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 Politics › Unlike Jonathan, Buhari Regime Looting Nigeria On Low-key: Rotimi Amaechi by milann(op): 8:06am On Aug 31, 2021 |
Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says, unlike ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime is looting Nigeria’s treasury on low-key. Speaking of brazen looting of the country’s funds under Mr Jonathan, Mr Amaechi stated that the looters “had nothing to do to show for it.” “They did not have a carpentry shop, but they were billionaires. They did not hide it. But here (Mr Buhari’s regime), if you are stealing, it is done quietly,” the minister revealed in an interview with Daily Trust. Speaking on how the regime has managed the country’s resources in the past years, Mr Amaechi, an ally of Mr Buhari, noted that stealing was taking place “quietly” under the regime. “I want Nigerians to be honest. Can you openly take money from this government? I am not saying whether we are corrupt or not,” he acknowledged. Mr Amaechi also claimed that corrupt officeholders displayed their wealth without fears of being prosecuted, compared to the current administration where looters “face the consequences” for their actions. “Let us assume we are corrupt: can you openly take money in this government? In the past governments, what happened? You can take money in the streets. Corruption was so pervasive that nobody was talking about it,” said Mr Amaechi. It was not hidden that people completely and openly displayed their wealth.” Admitting that Mr Buhari’s regime is not corruption-free, the transportation minister pointed out, “But here (under Mr Buhari’s regime), if you are stealing, it is done quietly. I am not saying it is good. It is a sin punishable. He added, “In the previous government, you could steal, and you won’t be caught. If you were caught, there wouldn’t be consequences. But in this government, if you steal, there are consequences.” In its ‘2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria’, the U.S. noted that corruption under Mr Buhari was “massive and pervasive.” “Although the law provides criminal penalties for conviction of official corruption, the government did not consistently implement the law, and government employees frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity,” the U.S. report said. “Massive, widespread, and pervasive corruption affected all levels of government, including the judiciary and security services.” The report also accused anti-corruption agencies, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and EFCC of only going after low-level officials but delay procedures in cases of high-level officials indicted for financial crimes. “The bulk of ICPC and EFCC anti-corruption efforts remained focused on low- and mid-level government officials,” explained the U.S. report. “In 2019, both organisations started investigations into and brought indictments against various active and former high-level government officials. Many of the corruption cases, particularly the high-profile ones, remained pending before the court due to administrative or procedural delays.” Critics have accused Mr Buhari of failing to tackle corruption which he said would be his priority prior to his first election in 2015. Corruption has remained rampant as Nigeria ranked 149 out of the 180 countries surveyed in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2020. The 2020 ranking makes Nigeria the second most corrupt West African country, with Guinea Bissau topping the list. As of 2019, Nigeria ranked 146th, although the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not agree with the ranking. https://gazettengr.com/unlike-jonathan-buhari-regime-looting-nigeria-on-low-key-rotimi-amaechi/ |
| Politics › Conflicting Court Orders: CJN Summons Six Chief Judges, NBA Laments by milann(op): 6:01am On Aug 31, 2021 |
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, has summoned the Chief Judges of six states over the recent wave of conflicting orders issued from their courts. Mr Muhammad who is the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), a statutory body concerned with appointment and disciplining of judges, issued the summons to the affected Chief Judges in Abuja on Monday, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. The judicial officials summoned to face interrogation over the development are Chief Judges of states in the South-south, North-west and South-east regions. The states are Rivers, Kebbi, Cross River, Anambra, Jigawa and Imo states. The questionable ex parte orders issued in various political cases emanated from the judges of the six states in the last two months. Spokesperson for the CJN, Ahuraka Isah, confirmed the summons issued by Mr Muhammad to the Chief Judges to our correspondent on Monday. The affected heads of court are to appear before the CJN as a prelude to the broader probe by the NJC to explain what warranted issuance of conflicting orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction in their domains. Excerpts from the summons were shared with our reporter by top judiciary sources who sought not to be named because they were not given authorisation to speak on the matter. “My attention has been drawn to media reports to the effect that some courts of coordinate jurisdiction were granting conflicting ex-parte orders on the same subject matter. “It has become expedient for me to invite you for a detailed briefing on the development. “This is even more compelling having regard to earlier NJC warning to judicial officers on the need to be circumspect in granting Exparte applications,” excerpts from the summons read in part. The CJN is reported to be “embarrassed” by the development, and intends to use the meeting with the CJN to receiving briefings from the Chief Judges ahead of NJC’s broader deliberations on the matter. Backstory The judiciary has seemingly joined the fray of political crisis rocking some political parties in the country by indiscriminately granting orders and counter-orders as requested by the different warring sides. Lawyers say all the questionable orders were issued ex -parte with little regard for principles of territorial jurisdiction, caution expected of a judge in the handing of an ex parte hearing, and the need for a court to stay clear of a matter whose subject matter is already pending before a court of coordinate jurisdiction. For instance, such orders have been issued concerning the choice of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the forthcoming election in Anambra State. Desperate politicians have traversed courtrooms in different part of the country to obtain orders on the APGA’s governorship candidates for the forthcoming Anambra State election. In just one week, three courts in different states also issued counter-orders about the office of the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) . On August 24, a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt restrained Uche Secondus from parading himself as PDP national chairman. However, in another twist, the Kebbi State High Court in Birnin-Kebbi restored Mr Secondus’ mandate as the national chairman of the opposition PDP on August 27. A day after Mr Secondus’ reinstatement, another High Court in Calabar, Cross River State, issued an interim order restraining him from resuming office as PDP chairman. NBA kicks Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has expressed concerns over the spate of contradictory court orders across the country. “The recurring contradictory decisions by our courts, based on apparently indiscriminate grant of orders and counter-orders, in a way,evokes memories of those eerie and unwanted dark days,” Olumide Akpata, NBA’s president said in a statement on Monday. He added, “These developments in our courts are antithetical to the actualisation of the just society and independent judiciary that we all aspire to.” The association blamed its members for yielding themselves to be used as “willing tools by politicians to wantonly abuse the judicial process.” It condemned the indulgence by some “judicial officers of politicians who go round the country shopping for judgments, and who thereby bring the Judiciary to public ridicule.” Mr Akpata warned that the NBA would no longer stand idly by while “Nigeria’s hard-earned democracy is threatened by the venal acts of a few.” As Nigeria’s next elections circle approaches, the NBA President said, “It can no longer be business as usual.” Mr Akpata, who blamed both the bench and the bar for the events, sought audience with the CJN to find a solution to the matter. “The bench, respectfully, is also not blameless. We certainly concur with the Honourable Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme of the Court of Appeal in her condemnation of the indulgence by some judicial officers of politicians who go round the country shopping for judgment, and who thereby bring the judiciary to public ridicule. “To that end, the NBA will urgently seek audience with the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria to address this issue holistically.” He said while the NBA would not make further comments on the issue, in the meantime, he nominated the Chairman of the NBA Judiciary Committee, Babatunde Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and two others to be part of the NBA team. Others coopted into the team by the NBA president are the chairpersons of the NBA Section of Legal Practice (NBA-SLP) and NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), Oluwaseun Abimbola, a SAN, and Monday Ubani, respectively. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/482106-conflicting-court-orders-cjn-summons-six-chief-judges-nba-laments.html |
| Politics › Many Nigerians In Prison For Being Poor – NHRC Boss by milann(op): 12:08pm On Aug 30, 2021 |
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, has expressed disappointment over the number of Nigerian prison inmates awaiting trial for petty offences. The laws creating the special offences target the economic activities of the poor, Mr Ojukwu said in Abuja on Friday at an event on the review of the decriminalisation of petty offences project in Africa. “Laws on petty offences seem to mainly target the socio-economic lives and activities of the poor and marginalised population in society,” he said. He did not give a figure but lamented that alleged petty offenders constitute “a significant number” of prison detainees, thus contributing to the growing number of inmates in the country. According to him, it has become imperative to “decriminalise petty offences” in Nigeria and across Africa owing to their negative impact on economically disadvantaged citizens. “It is appalling to note that petty offenders, most of who are awaiting trial for offences such as being a rogue and vagabond, being idle or disorderly, loitering, begging, hawking, failure to pay debt and being a nuisance among others, constitute a significant number of persons in detention and thus contribute to the growing number of inmates in custody across the country,” he added. He explained that “petty offences can be found in laws that are aimed at controlling public nuisance on public roads, public places,” a scenario that is rampant in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city. He said the principles on decriminalisation of petty offences in Africa had been adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights in 2017 at Banjul, The Gambia. He emphasised the significance of the decriminalisation project on human rights, which is being implemented in Nigeria with support from the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in Africa (NANHRI). He further noted that the principles encourage member states to consider the use of non-custodial measures as an alternative to imprisonment of petty offenders. Decriminalisation of petty offences project in Africa The initiative is being simultaneously implemented in Uganda and Sierra Leone. The project review meeting sought to take stock of the implementation in the three African countries so far. In Nigeria, the inaugural Consultative Engagement towards development of Action Plan to decriminalise Petty Offences was held in Abuja in December 2020. The NHRC boss lauded NANHRI for its partnership in helping the commission discharge its mandate in taking steps to expunge all provisions that criminalise petty offences from both federal and state laws. Resolution PREMIUM TIMES learnt that part of the resolutions reached at the end of the project review meeting in relation to Nigeria was a recommendation for the establishment of a ‘Network for Decriminalisation of Petty Offences in the FCT’. Such structure has been established in Oyo and Lagos – consisting of critical ministries, departments and agencies of government, the civil society and the media. It was also recommended that interventions in other parts of the country should be scaled up. Lagos advocacy symbol Meanwhile, the Lagos State network has created a symbol to deepen its campaigns against criminalisation of petty offences. The symbol is a collection of pictures of hawkers, with clenched fists joined together to form a circular shape, and scale of justice. It also bears the logos of the NHRC and the NANHRI. According to the Lagos network, the symbol brings to focus the need for all hands to be “on deck”, advocacy for justice and stopping the detention of hawkers by law enforcement officers. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/481970-many-nigerians-in-prison-for-being-poor-nhrc-boss.html |
| Celebrities › Re: Alexx Ekubo Honoured With A Doctorate Degree From A University In Benin by milann: 9:49am On Aug 29, 2021 |
congratulations. The future is male 38 Likes 4 Shares |
| Politics › ‘They Abandoned Ironsi’s Widow After Hubby’s Assassination’ by milann(op): 9:30am On Aug 29, 2021 |
Abia State has been hit hard by death following the demise, almost simultaneously, of two of its illustrious daughters, Nigeria’s former First Lady, Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi; and Mrs. Adanma Okpara, wife of the late Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara. While Mrs. Okpara, who would have turned 97 in December died on August 22, Lady Aguiyi-Ironsi, 98 died on August 23, at an interval of less than 24 hours. Both nonagenarians hailed from Umuahia North Local Government Area of the state. Born on November 21, 1923, Lady Victoria was Nigeria’s second First Lady from January 16, 1966, to July 29, 1966, when her husband, Gen. Thompson Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, was killed in a counter-coup led by the late Gen. Murtala Mohammed. It took a courageous matriarch in the mold of Lady Aguiyi-Ironsi to move on with life after the tragedy of her husband’s assassination. Following the devastating incident, Lady Ironsi left Lagos, the then seat of power and returned to her country home, Umuana Ndume Ibeku, Umuahia North. She had to cope with the challenge of raising her eight children almost single-handedly as she was virtually abandoned. Her nephew, Chief Benedict Obioma of Umuokoyi Afaraukwu Umuahia, her maternal home, told Sunday Vanguard that Lady Aguiyi-Ironsi had it rough during the 30-month Nigeria-Biafran war as she was literally abandoned by both the federal government and the regional government. Chief Obioma who said he was living together with them at the State House Lagos said the assassination of her husband forced the family to relocate to Umuahia, adding that ever since then, Lady Ironsi remained in the state. He described the matriarch as an enterprising virtuous woman and a devout Christian who was honouredwith Noble Lady award by the St . Theresa’s Catholic Church, Afaraukwu, her maternal village church where she continued to worship until her death. According to him, the late First Lady had a special attachment to her village that she never worshiped anywhere but in her village church. His words: “ Eze Nwayi Ibeku (Queen of Ibeku land) was the last born of my father’s parents. She was the last child of a family of five. “ We were staying together at Lagos when the husband was assassinated and then we were forced to return to Umuahia. My Aunty had it very rough during the civil war because she was abandoned. No assistance came to her from anywhere.” The late former First Lady had also accused the federal government of abandoning the family during an exclusive interview with our Correspondent in 2016. But the immediate past Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji appointed her a Commissioner in the Local Government Service Commission where she served for years. On her last moments, Chief Obioma said Lady Aguiyi-Ironsi was not sickly although she suffered from arthritis of late. “ Eze