegation was surprised by his visit, which comes at a time of high tension with Iran.

Mr Zarif said on Twitter that he held “constructive” talks with his French counterpart and the French president.

“Road ahead is difficult. But worth trying,” he posted on Sunday evening, adding he gave a joint briefing to German and British officials.

Mr Zarif also met President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday on the eve of the summit.

Can the nuclear deal can be saved?

Relations between Iran and the US have deteriorated since Washington withdrew from a 2015 deal to limit Iran’s nuclear activities last year.

Five other nations - including France - remain committed to the deal, but Iran has started to ratchet up its nuclear activity in response to the US reinstating and tightening economic sanctions against them.

Mr Macron has taken an active role in trying to diffuse tensions and save the accord - but Iran’s relations with the West have strained further in recent months over a series of confrontations and oil tanker seizures in and around the Gulf.

Mr Zarif was himself singled out for US sanctions last month, with US officials accusing him of implementing “the reckless agenda” of Iran’s leader.

Reports about the circumstances of his visit on Sunday are conflicting. French officials told reporters the foreign minister was invited in agreement with the US delegation, but White House officials have suggested they were taken by surprise.

They were also conflicting

comments by Mr Macron and Mr Trump during the weekend as to whether G7 leaders had agreed a joint approach to easing tensions with Tehran.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Trump appeared to dismiss French mediation efforts.

“We’ll do our own outreach, but, you know, I can’t stop people from talking. If they want to talk, they can talk,” he said.

Leaders from the G7 Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States - have been attending the group’s 45th summit all weekend.

A range of topics, including the nuclear deal and Brexit, have been on the talks agenda.

Mr Zarif (left) shared images of his fleeting visit on social media

‘Israeli strikes’ target Palestinian group in Lebanon

T

he Israeli military carried out air strikes on a Palestinian militant group backed by Syria’s government in eastern Lebanon overnight, Lebanese media say.

A position of the Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestineGeneral Command near Qusaya was hit, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The group responded with a barrage of anti-aircraft fire, it added.

On Sunday, the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement accused Israel of trying to carry out a drone attack in Beirut.

After two drones came down in the capital, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said its fighters would shoot down any drones that entered Lebanese airspace.

Two Hezbollah members were killed on Saturday night when Israel struck targets in Syria to prevent what it said was a drone attack by Iranian forces and their allies.

The National News Agency reported that Israel carried out three air strikes on the outskirts of Qusaya, a village in the Bekaa valley near the border with Syria, early on Monday.

A top official from the PFLP-GC told the BBC that a drone carried out the raid.

There were no reports of any casualties and the Israeli military did not comment.

The PFLP-GC has been operating in Lebanon for decades and has close ties to the Syrian government, whose forces it has supported in the country’s eight-year civil war along with Hezbollah.

“This aggression is a continuation of what happened in Beirut and a provocative attempt that is a direct reaction to Nasrallah’s statements,” Khaled Jibril, a PFLP-GC official, told al-Mayadeen TV. Early on Sunday, two drones

that the Lebanese army said were Israeli crashed in the southern Beirut district of Dahia, which is dominated

by Hezbollah.

One of the drones hit a building that houses Hezbollah’s media office, while the other exploded and crashed nearby, causing material damage.

Again, no-one was injured and Israel declined to comment.

“What happened... was an attack with a suicide drone,” Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech

later on Sunday. “This is the accurate description.”

The Hezbollah leader called it a “very, very, very dangerous development” and a “clear breach of the rules of engagement” established after the month-long war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006.

“The time when Israeli aircraft come and bombard parts of Lebanon is over,” he warned. “I say to the Israeli army along the border: from tonight be ready and wait for us.”

Israeli forces in the occupied Golan Heights are on high alert

Indonesia picks Borneo island as site of new capital

I

ndonesia’s capital city is to be relocated to the province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, President Joko Widodo has said.

The current capital, Jakarta, home to more than 10 million people, sits on swampy land.

Parts of the city are sinking by as much as 25cm (10in) a year and almost half now sits below sea level.

No name was given for the capital’s planned replacement.

The new city will straddle two relatively undeveloped regions, Kutai Kertanegara and Penajam Paser Utara.

In a televised speech, Mr Widodo said: “The location is very strategic - it’s in the centre of Indonesia and close to urban areas.

