₦airaland Forum

President Buhari and his delegation observed a minute silence in honour of Nigerians recently killed by Boko-Haram in Borno State while meeting with Nigerians in Diaspora Living in Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.

https://www.welproperties.site/2020/02/photo-buhari-observes-minute-silent-for.html

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More at https://www.welproperties.site/2020/02/photos-vp-osinbajo-in-kenya-for-burial.html

Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo represented President Buhari attended the funeral service of Former Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi in Nairobi, Kenya.

https://www.welproperties.site/2020/02/photos-vp-osinbajo-in-kenya-for-burial.html

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Kano state Governor Umar Ganduje was at his ward Ganduje to participate in the Presidential Primaries of President Muhammadu Buhari for the APC, which took place yesterday across 36 States & the FCT to affirm his sole candidacy vying for the presidency in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

http://www.metronaija.ng/photos-ganduje-at-apc-presidential-primary-in-kano/

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The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property has arrested two whistle blowers for allegedly misleading it with false information.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the alleged false information was provided against Mr Emmanuel Mbaka, foremost real estate developer and Managing Director of Platinum Mortgage Bank.

The male suspects, Prince Jeff Ove, 37, from Bayelsa, and Mohammed Sanusi, 39, from Kogi, were presented to newsmen by the spokesperson of the panel, Lucie-Ann Laha, in Abuja on Friday.

“We received information from the suspects that the victim was a politician who looted a large amount of money and stashed it in his house.

“We have found out that the person is not a politician. I don’t think association with politicians automatically makes you a politician.

“We were told there was a large cache of money in his house. The panel has carried out a thorough investigation, turned the house inside out and we found nothing,’’ she said.
READ ALSO 15 APC Senators defect to PDP

Laha, who apologised to Mbaka on behalf of the panel, said the suspects would be prosecuted to show that the Federal Government’s Whistle-blower Policy was not an instrument of character assassination.

“The policy is meant to encourage Nigerians to assist anti-corruption agencies with credible information to apprehend those that have looted the commonwealth of Nigerians.

“Anyone who brings information to the panel and any other anti-corruption agency is assured of confidentiality and certain rewards.

“Conversely, when Nigerians try to circumvent this policy by giving false information in a bid to malign other Nigerians, the law says we should reprimand them, which is what we are doing here today,’’ she said.

Speaking to newsmen, the two suspects said they were misled by informants, and apologised to Mbaka while pleading with the panel for forgiveness.
READ ALSO New minimum wage: Nationwide strike begins September 26 - NLC

Ove said, “I was in Bayelsa when I got information that there was a fund that a politician kept in Abuja here.

“We came and someone introduced me to a friend, who also corroborated the information that has turned out to be false, and that was why I approached the panel to report.

“Once again, I apologise to the man, I am very sorry, I have learnt my lessons and I promise this will never happen again.’’

On his part, Sanusi said sometime in March, 2017, one Aliyu told him that he knew a house in Abuja where stolen money was being kept.

He said he never bothered to take the information to anti-corruption agencies because Aliyu had said he wasn’t too sure of its authenticity.
READ ALSO See the state of the rest room at the Nigerian High Commission in London

“But the brother of this very man (Ove) standing beside me here came all the way from Bayelsa and said he had a special power to enter the house and search it.

“He said all I needed to do was to show him the house, and he made me to understand that with the power he acquired from India he would be able to know whether the money was there or not.

“When we got there, he told me that the spirit had told him that there was money in the house, and that we should give him a little time to work on it,’’ he said.

Sanusi said he never knew that Ove and his unidentified brother had already approached the panel to inform it about the supposed money.

http://www.metronaija.ng/two-men-in-trouble-over-false-whistle-blowing-on-bank-md/

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Big Brother Naija stars were not left behind at the premiere of the Merry Men in Lagos yesterday as they rock different Agbada on the red carpet . Ahneeka, Tobi, Khloe, Uriel, Anto, Alex took part in the Agbada challenge .

http://www.metronaija.ng/photos-big-brother-naija-stars-at-premiere-of-merry-men/

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The police in Zamfara said armed bandits have abducted seven people from Nahuche village of Bungudu Local Government.

