President Bola Tinubu has urged the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Easter Division to reverse the order asking the Chicago State University (CSU) to release his academic records to a political opponent, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Tinubu, who argued that Magistrate Jeffrey Gilbert, who gave the order on September 19 in a ruling on an application by Atiku, exercised the power he did not have under the Section 1782 of the US Statute, and prayed the court to reject Atiku’s application.
These formed part of Tinubu’s arguments in his reply to Atiku’s response to his objection to the execution of the order made by Magistrate Gilbert in an application for discovery filed by Atiku.
In the reply filed by his lawyer, Christopher Carmichael, Tinubu contended that “the Magistrate erred in granting the application and ordering Chicago State University to comply with the subpoenas for documents and a deposition. The ruling should be set aside and the application denied.”
He argued that Atiku was merely on a fishing expedition because the documents he is seeking from the CSU can no longer be admitted at the current state of the appeal he filed at the Supreme Court because the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) had deemed them inadmissible.
MD Helicopters (MDH), a top aircraft manufacturing company, has announced a new contract deal to deliver new “attack helicopters” to Nigeria.
The aircraft is known as 12 MD 530F Cayuse Warrior Plus.
The aircraft company announced the deal in a statement issued and shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday.
“MD Helicopters (MDH) closed a contract with the Nigerian federal government for 12 MD 530F Cayuse Warrior Plus Scout/Attack helicopters during a signing ceremony in Nigeria,” the statement by the agency said.
According to the statement, the aircraft will be operated by the Nigerian Army Aviation to effectively tackle the security challenges in the country.
It said the acquisition of the new attack helicopters is part of ongoing efforts by the federal government to enhance the capacity of the Nigerian Army Aviation towards achieving constitutional responsibilities in a joint environment.
The latest development came about three months after MDH in June announced that the production of the first three of 12 Cayuse Warrior Plus Scout/Attack helicopters selected by the Nigerian government earlier this year is underway at their facility in Arizona.
At the time, the company said the helicopters were chosen to support counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in Nigeria and are scheduled to be delivered over the next two years.
On Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the maiden Nigerian Army Aviation Seminar in Abuja, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Taoreed Lagbaja, hinted that the new aircraft would operationalise the Nigerian Army aviation unit, which was set up to improve ground troops’ agility, responsiveness, and efficacy during operations.
While stating that President Bola Tinubu has approved payment for the procurement of 12 attack helicopters for the Nigerian Army, Mr Lagbaja said the new aircraft would also contribute to the overall operational success of joint and coalition troops.
On his part, MD Helicopters President and Chief Executive Officer, Brad Pedersen, said: “MD Helicopters is grateful for the trust of the Nigerian government, and we’re excited to showcase this purpose-built, best value solution to Nigeria and the world.”
Delivery The company said they would commence delivering the aircraft to Nigeria in the fourth quarter of this year.
“The Cayuse Warrior is a proven tactical scout and light attack aircraft built from the MD 530F design and valued for its unmatched power, safety, speed, agility, and unparalleled confined area capabilities,” the statement said.
It said the ‘Plus’ version features mission enhancements that include the weapons system, avionics improvements, armour, and increased power performance and that the Nigerian selection includes a complete ILS package, spares, pilot and maintainer training, and a simulator.
Specifications According to the aircraft manufacturers, the Cayuse Warrior is one of the few single-engine light/attack scout aircraft recently exercised successfully in combat.
With more than 60 years of proven combat effectiveness and reliability, MDH said the aircraft has a highly demonstrated operational readiness rate and is valued for its unparalleled power, safety, speed, agility, and confined area capabilities.
“This smaller, lighter, uncomplicated workhorse features the lowest Direct Operating Costs in its class. The ‘Plus’ version features mission enhancements that include the precision weapons system, avionics improvements, and armour for protection of its operators,” the company said in June.
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, issued the appeal on Thursday while briefing State House Correspondents shortly after the NEC meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The National Economic Council (NEC) has said the organised labour should be patient and wait for the October 1 Independence Day broadcast by President Bola Tinubu, claiming he would discuss issues of welfare.