“The burden Jakarta is holding right now is too heavy as the centre of governance, business, finance, trade and services.”

He added that the new location was at “minimal” risk of natural disasters.

Indonesia country profile The ambitious project will cost 466tn rupiah ($32.79bn; £26.73bn) but Jakarta traffic snarl-ups alone cost the economy 100tn rupiah a year, the planning minister

says.

There is concern from environmental groups about endangered species in the area. Kalimantan is one of the few places on earth where orangutans live in their natural habitat.

“The government must make sure that the new capital is not built in a conservation or protected area,” said Greenpeace Indonesia campaigner Jasmine Putri.

Kalimantan is also a hotspot for forest fires. Indonesia is currently suffering its worst annual fire season since 2015.

There has been a huge programme

to decentralise government for the last two decades in a bid to give greater political power and financial resources to municipalities.

Most of the country’s wealth is concentrated in Jakarta and many Indonesians living outside Java - the island Jakarta sits on - have long complained about being forgotten.

Indonesia is not the first country to change its capital. Brazil, Pakistan and Nigeria have all changed their capital cities.

Source: BBCNEW

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

Feature

25

Why Zimbabwe has banned foreign currencies

Z

imbabwe’s government has taken the controversial decision to ban local trading in foreign currencies, including the US dollar, with immediate effect.

It has also reintroduced the Zimbabwe dollar, which was abandoned because of hyperinflation in 2009 when the country mainly adopted the US dollar and the South African rand.

The move has shocked Zimbabweans, who have little faith in a local currency - the exchange rate when the Zimbabwe dollar was scrapped was Z$35 quadrillion to $1.

What has prompted the move?

The economy is a mess. Nearly everything is imported and there is a shortage of physical cash. The cost of living is very expensive.

Unemployment is widespread.

Zimbabwe’s old currency became absolutely worthless Various things have been tried to solve the problem, including the introduction in 2016 of bond notes, a parallel currency that was only accepted in Zimbabwe.

It was officially pegged to the US dollar but in reality was worth much less - so a thriving black market developed and Zimbabwe has become a cashless society, relying on card-based transactions or trading with mobile money.

In February, bond notes and electronic cash were re-branded RTGS dollars and allowed to float to try and crush the black market.

However, workers, who used to get their salaries paid in US dollars, have found that their salaries in RTGS dollars are not able to keep up with inflation - now running at 100%.

People were often expected to pay for goods in shops and services, like doctors’ fees, in US dollars.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the ban was an “important step in restoring normalcy to our economy”.

“While the multi-currency regime helped stabilise the economy, it did not give us control of monetary policy and left us at the mercy of US dollar pricing which has been a root cause of inflation,” he added.

The authorities also say because the US dollar is so strong, producing goods locally is expensive which is why businesses prefer to import goods.

What has been the reaction?

Anger and exasperation.

Some retailers have produced new prices lists: here an iron that usually costs about $30 is priced at Z$104 Most people, who associate the Zimbabwe dollar with food shortages and runaway inflation, have complained about the lack

Zimbabwe’s old currency became absolutely worthless of warning. The RTGS officially the announcement by issuing new became the Zimbabwe dollar on prices in Zimbabwean dollars - but Monday, the only legal tender. they were beyond the means of “We should have our own many. currency. But they shouldn’t have A first-time doctor’s abolished it as if they were swatting consultation is now Z$1,800 - more a fly. They should have given us than a teacher or nurse earns in a notice,” one man told the BBC. month.

Supermarkets and those in the Informal traders, who dominate formal sector responded a day after the economy and need US dollars

“

for imports, have vowed to defy the directive.

A street vendor in the capital, Harare, told the BBC: “How is it possible that the US dollar is no longer accepted? It won’t work. We actually want greater use of it, so that as street vendors we can have them. Scrap the bond note instead.”

Opposition Movement for

Most people, who associate the Zimbabwe dollar with food shortages and runaway inflation, have complained about the lack of warning. The RTGS officially became the Zimbabwe dollar on Monday, the only legal tender.

“We should have our own currency. But they shouldn’t have abolished it as if they were swatting a fly. They should have given us notice,” one man told the BBC.

Democratic Change (MDC) lawmaker David Coltart called the move “sheer madness”.

“The market has been redollarising because of lack of confidence in the RTGS dollar.

