₦airaland Forum

The Academic Board of College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, has ordered the immediate closure of the Alexander Brown Hall until further notice.

The University Registrar, Mr Olujimi Olukoya, via a statement issued in Ibadan on Saturday, said the decision was taken by the academic board on Friday.

Olukoya said the board in the meeting considered the situation report with respect to students’ agitation, regarding an upward review of the professional training and accommodation fees as approved by the senate.

“In view of the security threat that the students’ action may pose, the board, therefore, recommended an immediate closure of the Alexander Brown Hall until further notice with a review of the situation in two weeks.
“Consequently, the vice-chancellor, on behalf of senate has approved the recommendation of the Academic Board of the College.
“Students resident in the Alexander Brown Hall are, therefore, directed to vacate the hall on or before 12noon of Saturday, 7 April, 2018.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students’ resident in the Alexander Brown Hall had on April 6, staged a protest over increase in the accommodation fees as approved by the senate.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/04/ui-senate-orders-immediate-closure-of.html

Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, to start mobilising ahead of the 2019 general election so as to chase the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of Government House with their votes. This is as he advised the people of Opobo Kingdom to blame their traditional rulers and chiefs if they fail to produce the next governor of the state come 2019. Amaechi spoke yesterday at Opobo Town, headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro local government area of Rivers State, during a reception organised for him and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, by the local chapter of APC. He said, “Let me tell you honestly, you must start mobilising. You have not shown enough anger. You must show enough anger to chase these idiots out of power. Enough anger that if anybody wants you, you can chase them out of Opobo.” The minister said that unlike traditional rulers and chiefs of Opobo Kingdom, the Ikwerre ethnic nationality worked together to ensure that they produced governor of the state in 2007. Amaechi, who is former Rivers State governor, said, “Now, let me tell you this; when Ikwerre people wanted to be governor, they came together and said they wanted governorship of Rivers State. Not one of our chiefs escaped, not one of our leaders escaped. “If you don’t get governorship of Rivers State, blame your chiefs. They have run away. Ikwerre people were united; whether you are from Emohua or Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt or Ikwerre. “We believed that our cause was to get the governorship of Rivers State. Today, they have run away, haven’t they? When we start (campaign), we will compare my first tenure with Wike’s first tenure. We have not started. I am here to appreciate Opobo people.” In his speech, director-general of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, said the people of Opobo/Nkoro local government area were grateful to Amaechi for bringing infrastructural development to the area during his tenure as governor of the state. Peterside said, “The people of Opobo/Nkoro are here today to honour someone who has done so much for us. For a very long time, Amaechi has taken up the challenge for the development of Opobo/Nkoro local government area. By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/04/amaechi-to-apc-prepare-to-remove-pdp.html

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Osun, under the aegis of Ex-PDP Political Office Holders, have condemned the burning of the party’s flags in Osogbo by Sen. Iyiola Omisore’s suspected supporters.

The group, at a news conference in Osogbo on Friday, said that they were saddened and disappointed by the action of Omisore, who they accused of supervising the burning of the flags.

Spokesman of the group, Mr Tajudeen Adeyemi, said that Omisore must tender an unreserved apology within 72 hours or be ready to face a disciplinary action.

Suspected supporters of Omisore invaded the party’s secretariat at Ogo Oluwa area of Osogbo on Thursday, lowered the party’s flags and set them ablaze.
They also vandalised the party’s signpost, logo and emblem.
Adeyemi said that Omisore’s action was the peak of his self-determined war against the PDP, the party which he had been a major beneficiary from.
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“He recently approached two different political parties which rejected him due to his political desperation.
“Ninety per cent of his hitherto supporters, some of whom were deceived with phantom empowerment programmes, have vowed to remain in PDP in the state under the leadership of Mr Soji Adagunodo.
“We wish to tender an unreserved apology of our party members to the National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus, for the disgraceful conduct of a misguided few who desecrated the symbols of our great party yesterday,” he said.
Adeyemi added that Omisore must unequivocally state the real position of his continued membership of the party.
Contacted, Omisore declined comment on the issue, but the Director-General of his faction of the party, Mr Bade Falade, said the burning of the flag was not at their instance.
“We gathered for what was our routine congress to brief our people about what happened between the last congress and now.
“But, before we knew it, our supporters, who were aggrieved, lowered the flags and set them ablaze.
“They were aggrieved and they had genuine reasons to be aggrieved, but the burning of the flags was not done at our own instance. They did it on their own,” Falade said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/04/pdp-condemns-torching-of-partys-flags.html

For engaged couples with a wedding on the horizon, it’s important to take stock of your relationship before, not after, you walk down the aisle.

Instead of spending all of your time and energy planning the wedding, think about investing some of those precious resources in your relationship ― particularly if you have doubts about whether you want to get into a lifelong partnership with the person you’re engaged to.

Below, marriage therapists reveal the behaviors that are serious enough to warrant postponing the wedding until you and your partner work things out. And if things still don’t improve, perhaps it’s worth reevaluating the relationship as a whole.

1. They frequently put other people and plans before you.


Does your partner cancel plans with you when something better comes up with his buddies? Or maybe she picks up a non-urgent work call while you two are out to dinner celebrating your birthday. If so, it might be a sign that your partner isn’t prioritizing you and your relationship.

“People get married for lots of reasons,” marriage and family therapist Aaron Anderson told HuffPost. “It’s not always for love. Make sure you’re not marrying someone who’s marrying you out of convenience. Make sure they’re putting you first. You don’t want to be the understanding spouse for the rest of your life, or soon you’ll start feeling like a doormat.”

2. They don’t communicate well.

Instead of having a productive conversation about a tricky topic ― like sex, family issues or money ― your partner either argues with you about it or just avoids the discussion altogether. It’s been said time and time again, but communication really is the cornerstone of a strong marriage. If you can’t talk candidly about the tough stuff, you might not be ready for marriage quite yet.

“The problems that develop when long-standing problems remain unsolved can ruin your relationship,” Tina Tessina, psychotherapist and co-author of How to Be a Couple and Still Be Free, told HuffPost. “Make it a point to talk about whatever seems difficult: You need to know how well you two can discuss the difficult things that will arise during a lifetime together.”

And if you can’t find a way to discuss these things without it turning into a blowout fight, it may be wise to see a couples therapist who can help you sharpen your communication skills.

“If that doesn’t work, the relationship probably won’t work either,” Tessina said.

3. They’ve cheated on you.

Infidelity doesn’t necessarily have to be a dealbreaker, but it’s certainly something that might give you pause leading up to the wedding. If your partner is genuinely remorseful and willing to do the work to uncover what drove them to be unfaithful in the first place, that’s a good sign. Before tying the knot, it’s also worth taking a closer look at any underlying issues in the relationship that could have contributed to the infidelity.

“While I disagree with the saying, ‘Once a cheater, always a cheater,’ there are always some significant mindset and behavior changes necessary to prevent this behavior from repeating,“ Kurt Smith, a therapist who specializes in counseling men, told HuffPost. “These new changes should be proven before getting married.”