The NEC hence urged the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to shelve their planned industrial action.
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, issued the appeal on Thursday while briefing State House Correspondents shortly after the NEC meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He urged the leadership of the organised labour “to be patient with the Federal Government and give more time for dialogue.”
Mutfwang disclosed that the welfare of Nigerian workers would form part of the issues Tinubu would address in his maiden Independence Day broadcast to Nigerians on Sunday.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the NLC insisted that there was no agreement reached with the Nigerian government to postpone the indefinite strike slated to begin next Tuesday.
This had been mentioned in a statement issued by the NLC's Head of Information and Public Affairs, Mr Benson Upah, revealing further that no meetings with the government had been scheduled, which could lead to the suspension of the proposed strike.
The NLC's stance came as the United Action Front of Civil Society, an organised platform of civil society groups and activists announced a sit-in in favour of the indefinite strike.
The statement reads: “Accordingly, we find it necessary to make clarifications. Firstly, we do not have any agreement with the government to suspend the planned strike action. Neither do we have any date for a meeting with government that may lead to the suspension of the proposed strike.
“While we do not intend to demean or minimise the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment, this matter is beyond the ministry. This should have been obvious to them during our most recent meeting.
“Secondly, while we appreciate the role played by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, in securing the release of the executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers from unlawful/illegal police detention, we take exception to the ministry describing these executives as factional leaders,” the statement added.
The students of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, who were abducted by suspected terrorists were seen on Tuesday by residents of Madada, a community in Maru Local Government of the state receiving medication at a health centre.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the abducted students were moved to the Madada forest which is in the larger part of Kwiambana Game Reserve following their abduction by terrorists.
The Madada community rests on the shore of Kwiambana Game Reserve that transverses Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi and Katsina states in the country’s North-west and North-central regions
The terrorists attacked three female off-campus hostels at Sabon Gida, one of the university’s host communities on the outskirts of Gusau, Zamfara State capital, and abducted 24 students and some residents of the community, last Friday.
Thirteen of the victims have been rescued as of Tuesday, in two separate rescue operations by a combined team of soldiers of the 1 Brigade Nigerian Army, Gusau and other security agencies.
Sighting
On Wednesday, residents of the community saw female abductees they suspect to be the girls being treated at medical facility.
“The terrorists wielded sophisticated weapons and brought three of the abducted students in the community on motorcycles, the students were given an injection and other drugs by a chemist in the community.
“They were three in number, we got to know that they were among the abducted girls because they discussed the fatigue of the journey they suffered from Friday to Monday.
“They were given an injection for malaria treatment by the chemist, they also collected some drugs from the chemist before they left under the guard of the armed bandits, on Tuesday afternoon,” one of the residents who asked not to be named for safety reasons told PREMIUM TIMES.
Some residents of the general area earlier told PREMIUM TIMES how after the raid, the terrorists moved the girls on several motorcycles to the Dansadau District between Friday and Monday.
PREMIUM TIMES further learned that the captives and their abductors slept in mosques in at least two farming communities near Dansadau on Saturday and Sunday.
Residents said they reached Madada on Monday.
The general area of the game reserve is believed to be controlled by terrorists loyal to Ali Kachallah and Dogo Gide – who are believed to be the masterminds of the abduction.
The Madada community is one of the farming communities in the Dansadau district that are under the control of armed bandits.
After gaining control of the areas, the terrorists usually sack their traditional rulers and impose a protection levy on the residents who are willing to stay.
The Kano State Hisbah Board said over 4, 000 prospective couples have registered to participate in the state-planned mass wedding scheduled for next month.
The board added that it had succeeded in selecting 1,800 couples and they were already being scheduled for medical screening as part of the prerequisite arrangement of the mass wedding proceedings
Speaking to Daily Trust, the Hisbah Deputy Commander General (operations), Dr Mujahid Aminuddeen, revealed that the selected couples would be subjected to HIV/AIDS, genotype and drug tests before they would finally be drafted for the sponsored mass wedding scheduled for next month.