You can’t force people to love a currency... This will exacerbate the chaos,” he said on Twitter.

Will these objections make any difference?

The trade unions have threatened “mass action” if the policy is not reversed.

Unrest broke out after a fuel price hike in January The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) wants workers to be paid in US dollars again.

In January, it led nationwide protests against a 150% fuel price increase, triggering a violent crackdown by the army and police that rights groups say left at least 12 people dead.

On the streets of the capital, black market traders are still exchanging and accepting US dollars.

The value on the black market has remained unchanged - one US dollar is worth 11 Zimbabwe dollars, compared with the official rate of 6.2.

Ultimately Zimbabweans have proved good at adapting over the years to one economic crisis after another.

Why do Zimbabweans prefer foreign currencies?

They are scarred by the mismanagement of the economy by the government of then-President Robert Mugabe. The central bank was forced to print banknotes of ever higher values to keep up with surging inflation.

US dollars are the most highly prized currency in Zimbabwe Annual inflation reached 231 million per cent in July 2008.

Officials gave up reporting monthly statistics when it peaked at just under 80 billion per cent in midNovember 2008.

The prices of goods multiplied several times a day. Though it was illegal at the time, many people opted to keep US dollars, which they bought on the black market.

Businesses began demanding foreign currency.

Eventually authorities were forced to catch up, scrapping the Zimbabwe dollar and sanctioning the use of several currencies, including the Chinese yuan and Indian rupee.

You could purchase something with one currency, and get change in another currency.

But in reality Zimbabwe ran out of all these currencies because it was importing far more than exporting and has become a cashless society.

Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

26

Digest

How to keep your brain young - just keep moving!

CELIA DODD reveals the ultimate guide to a golden retirement (II)

By CELIA DODD FOR THE DAILY MAIL

A

side from physical activity, there are plenty of other ways to stretch and challenge your brain.

Learning to play a musical instrument not only boosts creativity and the ability to focus, it can lower the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment by more than a third, according to a study at the University of California.

Frances, a former senior civil servant now semi-retired, was so determined to avoid her father’s dementia that she took an accountancy qualification.

‘It was extraordinarily tough, which is why I did it,’ she says. ‘It made me use parts of the brain I wouldn’t access otherwise. I passed the exam by the skin of my teeth, but what mattered to me was the benefit I got from making my brain work.’

By contrast, brain games and puzzles make people better at those activities, but may not lead to improvement in other areas. Although that doesn’t mean they’re not worth doing.

When you retire, your energy levels are as much about attitude as anything else — having a reason to get out of bed makes an enormous difference.

‘I’ve noticed that I’ve suddenly felt full of energy when I’ve been very busy with work-type things,’ says Mary, 75.

‘I really think that constant tiredness is more to do with lack of motivation than ageing.’ It’s a sad fact that stories of people whose mental health went downhill rapidly when they retired are common.

There are two probable causes. First, this is a time when people inevitably look back at their achievements, and may feel disappointed that life hasn’t quite lived up to their expectations.

Second, work is a great way to avoid dealing with underlying problems. ‘The way that work can hold people together and keep problems at bay for a long time is common with the people we see,’ says Mark Vernon, a psychotherapist at the Maudsley Hospital’s Older Adults Unit in London.

‘Retirement or their kids leaving home is a real crisis point.

‘Essentially, a focus in their lives that held things together for them is no longer there. Very often mental health problems that were nascent suddenly become completely dominant.’

Adrenaline also takes a lasting toll, and it affects people who have retired from any job with a high level of stress.

Some people who suffer from anxiety in retirement attribute it to adrenaline still pumping around with nowhere to go.

Former police officer, Nick, turned to meditation as a way of coping. ‘When it all started kicking off at work you’d get these massive adrenaline surges,’ he

Just walking to the local shop and making an effort to smile is a good start

says. ‘It was a kind of drug.

‘Five years on, I’m still working through that.’

Experts agree it’s perfectly natural to feel a bit low when you retire. The key is to stop negative feelings descending into full-blown depression or anxiety.

‘I remember thinking when I first retired, ‘Why bother? Why cook and clean if no one was due to visit? Why comb your hair if you’re not going out?’ ‘ recalls Jean. ‘At work I had often been called on to make life-or-death decisions.

Now the only decision I had to make was whether to microwave a meal or stick it in the oven.’

The solution can often be simple.

