By Martha Nyam

The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has slated the 12th Zuma Film Festival (ZUFF), from Dec. 1 to Dec. 7 in Abuja.

This is contained in a statement by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr Brian Etuk in Jos on Sunday.

Etuk said thatentries would be opened to allinterested film makers from Nigeria and around the world, starting from April 2 to Oct. 30.

He said the theme for the 2021 edition was Show the Money, and would focus on showcasing the great investment opportunities in digital content creation and exhibition.

The Managing Director, NFC, Mr Chidia Maduekwe, explained that the theme for the 2021 edition was chosen to further the conversations on the yearnings of Nigerian film makers.

Maduekwe said the film festival would continue to play acritical role in galvanising the film sector of the Nigerian economy, by presenting andleveraging opportunities within the unique film industry.

He said that it would accelerate rapid economic growth and development, he said.

He saidthat the festival would provide opportunity for both physical and virtual participation, not only because of adherence to COVID -19 safety protocols, but as a means of increasing the participatory level by offshore film producers.

He directed that all entries be addressed to the Festival Director, ZUMA Film Festival and be submitted through the free film way platform via the link www.filmfreeway.com/zumafilmfestival or to ZUMA Film Festival Secretariat located in Jos.

The 2021 ZUMA Film Festival Award would feature different categories including -the best cinematography, best script, best animation, best actress, best actor, best documentary, best foreign film, best student film, best picture and best indigenous film.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ijeoma Okigbo

Edo has emerged champion in the artistic men and best-all-round gymnastics men event at the ongoing 20National Sports Festival in Benin.

Edo pulled 122.10 points to win goldahead of Delta with 104.80 points and Ogun with 98.95 that settled for silver and bronze medals respectively.

The hosts also chased their counterparts out of the medals table in the Best All-Round men event with Etim Enobong, winning the gold medal with 41.80 points.

He is closely followed by compatriot Prosper Okosun and Osamudiamen Amanaghawon with 41.20 and 39.10 points respectively.

Micheal Ocheke, coach of the team told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) thathe was not surprised at the outcome of the event.

I feel proud, we have been preparing very well for this festival and we have been expecting this outcome.

I feel so good because if we hadnt won, it will be like a disaster as everybody expects a lot from Edo since we are hosting and we have the best athletes, he said.

On the teams chances in other events, Ocheke said that he was optimistic about the teams prowess in the sport.

More is yet to come.

We dont want to leave any stone unturned because we intend to take all available medal in artistic gymnastics and aerobic gymnastics, Ocheke added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Segun Giwa

Ondo State male volleyball team on Saturday won their fourth consecutive gold medal at the National Sport Festivals at the ongoing Edo 2020.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team had been winning the coveted gold medal since the Port Harcourts Garden City Games in 2011.

It was followed by gold at the Eko 2012 in Lagos, Abuja 2019 and now Edo 2020.

The Ondo state volleyball team defeated the host, Edo State Volleyball Team 3-1 to emerge champions for the fourth time.

The Ondo state team had defeated their counterparts from Kano State and Kwara before beating the host to the title.

The General Manager of the Ondo state Sports Council, Henry Babatunde, said the team had promised the state gold medal before the festival and was happy they delivered.

We are all happy, though we are all expecting it. They promised to deliver it and they did and they didnt disappoint, he said.

He advised other contingent to be more focused and diligent to win more gold for the state.

He also noted that the games where the state has comparative advantage were just about to begin which were; wrestling, table tennis and more. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Segun Giwa

Ondo State female boxers have picked two final spots in the boxing event at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Benin.

Kemi James of Ondo State, fighting in the featherweight category, out-punched Akinremi Azizat of Ogun state in the semi final on Saturday to book a place in the Sundays final.

Roseline Chukwu, also of Ondo state, beat Sakirat Kareem of Oyo state in the semi final of the bantamweight event to qualify for the finals; she will face Idera Monday of Akwa Ibom in the final.

James said she was happy with her performance and was hopeful of winning gold in the final.

I am hopeful that gold will be mine, I have set my eyes on the medal and I believe by the grace of God, the gold will be ours in Ondo, she said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Igbaugba Ehigimetor

Team Edo has emerged the overall winners of the Rugby event in the ongoing 20th edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged Edo 2020.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that both male and female teams of the host state won the two gold medals.

NAN reports that the male team defeated Kano, Plateau and Delta states to clinch the gold.

They scored a total of 14 points to beat Kano state that had nine points while Delta placed third to win the bronze medal with four points.

Similarly, the female team scored 11 points to win the gold medal, Ogun won the silver medal with eight points while Delta scored seven points to win the bronze. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh will be held at Windsor on April 17, with no public access nor public procession beforehand, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said on Saturday.

The event is to be a ceremonial royal funeral, rather than a state funeral, which very much reflects the dukes wishes, a palace spokesman said.

A national minutes silence will be observed as the funeral begins at 15:00 BST at St. Georges Chapel at Windsor.

Members of the public will not be allowed to attend as the proceedings have been scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funeral will be shown live on television.

Given the current pandemic restriction which allows only 30 mourners to attend, the event will be reduced in scale. At this moment, there is no confirmation yet on the rest of the guest list.

In line with government guidelines and public health measures, there will be no public processions and the dukes funeral will take place entirely within the grounds of Windsor Castle, the palace spokesman said.

The Queen has approved the prime ministers recommendation that there be eight days of national mourning, to end on the day of the dukes funeral, the palace said.

During the national mourning time, union flags will remain at half-mast but the Royal Standard, which is flown when the Queen is in residence at one of the royal palaces, will be at full mast.

The Royal Family will observe two weeks of mourning and royal engagements will continue, with mourning bands worn where appropriate.

The Sky News reported that Prince Harry will be travelling from his home in the United States to attend, although his pregnant wife Meghan has been advised by doctors not to travel.

Earlier Saturday, gun salutes were held across Britain on land and at sea in memory of the duke who passed away on Friday at the age of 99.

The royal family website has asked people not to leave flowers and tributes at royal residences. The website encourages members of the public to consider making a donation to a charity instead of leaving floral tributes.

Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu on June 10, 1921.

He married Princess Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became Queen, and was the longest-serving royal consort in British history.

The couple had four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

India on Sunday recorded its biggest-ever daily spike of 152,879 coronavirus cases.

This is as authorities launched a four-day vaccine festival to intensify the inoculation campaign in the country.

Fresh infections were five per cent higher than on Friday, when the country registered 145,384 cases, according to Health Ministry data.

The number of deaths rose by 839 in the last 24 hours, pushing the total death count to 169,275.

Meanwhile, a so-called Tika Utsav (Hindi for vaccine festival) is being organised in the country to inoculate the maximum number of eligible people against the virus.

The mass vaccination programme is to be conducted until April 14, following an appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to chief state ministers at a meeting on the medical crisis.

More than 100 million doses have already been administered to front-line workers and people above 45 in Indias vaccination drive, which began early this year.

However, several states have claimed they are facing vaccine shortages despite assurances from the government.

The surge in infections has forced many states, including the national capital New Delhi, to impose tight restrictions.

Such restrictions include night-time curfews, school closures and limiting visits to restaurants, theatres and other events.

The spike in cases has also led to hospital bed shortages including in the worst-hit state of Maharashtra, which accounts for over half of Indias active cases.

India, which at over 13.2 million has the third-largest coronavirus caseload after the United States and Brazil, saw a downward trend in infections from the end of 2020.

But the numbers began rising again in mid-February. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Voting for the first round of Benins presidential election began on Sunday at most polling stations across the country.

Approximately five million voters are expected to take part in the first round of voting at 15,531 polling stations throughout the country and 11 others in seven foreign countries.

According to the new electoral law, the President and Vice President are elected by direct universal suffrage for a term of five years and can only be re-elected once.

For this purpose, three pairs of candidates participated in this election.

The incumbent President Patrice Talon and his running mate Mariam Talata will face the opposition duo Corentin Kohoue-Irene Agossa of the Dynamics Restoring Confidence party (RLC) and Alassane Soumanou-Paul Hounkpe of Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin (FCBE).

Polling started at 7.00 a.m. local time and was expected to last nine hours.

Talon on Sunday called on his fellow citizens for a massive turnout to fulfil their civic duty.

He made the appeal just after he cast his vote in the economic capital Cotonou, adding that polling is proceeding well across the country.

The polling of this day is a great act and I urge everyone to make his choice, most importantly to choose a good candidate that best meets the expectations of people of Benin, he said.

Seeking a second five-year term, Talon also said with confidence that Benin is in the process of writing a new page in its history. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje/Yahaya Isah

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi says his administration has succeeded in providing adequate security in the state by enhancing citizens involvement in the fight against insecurity.

