By Oluwatope Lawanson

The National Coordinator, Yoruba Patriots Movement (YPM), Mr Oladosu Oladipo, has described as a huge loss, the death of the spokesman for Afenifere Renewal Group, Mr Yinka Odumakin.

In a condolence message in Lagos, Oladipo said that Odumakins death was a huge loss to Yoruba people and the entire Nigeria.

He said that the deceased contributed immensely to the political development of Nigeria.

The coordinator described the late Odumakin as a great patriot, who would be missed by many including members of YPM.

May God console his wife and other members of his family.

May his gentle soul rest in peace, he prayed. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Igbaugba Ehigimetor

Ms Edugie Agbonlahor, the Project Manager, Tranport Sub-committee of the National Sports Festival (NSF), says about 120 vehicles were deployed for the movement of athletes and officials at the festival.

Agbonlahor, who disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Benin, said that the vehicles would shuttle between the games villages and festivals venues.

The transport sub-committee head gave the breakdown of the vehicles to include 60 number 44 seaters, with Hiase buses and cars making up the balance.

She stressed that the vehicles would be at the services of the officers and athletes for free, courtesy of Edo Government.

She also disclosed that four designated parking lots have been created around the main venue of the games, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, to ease flow of traffic around the area.

According to her, the vehicles are deployed to ease movement of those that may not be familiar with the terrain and also to endure that areas are not congested unnecessarily.

So, because they (visitors) are not too use to Benin, they will find it easy running on shuttle.

As for the ease flow of traffic with the venues, games village and city at large, we are working in collaboration with the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) in that regard.

We have designated parking points for cars and buses around the events venues to ensure free flow of traffic.

She further said as part of effort to ease transportation challenges for the officials and athletes, the sub-committee had set up transport information centres at four points.

Agbonlahor said the points included Ring road, Stadium, games villages at Ugbowo and Ekehuan.

NAN reports that the NSF, tagged Edo 2020, have suffered several postponements before it was finally slated to begin from April 4 and end on April 14, due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, although the opening ceremony for the festival had been scheduled for April 6, state contigents have been arriving Edo since Friday.

NAN reports that the 8,000 athletes, scaled down from the initial figure of 14,000, are expected to participate in the two-week sports fiesta. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

A motorist rammed a vehicle into two U.S. Capitol Police officers on Friday, injuring them in an apparent attack.

The attack forced the Capitol and congressional office buildings onto high alert while law enforcement authorities investigated, Capitol Police said.

Capitol police said they responded to reports that someone rammed a vehicle into two officers and a suspect was in custody.

Both officers are injured.

All three have been transported to the hospital, their statement said.

Dozens of police cars, marked and unmarked, raced toward the iconic domed white building, in an unwelcome reminder of the complex being overrun three months ago by thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump on Jan. 6.

All roads leading to the complex were blocked by police officers.

A helicopter was seen hovering overhead and observers were ordered to leave the area.

Videos from the scene showed what appeared to be two people on stretchers being loaded into ambulances.

Authorities have begun only in the past couple of weeks to remove the outer ring of high, razor-wire-topped fencing erected around the sprawling Capitol complex after the Jan. 6 rampage.

That assault took place while the House of Representatives and Senate, with the Senate, presided over by then-Vice President Mike Pence, was certifying Democratic President Joe Bidens November election victory over the Republican Trump.

At the time, Trumps supporters shouted slogans including Stop the Steal and Hang Mike Pence as they attacked the Capitol and said they hoped to stop the election certification.

Biden took office on Jan. 20.

Members of Congress were not in Washington on Friday, with both the Senate and House of Representatives in recess for the Easter holiday.

Biden also was out of the city.

He arrived at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland early on Friday afternoon. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Yahaya Isah

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has dismissed the claim by the Boko Haram insurgents that they downed the missing NAF Alpha-Jet.

A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, described as fake the videos being circulated on the social media by the insurgents.

In one of the videos, several terrorists, including under-aged children on motorcycles and vehicles, were seen sporadically shooting at an aircraft.