Anxiety in retirement tends to have its roots in loneliness and lack of purpose.

Finding new activities and social connections can help people feel better quite quickly.

Men’s Sheds, which has branches all over the country where men can meet and make things, is a great example.

Even small steps to connect with people will reap immediate benefits.

Just walking to the local shop and making an effort to smile is a good start.

Doing something to help somebody else is surprisingly effective: research has shown significant links between acts

of kindness and an increase in wellbeing.

Even something that requires minimal effort — sending a get-well card or taking a meal round to a sick neighbour — can make both giver and receiver feel better.

Research suggests that games played with other people, such as bridge or online Scrabble, may have particular benefits. The same goes for singing in a choir or playing music with other people.

Learning something new in a group,

“

‘I remember thinking when I first retired, ‘Why bother? Why cook and clean if no one was due to visit?

Why comb your hair if you’re not going out?’ ‘ recalls Jean.

and enjoying the whole process, is thought to underpin its benefits.

Perhaps best of all is a combination of physical activity, mental stimulation and sociability. Mixing exercise with exploring new ways of doing things and sharing ideas makes it more likely that new nerve cells in the brain will form functional circuits.

It could be anything: you could try sailing, dancing, tennis or something more unusual, such as historical sword fighting. As long as it’s something you really enjoy.

Train driver Chris is now in his fifth year of retirement. ‘When I took my driver’s key out for the last time, the thought that I would never drive out on the main line again, rolling along through the countryside, did give me a twinge of regret,’ he says.

‘But the overwhelming feeling was ‘good, the time has arrived, I can now look forward to a new phase of my life’.

‘A few days later I went on holiday with my wife; it was a lovely sunny week in Dorset. Walking on the coast path I thought, this is the start of the rest of my life. This is my time now. That was a really, really wonderful feeling.

‘With the right approach, retirement can be one of the best times of your life.’

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. RAYMOND IFEANYI ANYANWU - PRESIDENT 2. JOSEPHINE RAYMOND-ANYANWU - MEMBER 3. HENRY .I. NWANKWO - MEMBER 4. PROSPER U. UZOR - SECRETARY THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. DISCIPLE THE SAINTS TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE CALL OF CHRIST IN MATT 28:18 2. TRAIN BELIEVERS INTO THE END-TIME ARMY OF YAWEH WITH THE AUTHORITY TO CONFRONT OPPRESSION OF GOD’S PEOPLE 3. STIR UP IN THE BELIEVER THE NEED TO RETURN TO APOSTOLIC CHRISTIANITY 4. TRAIN MEMBERS TO BE ROOTED IN THE WORD OF GOD TO ASSUME THEIR AUTHORITY IN CHRIST AND WROUGHT THE GOD LIFE ON EARTH 5. TRAIN THE SAINT TO BE FUNCTIONAL IN LIFE AND IN MINISTRY, THROUGH ROOTED SPIRITUAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

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Sports

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sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

Albert Akota, Live from Rabat, Morocco

PAGE

Falconets whip Algeria to zoom into final at 2019 African Games

Ogbee urges female volleyball team to go for gold

A

member of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Lazarus Ogbe has charged the Nigeria women’s volleyball team to win gold at the ongoing African Games in Morocco.

Nigeria beat Botswana 3-1 (25-13, 2225, 25-20, 25-15) at the Salle El Bouâzzaoui.

Chief Ogbee hailed Nigeria women’s volleyball team for recording her first adding that the nation is strongly behind them.

The lawmaker said, “The women’s volleyball team has the support of the country that is why we came here in our numbers, in the name of the government to support them.

“We have been going from one event center to the other to make sure we cheer the Nigerian contingents to victory and the women’s

volleyball team has done wonderfully well today by beating their Botswana counterpart.

We encourage them to go further to win the gold”.

The house of representative member said he is encouraged to invest in sports adding that Nigeria has the potential of producing world beaters.

He said, “Nigeria has the prospect of producing world class player. All they need is little encouragements and doing the right thing at the right time and having more training facilities in the country.

“Since I am in the committee of sports, what I have seen has encouraged me and has given me the tonic to do more and to encouraging our people to invest in sports. We have every potential and the country can go on to produce world beaters in this particular event”.

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he Falconets, thrashed their counterparts from Algeria 3-0 on Monday to qualify for the final of the football event at the ongoing African Games in Morocco.

