Most Rev. Michael Gokum, the Catholic Bishop of Pankshin Diocese in Plateau, on Thursday donated relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Daffo District of Bokkos Local Government Area.

Gokum preached peaceful coexistence among inhabitants of the area.

Many villages in the district experienced attacks which led to loss of lives and property.

The Bishop, had before now visited the victims immediately the incident occurred.

You will recall that immediately the incident happened some months back, we came here to sympathise and encourage you to live in peace. Today we are here again to do same.

One of the worst events of life is for one to be forced out of the comfort of his home and his source of livelihood destroyed. Such act is humiliating, frustrating and inhuman.

So, we have come with some few items to provide succour and alleviate your sufferings.

Let me seize this opportunity to encourage all of you to imbibe the culture of tolerance and forgive one another for the growth and development of our state, he said.

Gokum urged the youth to desist from being used by self-seeking politicians, who would use them to perpetrate evil in the society.

The bishop held peace talks with community and religious leaders and advised them to preach peace at all times.

Items donated include: 40 bags of maize; 20 bags of rice; 20 bags of salt; 20 cartons of seasoning; three bags of millet; 28 bags of used clothes; and three bags of used shoes.

Source: NAN

One in 10 North Koreans are modern-day slaves, according to a human rights report released on Thursday.

The rogue nuclear nation led by Kim Jong Un has the highest prevalence of state-imposed forced labour, according to the modern slavery index released by the Walk Free Foundation.

Researchers interviewed 50 defectors from North Korea on their experiences as part of the report. All but one described mandatory, unpaid communal labour for adults and children.

Pyongyang reportedly relies on large-scale forced labour to operate its mining industry, including through prison-camp labour.

The government also reportedly assigns low-class individuals to work in mines, in roles that are often passed down from generation to generation.

Eritrea, Burundi, the Central African Republic and Afghanistan were among the top 10 worst offenders in the foundations analysis, which estimates levels of forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, slavery and slavery-like practices, and human trafficking.

Modern slavery estimates for the US, Australia, Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands were also higher than previously thought, but these countries were taking the most action to tackle slavery, the report noted.

The findings indicated two key drivers of modern slavery: highly repressive regimes, in which people are put to work to prop up the government, and conflict situations which result in the breakdown of rule of law, social structures, and systems of protection.

But the report also pointed the finger at G20 countries for sourcing an estimated 354 billion dollars worth of products at risk of being produced by forced labour each year.

Computers, mobile phones, fish and timber are among the highest-risk items.

The foundation urged countries to enforce sanctions passed by the UN Security Council, such as the ban on trading North Korean coal.

Despite the recent summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, the US and other UN Security Council countries have said sanctions must stay in place to keep up pressure on Pyongyang to denuclearize.

The UN special envoy for human rights in North Korea, Tomas Ojea Quintana, recently called for human rights to be included in any future talks.

The foundation compiled publicly available data and information from NGOs and academic institutions to estimate how widespread modern slavery is in 167 countries.

Source: NAN

Ekiti state governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Thursday presented his certificate of return to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Fayemi, former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, was the candidate of the national ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 14 governorship election.

Prof. Idowu Olayinka, the Chief Returning Officer for the election and Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, said Fayemi polled 197,459 votes to emerge winner.

Olayinka made the declaration at the headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) in Ado-Ekiti on July 15.

According to the result, Fayemi defeated the Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, who came second with 178,121 votes.

Other results declared by Olayinka were Accord, 250; Action Alliance, 41; ACD, 1149; AD, 216; ADB, 1082; ADA, 107; AGAO, 31; ANRP, 125; APA, 1199; and APDA, 464.

Also declared were APGA, 70; ANPP, 14; DA, 14; DPC, 147; DPP,181; FJP, 42; GPN, 20; I.D, 31;, KOWA, 23; LP, 280; MMN, 35; MPN, 23; NDLP, 44; NPC, 353 PANDEL, 74; and PGC, 1242.

The rest are DPA, 632; PPN, 107; SDO, 367; UDP, 29; UPN, 33; YDP, 31 and YPP, 49.

Olayinka said the total valid votes in the election was 384,594 while total votes cast was 403,451, with 18,857 votes invalidated.

Fayemi is expected to take over from the incumbent, Mr Ayo Fayose, on Oct. 16, 2018.

An official of the Alliance for Credible Elections, Dr Omilusi Mike, commended the massive turnout of voters for Saturdays governorship election in Ekiti and the transparency of the electoral process.

I want to sincerely commend the turnout of the people from across the nooks and crannies of Ekiti to vote for their chosen candidate.

The determination displayed by the people on Saturday was unprecedented and unbelievable.

I saw the number of people coming out from their villages and homes, contrary to the rumour of riot and crisis being spread across the state a few days to the election.