Represented by the state Deputy Governor Edward Onoja, Bello made this observation at the Annual Lecture/Fellows Night 2021 of the Institute of Security and Strategic Studies on Saturday in Abuja.

He said that his government, being youth-oriented, had been able to involve young minds in decision making on security issues.

He observed that the state was confronted with several security challenges prior to his assumption of office as governor in 2015.

He said that he assigned security roles to more than 5,000 young men and women in local governments to collaborate with security agencies and ensure adequate security in their communities.

Some of the measures taken by the government to tackle insecurity include clearing of highway bushes, equipping security agencies, engagement of youths in vigilance groups and incorporation of hunters into anti-kidnapping squad, he said.

He noted that his administration also involved citizens in the fight against insecurity through involvement of local government chairmen and traditional rulers in the security arrangement of the state.

He said that the kidnapping of his mother provided an opportunity for him to work hard to rid the state of all forms of criminality and make it safe for the citizens.

Upon my assumption of office as executive governor of Kogi, I saw it as a divine opportunity among others to rid the state of all crimes and criminality.

To achieve this goal, we decided to take a simple steps to frontally tackle crime in our society.

Some of which is highway vegetation control by clearing six metres in either side of the highway across the state.

This simple initiative improved visibility for travellers and eliminated high impulse of kidnappers that usually pound on unsuspecting travellers around blind spots of the highways to execute their nefarious activities, he said.

Bello announced that the state had bought and equipped no fewer than 200 security vehicles for the security agencies.

He said that the vehicles were strategically deployed across the state to collaborate with citizens to curb crimes.

He also said that the state invested in the use of technology to gather intelligence across the state as well as collaborate with responsible corporate entities in the state.

The former Director-General, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Prof. Ahmed Danfulani, said that no nation could progress where a group of individuals constituted themselves as threats to the national ssecurity.

Danfulani, who spoke on the theme: Our National Security Predicaments: Implications for the Current Democratic Order, said the success of national security was difficult to appreciate in a state of fear and uncertainty.

According to him, the average Nigerian has no idea of what is national security and people take issues of national with levity.

He called for collective effort in promoting the Nigeria project and promote its national security.

The Secretary, Governing Council, Institute of Security and Strategic Studies, Dr Danladi Abdulhameed, said that the global terrorism index for 2021 listed Nigeria as the third most terrorised countries in the world after Afghanistan and Iraq.

Abdulhameed said the classification was hinged on the fact that Nigeria had been in a state of war against terrorism, farmers/herdsmen clashes, banditry and Kidnapping.

He said that while terrorist attacks could occur anywhere in the world, insecurity had remained the greatest threat to Nigerias budding democracy.

He said that several challenges have continued to besiege the nations democratic system such as insecurity which has claimed the lives and livelihoods of civilians, foreigners, security personnel and threatened our socio-economic and political entity.

It is on this note that we at the Institute of Security and Strategic Studies are committed to protecting our nations security so that the electorate shall have confidence in nascent democracy, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the institute inducted Gov. Yahaya Bello to fellowship and also bestowed on him the Security Personality of the Year 2021 Award.

Also inducted to the fellowship is the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund), Prof. Elias Bogoro. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ishaq Zaki

The Police Command in Zamfara says it has secured the release of 11 kidnapped persons in the state.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Muhammad Shehu, announced this in a statement issued in Gusau on Saturday.

On April 9, the command, in collaboration with the state Ministry for Security and Home Affairs, secured the unconditional release of 11 kidnapped victims by a group who took them to a forest near Gobirawan Chali in Maru Local Government Area, he said.

He said 10 out of the 11 victims are natives of Kyakyaka, Tungar Haki and Gidan Ango villages of Gusau Local Government Area in Zamfara, while the other victim is from Kaduna State.

He said the release of the kidnapped victims was part of ongoing peace process enunciated by Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara.

All the rescued victims have been debriefed by the police and later handed over to the Ministry for Security and Home Affairs that will reunite them with their families.

Investigation regarding the abduction of the victims has begun and the outcome will be made public, Shehu said.

He said the cocmand also repelled an attack by suspected bandits on Yarkala village in Rawayya District of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara and recovered weapons.

On April 8, police operatives attached to operation Puff Adder deployed to Rawayya-Yarkala axis were alerted of presence of large numbers of bandits who were moving to Yarkala village on an attack.