4. They’ve stopped having ― or talking about ― sex with you.

Over the course of a relationship, it’s normal for both partners’ levels of sexual desire to fluctuate. What matters is whether you and your partner are able to have a healthy discussion about these inevitable ups and downs and can express what you do (and do not) like in bed. If your partner stonewalls you or refuses to take your concerns seriously now, it’s unlikely these issues will magically resolve themselves after you say “I do.”

“If you’re feeling strain in your sexual relationship now, then imagine what several more years is going to feel like,” Anderson told HuffPost. “A lifetime is a long time to be having bad sex. People think sexual difficulties are a pretty shallow reason to call off the engagement, but they’re even less understanding when it’s the cause of an affair or a divorce. Make the decision now or get the problem fixed before tying the knot.”

5. They’re dealing with addiction issues: drugs, alcohol or gambling.

Again, this one doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker if your partner is truly committed to their recovery. But untreated addictions can put a significant strain on the relationship, so you should not just turn the other cheek ― no matter how much you may love this person. If they are ready and willing to get help, that’s one thing. But if they’re still in denial, that’s another.

“Addictions aren’t easily or quickly resolved,” Smith told HuffPost. “It would be a big mistake for a partner to think they’ll be able to change this problem behavior about their future spouse. I can’t tell you how many spouses I’ve counseled who overlooked this in the beginning because they thought it wouldn’t be that bad.”

6. They’ve recently gone through a major life event like a career change, big move, or the illness or death of a parent.

These are not reasons to call off the wedding altogether, but they may be enough for you to at least consider the timing of your nuptials. It might be worth postponing the wedding until things settle and some level of normalcy returns to your partner’s life.

“Trying to build a foundation on shaky ground is never a good idea,” Susan Pease Gadoua, marriage therapist and the co-author of The New I Do: Reshaping Marriage for Skeptics, Realists and Rebels, told HuffPost. ”One couple I worked with was struggling from the fallout of the husband’s father’s illness, which took the newly married husband away from his wife. Although she understood on the one hand, on the other, she was resentful of how much he had to take care of his father. From her perspective, this should have been their newlywed time together.”

“In turn, he became resentful toward his new bride because she didn’t understand his relationship with his dad,” Gadoua continued. “Looking back, the wife could see that her husband was not fully present on their wedding day and those months prior. Intuitively, she knew he was not in a position to get married, but she thought they could ride the storm together.”

7. They’re controlling and emotionally volatile.

We all have good days and bad days. On bad days, we may not be the best versions of ourselves ― perhaps we’re cranky or short-tempered. But is bad behavior the exception or the rule with your partner? If, more often than not, your partner is having emotional outbursts, trying to control you (which could be a sign of emotional abuse) or exhibiting narcissistic behaviors, these are major warning signs that shouldn’t be ignored, Smith told HuffPost.

“Any behavior of this kind should be discussed with a mental health professional to determine the significance,” Smith said. “If characteristics such as these or others make you question if they might be a problem, they must not be ignored. These are some of the big causes for partners seeking marriage counseling later on.”

8. They’re dealing with significant mental health issues.

In a given year, nearly 1 in 5 American adults will experience a mental health condition. It’s that common. But if your partner is dealing with a severe, debilitating issue, the stress of an upcoming wedding may only add to their already very heavy mental and emotional load.

“I had clients who came in for premarital therapy a month before the wedding date and with each session, the male client slipped deeper and deeper into a dark hole of depression,” Laura Heck, couples therapist and creator of the online couples therapy series “ForBetter,” told HuffPost. “He hired an individual therapist who specializes in depression, who recommended he check himself into the hospital for a few days to keep him safe from self-harm. This was a major red flag and the point where it should have been clear that the wedding date was no longer the top priority.”

Against Heck’s advice to postpone the wedding, the couple married days after the groom was released from the hospital.

“Weddings can be stressful events; in fact a wedding scores a 50 out of 100 on the life change unit scale,” she said. “Anyone can experience an increase in anxiety or any preexisting conditions; however, suicidal thoughts and self-harm behaviors should take precedence and give pause to the decision to move forward with a looming wedding date. My recommendation is to postpone it and get to the bottom of where these symptoms are coming from.”

9. They keep secrets from you.

Say your partner went over budget one month or had dinner with an ex: Do they tell you, or say nothing and hope you don’t find out? Admitting our wrongdoings isn’t easy; it requires honesty and vulnerability. But ultimately, being upfront about these mistakes can help build a strong foundation for your future together.

“Lying to your partner about whether you have broken an agreement does more damage than breaking the agreement,” Tessina told HuffPost. “If you slip up, tell the truth. If it’s your partner who has slipped, be open to listening to him or her without blaming or getting upset, so the two of you can negotiate a solution to the problem.”

In any successful relationship, trust must be mutual, Tessina added.

“By that definition, if there’s a secret you don’t want to share, something may be wrong with the trust between you,” she said. “Sharing damaging secrets is an excellent way to test the viability of the relationship. I advocate sharing all.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/04/dont-get-married-yet-if-your-partner.html

Government dignitaries, the academic community, scientific world and students will convene when MultiChoice Africa together with its partner, Eutelsat, hosts the 7th edition of the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards in Kampala on 12 April to announce continental winners.

Uganda, popularly called the “Pearl of Africa”, has produced the most winners since the competition began and is hoping to achieve a similar feat by dominating the competition on home soil.

MultiChoice and Eutelsat have once collaborated with European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Paolo Nespoli to lead the continental awards assessment process, which will take place in Kampala on 11 April. Nespoli has an illustrious career spanning stints at the European Astronaut Centre (ESA/EAC) and NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston before being selected as an astronaut by the Italian Space Agency to fly as an ESA astronaut.

In 2017, for his third mission in space, named Vita, Nespoli spent 139 days on the International Space Station (ISS) during which he completed more than 60 experiments. Before that, he crewed on the 2007 Discovery shuttle mission and spent over five months in space in 2011 aboard the ISS, where he was responsible for a range of science and technology experiments and educational activities.

Nespoli will be assisted by a panel of industry experts consisting of Professor Funso Falade, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos; Mr. Michael Niyitegeka, Country Manager, ICDL Africa; Mr. Patrice Paquot, Deputy Regional Vice-President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Eutelsat; as well as Ms. Patricia Kichoncho, Operations Manager, MultiChoice Uganda.
The overall winner of the essay award will be rewarded with a trip, along with a parent/legal guardian to Eutelsat in France and attend a live rocket launch in French Guiana.
The overall winner of the poster award will similarly be entitled to a trip, along with a parent or legal guardian, to the MultiChoice offices and the South African Space Agency at Hartbeesthoek.
The schools attended by the overall award winners will be rewarded with a DStv installation, including dish, television, state-of-the-art PVR decoder and free access to the DStv Education Package.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/04/uganda-to-host-7th-dstv-eutelsat-star.html

The Senate has developed and is set to initiate two draft bills for legislation to tackle the menace of drug abuse in the country, especially among youth.

