By Ikenna Uwadileke
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) on Wednesday commenced training of 35 journalists of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on how to detect and counter fake news during and after the general elections.

The two-day fact checking training held in Abuja was to sensitise participants on the danger posed by fake news and the tools to counter it.

Addressing participants at the training, the Managing Director of NAN, Mr Buki Ponle, urged them to take advantage of the training to excel on the job.

Ponle, who was represented by Mr Silas Nwoha, Editor-in- Chief of the agency, expressed concern over the wave of fake news and the consequences in the society.

I want you to give it your all because no training is a waste.

So let us pay attention to the rich experiences we can gain from the training.

Sometimes we want to go overseas for one training or the other, meanwhile we have the experts here.

So,whatever they are giving us today is also a different kind of knowledge you can get anywhere in the world.

Please, I urge you to pay attention and get the best you can from this training so that we come back to the newsroom as better journalists, Ponle said.

While commending the resource persons over the initiative, Ponle said that NAN was looking forward to having other training programmes for the agencys journalists in different zones.

Speaking on the fake news ecosystem, Ms Caroline Anipah, Deputy Director in CJID, emphasised the need to deploy journalism tools and technology to promote democratic accountability.

According to her, one of the cardinal objectives of Dubawa is to address information disorder also called fake news.

One way of tackling fake news, she said, was through fact checking.

We recognise as an organisation that we are not able to do that by ourselves alone and that we need to partner with relevant institutions.

And we also recognise that we can achieve our goal by training people who interface with the public to help us achieve our mandate, Anipah said.

Ms Temilade Onilede, Programme Officer of Dubawa Nigeria, said that the 21st century had seen the weaponisation of information on an unprecedented scale.

Onilede said that misinformation distorts reality and changes peoples perception of things.

She, however, urged that while reporting election processes, participants must be non-partisan, fair, objective, adhere to standards and ensure transparency of sources.

Kabir Muhammed, one of the participants and an Assistant Editor-in-Chief, described the training programme as a welcome development.

With this training NAN staff can excel and take the agency to greater heights by giving out their best through credible and qualitative information, Muhammed said.

Participants were trained on information disorder ecosystem, fact-checking practice, methodology and ethics as well as digital verification tools. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)

Deputy Editor in Chief,
Head of Website/Solutions Journalism desk.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Matawalle

By Ishaq Zaki

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has cautioned deposit money banks in the state against hoarding of new Naira notes.

Matawalle spoke on Monday when he paid an unscheduled visit to the Gusau branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and five other deposit money banks to assess the level of hardship being faced by citizens in accessing the new naira notes.

A statement issued in Gusau on Tuesday by the Press Secretary to the Governor, Jamilu Birnin-Magaji said the governor was irked by the long queues at ATMs amid acute scarcity and hopelessness in the state.

Birnin-Magaji listed the banks visited by the governor to include: CBN Gusau branch headquarters, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Jaiz, Eco and First Banks.

Birnin-magaji said: Matawalle during the visit warned the managements of the banks to desist from the bad practice of hoarding the new Naira notes.

He also directed bank officials to dispense the new Naira notes via the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and at the banking halls.

Birnin-Magaji further quoted Matawalle as warning that his administration will not hesitate to revoke the land ownership of any deposit money bank not willing to ease the sufferings of the people.

Earlier, at CBN, the governor urged the Branch Controller of CBN to ensure THE availability of new Naira notes at the commercial banks for people to access their money to conduct their daily activities with relative ease.

Matawalle invited the Controller of CBN, Gusau branch to accompany him to some branches of the banks in the state capital to assess the obnoxious situation.

During the visit, Matawalle expressed concern over the long queues of people at the ATMs in the bank branches and called on the managers to find means of easing the hardship being faced by the customers, Birnin-Magaji urged. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

Public presentation of the book Business Unusual: Postulating Peter Obis Presidency.

Dr Chuwuemeka Eziefe, President of Igbo Elders Consultative Forum, has urged Nigerians to ensure rancour-free elections and avoid selling their votes.

Eziefe, a former governor of Anambra, made the appeal on Monday in Abuja at the public presentation of the book Business Unusual: Postulating Peter Obis Presidency.

He stressed the need for Nigerians to shun vote buying and selling.

Do not be bought, dont allow yourselves to be bought by selfish politicians.