Receiving the distress call, the operatives mobilised and dislodged the bandits, as a result, they fled to the forest with possible gun shot wounds.

In the course of mopping up the scene, an AK-47 rifle marked 1983NI2328 and a magazine containing 10 rounds of live ammunition belonging to one of the fleeing bandits was recovered and is now in police custody, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Mohammad Tijjani

The police command in Kaduna State has rescued 15 kidnapped persons and recovered 32 cows.

The commands Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said this in a statement on Sunday in Kaduna.

Jalige said that on April 9 at about 1525hours, gunmen suspected to be bandits blocked Buruku Birnin Gwari Road around Unguwan Yako forest in an attempt to kidnap occupants of two Volkswagen salon cars.

A swift response by the operatives of the command forced the marauding bandits to retreat and flee into the forest with bullet wounds, abandoning their victims.

The operatives however, searched the entire area and successfully rescued 15 victims unhurt ,he said.

He said that the drivers of the vehicles sustained varying degrees of injuries and were receiving treatment.

Jalige said that the remaining victims have been profiled and subsequently reunited with their respective families.

He said rigorous patrol and manhunt for the fleeing bandits was of topmost priority to the command.

He said that on April 8, at about 0500hours, the command received an intelligence report indicating that some bandits were sighted around Dutsin Gaya village in Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA), moving large herds of cattle strongly suspected to be have been rustled.

The command on getting the information as usual, operatives were mobilised to the area and engaged the bandits in fierce gun battle which forced them to take to their heels with bullet wounds while the operatives recovered 32 rustled cows.

Jalige reassured of the command relentless effort in securing public space and to create an enabling environment for legitimate business to thrive in the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Akeem Abas

Sen. Rochas Okorocha(APC-Imo West) has called on Nigerians to collectively fight poverty to achieve the desired national development.

He made the call on Saturday during the grand finale of the 2021 Ibadan Week Celebration held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State, was honoured with Outstanding Friend of Ibadan at the occasion.

NAN reports that Okorochas award was in recognition of his contributions to the education of indigent students through his free education programmes.

Okorocha said that poverty and injustice were the common enemies of Nigeria, saying Nigerians must rise up to find lasting solutions to the menace.

He said that the problem of poverty and injustice was still ravaging the nation, in spite of his little efforts in solving the problem.

I have built schools across the federation so as to gives access to poor children whose parent cannot afford to send them to school.

Despite this effort aimed at solving the problem, poverty and injustice are still ravaging the nation, he said.

Okorocha noted that it was difficult for poor and vulnerable children to go to school in Nigeria because of poverty, calling on well-meaning Nigerians to join hands in fighting the common enemy.

According to him, If all these children gathered here and many of them who have passed through my foundation were not given the opportunity of free education,they will have become problems to Nigeria.

He thanked the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, as well as Ibadan sons and daughters for founding him worthy of the award.

NAN reports that Okorocha had through his Rochas Okorocha Foundation established a college in Ibadan.

About 25,000 indigent children across South-West out of which 6,000 were from Ibadan, have benefited from the schools free education.

Chief Yemi Soladoye, the President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes(CCII), said that the annual Ibadan Week was to celebrate Ibadan indigenes and others who have contributed to its development.

He urged all Ibadan indigenes, both home and abroad, to continue to support the development of Ibadan as well as perform their responsibilities towards upliftment of Ibadan.

Other awardees at the event are Sen. Kola Balogun(PDP-Oyo South), Prof. Idowu Olayinka, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Mr Aderemi Oseni, Prof. Sabitu Ariyo, and Hon. Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye among others.

NAN reports that the event featured cultural display and homage paying to the Olubadan of Ibadanland. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Abbas Bamalli

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has urged Kano students in different institutions across the country and abroad to always behave responsibly as potential leaders and citizens.

The governor gave the charge at the formal inauguration of the new Executives of the National body of the National Association of Kano State Students (NAKSS) on Saturday in Kano.

According to Ganduje, the newly elected leaders should also conduct themselves responsibly in order to enjoy the administrations continued support.

On our part, we shall continue to assist you so that you undertake your studies and finally you graduate successfully.You are already aware of our policy of free and compulsory primary to secondary education.

So we urge you to cooperate with the government so that we succeed in all our important policies. We say education is free because we dont want some people to be marginalised because of the economic position.