It is obvious that the wishes of the people have prevailed especially at a critical period in Ekiti, he said.

INEC issued the certificate of return to Fayemi early in the week.

Source: NAN

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state denied dumping All Progressives Congress (APC) confirming APC Chairman Adams Oshiomholes claims that the governor was going nowhere.

Ortom on Thursday in Abuja told newsmen after a closed door meeting Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Ortom on Monday announced that the Benue chapter of the APC had given him a red card.

He likened himself to a footballer who was out of the football pitch waiting to be picked by another club.

The governor and Sen. George Akume, also a former governor of the state had been having a running battle over who controls the state party structure.

It was the Benue APC that gave me a red card not the national APC and that was enough to make myself available out of the pitch.

But the leadership of the party told me that its decision is superior to that of any individual or group of people and I think that is good enough.

They have spoken to him, and have spoken to me and the state stakeholders are going to be spoken to and thats where I belong.

We have not concluded the matter, its an ongoing process, I have always stood for peace, and I always want peace to prevail, thats what I call for.

I am here in APC, I am a member of APC, I am still flying the flag of APC, I only said I was given red card but I have been corrected by the national secretariat, he said.

The Benue Governor appreciated the partys leadership for intervening in the matter and expressed hope that it would be able to resolve the differences.

Oshiomhole, while reacting to the development, said the APC does not have red cards in its cupboard and could not give what it doesnt have.

He noted that there could however, be legitimate legal issues and disagreements in some of the partys states chapters.

This, he said, was evidence of the fact that the APC was a free democratic party, adding that it was the responsibility of the its leadership to help aggrieved members to find a common ground.

Oshiomhole added that the issues in the Benue chapter of the party were not too fundamental that it could not be resolved.

He expressed confidence that the issues between Sen. Akume and Gov. Ortom would be resolved by the partys national leadership.

He maintained that Sen. Akume, was a very respected leader, of the party and would recognise the need for peace, adding that the APC leadership had what it would take to make peace.

In Benue, we are going for a win-win solution. Gov. Ortom is not going anywhere, he is a very prominent member of our party, and we appreciate his leadership in Benue.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that is hovering around must know that it is only people without honour that will vomit in the morning and convert it to lunch in the afternoon.

People like Ortom cant leave PDP three and half years ago with his eyes open and two three years later, because of some tension, he is thinking of returning.

He is a man of honour and he knows that once you move one step forward, you will want to take the second step to consolidate the first step, thats the way to go.

Be assured that the PDP can go and do whatever they want to do, but it wont change the situation in the minds of those who are convinced in building the future,Oshiomhole said

This, he said, would not be without contestation, but would be based on the understanding the party had the qualities required to resolve issues on a win-win manner even when contestations comes up.

He assured that such tools would be deployed in Benue to make both Gov. Ortom, Sen. Akume and the people of the state, not just APC members, happy.

He further assured that the APC leadership would do everything possible to help those who had issues to have those issues resolved.

Oshiomhole stressed that the APC leadership would do everything possible to address crisis within its states chapters and ensure that its committed members remain in its fold. (NAN)

Source: NAN

The Lagos State Government on Thursday sought the intervention of the Federal Government in enforcing the rule that all haulage operators must have designated parks immediately.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, made the assertion in Lagos on the chaotic traffic situation in the state.

Bamigbetan sympathised with the commuters and residents of Apapa and other parts of the state over the lingering gridlock created by trucks and articulated vehicles.

He expressed sadness over the difficulties faced by motorists and commuters seeking the use of the Apapa-Oshodi Highway and other routes leading to the ports.

The commissioner assured residents that the state government had directed security agencies to deploy their officers to the areas to further control traffic and bring immediate succour to the people.

Bamigbetan said President Muhammadu Buhari had assured Lagos State that the Federal Government would tackle the matter decisively, noting that the latest hardship made the much needed intervention extremely imperative.

He blamed the renewed congestion on the recalcitrance of owners and drivers of tankers and trucks to fully comply with the subsisting directive that restricts their movement within the state.
Bamigbetan also attributed the worsened situation to the ongoing industrial action by a section of workers at the Apapa ports.

According to him, this has slowed down the pace of goods clearance as well as the slow pace of repair works on the roads leading to the ports, most of which are federal roads.

Bamigbetan said the recent rehabilitation of the truck park at Orile Iganmu, with capacity to take 3,000 trucks, showed the commitment of the state government to address the enormous traffic challenge.

He urged the haulage stakeholders to save residents from the threat of carnage on the highways by adhering to the directive and also invest in truck terminals themselves.

The commissioner regretted that the ongoing rehabilitation of roads in Apapa and its environs and the efforts toward sanitising truck entry procedures had pushed the trucks to other parts of the city.

He said this was all because the haulage operators had continued to illegally turn major roads to parks, thereby using public facilities to increase their private profit.