The police said the villagers, including a former councillor, Bello Daniya, were kidnapped in the early hours of Sunday.

An eye witness, Malam Sani Ibrahim, had earlier told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the bandits besieged the village in large numbers, fired guns into the air and ordered the villagers to show them the house of Bungudu local government APC chairman, Alhaji Hamisu Coordinator.

He said that the abductors, however, found themselves in the former councillor’s house, who is a neighbour to the APC chairman, where they took him, four boys and two girls.

Ibrahim said the abductors later released one of the victims with a note demanding N100 million as ransom to release the remaining victims.

While confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Mohammed Shehu said a combined team of security operatives were on the trail of the abductors.

He appealed to members of the public with useful information on the movement of criminals to report to relevant security agencies for prompt action

http://www.metronaija.ng/bandits-kidnap-7-in-zamfara-demand-n100m-2/

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Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna Assumed Office Yesterday As The Newly Appointed Deputy Governor of Kano State At The Kano State Government House.

http://www.metronaija.ng/photos-kano-deputy-governor-gawuna-resumes-office/

The Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) says flood has destroyed over 200 hectares of rice farm at Omor in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra.

Mr Cyprian Agupugo, the Executive Director of the agency disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omor, Anambra.

Agupugo said that the major River in the area, Okpoto River, burst its banks, destroying the Ojagbo rice farm worth millions of naira.

According to him, some of the farmers took bank loans while others borrowed from relatives.

He, however, gave an assurance that the agency would assist the affected farmers.

He described the flood challenge as unfortunate but expressed the hope that the visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) would bring succour to the affected communities.

Agupugo said that the level of flooding in the state at moment was beyond the SEMA.

He reiterated the call for people living in flood-prone areas to move to holding centres provided at various locations of the affected communities.

http://www.metronaija.ng/anambra-flood-destroys-200-hectare-rice-farm-sema/

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The Management of Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State, has directed its students in Atani Campus to vacate immediately, due to flooding that has submerged the campus.

In a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Awka, the management of the institution said that the order became imperative, to avoid casualty.

The statement signed by Mr Obini Onuchukwu, the Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, urged the students to vacate the campus for one week.

Onuchukwu, however, said that the emergency holidays might be extended, if the remedial work the management intended to do failed to salvage the situation.

“The access roads to the campus, fields, offices and classrooms have all been submerged and the students are having challenges accessing their classrooms.

“The institution’s perimeter fencing, electric transformer and generating sets are also submerged, resulting in total blackout.’’

Onuchukwu urged both the National Emergency Maintenance Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Maintenance Agency (SEMA) to come to the aid of the polytechnic.

“We encounter flooding almost yearly, but the magnitude of this year’s flooding has gone beyond what we had recorded in the recent past.

“Apart from the campus, hostels belonging to individuals where our students stay off campus were also submerged, making life and activities in the school impossible.’’

The spokesman attributed the recent disaster to lack of proper drainage system within the host communities.

He recalled that in 2012, a similar flooding adversely affected the institution’s academic activities for several months.

Onuchukwu said that the flood had already damaged some household appliances and personal belongings of the students such as books and mattresses.

http://www.metronaija.ng/flooding-oko-poly-shuts-down-campus/

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The Kano State Government has confirmed the death of 31 people and destruction of more than 10,000 houses during the recent flood disaster in 15 Local Government Areas of the state.

Alhaji Ali Bashir, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SERERA) disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Monday.

Bashir said that the cost of the disaster, which wreaked havoc on more than 10,000 houses in the affected areas, was estimated at over N5 billion.

“Thirty one people lost their lives and more than 10,000 houses that are estimated at over N5 billion were affected.

“Most of the affected houses were either totally or partially destroyed,” the Executive Secretary said.

He explained that no fewer than 35,000 farmers were also affected by the disaster in eight local government areas of the state.