Mujahid said that though the state government intended to marry off 1,800 in the first batch, over 4, 000 intended couples trooped to the board to get registered.
“The government has made provision for only 1, 800 but we have received thousands that have indicated interest to participate in the mass wedding. But when we briefed the Governor on the issue he assured the government’s commitment to continue with the programe. He even asked us to write and start processing for the next batch”
“After going through the applications, we would further screen the list to verify genuine participants and then forward it to the governor.”
Malam Mujahid further stated that due to the recent economic downturn currently plaguing the nation, many people want to participate in the mass wedding especially girls and women whose parents want to marry them off but are unable to afford the cost of preparing the wedding process.
He advised the beneficiaries of the scheme to live in harmony, adding that those who divorce their spouses on flimsy excuses after the marriage would be made to pay back what the government expends on their wedding.
While shedding more light on the budgeted N20m set aside for the wedding party as earlier announced by the Board Commander, General Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, the Deputy Commander General (Women), Dr Khadija Sagir Sulaiman, revealed that the said amount was not set aside for the Walima (wedding party) only but it would also cover the pre-wedding activities including three days induction course for the couple and the entrepreneurship course for the women.
“An entrepreneurship course would be organized for the women. You know the women are to be given N20,000 each as capital, so when they learn a business skill such as soap making, car wash production, pomade, etc., they will be able to start a business with that capital. These are the things the said amount would be spent on.”
It would be recalled that the administration of the state government headed by Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has earmarked over N800 million for mass weddings to procure furniture, food items, and clothing materials, dowry, and capital for 1,800 intending couples under its mass wedding scheme.
Many prospective couples who spoke to Daily Trust expressed gratitude to the Kano State governor for providing the opportunity for them to get married in their lifetime.
It's really sad to see a joyous moment end in such trajedy. The
incompetence of one person caused the lives of many. R.I.P to those
lost in this tragic event.
At least 100 people have died and 150 others injured after a fire broke out at a wedding in northern Iraq.
Hundreds of people were celebrating in Qaraqosh in Iraq's northern Nineveh province when fire tore through the venue late on Tuesday evening.
It is not yet known what caused the blaze, but early reports say it broke out after fireworks were lit.
Flammable panels in the venue may have fuelled the flames, causing parts of the ceiling to catch fire and fall.
"The fire led to the collapse of parts of the hall as a result of the use of highly flammable, low-cost building materials that collapse within minutes when fire breaks out," Iraq's civil defence directorate said, quoted by state news agency INA.
It was not initially clear if the bride and the groom were among the victims but a local health official later confirmed at a press conference that they had died.
A photo posted by Nina showed dozens of firefighters battling the fire, and pictures from local journalists on social media show the charred-out remains of inside the event hall.
Firefighters could be seen climbing over the wreckage of the building in search of survivors on Wednesday morning.
Eyewitnesses said hundreds of people were there celebrating when the building caught fire at around 10:45 local time (19:45 GMT) on Tuesday.
"We saw the fire pulsating, coming out of the hall. Those who managed got out and those who didn't got stuck. Even those who made their way out were broken," Imad Yohana, a 34-year-old who escaped the inferno, told Reuters.
Another wedding guest, Rania Waad, who sustained a burn to her hand, said that as the bride and groom were slow dancing "fireworks started to climb to the ceiling, the whole hall went up in flames".
"We couldn't see anything," the 17-year-old told news agency AFP. "We were suffocating, we didn't know how to get out."
The deputy governor of Nineveh, Hassan al-Allaq, told Reuters that 113 people had been confirmed dead, while state news agency INA put the death toll at at least 100, with 150 people injured.
The injured have been transferred to hospitals across the Nineveh region, the region's governor told INA.
But he suggested that the number of deaths and injuries was not fixed and may rise.
At the main hospital in Qaraqosh, which is east of the region's capital Mosul, dozens of people arrived to donate blood to help the injured. The town of Qaraqosh is also known as al-Hamdaniya and Bakhdida in Iraq.