Gabkwet accused the insurgents of doctoring the videos and showing a scene of an exploding aircraft mid-air, supposedly as a result of an enemy action.

Although the videos are still being thoroughly analysed, it is evident that most parts were deliberately doctored to give the false impression that the aircraft was shot down.

For instance, the video clip failed to show the correlation between the sporadic shooting, which even from casual observation was obviously aimed at ground targets, and the sudden mid-air aircraft explosion.

In addition, it is almost impossible for an aircraft to have exploded mid-air, in the manner depicted in the video, and still have a good part of its fuselage, including its tail, intact.

Indeed, an explosive impact of that nature would have scattered the debris of the aircraft across several miles.

Gabkwet stated that it was obvious that the insurgents, in their characteristic manner of employing propaganda, were seeking to claim credit for what was obviously an air accidentthat could have been caused by several other reasons.

He said the propaganda was coming at a time when the capability of the group to inflict mayhem had been significantly degraded by the Nigerian military.

The NAF, however, advised Nigerians to ignore the contents of the videos making the rounds until all investigations as to how the aircraft crashed were completed.

The NAF added that the service remained resolute and would continue to work assiduously in synergy with other sister services to rid the North-East of all terrorist elements.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAF Alpha-Jet aircraft, NAF-475, went off the radar with two crew members on board on March 31. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Oluwabukola Akanni

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted illicit drugs worth over N12 million within the first quarter of 2021.

The NDLEA State Commander, Josephine Obi, stated this in a report in Ibadan on Saturday.

The report was signed by the commands Public Relations Officer, Mutuiat Okuwobi.

She said the seizure comprised of 580.4024kg of Cannabis Sativa and other narcotics substances.

According to her, operatives of the command within the period under review, also arrested 95 people including, 88 men and seven women suspected of committing various drug offences.

She noted that during the period, 19 suspected traffickers were convicted for various drug offences.

She identified peer influence as a major contributing factor to increased drug abuse among youths, and called for collaborative efforts to fight illicit drug trafficking in the state.

We have taken sensitisation programmes to schools as part of our efforts against the production, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs and other illegal substances in the state.

We encourage those whose children and wards are involved in drug abuse not to give up on them as treatment works.

They should visit the NDLEA office where we can take them in or refer them to other centres in the state for treatment and rehabilitation.

Between January and March, the command gave brief counselling to 13 people who used drugs while five are presently undergoing residential rehabilitation, she said.

She added that reducing drug trafficking and abuse would go a long way in reducing crimes and insecurity in the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The Kwara Government has funded free eye surgeries for 450 patients across the 16 local government area of the state.

Dr Abubakar Ayinla, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Health, disclosed this at the sidelines of the surgery held at the Civil Service Clinic in Ilorin.

He explained that 250 beneficiaries would benefit in the free surgery on Friday.

He stated that in addition to the surgery, about 1000 glasses were also distributed.

We are here to celebrate with the beneficiaries of free cataract surgeries sponsored by Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

You will recall that in November 2020, we did a statewide tour and at least 15 cases were operated in each of the 16 local government areas. We did some cases in excess and about 200 cases were operated, he said.

Ayinla explained that after analysis, there were some gaps that showed some who could not benefit from the previous exercise.

The second one which we are rounding up today was also scheduled over six weeks in specific local governments and regions of the three senatorial districts.

So, we have gone to Kwara North where we took four hospitals in each of the four local governments.

For Kwara South, we went to Omu-Aran last week and for Kwara Central, we started surgeries on Thursday, here at the Civil Service Hospital Ilorin; 50 patients also benefitted yesterday and all put together, we have 250 beneficiaries, he said.

Ayinla added that the surgical interventions have restored sight to some people and improved their productivity and contributions to the society.

Mr Rasak Owolabi, the Chairman Kwara State House of Assembly Committee on Health, said the present administration is investing heavily in the health sector.

He commended the Gov. AbdulRazaq for prioritising the sector and revamping the health sector in the state.