The bills are coming as the outcome of the roundtable convened by the President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, in December 2017 in Kano on the rising spate of drug abuse in the country,

The proposed bills are: National Drug Control Bill and National Mental Health Bill.

A statement by the Media Office of the President of the Senate said the Drug Control Bill seeks to clarifies the mandate and strengthen the capacity of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant law enforcement and regulatory bodies to eradicate the illicit production, and trafficking of controlled substances.
It also seeks to establish a central mechanism to facilitate collaboration among law enforcement, regulatory and public health authorities in line with the National Drug Control Policy.
The Bill further focuses on proactive law enforcement and regulatory measures towards the eradication of the illicit importation, production and trafficking of controlled substances.
It also criminalizes the diversion, distribution or otherwise dispensing of controlled substances without a prescription or license
In recognition of the fact that psychosocial issues are the key drivers for the abuse of psychoactive substance, the mental health Bill was crafted to ensure that standard facilities are available in every state to provide mental health and substance abuse services.
The proposed law guarantees the protection of the rights of people with mental illness and stipulates that mental health practitioners and facilities no longer engage in practices that are harmful to people with mental health and substance use disorders.
In recognizing the low number of mental health practitioners in the country with the ratio of practitioners at one psychiatrist to 1.6 million people, the draft law makes provision for quality mental health and substance abuse services available for women and adolescents, who are an underserved segment of the population.
Commenting on the draft bills, Saraki said a provision for stiffer sanctions would be made in the bills as proactive mechanism in the prevention of drug trafficking and abuse.
He pledged the commitment of the Senate in the speedy passage of the bills to give a legal framework to help mitigate drug abuse in the country.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/04/senate-initiates-two-bill-to-fight-drug.html

The Presidency on Monday said President Muhammadu Buhari would not take issue with former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his comment.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said this in an interview monitored on Channels Television.

Adesina said Buhari would not engage Obasanjo who was his senior in the military.


The presidential spokesman, however, said since Obasanjo did not say anything different from what was contained in a letter he released on the administration recently, the response provided by the Federal Government then was still relevant.

He said, “President Muhammadu Buhari will not take issue with former President Olusegun Obasanjo. One, President Obasanjo was his superior in the military.

“President Buhari was made a minister under him during the military regime. So, President Buhari will never take issue with him.

“Two, what President Obasanjo has just said is not different from what he said in his letter of January 23; and adequate response was given to that letter by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

“So, the response the minister gave to that letter suffices to whatever President Obasanjo has just said.”

When contacted on the telephone, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, also said he would not make a comment on the matter.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp insists “there will be fire” when the Merseyside club faces Manchester City in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League showdown.

The German said his confidence was hinged on the fact that his team, at their best, were capable of defying the odds to reach the semi-finals.

Manchester City visit Anfield in the first leg of their quarter-final tie, resuming a rivalry which has seen 12 goals scored in the last two meetings between the teams.


“If I had the choice to watch a UEFA Champions League game on Wednesday I would watch this one,” Klopp told reporters.

“It is about tactics, but there will be fire in the game. So, that’s cool. And it’s at Anfield anyway. So, a good atmosphere to watch.”

Liverpool suffered a 5-0 league defeat at the Etihad Stadium in September after forward Sadio Mane was sent off.

But they exacted their revenge with a 4-3 win at Anfield in January, which remains City’s only English Premier League defeat of the season.

In spite of the defeat, Pep Guardiola’s side remains 16 points clear at the top of the standings.

Klopp accepts it will be difficult to knock Manchester City out over two legs in Europe.

“Did we think before the first game we would lose 5-0? No. Did we think before the second we would win 4-3? No. But do we know we have a chance? Yes,” he added.

“Actually that was clear before, but they are the favourites. We should finish the game with 11 first of all, that would be cool. We know it’s difficult.


“At specific moments we are on a similar level, but they have been much more consistent, and that’s why they are higher in the league. We see our chance, but we know it will be unbelievably difficult.”

Both teams warmed up for the tie with away league wins over the weekend.

Liverpool cemented their third-place position in the table with a 2-1 triumph at Crystal Palace, while Manchester City eased to a 3-1 victory over Everton at Goodison Park.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/04/champions-league-there-will-be-fire.html

The President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has appealed to prominent Nigerians, who have national influence, to watch what they say.

It advised that they should use their influence wisely and not continue to engage in public declarations that were likely to inflame emotional passions and threaten National Security.



A statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu on Saturday said the presidency was very worried that criminal gangs will feel justified in defying legal governing and democratic institutions, and authority of legitimately elected democratic government if unrestrained pronouncements were made.
“Silence can be dignified, but sometimes it can be misinterpreted and exploited. It is both shocking and scary to hear the recent comments by a senior citizen calling for Nigerians to defend themselves.
“The Presidency commends the Nigerian military’s efforts to maintain peace and stability, despite being pulled in various directions by elements determined to destabilize the country and government for their selfish reasons.
“What country would survive if its citizens rise against the country’s organized, trained and equipped military?

“We advise former leaders to take advantage of the various fora where people with a history of national security can offer advice to the government without resorting to the exploitation of emotional sentiments.
“The civil war motto: “TO KEEP NIGERIA ONE IS A TASK THAT MUST BE DONE” rings very timely at this time in our nation’s history. We must be careful to avoid the mess that destroyed other African countries like Somalia,” he said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/watch-your-tongue-buhari-govt-warns.html

The Kaduna State government has vowed to go ahead with its request to the World Bank for a $350million loan, despite the decision on Thursday by the Senate that the Nigerian government should not guarantee the facility.

The Senate decided not to approve the loan request after a committee headed by Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna) advised against it on the ground that the state is the second most indebted in the country.

Mr. Sani, who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Loans, argued that the new loan if approved will erode economic viability of the State.

His position was supported by two other senators from the state, Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) and Danjuma La’ah (Kaduna South).

Reacting to the federal lawmakers’ decision, the state government said nothing can stop it from obtaining the loan for the development of the state.

The state Commissioner of Finance, Suleiman Abdu Kwari, at a news briefing in Kaduna on Friday said the excuse given on the floor of the Senate as to the size of the state’s loan was baseless.

Mr. Kwari said with the way the three senators from the state spoke against the loan, it was apparent they had put their personal frustrations above the right of the people of the state

He said the World Bank was convinced the state has met the conditions before given its approval for the loan.

“Having checked our laws, our accounts and our performance, the World Bank was convinced that Kaduna State merits their support. Therefore, on 20th June 2017, the World Bank announced that it has decided to provide a budget support facility of $350m to Kaduna State.

“Our Commissioners have appeared before the relevant committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and presented detailed explanations for the rationale and the purposes of the loan.