Monitoring of votes in a peaceful manner devoid of rancour is necessary. Watch your votes, guard it jealousy, so you wont cry of injustice, he added.

Eziefe also made case for the election of a presidential candidate from the South, saying it would enhance national unity.

Chief Duru Ejiogu, Chairman of the event, canvassed support for the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, saying he would usher in a new Nigeria for all.

According to him, voting Obi as president will ensure that the dream of all Nigerians for a workable country is realized.

Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Leader of Afenifere, the Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political Group, said: Nigeria can be restructured without destroying any part of the nation.

Mr Obi will do this, everyone will still have his space, but it is going to be business unusual.

The aim would be to develop the nation, correct so many wrongs and for equity.

Dr Kletsaint Akor, the Convenor, Obi/Datti Conference, Creator and Lead Author of the book, believed that Obi has the capacity of addressing the decay across all sectors of the nation.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

Members of Network of Women with Disabilities (NWD), FCT Chapter

By Justina Auta

Network of Women with Disabilities (NWD), FCT Chapter, has urged the Federal Government to domesticate all the regional and international instruments on disability rights that it has signed and ratified.

They made the call while presenting the Charter of Demand for Women with Disabilities, supported by MacArthur Foundation, in partnership with Womens Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Abuja.

Ms Godiya John, Media and Communication Officer, FCT Chapter, said domesticating the instruments would promote inclusion, political participation and economic independence of People with Disabilities (PWDs), especially women.

John said the charter was developed through the findings and consultation of key actors, committed to the inclusion of women with disabilities in Nigerian Democracy and Governance.

According to her, the charter would serve as a tool for inclusion and a strategic roadmap for developmental processes for stakeholders with a clear objective of inclusion of women with disabilities in the political sphere and other sectors.

Relevant Government actors must domesticate relevant regional and international conventions and frameworks in Nigeria, including the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Also to be domesticated are its Protocol; and the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa, the United Nations Charter on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, she said.

She also recommended immediate implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act (2019), provisions on political and electoral participation taking into consideration the need for Gender equality and equity.

John also stressed the need for electoral reform to provide for affirmative actions targeting women with disabilities as a criteria for registration of political parties.

She also said that relevant stakeholders must provide dedicated funding for womens political participation aimed at achieving 35 per cent affirmative action in elective and appointive positions in 2023 and beyond.

She said that The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inter-party Advisory Councils must set and implement requirements that mandate Political parties to have in their decision-making organs women with disabilities before registration.

Convene National Women with Disabilities Summit and conduct a survey on women with disabilities inclusion.

Commence the process of development of the first National Disability Inclusion Framework for Women with Disabilities in Nigeria, she said.

According to her, the charter of demands has 11 articles, consisting the rights of women with disabilities to work, demonstrate political will and commitment to gender equality and empowerment, education, economy, health, security.

Others include protection during election, leadership and management of executive opportunities, involvement in the informal sector, and access to physical structures.

Also, Mary Musa, Legal practioner and Secretary, Network of Women with Disabilities, stressed the need for government to ensure safety, security and protection of People with Disabilities (PWDs) during the forthcoming election.

We urge the government even as 2023 election is coming up that they provide systems and structures for the security of women with disabilities, she said.

She also stressed the need that the forthcoming census exercise should capture data of PWDs.

Similarly, Ms Rose Daniel, Vice President II, NWD, stressed the need for the government and other stakeholders to prioritise education, empowerment and health of PWDs. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Vincent Obi

Source: NAN News

By George Odok

The University of Calabar has suspended four staff of the institutions medical center over the death of Ms. Precious Agindi.

Agindi was a third year student of the institution at the department of Library and Information Science.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Agindi died on Jan. 28 at the institutions Medical Center.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, on Tuesday briefed newsmen after receiving the autopsy report.

She said that the staff were placed on the suspension for showing lack of emotional commitment to the deceased.

Obi said that the autopsy gave a detailed cause of death of the student who was brought to the medical center at a very critical state where she died in less than an hour later.

For emphasis, let me categorically state that the death of Ms Precious Agindi had nothing to do with the rumored ruptured appendicitis as her appendix was found at autopsy to be healthy, not inflamed and intact.

This regrettable incident sparked very strong emotions, students demonstrations on that fateful day and a lot of misinformation and outright falsehood peddled by ill-informed and mischievous people, both within and outside the campus.

