Month: September 2023

Gunmen have killed 10 persons and injured one at Kulben community, Gindiri District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau.

A member of the community, Mr Jerry Datim, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Jos, that the incident occurred on Sunday night.

“Last night, at about 8:40 p.m., some gunmen attacked Kulben community, killed 10 persons and injured one.

“The criminals invaded the village and started shooting sporadically. People started running to safety but the bullets killed some whose bodies were later found.

“We alerted the security personnel, but before they got there, the attackers had moved from the community,” he said.

DSP Alfred Alabo, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state was not available for comments when a NAN correspondent visited his office

However, a senior Police officer, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the command had launched a manhunt on the attackers with a view of making them face the full wrath of the law.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders in Nigeria (CRFFN) has commenced induction and orientation programme for its 237 staff across the council’s four Zonal offices in the country.

The Acting Registrar of CRFFN, Mrs Chinyere Uromta, said this in Abuja on Monday.

According to Uromta, the programme will start with 60 staff members in the Abuja zonal office, while the staff in Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt zonal offices will follow thereafter.

She said that the aim of the induction and orientation was to enhance the productivity and capacity building of the staff in line with the Act and the Mandate of the CRFFN.

Uromta said as a revenue generating agency of the Federal Government, “if the staff were well trained and they know the mandate of the council, it will impact positively on CRFFN and generate more revenues than their peers”.

She said as the acting registrar of CRFFN, one of her aims was to reform the council and to motivate the members of staff and boost their efficiency at the workplace.

Uromta said that she had directed that every staff must have a copy of the agency’s mandate, to ensure that they were well informed of the act and mandate of council.

Mr Benjamin Ojumah, CRFFN Director of Research and Development, expressed happiness for the induction and orientation organised for the staff and management of the Council.

Ojumah said that the programme would be impactful and would help improve the skills and productivity of the staff as well as the organisation.

Mrs Theresa Enayi, Principal Enforcement Officer of the council expressed satisfaction for the programme, adding that it had been long such an event was carried out by the management for the members of staff.

She called for the continuity the programme, noting that it would sharpen the skills and experience of the staff.

Hauwa Tafiida, one of the participants who spoke on behalf of other beneficiaries, thanked the management of CRFFN for the event and urged it to make it an annual event.

Mr Samuel Abalaka, one of the Resource Persons for the programme, said the induction was one of the three core training modules captured as the number one priority in the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP).

Abalaka added that the training modules which started in 2017 and would run until 2025, was to equip civil servants with the right knowledge and skills, to enable them function effectively at work.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike has cautioned contractors handling the rehabilitation of 135 roads in the capital city and civil engineering services against contract variations.

Wike, who gave the warning while inaugurating the projects in Abuja on Monday, said that the project would be completed in six months.

He said that the FCT would pay all the contractors their money to enable them to complete the project within the agreed timeline.

“To the contractors, let me warn you now, all these things you are doing with engineering services will not work again.

“Nothing like variation; it will not work. Kobo, one naira, in the next seven days it becomes N15, it will not work again; it will not work, so don’t even try it. There is no variation in this job.

“We have the money to pay you. So, if you like to go to engineering services and do anything with them, it will not work.

“We are paying you your money and I assure you that nobody will owe you a dime. We are going to pay you and you must finish within the time we have agreed with you,” he said.

He also told the Permanent Secretary, FCT Administration, Mr Olusade Adesola, that he would not entertain any paper asking for reconsideration or a file for unanticipated issues, saying that “everything has been considered and anticipated”.

The minister urged residents to support the contractors to enable them to finish the job on time, adding that no development come without some pains.

He also solicited for the support of traditional rulers to ensure that youths and all residents of their communities support the contractors to deliver the job on time.

Wike thanked the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Mr Christopher Maikalangu, for publicly declaring the council chairmen readiness to work with the FCT Administration for the interest of FCT residents.

Earlier, the Minister of State, FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, said that the FCT Administration had recorded significant achievements in the transformation of the capital city in the three weeks of Mr Project (Wike) in office.

Mahmoud said that the issue of streetlight had been addressed; the problem of sanitation was being attended to, and the road infrastructure would be transformed to impact positively on the residents.

Also, Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Adesola, said that the projects involved the rehabilitation and resurfacing of 135 existing roads and remedial works on bridges in various districts of the FCT.

“This transformative project, according to him, will significantly impact the lives of the people of the federal capital,” he said.

He urged the contractors to meet the timeline agreed for the projects to be delivered, saying “your money is available for payment; it is up to you to work and get paid.

On his part, Mr Ahmed Hadi, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, said that a substantial number of the roads in Phase I, developed since the 1980 had deteriorated.

Hadi said that the project would involve scarification and removal of the existing asphalt in some locations while in other places it would be asphalt overlay.

He said that the 135 roads in Wuse, Garki, some areas in Maitama and Asokoro would be involved, covering 42 kilometres.