Nwayi was very strong up until her death despite her age. She was never a dull person. A few days before her death I saw her. The children were taking good care of her, ‘’ he said. Chief Obioma said the late First Lady had a good social life as she served as a motivator, an adviser and mentor to many. “ She was a mountain mover and an active community leader”, he declared, adding that she would be dearly missed by the family in particular, Abia State and the country in general. Chief Obioma appealed to the federal government not to abandon the family in her burial. Meanwhile, when Vanguard visited her official residence at Ogurube New layout Umuahia, visitors were not allowed into the compound as the security guard at the gate told our Correspondent that the children were yet to return to the state. Some soldiers were sighted inside the compound probably deployed to help beef up security around the area considering her status as a former First Lady. She was also until her death, the Chairperson of the Association of former First Ladies of Nigeria. Lady Okpara On the other hand, Lady Okpara who died after a protracted illness lived a humble and quiet life. She was instrumental to her husband’s legendary achievements as Premiere of the Old Eastern region comprising all states in the present South-East and South-South geopolitical zones minus Edo and Delta states. Since the demise of her husband, Dr. Michael Okpara in December 1984, the nonagenarian lived a quiet life and was rarely seen in public. She was a strong pillar behind her husband during the political days of the 1950s and 1960s as Michael Okpara ruled the then Eastern Region with dedication and commitment to people’s welfare, centered on massive industrialization of the then Eastern Nigeria with agriculture as its centerpiece. Her late husband, Dr. Okpara was reputed for his selfless but legendary leadership which was responsible for the agricultural and infrastructural transformation ever recorded in the Old Eastern region. She hailed from Ikwuano but married at Umuegwu Okpuala, Ohuhu in Umuahia North LGA. Sunday Vanguard gathered from a reliable source that both families are contemplating burying both legends around October at a day interval just the same way they died. This, according to the source, is for the convenience of personalities expected from across the country in both burials. Meanwhile, it has been an outpouring of tributes by governments and individuals alike. Abia First Lady, Dr. Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu, described the deaths of the duo as “a huge double loss”. Mrs. Ikpeazu said: “the two departed Amazons represented an era of self-sacrifice in public service as they were always held up as beacons to women in leadership.” She confessed that she was one of many First Ladies who had received mentorship from the two women. “ I enjoyed the privilege of learning a lot about honour, humility, and self-respect from the lifestyles and stewardship of Mrs. Aguiyi Ironsi and Mrs. Okpara”, Mrs. Ikpeazu said. She described their lives as momentous, adding that, though they will be sorely missed, they had left legacies “worth studying, emulating and replicating.” Her husband, Ikpeazu, said both First Ladies left behind “ imperishable legacies”. “ We have been robbed of our most iconic female living legends”, Ikpeazu lamented. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/death-of-2-ex-first-ladies-in-24-hrs-they-abandoned-ironsis-widow-after-hubbys-assassination/ |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: Official Chelsea Fan Thread: Club World Cup Champions 2025-2029 by milann: 8:57pm On Aug 28, 2021 |
Like play like play Werner has been relegated to the bench. This life 1 Like |
| European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) › Re: Official Chelsea Fan Thread: Club World Cup Champions 2025-2029 by milann: 8:53pm On Aug 28, 2021 |
Kourt Zouma sold |
| Business › Re: Football (+/Other Sports) Betting Season 15 by milann: 8:49pm On Aug 28, 2021 |
wahala for who give juve straight win  2 Likes |
| Politics › Soyinka Hits Buhari Again by milann(op): 8:20pm On Aug 28, 2021 |
Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has queried President Muhammadu Buhari’s insistence on establishing grazing routes around the country despite public outcry against the policy. He said the president may be suffering from “mental delusion.” “It’s like there’s some delusion about this thing, a kind of mental delusion about this thing. What is it?” Soyinka asked, as he addressed a press conference in Lagos on Friday. The Nobel laureate added that Buhari may also be suffering from deafening noise from his son’s wedding bells last weekend. “Perhaps the sound, the noise of the wedding bells (Yusuf Buhari) has contributed to the possible impairment of the hearing of the president of this nation. Because he does not seem to hear anything,” the professor of linguistics lampooned. Citing a series of groups of people that have kicked against Mr Buhari’s move, Mr Soyinka wondered why the president was obsessed “about something which is being rejected, right, left and centre.” Virtually the whole nation is screaming we do not want any open cattle grazing whether they go by the name cattle routes or grazing reserves. Even the all-powerful and untouchable Miyetti Allah, patrons of the murderous Fulani herdsmen, have gone on record that ranching is it,” Soyinka asserted. In April and July, Southern Governors’ Forum at their meetings in Asaba and Lagos respectively announced a ban on open grazing in the region, setting a September 1 deadline for full implementation. Soyinka alleged that there was perhaps another agenda behind Buhari’s setting up of a committee to recover old grazing routes across the country. “And when we think of all that discussions, all that debates is settled in rational terms, along comes a new version of RUGA with the president insisting on sending his agents out to go and map out and recover the old grazing reserves when governments and people, experts, agronomists, businesspeople are saying this is the business and should be conducted in this particular way.” Why is the president obsessed about something that is being rejected by the people? The activist queried. “The obsession is on such a level that even people who consider themselves rational, like myself, begin to wonder whether this is really all about cattle. Perhaps there are other kinds of agenda that we don’t know about.” http://saharareporters.com/2021/08/28/soyinka-hits-buhari-again-says-president’s-insistence-grazing-routes-shows-he’s-mentally |
| Celebrities › Re: Throwback Photos Of Liquorose With Tuface, Wizkid, D’Banj by milann: 9:25am On Aug 28, 2021 |
Elove1:She's a tomboy |
| Politics › How Repentant Bandits Helped Secure Release Of Kidnapped College Students by milann(op): 9:10am On Aug 28, 2021 |
Repentant bandits were pivotal to the release of 18 students and staff of the College of Agricultural and Animal Sciences Bakura, Zamfara governor Bello Matawalle has disclosed. “As we all know, my administration initiated peace and reconciliation with the bandits as part of the measures to address security challenges facing the state. “We used the dialogue through the repentant bandits and rescued this staff and students”, Mr Matawalle said on Friday as he received the released students. Bandits had on August 16, abducted students and staff of the College in Bakura Local Government Area of the state. Presenting the released abductees to Mr Matawalle, at the Government House, Gusau, on Friday, the State Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkana, reiterated that the victims were rescued through dialogue initiated by the state government. “We may recall that the students were abducted and kept with the bandits 12 days ago. “They were rescued through the peace dialogue initiated by Governor Bello Matawalle, without paying any kobo as ransom. “I am happy to hand over the released students and staff to his Excellency, the governor, today,” the Commissioner said. Mr Elkana commended all stakeholders who assisted in the rescue of the students. Mr Matawalle commended the state peace and reconciliation committee for achieving the success. “We thank Allah the almighty, for having this staff and students back,” he said. He said the released abductees will undergo medical checkup before they are handed over to their families. (NAN) https://gazettengr.com/how-repentant-bandits-helped-secure-release-of-kidnapped-college-students-matawalle/ |