“Our delegates were commended for the quality of their presentations. Nobody in those committees of the National Assembly can honestly claim not to be aware of the justification and the purpose of the loan.

“In fact, the House of Representatives endorsed the loan. When our officials appeared before the Senate, no questions were asked,” the commissioner stated.

“The excuse given on the floor of the Senate as to the size of the loan is baseless. The creditor and the ratings agency have adjudged that Kaduna State can sustainably manage the credit which has a 10-year moratorium and a 40-year repayment period.

“The State average monthly FAAC allocation for the preceding 12 months is N3.295bn, while our current monthly debt service is N467.12million.

“Also, the monthly debt service forecast of the FGN Budget Support Facility of N14.169bn with a moratorium of 18 months and World Bank Loan of $350mn with a moratorium of 10 years are N191.767 mn and N98.843mn respectively.

“If the State is to repay all loans today, the total debt service would be N757.735mn representing 23% of total deductions as a percentage of total allocations.

“This is less than the threshold for sub-national borrowing, which is capped at 40%. In view of this, Kaduna State is within the sustainable debt level.

“What the Senate displayed was elevating the ego of some of its members above the demands of public policy.

“As the three senators from Kaduna State spoke, it was apparent that they have put their personal frustrations above the right of the people of Kaduna State to decent investment in human capital development through good schools and hospitals, and better quality of life and accelerated economic growth through the provision of infrastructure.”
Asked the next step the state government would take after the Senate rejected the loan, Mr. Kwari said: “There is still hope of getting the loan from the World Bank. This was because there are processes to be concluded at the National Assembly over the loan, including voting for or against by each lawmaker before final rejection or acceptance of the loan.

“No amount of blackmail, no amount of intimidation, no amount of misrepresentation, there is no going back for us as long as moving the State forward is concerned.

“We know the processes of the World Bank we passed through, it was like passing through the eyes of the needle to get the approval for the loan. So World Bank processes are not like any other institutions.

“If we can pass through World Bank processes to get to this stage, then there is still hope to get the loan for the development of the State.

“The National Assembly which I know very well, committees will be set up to look at the loan issue, and at the end of the day, the decision will be subjected to voting either for or against. In this case, no Senator or House Reps member has more than one vote.”

On the fear expressed by the senators that the loan if approved may be diverted, the commissioner said: “There is no way you collect World Bank loan and divert it to another project because one of the conditions of the bank is that the loan must be used for the sole purpose it was collected.

“I think the rate at which the state is moving in terms of development, some people will be made politically irrelevant because there is a new dawn in Kaduna where the traditional way of compromising development in the state is dead and buried.

“The loan, if obtained, will be used to build community roads, primary schools, secondary schools, health centres, and the economy of such (benefitting) communities will improve as other social activities will take place there.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/kaduna-govt-vows-to-pursue-350-million.html

The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has called on qualified Nigerians to take advantage of its overseas scholarship scheme to study in prestigious universities in the United Kingdom for Master’s and Doctorate degrees. A statement from PTDF says application process has already commenced with the invitation of qualified candidates to apply through PTDF to specific programmes at some institutions in the United Kingdom. The institutions include Imperial College London, University College London, Kings College London, University of Birmingham, University of Nottingham, University of Southampton, Newcastle University and the University of Manchester. Others are University of Liverpool, Cranfield University, Robert Gordon University, Heriot-Watt University, University of Salford, Portsmouth University, and the University of Dundee. According to the general manager, Education and Training Department, PTDF, Ahmed Galadima Aminu, masters’ degree applicant will undergo an aptitude test while PhD candidates will be interviewed. He said: “There will be no aptitude test for the MSc’s but for PhD candidates we still have the interviews. We now use the credentials of the applicants to assess them. If you have a first or second upper, you have a grading for that.” Speaking on how to fill the application form which is obtainable at the agencies website, he said, “We will also ask you to state the reason why you want to study the programme, after that we will ask you to submit your transcript which will be verified from the school. For the scratch card, there is no more use of scratch card, just go to the application website, click and it will provide you with the PIN number and you use the PIN number to apply”. He added that, the scholarship which is for the 2018/2019 academic session is highly competitive and only outstanding candidates who meet the selection criteria and other requirements will be awarded the scholarship. The candidates include academic merit evidenced by the quality of degrees(preferably second class upper 2.1), full academic transcripts and other professional qualifications, relevant publications (for PhD applicants) membership of Professional bodies, and the viability of the study, research plan. PTDF has also introduced a new criterion requiring applicants to make a case for their scholarship by submitting a statement of purpose stating why they want to undertake the study, the relevance of the proposed study to the oil and gas industry and its expected impact on national development. The full list of courses for the scholarship awards can be accessed on the PTDF website www.ptdf.gov.ng

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/ptdf-offers-overseas-scholarship.html

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, made the announcement on Thursday, after the Deputy Majority Leader, Bala Na’Allah (APC, Kebbi South) moved that the Senate adjourn for the day.

The suspension is because of the Easter celebrations for which the federal government already declared Friday and next Monday public holidays.

While wishing his colleagues a happy holiday, Mr Ekweremadu admonished his colleagues not to relent in praying for the nation.

“This is an opportunity for me to wish all of you and everyone a happy Easter and please let’s use the remaining period of the Lent to pray for our country for God to intervene in our lives and ensure that all these killings will stop and our economy would pick up and we continue to leave in unity and there would be progress all round.

“We believe that God would hear our prayers this period and wish everyone a happy Easter and look forward to seeing you again on the 10th of April,” he said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/senate-suspends-plenary-till-april-10.html

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has promoted 14 officers serving in the Kebbi Command.

The state NSCDC Commandant, Alhaji Sammani Ringim, who decorated the promoted officers in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, said the promotion was to motivate them for effective service delivery.

Ringim urged the newly promoted officers to uphold diligence and dedication to service.

“All officers elevated should stand out in the discharge of their duties, and be dedicated and committed to service.
“You should also reciprocate the gesture with discipline, hard work and vigilance,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the officers, the newly promoted Deputy Commandant, Bello Wali, assured that the officers would dedicated themselves to duty and live up to expectations in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“We commend the NSCDC for the promotion in due time,” he said, and called on the corps to uphold the culture of training and retraining of its personnel.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/nscdc-promotes-14-officers.html

Alhaji Abdullahi Salisu, the Coordinator, FCT Fadama III Additional Financing Project Office, has trained 3,510 famers across FCT through its capacity building component.

Salisu said this on Wednesday in Gwagwalada at the inauguration of distribution of farm inputs to production groups in FCT for the 2018 farming season.

He said the office had facilitated the implementation of 133 business plans out of the 333 prepared by production groups along three value chains, cassava, Rice and Sorghum.

The Coordinator said the office had also provided funding support as well as technical backstopping and mentoring to Fogbe Production Cluster to encourage community-based rice seed production.

According to him, under this support, two production groups were able to cultivate 20 hectares of Faro 44 Foundation Seed under the supervision of the National Seed Council.