Flood in Kano

According to Bashir, some of the farmlands were ‎submerged by water while others were completely washed away by the flood.

“The farm produce destroyed include maize, cotton, white beans, onion, rice, groundnut, millet and other cash crops,” he said.

Bashir said that 8,000 farmers were affected in Wudil, 6,000 in Warawa, 2,000 in Gaya and 3,000 in ‎Gabasawa among others.

The executive secretary said that the agency was compiling reports from the eight local government areas hit by the disaster to ascertain the value of the 35,000 farmlands destroyed.

He assured that a comprehensive report would be produced for onward submission to the state government for immediate consideration.

He also added that the agency received alert from Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency that 20 local governments of the state would be affected by flooding.

The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) recently disclosed that its members in Kano state lost over 5, 000 hectares of rice farms to flood in 10 local government areas of the state.


http://www.metronaija.ng/flood-kills-31-people-destroys-10-000-houses-in-kano-state-official/

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The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen TY Buratai seen inspecting trench with soldiers in the war front

http://www.metronaija.ng/photo-buratai-inspects-trench-with-soldiers/

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APC Gubernatorial Election Rally (Iwo Federal Constituency) for Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.

http://www.metronaija.ng/photos-from-osun-apc-governorship-election-rally/

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Sokoto state Governor Tambuwal at Toru-Orua,Sagbama LG of Bayelsa State to condole Governor Siriake Dickson on the death of his mother, while Dr. Mrs Rachael Dickson looks on.

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The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has urged the Federal Government to enact a law that would enable it to demobilise networks in all centres during the conduct of its examinations.

The Head, Public Affairs of the council, Mr Damianus Ojijeogu, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

Ojijeogu said this would help to further tackle the rising cases of examination malpratice among candidates in the country.

He spoke against the backdrop of activities of some fraudulent persons who operated rogue websites and use it to defraud candidates by posting wrong questions and answers during its examinations.

“You know, WAEC is not a national body. It is a regional body and as a result, we must always strive to operate within the ambit of the law that sets up the examination body.

“The fight against malpractice has remained one of our key challenges in ensuring that the integrity of our examination is not compromised.

“As such, we want all stakeholders, especially the Federal Government to join hands with us in taking it seriously and fighting the scourge.

“Indeed we want to appeal to the Federal Government to assist us further by passing a law that will enable WAEC to jam the respective networks in all centres during our examinations.

“This is because countries where this has been successfully carried out, it is the governments of such countries that made it possible, for the sake of the future of their children and their education,’’ Ojijeogu said.

According to him, the council on its own, is doing all it can to tackle the menace by continually deploying cutting edge technologies and training and re-training of staff, to be able to detect and nip all forms of malpractice before it can be carried out.

“It will be recalled that we use persons who are not WAEC staff during the conduct of our examinations and therefore, we must always be proactive by being ahead.

“We are always putting measures in place to ensure that operators of those rogue websites are also apprehended and charged to court.

“In April this year, during the conduct of our West African Senior School Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, some operators were caught and paraded, same as last year.

“For this year, we have also been notified about their activities at our ongoing second series 2018 WASSCE for private candidates and we are already investigating to find out their location.

“We are indeed working hard to get as much information as possible in order to assist the police to swing into action.

“So far, about 12 persons who have been arrested in connection with these fraudulent activities have been charged to court and our expectation is that the law will take its full course to serve as deterrent to others,’’ he said.

Ojijeogu noted that the fraudsters were currently working hard to defraud gullible candidates writing the WASSCE for private candidates by posting past questions of some subjects using various social media platforms.

“These questions are papers already taken at the Gambia and Sierra Leone and we want to admonish candidates not to fall prey to these persons as it is capable of compromising their performance and their future,’’ he said. (NAN)

http://www.metronaija.ng/malpractice-waec-wants-law-to-block-telephone-networks-in-exam-centres/

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Read the full text of Former minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun resignation letter

http://www.metronaija.ng/full-text-of-kemi-adeosun-resignation-letter/

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An unemployed man, Olayeni Olajide, who allegedly defrauded four students of N110,000 was on Thursday docked at the Ikorodu Magistrate’ Court in Lagos.