| Politics › Buhari Declares N287 Billion NNPC Profit by milann(op): 4:23am On Aug 27, 2021 |
President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the Minister of Petroleum Resources, announced a Profit after Tax of N287 billion by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in 2020 on Thursday. The president made the declaration in a statement by his spokesman Femi Adesina in Abuja. Mr Buhari stated that the declaration was in fulfillment of an earlier pledge by the federal government to publicly announce the financial position of the NNPC. He noted that the net profit was the first in the 44-year history of the establishment. “I am pleased to announce the declaration of Profit after Tax of Two Hundred and Eighty Seven Billion Naira (N287 billion) in Year 2020 by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. ”This is sequel to the completion of the statutory Annual Audit exercise for Year 2020. ”The NNPC losses were reduced from N803 billion in year 2018 to N1.7 billion in year 2019 and the eventual declaration of Net Profit in year 2020 for the first time in its 44-year history. “This development is consistent with this administration’s commitment to ensuring prudent management of resources and maximization of value for the Nigerian people from their natural resources. “I have further directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to timely publish the Audited Financial statements in line with the requirements of the law and as follow up to our commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability by public institutions. “I congratulate the Board, Management and Staff of the Corporation and look forward to greater value creation for the Nigerian people,” he said. https://gazettengr.com/buhari-declares-n287-billion-nnpc-profit/ |
| Crime › Man Hammers Wife To Death Over N800,000 In Bayelsa; Commits Suicide by milann(op): 6:03pm On Aug 26, 2021 |
TRAGEDY struck in the early hours Thursday at Edepie, a suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, when a 46-year-old man, identified as Patrick Markson, reportedly killed his wife and then took his own life. The tragic incident, which occurred at Odede Street off Tombia-Amssoma Road, was said to have left many residents in shock. The man, identified as a staff of the Yenagoa Local Government, reportedly clubbed his wife to death in her sleep with a sledgehammer. He was said to have watched the woman bleed to death and, thereafter, drank a poisonous substance, lay close to the bleeding corpse and died. The deceased wife, aged 35, identified as Hannah, is from Okotiama community in Gbarain Clan in Yenagoa council area of the state. It was learned that the deceased couple, blessed with six children, had been embroiled in marital disputes lately, which they could not resolve. Sources close to the couple claimed the disagreement bothers on money realised from a contract handed the husband by some members of his wife family. A lady close to the deceased woman described her as gentle and that she had no time for conflicts. According to her, “Yesterday, we were frying gari, and the husband called me that he wanted to speak with my sister if we were together. “I told him that when I get to where she was, I will pass the message. On reaching her, I told her and immediately we tried reaching him but we couldn’t. “Later he called again, but I had left where she was so he told me to tell her to bring gari for home use. “This morning (Thursday), the son called me that the mum was seen dead and he wants me to come. “As I was going to the house, I called him and ask of the dad and he told me the dad too was dead. “So when I got to their house I went straight to the room and saw them both lying on the bed dead. “But I noticed a can of poison by the bed and a big hammer.” She added that they had matrimonial issues, but she that had often intervened. “The genesis of their problems was when my husband died and I had a contract which I engaged him to benefit from. “After the contract, he got N800,000 for himself and never gave anything to the wife. She was bitter and reported the issue to me. “I approached him and told him what he did was bad, because I involved him due to the fact that he married my sister. “But I didn’t suspect it would result to this. Now they are both gone,” she added. Contacted, the spokesman of the state police Police command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, confirmed the development. He said: “Preliminary investigation reveals that one Patrick Markson, 46, a native of Onopa, Yenagoa, attacked and killed his wife, Hannah Markson, with a hammer. “Thereafter, he drank a poisonous substance and died. Photographs of the scene were taken, the hammer and bottle of the poison were recovered as exhibits. An investigation is ongoing.” https://cdn.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/SUI.jpg The weapons of death. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/man-hammers-wife-to-death-over-n800000-in-bayelsa-commits-suicide/ |
| Politics › PDP To Buhari: Boys Scout Leader Better Than You by milann(op): 7:32am On Aug 26, 2021 |
Against the backdrop of a spike in the security situation in the country, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said the leader of a Boys Scout would have faired better than the variant of leadership President Muhammadu Buhari has exhibited in tackling the menace.https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/insecurity-boys-scout-leader-better-than-you-pdp-blasts-buhari/ 19 Likes
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| Sports › Re: Kylian Mbappe: Real Madrid Make £137m Transfer Bid For PSG Forward by milann: 7:22am On Aug 26, 2021 |
Kingcalls:The Madrid that he's going bale is old, modric is old, benzema is old, isco and casemiro are barely off their late twenties, cavarjal just came back from injury, hazard is struggling since he arrived from Chelsea.Madrid is managing. if am to choose btw the devil n the deep blue sea, I choose PSG where am guaranteed a major trophy |
| Politics › DAKUKU PETERSIDE: Post- Afghanistan Implications For Nigeria by milann(op): 7:48pm On Aug 25, 2021 |
IN the past week, the unfolding events in Afghanistan have dominated the media space. The seemingly unimaginable happened. The Taliban forces marched into the capital, forcing the president of Afghanistan and his officials to take to their heels; Western diplomats and a few Afghans privileged to be airlifted or unfortunate to cling on the wheels of aeroplanes in desperation to leave Afghanistan for good. Leaders in corridors of powers in Western capitals are desperate to frame the failed mission in Afghanistan as a self-inflicted defeat by the Afghans, and their spin doctors are busy trying to convince the world that the West, especially, the US, has played its role and left the Afghans to pilot their affairs and shape their destiny. As Nigerians were watching events unfold, the big question in the minds of most is how this will impact Nigeria. The imagery of Taliban bestriding like a colossus and devouring city after city as it made its way to the capital is reminiscent of Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province, ISWAP’s videos littered all over the social media that Nigerians are used to, albeit on a smaller scale. These groups pillage, rape and kill many Nigerians at the fringes of our borders and various ungoverned spaces, whilst the herders/farmers conflict is bloody and ubiquitous across the country. Boko Haram and the Taliban have similar footprints and may even be acting from the same script. The big elephant in the room is: can Boko Haram, ISWAP or “militia-herdsmen” become the Nigerian ‘Taliban’? Can they march to Abuja and overthrow our legitimate and constituted government? What strategic lessons should Nigeria learn from the fall of Afghanistan to avoid a similar scene? These questions call for an appropriate assessment of the situation, soul-searching and the answers should influence how Nigeria tackles these intractable problems from now on. To appraise whether Boko Haram terrorists can overrun the country like the Taliban were able to do in Afghanistan, we need to take a closer look at what drives and sustains Islamic extremists. In as much as the West, through their powerful media, depict the Taliban as a group of ogres who impose medieval punishment on the citizenry and deprive women of fundamental freedom and rights, the group has a level of support within the local Afghan population. This support enabled them to maintain a considerable level of resistance to the occupying American and allied forces in the country for 20 years, which led to the death of tens of thousands of Westerners and their Afghan collaborators. It also enabled them to overrun the country immediately after the Americans pulled out. In the Nigerian context, the Boko Haram terrorists still draw some support from large swathes of the local population. These people give overt and covert support to the insurgents, which has enabled them to mount a sustained resistance to the Nigerian military. To address this problem, we must tackle the root causes of terrorism, including poor governance, corruption, poverty, dearth of economic opportunities and lack of social and basic amenities. The strategy of many terrorist groups in recruitment is always to target disgruntled people, people suffering from social and economic injustice, who feel left behind by the elite and the political class. It is instructive to note that the hotbeds of Islamic extremism and terrorism in Nigeria are in areas with the country’s most extraordinary incidents of perverse poverty and educational backwardness. These are areas where people lack basic amenities, areas with high unemployment rates and high illiteracy levels. The experience of the US military in Afghanistan means that effectively tackling terrorism is not just simply about military warfare. The Americans and their allies invaded Afghanistan after 9/11, routed the Taliban and installed a government seen by many Afghans as massively corrupt and inept. This anomaly extended to the Afghan military, constituted mainly by people who were in for the financial security and opportunities presented by the American occupation. That was why the ‘highly trained’ force of 300,000 quickly fell to a ragtag army of 75,000 in just a matter of days. Therefore, good governance and its twin development is a must to root out terror and to cut the supply lines of terrorists. Military might, in ideological wars, no matter how powerful, would only lead to short term victories. In an article published recently in the Financial Times, President Muhammadu Buhari alluded to this when he emphasised that US military forces on the ground in Africa is not what is most needed. He said what Africa needs most is US investment in infrastructure to help provide jobs and economic opportunities for the rapidly growing population. Another vital point to note is that it was clear that the Taliban effectively infiltrated the Afghan military from unfolding events in Afghanistan. It means that part of the resources deployed by the US in Afghanistan was ironically used to train and sustain ‘the enemy’. The Nigerian military in 2016 launched Operation Safe Corridor, an initiative for the deradicalisation and rehabilitation of ex-Boko Haram members. The aim of the operation, the military said, was to reintegrate repentant Boko Haram members into society. Through this programme, the Nigerian authorities have recurrently pardoned and released Boko Haram fighters under the guise of repentance, negotiation, surrender, rehabilitation and deradicalisation. More than 500 ex-Boko Haram members have already completed the programme. However, as can be gleaned from the events in Afghanistan, this measure can be counterproductive. Professor Zulum, governor of Borno State, said some time ago that the deradicalisation of repentant Boko Haram members was not working. Zulum posits thatthe initiative needs to be reviewed because some ex-Boko Haram members only come to spy on communities and then return to join the group. In addition to this, some legal experts believe that the authorities discretionally setting free those who ordinarily should be facing grave charges relating to terrorism and other war crimes is illegal. For one, until those arrested are tried and convicted in a court of law, they cannot be legally branded terrorists. And the Nigerian Army is not a court of law, which has the power to determine the guilt of suspected terrorists. For the fact that every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law, how can a supposed innocent person be pardoned? Aside from the fact that the Nigerian military lacks prosecutorial powers, they also cannot release suspects accused of terrorism. There are stories that most of the terrorists ‘repenting’ are of Boko Haram and not of the ISWAP terrorist sect. The latter, which has been in command of most terrorist activities in the recent past after the killing of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, has strict punishments for fighters who engage in stealing and other nefarious activities. These ‘repentant’ BokoHaram members are alleged to be unable to cope with this directive, hence their decision to ‘surrender’ to the authorities. So how could people who renounced terrorism because it hindered their opportunities to steal and plunder be good citizens of the society? Apart from the fact that some indigent persons who were never terrorists might decide to exploit the opportunities to join the ‘repentant’ group for material gains, there is always likely to be great resentment in the local population as they are forced to live with people who killed their family and friends and who forced them out of their homes. For now, it seems only remotely possible that Boko Haram or ISWAP can replicate the successes of the Taliban in Nigeria. But as the Nigerian military continues an extensive military offensive against the terrorists, there is a need to address issues of poverty and inequality, which would help root out terrorism in the country. What basic lessons can Nigeria learn from events in Afghanistan in the past few weeks? The core theme in this Afghan story is that nation-building is a local project. No other nation or people can build our country for us. Their self-interest governs any external stakeholders, and if and when that interest is not adequately served, they will abandon the country to its doomed fate. The Afghan locals are the casualties and are left to face the Taliban whilst foreigners are moved to safe places. So, when people stoke the embers of violence and war, they should remember that no external Western forces may come to their aid; instead, they will quickly remove their citizens from the ensuing inferno. The next lesson for Nigeria is that we should never forget that the idea of democracy, popular sovereignty, and the rule of law, though universal, must be rooted in local culture, values and peculiarities to have a meaningful impact. The clash between fundamentalist Islamism and democracy is real, and instead of exacerbating this ideological conflict, Nigeria should work out a model where both are assimilated and adapted to fit our local peculiarities. Aspirations of the people (not those of foreigners) must be the foundation of democracy and development. Therefore, we must adequately evaluate any attempt to import Western values to ensure they fit with local values. It is the citizens that should agree on rules of social, economic and political engagement. These should not be imposed on them. Again, it is local political leaders and visionary leaders that build institutions and not multilateral agencies or foreign governments. If the local leaders are not involved in the building of the institutions, they will not own them. Therefore, shared vision and effective communication are critical in all nation-building efforts. The interests of locals are served better by a stable, independent and prosperous state, and therefore, they must work together to protect it. Economic opportunities and good quality of life for all citizens are the incentives. Fourthly, military crackdown alone against ideology (Taliban, Boko Haram, Biafra, etc.) is unsustainable. The solution must involve a battle of the hearts and minds of the people. Dialogue and negotiated compromise may be necessary rather than only a show of strength. Government should get the locals to understand the implications of supporting the Jihadist movement on Nigeria existence. Fifth, Nigeria must immediately address all its fault lines to foster unity and cohesion to fight the common enemy of extremism. Unity is needed now, not fighting multiple wars. Restructuring and creating a sense of nationhood now is inevitable if Nigeria is to succeed. The Fulani herdsmen movement and incursion in other parts of the country and the allegations of land grabbing deserves focused attention by the leaders. The 2023 general elections must not be allowed to divide or polarise Nigeria. It will leave Nigeria weak. The last lesson is that a grand strategy to end insurgency in Nigeria must be developed and implemented rigorously by the government in conjunction with the private sector, regional and international collaborators. There should be a rallying call for all Nigerians to understand that Nigeria is at war and must channel resources and efforts to execute that war to the end. Instead of being reactive, the government should initiate a grand offensive against all insurgents to defeat the terrorists once and for all times, whilst using the carrot and stick approach. As seen in the Taliban case, firm resolve, local knowledge and support, and material, psychological and ideological incentives help all stakeholders work at the common goal of defeating the opponent irrespective of the supposed strength. Nigeria should adopt this. In conclusion, we are far from seeing insurgency in Nigeria overrun the state. However, it is not impossible. We must proactively solve this problem before it gets out of hand and turn Nigeria into the next Afghanistan. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/dakuku-peterside-post-afghanistan-implications-for-nigeria/ |
| Politics › FG Boosts Power Supply To Awka With 120MVA Substation by milann(op): 8:32pm On Aug 24, 2021 |
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday commissioned the 2x60MVA, 132/33KV substation in Awka, Anambra State, with a promise that the Federal Government will continue to create enabling environment for businesses to grow. Prof. Osinbajo noted that for Nigeria’s economy to grow at required rate, small businesses have to be supported by both the Federal and State governments. He said the new substation, built by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, NDPHC, will deliver about 100 Mega Watts of power to the Anambra state capital and its environs. He pointed out that “the economy of Nigeria largely depends on effort that is made at the subnational level, that’s the state level. It is the aggregation of the work that is done in the states that tenors to the great economy that we hope and are working for this nation of ours. “Anambra State revenue has increased from about N10.4 billion in 2014 to N26.37 billion as 2019 and this is another 152 percent increase in the state’s internally generated revenue”. The Vice President added that the large number of high capacity industries in the state demonstrate the industrious nature of the state indigenes. He noted that the huge increase in the level of development of the state capital since it was created in 1991 has led to huge demand for more power. According to him, “Since the technical commissioning of the substation in November 2020, this new substation has been in service providing 33KV evacuation capacity for at least 100MW of power through its two units of 60MVA, a total of 120MVA. “The commitment of the administration to ensuring the completion of this Awka NIPP 132KVA grid substation now provides a hitherto unavailable 70MW additional power capacity for driving industrial growth and boosting the economy of the state with positive knock on effect on employment and social-economic upliftment for residents of the state”. Also speaking, the Anambra state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano thanked the Federal Government and the NDPHC for constructing the substation, saying it will greatly boost the industrialization of the state. Chief Obiano noted that with improved power supply to the state, many industries would save the cost of self generation of electricity. On his part, the Managing Director of NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo disclosed that besides the industries, about a million households will benefit from improved power supply. “The substation has the capacity to wheel up to 100MW, the implementation is that with 100MW Awka should be well served. We have six feeders, three each going out of the transformers. When it transforms to 33kv, the 33kv lines will take it out to Awka and environs”. On her part, the Managing Director of News Engineering, the EPC contractor, Josephine Nwaeze disclosed the project executed solely by Nigerians. She called on the Federal Government to make more projects available to indigenous companies to grow the economy. https://cdn.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/electricity.gif https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/fg-boosts-power-supply-to-awka-with-120mva-substation/ |
| Politics › COVID-19: Senator Biyi Durojaiye Is Dead by milann(op): 4:02pm On Aug 24, 2021 |
Biyi Durojaiye, a former NADECO chief and senator who served Nigeria as a lawmaker in the fourth republic, died Tuesday while receiving medical care.https://gazettengr.com/ex-nadeco-chief-former-senator-biyi-durojaiye-is-dead/ 2 Likes 3 Shares
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| Health › Lagos Uses 400 Oxygen Cylinders Per Day For Severe Cases, Says Sanwo-olu by milann(op): 6:59am On Aug 24, 2021 |
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu says severe COVID-19 patients in the state currently utilise 400 oxygen cylinders per day since the outbreak of the third wave. Sanwo-Olu stated this on Monday at the Lagos House, Ikeja, during a news conference on the state’s management of COVID-19. He said that the 400 oxygen cylinders daily was an increase over the 75 cylinders utilised by severe COVID-19 cases, as at the beginning of the third wave of the virus. According to him, to help better manage the pandemic, the state government had invested in strengthening the capacity of the Lagos State BioBank to sequence positive cases. ”Sequencing allows us to identify the predominant strains of the COVID-19 virus in our environment and provides us with information on how to better respond to the pandemic. ”In terms of treatment of the more severe cases, let me say a few things specifically about the use of oxygen, which is a vital requirement for the management of the most severe cases. ”We have indeed seen a gradual increase in the uptake of oxygen during this pandemic, from the utilisation of 75 cylinders per day at the beginning of this third wave, to over 400 cylinders per day, currently. ”With our modelling suggesting that we may be requiring even more oxygen supply over the next few weeks, we are exploring several ways of increasing our oxygen capacity, including partnering with the private sector,” he said. Sanwo-Olu said that at the moment, the state had two functioning oxygen plants, at the IDH in Yaba and in Gbagada, adding that the government was looking forward to taking delivery of two additional oxygen plants being built in Lagos State by the Federal Government. He said that the target was an oxygen supply capacity of 1,000 cylinders per day in the state. ”It is important to note that oxygen supply is free at all public facilities designated for the treatment of COVID-19 in Lagos State. ”We encourage members of the public to report any of our staff soliciting fees for the provision of oxygen, to the office of the Honourable Commissioner for Health, and be assured that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. ”Managing a pandemic of this nature and scale is not and will never be an easy endeavour. ”It is costly and requires hard work and commitment from a wide range of stakeholders and partners, sacrificing their time and energy and resources on multiple fronts to slow down the virus, and eventually to tame it,” the governor said. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/covid-19-lagos-uses-400-oxygen-cylinders-per-day-for-severe-cases-says-sanwo-olu/ |
| Politics › Cargoes: Uneasy Calm Over Concession To IOC Shareholders’ Lifters By NLNG by milann(op): 8:23am On Aug 23, 2021 |
Mshelbila, who is the outgoing Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic LNG in Trinidad and Tobago, takes over from Tony Attah on August 31. It is also confirmed that Patrick Olinma, the Total representative on the board, has been asked to proceed on retirement, commencing July 31, 2021, and will be replaced by Total on the Board of NLNG. Mohammed Abdulkabir Ahmed, the NNPC new helmsman for Gas and Power, will be occupying the NNPC Board position in NLNG. But the new helmsman has to address in-house and market tension arising from deferrals, defaults and cancellation of cargoes. More than 20 NLNG cargoes had suffered deferrals, despite demand surge in the international market. ‘’It was gathered that the deferral and default game in the NLNG may make some international customers to abandon Nigerian market. There is fear that the recent trends may obstruct Federal Government’s bid to increase the production capacity of LNG by 35 per cent with Train 7 and earn more revenue,’’ a source told Vanguard. Vanguard learned that gas supply targets have been impacted due to Eni’s AGIP 50 per cent supply mark to the plant, which is considered poor. Shell and Total’s positive supply mark off had been over 90 per cent in the past few months. The source said: “There is disquiet within and from the market in the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) over cancellation of cargoes and unnecessary deferrals. ‘’This is one of the issues, which the board and the new management need to address for a smooth take off.” Giving insight into some of the challenges in NLNG supply chain, the source, who spoke with select media, added: “The Nigerian LNG production capability is still at an impressive level of close to 90 per cent, which if managed properly and concessions are made by the International Oil shareholders lifters, could well lead to an avoidance of performance reputational risk the Nigerian LNG is currently been plagued with in Global Markets. Independent third party gas supply could also be a solution. “In the last six months, over 20 LNG cargoes have been affected, with an estimated increase to 50 cargoes by year end, traditional buyers such as Galp, Enel, Gas Naturgy have struggled. “Deferral notices are sometimes made just weeks prior to vessel’s arrival at Bonny terminal. This practice, except for rare situation of force majeure, is very well below international acceptable standards.” Vanguard gathered that the situation in NLNG was also worrisome to the board of the NLNG, headed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Edmund Daukoru. A market source, who preferred to be anonymous for fear of witch-hunt, said: “It’s all over the market these days on how unreliable Nigerian LNG is in recent times. “There is certainly lack of prudence; we continue to see abrupt deferrals, defaults and cancellation of cargoes, especially when the market is highly profitable, it seems like a scramble between International Oil Company shareholder lifters and others. “This conflict is causing major supply disruptions and a very high level of operational inconsistencies, leading to unnecessary demurrage exposures and penalties. “If things continue in this perception and complexities set in, it won’t be surprising to see off takers demand for performance guarantees for future lifting. “This will be disastrous on credit ratings and could impact on future financial syndication for LNG project expansion. “Whilst the International Oil Company shareholder lifters have the capacity to take almost all of the LNG volumes produced, there has been a growing concern in global markets about conflicts, price fixing, insider trading and undue advantages. “These IOCs’ shareholders derive better terms and flexibilities over others, supplying in the same market, which could lead to anti-trust and anti-competition litigations and petitions. “Naturgy, a Spanish multinational natural gas and electric company, had levelled allegations of discriminatory/antitrust practices in favour of NLNG IOC shareholders during an arbitration process that was eventually settled.’’ Corroborating the growing concern, another industry source said: “These continued lack of confidence, driven by Nigeria LNG’s unprofessional defaults and performance, as perceived by international off-takers in the LNG global market, not only gives other regions an edge over Nigeria LNG position, but creates a risk of losses the government of Nigeria could be exposed too”. NLNG is expected to increase its production capacity from 22 million metric tons per annum to 30 million metric tons per annum. The criticisms against the NLNG business ethics is coming at a time the price of LNG is rising in the global market. In Europe, prices have gone up to €40 per megawatt hour for the first time. For example, in the United Kingdom, prices have soared above 100p a therm, the highest level since 2005. A therm measures the amount of energy contained in natural gas and is sometimes used to calculate utility bills. Royal Dutch Shell had in its annual LNG marketoutlook, stated that demand for LNG was 360 million tons last year, up from 358 million tons in 2019. This is despite the volatility caused by lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shell equally predicted that demand is expected to almost double to 700 million tons by 2040. President Muhammadu Buhari had last week, signed the much- awaited PIB into law. During the ground breaking of Train 7, he stated that the NLNG earned revenue of $114 billion over the years, paying $39 billion in taxes and $18 billion in dividends to the federal government. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/cargoes-uneasy-calm-over-concession-to-ioc-shareholders-lifters-by-nlng/ |
| Politics › July Allocation: FG, States, LGs Share ₦760.7 Billion by milann(op): 2:32pm On Aug 22, 2021 |
The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared N760.717 billion among the three tiers of government as federation allocation for the month of July.https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/480388-fg-states-lgs-share-n760-7-billion-for-july.html
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| TV/Movies › Nigerian ‘juju Stories’ Film Wins Boccalino D’oro Award At Locarno Film Festival by milann(op): 8:03am On Aug 20, 2021 |
The anthology film, ‘Juju Stories’, directed by Nigerian Film Directors, has won the international Boccalino d’oro award for the Best Film at the 74th Locarno Film Festival. The three directors are CJ ‘Fiery’ Obasi, Michael Omonua, and Abba Makama. The Locarno film festival, founded in 1949, is an annual event held every August in Locarno, Switzerland. It is one of the longest-running film festivals, also known for being a platform for art house films. The festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narratives and documentaries and short, avant-garde, and retrospective programmes. Mr Obasi, co-director, took to his Instagram page @fierycj, where he excitedly confirmed the great achievement. “We are grateful to Ugo Brusaporco, Arminio Sciolli of the Boccalino d’oro awards,” he stated. “We are super grateful to the entire cast and crew, to the festival director, Giona Nazzaro, the selection committee, and the great team of Locarno film festival.” ‘Juju Stories’, a three-part anthology film exploring juju (magical) stories rooted in Nigerian folklore and urban legend, premiered in July at the festival. The movie, shot by Femi Awojide, Surreal16 Collective’s production, includes three stories: ‘Suffer the Witch’, ‘Yam’, ‘Love Portion’ all written and directed by the three Nigerian directors. ‘Juju Stories’ was produced by Francis Nebot, Oge Obasi, and Adaugo Uzoma. The movie featured Timini Egbuson, Belinda Agedah Yang, Adebukola Oladipupo, Paul Utomi, Elvis Poko, Nengi Adoki and Seun Kentebe among others. https://gazettengr.com/nigerian-juju-stories-film-wins-boccalino-doro-award-at-locarno-film-festival/ |
| Education › ABU Begins Courses In Islamic Banking by milann(op): 2:06am On Aug 20, 2021 |
The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria will offer new undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Islamic Economics, Banking and Finance to bridge the gap in human capital needed in the sector.https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/abu-to-commence-courses-in-islamic-banking/%3famp 14 Likes 1 Share
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| Politics › NAFDAC Warns Nigerians On Products Advertised On Social Media by milann(op): 5:53pm On Aug 19, 2021 |