“When completed, there will be enhanced traffic flow and reduction in travel time and the roads will be a bit safer,” he said.

The Chairman, House Committee on FCT, Mr Muktar Betara, expressed confidence in the ability of Wike to deliver on the transformative agenda for the FCT.

He assured the minister of the committee’s support to enable him to succeed in his task of making FCT the desired destination of all Nigerians.

Similarly, the Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, thanked the minister for taking a giant step to deliver the dividend of democracy to the residents of the city and assured him of the traditional council support.

In his remark, Maikalangu commended Wike for the laudable feat, and appealed that the gesture be extended to rural communities to complement efforts of the six Area Councils in accelerating development in the area.

He assured the minister of the support of the council chairmen to ensure the completion of the projects.

Responding on behalf of the contractors, Mr Obada Zabadne, Chief Executive Officer, ZBMC Ltd, acknowledged the government’s confidence and trust to deliver quality projects.

He assured the minister of the contractors’ commitment to achieve beyond expectations and within agreed time. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Arewa Progressive Youth Forum (APYF) has commended the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa for keying into the Federal Government’s poverty alleviation programmes for families of wounded and fallen soldiers.

This is contained in a statement by the President of APYF, Saidu Danladi and Secretary, Maryam Bugaje, on Monday in Abuja.

The group also commended the military troops for the intensified operations against bandits and terrorists in the Northern region.

It said the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, had at a recent meeting with the CDS, hinted that the government would expand the social register to accommodate military personnel that had either been wounded or affected by war and families of the deceased personnel.

The group said the initiative would boost morale of troops that are currently engaged in internal security operations across the country.

It said the move would be a source of encouragement to troops to continue to give their best in defence of their fatherland knowing that their welfare was of utmost concern to the government.

According to the group, tackling the security challenges facing the North and the entire country calls for adequate attention to troops welfare.

“We commend the Chief of Defence Staff for keying into the Federal Government poverty alleviation programmes for families of wounded and fallen soldiers. It is definitely a morale booster for troops.

“We Northerners have really suffered banditry and terrorism as life has not been normal in our region with businesses closed down and our people continuing to struggle to survive for some years now.

“We are very much aware that troops tackling these malaise will be encouraged by this cheering news which concerns their welfare.

“We continue to urge youths to eschew all negative vices which has put us in this mess,” the group added.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal, on Monday, sacked the son of Prof. Jerry Gana, Rep Joshua Audu-Gana, from the House of Representatives.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rep Joshua Audu-Gana was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency of Niger State in the Feb. 25 general elections.

Gana, who won the election with 47,942 votes as against 40,003 votes scored by the candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr Abdullahi Usman Gbatamagi, was declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Dissatisfied with the declaration, the APC and its candidate, Gbatamagi, through their Counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN, challenged the return of Gana.

The petition is via a petition number: EPT/NG/HR/06/2023 on the ground that the election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022 in that the margin of win was less than the permanent voter cards (PVCs) collected in the polling units where elections did not hold or were cancelled.

Delivering the judgment on Monday, the three-member tribunal headed by Justice Sylvester Godspower agreed with Mr Usman’s arguments.

The tribunal proceeded to invalidate votes in the 26 polling units of the constituency, thereby reducing the votes of Gana to 46,494 votes while that of Gbatamagi now stood at 39,159 votes, leaving the PVCs collected in the affected polling units at 14,411.

The tribunal consequently set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Joshua Gana by INEC and ordered the commission to conduct a supplementary election in the 26 polling units within 90 days of the judgment with a view to determining the winner of the election.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Nigeria and the United Arab Emirate (UAE) have finalised agreement on the lifting of visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers and the immediate resumption of flights by Etihad and Emirates Airlines.

This followed the visit of President Bola Tinubu to the emirate on Monday after his visit to the G20 summit in New Delhi, India.

At the receiving of letter of credence of the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Salem Al-Shamsi, Tinubu had pledged to influence the return of cordial relations with the emirate at a personal level.

A statement by presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said that the immediate restoration of flight of these airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government.

‘’In recognition of President Tinubu’s economic development diplomacy drive and proposals today presented by President Tinubu to his counterpart, an agreed framework has been established.

‘’It will involve several billions of U.S. dollars’ worth of new investments into Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defence, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the UAE.

‘’Additionally, President Tinubu is pleased to have successfully negotiated a joint, new foreign exchange liquidity programme between the two Governments, which will be announced in detail in the coming weeks.’’

The President commended the UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for his unalloyed friendship and determination to normalised the relations between the two countries.

In October 2022, the UAE authorities imposed a visa ban on Nigerians, coinciding with the suspension of flights by Emirates.

Nigerian airline, Air Peace, also ceased its Dubai flights in response to the UAE’s visa issuance halt for potential travellers.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria