All Posts in "Month: May 2021"

2023:Group Urges Amaechi To Vie For Presidential Seat 

Rotimi Amaechi's Scorecard as Nigerian Transportation Minister by Gift Okpara - Railway Business Magazine
 The leadership and members of the Princewills Political Associates worldwide,have implored the Minister For Transportation ,Rotimi Ameachi to contest for  presidential seat in 2023.
The National Chairman of the PPA, Dagogo Emmanuel,who disclosed  this during the recent 56th birthday celebration of the former governor of Rivers State,assured that his group of total support for Amaechi’s presidential bid if he heeds the call.
The Princewills Political Associates worldwide rolled out the drums to celebrate her supreme leader, the honourable minister for transportation, former governor of Rivers state, former speaker of the state, leader of the All Progressives Congress in the Rivers state and south south zone Rt. (Hon) Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
The occasion which had over one thousand members of the Princewills Political family drawn from the the various sub groups which make up the PPA namely the United waterfront, the PPA women wing, The Tsunami ladies, PPA Chairmen across the 23 LGAs, PPA youth leaders across the 23 LGAs, the Concerned Grassroots mobilized for change, the Arise and Shine women etc.
The event featured praise and worship, prayers to God for the life of the honour minister, drama presentation and good will speeches by dignitaries present.
Addressing the gathering, Dagogo Emmanuel thanked God for Rotimi  Amaechi, and  described him as one of the best things to have happened to have happened to Rivers people.
He also likened Amaechi as the Moses of our time, a man who is particular about the wellbeing and welfare of residents and citizens of the state. A man who gave Rivers people good governance, free education, free health care, scholarships, infrastructural development, and other people oriented programmes and policies that touched every aspect of society.
He thanked PPA members for being resolute in their commitment, loyalty and support for the leader of the party in the state and South-South Zone.
Some of the dignitaries who attended the event include Hon. Norisia Pepple, Hon. Asima Naomi Duke, Hon. Chika Odum, Hon. Tamunotonye Lily, Hon. Opiriyabo Bessey, Hon Kingsley and a host of others.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in Politics 0
AGN Upgrades  Ayetoro Gbede Community High School With N85 million  

Ayetoro-Gbede Global Network (AGN), says it has spent a huge sum of N85million to upgrade facilities at the community-founded Ayetoro-Gbede Community High School in Kogi State, Nigeria.
The President of the Association, Ola Oyelola,while presenting a valedictory address at the Annual General Meeting of the Association,  disclosed that about 24 million naira had also been expended on the acquisition and preliminary development of a site for a community hospital and other social infrastructures.
Besides, the 72- member group, who are all indigenes of the community, has in the  last 3 years raised and applied about N117 million to the construction and rehabilitation of education and health structures in the community.
The comprehensive turn around of the school covered the renovation of 19 class rooms, provision of 700 new chairs and tables, construction and reticulation of a motorised borehole, construction and furnishing of a new laboratory complex for Biology, Chemistry, Physics and information technology. A 5KVA solar power was installed to power the laboratories while 8 solar security lights were provided around the premises of the school.
Other upgrades include a library, white board and about 2,000 books on various subjects donated by a United States based family Mr and Mrs Akin- Adeyemi.
The body targets the provision of 100 units of computer systems for the students. In addition about N5 million is projected annually for the remuneration of teachers in STEM subjects.
The annual meeting which held virtually recorded attendance by members of the Association mostly based in Nigeria and a few from the diaspora. At the apex of the Board of Trustees is Prof Olu Obaro a high profile medical expert based in the United Kingdom.
Apart from  the school upgrade, the AGN has also commenced work on the acquisition and development of a community hospital expected to provide basic and secondary medical services to the residents of the community.
Although the intervention of the AGN is unprecedented in the community, its significance lay in the association’s commitment to sustain the self- development philosophy of the founders of the community, and their successors, who have at various times pioneered the development of schools, postal agency, heath facilities, civic centre, markets, access roads and water projects.
It’s a little wonder then that before the online meeting ended a few members had already committed to providing a number of computer sets to equip the new computer laboratory. In Ayetoro-Gbede the spirit of self-help never sleeps.
With the impressive stride set by the Ayetoro-Gbede Global Network, a template for repositioning public schools through the intervention of non- state actors in Kogi State, and indeed Nigeria, might not only have been innovated, the Ayetoro-Gbede Community High School, which has become the model of such an effort might stand out as one of the best improved schools in its immediate and wider environment.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in Education 0
 NITDA  Cautions Nigerians Against IGVM Ransomware

NITDA warns against file encrypting computer virus 'IGVM Ransomware' - TheNewsGuru
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has cautioned Nigerians against IGVM, a file-encrypting ransomware infection that attempts to extort money from victims by requesting for ransom in the form of Bitcoin cryptocurrency in exchange for access to data.
Head, corporate affairs and external relations, NITDA, Mrs Hadiza Umar, who conveyed the public alert in a press statement made available to LEADERSHIP, said the crypto-virus spreads in different methods like web injectors, pirated software, spam emails, malicious software bundles, fake software updates, and deceiving online ads.
She explained that  the primary task of IGVM ransomware virus was to check computer system for target file formats and encrypt them using a private RSA key.
“Once virus locks the files, it then runs several commands via CMD.exe to delete Volume Shadow Copies from your system and prevents the victims from restoring their file copies for free, using Windows tools,” she added.
She noted that the virus also modifies Windows Hosts file by adding a list of domains to it while adding that the domains are mostly computer or IT-related websites that the attackers capitalise on the measure to prevent the victim from seeking help or information online.
She  urged Nigerians to ensure regular data backup and recovery plan for all critical information and use application whitelisting to help prevent malicious software and unapproved programs from running.
“Keep operating system and software up-to-date with the latest patches. Maintain up-to-date anti-virus software, scan all software downloaded from the internet before installing, do not follow unsolicited web links in emails, do not download or open suspicious email attachments and do not open emails from suspicious recipients,” she said.
She advised against ransom payment to get files back.
“Various cybersecurity experts do not recommend paying up due to the fact that criminals might stop responding as soon as money is transferred to their virtual wallet address and the so-called decryption tool can be faulty or fail to work due to data modification on your end.
“Avoiding funding this illegal business model. The fact that ransomware operators collect millions in ransoms each year simply encourages people to join this cybercrime industry,” she added.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in IT&Telecoms 0
Army  Dismisses  3,040 Soldiers Over Hard Drugs, Murder, Others 

Army discharges 3,040 soldiers over hard drugs, murder, rape, cowardice in combat - Vanguard News
Authorities of the Nigerian Army have Ordered the dismissal (discharge) of 3,040 soldiers from service for various offences including the use and possession of hard drugs, involvement in rape cases, going on AWOL and perpetrating Murder.
Many others were  sacked for chickening out during battle,while others engaged in forgery, drunkenness, disobedience to order’s, absence from duty/parade and failure to perform military duty.
Some soldiers were discharged for insubordination, extortion, defilement, BVN issues, and conduct prejudicial to service discipline.
Besides,some soldiers were dismissed for conspiracy, ‘misfire,’ stealing, impersonation, attempted rape, assault, the unlawful release of prisoners and cheating.
The names of the discharged Soldiers whose compilation dated as far back as 2018 contained in a 90-page document with the title, “List of soldiers dismissed from the Nigerian Army”.
The document further said more than 1,000 soldiers were discharged for going on AWOL (Away Without Leave), while hundreds of others were sacked for desertion.
Over  20 others were equally dismissed for having Relationships and foreign spouses pregnancy without marriage.
The Army also toọk punitive measures against Soldiers caught in the act of attempting to have sex with a colleague’s wife, behaving contrary to service discipline by attending civilian burials in military uniforms due to pecuniary gains, negligence and loss of ammunition, theft of rifles and sleeping on sentry duty, as well as travelling without a pass.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in News 0
FAAN:Six Airports Didn’t Handle Passengers In 2020