Cynthia Aku scored two first-half goals before Zainab Olapade added another much later to take Nigeria closer to winning her third gold medal as far

as women football is concerned at the African Games.

Aku got the curtain-raiser for Nigeria in the 16th minute and added another goal ten minutes after.

While Algeria got better and halted the Falconets’ goal rush afterwards, substitute Olapade put the icing on the cake; scoring in the 90th minute as Nigeria recorded a

comprehensive 3-0 win.

Nigeria will now wait on the wings to face either Morocco or Cameroon in the final on August 29.

The Nigerian women have the best record at the African Games having won the gold medal twice when the country hosted in 2003 in Abuja and four years later in Algiers, Algeria.

PSG hit by Mbappe, Cavani injuries

>>>PG32

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

S P Why Gernort Rohr may not leave Super Eagles Job

Gernot Rohr

S

uper Eagles coach Gernot Rohr says he feels loved by Nigerians, a major reason he’s attached to the country and the national team.

But the German, who holds a French passport, admits that there’s a section of Nigerians from whom he “doesn’t feel this love.”

The German led the Eagles to a thirdplace finish at last month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt but claims “one category” of people didn’t show him love especially after the AFCON. “We have difference between Francophone countries and Anglophone countries but I didn’t have any problem adapting (in Nigeria) because I was welcomed by everybody, not only in the team but the staff, and also from Nigerians,” he said.

“When I go out, I feel this love, I feel it everywhere. The only people I don’t feel this love from, there is only one category especially after the AFCON, and you know who it is. But everywhere, if it is here or in other places, I feel this love, this is a reason for me, which makes it very hard to leave because there is human relationship which is important also.

“This is the most passionate (job) because the passion around me is giving me also the passion, enthusiasm and desire to do well. This job here is very different because we speak English, which I did not speak for a long time, since my school time. But I have learnt back quickly; the mentality is also different,” he was quoted.

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President Buhari: D’Tigress deserve national honour not handshake

By Amaechi Agbo

N

igeria is a very unique country, blessed with both human and material resources. The country is a big player in all aspects of human endeavours - sports, music, art and culture and science. She is breaking grounds in science and inventions.

However, despite the success stories of a good number of Nigerians in different fields, little or no recognition is extended to these young ambassadors that are writing the name of the country in GOLD except you are a footballer.

Recently, the female national basketball team, the D’Tigress conquered Africa for the second time after a record breaking outing at the FIBA Afrobasket World Championship in Spain last year.

Sad to say that the D’Tigress have been abandoned and betrayed by the Federal Government, States Government, the Business Community and the Media.

Aliko Dangote, Group Managing Director, Dangote Groups; Femi Otedola, Director, Forte Oil Limited and their big and deep pocket friends have not shown up and may not show up to appreciate these glorious ambassadors.

During the last AFCON in Egypt, the big and deep pocket Nigerians were bathing the error-prone Super Eagles with dollars, they also made mouth-watering promises for goal scored and match won which even gingered the players to scoring own goals.

For instance, while the team beat South Africa and Cameroon on their route to the Semi Final where they lost against eventual AFCON winners, Algeria, Dangote promised to pay $50, 000 per a goal scored in the semifinal match; Otedola followed suit but offered $25, 000 per goal. Making a total of $75, 000 per goal promise to players who earned not less than $15, 000 each for reaching the semifinal stage.

President Buhari’s government is also cut up in this squandermania of putting Nigerian’s resources where results are not achieved. The federal government went as far as sending a high powered delegation to drum up support for the Super Eagles led by the Senate President. The delegation included all the big names in politics, finances, business and sports world. In fact, CBN governor, former Youth and Sports minister, as well as governors were part of the “almighty” delegates sent to Egypt for a jamboree tour.

Relate that to the Super Falcons, who won the last edition of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, AWCON and then juxtapose it with the female national basketball team,

President Buhari hosted the D’Tigress after their 2017 triumph with N1 million reward each. the D’Tigress, who recently conquered Africa after winning the Afrobasket back-to-back.

Becoming the first country to do so.

That not enough, D’Tigers are already suffering the same treatment ahead of the FIBA World Championship due in China on Friday.

The two basketball national teams, - D’Tigers and the D’Tigress - are currently the Africa Champions, yet they have been neglected so much so that the team, the D’Togers, cried for help and had to send SOS to the federal government before they departed for China were they last week, over the weekend, won the Peak Invitational Tournament.