Dr Mohammed Solagberu, the Coordinator of the Kwara Eye Care Outreach, said the state was committed to treating eyes cases from the state and beyond with less bureaucracy.

Among the five sense organs of the body, eyes are very important and when somebody is blind you have not only taken that person out of productivity, you are taking a lot of people out of productivity.

Somebody who is blind cannot do many things on his or her own. He becomes dependent. This could take some children out of school, he said.

Alhaji Saka Dagbo, one of the beneficiaries, commended the state government for the sponsorship adding that the surgical intervention is without any political considerations.

This is probably not the first time such programmes will be organised in Kwara state. But this is the first time such will be organised without political or other considerations, Dagbo said.

Source: NAN News

By Amen Gajira

As Christians mark this years Easter celebration, the Southern Kaduna Baptist Conference says Nigeria needs healing and that can only come from true national repentance.

Rev. Donald Arak, president of the conference, made the call on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kafanchan.

As we reflect on this Easter season, I want to draw our attention to the need for national repentance.

Our land Nigeria needs healing and the only remedy is for everyone to return to God and seek His intervention in our situation.

Our leaders, political, religious, and traditional and indeed the followers need to turn to God for national repentance because we have all failed God, he said

Arak decried the wanton destruction of lives and property across the country, noting that Nigerians now live in suspicion of one another.

We are a wounded people. We are hurt and pained. We have become enemies to ourselves and have destroyed the foundation of our unity.

We no longer have dignity and respect for human life. We are now just living in suspicion of one another and this is very sad, Arak added.

He said for genuine peace and reconciliation to take place in the country, there was the need for Nigerians to return to God and do His will.

The word of God says, if my people who are called by name will humble themselves and turn back to me and leave their evil ways, I will answer them and heal their land.

And the best time to return to God is this Easter season. Let us not allow this Easter to just be a period of holidaying. Let it be a time of repentance and a time of reconciliation.

May this Easter season draw us to the cross for national repentance and may we begin to love one another and live in peace, he said.

According to him, Easter is an opportunity to show love, renew faith and hope, and not to despair, in spite of the harsh economic realities in the country.

He enjoined the Christian community to imbibe the teachings of Jesus Christ and put them into practice.

In His life time, Jesus Christ preached peace, honesty, love for one another and above all, the fear of God.

May we continue to look up to God and make sacrifice for one another to live in peace and unity, he added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Justina Auta

The Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC) has called on youths to shun tribal and religious sentiments that will cause division in the country.

The National President, NYC, Mr Blessing Akinlosotu, made the call in his Easter message signed by Mr Emmanuel Daudu, his Senior Special Assistant on Media Related Matters, on Saturday in Abuja.

Akinsotu said uniting the multi-lingual entities and exploring the hidden resources in the country without sentiments would further usher in more development.

It is high time Nigerian youths discouraged tribal and religious divisibility but rather rally round about discovering why we are one nation with multi-lingual entities and explore the resources hidden therein, he said.

The president, while encouraging youths to continue supporting the government, stressed the need for them to unite in preparation for leadership positions in the 2023 General Elections.

I urge the youths to keep faith alive in the government of the day and continue to support the government in its efforts to provide security and enabling environment for economic growth and prosperity.

Also on the plain grounds for youths to be fused into the apex leadership positions in the forthcoming 2023 General Elections, he said.

The president also felicitated Christians during the Easter celebration and encouraged them to continue to pray for the peace and progress of the nation.

The statement also enjoined youths to continue observing the COVID-19 safety protocols and to seize the opportunity whenever it arrives to take the vaccine made available against the pandemic. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By George Odok

Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River has admonished Christians to imbibe the exemplary life of love, selflessness, sacrifice and forgiveness which Christ demonstrated in his death and resurrection for the redemption of mankind.

Ayade gave the advice in his Easter message released by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr Christian Ita, on Saturday in Calabar.

The governor noted that the whole celebration would be a holy sham if the reason and significance of Jesus death was lost on Christians.

As Christians, Easter presents us the opportunity for a deep reflection, a time to carry out an ecclesiastical soul searching with a view to embodying that which Christ came and died for, he said.