We are completely rebuilding Enugu International Airport — YADUDU
 No passenger travelled out or arrived at six airports in six Nigerian states in 2020, latest reports on air traffic movements at airports across the country,according  to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria
Figures on passenger traffic statistics from January to December 2020 from airports showed that no one travelled through the international airport wings in Enugu, Kaduna, Cross River, Kwara, Niger and Katsina states.
The airport wings in the outlined states include the Enugu International Airport, Kaduna International Airport, Calabar International Airport, Ilorin International Airport, Minna International Airport and Katsina International Airport.
The six international airports had recorded passenger movements in the preceding year, but this was not so in 2020 due to the harsh global economic climate occasioned by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019, the Enugu International Airport, for instance, recorded a total passenger volume of 34,513 travellers, Kaduna International Airport posted 7,421 passengers, while only 406 travellers used the Calabar International Airport.
Also in 2019, the Ilorin International Airport witnessed the presence of 5,285 travellers, Minna International Airport recorded 6,568 passengers, while the Katsina International Airport saw a total of 6,794 passengers that year.
It was, however, observed that while no passenger used the international wings of the six airports last year, their domestic wings witnessed passenger movements in 2020. But the figures were less than what they posted in 2019, except for the domestic airport in Katsina State.
Data put together by the airports’ managers showed that no passenger used the Enugu International Airport last year, but the domestic wing witnessed a traffic of 107,597 travellers.
Besides, the domestic wings of the Kaduna, Calabar and Ilorin airports recorded total passenger volumes of 98,266, 94,984 and 63,957 respectively in 2020, as against the non-presence of any traveller at their various international wings.
The Minna and Katsina domestic airport wings also recorded passenger volumes of 2,710 and 9,847 respectively in 2020, but their international terminals witnessed zero passenger movement.
Although the six airports recorded domestic passenger movements last year, the figures were less than what they posted the preceding year, with the exception of Katsina domestic airport.
While domestic passenger traffic for Enugu, Kaduna and Calabar airports in 2019 were 185,058, 179,363 and 150,843, the figures dropped to 107,597, 98,266 and 94,984 in 2020 respectively.
In  2019, Ilorin and Minna domestic airport wings processed 120,867, 4,323 passengers, while the figures dropped to 63,957 and 2,710 respectively.
The domestic wing of the Katsina airport, which serviced the home state of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), witnessed an increase in local passenger volume.
Passenger traffic in the Katsina domestic airport wing moved up from 4,370 in 2019 to 9,847 in 2020, representing an increase of 125.3 per cent.
On the percentage changes at the five other airports during the review period, the Enugu, Kaduna and Calabar domestic airport wings posted 41.9 per cent, 45.2 per cent and 37 per cent passenger volume reductions in 2020 respectively.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in Aviation 0
Gunmen Kill Scores,Abduct 150 Students In Niger Communities