Regrettably, the lies that have been deposited in the public space, conscientiously or unconsciously, as amplified by social media, have had a damaging impact on the reputation and image of our university that my administration is working very hard to protect.

Management chose not to join issues with peddlers of falsehood at a time of deep sadness and sober reflection.

These persons without cause hastily blamed the death on the Medical Centre and by extension the university, she said.

She noted that the university maintained studied silence and strongly investigated the handling of the patient at the facility by constituting a panel of inquiry as well as carrying out a Coroners Inquest to determine the cause of death.

This, we are sure will serve a great purpose in the future, for understanding the causes of things is one of the callings of the university.

As I addressed protesting students on campus that fateful day, this much I promised we would do.

In fulfillment of this, with the full approval of the family of the deceased, we ordered an autopsy which was carried out by one of the foremost Nigerian Forensic Pathologists.

We are thankful to God that our late student was peacefully laid to rest on Feb. 11, 2023 in her hometown, Gbe Nanav in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

Yesterday, in the presence of the representatives of the family, the Benue and Tiv Community in the University, SUG officials, members of the Panel of Inquiry, Management received the Autopsy and the panel of inquiry reports.

She said that the late student never went to the university medical center but was only taken there by her friends in a very critical medical condition the day she died.

Please note that Ms Precious had received treatment from other private clinics in town from the scan result and other medications presented to the nurses on duty when she was brought in.

The panel of inquiry made up of experienced medical consultants and doctors absolved the nurses on duty of any professional negligence but saw elements of lack of emotional commitment as medical professionals.

While life and death are both in Gods hands, management of the university strongly believe that it is our responsibility to do our best at our respective duty posts to offer the service of care both professionally and emotionally considering our quest for excellence as an academic institution.

It is on this note that management feels that medical personnel in our medical center must give not just professional services but emotional and psychological services which are more soothing especially when one is on a sick bed.

The VC noted that the problem of commitment to work in the University of Calabar was a pillar that the institution gives great value in all its sections, including the Medical Centre.

Management has, therefore, decided to place all the staff on duty on a 3-months suspension for lack of empathy and psychological support and especially for demanding for money for card against the medical center policy of attending to patients in critical condition first.

The above investigation has revealed, that the patient was brought to the Medical Centre critically ill and her eventual death shortly after arrival was not as a result of professional negligence by staff of the medical center.

Also, there is an established clinical condition as cause of death which in deferment to the family and in respect to the dead we do not wish to reveal.

Yet all sorts of lies have been told both online and offline to batter the image of the University and instigate unrest among the students, she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail AbdulAziz

Deputy Editor in Chief,
Head of Website/Solutions Journalism desk.

Source: NAN News

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed

By Rotimi Ijikanmi

The Federal Government says three months after the U.S. and the UK embassies issued frivolous travel advisories warning their citizens to avoid Abuja, the city has remained safe.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated this on Monday in Abuja at the 25th edition of the President Muhammadu Buharis (PMB) Scorecard Series.

The two countries had warned their citizens to avoid the Nigerian capital due to risk of terrorist attacks.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the edition featured the Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, who presented the scorecard of his ministry.

In his opening remarks, Mohammed recalled that the advisories issued by the U.S. and UK created much panic and tension in the country and a number of Americans reportedly fled Abuja in the wake of the warning.

The minister noted that since the advisories were issued residents of Abuja had been going about their businesses without any threat.

He commended the countrys security agencies for their sacrifices to keep the country safe.

We want to commend our gallant troops, the police, the intelligence agencies and all other security agencies for their commitment and sacrifice to keep our country safe.

We also call on Nigerians to continue to support the security agencies as they carry out their onerous task, he said.

Mohammed re-echoed President Buharis call on Western countries to stop issuing frivolous travel advisories on Nigeria. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ejike Obeta

Source: NAN News

By Jessica Dogo

The Mining Entrepreneurship Stakeholders Association has urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the payment of compensation to the owners of a closed quarry, Nino Corporation Ltd.

The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Aminu Inuwa, made the appeal at a press briefing on Monday in Abuja.

Inuwa urged the government to compensate the quarry owners to enable them relocate their equipment to the proposed new site for the firm.

He said that as the quarry commenced operation within a month in 2018, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) reportedly took over the land to build a new correctional facility in Karshi, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

This is to appeal for the governments quick action on the demand for compensation on the takeover of our land and business premises for the ongoing construction of a correctional facility at Karshi.

