Zimbabwe: Mnangagwa blames rally attack on Grace Mugabe faction
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source63 emmerson mnangawa the president of zimbabwe has blamed an apparent assassination attempt at a political rally last weekend on a faction led by grace mugabe the wife of the ousted president robert mugabe1 the 75-year-old leaderthat led to the resignation of mugabe after a rule of 37 years stopped short of blaming the former first lady directly1 killed two people and injured 49. both vice-presidents were slightly injured in the blast as were several other top officials in the ruling zanu-pf party1 manangagwa earlier said the attack had been calculated to achieve a bloodbath and destabilise the ongoing electoral programme1 the upcoming parliamentary and presidential election is the latest turning point in the most tumultuous few months in almost four decades of zimbabwes political history1 though the poll on 30 july is realistically a two-horse contest between zanu-pf against the movement for democratic change mdc the longstanding opposition more than 20 candidates are contesting the presidency1 my hunch without evidence is that the people who aggrieved by the new dispensation are the g40 so that is the logical conclusion mnangagwa told the bbc1 i think this is a political action by some aggrieved persons by the current democratic dispensation in the country. he added1 mnangagwa told bbc in an interview that he believed the so-called g40 faction was responsible for the grenade thrown at the podium in the white city stadium in bulawayo on saturday afternoon1 the november takeover came after mnangagwa was sacked as vice-president by the ailing 94-year-old autocrat a move that he and zimbabwes powerful military saw as clearing the way to power for the 54-year-old first lady and her supporters1 a number of previous alleged assassination attempts have been blamed on the g40 by mnangagwa and his supporters including an apparent poisoning last year. no evidence has emerged to implicate any individual or group1 mnangagwa told the bbc thatwas politically immature and was easily used by a tool who wanted to get at me1 many of those who were close to the former first lady have fled1 opposition leaders infear the bombing may serve as a pretext for aby the government or the military in the southern african state1 manangwa said such concern was unfounded1 there is no need for a security crackdown this is a criminal activity but of course we must make sure the population is protected and only when we have got them are we going to be able to assess the extent to which the network is spread1 there is much bitter history between the current presidentand a close aide to mugabe for decades and the g40 faction1

Breaking: Saraki, Dogara meet Buhari over Plateau killings
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the senate president @spnigeria3 details of the meeting will be made available shortly1 the news of the ongoing meeting was disclosed on the twitter handle of the president of the senate @spnigeria1 the tweet reads the president of the senate dr. abubakar bukola saraki and the speaker of the house of representatives rt. hon. yakubu dogara are now meeting with president muhammadu buhari over the plateaukillings. the meeting was requested by the presiding officers of @nassnigeria1 update the president of the senate dr. abubakar bukola saraki and the speaker of the house of representatives rt. hon. yakubu dogara are now meeting with president muhammadu buhari over the . the meeting was requested by the presiding officers of1 the president of the senate dr. bukola saraki and the speaker of the house of representatives yakubu dogara are currently meeting with president muhammadu buhari over the recent massacre in plateau state1 the meeting which was at the instance of the president of the senate is currently holding at the presidential villa abuja1 recall that following the killings saraki had called for a quick response to the security crisis in nigeria1 i am very sad to hear the news of the incident in plateau state. this is very depressing and giving the impression that the country is not safe1 the problem of boko haram in the north-east is well known to everybody but this killing by unknown band of assailants in benue taraba plateau and kaduna states is now giving another dimension to the crisis. coming at the time we are getting ready for elections we need to respond fast1 if the plan is to develop some long term measures we also request that the president should mandate the security chiefs to put forward an immediate short term and quick response measure which will restore confidence in the system and demonstrate to the criminals behind this killings the capacity of government to tackle the issue1 we have to immediately device a plan through which the criminals behind the killings and their sponsors can be nabbed and made to face the wrath of the law1 we have to also develop plans to mop up illegal fire arms in the hands of dangerous elements while also stopping the influx of these arms into the country he stated1

Military parades killers in Plateau
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the police command in plateau had on sunday confirmed the killing of 86 people in attacks on razat ruku nyarr kura and gana-ropp villages of gashish district in barkin ladi local government area of the state2 the other 14 people were arrested in connection with civil unrest recently experienced in the state1 they were arrested by the special military task force operation save haven which paraded them on wednesday in jos alongside 14 others who were arrested over the killings1 the three men were said to have been captured at gashish district in the barkin ladi local government area of plateau1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that 11 villages in the barkin ladi local government area and its environs were affected in the onslaught in which property worth billions of naira were also destroyed1 parading the suspects the spokesman of the stf maj. umar adams told reporters that the suspects were arrested clutching sophisticated riffles1 the deadly activities of the herdsmen have raised concerns over the future of agriculture in north central nigeria because of the penchant of the marauders to kill farmers1 analysts describe benue taraba and nasarawa states the hotbeds of the killings as the food basket of nigeria1 adams said the suspects were arrested in the course of the attacks1 we all know that some days back some villages in barkin ladi were attacked and these three suspects were arrested in connection with that1 as our men were repelling the attacks in those areas we arrested these suspects with four riffles three locally made guns and one ak471 two of the suspects are herdsmen and one berom one of the minority ethnic groups in plateau currently at odds with fulani herdsmen over grazing rights1 adams said that the suspects were still being investigated and that more arrests would be made in the course of time1 meanwhile the united global resolve for peace ugrfp an ngo says something urgent must be done to stop the spate of killings across the country1 mr pelumi olajengbesi the groups executive secretary in a statement on wednesday in abuja prayed god to grant each affected home the fortitude to deal with such severe losses1 he said that the recent incident in plateau state in which many lives were lost had similar tales in zamfara yobe and borno1 the nation wept as it does now swore itself sore to the promise that never again would live be wasted so cheaply without justice only for us to go round full circle in a matter of days to this1 something urgent must be done to address the continuous killing of innocent men and women nationwide1 there is yet a nation to save and it is a collective duty of all to seek new ways to address the fatal challenge before us1 while the nation continues to weep and rightly so for the many lives lost senselessly in the alleged herdsmen attack may i extend my deep condolences to the families of those who lost their lives he said1 he called on the federal government to more responsive to its duty of protecting lives and property1 three suspects in the connection with the weekends killings in 11 villages in plateau have been arrested and paraded by the military alongside with their weapons1 president muhammadu buhari condemned the attacks describing the incident as very painful and regrettable and warned that the government would not rest until the assailants were brought to justice1

Confirmed, Medical consultant dies during Nigeria vs Argentina match
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dr emeka ogah the chief medical director cmd federal teaching hospital abakaliki fetha has confirmed the death of one its consultants dr canice ebirim on tuesday during the super eagles and argentina match1 ogah told the news agency of nigeria nan on wednesday that reports reaching him suggested that ebirim died within the period of the match1 the cmd said that he received the news of his death at about 9 p.m. while the match was ongoing1 ogah said that a friend of the deceased informed him that ebirim started behaving funny within that period1 ebirims friend said that the deceased started moving suspiciously and solicited for assistance which made him intervene and took him ebirim to the hospital1 efforts made to revive him at our hospital proved abortive as he died but we would liaise with his family to conduct an autopsy1 we are surprised at his death because he consulted at the hospital on tuesdays. we have to wait till autopsy is conducted to draw further conclusions he said1 a friend of the deceased who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that he ebirim resided in owerri with his family and only visited fetha during his clinic days1 he was a dedicated and lively fellow who will surely be missed by his family friends and associates he said1

Sad Saraki visits Plateau, charges Nigerians on peace building
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1. words cannot describe this pain this is a loss to the entire nation on behalf of the entire national assembly let me convey my deepest sympathy for the unfortunate and sad incident that occurred in plateau state this weekend that claimed many innocent lives. this is not only a loss to plateau state but to the entire nation. although the national assembly is currently not in session when we resume next week this is one of the prime issues that will be up for discussion. however we thought it1 the president of the senate dr. bukola saraki on wednesday visited plateau state to commensurate with the government and people of the state over the wanton massacre of over 86 people in some communities on saturday1 a visibly sad saraki who had totally condemned the unwarranted killing in the state reiterated that words could not express the magnitude of pain the killing had brought stressing that it was a loss to the entire nation1 saraki who was accompanied by some members of the national assembly leadership and was received by governor simon lalong conveyed the sympathy of the national assembly to the government and people of plateau state and to all nigerians1 here are five key things saraki told the people of plateau as well as all nigerians1 saraki who had just concluded a proceeded to plateau along with some members of the national assembly leadership1 2. the entire nation stands with plateau state our prayer to almighty god is to grant the affected families the fortitude to bare these losses. at this time as well i also pray to god to give his excellency the governor the courage to be able to manage this challenge and bring solace to a lot of people. this is a very difficult time for plateau state. however i want to reassure you that the entire country is with you and the entire national assembly stands with you.1 we met with the president we will collaborate with the executive to forestall future occurrences like this we were late in coming here because both myself and the honourable speaker of the house of representatives sought an appointment with mr. president on the killings that occurred here to see how we would come together to see what could be done to forestall and prevent future occurrences like this and provide relief and support for all those that have been affected. this is our paramount re1 3. perpetrators must be brought to justice we must also ensure that all those who are responsible for these killings must account for it. it is part of providing succour and ensuring the peace. you cannot bring back the lives but finding and prosecuting the perpetrators will go a long way in helping to calm people and ease the pain that they are going through.therefore yet again we call on our security agents to ensure that they find the perpetrators that have done this and make them accountable1 4. nobody wins these killings set us back as a nation let me use this opportunity to appeal to everyone to the entire people of plateau state nobody wins from this. nobody. these killings from today sets the clock back many years therefore i want to appeal to the entire people of plateau state the elderly the young the men and the women to ensure that we work towards peace.1 5. we must all work towards peace working towards peace is not only the responsibility of the governor or the traditional rulers in the state. it is incumbent on everyone. working towards peace is not simon lalongs problem alone. let me also commend the state governor on the measures that he has taken thus far. it has not been easy we all know the history however i urge you to stay strong and stay committed and be just. when you are fair and just the almighty god will guide you right. let us a1

FCT: Why VIO plans to increase penalties for road traffic violations
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he said many motorists intentionally flouted traffic rules and regulations without recompense to the penalties1 plans are in the offing by the vehicle inspection office vio of the federal capital territory fct to increase punitive measures to drivers who flout traffic regulations1 he said the greatest challenge facing the agency was how to tackle the continued disobedience to traffic regulations by motorists1 this ranges from excessive speed breaking of traffic light driving without drivers license and driving vehicles with worn-out parts among others1 this attitude and other variables have limited the management of the sector1 knowing the mental state of the drivers and status of the vehicles matter a lot he said1 the director of vio in the fct mr bodinga wadata told our correspondent on wednesday that the measure has become necessary as fct drivers disobey traffic laws with reckless abandon1 wadata also said that most of the drivers had violently confronted vio officers when cautioned adding that arrangements were on to increase the punitive measures against lawless drivers1 he also warned handlers of tricycles and motorcycles as well as and unpainted taxi operators to desist from plying routes they were not allowed to operate1 wadata therefore urged commuters to stop patronising tricycles motorcycles and unpainted taxi operators to break the agency set regulations1 he said that that the patronage had encourage operators concerned to ply routes they were not expected to ply1 if the public stop patronising them we will naturally flush them out of the banned routes wadata said1

Recurrent killings: UGRFP to convene national summit
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there has perhaps in the history of this nation never been a greater need to reflect on the issues that lead to such killings and proffer ways to avoid it repetition1 the united global resolve for peace ugrfp an ngo says it will convene a national summit over the recurrent killings across the country1 he said that the plethora of death and resultant crisis in the country questioned the nations commitment to the realisation of its millennial aspirations as stated in its 2020 goals1 shalom said that communal crisis must be interpreted beyond fault lines to a much more national scope1 the threat to peace in any one region in nigeria is a threat to peace in all parts of nigeria1 mr olaseni shalom ugrfps executive director in statement on wednesday in abuja said that the recent killings in plateau state called for sober reflections1 we at ugrfp have summarily resolved to stand in the gap and facilitate the platform for constructive discussions and resolutions to finding applicable solutions and palliatives to crisis such as the jos massacre1 it is this abiding imperative that informs our decision to put together an all-encompassing summit shalom said1 he said that the objectives of the summit are among other things to create a forum for national discourse on the recurrent killings in the country to bring disputing groupsparties to the table of discourse and to address without reserve the persistent issues that premeditate fatal internecine clashes1 others are to address the issue of jungle justice and its wider implication on nationhood and to find through exhaustive discourse the way forward on issues of conflicts in nigeria and make valid recommendations to stakeholders on how to best arrest the massacres1 shalom conveyed the groups deepest condolences to the affected families and states in the dastardly killings in benue plateau zamafara among others1

Nasarawa Poly graduates 23,000 to be self reliant AG Rector
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the federal polytechnic nasarawa is today among the top ranking polytechnics in nigeria1 alhaji abdullahi alhassan acting rector federal polytechnic nasarawa nasarawa state on wednesday said the institution was giving priority attention to training of its students to create job opportunities for self reliance1 he emphasised that the polytechnic was poised toward effective production and convocation of quality students in different fields of academic enterprise to make its graduates relevant self sustaining and employers of labour1 according to him a total of 23128 graduates will be awarded higher national diploma hnd national diploma nd and polytechnic diploma pd at the convocation ceremony1 among these 270 graduated with distinction 4882 with upper credit 12304 with lower credit and 5 672 with pass he said1 the rector said that the institution had been producing best polytechnic graduates in the country since its inception in 1983 adding that the product of the institution were contributing immensely to the economic development of the country1 he said the institution would continue to train people to acquire technical and vocation skills needed for the economic and social development of nigeria in the fields of agriculture industry and commerce1 alhassan stated this at a news conference for the combined 9th convocation ceremony of the institution scheduled to hold on june 30 at taal sport complex in nasarawa1 this is factual because of the availability of astute and intellectual human resources as well as the quality of graduates and under-graduates and research breakthrough recorded by the institution over the years1 our focus since establishment has been toward achieving the polytechnic objective and also tailored toward our mission of moulding students to become disciplined skilled and innovative for self actualisation and national development1 alhassan therefore expressed determination of his administration to further develop the institution by sustaining consolidation on infrastructure and human capital development1 this according to him will guarantee the provision of enabling environment for research teaching and learning and ensure full accreditation of all programmes being run bythe institution1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that four distinguished nigerians who have excelled in their various fields of endeavour will be conferred with the fellowship of the federal polytechnic nasarawa ffpn1 the awards recipients are gov. tanko al-makura alhaji buba ahmed former minister of sports high chief ikechi emenike a philanthropist and sen. abubakar sodangi1

Maradona treated for Blood Pressure after Nigeria Match
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maradona treated for blood pressure after nigeria match1

DSS releases Abaribe on bail
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sen. enyinnaya abaribe has been granted an administrative bail after five days in dss custody1 the special adviser to abaribe on media mr uche awom made this known in a statement on tuesday in abuja1 he said abaribe who is the chairman of the south east senators forum was released at about 6.32 p.m1 sen. enyinnaya abaribe walked to freedom after five days in the dss gulag1 abaribe who was granted administrative bail was released to his lawyers led by chukwuma machukwu ume san1 speaking at the premises of the dss facility in abuja ume thanked nigerians for standing up against the wrongs done to nigerian democracy with the arrest of sen. abaribe he said1 awom quoted ume as saying the collective calls and demand for his release have shown the great spirit of nigerians for justice1 senator abaribe was reportedly arrested and taken into custody by the department of state security servicedss on june 22 in abuja1 however reasons for his arrest were not made public1 the lawmaker was surety to leader of the indigenous people of biafraipob mr nnamdi kanu who is reportedly at large1

Ethiopia rolls out red carpet for Eritrean top diplomat
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last week eritrean president isaias afwerki responded saying he would dispatch a delegation to gauge current developments directly and in depth as well as to chart out a plan for continuous future action1 ethiopia rolled out the red carpet for eritreas top diplomat on tuesday as the two nations took the next step in a historic initiative aimed at ending decades of conflict and hostility1 as eritreas top diplomat osman saleh and presidential adviser yemane gebreab landed at addis ababas airport abiy was there to greet them leading the pair along a red carpet past traditional dancers local celebrities and a brass band1 the welcome included ethiopian culture and sports personalities among them legendary long-distance runner haile gebrselassie1 the relationship between ethiopia and eritrea is about more than the border. when we make peace it will benefit all of east africa ethiopias foreign affairs spokesman meles alem said at the airport1 the meeting comes just three days after a blast at a rally attended by abiy a sign analysts say of the risks the 42-year-old prime minister has taken with a programme that embraces the biggest reforms at home and abroad in a generation1 earlier this month abiy said he would abide by a 2002 ruling issued by a united nations-backed commission and withdraw from contested territory including badme a town claimed by both sides1 the thaw between the foes who fought a bitter border war 20 years ago comes after an olive branch was dramatically offered by new ethiopian prime minister abiy ahmed1 he stopped short of calling it a peace delegation but an official visit alone marks a dramatic shift in relations long mired in suspicion and bloody hostility1 the last time ethiopian and eritrean troops fought head-on was just two years ago with each side claiming victory in response to what they said was the others aggression1 but just five years later a new border war erupted between the two countries killing around 80000 people before it ended in a stalemate in 20001 ethiopia ignored a subsequent ruling that it should withdraw from territory awarded to eritrea1 since then a tense standoff has persisted with both maintaining a war footing shots occasionally fired and with each side backing the others rebels1 the apparent detente in recent weeks has raised hopes of a normalisation of relations that might boost regional trade and ease tensions1 their long cold war has stymied economic development frozen political relations and helped justify domestic repression1

Buhari in Jos orders security chiefs to protect lives
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but the present herder i am told carries ak47 and people are even blaming me for not talking to them because maybe they say i look like one of them1 president muhammadu buhari has directed security chiefs in the country to remain vigilant and ensure the protection of lives and property in the country1 i will continue to pressurise members of the law enforcement agencies directly under me by the constitution as the commander-in chief. about eight days ago we had five hours security meeting of the service chiefs and the inspector-general of police1 what happened here in jos is very bad. the question of leadership from your household to whatever you are is justice. the bottom line is justice1 that is why wherever i go i will always appeal to the leadership of the communities the law enforcement agencies to always have control of their constituencies he said. while condemning the latest clashes in plateau which left scores dead buhari who was accompanied to the meeting by gov. simon lalong of plateau and his counterparts from kebbi and niger states condoled with the affected families the government and people of the state.1 the president who also wished those injured a speedy recovery used the interactive session to appeal to nigerians to avoid inflammatory utterances that endanger peace or promote conflicts1 he said whatever is being given to the media we have to be very responsible about it1 take for instance the situation in benue. the benue subsistence farmer knows that the nigerian cattle herder that he knows doesnt carry nothing more than a stick occasionally sometimes something to cut grass to feed his cattle1 the president gave the directive in jos plateau on tuesday at an interactive session with stakeholders in the aftermath of the recent killings in some communities in the state. buhari urged traditional and community leaders to complement government efforts by persuading their constituencies to tolerate one another for peace and unity in the country.1 there is some injustice in these aspersions1 according to him many nigerians still acknowledge that despite the security challenges the all progressives congress-led administration has made notable successes in the security sector1 lalong had earlier blamed parties in the conflict in the state for reneging on their agreement to maintain peace leading to the recent upsurge in violence after nearly three years of calm and normalcy1 we are concerned as a state that the sophisticated weapons used in these attacks from the evidences on the ground and the narrations of victims are not those conventional to our environment for self-defence but reflective of a terrorist invasion1 it therefore demands a justified response like that which was undertaken to address the boko haram insurgency he said1 the governor also requested that given the number of villages completely ravaged in the violence the federal government should establish an emergency special intervention fund to help reconstruct the destroyed communities1 buhari also carefully listened to the presentations and recommendations made by alhaji nura abdullahi state chairman miyetti allah cattle breeders association of nigeria macban and mrs florence jambol a representative of the berom community in plateau on engendering peace in the communities1 the interactive session was attended by traditional rulers community and religious leaders representatives of youths women and trade union groups security chiefs and some top government officials1

3 young Nigerians get Queen Elizabeth awards
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the queen was joined at the award ceremony by the duke and duchess of sussex in recognising their success2 the awards were in honour of the work they are doing to transform lives in their communities2 kennedy received his award for the work he is doing to promote womens rights in nigeria founding the calabar youth council for womens rights cycwr which supports the rights of women in the areas of female genital mutilation fgm domestic abuse forced child marriage and access to education for girls1 the queens young leaders awards programme now in its fourth and final year celebrates the achievements of some of the most exciting young change-makers from across the commonwealth. this years cohort from 38 commonwealth countries are finding solutions to global issues such as climate change food scarcity gender-based violence mental health and access to education1 guests including david beckham obe sir lenny henry cbe nicola adams obe neelam gill caspar lee tina daheley ore oduba and chairman of the queen elizabeth diamond jubilee trust sir john major joined award winners at buckingham palace to congratulate them on their remarkable achievements1 the duke of sussex who was recently named a commonwealth youth ambassador said in this rapidly changing world it is heartening to meet so many inspiring young people gathered here today who have already stepped up as leaders and improved the lives of so many people across the commonwealth. you are the hope and optimism the world needs and we will all do whatever we can to support you in it1 david beckham obe said im so proud to be here with the queens young leaders tonight. its really inspiring to meet these hardworking young people who continue to dedicate their time and energy to helping other people live a better life. hearing their stories and the sacrifices theyve made is a real honour and i feel very privileged to celebrate with them today1 isaac received his award for the work he is doing to teach coding to teenagers in low-income areas founding teens can code which is currently training 200 teenagers how to build web and mobile applications using the same tools that are used by professionals in the tech industry1 hauwa received her award for the work she is doing to tackle the stigma around mental health running a womens support group called she writes women which focuses on mental health support and outreach among some of the most vulnerable people in the community1 queen elizabeth tuesday night presented three nigerians hauwa ojeifo isaac ezirim and kennedy ekezie-joseph from nigeria with a queens young leaders award at a special ceremony at buckingham palace london1 isaac ezirim 28 said i am extremely honoured and thankful to her majesty the queen for this prestigious award in recognition of the work i am doing in nigeria. these are moments of utmost happiness for me and the communities i serve. its been such an amazing experience being here in the uk and meeting all of the other award winners. being part of the queens young leaders family is exciting and i cant wait to take this to the next level1 hauwa ojeifo 26 said it is a rare privilege to receive an award from her majesty the queen for the work i am doing in mental health in nigeria. it has been a completely transformative experience being here in the uk getting mentored by world leaders trained and engaging in top level meetings with some of the most powerful and influential change makers of our time. perhaps the most humbling part is being part of a network of fellow young leaders across the commonwealth whose knowledge and resourc1 kennedy ekezie-joseph 20 said i am honoured to be a recipient of the final ever queens young leaders award from her majesty the queen. as a budding global leader this award is a huge responsibility for me moving forward to continue to live up to this award and leverage all the opportunities it presents to develop my society. i have been able to meet other award winners and learn about the incredible work they are doing across the commonwealth. i have learned so much from the residential programm1 as a queens young leader hauwa isaac and kennedy have gained access to bespoke mentoring and training through the university of cambridges institute of continuing education designed to develop their leadership skills further and ensure they are best placed to lead the way in the future to tackle some of the worlds most pressing issues1 sir john major chairman of the queen elizabeth diamond jubilee trust said1 i extend my warmest congratulations to all the 2018 queens young leaders. together with our award winners from the last three years they complete a unique 240-strong cohort of young leaders from all across the commonwealth. this is such an invaluable resource for the commonwealth that the queen elizabeth diamond jubilee trust will be launching a legacy fund to ensure that our support and encouragement to our young leaders will continue beyond the lifetime of the trust1 each and every one of our 240 young leaders is a remarkable and exceptional young person who i have no doubt will play an important role in shaping our future world. it has been an absolute privilege and delight to get to know them1 the now complete queens young leaders network forms a unique dedicated and powerful group of young people from 53 commonwealth countries who will connect collaborate and change lives together for years to come. to further support them in their future endeavours a 200000 legacy fund has been created. it will be open to all 240 queens young leaders and 282 highly commended runners-up to apply for grants that will help elevate their work and enable them to work together to tackle some of the most p1

Panel to probe Plateaus killings
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source63 barely four days after the deadly attacks that left 86 people dead plateau state house of assembly set up a seven-man special committee to probe the attacks in parts of the state1 the committee is to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the attacks identify the perpetrators ascertain the number of communities affected and the extent of destruction and make appropriate recommendations1 the speaker of the house mr peter azi directed the committee to report back its findings in four weeks1 the committee was set up followed a motion moved at plenary by mr peter ibrahim member representing jos barikin ladi constituency1 ibrahim narrated the incident saying that his constituents have been under siege by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen since last saturday1 mr speaker it is no longer news that my constituency has been under siege for the past few days leading to loss of lives and property1 by my count we have lost more than 200 lives many severely injured and a lot of houses and farmlands destroyed1 as i speak sir a lot of my constituents are reported missing and thousands displaced since the ugly incident started1 i have on several occasions brought cases of attacks and killings in my constituency before this honourable house unfortunately they have never stopped1 he panel is headed by mr yusuf gagdi to investigate the weekends killings in 11 villages in barikin ladi local government area and some villages in bokkos and riyom1 the lawmaker called for the investigation of security operatives in the area urging the government to intensify effort at ending the incessant attacks1 contributing mr ysufu gagdi member representing kantana constituency described the spate of attacks that have led to the loss of many lives as unfortunate1 gagdi a former deputy speaker of the assembly also expressed displeasure at the role of government and security agents at restoring peace to the state1 no matter the level of physical infrastructure no matter how beautiful our schools hospitals roads and others are without peace and tranquillity all is in vain1 so our government must make it a point of duty to ensure the security of lives and property for anything short of that means the government has failed he said1 in his submission the minority leader of the house mr daniel dem called for a review of the security architecture in the state1 according to him the people have lost confidence in the security agencies deployed in the state stressing the need for a change in strategy1 he therefore urged the state government to set up a civilian joint task force to build confidence in the people in the affected areas1 so i wish to urge this honourable house to as a matter of urgency act fast and salvage my people he said1

Another PDPs bigwig defects to APC
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source63 mr. sunday akinniyi former chief whip of ekiti state house of assembly has defected from the peoples democratic party pdp to the all progressives congress apc ahead of the state governorship election on july 142 he accused the outgoing governor of disrespect for top leaders of pdp2 he said that the alleged high-handedness was causing internal crisis and mass defection of influential members of pdp to the opposition2 the lawmaker representing ikere constituency ii said at the kayode fayemi campaign secretariat in ado ekiti said he got the blessing of critical stakeholders in my constituency before taking the step2 he explained that he decided to join the governorship campaign of dr fayemi because fayose treated the olukere of ikere ganiyu obasoyin with disdain and reneged on his promise to give him recognition and staff of office2 he alleged that fayose neglected his constituents in major projects executed in ikere ekiti2 governor fayose said i should bring olukere to him which i did. he promised that he will ask the council of traditional rulers to go to olukeres palace and examine the place and make recommendations on how best they can recognise his stool which they did2 akinniyi defected on tuesday with the excuse that he joined apc due to high-handedness of governor ayodele fayose2 all the projects he did in ikere including the dualisation were concentrated in constituency i. i used to raise issues about this and that was why they removed me as the chief whip instead of the allegation of docility and sleeping at plenary they levelled against me2 apart from all these the pdp had been in constant crises and now irreversibly divided and polarised to the extent that more than half of its members have moved out of the party in recent times to join apc2 as a democrat i cannot continue to remain in a party that had been polarised by internal crises because my continued stay will not allow me to effectively represent my people2 he declared that after consultations with leaders and people of his constituency he had resigned his membership of the pdp due to irreconcilable breaking into factions of the party in ekiti following the rancorous governorship primary2 i view of this i use this opportunity to announce my defection to apc from effect from today june 26 20182 last week a former deputy majority leader of the assembly ebenezer alagbada of iseorun had also joined the fayemi campaign2 a former pdp governorship aspirant and chieftain of pdp prince dayo adeyeye also defected to apc2 the obas turned in their report and governor fayose never acted on it. rather than recognising olukere they set him up for murder and put him in detention and that was why i decided not to support the governorship candidate professor kolapo olusola2

Plateau Killings: Buhari lands in Jos
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president muhammadu buhari has arrived in jos the plateau state capital where he is expected to meet with representatives of communities affected by the latest violence in the state1 this was disclosed on the presidents verified twitter handle @mbuhari1 president buhari who flew into jos from calabar the cross river state capital was received on arrival at the yakubu gowon airport jos at 3 20 p.m by governor simon lalong of plateau1 the president has just arrived plateau state. hell be meeting w community leaders traditional rulers reps of various stakeholder groups1 presidency nigeria @ngrpresident1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that the presidents visit is coming on the heels of the visit by his deputy vice president yemi osinbajo who was in the state capital on monday to meet with leaders and representatives of communities affected by the violence1 we must condemn killings of any kind. it doesnt matter whether these killings are by herdsmen killing villagers or whether it is villagers who in one way or the other have killed others including herdsmen osinbajo said on monday during his meeting with local representatives held at the government house jos1 osinbajo who heralded the presidents visit pledged that the federal government will ensure that perpetrators of the dastardly act are brought to book1 nan reports that at the government house in jos buhari is scheduled to hold an interactive session with traditional rulers community and religious leaders representatives of youth and women groups and security chiefs including the inspector-general of police ibrahim idris1

Brexit becomes law in Britain
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crucially this makes the prime ministers negotiating hand much stronger1 britains decision to leave the european union has now become law after months of debate the house of commons speaker announced tuesday to cheers from eurosceptic lawmakers1 the bill transfers decades of european law onto british statute books and also enshrines brexit day in british law as march 29 2019 at 1100 pm 2300 gmt midnight brussels time1 prime minister theresa may said the approval was a historic moment for our country and a significant step towards delivering on the will of the british people who had voted in a june 2016 referendum to exit the eu1 the bill has undergone more than 250 hours of acrimonious debate in the houses of parliament since it was introduced in july 20171 eurosceptics celebrated the passing of the bill through parliament last week as proof that despite continuing uncertainty in the negotiations with brussels brexit was happening1 lest anyone is in any doubt the chances of britain not leaving the eu are now zero international trade minister liam fox said1 conservative mp jacob rees-mogg a staunch brexit supporter said the legal position is now so much stronger for a clean brexit1 speaker john bercow said the eu withdrawal bill which repeals the 1972 european communities act through which britain became a member of the bloc had been given the formal royal assent by queen elizabeth ii1 another eurosceptic conservative mp dominic raab said may would go to an eu summit later this week with the wind in her sails1 the government had a tough time getting the bill through parliament and was forced to concede some power to lawmakers over the final brexit deal agreed with brussels1 the brexit ministry said in a statement the new law would ensure a smooth and orderly exit by giving the government temporary powers to make changes to legislation1 the ministry said additional laws will deliver the more significant policy changes needed as a result of our exit1 further battles are expected in the house of commons in the coming weeks when mps debate two bills on trade with pro-europeans seeking to force the government to keep close ties with the bloc1 may has yet to set out her plans for customs arrangements after brexit which have become a major stumbling block in talks with brussels1 she will gather her top ministers after the eu summit which starts on thursday to thrash out their differences with the aim of publishing a brexit blueprint shortly after1