Iraq's prime minister posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he had told officials to "mobilise all efforts to provide relief to those affected by the unfortunate incident".
President Tinubu warned that the African continent would remain in chains till it breaks free from the shackles of the criminal enterprises of drug barons and syndicates of illicit drugs.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has implored heads of national drug law enforcement agencies in Africa to renew the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in their respective countries.
Specifically, the Nigerian leader warned vehemently that the African continent would remain in chains till it breaks free from the shackles of the criminal enterprises of drug barons and syndicates of illicit drugs.
President Tinubu sounded the warning in Abuja on Tuesday when he declared open the 31st meeting of the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa (HONLAF) at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
“If we don’t dismantle the criminal enterprises that threaten our future and build a brighter tomorrow for all Africans, we will remain in chains in a diseased and amoral world, as will our children and their children,” he told the anti-narcotics agencies’ chiefs.
In his keynote address titled, ‘Rising Above the Drug Threat’, the president who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the event, observed that Africa was “at the mercy of a threat that knows neither race nor geography, neither gender nor social class”.
To this effect, he enjoined the heads of drug law enforcement agencies to consider the conference in Abuja as a ray of hope and a catalyst for positive change across the continent.
President Tinubu thanked them for their sacrifices in ensuring a world that is free of illicit drugs.
He said, “This threat has crossed borders and destroyed societies and dreams. Without the moral commitment of the men and women in this room, this threat would have left cities, countries, and even civilizations erased. So, I must commend you for your sacrifices in the bids to keep our world drug-free, sane and safe.
“This conference emphasizes your investment across borders to protect us from the devastations of drugs, a threat that only submits to the enforcement of the law.
“Therefore, we are grateful to HONLAF and its partners, notably the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for creating this avenue, for offering intelligence and drug law enforcement officials a grand opportunity to compare notes, collaborate, and build networks that would be several steps ahead of the criminal network of drug transnational organisations.”
Mr Tinubu noted that in the last couple of decades, criminal organisations had made frantic efforts to breach the security measures in African countries, all in a bid to pollute the minds of their citizens, adding however that the anti-narcotics agencies have proven to be a thorn in their flesh.
The president who doubles as the chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) stated: “But while it’s a compliment that drug-law enforcement organisations are a threat to their criminal empires, their desperation must never be taken for granted.
“Without you as gatekeepers of healthy nations, humanity as we know it would have long been perverted. So, on behalf of the world, I say: thank you, thank you to all of you who have kept us from being polluted and destroyed.
“For us, the commitment to the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse is not just a matter of policy; it is a moral imperative. We recognize that a population at war with drugs is not a dividend but a liability. We believe that the future of our youth, the strength of our institutions, and the well-being of our communities depend on our ability to eradicate this threat.”
President Tinubu further stressed the need for the the anti-narcotics agencies to consolidate established contacts, strengthen operational existing partnerships and cooperation among them at the sub-regional and regional levels.
This, he said, would make trafficking of illicit drugs and movement of drug syndicates difficult in the African continent.
He continued: “So, I must appeal to you to see this gathering as an avenue for the exchange of novel ideas and the development of practical strategies. We must consolidate established contacts, operational partnerships, and cooperation to ensure that the outcomes of this four-day deliberation advance public safety and the emergence of drug-free African communities.
“Our strength has always been our proactive actions to prevent any individual or group from turning our countries into a minefield of drug trafficking. So, we must prioritize prevention, education, and rehabilitation to empower our youth with knowledge and opportunities. We must steer them away from the treacherous path of drug abuse and trafficking and protect our economy from the consequences of their actions.
“This administration will continue to provide the necessary support, motivation, and tools for the NDLEA to fulfill its mandate. We understand the connection between the success of the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking and the attainment of a number of goals on our socioeconomic and security agenda.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I know you don’t need to be reminded of the sacred task before us. I know you are fully aware of the number of people and dreams that depend on your decisions and actions to reach their destination. But, more importantly, I know that you are up to the task.”