Olajide, 38, whose address was not provided , is facing a two-count charge of fraud and impersonation .

The Police Prosecutor, Sgrt Adegeshin Famuyiwa, told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 30 at No 1 Agunbiade close, Oke-Ota, Ikorodu.
READ ALSO Young man accused of being a "Yahoo boy" allegedly tortured to death by police in Delta (photos)

Famuyiwa said the accused fraudulently obtained the money from the complainants on the pertence that he would register them for the 2018 General Certificate of Examination (GCE), a representation he knew was false.

“The accused fraudulently collected N30,000 each from Olukoya Adekunle, Olayiwa Itunu, Adeola, Ogunleye and N20,000 from Adeshina Kaosarat without registering them for GCE,” said.
READ ALSO New Music: Tobi Grey – Show Glass

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Sections 314 (1),(3) and 78(b) of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Chief Magistrate E O Ogunkanmi granted the accused bail in the sum of N10,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until Nov. 1, for mention.

http://www.metronaija.ng/man-38-in-court-over-alleged-gce-forms-scam/

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A 25-year-old store keeper, Abubakar Hussaini, who was on Tuesday sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by a Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, said he burnt his boss’s credentials for his failure to increase his salary‎.

Hussaini said the complainant, Mr Jack Jiang, a Chinese, promised to increase his salary, but failed to do so.‎

‎

Hussaini who pleaded guilty to charges of criminal trespass, mischief by fire and theft, begged the court for leniency.

The judge, Abdulwahab Mohammed, however, sentenced Hussaini to 12 months imprisonment, but gave him N20,000 option of fine.

He also warned Hussaini to be of good behaviour and to also desist from committing crime.

The prosecutor, John Okpa, had told the court that Jiang reported the matter at the Area Command, Life Camp, Abuja on Aug. 26.

He said that Hussaini criminally trespassed into the complainant’s house and stole a traveling bag containing five wrist watches, two bangles, four T -shirts and credentials.

Okpa said that all the said items were valued at N1.5 million.

The prosecutor said that four wrist watches, two bangles, two T-shirts and the traveling bag were recovered from Hussaini during police investigations.

He further said that Hussaini burnt the complainant’s credentials, adding that the offences contravened Sections 348, 336 and 288 of the Penal Code.

http://www.metronaija.ng/i-burnt-my-bosss-credentials-for-his-refusal-to-increase-my-salary-convict/

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Flood ravaged no fewer than 400 houses in Bar’kwari community in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of Kano State on Sunday afternoon, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The spokesman for Kano State Fire Service, Saidu Mohammed, made this disclosure in an interview with NAN on Monday in Kano.
READ ALSO Coach Gennaro Gattuso slaps AC Milan player for posing with a Barcelona jersey (Video)

He said the flood also affected primary schools, animals and foodstuffs, adding that firemen were, however, able to rescue the victims.

“We received a distress call from Hajia Gambo Usman, who lives in the neighbourhood at about 3:22 p.m., reporting that there was flooding in their area.

“On receiving the information, we quickly sent our rescue team and a vehicle to the scene at about 3:38 p.m.,’’ he said.
READ ALSO Police shoot accident victim in Delta,then run away(Photos)

The official, who said that the flood washed away 400 houses, foodstuffs, animals and schools, added that firemen assisted them by creating way for the water to pass, so as not to affect other houses.

Mohammed, however, urged the public to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse in order to stop blocking the waterways.
READ ALSO Commuter Loses Arm in Accident: An Appeal for Urgent Assistance from Well Meaning Nigerians

He reminded the community of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMET) warning of downpour this year.

http://www.metronaija.ng/flood-ravages-400-houses-in-kudu/

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The Presidency says President Muhammadu Buhari is neither in confrontation with the parliament over his refusal to sign the amended Electoral Act Bill nor against the use of card readers in the forthcoming elections.

