News Junkie: January 2016

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

400 widows, others empowered by Foundation

An Anambra-based group, the Onwa Igbariam Empowerment Foundation, has empowered no fewer than 400 widows and some people living with disabilities with cash and food items worth millions of naira.

The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) in Plateau confirmed that 17 poultry farms have been affected by the avian influenza with over 58,000 birds killed in the state.

A pregnant business woman, Mrs Tosin Taiwo, detained at Surulere Police Station in Lagos collapsed in the cell after for four days before she was forcefully granted bail.

Ugandan women flown home from Saudi Arabia amid maid ban

Seven women stranded in a Saudi hostel have been flown home, Uganda's ambassador to Saudi Arabia says.

A South African mayor has defended the decision to award scholarships to 16 female university students, which are conditional on them remaining virgins.

The Imo Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the rescue of two sisters abducted from Umulogho community in the state.

A Deputy Commissioner of Police,Dave Akiremi, in the state, said the sisters were snatched by four gunmen who broke into the house of one Mrs Christiana Iroh on Jan. 11 at Umuadara and abducted two of her triplets.

5 in Police net for gang raping a minor in Kaduna‎

Five men have been arrested by the Kaduna State Police Command for alleged criminal conspiracy, abduction and rape of a 16 year-old girl in Kaduna.

Kenyans honour 'hero' Muslim who saved Christians

A social media campaign to raise funds for the family of a Muslim teacher who died protecting Christians during an attack in Kenya is gaining traction, with people hailing him as a "genuine hero" and a symbol of the country.

The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja has fixed Monday for ruling on two separate motions seeking to stop the inauguration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as governor on January 27.

The two motions seeking an order of the tribunal to stop the inauguration were filed by counsel to Governor Idris Wada and PDP, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) and that of Labour Party, Reuben Egwuaba.

Perpetua Nkwocha coaching Afghan migrants in Sweden

Nigerian football star Perpetua Nkwocha knows what it's like to find yourself many miles from home, making a new life.

Student stabs colleague to death in Kano

A student of First Grade College in Kano, Sadik Ado-maje, has stabbed his colleague, Usman Salisu, to death.

An eyewitness in Kano on Thursday that the incident happened around 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

A wanted Boko Haram kingpin, Jarasu Shira, was arrested yesterday morning in Damboa, Borno State, Daily Trust learnt. The suspect, who also goes by the alias Jarido, was arrested at a motor park at about 8.30am along with 10 other suspected members of the group who escorted him to Damboa to board a vehicle to Biu.

The Borno government said on Wednesday that would collaborate with the UN Human Right Council in the rehabilitation of victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the state.

Alhaji Usman Durkuwa, the Deputy Governor said this while receiving a team of UN rapporteurs on Human Rights in Maiduguri.

Durkuwa represented Gov. Kashim Shettima at the event.

NGO evacuates 1,300 refuse sites in Kaduna

A Kaduna based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Safety Awareness and Environmental Support Initiative, on Wednesday said it had evacuated 1,300 refuse dump sites in four local government areas of Kaduna State.

Mr Yahaya Mohammed, Controller-General of the NGO, said that the refuse was evacuated from Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Chikun and Igabi local government areas within seven days.

An Ojo Customary Court in Lagos on Tuesday dissolved a 9-year-old marriage between Adewale Adeniran and his wife, Zainab over frequent fighting and threat to life.

The President of the court, Mrs Veronica Willoughby, gave the dissolution order in a judgment delivered in a petition filed by Zainab on Aug.17, 2015.

A Minna Magistrates' Court on Tuesday remanded one Yahaya Garba, 27, in prison custody for allegedly raping a seven-year-old girl.

Garba was arraigned on a one-count charge of rape, contrary to Section 283 of the Penal Code.

The World Food Programme (WFP) estimated that 14 million people were facing hunger in Southern Africa due to prolonged dry spells that led to a poor harvest last year.