Bamigbetan said that the state government would not allow its highways to be turned to death traps, calling for speedy delivery of the roads under reconstruction within the axis.

Source: NAN

By Rabiu Sani

Abubakar Kori, a dwarf, who facilitated the suicide bombing activities of Boko-Haram insurgents, said he was paid not less than N5, 000 for each suicide bomb attack carried out by the insurgents in Maiduguri.

Kori, 25, is among the 22 people arrested by the police in Borno and Yobe for their alleged involvement in suicide bombing activities carried out by the insurgents.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he received N5, 000 as payment for facilitating the execution of each suicide bomb attack in Maiduguri and its environs.

Kori, who was a security guard at a fuel dispensing station in Dalori area of Maiduguri, said that he participated in several suicide bomb attacks in recent months in the metropolis.

My role is to keep the Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) for onward delivery to another person who will carry out the attack.

On different occasions, two of my acquaintances gave a parcel to keep for somebody, who will come and take it.

I normally kept the parcel in my duty post; the appointed person would come and picked it; after successful delivery, they paid me N5, 000.

We reside in the same neighborhood in Maiduguri; they always told me that the parcel was given to them by one BaAdam, and asked me to keep it.

They introduced me to BaAdam, who is the mastermind of the attacks, he revealed.

On his part, Adam Mustapha, a.k.a BaAdam, admitted that he coordinated various suicide bomb attacks, which resulted in the death of hundreds of people in Maiduguri.

BaAdam, 20, narrated that he had coordinated several bomb attacks at Bulukuntu, Baga road, 333 Artillery gate, Customs, Post Office and Muna Garage areas of Maiduguri.

On two occasions, I was paid N200, 000 for the successful execution of bomb attacks.

Most of the time I had to pester them before payment could be made to me, he said.

When asked whether he had cause at any time to regret his actions, BaAdam said that he was never remorseful at any given time.

Another suspect, Ibrahim Mala, 48, also admitted to aiding suicide bomb attacks in Maiduguri, sales of rustled animals and supply of logistics to the insurgents in the bush.

Mala, a butcher and resident of Dalori-Kakere village in the outskirts of Maiduguri, revealed that the insurgents were supplying sheep and provided him with N180, 000 loans, to enable him to run his business.

They paid me N5, 000 for safe keeping of IEDs, and they also sent me on errands to buy consumable items for them.

I bought the items at the market and kept it at my home; some persons would come at night, pick and deliver same to members of the group hiding in the forest.

Some of the items included torch lights, matches, sandals, kola nuts, cubes and clothing materials.

I saved money in dealing with the group and bought a plot of land worth over N420, 000.

I know that they are Boko-Haram insurgents and my wife was not happy with my dealings with them; she asked me to stop but it is too late, he narrated.

Commenting on the arrest, Mr Abba Kyari, the DCP, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), said that the suspects were apprehended by the police in various communities in Borno and Yobe.

Kyari called on members of the public to report suspicious persons and movement to the security agencies.

He also called on the people to cooperate with the police and other security agencies to end insurgency and restore peace to the North-East sub-region.

Source: NAN

A South Korean salvage team has discovered the wreck of a Russian warship that was sunk in a naval battle 113 years ago and is believed to still contain a trove of gold bullion and coins worth 150 trillion won, or £100 billion.

The Russian Imperial Navy cruiser Dmitrii Donskoi was discovered at a depth of more than 1,400 feet about one mile off the South Korean island of Ulleungdo.

A joint team made up of experts from South Korea, Britain and Canada discovered the wreck on Sunday and used two manned submersibles to capture footage of the vessel, with the company behind the discovery promising to use a percentage of the money to fund the construction of a railway line linking Russia and South Korea through North Korea.

The video includes images of extensive damage to the vessel caused in an encounter with Japanese warships in May 1905, along with cannons and deck guns encrusted with marine growth, the anchor and the ship’s wheel.

The identity of the 5,800-ton warship was confirmed when the crew of one of the submersibles were able to read the name on the stern.

https://youtu.be/QEFId25LMk0

“The body of the ship was severely damaged by shelling, with its stern almost broken, and yet the ship’s deck and sides are well preserved”, the Seoul-based Shinil Group said in a statement.

Launched in St Petersburg in August 1883, the Dmitrii Donskoi was designed as a commerce raider and fitted with both a full set of sails and a coal-fired engine.

The ship spent most of its career operating in the Mediterranean and the Far East and was deployed to Imperial Russia’s Second Pacific Squadron after the Japanese fleet destroyed the majority of Russia’s naval power in the Far East in the opening salvoes of the 1904 Russo-Japanese War.

The squadron was intercepted by the Japanese fleet in May 1905 and decimated at the Battle of Tsushima. Assigned to protect the transport ships at the rear of the formation, the Dmitrii Donskoi managed to evade the attacking force, but was later intercepted steaming for the Russian port of Vladivostok.