The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, who stated this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said the president’s decision to decline assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018, had nothing to do with the use of card readers.

Shehu, therefore, dismissed the allegations of opposition politicians, as well as some newspaper editorial opinions creating the impression that the President was against e-voting and the use of card readers in the 2019 elections.

The presidential aide expressed the readiness of Buhari to sign the Electoral Act after effecting all the necessary corrections, adding that he (President Buhari) had asked his officials to dialogue with the legislature for the corrections to be effected.

“We wish to state in clear and unambiguous terms that the issue of e-voting and use of card readers was NEVER an issue for the President’s decision to decline assent to the Bill.

“It is equally important that this issue was not raised either by the Executive or the Legislature in the recent reviews.

“Moreover, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adoption of e-voting reforms is enshrined in the 2015 Amendment Act to the Electoral Reform Act. Card reader is therefore a settled matter,’’ he said.

According to him, the President’s recent decision to decline assent to the Bill has no effect whatsoever on INEC’s use of card readers.

He further maintained: “Regrettably, purveyors of ‘fake news’ have been quick to churn out sensational headlines such as that of a leading newspaper, which screamed: “Card Reader in Jeopardy, Buhari Rejects Electoral Act Amendment Bill Again.”

“Unfortunately, most of the critics of the President, including the editorial of a national daily this morning read out parts of the letters, as made available by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, detailing the issues that were of concern to the government.

“An issue has been raised by the President concerning some ill-prepared and flawed parts of the bill for which corrections needed to be made to allow for his signature.’’

The presidential spokesman added that the President wanted engagement with the parliament for the corrections to be effected so that, at the end of the day, “both arms of government will be happy with the fact that we have a good electoral law in place.

“The President is not in confrontation with the parliament on this issue. He has asked his officials to dialogue with the legislature for the corrections to be effected.

“As for his alleged rejection of the card reader, nothing can be farther from the truth.’’

He described Buhari as the country’s number one fan of the card reader.

He said: “For a candidate who ran three times and “lost” in an electoral environment in which votes were allocated and losers asked to go to court if they felt unhappy, the President knows fully well the role that the card reader played in his emergence in 2015.

“He has said times without number that he would strengthen and widen its application in the country and this, he is determined to do.’’

Shehu, therefore, appealed especially to the media to disregard baseless allegations against the President, “even as he puts in his best efforts in working with the National Assembly to give the nation a good electoral law, and in time.

“The card reader is not in danger of being discarded. It is a sine qua non for credible elections.’’

He also appealed to the National Assembly to reconvene as soon as possible to consider and approve the necessary corrections to the amended electoral act.

http://www.metronaija.ng/buhari-not-in-confrontation-with-nass-over-electoral-act-presidency-2/

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says it will arrest and prosecute anyone that engages in vote-buying in the Sept. 22 governorship election in Osun.

Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known at the commission’s quarterly consultative meeting with political parties on Friday in Abuja.

He said that the commission would no longer take lightly, issue of vote-buying which had become a recurring decimal in the country’s elections.

“We are witnessing an ugly trend of vote-buying in recent elections in the country; this is giving our democracy a bad name.

“There is difference between democracy – government of the people, made by the people and for the people and plutocracy, which is government by the rich.
READ ALSO 7 Killed & 7 Injured In Borno Suicide Bombing Attack

“We are going to make Osun governorship election a big statement by arresting and prosecuting vote buyers. We can’t carry this ugly trend to 2019 elections,” Yakubu said.

He urged political parties to adhere strictly to the commission’s timetable and schedule of activities for the 2019 general elections.

The chairman advised political parties to ensure that their primaries were credible, saying credible and peaceful elections started with political parties, which were the cornerstone of our democracy.

“Nobody can aspire for elective position without a political party. We conduct the election, while parties produce the candidates, and that is why conducting credible party primaries is essential.”
READ ALSO Alibaba reacts to Pastor Yomi Kasali 'attack' on pastors inviting comedians to perform in their churches

He said that INEC had so far received invitation letters from 60 political parties out of the 91 registered political parties, to monitor their primaries.