This particular land and business premises is actually a quarry company operated by Nino Corporation Ltd, of which some of our members have stakes.

Many others run businesses of supplies, transportation services, marketing mechanical and engineering services and sales, among others.

This takeover disrupted production and crippled the business activities, thereby putting all the investments, including bank loans whose interests have continued to grow by the day.

At the highest risk, many of our members and their families have been suffering the socio-economic effects of this development since then, he said.

Inuwa said that the land was a solid mineral area under the control of the government, which allocated the quarry site to Nino Corporation Ltd through the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals Development.

According to him, the quarry site, massive rocks, was legally obtained by Nino Corporation Ltd from the Federal Ministry of Mining and Solid Mineral Development with all necessary documentary evidence.

Inuwa said: The claim by the government was that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) allocated the land to the Nigerian Correctional Services.

However, after a series of meetings between the FCTA and Nino Corporation Ltd, the FCTA authorities admitted to an error on their side.

The Chairman said after several efforts by Nino to communicate its demands to the relevant authorities the Comptroller-General of the NCoS, invited the management of the quarry company to discuss the issue of compensation.

He commended the efforts of the government in tackling the challenges of securing Nigerias Correctional facilities by approving and funding the construction of ultramodern correctional facilities in the country. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

By Lucy Ogalue

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provision) Bill 2022 also known as the Omnibus Bill into law.

Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business and Secretary, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

According to Oduwole, the bill will aid the ease of doing business for small business owners in the country.

This marks an important step in the delivery of an enabling environment for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.

Presented as an Executive Bill, the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provision) Act, 2023 is a legislative intervention by the PEBEC which
amends 21 business related laws.

It removes bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria.

The new law also codifies the Executive Order 001 on Transparency and Efficiency in Public Service Delivery, the Administrations first executive order, aimed at strengthening ease of doing businessreforms across the country, she said.

Oduwole said that the PEBEC Secretariat was extremely grateful to see this Act come into fruition.

According to her, it is a culmination of over four years of collaboration between public
and private sector stakeholders.

This includes the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Bar Association Section on Business Law through the participation of over 40 law firms and consulting firms.

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), and the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable (NASSBER) are also part of the team, she said.

The PEBEC secretary said the Business Facilitation Act, 2023 consolidates the last seven years of PEBEC-led reforms.

Oduwole said it also demonstrated the Administrations sustained commitment towards making Nigeria a progressively easier place to start and grow a business.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Deputy Editor in Chief,
Head of Website/Solutions Journalism desk.

Source: NAN News

FRSC Delta decorates 107 newly promoted officers

By Clara Egbogota

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Delta Sector Command, on Monday decorated 107 of its newly-promoted officers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three deputy corps commanders are among the officers decorated at a ceremony held at the sector commands headquarters in Asaba.

The Sector Commander, Mr Udeme Eshiet, who decorated the officers, urged them to live up to expectations.

According to him, to whom much is given, much more is expected.

Your responsibilities have changed, and you must live up to the task before you and do the corps proud by increasing productivity and dedication to duty.

I am really grateful to the corp marshal and the Federal Road Safety Commission Board, he said.

The sector commander said that the promotion enhanced staff morale.

It is a call to be exceptionally disciplined.

It will now be whether you are worthy to perform a task effectively and efficiently before you are given a sensitive appointment, he added.

Responding on behalf of the decorated officers, Mr Jonathan Ogboh expressed gratitude to God for the promotion.

He also thanked the management of FRSC for finding them worthy of promotion.

We have every reason to be happy and we have accepted the responsibilities that come with the new rank, he said. (NAN)(nannews.ng)

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Source: NAN News

Prof. Oba Abdulraheem, Kwara NNPP governorship candidate

By Abigael Joshua

Prof. Oba Abdulraheem, the Kwaras New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) governorship candidate, has promised to embark on realistic, dynamic political and economic reforms if voted into power.

Oba, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said he would create a governable environment that promotes and supports socio-economic well-being of the people through his Strategic Actions to Change Kwara (SACK) strategy.

We want a Kwara State that works for all, propped by a determined focus on shared prosperity for all, driven by a vibrant economy and underpinned by quality service based on equity and justice.

The ultimate goal of Government and Governance is the welfare and security of the people, the governorship candidate said.