He called on leaders and the led to love and put Nigeria first in all their dealings, just as Christ showed unconditional love and made sacrifices for humanity.

According to the governor, with concerted efforts and tenacity of purpose, Nigeria will soon surmount its current challenges.

Easter represents a significant moment in our lives as Christians. It is both significant and sobering in the sense that it reminds us of the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, love and compassion over hate.

These were the cardinal planks of Christs teachings while on earth.

Christs death and resurrection brought a refreshing dawn for humanity and re-defined the virtues of selflessness, love, sacrifice and forgiveness, he said.

The governor decried what the country was currently passing through, especially in area of insecurity and urged Nigerians to come together as a people to rescue it from the hands of its enemies.

He noted that such could only be achieved with love for one another and sacrifice for the good of the country.

While wishing residents in Cross River a hitch-free Easter celebration, Ayade urged them to adhere to COVID-19 protocols as they go about their activities.

Ayade also reminded them that the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on the state to curtail criminality was still in force. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has warned motorists against driving on running water to avoid endangering their lives as the rainy season is approaching.

The Director-General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

Idriss said the advice became necessary because in 2020, two persons were taken away byrunning water and they eventually died.

He said that running water could kill faster than anything one could think of, adding that two inches of running water could sweep a car away no matter how big it was.

We lostseven lives to flooding in 2020, five were from the same family at Geri in Gwagwalada Area Council and two were taken away byrunning water.

We keep insisting and that is why you will see signposts in strategic places by FEMA in Abuja, telling motorists to avoid driving or walk insiderunning water because running water can kill faster than anything you can think of.

No matter how big your car is,two inches water can swallow your car. We advise that people should not drive into running water during the rainy season.

If you are at home and it is raining and you are told the road is flooded,stay at home to avert tragedy because its safer to do that, he said.

Idriss, however, cautioned FCT residents against indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that assessment conducted by FEMA revealed that all flooding in Abuja were human-induced.

We have witnessed lots of flooding in the FCT in 2020 but all the flooding according to our assessment were human induced flooding,that means we have alot to do to prevent it if it is human induced flooding.

The population of the FCT is getting much higher than the resources and the available facilities on ground to handle such emergencies.

Wastes are always generated and it is expected that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) will evacuate them.

So we have a lot to do with the residents of FCT; all hands must be on deck to ensure that we do the right thing to avoid avoidable floods, he said.

FEMA boss said that AEPB, Department of Development Control, the Satellite Towns Development Department and all stakeholders had huge roles to play in preventing flood in the territory.

He said that the response or activities of FEMA would always start where these agencies were able to meet up their responsibilities.

It is only at the point of emergency that FEMA is invited and by the time we come, you will find out that there are infractions, shortcoming and violations here and then.

So we need to be up and doing to ensure that those things do not happen. we cannot do it alone; we dont even have the resources to do it.

We have to leverage on the resources of our stakeholders to be able to do what is expected of us, saving lives and property, Idriss said.

Source: NAN News

By Adeyemi Adeleye

The Agbarijo Egbe Odo Yoruba (Grand Council of Yoruba Youths) on Saturday, mourned the demise of Yinka Odumakin, Spokesman of Pan Yoruba Socio-Cultural group, Afenifere.

Odumakin, aged 56, died early hours of Saturday.

President- General of the council, Bamiji Awa, said in a statement in Lagos that the death of the late political activist was a personal loss to him.

Awa said: The news of death of my dear Brother, Comrade Yinka Odumakin, came to me as a rude shock.

As a familys friend, I did called his wife and my dear sister in the Nigerian democratic struggles, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, his sister-in-law, Vera Okei, and his personal driver to confirm the authenticity of this strange story.

I did this because I still find it difficult to believe, regardless of being inundated with calls, posts and messages from various people including the media.

Awa, who described late Odumakin as his Political Odyssey said the late activist brought Yoruba Youths together in 1998/1999 under the leadership of Asiwaju of Yorubas and Leader of Afenifere, Late Pa (Senator) Abraham Adesanya.