Yakubu added that the commission would only recognise notice of primaries from parties’ national executive committees.

“Notification should not come from branches; avoid incessant changes to party primaries and strife to eliminate rancour primaries.

“We incur cost in the process of monitoring party primaries; we don’t have all the resources in the world to monitor party primaries.

“Primaries should be resolved without litigations; we are still battling with litigations from party primaries conducted in 2014; we have been dragged to conduct 680 times over party primaries.
READ ALSO PHOTOS: Dele Momodu Hugs Davido At Ovation Carol 2017

“Political parties are key to our democracy, some parties change names of candidates who genuinely emerged from party primaries, while some submit names of candidates without conducting primaries.

“Even though we have no power under the law to reject the names of candidates submitted by political parties, this time, we will name and shame political parties that do these.

“So, we should do the right thing for our democracy.”

https://www.metronaija.ng/vote-buying-inec-vows-to-prosecute-suspects-in-osun-guber-poll/

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Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo receives Team Save-A-Soul Nigerian girls who won the World Largest Tech Competition in the United States of America, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. 6th, September, 2018.

http://www.metronaija.ng/photos-osinbajo-meets-nigerian-girls-that-won-world-largest-tech-competition/

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The Nigeria Police Force said it would arraign Ismail Yakubu, 45, in court on Wednesday for giving false information to the police to carry out a search on Chief Edwin Clark’s residence in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four policemen on Tuesday illegally carried out a search on the Abuja residence of Clark following information from Yakubu.

The force Spokesman, Acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, disclosed this while presenting the informant to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that the officer who led the team had been queried while the other three were currently undergoing orderly room trial.

The officers are: ASP David Domnic; Insp. Godwin Musa; Insp. Sada Abubakar and Insp. Yabo Paul.

Moshood added that any police officer carrying out the execution of search warrant must follow the laid down procedures within the law.

“Where such is not followed, such officer must be made to face the consequences of violating the rule of law,”he said.

He said that the police had the statutory right to execute a duly obtained search warrant in any premises where it had actionable intelligence.

Speaking with newsmen, Yakubu, who is from Waru Village in FCT, said he gave the information to the police based on patriotism as a Nigerian.

He said that he was in a taxi along Haile Salesie street , Asokoro, when he was told that a white colour Hilux van loaded with arms was entering the residence of Clark.

“I don’t think I have done anything wrong to have reported the matter to the police,”he said.

The police had apologised to Clark over the unauthorised raid of his residence.

http://www.metronaija.ng/edwin-clark-police-to-arraign-informant-in-court-photo/

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More at http://www.metronaija.ng/photos-aregbesola-visits-ooni-of-ife/

Osun state Governor Rauf Aregbesola paid a visit to His Imperial Majesty Alayeluwa Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Ooni Of Ife at his palace today.

http://www.metronaija.ng/photos-aregbesola-visits-ooni-of-ife/

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Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has assured members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state that the party would not impose candidates for the various elective positions in the 2019 general elections.

The governor, who gave the assurance while speaking at the Oyo South Senatorial District meeting of the party, held in Ibadan, on Monday, said that the party would provide a level playing ground for all the aspirants during the primaries election.

He also said that the APC leadership would support the best among all the gubernatorial aspirants to become the next governor of the state.

The meeting was attended by aspirants for various political offices and party faithful from the senatorial district comprising nine local governments.

The local governments include Ibadan North, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan South-West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan North-East, Ido, Ibarapa East, Ibarapa North and Ibarapa Central.

Ajimobi said that the meeting was aimed at intimating members of what transpired at the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the APC, held in Abuja, last week.

He said that the meeting was hinged on how to reposition the party for victory at the 2019 general elections.

Ajimobi said: “The meeting we held with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja last week was to fashion out ways of repositioning the party for victory in the 2019 general elections. The meeting was also used to review the activities of our party.