It’s sickening to say the least that the media has kept quiet on the plight of the basketball family as the feats achieved by the two teams have not received the desired coverage unlike the barrage of attention given to football even when the teams performed ingloriously as it happened in the 2018 Russia World Cup and the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.

The business world in Nigeria will celebrate bronze medal won by the Super Eagles despite being paid thousands of dollars to motivate them to win the crown; unfortunately, the Basketball, which is the second most popular game in the country after football is neglected.

The 12th African Games in Morocco will soon end and the hard working sports men and women will be pushed aside as usual after the event. The sports ministry and its officials are more concerned with their pockets and personal gains against, sometimes the collective interest. Sad enough, the budgetary

allocation to the Africa Games leaves much to be desired.

The ministry have complained that the total budget for the Games was not fully released. This cannot happen to football, where despite FIFA and CAF’s being in charge of almost all it takes a country to participate in a global or continental championships, will see the federal government pumping in money to the federation. Monies, more often than not, go unaccounted for.

Nigerians cannot forget in a hurry how the federal government ferried millions if not billions of Nigeria to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt after report emerged that the players have threatened to boycott matches.

For how long would this unbridled, malicious, unjustifiable and discriminatory treatments against other sports other than football, continue?

It’s time for not just the federal government but also the Nigeria Dangotes, Otedolas, Ifeanyi Ubahs and all lovers of sports in the country to rise up and give all our athletes the desired national respect.

Whatever be the case, the federal government should lead the pack because the D’Tigress deserves national honours not just the N1 million and the ‘highly revered’ Presidential Handshake. Our national basketball teams deserve the best for putting up their best for their fatherland. And the only justifiable best is a national honour the era of ‘presidential handshake’ are over.

Racism: Referee threatens to stop Ligue 1 game

A

French Ligue 1 referee threatened to halt a game on Sunday due to Nimes fans insulting the league organisers with offensive language during their visit to Monaco.

The French league has mooted the idea of introducing a list of banned words in football stadiums in an attempt to combat homophobia and bad language, but Nimes supporters hit back by telling them to “go fuck yourselves”.

A message over the PA system was read out to fans warning them to stop the chants or the game could be stopped, before the match continued with the Monaco supporters joining in with their

Nimes counterparts.

Later on Sunday, Paris Saint-Germain’s ‘ultra’ fans also vented their fury towards the league during their game against Toulouse, displaying a banner which read: “Stop ultraphobia.”

Instructions were sent to referees before the start of the season to stop matches if homophobic songs could be heard, and the Ligue 2 game on August 16 between Nancy and Le Mans was halted for a few minutes -- a first in France.

That match only resumed after Nancy players pleaded with their fans to stop.

Like Sunday’s game, those chants were directed at league authorities.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019

S P

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CAF Champions League Round: Pillars Out, Enyimba In

By Amaechi Agbo

G

hana Premier League giants, Kumasi Asante Kotoko maintained their superior head-to-head record against Nigeria clubs sides when they dumped out NPFL side Kano Pillars 2-0 in the second leg of this year’s CAF Champions League preliminary round fixture at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi.

The two clubs locked horns on Sunday afternoon in Kumasi in a bid to oust the other to secure progression to the next phase of the top-tier inter-club competition organized by the continent’s football governing body, CAF. Prior to the fixture, Kano Pillars had already won the first leg 3-2 and had a slight advantage over the Ghanaian side.

At the end of an edgy second leg encounter, however, it is the Porcupine Warriors that triumphed by eliminating their opponent from Kano, Nigeria’s Centre of Commerce.

A good start to the match saw the home side taking the lead just 3 minutes into the first half. Summer signing Kelvin Andoh reacted quickest in the 18-yard box of Kano Pillars to slot home the opening goal of the match after Richard Arthur’s shot had been parried by goalkeeper Suraji Ayeleso.

Coach Kjetil Zachariassen’s men continued to dominate the Nigerian club but failed to scored again before going into the half-time break.

Kotoko resumed the second half in the same fashion and made sure they dictated the pace of the match. They finally scored their insurance goal on the 88th minute through Emmanuel Gyamfi.

The pacey winger latched onto a chested pass from striker Naby Keita and fired home from close range.