BREAKING: Gunmen Kill One,Abduct Scores Of Students In Niger
Many people were feared dead when bandits yesterday morning invaded some communities in the Wushishi Local Government Area of Niger State.
Some of those that died were said to have drowned in the River Kaduna while trying to escape from the bandits.
The bandits who were many were said to have started their operation at the Akeri Railway Station where they reportedly killed one person before extending their assault to the fish market.
It was learnt that many of the traders seeing the bandits ran into the river in a bid to escape.
“Unfortunately many of them could not swim and drowned in the river,” a witness said
It was gathered that unknown to some of the villagers another set of bandits were waiting at the other side of the river and as soon as those that swam to “safety” got to the river bank the bandits started shooting at them sporadically killing many of the villagers.
A member representing the Wushishi constituency in the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Bashir Lokogoma, confirmed that:” t “Yes there was an attack in Wushishi by bandits; there are casualties but I can’t say how many because I am not on the ground.”
Meanwhile,over one hundred children from Teggina community in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state who were attending Islamiyya class at the, Salihu Tanko Islammiya schools have  abducted by suspected armed bandits.
The armed bandits who were said to have first attacked some residents of the area forcing the busy Teggina road to become a ghost town as people deserted the area when the criminals who had arrived the area in motorcycles, in twos or threes armed with sophisticated weapons.
Witness account said that the armed men in broad  day operated freely through late evening causing obstruction of vehicular movements as commuters and travellers abandon their vehicles and ran for dear life.
After some minutes operating and shooting sporadically into the air to scare away possible intruders along the highway, the armed bandits were said to have headed to one of the islamic schools and rounded-up the pupils and marched them into the nearby bush.
While the pupils were being marched into the bush by one group, the source said some of the pupils who were too young to walk the long distance into the unknown were left behind as the second group continue their operation along the highway.
The eye witnessed who would not want his names made public told our correspondent how the kidnappers with sophisticated weapons stormed the Salihu Tanko Islammiya school where lots of pupils whose parents sent to acquired Islamic knowledge and took them away.
The Director General of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Inga said he got information about how almost 200 students of the islamiyya class were abducted, adding that the state government is already taking action on the matter.
Also the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the incidents, adding that the Command has already mobilized all tactical teams  to rescue the victims.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in Crime/Metro 0
CBN Renews Commitment To  Youths Development 

The Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele has renewed the bank’s commitment to youths of the country through a sustained sponsorship of the annual CBN Senior  Open Tennis Championship in the country.
Mr Emefiele spoke  at the Abuja Tennis Courts through the apex bank’s Acting Director, Corporate Communication,  Osita Nwanosiobi,who commended  the  long relationship between CBN and the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) .
Nwanosiobi said the relationship has ensured the best of nation’s tennis prodigies are discovered and nurtured to the international tennis arena, vowing to sustain the  relationship.
Joseph Imeh and Oyinlomo Quadre,  defending champions for the men’s and lady’s singles event respectively retained  their trophies and N1million prize.
 Imeh recovered from a first round scare to defeat Uche Oparaoji in a keenly contested  final 3-6,7-5,6-4 to retain his crown .
He said:  “It’s been a long and hectic journey to the final and I am so excited to have been able to defend my title after a very nervy and shaky start.Winning the title back-to-back has been down to a lot of dedication and hard work.
“As the defending champion, all the pressure was on me coming into this tournament and especially in the final and I feel relieved to have delivered the goods at the end.”
The  women’s singles finals was not so difficult for Quadre  retained the trophy for the third  years stretch, trashing  Marylove Edward 6-1 6-0 to win the top price.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in Banking&Finance 0
Tompolo Gives 7-Day Ultimatum To Buhari,  To Constitue NDDC Board

NDDC: Tompolo gives Buhari 7- day ultimatum, accuses Akpabio of massive corruption - The NEWS
Ex-militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has supported series of agitations brewing in the Niger Delta region over failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute a substantive board of the NDDC.
Tompolo, through a statement,issued the Federal Government one week  ultimatum to constitute the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
He said in the statement that he would no longer watch the Niger Delta region being deprived of its right under the guise of a forensic audit that has been used by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to strangle the commission
According to him, the delay in setting up a substantive board for the NDDC was a grand conspiracy against the Niger Delta by persons from the Presidency, National Assembly as well as the Security Agencies.
He  said that the failure of the presidency to inaugurate a substantive board was “an act of corruption as the people of the region have lost so much resources in the process of the so called forensic audit” ordered by President Buhari in 2019.
He warned that an unimaginable thing, greater than the mass protest by Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) may happen in the coming days in the Niger Delta region if the presidency fails to constitute the NDDC board within seven days.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
Delta State Empowers  400 Farmers 