UN Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, said on Tuesday in New York at a daily briefing that El Nino global weather event was leading to even worse drought across the region and was already affecting this year's crop

The UN on Tuesday said that the formation of the Government of National Accord (GNA) was one important leap on the path to peace and stability in Libya.

Mr Martin Kobler, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, said this in a congratulatory statement to the Libyan people.

Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Tuesday launched an enrollment programme which would admit 1,268,000 new pupils into primary and junior secondary schools across the state.

The programme, launched at Bodinga town, headquarters of Bodinga Local Government Area of the state, was aimed at enhancing universal basic education to eligible children.

While advanced societies are trying to wage a war to stop child marriage, in Zaria parents joined their eight year old daughter and fourteen years old SS1 boy in matrimony.

They are of the Baba Ahmed family in Zaria and this is reportedly not the first of such marriages they have conducted.

The Gombe State House of Assembly is to review its laws on the environment in line with global standards.

Refuse takes over kogi state capital

Residents in Lokoja have expressed concern over the massive heaps of refuse currently littering the highways and streets of Lokoja, the state capital.

They disclosed this in separate interviews with News Junkie in Lokoja.

The refuse heaps continued to litter the streets of the capital in the past few weeks in which the filthy situation of the state had become a cause for concern due to the danger it posed to human health and the environment.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday called for greater global cooperation against the devastating effects of climate change to avert disaster for the human race in the 21st century.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Femi Adesina.

The statement quoted the President Buhari as speaking at the opening of the 2016 World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The president reaffirmed Nigeria's readiness to work with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and rest of the world in a collective effort to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Some residents of Ibolo community in Obosi, near Onitsha, Anambra, have called on the state government to save them from the erosion menace threatening their existence.

The traditional ruler of Ibolo, Chief Anthony Ekechukwu, made the appeal at Ibolo on Monday while conducting newsmen round the erosion-devastated areas in the community.

Suspected armed robbers attacked players of Enyimba Football Club of Aba in the Okene area of Kogi state on Monday.

Human rights organisation Amnesty has accused Apple, Samsung and Sony, among others, of failing to do basic checks to ensure minerals used in their products are not mined by children.

In a report into cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it found children as young as seven working in dangerous conditions.

Kaduna State Govt begins feeding of 1.5m primary school pupils

The Kaduna State Government, on Monday commenced the feeding of 1.5 million children in over 4000 pubic primary schools in the state.
　
Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai flagged off the School Feeding Programme at Aliyu Makama LEA Primary School in Barnawa, Kaduna.
　
He said that the intervention was necessary to boost nutrition and health of the children, as well as encourage school attendance.
　

Kogi Guber Post-Election Matter And the legal Option before Yahaya Bello

By Shaibu Stephen Ojate

The death of Prince Abubakar Audu, the gubernatorial Candidate of All Progressive Congress in Kogi State had prompted the Independent National Electoral Commission to mandate the party to shop for his replacement.

The All Progressive Congress’s Party Chairman, Odigwe Oyegun on receiving the call for replacement from INEC announced that the party shall conduct another fresh Party’s Primary election to enable it nominate new Candidate to replace late Prince Abubakar Audu who died in the eve of the election when it was declared inconclusive.

The Party again had to reverse the earlier proclamation when respected legal luminaries in Nigeria offered legal advice that it will be wrong to conduct another primary election as the time lag stipulated in the electoral Act has already elapsed. They pointed out that nothing has invalidated the last primary as such, it still stands.

The All Progressive Congress had to summon stakeholders’ meeting to deliberate on the options for fielding one as replacement for their late flag-bearer in Kogi. It was on this note that the idea of adopting the second runner in the previous party’s primary election and the choice of the running mate to late Prince Abubakar Audu as Party’s Candidate came to offing.

After much touted consultation, deliberation and consideration, they settled for the nomination of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the second runner to late Prince Abubakar Audu in the last Party’s primary election. With this, the name of Alhaji Yahaya Bello was forwarded to Independent National Electoral Commission. The supplementary election was later conducted and Alhaji Yahaya Bello was declared the Kogi State Governor-elect as his party secured highest votes cast at the election.