“I am indeed excited that the Faro 44 Rice Foundation Seed we are distributing to our farmers today is a product of the Fogbe Community-Based Rice Seed Production Project,” he said.

He said the objective of Fadama III Additional Financing Project was to move farmers from subsistence to commercial production through ramping up of production across three selected staple crops supported by the project.

Salisu said the attainment of commercial farming was anchored on deployment as well as adoption of modern agricultural technologies and best practices.

He said the FCT Fadama III Additional Financing Office had facilitated the acquisition of quality inputs at the right time and at competitive prices to enable farmers make necessary preparations in good time.

In his remark, Mr Nzekwe IfeanyiChukwu, Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said the event was a millstone towards the development of agriculture in the FCT.

He commended the Fadama III Additional Financing Project in the FCT for its achievements in capacity building for farmers and distribution of inputs.

Ifeanyichukwu pledged the commitment of the FCTA to advance agriculture in the FCT, adding that the administration was committed towards the advancement of agriculture.

“This administration is working tirelessly towards ensuring the provision of farm inputs, linkages to sources of credit and markets as well as the provision of enabling environment for farmers in the FCT,” he said.

He commended the National Fadama Coordination Office (NFCO) for the Fadama Graduate Unemployed Youth and Women Agroprenuer Support (Fadama GUYS) Scheme initiative.

He said the initiative would create employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed graduate youths in the country.

He, therefore, called on the NFCO to expedite action in the disbursement of funds to the selected beneficiaries to ensure timely preparations for the 2018 cropping season.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/3510-fct-farmers-benefit-from-fadama.html

Senator Melaye threatens to sue IGP over the disappearance of his accusers from detention

Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has threatened to sue the Inspector-General of police, Ibrahim kpotun Idris for criminal trump-up allegation, undue harassment and intimidation over the allegation of conspiracy and illegal possession of fire arms preferred against him.

He declared on the floor of the upper chamber on Wednesday that the two criminal suspects who doubled as his accusers have escaped from detention.


This development was sequel to an adopted order 43 raised by the embattled senator.
In his explanation, Melaye said he was told this morning by his loyalists that there was an incident of jail break in Kogi state. And that the two suspects standing trial who had accused him of giving N430,000 to them and further equipped them with illegal fire arms have escaped from detention.
The lawmaker pointedly accused the police of masterminding the jail break to enable the suspects to escape. He said it was a panicky measure by the police following the panel constituted by the senate and the intervention of the international community in the matter.
It would be recalled that Melaye was due for arraignment today before the Federal High Court, Lokoja, capital of the state. He said the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Jimoh Moshood of the Police Force Headquarters, Abuja had threatened that the police would declare Melaye wanted if he fails to appear before the court today being March 28.

However, in the absence of the suspects in court, police was said to have asked that a warrant of arrest be granted against Melaye.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/senator-melaye-threatens-to-sue-igp.html

The emergency Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) convened by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, ended on Wednesday without resolving the crisis that derailed last Tuesday’s schedule.

Tuesday’s meeting ended in a stalemate following disagreements by representatives of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory over the amount presented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as revenue to be shared by the three tiers of government for February.

The Chairman, Forum of FAAC Commissioners, Mahmoud Yunusa, told reporters in Abuja the meeting, which did not last more than an hour, resolved to share what was available pending a formal reconciliation meeting to be convened with the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru.

The NNPC had presented about N74.06 billion as revenue from its operations for February.

But, members observed there were certain components of the revenue submission that required more explanation and clarification.

They decided to postpone further decisions on sharing the money until they were reconciled.

However, Mrs . Adeosun had stepped in and summoned an emergency meeting of the committee for Wednesday in an effort to resolve the differences.

full report at

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/emergency-faac-meeting-ends-without.html

Dr Sadiq Yahya, the Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa, says the institution would introduce new courses relevant to the new airport project in the area.

Yahya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Mubi that the airport project would attract more students to the institution.

The Adamawa Government commenced the construction of a new airport in Mubi to boost transportation in and out of the international area.
He said the management of the polytechnic would be proactive in expanding the structure of the institution to meet public demands on academics.
The rector listed courses such as Space Management, International Trade and Tourism among other relevant courses that would be introduced by the polytechnic.
According to him, the airport project will also boost student enrollment.
Yahya said that student enrollment had increased tremendously after the insurgency, hoping that the new project will add more value to the institution.
He said that the polytechnic has introduced more technological courses in line with the vision of the Federal Government on the advancement of technology education.
The rector commended Gov. Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa for his vision to develop the state to an enviable proportion, noting that the polytechnic is benefiting from the tremendous projects being executed by the governor.
He specifically acknowledged the construction of access roads linking various parts of the town with the institution.
He assured the governor that the polytechnic community would continue to support his administration to succeed in his vision of taking the state to greater height.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/fed-poly-mubi-to-introduce-courses.html

New evidence from fetal brain scans has shown that a mother’s stress level during pregnancy can change the neural connectivity in the brain of her unborn child, potentially affecting the baby’s brain functions.

NAN reports that Moriah Thomason, an assistant professor of Wayne State University, presented the new finding on Monday at the 25th meeting for the Cognitive Neuroscience Society in Boston, US.

Thomason explained that research in newborns and older children to understand prenatal influences has been confounded by the postnatal environment.

But recent advancements in fetal imaging allowed researchers to gain insight into a critical time period in brain development never previously accessible.

Using fetal resting-state FMRI or functional magnetic resonance imaging, they examined functional connectivity in 47 human fetuses scanned between the 30th and 37th week of gestation.

Conducting in-utero brain scans are challenging because of the always wriggling babies.


Thomason’s team recruited the participating mothers from a low-resource and high-stress urban setting, with many reporting high levels of depression, anxiety, worry, and stress.

They found that mothers reporting high stress had fetuses with a reduced efficiency in how their neural functional systems are organised.

It is the first time imaging has shown a direct influence of maternal stress on fetal brain development, independent of influences of the postnatal environment.

“The major thrill is that we have demonstrated what has long been theorized, but not yet observed in a human, which is that the stress of a mother during her pregnancy is reflected in connectional properties of her child’s developing brain,” Thomason said.

The researchers found that the cerebellum played a central role in the observed effects, suggesting it may be especially vulnerable to the effects of prenatal or early life stress.

The cerebellum has the highest density of glucocorticoid receptors, which are involved in stress responses, than any other place in the brain.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/stress-during-pregnancy-affects-childs.html

Suspected gunmen believed to the herdsmen during the weekend resumed attack on Agatu Local Government Area of Benue, killing two persons.

A source said the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when seven boys went to take their bath at the stream in the community.