Around 60 of the 591 crew were killed and further 120 injured before Captain Ivan Lebedev anchored off the island of Ulleungdo and ordered his men ashore. The following morning, May 29, 1905, the ship was scuttled offshore and the crew were taken prisoner by Japanese landing parties. Captain Lebedev later died of his wounds.

There are reports that the Dmitrii Donskoi was carrying the fleet’s funds and went down with 5,500 boxes containing gold bars as well as a separate haul of 200 tons of gold coins. The gold was being stored in the ship's holds to stop the Japanese seizing it. Shinil Group estimates the gold would have a total value today of £101.3 billion.

The company says it is aiming to raise the ship in October or November. Half of any treasure found aboard the vessel would be handed over to the Russian government, the company said, while 10 percent of the remainder will be invested in tourism projects on Ulleungdo Island, including a museum dedicated to the vessel.

A portion of the rest of the treasure will be donated to joint projects to promote development in north-east Asia, the company said, such as a railway line from Russia to South Korea through North Korea.

The deadlock in the meeting of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and the issue of national minimum wage were some of the troubling issues that occupied Nigerian governors on Wednesday.

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) met on Wednesday night in Abuja to discuss matters.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the June monthly meeting of FAAC in Abuja ended in a deadlock.

The FAAC monthly meeting is the forum where money is shared among the federal, states and local governments.

Also on the meeting agenda was presentation by the Chief Executive Officer of EduMarshals, on replicating EduMarshals education project at the state level.

The Postmaster General was also expected to make presentation at the meeting on the Nigerian Postal Service in maximising revenue potential through electronic stamp solution, digital addressing system and addressing verification system.

The governors were also expected to be briefed by World Bank Country Director, Dr Rachid Benmessaoud, on the States Fiscal Transparency and Accountability Sustainability (FSTAS) (NAN)

Source: NAN

The Leaders and Elders Forum of Nigeria on Wednesday expressed concern on the state of the nation and urged the Federal Government to do more to stop the incessant killings of innocent Nigerians.

The Forum made the call in a communique signed by Chief Edwin Clark, Leader Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, Convener Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Leader Afenifere Socio-Cultural Group and Chief John Nwodo, President Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The communiqué was signed at the end of the Extra ordinary summit of leaders and elders of Nigeria, titled: “State of the Nation: The rising spate of killings must stop.’’

The elders called on the Federal Government to address the security challenge and revamp the security architecture of the country.

They said that the general state of insecurity and incessant killing in Nigeria had escalated in recent times with several communities at the mercy of marauding killers.

They added that the affected communities perceived the government to be complacent with the killings that claimed over 3,500 lives in 2017 and even more in 2018.

They noted that the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) had increased from 1.5million in 2015 to 4 million currently.

They also said that Nigeria had degenerated from the 136th to 148th position on the corruption perception index out of the 180 countries surveyed in 2018.

“The summit observes with alarm the flagrant abuse and disrespect for the rule of law as well as the systematic violation of election processes.

“These infractions are steadily eroding public confidence in our hard earned democracy.

“It is necessary to ensure the removal of marauding killers from the communities they have occupied and return same to their rightful owners who now live in IDP camps.’’

Source: NAN

The All Progressives Congress (APC) primary to elect its candidate for the forthcoming Osun governorship election has been postponed from Thursday July 19, till Friday July 20.

The party announced the postponement in a statement issued by Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, its National Publicity Secretary on Wednesday in Abuja.

The statement added that a meeting between the Primary Election Committee, chaired by Gov. Abdulaziz Yari, of Zamfara and Osun APC stakeholders would hold in Osogbo, the state capital on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman on Monday, July 16, said the party would adopt the direct primary to pick its candidate for the Osun governorship election.

We have decided that in order to ensure popular participation, and to deepen democracy in Osun State, in-line with the provision of our partys Constitution which allows for either direct or indirect primary, we have resolved that the governorship election primary will be conducted on the basis of direct primary.

What that means is that every card carrying member of our party will participate in the process of nominating the flag bearer of the party.

This for us, is the most democratic way to conduct election and is in line with what our critical stakeholders from that part of the country want and we are quite happy to oblige, he said.

Oshiomhole had explained that the essence was to allow more party members to participate in the process of nominating its candidates and to remove issues of corruption or monetising the processes.

He added that the direct primary would give party members a sense of ownership of the outcome of the exercise.

NAN reports that all 17 aspirants who obtained the partys Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest its ticket forthe governorship election slated for Sept. 22, had all been cleared.

All political parties fielding candidates for the Osun governorship election, has up to Monday July 23 to submit the name of their candidates for the election to the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).

A political party could however, substitute its candidate afterwards, if the need arises.

Source: NAN