“We also realized that some faceless people were behind the crisis that we experienced recently in our party in Oyo State that that they were the one sponsoring the dissident group. I am however happy that despite the insinuations that our party membership has been depleted because of the actions of the group, we still have this huge presence of members here.

“This is an indication that we are on top of the game. It is very obvious that our party parades the best of aspirants, especially in terms of individual accomplishments, academic backgrounds as well as their respective loyalty to the party. Let me assure you all that the party leadership will create a level playing field for you all.”

The governor also seized the occasion to correct what he called an erroneous impression that he showed preference to some gubernatorial aspirants against the others, stressing that he encouraged all of them to join the race.

The governor said: “the issue is not that I prefer some gubernatorial aspirants than the other. Indeed, I encouraged all of them to join the race. They are all my people and they are all equally qualified. Let me assure you once again that I will never impose any candidate but we will support any candidate who has the capacity to win”.

He commended the state Party chairman, Chief Akin Oke, for holding the party together in spite of the crisis that recently rocked it.

Oke and the party Chairman Oyo South Senatorial district, Mr. Adekanye Adefioye, were unanimous in praising the governor for his administration’s developmental strides as well as his laudable programmes and policies, which they said encouraged more aspirants to show interest in the gubernatorial race.

Oke said: “If we look at the noise from our detractors, one would think this gathering would not be this big. We have seen so many aspirants jostling for positions. It is an indication of the good work of the governor and his good leadership style”.

He appealed to the contestants not to see the race as a do or die but rather, accept the outcome of the party primaries in good faith

http://www.metronaija.ng/2019-i-will-not-impose-candidates-on-apc-ajimobi/

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Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo and Osun state Governor Rauf Aregbesola during the launch of Trader Moni in Osun.

http://www.metronaija.ng/photos-osinbajo-and-aregbesola-at-launch-of-trader-moni-in-osun/

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Workers in Osun on Monday, returned to work after the expiration of a three-day warning strike they embarked upon on the directive of the state Joint Labour Unions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Joint Labour Unions, comprise the Joint Negotiating Council, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

The unions had on Tuesday, issued a notice, directing all civil servants to embark on a three-day strike to demand for the payment of their salary areas and other entitlements.


The strike became necessary to demand from the state government the payment of 34 months salary arrears of 50 per cent paid officers on Grade Level 08 and above, equaling 17 months full salary.

“The payment of 34 months pension arrears of retired workers in the state, remittance of 34 months contributory pension arrears, payment of outstanding gratuity to all pensioners;


“And payment of 2016 leave allowances across board to officers of the state government.

However the workers were back to their offices on Monday, as the three-day warning strike ended on Friday, waiting for further directive from the Joint Labour Unions.

When Mr Jacob Adekomi, the Osun chairman of NLC was contacted to find out if the workers’ demands had been met, he replied by saying that

“They (the government) said they are in Abuja, and they would meet us when they return this week.

“We are waiting for them to meet with us, so that we will know the next line of action.” he said.

http://www.metronaija.ng/osun-workers-resume-after-warning-strike/

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Nigeria, Germany, Norway, and the United Nations have converged on Berlin Monday for a “pledging conference on Boko Haram”.

The Berlin Conference, holding from Sept. 3 to 4, is jointly organised by the three countries and the UN, and is one of the 2018 largest pledging conferences for the Lake Chad region, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

The conference will focus on humanitarian assistance, civilian protection, crisis prevention and stabilisation for the region, as well as seek to raise funds for the humanitarian requirements totaling $1.56 billion.

The pledges at the conference, would help provide humanitarian assistance for the Northeast Nigeria and parts of Niger, Chad and Cameroon, ravaged by Boko Haram insurgents.

It would also discuss the perspectives of civil society, their concerns and contributions, as well as how to strengthen collaboration between the affected countries and organisations involved in responding to the crisis.

The Nigerian delegation to the Berlin conference is being led by Nigeria’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande.

The Nigerian envoy said recently that Nigeria had developed a 6.7-billion-dollar robust plan of action for the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of Northeast, devastated by Boko Haram activities.