The nomination of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as APC Party’s Candidate and his subsequent declaration as the winner of the last gubernatorial election has raised dust in Kogi State. Governor Capt Wada of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is contesting it saying with the death of Prince Abubakar Audu, he should be declared the Governor-elect and has commenced legal batch base on this argument.

The running mate of late Prince Abubakar Audu at the election, James Faleke was not left out as he too got displeased with the decision of All Progressive Congress Party’s hierarchy in nominating Alhaji Yahaya Bello as replacement for the late Party’s Candidate and has also gone to court.

James Faleke once approached the Federal High Court in Abuja where he challenged the nomination of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as Party’s Candidate noting that All Progressive Congress ought to have nominated him in the first instance with the death of his principal. His prayer at this Federal High court was thrown out and the court hinted that this was purely an election matter and does not fall under their jurisdiction.

James Faleke again has filed another legal suit against Alhaji Yahaya Bello at the election Tribunal challenging the decision of All Progressive Congress Party’s hierarchy in nominating him as replacement for the late Prince Abubakar Audu. One of his counts was, ‘with the death of late Party’s Candidate, the Independent National Election Commission ought to have declared him the winner as duo had already secured highest vote cast at the election’.

James Faleke based his take on the constitutional provision which stipulated that, ‘with the death of any Governor elect after the election, the deputy automatically becomes the Governor’. In other angle, the National Electoral Act provided that the Party shall nominate one to replace any of her Candidate at the election in event of death but this was not explicit as to whether such provision should still be adhered to while conducting election. The election being declared inconclusive as clearly pointed out above has caused the confusion in the whole saga.

I must point out to my readers that one salient point on this constitutional matter which James Faleke is hanging on and should not be shoved aside by sentiment and which could make him get the favour of the Court is the total number of registered Voters with Permanent Voters’ Card (PVS) eligible to vote at the supplementary election versus the leading margin figure. James Faleke might convince the court that he had a joint ticket with the late Audu and he is still alive and should be declared the Governor-elect as the duo led their opponents with high margin at the election.

With this, there is every possibility that the Court could as well look into the direction of James Faleke by coming out with a final judgement that the late Prince Abubakar Audu had already won the majority Vote cast noting that Independent National Electoral Commission erred in declaring the election inconclusive in the first instance and also their later call for the supplement election.

The Court could say ‘those with Permanent Voters’ Card for the supplementary election were less than the leading marginal figures at the first total count of the election and as such James Faleke should be declared the Governor.

In view of the above, as one of the public affairs commentators on the side of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, i have a very strong advice for him on how to overcome whatever position James Faleke might present to court to challenge his nomination.

Recall that after the gtgAll Progressive Congress primary election, the party constituted ‘PRIMARY ELECTION APPEAL COMMITTEE’ and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had once approached it to challenged late Prince Abubakar Audu eligibility for the party primary election. Alhaji Yahaya Bello had prayed to APC election appeal committee to disqualify (Prince Abubakar Audu) saying he never resign his position as Party leader in the State before standing for the primary, one of the laid down conditions for any APC party officials aspiring for political positions.

The election appeal committee had sat on this and came with a recommendation that the late Prince Abubakar Audu should be disqualified and to be replaced with the second runner, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. The recommendation was forwarded to the party’s hierarchy and was to be acted upon but they delay in implementing that as doing so at a time very close to the election could jeopardise the chances of the Party winning in Kogi State

As James Faleke is not ready to sheath his sword on the call of spirited individuals to allow the sleeping Dog lies by accepting the Deputy Governorship position which he stood for, i therefore call on Alhaji Yahaya Bello to echo to the ears of his Lawyers to declare to court that the late Prince Abubakar Audu was not duly qualify to stand for All Progressive Congress party primary election in the first instance.

He should buttress this with the earlier recommendation of the APC Appeal Committee panel as forwarded to the party’s hierarchy. His lawyer should tell court that base on this, James Faleke has no legal ground to challenge him as he (Alhaji Yahaya Bello) supposed to be the rightful Candidate of the Party.