He added that late Odumakin served under late Adesanya as a young active man in Afenifere, alongside late Rev. Adetunji Adebiyi, the Special Assistant to Sen. Abraham Adesanya.

Awa, who noted that he had a cordial relationship with late Odumakin, explained that the unexpected emergence of Pa Ayo Fasanmis close friend, Chief Reuben Fasoranti as the Acting Leader of Afenifere at the period when Adesanya was on the sick bed, suddenly divided the camp of Afenifere till date.

He said that in 2011, Odumakin was a spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, before, during and immediately after the presidential election, when the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) produced Muhammadu Buhari/Tunde Bakare ticket.

This is to tell the whole world that no matter how long we continue to play the politics of relevance, it will get to a point that it will be difficult to cover the truth from the public.

He was so active from his university days as a Student Leader, Political Science Department and was blessed with one of our renowned female comrades as a wife, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin.

May God Almighty give your family, we, friends and Associates, the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. We all love you my dear brother, but God loves you most, Awa added.

The late political activist and spokesman of pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, reportedly died of complications from COVID-19 at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

Source: NAN News

By Jessica Onyegbula

Rev. Ikechukwu Maduka, the Abuja Regional Pastor of Glory House Salvation Ministry, has implored Nigerians to stop making provocative utterances capable of threatening the corporate existence of the country.

Maduka, who gave the charge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday, said people should stop indulging in divisive acts.

The cleric said that God had special interest in the affairs of Nigeria, pointing out that the current challenges in the country would fizzle out with time.

He, however, advisedleaders in the country to always lead with the fear of God and to ensure equitable distribution of resources in order to have an even nationwide development.

We should use thisEaster season to offer prayers and thanksgiving to God for the peaceful co-existence among different ethno-religious groups in the country.

The celebration of this Easter must draw us closer to God than ever before, he said.

According to Maduka, Nigerians should strive to avoid negative tendencies, which can further compound the countrys fragile socio-political and economic conditions.

We are not to judge our fellow man. We should leave judgment to God who created us all, he said.

The cleric harped on the need for political office holders to remain committed to the welfare of the people and to work hard to surmount the security challenges confronting the nation.

He, however, gave assurance that the church would continue to pray for Nigerian leaders and support their efforts at improving the standard of living of Nigerians.

Source: NAN News

By Oluwabukola Akanni

Dr Temitope Hussein, the President of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan Chapter of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), says the association lost 17 doctors to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hussein, who was justifying the associations reasons for joining the nationwide strike of NARD, explained that the families of the deceased doctors were yet to benefit from the Death-in-Service Insurance Scheme.

According to him, the striking doctors were also protesting the non-payment of salaries of some of their members across the country and demanding for an upward review of hazard allowance, among others.

He decried the agony its members nationwide had been made to pass through for three months now without salaries, despite their uninterrupted service delivery to the nation.

Hussein said in spite of the three-month window given to the Federal Government to review the hazard allowance of health workers, the hazard allowance had remained at a paltry sum of five thousand naira monthly

He explained that the strike came on the heels of the expiration of the 60-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government on Jan. 25.

Source: NAN News

By Joy Mbachi

Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, a governorship aspirant for the Nov. 6 Anambra election, has admonished youths to shun being used to perpetrate electoral violence of any shape in the country.

Ezeemo who is aspiring to contest the governorship election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the third time, made the call in a press briefing in Awka on Friday .

The aspirant, who was reacting to the attack on former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Charles Soludo, urged the youth to see themselves as future leaders of the state and the country.

According to him, politics is not a do or die affair so youth should not allow themselves to be used to perpetrate electoral violence.

Ezeemo advised aspirants not to heat up the polity but should conduct themselves in a most civilized manner as one person would be the governor at a time and spirit of sportsmanship should be the watchword.

He described his thirst for governance of the state as a passion for the good of the state.

He disclosed that he had returned his Expression of Interest nomination form at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja and hoped that the party would give a level playing ground for all aspirants.