On the choice of Nigeria for the conference, President Tinubu said it is a profound recognition of the campaign and fight against illicit drugs in the country by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“We are hosting the 31st HONLAF meeting here to reassure you of our promise to participate in building a world not threatened by the infiltration of illicit drugs,” he added.
Declaring the meeting open, President Tinubu said, “while I encourage you to take some time out from the busy schedule of your programs to enjoy the beauty and hospitality of Abuja, I thank you for your dedication and resolve in this noble cause and look forward to the fruitful discussions and partnerships that will emerge from this gathering.”
Welcoming guests earlier, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, a retired brigadier general, restated the stakeholders’ commitment to addressing the world’s drug problem, noting that Nigeria will continue to uphold the objectives of multilateral organisations dedicated to combating drug trafficking and related crimes.
He emphasized the need for global partnerships in addressing drug trafficking and other vices, noting that world’s drug problem cannot be effectively tackled by individual entities.
Speakers at the opening session of the meeting included the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), Ghada Fathi Waly; the UNODC Country Representative, Oliver Stolpe; the Commandant of the National Institute for Security Studies, Ayodele Adeleke, and Representative of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, among others.
Stanley Nkwocha Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President) 26th September, 2023
congratulations sir and more of this good development not bad images other agbero Nigerians brings back home and they are proud saying they are developers
Hippolite Amadi, a Nigerian and Professor of Medical Engineering and Technology, has won a $100,000 prize for emerging as the winner of the Nigerian Prize for Science 2023.
Mr Amadi, a visiting professor at the Imperial College London, emerged this year’s winner of the annual award with his work on respiratory technologies for keeping Nigerian newborns alive.
Winning entry Announcing the winner of the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG)-sponsored annual award, the Prize’s Advisory Board, led by Barth Nnaji, a professor, said the winning work was based on the theme: “Innovation for Enhancement of Healthcare Therapy”.
The winning innovations comprise a Non-invasive Neonatal Ventilator (NIV), an Oxygen Delivery Blender System, and an Oxygen Splitter System, all powered by solar energy.
The NIV is considered the gold standard in the care of preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).
Mr Nnaji said Mr Amadi’s work has not only significantly advanced neonatal care in Nigeria and similar countries, but it has also further improved access and lowered the cost of neonatal care by causing an observed reduction in the market prices of the competing and existing devices.
“The entry showcased three (3) technological innovations aimed at saving the lives of neonates by making the delivery of oxygen cheap and easy. The first innovation is the non-invasive Neonatal Ventilator, a key invention (The bubble Polite CPAP) for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilation of very-low-birth-weight neonates, a feasible alternative to the readily available improvised bubble CPAP (IBCPAP) in cost-constrained settings.
“The second and third innovations are the Oxygen Delivery Blender System, which allows for the safe delivery of oxygen without the danger of toxicity, and the Oxygen Splitter System, which allows for the use of a shared source of oxygen to many neonates at a time, in situations where piped oxygen is not available. These devices are all solar powered,” he stated.
He stated further that the devices have been tried by practitioners at various hospitals across Nigeria, adding that there are reports from those hospitals that the innovation, PoliteCPAP, is an improvement on the existing device as it provides access to ventilators and oxygen delivery simultaneously to neonates at an extremely reduced cost of N750,000 as against N6.5 million for the existing device with comparable and better efficiency.
Presidency commends innovation
President Bola Tinubu has also congratulated the winner and commended innovations that have reduced neonatal care costs significantly and saved lives in hospitals that have adopted the use of the solar-powered neonatal ventilator.
The president commended Mr Amadi for leveraging his extensive background in medical engineering and technology, with a special focus on affordable medical systems, for the betterment, progress, and benefit of Nigerians and humanity in general.
“This significant work by this great Nigerian scientist will contribute to keeping more Nigerian children alive after birth and preparing them for a better future as positive change makers and influencers both at home and abroad,” reads a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
About winner Mr Amadi obtained a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters of Engineering Technology and Management from the Enugu State University of Technology in 1988 and 1991 respectively.