The Delta State Government through the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP),has concluded plans  to empower 400 cassava farmers with fertilizers and chemicals.
The Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof Eric Ebohsaid the YAGEP scheme has provided output of agricultural produce through training of beneficiaries across the state.
According to Eboh, “Recent survey shows that the success rate among YAGEP beneficiaries averages about 71% across the various agricultural enterprises.
He noted that the development of farm enterprise clusters, owned and managed by the youths has transformed the agricultural landscape of the state.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
Retiree Sues Supreme Court Over Unlawful Conviction

 A 79-year old man, Innocent Omorogiukpon, has dragged the Supreme Court of Nigeria to a  Federal High Court in Benin City, praying for a reversal of his alleged unlawful conviction in 1975.
The Septuagenarian, a former staff of the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lagos was in 1974, sentenced to a jail term of six years, at the age of 32 for alleged
unlawful receipt of gratification.
The apex court,on June 12, 1975, upheld the verdict of the lower court and  sentenced the now Septuagenarian to a jail terms of six years, which ran concurrently.
In a suit number FHC/B/CS/30/2020 filed by the Septuagenarian”s  counsel, Edore Esiri Charles Esq, averred that the Supreme Court was partial in its judgment as  his client was not given a fair hearing.
He maintained that based on the partial judgment, his  constitutional and fundamental human rights were grossly violated, adding that six years jail term was illegal.
He also contended that as a result of the alleged illegal imprisonment,  he had suffered permanent and continued humiliation by being tagged an ex-convict, lost his job in the Federal Civil Service in 1974 till date having been employed in 1971as an administrative officer and denied various appointments, politically, socially and others.
He said the decision to sue the apex court was due to the failure of the registrar of the court to grant him a  certified true copy of the judgment.
He wrote in  his affidavit:”I was employed in 1970 by the cabinet office Lagos and was posted to the ministry of internal affairs as an administrative Officer Grade 5, Ikoyi Lagos.The following year being 1971, I was included among the list of those to write the administrative exam for the year 1971 for all federal administrative officers that have not written it or have written and failed.
“This did not go down well with my senior officers and some of my counterpart, because the exam was seen as a very though exam and will enhance rapid promotion for those that passed.In 1974, I was convicted by the Lagos High Court on a corrupt charge of receiving unlawful gratification which was a complete set-up by government officer (machinery) to rope me in, and the court rule without any proper consideration or considered ruling, sentenced me to six years imprisonment, a judgment based on probability and I was sent to Kirikiri maximum prison by the Chief Superintendent of the prison.
“Since there was no Court of Appeal as at that time, I now appealed to the Supreme Court haven been dissatisfied with the decision of the High Court in exercise of my rights under the constitution.A date for hearing was set aside, I was reproduced on the said date, the case was called, my lawyer announced his appearance and what was heard next was “Appeal Dismissed, we rise”.
“I wrote to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Lagos, on the 25th day of August, 1975, requesting for a copy of the Supreme Court judgment in the criminal appeal, I was told that there is no written judgment in the case”,he alleged.
In the suit, Omoroguikpon,pra the court to determine, whether the delivery of judgment without a record book or a written judgment is constitutional and not actionable, and also whether a judgment delivered on a probability or a vague judgment lawful was not a violation of the constitution.
He sought the reliefs of the lower  court for the enforcement of his fundamental rights as enrished in  the 1999  constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
He also prayed for a declaration of the payment of his salary up to when he would have been due for retirement,  payment of his retirement benefits as necessary (pension and gratuity).
Other demands are, an award of the sum of N2billion as general and or exemplary damages for compensation for the unlawful imprisonment for six years, a public apology to be published in a national daily and for such order or orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.
Online Editor by — May 31, 2021 in Law/Human Rights 0