“Unfortunately, they were ambushed at the stream by herdsmen who waylaid and opened fire on the unsuspecting victims, which led to the death of two of the boys.
“Others managed to escape. The matter was also reported at the Agatu Police Police state,” the source said.
Benue State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who confirmed the killing, described it as saddening and unacceptable given the efforts the command had made to ensure peace in the state.
“It is saddening but we will attain peaceful coexistence among farmers and herders and with that in place we will soon have the people displaced by the crisis return to their ancestral homes,” he said.
The attack came same day suspected herdsmen attacked a community in Guma, killing several persons and injuring others.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/breaking-herdsmen-return-to-agatu-kill-2.html

The Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has signed into law the Secret Cult, Societies and Similar Activities Prohibition Amendment Bill 2018, to stem the menace of secret cult in the State. According to Gov. Dickson,the new Secret Cult, Societies and Similar Activities Prohibition Amendment Law 2018 will make it mandatory for offenders to be jailed upon conviction, for not less than 20 years, without any option of fine. Governor Dickson noted with serious concern, the rise in cult and other related activities in the state, especially in Yenagoa and its environs, stressing that, with the amendment, the law enforcement agencies have been empowered to deal decisively with suspected cultists and their sponsors. Governor Dickson explained that, the amendment to the law, which had existed since May, 2012, was necessitated by the urgent need to check the rise in cult activities among youths. He said the amendment was necessary to give the law enforcement agencies more powers to proactively protect lives and property as well as safeguard the future of the state. The law also empowers the Police and other law enforcement agencies to conduct search on the homes of suspected cultists and sponsors, even without warrant, while buildings and premises used for cult, activities, initiations as well as the storage of arms and dangerous weapons will be forfeited to the Government. The law equally empowers the State Government to destroy such buildings and premises, without any compensation to its owners. While calling on landlords and property owners not to allow criminals and cultists to turn their property into centre of crime and criminality, the governor urged Bayelsans to report all suspicious and cult related activities to the appropriate authorities. According to a press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo, the Secret Cult/Societies and similar Activities Prohibition Amendment Law 2018, among other provisions stipulates that, the Police can arrest any person it suspects of involvement in cult and other related activities, without a warrant, conduct stop and search on motor vehicles, tricycle, boat or any place suspected to be used for cult and its related activities. It also allows for the arrest of the occupier of the house or where cult activities are suspected to have taken place or about to be held. He said: “As a government we cannot allow this ugly trend of events to continue unabated. A situation where children below 15, 16, 17 and majority of our youth population are members of one dangerous cult group or society, where they carry guns and other dangerous weapons and shoot, maim, kill and create insecurity in parts of the State is totally unacceptable. As a responsible government, we must put an end to this and it has to be now.’’ Responding, the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr Don Awunah said the new law puts the state on the front line in the fight against cultism and cult-related activities in the country. With the amendments, he believes the police now have the comprehensive powers to confront crime and criminality head-on, stressing that, most crimes in the state are cult-related!


http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/dickson-signs-anti-cult-bill-into-law.html

Maverick entertainer, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlyboy, on Monday reacted to a statement credited to the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that the Federal Government had been in a long ceasefire talk with the Boko Haram insurgents.

Mohammed had while addressing reporters in Lagos yesterday, disclosed that the government has been in a long ceasefire talk with members of the Boko Haram sect.

Reacting, the Our Mumu Don Do founder said terrorism will remain in the country for a very long time as it has become a big business in Nigeria.
Charlyboy while sharing a photo of Lai Mohammed on Instagram wrote, ”If the minister of ‘misinformation’ Lai Mohammed na your papa, brother or friend, help me tell am to go rest for him village.
” How can government be negotiating with Boko Haram he claimed were technically defeated. Terrorisim will be with us for a long time because it has become big business in Nigeria.
” Its beneficiaries are living large, trading with people’s lives. Der papa.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/charlyboy-reacts-to-fgs-ceasefire-talks.html

Controversial on-air personality, Daddy Freeze has reacted to the wedding Fatiha between Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s daughter, Fatima and Jamilu, son of a former Inspector-General of police, Muhammad Abubakar.

Recall that the last phase of the wedding between Fatima and Jamilu took place at the Emir of Kano’s palace over the weekend.


Reacting, Freeze took to his Twitter handle to bring out ten lessons learnt from the wedding.

He wrote: “1: One of the richest men in the world, Bill Gates, was one of the most humble in his dressing.

“2: Money and power know no religion.

“3: The usual showbiz social butterflies and event whores, whored from their homes. (Mention one person who falls into this category).


“4: Those of from lesson (3) above, who managed to attend, where humbled and subdued, only managing to whimper on social media.

“5: There was segregation…. REAL money was successfully quarantined away from entertainment money.

“6: If this could be done successfully in Nigeria, why are some people running abroad?

“7: Dangote has sent wedding planners back to the drawing boards.


“8: All it took to slay a slay queen this weekend, was to show her an invite to this wedding.

“9: The bride and the groom were stunning… and despite the tremendous amount of wealth, both stayed #Humble #HappyPeople

“10: The party is over now…. get back to work… if you want to be like Bill Gates or Dangote and have a wedding like this for your children, tomorrow is Monday and a perfect place to start putting those dreams into perspective and those plans Into action. ~FRZ”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/daddy-freeze-outlines-10-lessons-from.html

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, has directed the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), Yewande Sadiku, to return the sum of N477 million, being un-remitted Internally Generated Revenue, (IGR) realised between 2013 and 2014 to the treasury.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), further directed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to immediately arrest and prosecute the officers in charge of NIPC during the period under review.



The decision followed a query raised by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation (AuGF) in 2013 on the failings of the Council.

The committee had during the interrogation of NIPC top management uncovered infractions which attracted the queried and insisted it could not be ignored.

But NIPC boss, Sadiku admitted the infractions were true but quickly added she was not in charge when the violations occurred at the council.
She said: “At a particular period, the council was over debited with about N290 million and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) office have promised to make a refund.
“This must have probably accounted for why there is a shortfall of N477 million and when a refund is made amendments could be effected.”
She was however countered by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Ibrahim Baba, (APC, Bauchi), who said that “the Council is not a private company and the money in question belongs to the federal government because what you remitted is actually 25 per cent of your annual earnings.”
Chinda, however, asked the ES to revel the identities of the officers in charge of the council when the infractions were committed.
The chairman also demanded for reasons why the money was not remitted as and when due into government purse.
To this, the NIPC boss said: “I can’t explain why they failed to remit the money but as at that period, Mustafa Bello, Mrs. Saratu Umar and Mr. Sadiq Hassan who acted for only 3 months were in charge.”
Chinda, at this point said: “N477 million being IGR for 2013-2014 was not remitted to the CRF and we have no other option than to uphold the audit report.
“We are also referring this matter to the anti-graft commission to further dig deep into this matter and report to the clerk of this committee within 60days.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/house-cttee-orders-nipc-boss-to-refund.html

Governor Samuel Ortom, has stated that protracted attacks on Benue communities by suspected herdsmen was causing humanitarian and food crises.

The governor warned that if the development is not checked, it could result to famine across the land.



He stated this on Thursday when he visited Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Abagena, Daudu and Gbajimba camps.