We want all our children to have access to education, whether you are rich or you are poor, that do not hinder you from sending your children to school. That is very very important to us as elected leaders.

And we say it is compulsory because some parents may decide not to send their children to school. This is not fair to the children and I am sure when the children grow, they will not forgive their parents, he said.

Ganduje also commended Kano students across various tertiary institutions for their good conducts.

Those students who behave very well and consider their education very important, after graduation, they end up being responsible and responsible leaders, he said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the states Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Kabiru Lakwaya, said the election was conducted in 2020, but the inauguration suspended due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

According to Lakwaya, the 2020/2021 election was the best of its kind as it was free, fair and acceptable to all stakeholders.

The National President of NAKSS, Mr Yahaya Usman-Kabo, a student of Kano State School of Technology, pledged to do everything possible towards the progress of the students.

He said he would carry all members of the association along in order to complement the support given to them by all stakeholders.

We must commend the governor for settling the unpaid registration and tuition fees for some of our members studying within and outside the country, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By George Odok
The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) is upscaling its service in line with healthcare needs of its various patients, an official has disclosed.

Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, Chief Medical Director of UCTH, disclosed this while conducting newsmen round the facility as part of his two years achievement in office as CMD.

He said that modern equipment have been installed in various departments in the hospital with a view to curb the migration of persons moving out of the state for medical services.

He said that in the Department of Radiology, his administration had acquired a Direct Digital Xray System, 4D Ultra Sound Scanner and a 32 Slight City Scanner.

He explained that patients who visited the hospital for radiologic intervention would not have to go outside the state for the service any longer.

The CMD said that the hospital has automated its laboratories, with the medical microbiology laboratory been a designated Magnetic Resonance Imaging laboratory in the state.

We have also introduced new services in the hospital, for instance, in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, we have introduced laparoscopy surgery and histeroscopy surgery.
In the Dental Clinic, we have remodelled the clinic with state of the art machine so that nobody needs to go out of the state for his/her dental service anymore, he said.

The CMD also said that hospital was deploying an Electronic Health Information Management System with the aim of migrating from the paper clerkship system to an electronic system.

The level of work done is about 60 per cent because the financial module has been set up completely, and we are doing this from one department to the other.

The benefit of this is that there is going to be faster intervention times; there wont be any need to move paper from place to place anymore.

All a medical practitioner needs to do is to sit in the clinic, do the prescription for the patient without a paper and then the patient goes to the pharmacy for dispensation, he added.

The CMD, who said that charges for medical services in the hospital were still pocket friendly, noted that most of the funds used in equipping the hospital were from the internally generated revenue.

He expressed happiness that the hospital has benefited from a Federal Government funded 10-bed Intensive Care Unit under the COVID-19 intervention.

My passion is to build, improve and upscale the level of services we render in the teaching hospital, he said.

The CMD said that with the equipment in the hospital and better welfare package for doctors, same level of services rendered in foreign countries can also be rendered in UCTH.

On the current strike by Resident Doctors across the country, Ikpeme said the hospital was currently using the Consultants and other health professionals to attend to patients.

On COVID-19 fight in the state, the CMD said that the hospital worked in collaboration with the state government in providing the needed service to patients.

We provided manpower because our specialists where the ones training people in the state. We also opened up our four-bed isolation centre to the public.

It was in recognition of our contributions that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Federal Ministry of Health moved in to give us a bigger 30-bed Isolation Centre that is currently under construction.

We also have a molecular laboratory that we are setting up for COVID-19, but with appropriate configuration of the machine, it can take care of Ebola, Lassa and other diseases.

Once this laboratory is functional in about two months time from now, we dont need to send out collected samples for testing outside the state anymore, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sani Idris

The Emir of Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, Malam Zubairu Maigwari, has urged traders not to hike the cost of their commodities as the Ramadan fasting approaches.

Maigwari made the call in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Kaduna.

Marketers should reason with the common man and reduce the cost of their goods, especially food items, to enable people to afford the costs.

As the Holy Month of Ramadan approaches, traders should feel the pains of the common man, cut down costs of food items so that they will receive Allahs blessings in their businesses, the royal father said.

He noted that religious preachers were worried about the increased cost of food items whenever Ramadan is approaching.

Hence call for the need for preaching against the act.

Maigwari also appealed to both Kaduna State and the Federal Government, market unions and regulatory bodies to monitor and moderate market prices to prevent an outrageous hike in the cost of food.