The result sees Kotoko progressing into the next phase of the CAF Champions

Enyimba FC League after emerging as 4-3 aggregate winners by virtue of the away goal rule.

It was gloomy for Pillars in Kumasi, it was all smiles for the second Nigerian representatives in the competition Enyimba of Aba as they hit Rahimo FC of Burkina Faso 5-0 to advance to the next round 5-1 on aggregate.

However, it was a sweet victory in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria as Nigeria’s league

champions, Enyimba FC, despite playing in empty stadium, following CAF’s order, made light of Burkina Faso side, Rahino FC as they trashed the visitors 5-1 on aggregate to progress to the second round.

With their victory, the Aba Elephants will play Al-Hilal Omdurman from Sudan while CAF Confederation Cup campaigners, Rangers FC of Enugu who got a bye in the first preliminary round will tackle AS

Pelican of Gabon.

The first leg of the two competitions will hold on the weekend of September 13 and 15 while the return leg will hold two weeks later.

Nigeria, despite having four clubs CAF club competitions, is left with only two as Kano Pillars – CAF Champions League and Niger Tornadoes – Confederation Cup all crashed out over the weekend.

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SPORTS Many have gone on Lafia-Akwanga road

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aris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe will be out for four weeks and Edinson Cavani for three weeks after both came off injured in a Ligue 1 match against Toulouse on Sunday, the French champions have confirmed.

French World Cup-winning star Mbappe limped off after hurting his left hamstring during a trademark sprint in PSG’s 4-0 win at the Parc des Princes.

The injury means he will miss PSG’s opening Champions League group game, which is set for September 17 or 18.

Fellow forward Cavani came off with a hip injury in the same game and PSG confirmed the Uruguayan will be out for three weeks, meaning he could be ready in time for the start of their Champions League campaign.

The injuries come as uncertainty continues to surround Neymar.

Bolton face EFL expulsion after sale collapses

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olton Wanderers face being expelled from the English Football League (EFL) after a proposed takeover of the troubled League One (third-tier) club collapsed, administrators said on Monday.

Bolton, who have been in administration since May, started the season with a 12-point deduction and manager Phil Parkinson and his assistant Steve Parkin resigned last week.

The club have been given until 5:00 p.m. BST (1600 GMT) on Tuesday to find a buyer or “give compelling reasons for an extension” after a takeover deal that would have rescued them from liquidation fell through on Saturday.

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he recent attack on the convoy of the Nasarawa State deputy governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe who is barely three months old in office along the Lafia – Akwanga road in Nasarawa state is not the first on V.I.Ps (very important personalities) on that highway. What is shocking is that one, two, three policemen and two other persons were killed by the apparently rampaging bandits. Dr. Akabe himself who was visibly shaken at such deaths was unharmed.

The deputy governor had to shelve his official assignment to Abuja, headed back to Lafia, the state capital and immediately visited the State Specialist Hospital where corpses of the fallen policemen and others were deposited. According to accounts at about 6p.m., the convoy was alerted of a robbery operation ahead of them and stopped for apparent consultation among the security personnel. Thereafter it was decided that the policemen should clear the road for safe passage by leading the convoy and shooting in the air to scare away the robbers. Sadly, the gunmen fired at the policemen, killing aforementioned five persons. They escaped. This writer is ignoring all the conspiracy theories about the incident being spewed by gossipers, male and female alike.

A visibly angry Governor Abdullahi Sule immediately called a security meeting where he vowed to take drastic actions against such hoodlums and their ilk. Governor Sule should be understandably concerned because the northern senatorial zone where this incident occurred is his base, he hails from Akwanga local government area.

The governor later told state house correspondents that the bandits were able to gun down the policemen and others because they greatly outnumbered them (police), disclosing that the gunmen were 40! Can you imagine such number of armed bandits carrying out a robbery operation before the deputy governor’s convoy arrived, that is, the scale of their operation, the number of motorists they would have robbed? That would have made headline news. However, the status of Dr. Akabe as a deputy governor and the number of policemen killed overshadowed and indeed ‘killed’ the news of the several other persons that were victims of those robbers that attacked his convoy. Another deputy governor of Nasarawa State suffered a similar fate on that same highway. Some years ago, during the second tenure of then Governor Abdullahi Adamu, his then deputy, Hon. Labaran Maku’s convoy was attacked on the Lafia - Akwanga road. However, there were no casualties as security men

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By VICTORIA NGOZI IKEANO vikeano@yahoo.co.uk 08033077519 in the erstwhile deputy governor’s entourage chased the bandits into the bush where they disappeared.