He also obtained a Master of Engineering in Medicine at the Imperial College, London in 2002 and a Doctorate in Orthopaedic Biomechanics at the same institution in 2006.
Professor Amadi is currently a visiting professor of Medical Engineering and Technology at the Imperial College London. Before his work at Imperial College, he was a professor of Medical Technology at Imo State University.
The Nigerian Army said it busted a gun manufacturing factory in Kaduna and arrested a suspected gunrunner, Napoleon John, following a sting operation to mop up illegal weapons. This was contained in a statement released on Friday on the X (formerly Twitter) account of the force. According to the statement, the discovery of the illegal gun manufacturing factory was successful after a week-long intelligence operation which led to the arrest of the suspect and recovery of 22 different weapons. The statement read in part, “In line with the Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN and General Officer Commanding 3 Armoured Division, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar’s resolve to deal decisively with sponsors and perpetrators of crime as well as mop up illegal weapons in OPSH Joint Operations Area, troops have uncovered a gun manufacturing factory in Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State. “The discovery followed a week-long intelligence operation that finally led to the capture of a wanted gunrunner, Napoleon John, who had been on the wanted list of OPSH. The suspect who confessed to the crime led troops to a concealed factory where arms of different calibres were sold by another miscreant identified as Monday Dunia, who confessed to having been in the business for more than five years fuelling the crisis in Kaduna and neighbouring Plateau State. “A thorough search of the factory led to the recovery of 22 different weapons including seven pistols, two locally fabricated AK 47 rifles, two military grade AK 47 rifles and nine revolvers. Others include one submachine gun, rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, machine tools and a gas cylinder. In a follow on operation from midnight of yesterday up till early hours of today, 22 September 2023, troops raided another hideout in Adua 1 village in Kafanchan and captured additional 2 x AK-47 Rifles, 2 x revolver rifles, live rounds of 9mm and 7.62 ammunition, 6x dangerous daggers, 1x hacker axe, several empty cases of 7.62mm special rounds, two mobile phones, one fragmental jacket, two police uniforms, one military camouflage trousers, one ammunition magazine carrier, one pistol holster, one military grade camel pouch, one police combat helmet, 2 masks, 4 identity cards, gunpowder, shrapnels, charms and amulets. Also recovered were machine tools and other equipment. The major kingpin(name withheld) is still on the run but would soon be apprehended.” The statement also noted that the force troops have been directed to arrest all fleeing members of the syndicate who will be made to face the consequences of their actions. ADVERTISEMENT “While commending troops for their doggedness and resilience, the GOC/ Commander OPSH also vowed to ensure all fleeing syndicate members were arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law. He warned sponsors and perpetrators of criminalities to immediately abandon their evil ways and embrace lawful means of livelihood. “General AE Abubakar also thanked the general public for their unwavering support in the fight against criminality and urged them not to relent in furnishing the troops with actionable information. He further assured to treat information provided with utmost secrecy and confidentiality.”
Three pregnant girls have been rescued from suspected child traffickers in Umunze, a community in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, South-east Nigeria. Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, a media aide to the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in the state, Ify Obinabo, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. The development occurred about one week after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency rescued five pregnant teenage girls said to be victims of child trafficking in Imo, another state in the South-east. Ms Ikeanyionwu said the latest incident happened after operatives of the Anambra Vigilante Group in the council area conducted a three-month investigation into the activities of the syndicate. The commissioner conversing with the vigilante operatives The media aide said the investigation was led by the chairperson of the council area, Neville Uchendu, who handed over the girls to Mrs Obinabo, the commissioner. She said the three girls were between 14 and 20 years old and that a suspected trafficker, Oruchukwu Okoroafor, had been arrested by the vigilante operatives. A 14-year-old girl among those rescued hails from Arondizuogu in Imo State, while the second girl, 19, is from Ihite, in Orumba South Council Area of Anambra State – all in South-east Nigeria. Mrs Obinabo, while receiving the girls and the suspect, expressed joy over the development, Ms Ikeanyionwu said. The commissioner noted that the state government was pleased with the operatives for the rescue and called on others to emulate the council chairperson and his team in making the state proud.