“The Berlin Conference on the Lake Chad has been slated for the first week of September 2018 and would build substantially on the outcome of the February 2017 Oslo Donors Conference on the Lake Chad.

“I would like to take this opportunity to call on all stakeholders to redouble efforts and commitment towards making the coming Berlin Conference on the Lake Chad of Sept. 3 to 4, 2018, a watershed.

“This is in our collective resolve to further mobilise resources and demonstrate implicit commitment to plans that will ensure moving quickly beyond the immediate humanitarian needs, to concrete sustainable developmental projects capable of substantially elevating the lives of the majority of people in the region,” Bande said.

The Nigerian envoy stressed the need for collaboration and cooperation among countries of the Lake Chad, the donors, as well as humanitarian and development partners.

According to him, collaboration between the humanitarian and development agencies has gained traction at the UN in recent times, such that the involvement of national governments is needed to make it work.

He said the protracted humanitarian and development challenges in the Lake Chad region had place enormous responsibilities on all to remain engaged in discussion, aimed at scaling up national, regional and global responses to the crisis.

The Envoy emphasised that these responses needed to be bolstered by strengthened coordination at the UN level to ensure a more synergised delivery of assistance.

“Let me emphasise that the recharge of the Lake Chad Basin, capacity building, and restoration of livelihood, through facilitation of occupational opportunities, job creation, skill acquisition and others, are central to finding lasting solution to the problem in the region.

“To realise all these would entail our collective commitment to a broad range of actions, facilitated by strong international cooperation and partnership, involving the UN agencies and development partners, like the World Bank and African Development Bank, among others,” Bande said.

The UN had also said that it would have provided assistance to no fewer than 6.1 million people affected by the Boko Haram crisis in Northeast Nigeria by the end of 2018.

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, said at a recent event in New York, that Nigeria was still facing a crisis of global magnitude.

“The figures are alarming – 10.2 million people affected in three states in Northeast Nigeria, 7.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

“Our 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan was developed to provide assistance for 6.1 million people requiring slightly above a billion dollars in 2018,” Kallon said.

http://www.metronaija.ng/un-nigeria-norway-germany-hold-berlin-conference-on-boko-haram-2/

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At least one person has been confirmed dead and 4 seriously injured after St. Paul Catholic Church collapsed during morning mass, today, in Ugolo, Adagbrasa, Delta State.
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According to an eyewitness, many others sustained injuries, while some remain trapped.

http://www.metronaija.ng/one-dead-4-injured-many-trapped-as-church-collapses-in-delta/

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Zamfara state government has donated food items and cash to families of three All Progressives Congress (APC) local government chairmen from the state who died on Friday as a result of auto crash in Saudi Arabia.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the deceased died in the early hours of Friday in a motor accident on their way from Makkah to Madina.

The deceased were, Alhaji Jafaru Gidan Sambo, APC Chairman Kaura-Namoda local government, Alhaji Mudi Mallamawa, APC Chairman Shinkafi local government, and Alhaji Abdullahi Ruwan-Dorawa of Maru local government.

The state APC Chairman, Alhaji Lawal Liman presented the donation on behalf of the state government to the victims families in Kaura-Namoda, Shinkafi and Ruwan-Dorowa towns on Saturday.

Each of the deceased families received N2 million and 50 bags of assorted grains.

“On behalf of Governor Abdul’aziz Yari, I am presenting this assistance to you to symphatize with you over this great loss”, he said.

Liman urged families of the deceased party chairmen to consider their death as a test from Allah, and urged them to continue to pray to Almighty Allah to grant them Aljannah Firdausi (The highest Paradise).

He described their death as a great loss not only to their families, but to APC, Zamfara state and Nigeria as a whole.

The Chairman of Maru local government area, Alhaji Salisu Dangulbi who responded on behalf of the families thanked the state government for the gesture.

http://www.metronaija.ng/zamfara-govt-donates-cash-food-items-to-families-of-deceased-apc-chairmen-2/

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