He said his government would pursue vigorous value-orientation to minimise corrupt practices, reduce and, ultimately, eliminate waste and leakages in public financing.

Explaining his education agenda, Oba who was a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, said there would be a deliberate focus on educational infrastructural renewal, arresting and reversing the decay at the basic education level.

He added that there would be unhindered access to free, qualitative basic education for all in Kwara.

There will be drastic reduction in out-of-school children population; progressive decongestion and expansion of instructional space and facilities, promoting ICT and e-learning.

I will embark on capacity-building through re-conceptualizing the teacher training education in order to match the goals of the Universal Basic Education.

There will be improved conditions/incentives for trainee teachers, restoration of rural posting and incentives for basic education teachers, he said.

Oba said the professional focus of the colleges of Education and polytechnics would remain sacrosanct, while there there would be enhanced conditions of service, including career opportunities for trained teachers.

According to the NNPP governorship candidate, education is a change-agent which will be deployed as the flagship of his partys change agenda. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Razak Owolabi

Source: NAN News

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu

By Rukayat Moisemhe

Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, has promised relief in areas of education, transport infrastructure, healthcare and the environment for residents and businesses across the Eti-Osa corridor.

Sanwo-Olu made the pledge during an engagement with residents and stakeholders of Lekki, Etiosa, Ibeju Lekki and Epe, on Sunday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was to discuss activities and plans of his administration for the community and the state in general.

The governor said that properties, businesses and tenants that might be affected once the building of the fourth mainland bridge starts would be fully compensated.

He explained that the bridge must be built to bring modern development to the state.

Sanwo-Olu also read riot act against noise pollution, lawlessness and other environmental degradation factors, endangering lives and properties in the axis.

He stated that when rebuilding the Ilasan area for a better health and environment status befitting the area, nobody would be left out.

The slum, health hazards and way of life is not fit for Ilasan area and in feeling the plight of the residents of the area, we are committed to addressing what must be done to result in a win-win situation for residents and the environment.

Residents are advised to bring acts of lawlessness and bad behaviour along the corridor to the knowledge of government.

For the youth, once the leaders approve of an area for us, we would build a stadium, more primary schools and other important facilities in this axis.

We are also committed to rebuilding the hospital at the Ibeju Lekki axis and also build a General Hospital at Ajah this year, he said.

Sanwo-Olu reiterated his commitment to providing relief on the road transportation challenges experienced on the Lekki-Epe expressway.

He said that his administration would continue to build regional roads and ferry routes, to solve some of the issues.

The governor, however, stressed that the promised coastal road was not forgotten and would be built after the regional roads were finished.

Also, the Jakande road would be rebuilt to address traffic situation and we shall also consider the beautification of the Lekki-Epe expressway, he said.

Earlier, Mr Gbemi Adelekan, Secretary, Lekki Estate Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA) and other residents highlighted several areas of concerns from 1004 to Epe.

According to him, they include building of coastal road to address the traffic situation on the Lekki-Epe expressway, and regeneration of Ilasan Housing Estate.

Other areas of concern, the residents pointed out, were the traffic situation at the Jakande junction, the flooding situation at Lafiaji, Orchid road, and others.

We also call for more primary and secondary schools across the Lekki corridor, more functional healthcare centres and a youth facility for more inclusiveness, he said.

Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, reiterated the focus of the current administration to delivering critical infrastructure aimed at easing the lives and businesses of residents in the axis.

According to her, eight roads will be upgraded in Ikoyi, and focus was on Ado-Badore road, Orchid to Ogombo road and up to Abraham Adesanya would be rehabilitated. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

Source: NAN News

Buba Marwa

By Ibironke Ariyo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says it has intercepted a consignment of 1,340 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa being conveyed from Ogbese in Ondo state to Odukpani in Cross River.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this on Sunday in a statement issued in Abuja.

He said that the items were loaded in a truck belonging to the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and heading to Okurikang Okoyong in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River.

Babafemi said that following credible intelligence, the movement was monitored for three weeks and upon arrival, 130 bags of cannabis were seized.

The seized drugs, weighed 1.430 tons and were recovered from the LNG truck and 13 motorcycles which were hired by the cartel to convey the consignment deep into the Odukpani forest, were impounded.

Babafemi also said that in Kano, four suspects: Ado Shuaibu; Yahaya Shuaibu; Mamman Sani and Umar Musa Yakubu were arrested in connection with 229 blocks of skunk weighing 131.1kgs.