There is a saying that ‘make the hay while the sun shine’ and I believe that making this presentation before the Court will go along a way to thwart any moves James Faleke might stand upon in convincing it to declare him the rightful Kogi State Governor-elect.

Shaibu Stephen Ojate is a Journalist and Public Affairs Commentator writes from Abuja. He is on facebook and reachable on 08052666344 or 08102658380

Alleged Rape: Ex aide to Gov. Ramalan, detained for raping a 16 year old

A lawyer by name Umar Magaji an ex aide to former Governor of kaduna state Ramalan Yero is presently being detained by the police at Magajin gari police station for allegedly raping a 16 year old girl at Angwan Rimi,Kaduna state .

WHO tasks journalists on health issues

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Consultant on Measles in Ogun, Miss Folashade Adepanisi has advised media practitioners to always guard against ambiguous reportage which may mislead Nigerians on government’s health campaign.

A former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, in Lagos identified
poor management and low quality of teachers as some of the factors that contributed ‎to the collapse of public education in Nigeria.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has described the death of Kate Keshi, wife of former Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi as `a loss to the football community in Nigeria.’

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed to eligible female voters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to register in the ongoing five days Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

A man in New Jersey has been arrested for the murder of his son because his teenage girlfriend doesn’t like children.

The United Nations says it has evidence that Burundi's security forces gang-raped women while searching the homes of suspected opposition leaders.

Violence: UN Women tasks religious, traditional leaders

Country Programme Director, UN Women, Dr Grace Ongile has called on religious leaders and traditional rulers to help end gender based violence in Nigeria by 2030.

Pearl Look Nigeria (PLN) has selected 20 models to participate in the grand finale of the 2016 edition of the Pearl Look Runway Model Competition to hold in Lagos on April 9.

A native doctor, Babatunde Ajisoloye, has been charged before an Ikeja High Court for alleged sexual assault and rape.

Town officials said a Male asylum-seekers have been banned from a German municipal indoor swimming pool after incidents where women bathers complained of sexual harassment.

The wife of the Vice President, Oludolapo Osinbajo, has commended Airtel, a mobile telecommunications giant, for transforming the lives of needy people through its "Airtel Touching Lives " reality programme.

Police command establishes unit to assist rape victims in Edo

The Edo Police command said it had established a Family Unit to assist rape victims to be properly integrated into the society without undergoing any psychological trauma.

Two persons, Ibrahim Nura, 22, and Blessing Uche, 35, on Thursday appeared before an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates' Court for breaking-in and stealing goods worth N75,000.

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has scrapped a decree which ordered female government employees to cover their hair at work.

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWGN) has cautioned Nigerians against engaging in acts that can cause religious crisis in any part of the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an investigation into the theft of the 219 girls from government secondary in Chibok, Borno state in April 2014.

The world bank-assisted FADAMA III additional financing project said it has designed a 150 million naira agricultural development programme for Kogi under FADAMA III programme.

Kogi state governor captain idris wada has officially flag off the N4.6 billion naira grade separation interchange project popularly called fly over bridge at ganaja junction lokoja.

There is a stand-off at the entrance to the presidential villa, Abuja, as members of the Bring Back Our Girls group, campaigning for the release of school children abducted by Boko Haram in 2014, insist they be allowed to meet President Muhammadu Buhari.

A former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, will on Jan. 15 deliver a paper at the 12th Annual Gani Fawehinmi Lecture organized by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch.

The theme of the lecture is, ``The Collapse of Public Education and the Past, Present and Future Prospects of the Nigerian State."

Miss Cynthia Ugbah, winner of Queen of Trust International 2015 , has resigned her position over an alleged claims of sexual harassment by the organizers of the pageant.

According to her resignation letter obtained in Abuja Cynthia said her decision was informed ``after much thought and careful consideration.’'

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

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Thursday, 14 January 2016