Ezeemo said that he had the passion to mend lots of wrong policies in the state and that had been his driving force these three times he had hoped to secure the post.

He said that he would work differently from the methodology past governors had applied and believed that his method would curb crime and bring about quality security through job creation.

Ezeemo said he had created over 500 jobs as a private individual and would do more to give back in the states resources to better the lots of the masses.

He said that if youths were more gainfully engaged, it would assist to a large extent to reduce crime and criminality in the society.

Ezeemo said he had garnered enough experience to govern Anambra from western world where he had sojourned for over 20 years and learnt that job creation played a huge role in development.

I have antidote to reducing crime and other related vices in the society, to boost the economy in all sectors and generation of power to sustain industries and attract business, he said.

He said that he had lived amongst his people adding that had given him insight into the most pressing needs of the people and how to tackle them.

I am not an abroad based politician, I am a local, he said.

Ezeemo appealed to the election umpires to give enabling environment to create safety and ensure credible election.

He said that if the PDP gave equal opportunity to all aspirants during the primaries, he would support any candidate that emerged.

I believe in the peoples choice than personal interests, he said .

Ezeemo urged the delegates during the PDP primary election to place the welfare of their children, growth and development of the state above materialism and shun politicians who buys conscience. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Afonne

One of Nigerias popular musicians, Oladapo Oyebanjo, popularly known as Dbanj has advocated the use of intellectual property as collateral for obtaining bank loans.

A statement issued on Friday, by Chief Damian Okoroafor, Dbanjs Manager, quoted the artiste as saying this in Abuja, at the inauguration of Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Banks Women and Youth Export Fund (WAYEF) platform for easy access to funds.

Okoroafor quoted Dbanj as saying that the creative industry was a bigger exporter of Nigerian products than the countrys crude oil and as such it deserved all the attention it needed to enable it grow.

Our creative industry is a bigger and better export than the oil industry. So, there is the need for more access to stress free funds for those in the creative industry, using their intellectual property as collateral.

When you look around the world, one of our biggest exports is the creative sector, thanks to our music, movies and photos.

So, WAYEF is another opportunity to fully throw some weight behind the creative industry, through capacity training or access to funds, Okoroafor quoted Dbanj as saying.

It would be recalled that Dbanj, had on March 26 rewarded five young talented Nigerians, in different fields, with one million naira each to develop themselves.

He extended the gesture through his foundation CREAM Platform, Nigerias premiere creative reward platform, supported by Heritage Banks YNSPYRE Initiative.

The monthly reward comes through draws organised for participants wishing to develop their talents in the creative industry. The next edition of the draws is scheduled to hold on April 30. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Olukayode Babalola

Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa has reiterated his administrations commitment to sports development in order to positively engage youths in the state.

Sule stated this when he hosted members of National Super Bike Clubs Association of Nigeria who paid him a courtesy call in his office, on Friday in Lafia.

The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Alhaji Othman Bala-Adam, thanked members of the association for the visit, assuring them of a fruitful stay in the state.

My administration remains committed to harnessing youths sporting potentials and tackling restiveness in the state.

I appreciate your decision to choose Lafia for your maiden Super Bikes Clubs competition and assure you of my support.

This is a timely initiative and a call for investment in others sporting areas, he said.

The governor expressed confidence that with the blueprint on diversification of sports, the state would soon be a sporting hub and attract investments across the country.

President of the association, Gomes Adebowale, expressed appreciation to the governor for hosting the association and allowing it to host the competition in the state.

Nasarawa has lots of sporting potentials, as the governor has recorded monumental strides in sports development.

We decided to orgainse the competition in the state to create awareness and promote sports generally, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition will hold on April 3. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Leonard Okachie

A total of 101 athletes from Abia will be competing in 16 sports categoriesat the 2020 National Sports Festival in Edo.

The Abia Director of Sports, Mr Isaac Ogbonnaya-Isaac, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia shortly before the team departed for Benin on Friday.

He said that the contingent also included 13 team managers, 17 coaches and 20 officials.