He said that Musa was arrested on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Tumfafi village, Kano, whileAdo, Yahaya and Mamman were nabbed on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Garin Balarabe, Maigatari, Jigawa state.

Another suspect, Aisha Muhammad, was arrested in Koki area of Kano with 17kgs cannabis, he said.

According to him, no fewer than four members of a syndicate using dispatch motorcycles to distribute illicit drugs in Lekki area of Lagos were arrested on Sunday, Feb. 5.

They include: Tijani Hakeem; Eric Maku; Ahmed Jubril and Adobi Chris.

At the time of their arrest, 1.88kgs of Loud and assorted paraphernalia were recovered from them, he said.

Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, Retired, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the officers, men and women for their commitment and professionalism towards ridding Nigeria of the menace of illicit drugs.

Marwa said the agency would continue to target any one or group involved in the criminal trade without fear or favour.

He urged all NDLEA officers across the country to remain unrelenting in the pursuit of the corporate goal. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

ICA/BEN/VAO

Edited by Vincent Obi

Source: NAN News

By Oluwatope Lawanson

The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has urged Nigerians to vote for a visionary and credible leader like the first civilian Governor of the state, late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, in the coming elections.

Hamzat gave the advice during the2nd year Remembrance/Anniversary Prayers for Jakande at Ilupeju, Lagos on Saturday.

The deputy governor praised the late Jakande for the numerous developmental and people-oriented programmes and policies he initiated and theindelible footprints he left in the state.

He stated that the country needed a visionary leader with integrity, selflessness, who was highly committed and passionate about the wellbeing of the citizens and growth of the country.

Hamzat, therefore, charged politicians in the country to emulate the virtues of late Jakande whom he described as a fantastic leader.

He said the late Jakande was a quintessential politician and an administrator par excellence who had the foresight on the development of the State.

The deputy governor also advised Lagos residents to ensure they did the right thing by voting for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.

APC government has done well and needs to continue what it has started so as to make life easier for all.

I urge you to vote massively for the Presidential Candidate of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his capability, antecedents, connectivity, and the boldness to move the country forward.

Nigerians must desist from any form of sentiments and vote for a president that has a track record of success.

Vote for a leader who can identify talents, skills, and intellect for the good of the people like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he said.

In his sermon, Imam Hakeem Awwal said the attributes of a good leader include being courageous, with listening ears to the yearnings and aspirations of the citizens.

He noted that a good leader must also have integrity, among others, which he said the late Jakande had.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that prayers were later offered for the repose of the soul of the deceased.

Prayers were also offered for the family, children, the state, and nation in general.

The highlight of the event was the launch of the Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande Health Foundation.

It was set up to assist the less privileged and needy in the society to access good health care and education. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

Source: NAN News

By Aderogba George

A group of ladies on a platform tagged A Woman With A Story (AWWAS), has begun efforts to encourage their fellow women to tell their life experiences/stories through creative arts.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the whole idea is about imbibing creative expression and creative therapy on women who have been abused and are dealing with emotional trauma.

The ladies, during their visit to Ushafa Pottery Centre, FCT, Abuja, where indigenous women are known for making local pots, stated that the idea was an initiative of Dankauna Foundation.

Miss Haye Okoh, the Project Coordinator for AWWAS, stated that the association intended to achieve an Africa where there would be no hiding place for any form of victimisation of women.

She said that AWWAS encouraged women to use different forms of creative expression like illustrative dance, photography, writing and other forms of creative arts to tell their emotional stories.

So this year we are focusing on pottery as our creative arts because we know that pottery itself is a history marker.

A lot of tribes and culture have used potteries to tell stories about their tribes, about their cultures, about different things that happened in their lives.

So there are different tribes that have events that can be recounted on pieces of pot or ceramics; so we come here to Ushafa today to appreciate their craft.

Ushafa women are known for pottery, their women are known to be potters, so we have come to do sort of fusion or a union between what we do as ours and what they do as potters.

We are here to tell them that it is not just about making pots beautiful, but they must apply the techniques of story telling to their pots, to their creative arts.

Expression of story on the pots whether good or bad gives the pots more value and makes it more long lasting, she stressed.

She said that AWWAS was currently having discussion with some relevant organisations who were into dealing with domestic abuse against women, so that it could reach out to its targeted audience.