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, on Wednesday warned Nigerians to beware of social media products even as it destroyed fake, substandard and unwholesome products worth N2, 482, 600,290.00.https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/beware-of-products-advertised-on-social-media-nafdac-warns/ 1 Like
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| Foreign Affairs › Re: Taliban Unveils Special Forces In Armour Vest, Helmet And Night Vision(Pics) by milann: 5:23pm On Aug 19, 2021 |
Goodvibes007:people talk as if the talibans are not afganis |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: Taliban Unveils Special Forces In Armour Vest, Helmet And Night Vision(Pics) by milann: 5:18pm On Aug 19, 2021 |
AK481:forget it. They are 100% in control of afganistan Why do you think citizens and foreigners are preparing to flee |
| Foreign Affairs › Re: Taliban Unveils Special Forces In Armour Vest, Helmet And Night Vision(Pics) by milann: 5:11pm On Aug 19, 2021 |
BrainArk:According to Wikipedia, the Taliban are an Islamist group formed by afgan resistance students trained in Pakistan following the Soviet Mujahideen war. It's not like they are a terrorist Organisation. Pardon me if I'm wrong. I think apart from their strict interpretation of Sharia law, their association with alqaeda really dented their image. |
| Business › Re: Football (+/Other Sports) Betting Season 15 by milann: 11:07am On Aug 19, 2021 |
PSV and Young boys i thank you oh. Two down, nine to go. |
| Foreign Affairs › Afghanistan: Taliban Government To Allow Education For Women by milann(op): 2:03pm On Aug 16, 2021 |
Extremist group Taliban says it will allow women access to education as it continues to advance with its plot to take over government from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. TRT World Now reports that Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said the insurgent’s government would respect the rights of women. He also disclosed that the insurgents will allow women access to work, adding that punishments like executions, amputations and stoning will be at the discretion of courts. “Rights of women will be respected – They will have access to education, work – They will be allowed to leave homes alone – Punishments like executions, stonings, amputations up to courts,” Mr Shaheen was quoted by TRT World to have said. Peoples Gazette had earlier reported that Taliban fighters entered the city of Kabul on Sunday, demanding the unconditional surrender of the central government. In the report, The Gazette disclosed that Mr Ghani will abdicate in the next few hours after the Taliban came into the city limits. The extremist group has made major advances across Afghanistan as the U.S. and other countries started withdrawing their troops from the country. The original date for the full withdrawal of U.S. forces in Afghanistan was September 11, to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The group has taken over most of southern, northern and western Afghanistan. Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province and the biggest city in the north, fell to the Taliban on Saturday, as regional leaders and security forces abandoned the city fleeing to Uzbekistan for safety. While in charge of Afghanistan in the 1990s, the Taliban’s government was characterised by systematic violations against the rights of women and girls. The U.S. government was forced to seize power from the insurgents in 2001 after series of human rights abuses including executions; and extreme suppression of freedom of religion, expression, and education was recorded under the Taliban rule. However, in 2020, U.S. and the Taliban entered a truce, outlining a phased withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in exchange for Taliban commitments to restrain from attacks on the U.S. or its allies from Afghan territory. As negotiations advanced, Human Rights Watch in 2020 highlighted the need to address issues bothering on fundamental human rights, with special focus on the rights of women and girls; education; freedom of expression and the media. https://gazettengr.com/afghanistan-taliban-government-to-allow-education-for-women/ |
| Education › 49 Nasarawa Prison Inmates Studying For Phd, Graduate, PG Degrees: Ncos by milann(op): 5:07pm On Aug 13, 2021 |
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Nasarawa says 49 prison inmates are studying for doctoral, postgraduate, and graduate degrees. Aliyu Yahuza, the NCoS comptroller, announced this on Friday in Lafia. “On the education of the inmates, the controllers said the command had 91 students with 43 studying various courses in the National Open University,” said Mr Yahuza. “The command has 91 inmates in school, 43 are undergraduates in the National Open University, four postgraduate and two PhD students.” Forty-four others are preparing to sit the Senior Secondary School Examination and NABTEB. Mr Yahuza added that the command and state government were working toward decongesting correctional facilities through non-custodial such as community service, parole, and dispute resolution instead of sentencing offenders to imprisonment for minor offences. The comptroller stated that when revived, the centres would also benefit the public. According to him, Governor Abdullahi Sule has promised to equip the centres in Lafia and Keffi. “When I was deployed to the command, I went round all the custodial centres to be able to know what is on the ground. I find out that the workshops and soap-making industry are not functioning,” said Mr Yahuza. “I met with the governor when he was at the custodial centre for the release of inmates who were graciously pardoned by the state. I brought the issues before him, and he personally promised to equip the workshops.’’ The prison boss said a committee for the non-custodial would comprise the staff of NCoS, police, judiciary, social welfare officers, local government, health department, members of the community, and media. https://gazettengr.com/49-nasarawa-prison-inmates-studying-for-phd-graduate-postgraduate-degrees-ncos/ |
| Politics › Femi To Peter Obi: You’re Playing Up Insecurity To Spoil Buhari’s Achievements by milann(op): 10:55am On Aug 13, 2021 |
Femi Adesina, spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday said “some people” are amplifying insecurity in the country just to spoil the achievements of his principal. Mr Adesina on Thursday made this statement in an article in which he lampooned former Anambra governor Peter Obi for saying infrastructure cannot be used to drive economic growth. Berating Mr Obi, Mr Adesina said “I think the successful businessman and former Governor (Mr Obi) got completely flummoxed, perplexed, bewildered and bemused, all in the process of trying to run down the Muhammadu Buhari administration, which has been doing great things in infrastructural development in the past six years.” He further said that Nigeria is at the “threshold of reaping the benefits of the Buhari regime’s huge investment in infrastructure, but some people want to play up insecurity to “vitiate the achievements” of Mr Buhari regime. “Now, we are at the threshold of reaping the benefits. Yet, some people want to downplay infrastructure, and play up insecurity, all in an attempt to vitiate the achievements of the Buhari administration. Will they succeed? Never!,” Mr Adesina said. But, contrary to Mr Adesina’s claims, bandits have continued to kill and kidnap for ransom across Niger, Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi and Zamfara State, forcing school closure as they target schoolchildren. Over 100 students who were kidnapped in Tegina Niger State in May are still in bondage, over 70 days after they were abducted, while in July, a Nigerian Air Force jet was bombed by bandits in Zamfara State. Last week, governor Aminu Masari of Katsina, Mr Buhari’s home state, cried out over increased insecurity in the state, saying 10 out 34 local governments in his state have been taken over by armed bandits. “10 out of 34 Local Governments in Katsina State are under severe bandits attacks daily. So, with that in mind, there is no way we can sleep,” Mr Masari said while receiving Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Yahaya Farouk, at Government House, Katsina. https://gazettengr.com/femi-adesina-to-peter-obi-youre-playing-up-insecurity-to-spoil-buharis-achievements/ |
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