The director said that the athletes would compete in weightlifting, wrestling, kung fu, taekwondo, karate, kick boxing, para-power lifting, para-athletics, deaf athletics, darts, boxing, table tennis and others.

He said that the team set a target not to go below the fifth position, adding that Abia was expected to excel in at least 10 of the 16 categories the athletes would compete in.

He said, Our expectations are very high because we are a force to reckon with.

We are going to a sports festival that has suffered so many postponements; as a result, the interest of other states will be very high.

Our state is to be counted among the other states that have performed creditably well on the medals table.

Mr Friday Ikpoha, the Permanent Secretary, in the states Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, told NAN that the state government funded the team.

He said that the team was moving into Edo adequately prepared.

He hoped that the team would win gold and silver medals.

Earlier, Ikpoha, while addressing the athletes, charged them to go for victory, assuring them of proper remuneration.

He charged them to be disciplined and good ambassadors of the state.

The Team Abia Captain, Kalu Eke, promised that the athletes would do the state proud.

NAN reports that all the athletes and those going with them were vaccinated against COVID-19 before their departure. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Officials from Tehran and Washington will travel to Vienna next week as part of efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers.

Although they will not hold direct talks, diplomats said on Friday.

Even without face-to-face talks, which Tehran has ruled out, the presence of both Iran and the United States in the Austrian capital would mark a step forward in efforts to bring all sides back into compliance with the accord.

The aim was to reach an agreement within two months, said a senior official with the European Union, the coordinator of the deal.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to violate some of the pacts nuclear restrictions.

His successor, Joe Biden, wants to revive the accord, but Washington and Tehran have been at odds over who should take the first step.

Iran and the U.S. will be in the same town, but not the same room, a European diplomatic source said.

A Western diplomat said a shuttle diplomacy approach would be adopted.

The talks will seek to create negotiating lists of sanctions that the U.S. could lift and nuclear obligations Iran should meet, the EU official said.

Those lists should marry at some point.

In the end, we are approaching this in a parallel way; I do think we can do it in less than two months, the official said.

He was speaking after Iran, China, Russia, France, Germany and Britain all parties to the 2015 deal held virtual talks on Friday to see how to progress.

Aim: Rapidly finalise sanction-lifting and nuclear measures for choreographed removal of all sanctions, followed by Iran ceasing remedial measures, Irans Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said on Twitter.

No Iran-U.S. meeting; unnecessary, he added.

An Iranian official said the U.S. Iran envoy, Rob Malley, and National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, would be in Vienna, but insisted there would be no direct or indirect meetings between Iranian and American officials.

U.S. officials were not immediately available for comment.

If we dont get there in two months we will see what happens, but it will be definitely bad news, the EU official said.

Under the accord, the U.S. and other economic sanctions on Tehran were removed in return for curbs on Irans nuclear programme to make it harder to develop a nuclear weapon an ambition Tehran denies.

German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, said it was good that talks were resuming, but time was of the essence.

An agreement that is once again fully respected would be a plus for security for the entire region and the best basis for talks on other important issues of regional stability, he said in a statement. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

A Taiwan express train, with almost 500 aboard, derailed in a tunnel on Friday after hitting a truck that had slid down a bank onto the track.

The accident killed at least 50 passengers and injuring 146 in the islands worst rail disaster in seven decades.

Images from the scene showed some carriages ripped apart by the impact, with others crumpled, hindering rescuers in their efforts to reach passengers.

By mid-afternoon, no one was still trapped, though the fire department said it had found body parts, meaning the number of those killed, who included the driver, was likely to rise.

People just fell on top of one another, a woman who survived the crash told domestic television.

It was terrifying; there were whole families there.

Taiwans government said there were 496 people on the train, including 120 without seats.

Many were tourists and people heading home at the start of a traditional long weekend holiday to tend to family graves.

One French citizen was amongst the dead, officials said.

The train was travelling from Taipei, the capital, to the south-eastern city of Taitung.

It came off the rails north of the eastern city of Hualien after hitting a truck that had slid off a road from a nearby construction site, Feng Hui-sheng, the Taiwan Railways Administrations deputy director, told reporters.