Mrs Tracy Isaac, the founder of Business Academy Africa, a partner with AWWAS, encouraged the women to continue the good work and make it more skillful and lively for the generation unborn.

Isaac who is also the initiator of Sheboss, a project meant to encourage women businesswise, appreciated the pottery women for possessing a unique and unusual skill.

According to her, the women have unusual and unique way of expressing their culture and heritage through the pot making.

She said it was important they kept pushing and showing the world the version of themselves.

She said that the pot making was a sort of expression, unlike the other crafts, adding that local pots was still one of the crafts that still had some history and story behind its production.

She disclosed that local pots production had been a craft passed down from one generation to another, adding that the craft must be kept and made more lively.

The current reality of the world now is that the world is evolving, your customers dont really come to you anymore, you have to go to your customers.

This women have unusual and unique way of expressing their culture and heritage, so it is important that they keep pushing, and showing the world the version of themselves.

Business Academic Africa, we are partnering with AWWAS; we come here on a needs assessment base; we have seen the women and we have understood their pains/points.

Now we will go back and seat with other team members and create a programme that will allow them to create solid businesses; Sheboss is helping female community entrepreneurs to solve problems In their community.

One of the ways that we can help them is by giving them the means to be seen globally so that their arts can be shared by people here and people outside, and if they are able to make that, they will make more money, she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says that over 1.16 million tertiary institutions admission seekers have so far registered to sit for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this in Abuja on Saturday, during a monitoring tour of some CBT centres in Abuja.

Oloyede, during the tour visited CBT centres located at Total Child International School, Dutse, JAMB Abuja zonal office, Life Camp, Global Distance Learning Institute and Sascon International College, Abuja .

He said that the board would not extend deadline for the 2023 Unified UTME registration, while warning centres against extortion of candidates.

Registration is going on well except some of these schools.

UTME is not a school based examination, its individual candidates and you can see what some schools are doing collecting N30,000 from candidates in the name of JAMB and then end up missing up the telephone number of the candidates.

So once they keep the telephone number of candidates it is unlikely that the candidates when we are contacting them to make a change in their timetable, you send text to them and it will not get to them, he said.

According to him, after they have graduated from the school and want to do change of course they dont have access to it.

And that is a way of extorting the parents and we will take adequate steps to make sure that we stop that, he said.

We will tell every CBT centre to stop doing bulk purchase of pin and bulk registration.

So if a centre sells more than one pin to a source or collect money for more than one pin from a source, then we will sanction such centre, he said.

He urged candidates to report cases of extortion, saying that there was a code for candidates to reach the board when they come across any case of extortion, while promising there would be a reward for such act.

Recall that the sale of the 2023 UTME commenced on Jan. 14 and will close on Feb. 14. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

===========

Edited by Constance Imasuen/Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Deji Abdulwahab

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has called on broadcasting stations to devote 10 per cent of their daily airtime to children programmes to promote morality in them.

The NBC Director-General, Balarabe Ilelah, made the call in Abuja during a stakeholders meeting.

He expressed concerned on how children local contents had not been receiving the required attention by sponsors, producers and the broadcasters.

Instead of developing local contents, some broadcasters still rely on foreign children contents, particularly cartoons which often are laced with themes of violence and immorality.

NBC is deeply concerned about how some provisions under Chapter Four of the NBC code are being ignored or deliberately violated by broadcasts outfits.

Let me refer you to Section 4.2.2 (k) which requires broadcasters to devote at least 10 per cent of their total airtime to children programmes.

This provision is grossly violated as the commission had clearly established this through programme audit it regularly undertakes, he said.

He said that the commission had also noticed the usage of children in political advertisements by politicians and how the broadcasters woukd air such adverts in negation to section 7.7.1(d) of our the code.

He urged the participants to critically appraise the performance of broadcasters in the area of children programming to come up with holistic policy direction.

He said that this would help in promoting safe children contents, protect and guarantee their future.

Ms Vanessa Phala, the Country Director, Internationsl Labour Organisation, Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, said that relevant authorities must act urgently to protect children rights and restore their childhood.

Phala, represented by Dr Kolawole Agatha, the National Programme Coordinator, Africa Project, said that so many children were trapped in slavery, forced labour and trafficking.

According to her, some are forced to participate in armed conflict; used for prostitution, pornography or in illicit activities and such other dangerous ventures.