According to Ortom, the continued displacement of the people could affect the next planting season, which will lead to food shortage in the state and the country at large.
Governor Ortom appealed to those in position of authority and capable of putting an end to the crisis to do so, saying the displaced children forced out of school could be those of anyone.
While assuring that he would do everything lawfully possible to ensure the return of the displaced to their homes, the Governor expressed optimism that God would rise and wage a war against the invaders.

He promised to sustain the supply of food and other relief materials to the displaced persons, stressing that medical attention would never cease in the camps.
The governor said the visit was to reassure the displaced persons that they were not abandoned in their predicament and that everything was being done to ensure that they return to their homes as soon as possible.
Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Emmanuel Shior, in an address, appreciated the commitment of the Governor in catering for the IDPs, even as he called on the Federal Government to step up support in that regard.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/herdsmen-attacks-ortom-cries-out-over.html

Joy among the residents of Umudioka Community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra knew no bound on that day when a widow, Mrs Rose Anene, alleged to have suffered a slight mental disorder, suddenly located her home and was re-united with her family.

Some residents of the community recall that her daughter, Mrs Ifeyinwa Uzozie, in her mid-40s presently, was barely seven years old when medical personnel discovered that Rose suffered from post child-birth complications that resulted in her condition.

Following the complications, her husband, Anene, who is now late, took her to a healthcare provider for treatment after which she was treated and discharged.

Having recuperated for a while, Rose a native of Ilorin, Kwara, took excuse from her husband to visit Ilorin and see her parents, a community member said, pleading anonymity.

She noted that Rose stayed for a while in Ilorin and the last information passed to her husband was that Rose claimed to have left Ilorin for Umudioka Awka, her husband’s home town.

According to the informant, since then, Rose has disappeared, leaving the community members to insinuate that her mental balance might have waned.

Her daughter, Mrs Ifeyinwa Uzozie, said that she had never enjoyed motherly care, except by her father who died some years ago.

“My other siblings and I believe that our mother is not dead and in our prayers, we always pray that God shall make her to return.

“It was like a dream when I received a telephone call from my younger brother recently that our mother was brought back to my father’s house by the officials of Caring Family Enhancement Initiative,’’ she said.

Mr Chukwudi Anene, the first son of Rose, appreciated Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, the wife of Anambra governor and the founder of the Caring Family Enhancement Initiative that treated and rehabilitated her mother.

“The tears rolling from my eyes are not of anger, but that of joy. How I wish my father who died some years ago could be alive to witness this,’’ he said.

Telling how Rose was discovered, Dr Victoria Chikelu, the Anambra State Ministry of Social Welfare, Children and Women Affairs, said that records of she showed that she was brought from Lagos to Anambra in 2004.

“Since I was appointed Commissioner for Women Affairs in 2014, Rose had been speaking only Yoruba language and had refused to say where she came from.

“But some days ago, she eventually spoke Igbo language and told us that she came from Umdioka Awka.

“We traversed the length and breadth of Umudioka Awka, following the description of her house she gave, before we finally located her family and she was reunited,’’ she said.

Sharing the community members’ happiness, Mr Leo Iwoba, Chairman, Awka South Local Government Area Transition Committee, said that the treatment and rehabilitation of Rose were not only a gesture to the family of Anene and Umudioka community, but a relief to the people in the area.

“I assure the residents that my council will make sure we support the family of Anene through visitation to ensure that Rose fully recovers from her challenge’’, he said.

The re-union of Rose and 10 other inmates of Mental Rehabilitation Centre, Nteje, was the highpoint of the 2018 International Women Day in Anambra, co-organised by Mrs Obiano and the state Ministry of Women Affairs recently.

Addressing guests at the event, Mrs Obiano said that she was delighted that the 2018 International Women’s Day was marked with the recovery of 11 inmates of the centre.

“I am delighted that some of our brothers and sisters who were once seen as incapable of meeting their obligations, due to various degrees of mental challenges, are today stronger.

“I must not forget the special case of our sister, Rose, who was once assumed lost but now found and physically fit to rejoin her children and other family members,’’, she said.

According to Mrs Obiano’s, more than 62 inmates out of which 47 have been treated and rehabilitated have passed through the centre since its inauguration in 2014.

She noted that some inmates of the centre were drawn from different states, including Abia, Ebonyi, Edo, Oyo State and Anambra, and were picked up from the streets for treatment and rehabilitation.

The governor’s wife explained that the inmates were sponsored to a corrective surgery as well as treatment of injuries sustained at the peak of their mental illness.

“The surgery funded by my centre is usually carried out at Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka; and we are happy to state that most of our inmates who go for the surgeries come out successfully’’, she said.

The governor’s wife also mentioned other achievements of the centre to include building of houses for indigent widows, toilets to promote hygiene in rural markets, training and empowerment of women, among others.

Mrs Obiano called on the public not to stigmatise the treated and discharged inmates of the centre, but to rather support them in taking their medication and other meaningfully engagement.

“I am using this opportunity to call for both financial, food items and other equipment to support and sustain the treatment and welfare of these inmates’’, she said.

She said that the International Women’s Day usually observed on every March 8 is a global day to make a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

“I am using this opportunity to call for the acceleration of the drive for gender parity as means of harnessing the strengths of women who are actively involved in ventures for societal progress’’, she said.

Participants who witnessed the re-union of eleven inmates at Nteje note that if other state governments across the country will replicate the development in Anambra, cases of mentally ill persons will reduce.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/mentally-ill-widow-re-unites-with.html

The accused , Tajudeen Olukoya, was on Thursday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly collecting N550, 000 from the complainant, Alhaji Umar on the pretext of leasing a space to the man for a“Suya” spot at D’Place Night Club ,lekki, Lagos. Suya is a spicy meat skewer which is a popular food item in Nigeria and West Africa; it is traditionally prepared in the Northern part of Nigeria. Olukoya, who claimed to be an estate agent, resides at Lekki area of Lagos Island and he is facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and obtaining under false pretences. The accused, according to the Police Prosecutor, Insp. Benson Emuerhi, committed the offences with others now at large sometime in September 2017 at Lekki, Lagos. “The accused collected the money and failed to lease out the space as promised and converted the money to personal use.’’ The offences contravened Sections 77, 287, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 314 stipulates 15 years imprisonment for obtaining money under false pretences. The accused, however, denied the charge. In her short ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule Amzat, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until May 21.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/estate-agent-bolts-with-suya-mans.html

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate the “2018 World Water Day, the UN Children’s Fund has called on Nigerian Government to make access to safe water a priority. This call was made in a statement by its Communication Specialist, Ms Eva Hinds in Abuja and made available to newsmen on Thursday.