Feng said the manager of the site, which was stabilising the mountainside to prevent landslides, visited around 9.00 a.m. (0100 GMT) and stopped his truck in front of the site office.

At present, it is suspected because the vehicle wasnt braked properly, it slid for around 20 metres along the site access road and entered the eastern trunk line, he added.

The official Central News Agency said the Police had taken in the manager for questioning.

The fire department showed a picture of what appeared to be the wreckage of the truck beside the derailed train, with an aerial image of one end of the train still on the track next to the construction site.

Survivors described their terror as the train slammed into the truck and ground to a halt.

It suddenly came to a stop and then everything shook, one of them told local television.

It was all so chaotic.

Passengers in some carriages still in the tunnel had to be led to safety, the railway administration said.

Images showed an injured passenger carried away on a stretcher, with her head and neck in a brace, while others gathered suitcases and bags in a tilted, derailed carriage as some walked on the trains roof to exit the tunnel.

The accident occurred at the beginning of a long weekend for the traditional Tomb Sweeping Day holiday.

Taiwans mountainous east coast is a tourist destination.

The railway that snakes down from Taipei hugs the coast and is known for its tunnels, in one of which the crash took place.

The link to Taipei opened in 1979.

Taiwans state-owned railways are generally reliable and efficient but have had a patchy safety record over the years.

The last major crash was in 2018 when 18 people died and 175 were injured when a train derailed in the islands northeast.

In 1948, 64 people are estimated to have died when a train burst into flames in northern Taiwan. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Leonard Okachie

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Kalu, has said that the use of thugs during elections portends great danger to the nations democracy.

Kalu said this on Friday, while inspecting the ongoing construction of the two-kilometer Akama and Ugwuavor Roads in Arochukwu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the road was one of the 19 constituency road projects the lawmaker attracted to Abia North Senatorial District.

He spoke against the backdrop of last Saturdays Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency bye-election, which was reportedly marred by thuggery and violence.

He called on Nigerians of good conscience and believers in democracy to condemn thuggery in its entirety in the nations political system.

What happened in Aba was a shame to our democracy because thuggery is not part of democracy.

It should not be tolerated. It should be condemned by every well-meaning Nigerian. It is not the right thing to do in a democracy.

Even security operatives were overwhelmed by what happened, he said.

He said that he never resorted to thuggery during his administrion as governor of the state.

Kalu, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the party allowed it and conceded defeat because we value human life.

He, however, said that the party had learnt its lesson from the experience and would not allow it to happen again.

The former governor (1999 2007) also decried the post-election protest by a cross-section of Ukwa/Ngwa nationality of Abia against his political influence in the area.

Reacting to the protest, Kalu said: They should rather protest against bad roads, governments inability to pay workers salaries and pension.

When I was governor, I never owed salaries and pension.

People should demonstrate against governments failure to provide the dividend of democracy for the citizenry.

He recalled that as governor, he provided free education and healthcare for the people.

He contended that roads built in Aba by his administration had dilapidated due to the lack of maintenance.

I challenge the state government and political office holders in the state to show proof of what they have done for their people.

Sen. Chris Adighije, who was part of the project tour, paid glowing tribute to Kalu for the numerous constituency projects he had attracted to his people in barely two years in office.

Adighije said: It is unusaual and unprecedented for a senator to build roads. I wish that the people will not take this for granted.

I was once in the National Assembly and never in the history of Nigeria had any senator been able to attract this level of infrastructure to his constituency.

Prominent indigenes of the area, including Dr Mike Ukoha, representing Arochukwu State Constituency, the Group Managing Director of AITEO, Mr Ike Okoronkwo, and renowned politician, Mr Nnanna Ugwu, thanked Kalu and APC-led Federal Government for the road projects.

Kalu was received by visibly excited and appreciative natives, especially youths, who accompanied him round the tour, dancing and making merry.

NAN reports that Kalu also inspected work on the ongoing construction of the two-kilometer Itumbuzo-Bende Road. (NAN)

Source: NAN News