Buhari commissions Naval hospital
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good health care he explained was important to the personnel of the armed forces because of the enormous mental and physical exertion that attends their profession1 president muhammadu buhari has said nigeria was committed to the provision of affordable health care facilities in the drive to have healthy population1 primary health care is the cornerstone aimed at creating the conditions that improve the general health of the people meet the particular needs of patients families and communities1 similarly our secondary and tertiary healthcare systems must meet the most complicated medical challenges for our people at affordable rates1 he explained that the significance of the commissioning could be better understood by making the connection between medical care and productivity1 put otherwise good health and productivity are inextricably related. this underpins this administrations vision of what medical services should look like in nigeria1 at the commissioning of the nigerian navy reference hospital in calabar on tuesday buhari said that nigerias primary health care system needs to be innovative and quality driven1 active-duty personnel must be at peak health for military effectiveness at all times1 the president said it was gratifying that the naval high command fully appreciated the importance of health and has taken the right steps to progressively expand patients access to both preventive and curative medical care services1 i have no doubt that this hospital and its state-of-the-art equipment as stated by the chief of the naval staff would yield enormous health dividends to the naval personnel their families and to the host community1 the development of the hospital is a great leap forward but the envisaged benefits would fizzle out without diligent maintenance1 it is pleasing to note that the original equipment manufacturers seimens healthineers and sirona demtal systems of germany are here to witness this epoch- making event and intend to partner with the nigerian navy to ensure the adequate training and sustainability of the critical equipment1 he charged the stakeholders to ensure the sustenance of the high standard of the hospital and build upon it to justify its existence as an international standard medical centre1

Oyo Pensioners sue Gov. Ajimobi over N42bn arrears
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the counsel suggested that the governor be served through the states attorney-general and commissioner for justice being the chief law officer of the state1 the nigeria union of pensioners nup in oyostate on tuesday dragged gov. abiola ajimobi of oyo state andfive others before an oyo state high court in ibadan over the unpaid n42.3billion gratuities and pensions arrears owed primary school teachers andlocal government pensioners1 at tuesdays sitting before justice maruf adegbola the unions counsellasun sanusi san urged the court to directthe oyo state government to pay the arrears of the concerned pensioners1 sanusi said the primary school teachers and local government pensioners were dying almost on daily basis due to difficulty in getting medications for their various health challenges1 the counsel also told the court that an agreement was reached between the state government and the pensioners that the arrears would be paid in instalments praying that this be made a consentjudgment1 he said since the state government was not denying that it was its responsibility to pay the said money his clients were urging the court to give its judgment1 the counsel also said that other respondents in the suit had been served except ajimobi urging the court to grant his ex-parte motion seeking its leave to serve the governor by substituted means1 joined in the suit were the oyo state attorney-general andcommissioner for justice commissioner for local government andchieftaincy matters commissioner for finance as well as the accountant-general and the states head of service1 adegbola consequently granted the ex-parte motion and ordered that the processes be served on the governor through the attorney-general and commissioner for justice1 the judge said that the processes and other documents to be filed in the matter be taken to the office of the attorney-general and commissioner for justice1 he adjourned the case till july 11 for hearing1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that none of the respondents was in court1 nan also reports that the pensioners who had trooped to the court called on the state government to urgently pay their pension arrears andgratuities1 representatives of the nigeria labour congress in the state also attended the court sitting1

Nigeria vs Argentina: VP Osinbajo confident on S/Eagles victory
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vice president yemi osinbajo has expressed confidence that the super eagles would defeat their argentine counterpart to move into the second round of the fifa world cup in russia1 osinbajo disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on tuesday at the alakia airport in ibadan on his arrival for the national micro small and medium enterprises msmes clinic1 by the grace of god victory will be ours. i hope the boys will give their very best. i am sure and confident that they are well prepared for the important encounter1 this is an important encounter to us and i trust it is going to be a great victory for us he said1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that the eagles would take on argentina in their last group d match at the mundial and they need at least a draw to qualify for the second round of the tournament1