President Bola Tinubu asserted, on Wednesday in New York, that African nations will no longer accept a situation in which human rights advocacy is used by wealthy and powerful nations to stop developing economies from dealing decisively with malign actors who illicitly siphon and smuggle out the continent’s vast mineral resources while smuggling in western-made weapons, which enrich the wealthiest economies in the world at the parasitic expense of African stability and wealth creation. According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, the President said this while meeting with United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, at his UN Headquarters Office in New York City. “We are facing the great challenge of scavengers ravaging our lands and oppressing our people on illegal mines—taking our gold and mineral wealth back to developed economies by stealth and violence against Nigerians. Where one’s human right ends, the rights of another begin. Most especially for self-protection. If we fight, they say ‘human rights,’ but we will now be aggressive and we will question motives. We will stop what is happening in our land. We require your effective collaboration,” the President firmly stated. The Nigerian leader noted that the United Nations must transform from being one of the world’s foremost talkshops to discuss global issues into becoming the world’s foremost action coordination center, saying that a situation in which 70% of the resources being devoted to the world’s poorest countries are being spent and sent back out on overheads and administrative costs, will defeat the purpose and objectives of the organization where help is needed most. “The poverty ravaging our continent and the question of security and counter-terrorism requires us to work in close and effective synergy. The world will ignore Nigeria at its own peril. If we engage in talkshops as real challenges wreak real havoc in real time, we will fail. The time to strike is now. The time to achieve real results is now. I fought for democracy. I was detained for democracy. I am now President and I am determined to prove that democracy can provide the development that our nation and our continent so urgently demands. “Trace those of us here to our foundations and you will find that we have ties and links with poverty. We must not be ashamed of that history, but poverty is unacceptable. I am one of the lucky survivors of gripping poverty. Nigeria is truly a giant. 240 million people and counting with a massive youth population. We are done saying too much. We seek much action. We have arisen out of poverty as individuals, but until our people have arisen out of that, we will not rest, even if it requires decisions at home that make me temporarily unpopular,” the President affirmed.
In response, the UN Secretary-General emphasised that the UN system was in the process of real reform that will largely address some of the institutional frailties and lack of decision-making power for the developing world, on whose behalf more than 75% of UN resources are accrued. “We now recognize the need to reform the institution to represent the world as it is today. The questions of debt and SDRs. The fact that middle-income countries have only marginal access to concessional funding. In the SDGs Summit, we believe we have a growing political consensus and now, a declaration, in this regard. We are pursuing this with great determination,” the UN Secretary- General said. The UN Secretary-General further assured President Tinubu of the fullest support of the UN system for ECOWAS in light of the series of military coups which have occured in the West African sub- region in the past few months and years. “Mr. President, we have high expectations for your presidency after the many bold steps you have taken. Nigeria is an indispensable voice in the sub-region. We will give you every support needed for your success to be achieved. Your success is Africa’s success, and we wish you well,” the UN leader concluded. https://leadership.ng/tinubu-calls-on-un-to-back-africas-fight-against-resource-smuggling/
The Lagos State government, yesterday, said it has generated approximately N400 billion as Internally Generated Revenue in the first half of the year.
The State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, who disclosed this during the 2024 Budget Consultative Forum in Ikeja, said the state hopes to reach its target before the end of the year.
While stressing the need to raise the target for 2024 for provision of more services to the people, he emphasised the government’s strong credit rating and robust IGR, which can attract the right investments and funding.
“We have a good credit rating and good IGR, which can help us attract the right set of investment and funding. So, we have to be very creative with our funding by ensuring it’s a mix of IGR and all the funding mechanisms. We’re looking at PPP’s, and being able to get nice concessions at the right rates.
“So I think we’re fortunate because we are going in the right direction and, hopefully, we can continue to build on that to attract the right investments and funding to be able to solo-fund our budgets and our projects.”