According to the statement, safe water is a right, not a privilege for every child. “It is a matter for regret that no fewer than 69 million Nigerians lack access to safe water. “Access to safe drinking water remained a challenge to majority of Nigerians, especially those in the rural areas, where 19 million people walk long distances to collect unsafe water from lakes, streams and rivers.” Hinds quoted the recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), conducted by the Government of Nigeria in 2016/17, which indicates that about 40 per cent of households do not have access to clean water sources. “Children without access to safe water are more likely to die in infancy and throughout childhood from waterborne diseases. “Diarrhea remains the leading cause of death among children under five years of age in Nigeria. Waterborne diseases one of the major contribution to stunting,” she said. She said that lack of safe water and sanitation also makes children vulnerable to other threats beyond health. According to Hinds, a stunted child is shorter than she or he could have been and will never be able to reach her or his full cognitive potential. She also quoted Mr Zaid Jurji, Chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, UNICEF Nigeria, as saying that for Nigeria to achieve the global goal of providing access to safe water for every citizen by 2030, it needs to make water, together with sanitation and hygiene, a national priority. Jurji said the goal was closely linked with three key results for the country – good health, environment sustainability and economic prosperity. “Many children in rural areas spend hours daily collecting water, missing out on the opportunity to go to school. “Improving water and sanitation services, as well as basic hygiene practices in Nigeria, calls for a strong commitment from all partners; the government, the civil society, the private sector and communities. “UNICEF, in collaboration with the Federal, State and Local Governments, has provided safe water during the past five years to over eight million Nigerians living in rural areas.’’ Newsmen report that World Water Day is celebrated on March 22 yearly to focus attention on the importance of water. The theme for World Water Day 2018 is ‘Nature for Water’; exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/give-priority-to-access-to-safe-water.html

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday, for three days running, extended losses, dropping by 0.46 per cent, amid profit taking. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the All-Share Index dropped further by 190.93 points or 0.46 per cent to close at 41,495.43 against 41,686.36 recorded on Tuesday. Also, the market capitalisation, which opened at N14.912 trillion, dipped N68 billion or 0.46 per cent to close at N14.844 trillion. NAN reports that the market failed to react positively to the audited results being released in the market, which analysts attributed to unstable economic environment. Some blue chips posted price loses and this was led by Nestle with a loss of N30 to close N1.50 per share. Lafarge Africa trailed with N3.30 to close at N47.05, while Stanbic IBTC declined by N2.15 to close at N46 per share. Cadbury shed N1.35 to close at N12.65, while Nigerian Breweries was down by N1.20 to close at N126 per share. Conversely, Guinness led the gainers’ table for the day, gaining N4.80 to close at N105 per share. GlaxosmithKline followed with a gain of N1.05 to close at N22.05, while Dangote Flour appreciated by 75k to close at N15.75 per share. The Cement Company of Northern Nigeria added 50k to close at N18.75, while NASCON Allied also gained 50k to close at N20.50 per share. The volume of shares traded closed higher with a total of 488.97 million shares worth N5.64 million transacted in 5,524 deals. This was against the 409.21 million shares valued at N3.92 billion shares sold in 4,996 deals on Tuesday. Africa Insurance remained the most traded, accounting for 82.77 million shares worth N20.37 million. Japaul Oil and Maritime followed with 75.55 million shares valued at N42.28 million, while Fidelity Bank sold 63.88 million shares worth N151.42 million. Zenith Bank exchanged 29.59 million shares valued at N837.67 million, while FBN Holdings traded 28.78 million shares worth N344 .34 million. (NAN)

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/nse-market-indices-on-wednesday-extend.html

The abducted Dapchi schoolgirls released by Boko Haram early Wednesday morning are on their way to Abuja to meet President Muhammadu Buhari.The Secretary of the Parent’s Forum for the missing girls, Mr Katchalla, said on Wednesday afternoon that the girls have been taken to Maiduguri Airport where they will be flown to Abuja to meet with Buhari.Mr Katchalla who is a father to Aisha, one of the freed students, said though he has met with his daughter, all the girls are on their way to Abuja to meet with the President before they finally settle down with their families.

President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier sent four ministers to Dapchi town to get more information about the release of the girls. It is expected that the ministers will lead the girls to meet with the President.

More details shortly

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/photos-dapchi-girls-on-way-to-abuja-to.html

The directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to all security agencies to do everything possible to secure the release of the Dapchi schoolgirls, who were abducted 19 Feb. 2018, has yielded fruits, with the confirmed release of 76 of the 110 abducted students in the early hours of Wednesday. In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the 76 are those who have been documented so far, adding that the release of the abducted students is ongoing.

NEWSFG Reacts To Dapchi Girls Release, Says 76 Students Released In Ongoing ProcessPublished 1 min ago on March 21, 2018 By Andrew Essien PRESS RELEASE The directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to all security agencies to do everything possible to secure the release of the Dapchi schoolgirls, who were abducted 19 Feb. 2018, has yielded fruits, with the confirmed release of 76 of the 110 abducted students in the early hours of Wednesday. In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the 76 are those who have been documented so far, adding that the release of the abducted students is ongoing. He said the girls were released around 3 a.m. through back-channel efforts and with the help of some friends of the country, and that it was unconditional. ”For the release to work, the government had a clear understanding that violence and confrontation would not be the way out as it could endanger the lives of the girls, hence a non-violent approach was the preferred option.

”Within the period when the girls were being brought back, operational pause was observed in certain areas to ensure free passage and also that lives were not lost,” Alhaji Mohammed said. He said the number of the freed girls would be updated after the remaining ones have been documented, especially because the girls were not handed over to anyone but dropped off in Dapchi.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/fg-reacts-to-dapchi-girls-release-says.html

The truck pusher in Enugu State endorse Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for second term. Place his campaign poster in front of their truck

more photos at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/photos-truck-pusher-in-enugu-state.html

Fatima Usman, a 26 years old final year student of the Department of Nursing at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), is battling for her life after acid was poured on her by two unknown tricycle operators in Borno State.

Ibrahim Yusuf, her relative who confirmed the incident to PRNigeria, said Ms. Usman was kidnapped on Friday, when she entered a tricycle in front of First Bank where she had gone to deposit some cash.

“She boarded a commercial tricycle popularly called Keke NAPEP to Baga Road, but unknown to her, one of the men in the tricycle brought out a white handkerchief and pretended as though he was having cough.

“As soon as he touched her face with the handkerchief, she passed out, only to find herself dumped at the Railway Bayan Quarters area, bathed with a substance suspected to be acid around 1 p.m.


“It’s sad that an innocent young lady like Fatima, who is already in her final year at the university and looked forward to a brighter future could be subjected to such cruel and inhumane treatment by criminal-minded Keke NAPEP operators in the state,” Mr. Yusuf said.

The UMTH Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Bashir Tahir, said Ms. Usman is recuperating.

Mr. Tahir said medical teams were still conducting relevant examinations on her to determine whether she would undergo surgical operations.

In his response, the Borno State Commissioner of Police, Damien Chukwu, who confirmed the incident, said investigation was currently ongoing to unravel the culprits behind the attack.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/tricycle-operator-pours-acid-on.html