Artificial inflation is making life extremely hard for Nigerians, Maigwari said.

Traders should think of meeting God and the consequences of tripling prices of commodities.

Allah is watching you in whatever you do, always have the fear of Him in whatever you do.

He called on Muslim clerics to preach peaceful co-existence among people and avoid utterance capable of incitement.

I am also calling on leaders of various religious groups to be just in all their doings, failure to do that calls for the survival of the fittest which at the long run inflicts heavily on the development of the country at large, Maigwari said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Muhammad Nasir

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, has directed the Muslim Ummah to look out for the crescent (moon) of Ramadan 1442AH from Monday.

Abubakar gave the directive on Sunday in a statement issued by Prof. Sambo Junaidu, Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto.

This is to inform the Muslim Ummah that Monday, April 12, which is equivalent to the 29th day of Shaaban 1442AH shall be the day to look for the new moon of Ramadan 1442AH.

Muslim are, therefore, requested to start looking for the crescent moon on Monday and report its sighting to the nearest District or Village Head for onward communication to the Sultan, the statement read.

The Sultan prayed Allah to assist Muslims in the discharge of their religious duty.

Junaidu gave telephone numbers that could be used directly to report the sighting of the new moon to the committee.

The numbers are 08037157100, 07067416900, 08066303077, 08036149757, 08035965322 and 08035945903.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar observed by Muslims worldwide as a month for fasting, prayer, reflection and assisting the needy. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Grace Alegba

The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has cordoned off a distressed three-storey building in Oshodi with a seven-day evacuation ultimatum on traders and residents to save lives.

The ultimatum is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Public Affairs of the agency, Mr Gbadeyan Abdulraheem on Sunday in Lagos.

In the statement, the General Manager Mr Gbolahan Oki, was quoted as saying that the owner and occupants of the dilapidated building at No. 2 Brown Street, off Bolade Bus-Stop, Oshodi, had ignored several quit and removal notices served in the past.

Oki said the seven days ultimatum became necessary after the scientific and Structural Integrity/Stability Test (SIT) revealed that the high-rise building is extremely dilapidated and a disaster waiting to happen.

Oki said that there was a need for removal of the structure to prevent loss of lives and in line with the governments drive to achieve zero tolerance to building collapse for the safety of Lagos residents.

He explained that the SIT tests were carried out by a team of LASBCA experts and its sister agency, the Lagos State Material Testing Laboratory.

The general manager urged the traders/residents to vacate the building for their own good before April 15.

He added that this would allow the agency to remove the building before a disaster would occur.

The government will not fold its arms and watch a distressed structure of that magnitude collapse on her people without taking necessary action, he said.

While reaffirming the state governments commitment to safeguarding lives and property, Oki called for the collaboration of residents in reporting distressed and non-confirming buildings in their localities to LASBCA district offices.

He said this would reduce the incidence of building collapse.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN reports that Lagos State has recorded one building collapse this year, when a building collapsed at Elegbata Street, Olowogbowo area, Apongbon, Lagos on Feb. 7.

An adult male was rescued by emergency responders at the scene of the collapsed building. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Friday Idachaba

The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammed Saad Abubakar III, on Saturday commended the inter-religious harmony in Kogi.

The Sultan gave the commendation when he inaugurated a1,800 seat capacity Anyigba Central Mosque built by former Governor of Kogiand Industrialist, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ultramodern AnyigbaMosque in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi has an auditorium, offices, 30 male and 50 female toilets.

It also has a school and was built on a 1.3 hectare of land.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Sultan and Head of the Islamic Supreme Council urgedwell to do individuals to see building Mosques as a way of moulding spiritual characters of upcoming generations.

He said that building of Mosques also helped to boost the faith of adherents and urged Muslims to use the forthcoming Ramadan to pray for strength and enduring peace in the country.

The Sultan commended the initiative of the facilitator of the mosque, saying that it attested to the fact that the edifice must have been conceived over time and not an idea that began now.

He described the overwhelming presence of Christian Clergymen at the inauguration of the Mosque as unprecedented.

The Sultan said inter religious harmony was a way of sustaining peace in the country and urged that the Kogi example whereChristians and Muslims were united in worship be emulated by all Nigerians.

Speaking earlier, the former governor and facilitator of the mosque project, said that his charity and community development projects were part of his modest way of showing appreciation to God for His love and countless blessings.

Idris explained thathis involvement was not because he had too much money but because, God has been good to me all through my life. I know I cannot pay Him for his superlative mercies to me.