Way back in 2004 the Benue State governor then, Chief George Akume was also targeted on that same Lafia-Akwanga highway and in fact he lost a friend who sat beside him in his official jeep vehicle. The deceased was Mr. Andrew Agom, then managing director of the now defunct Nigeria Airways. A security detail, Sergeant John Ngam was also killed in that attack which happened around 7 a.m. Akume was heading to Kaduna to attend a meeting of northern governors when the gunmen struck, their bullet piercing the window to hit Agom who sat together with him.

He was rushed to the National Hospital, Abuja where he gave up the ghost. To say that the former Benue state governor now a minister of the federal republic miraculously escaped death is no exaggeration. In march of this year the wife of an official of the NUJ Correspondents’ chapel, Nasarawa state and her friends were kidnapped on the highway while on their way to Keffi. They were later released after payment of some ransom. Many a public servant who do not enjoy privilege of police escorts as well as many private citizens have fallen prey to robbers on this Lafia – Akwanga road. And those that ply this road frequently would have experienced having to stop somewhere along the road in a long queue of private and commercial vehicles as news filter that robbers are ‘operating in front’, continuing their journey only when signal reaches them confirming that the hoodlums have

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left.

This Lafia – Akwanga highway is also notorious for motor accidents. Indeed there was a portion of the road named ‘Many have gone’, so-called because of the fatal accidents that occur there.

Before its reconstruction by the federal government (a construction that is still ongoing in certain parts as it is gathered that the plan is to dualise the road), it was a snaky, hilly, undulating highway.

Heavy vehicles such as trucks and trailers that cannot climb the hilly parts often break down on the road, obstructing traffic. With the reconstruction the hilly parts have largely been levelled. The ‘many have gone’ portion has been renamed ‘many have survived’.

Accidents still do occur on this road though. On September 18, 2012 there was an accident involving a Hilux vehicle with registration number NSGH 37 and a commuter bus with plate number XC212 GW. A total of 19 persons including two policemen died in that unfortunate accident with only one survivor.

There are several others involving ordinary Nigerians.

In 2015 a bizarre incident which almost resulted in the immediate past governor, Alhaji Tanko Almakura’s convoy having an accident on this Lafia-Akwanga road occurred. The government in an official statement stated what happened thus, “On Thursday September 10, at about 3p.m. when the convoy of His Excellency was approaching Nasarawa Eggon local government, a vehicle was right in the middle of the road and in spite of several efforts by the police outrider and the pilot to slow the car down,

A security detail, Sergeant John Ngam was also killed in that attack which happened around 7 a.m.

Akume was heading to Kaduna to attend a meeting of northern governors when the gunmen struck, their bullet piercing the window to hit Agom who sat together with him

the vehicle remained right in the centre of the road refusing to make way for the convoy which nearly caused an accident. The action of the vehicle gave room for suspicion.

After a close look at the vehicle, the Escort commander noticed a woman driving with a minor in the front seat and directed the convoy to track her with caution. This took three to five minutes before the Escort commander managed to halt her. She stopped abruptly on the road forcing the convoy to also stop and other road users, causing heavy traffic along the highway. As she came out she began to rain abuses on the police boasting that she is a lawyer and daughter of a police Commissioner and has the right to drive the way she wants. Noticing her unruly behaviour, the Governor directed the Escort commander to invite the police from the nearest police station to handle the matter to avoid further congestion and obstruction of traffic on the highway while the convoy continued on its journey to Abuja”. The lady had said that she was assaulted, an allegation the governor vehemently denied.

One sympathises with the deputy governor and his boss, the government and people of Nasarawa state, the Police and families of those who lost their lives over the convoy attack by hoodlums.

However, it appears the policemen took things for granted. One wonders why they were not wearing bullet-proof jackets. I believe that the appropriate authorities would have learnt some lessons from this ugly incident and that they are taking needed actions to avoid/ mitigate similar incidents in future.

For the safety of the ordinary users of this highway though, the police should consider reintroducing checkpoints on the road. A police post(s) could also be erected along this road.

DAN GAYE DANGAI

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