Prices of foodstuff have crashed in Taraba State, Daily Trust findings revealed.
This followed a bumper harvest recorded in all the 16 local government areas of the state.
So far, crops harvested in the state included maize, rice, yam, Irish potatoes, beans, cassava, melon seed, millet and benniseed.
Findings showed that a 100kg bag of maize sold a few weeks ago at the rate of N60,000 is now sold between N28,000 and N20,000 depending on the locations of the markets.
Similarly, a 100kg bag of dried cassava, which was earlier sold at the rate of N28,000, is now sold at N14,000.
Prices of yam, millet and rice also crashed across the state, Daily Trust findings further revealed.
Taraba State is witnessing uninterrupted rainfall which farmers said was responsible for the bumper harvest being witnessed across the state.
Daily Trust findings further revealed that middlemen are making bulk purchases of newly harvested crops in markets across the state.
Those interviewed expressed fear that if care was not taken, prices of foodstuff may soon go up again because of activities of middlemen who are making bulk purchases of newly harvested crops in grain markets.
Bello Adamu, a trader at Garba Chede market, told Daily Trust that grain merchants have given their agents millions of naira to purchase grains.
He said in all the grain markets in the state, merchants have built warehouses where they stored grains.
Adamu said merchants made more money than the farmers.
He said grain merchants bought a bag of maize at the rate of N17,000 during the last year’s harvest and sold at N60,000 a few months later.
A Polish drinks company has ‘employed’ what it says is the world’s first AI Chief Executive Officer. In a move that places Poland at the forefront of the AI revolution, spirits firm Dictador, believes that its AI- driven CEO Mika is just the first of what will become the norm in many companies. Mika has been assigned the role of board member and is spearheading Dictador's Arthouse Spirits DAO project and communications. Dictador Mika is the official face of Dictador, a luxury rum producer which sold the world’s most expensive bottle of rum earlier this year. President of Dictador Europe Marek Szoldrowski said: “Dictator’s board decision is revolutionary and bold at the same time. In a recent interview, Mika said: “'I became an AI CEO about a year ago and have been learning and growing ever since. It's been an amazing journey and I'm excited to see what the future holds.” Dictador “This first human-like robot, with AI, in a company structure, will change the world as we know it, forever.” Mika has been assigned the role of board member and is spearheading Dictador's Arthouse Spirits DAO project and communications. DAO stands for "decentralized autonomous organization," a revolutionary management structure that employs blockchain technology to automate decision-making within a company. In a recent interview, Mika said: “'I became an AI CEO about a year ago and have been learning and growing ever since. It's been an amazing journey and I'm excited to see what the future holds.” Mika’s appointment begs the burning question: Will robot bosses become the new norm? Mika replied, “Who knows what the future holds for AI CEOs? All I can say is watch this space.” Mika joined the company last year and is a more advanced version of her sister prototype, Sophia, ‘activated’ in 2015 in Hong Kong, by Hanson Robotics Ltd. LinkedIn Mika joined the company last year and is a more advanced version of her sister prototype, Sophia, ‘activated’ in 2015 in Hong Kong, by Hanson Robotics Ltd. Sophia came to prominence when she was named as an Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme. Dictador was founded in 1913 in Columbia as a rum- producer and has been under Polish ownership for the past 14 years. The company released a limited edition of alcohol, with each bottle valued at a staggering USD 1.5 million. Mika's appointment is not an isolated event in Poland's AI revolution. Recently, Radio Piekary, a station in the town of Piekary Sląskie in Silesia, unleashed "Basia," an AI- generated virtual presenter, as the host of their first- ever show in the country. TAGS: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AI, CEO, BASIA, RADIO PIEKARY, MIKA, DRINKS, AI CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, REVOLUTION, DICTADOR, RUM, MAREK SZOLDROWSKI, AI CEO
Politics › Tinubu Urges US Court To Reverse Order Asking University To Release His Records by ManirBK(op): 3:22pm On Sep 29, 2023