I feel there is no better way of thanking him than to provide a place where others can come and worship Him, he said.

The former governor said that he had built Churches and Mosques in Idah, Ejule and Abejukolo even before he became governor.

Helisted some evidences of Gods love in his life to include the miraculous survival of three of his children in a 2006 plane crash that claimed many lives.

Also, he mentioned his narrow escapes from many serious accidents and his business and political successes.

In fact, if I have to start counting Gods blessings and love for me, there will be no space to contain them.

Rev. Fr. Anthony Adaji, Bishop of Idah Catholic Diocese, who led the clergymen drawn from all Christian denominations across Kogi East Senatorial District, commended the former governor for his decision to advance the worship of God. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the Solar Power Naija programme, a component of Federal Governments Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), will get to all geopolitical zones in the country soon.

Osinbajos spokesman Laolu Akande in a statement in Abuja said the vice president inaugurated the Solar Power Naija programme atJangefe Community in Roni Local Government Area, Kazaure Emirate, Jigawa on Friday.

According to Osinbajo, the programme will deliver electricity to no fewer than 25 million Nigerians whose communities are off the grid.

The vice president restated Federal Governments determination to ensure that millions more would access cheap and environmentally-friendly renewable power.

After Jangefe, the rollout will continue across the six geopolitical zones in Edo, Lagos, Adamawa, Anambra, Kebbi and Plateau.

Other Solar companies are also in the pipeline for the Solar Power Naija facility to continue the march to five million connections during the life of this administration.

The Solar Power Naija programme means the Jangefe community will get 1,000 Solar Home Systems connections for its estimated 5,000 population.

The commencement of the installation in Jigawa is part of a 100,000 scheme with A-SOLAR, a local solar power company implementing aspects of the ESP Solar Power Naija scheme.

The Jangefe community, which is the first location to be covered by the A-Solar company, will have monthly energy payments until the systems are fully paid for.

At that point, there will be a transfer of ownership to each consumer in the community.

Osinbajo commended the Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, as well as other critical stakeholders, for ensuring the implementation of the programme.

The governors style of engagement and focus on economic growth and cooperation by bringing people together is one of the reasons it was so easy to execute this project in Jigawa.

This mindset and approach of the Jigawa administration created the environment for the Local Government Authority and the Emirate Council to work in harmony with the developers to make this project a reality.

This is probably why Jigawa State will continue to attract investments for the benefit of its people and the country at large, he said.

The vice president also commended the Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najid Adamu, who made a down payment for the community to benefit from the solar connections.

Earlier in his remarks, Badaru commended both President Muhammadu Buhari and Osinbajo.

He said that Federal Governments support to the state and other states in spite of declining resources had been unprecedented since 2015.

After the inauguration, Osinbajo visited the family of Alhaji Auwalu Dauda, a beneficiary of the programme in Jangefe to interact with members of the family on the impact of the programme.

Earlier on arrival in the state, Osinbajo attended, as special guest, the turbaning of the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, as the Madakin Kazaure and Galadiman Roni.

Besides, the Jigawa governor, a number of state governors also joined the vice president at the palace of Emir of Kazaure for the turbaning of Adamu.

They included the governors of Ekiti, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara and Katsina.

There were also members of the Federal Executive Council present including the National Security Adviser, Retired Gen. Baba Gana Monguno. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Monday Ajogun

Team Oyo, on Saturday, won gold and silver in 49kg mens Para-powerlifting at the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF), tagged Edo 2020 in Benin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yakubu Adesokan defeated his fellow Oyo counterpart, Olabode Mimololu, to win their state gold and silver, while Badamasi Muhammed clinched the bronze medal for Delta in the mens 49kgpara-powerlifting.

Beaming with smiles, the gold medalist, Adesokan, told NAN that he was grateful to God for the victory, which he dedicated to the people of Oyo State.

The people of Oyo State need this win; my winning gold will further motivate me for the paralympic games, which I am preparing for, hoping for Gods help and support.

I use this medium to call on people with disability not to despair but embrace sports and become better persons to themselves and the society, he said.

Mimololu, who expressed happiness over his silver medal, said it was an improvement over hisfirst NSF outing in 2018, in Abuja.

He called on relevant authorities to collaboratewith government at all levels in the sponsorship of sporting activities, to further attract youths away from social vices. (NAN)

Source: NAN News