Also speaking, the Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Dr Garba Abari, said that the stakeholders conversation was essentially to mobilise effort to campaign for the elimination of child labour in the country.

Abari described child labour as an aberration anywhere in the world that ougjt not to be tolerated.

He explained that the illicit practice strips children of their dignity, denies them the right to education and exposes them to harmful and hazardous conditions.

As a society, one of the things we owe our children is protection from abuse.

The director emphasised the agencys commitment towards making the country a nation of decent people where citizens rights would be respected.(NAN) ()

Edited by Auwalu Birnin Kudu/Kayode Olaitan

Source: NAN News

By Oladele Eniola

Mr Ben Llewelyn-Jones, British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, has urged Nigerians to respect the electoral process.

Llewellyn-Jones gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He urged politicians to resolve their grievances in a peaceful manner and avoid heating the polity and inciting violence.

My advice to politicians in the upcoming elections is that they should respect the process as the new technology is there to ensure that people can vote and that must be respected.

If the politicians have problem or dispute, then the use of legal or peaceful processes should be carried out and if their supporters are angry, ensure peaceful protests and avoid any form of violence.

Most importantly, politicians must desist from buying votes as the right thing is to tell people to vote for you because of what you would do and not by buying votes to convince them to vote for you.

It is imperative of politicians and people to do the right things as the UK government is committed to issuing visa restrictions where it is aware of attempts to subvert the democratic process, he said.

Llewellyn-Jones noted that since 2019, the UK government has spent over 10million working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), institution capacity building and civil societies, amongst others.

He urged the public to cooperate and work with the INEC, noting that the commission has the capacity to deal with challenges facing it.

We have been working very closely with INEC and we have spent over 10 million since 2019; not just on them as that money went into capacity building for Nigerian government institutions, civil societies and observers who have been working closely with INEC.

We are impressed with steps that have been taken as we know there is still a lot do, especially in terms of logistic challenges, but INEC is very experienced and they would overcome the challenges.

We encourage Nigerians to work and cooperate with INEC as there would always be challenges, but Nigerians should remain supportive, he said.

The UK envoy noted that there should be inclusiveness of people across the board in elections.

He encouraged People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs), youths and women to contest various positions in future elections.

We are strong supporters of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Movement, as we supported the act and encouraged more people to come forward to participate in the elections because we want to see more inclusiveness across the board.

We want to see people with disabilities, people from different backgrounds and ages contest in elections but that is still a real challenge as we dont see that.

More women should participate in politics as you can look at the UK who has had three female prime ministers and we believe it is important to see more women participating as it would be a massive encouragement in general.

It is important to have that identification process so we are actively supporting all of that to make that difference to happen, he said.

Llewellyn-Jones expressed confidence that the forthcoming elections would be peaceful and fair.

He revealed that the UK government did not have preferred candidates noting that its concern was for the public to determine their preferred leaders.

I have been watching elections in Nigeria since 2014 and every election since 1999 has been an improvement as there have been changes, improvements, development, assurance and more confidence from the voters.

Im certain that the upcoming elections would be a step forward and the technology that is being introduced is a big part that would ensure that people cant rig the elections.

We would be observing the elections and we are really hopeful that the elections would go smoothly.

The key thing is that Nigerians vote, that they vote in a peaceful environment and that their votes count and the process is credible.

The UK government is not bothered about who wins the elections but our focus is on the process and to ensure Nigerians choose their leaders, he said.

The general elections will start with the presidential poll on Feb. 25.

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Kingsley Kubeyinje

Source: NAN News

Yiaga Africa, a Civil Society Organisation has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rectify observed lapses at the recently concluded mock accreditation for a successful 2023 election.

The Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, made the call while presenting the organisations report on Bimodal Voters Accreditation System(BVAS) testing, mock accreditation and electronic transmission of accreditation data in Abuja on Friday.

Itodo said that data and technology would play prominent role in 2023 election, because INEC was relying on electoral technology to enhance the transparency and credibility of the election.

He said that tools such as the BVAS and INEC Election Result Viewing portal (IREV) would be deployed for the election.

He said to deliver on Nigerians expectations; the deployment of electoral technologies must conform to the principles of transparency, accountability, suitability, cost-effectiveness, security, accuracy and inclusion.

He said that INEC should make public its reports on the set-up and testing of the BVAS and mock accreditation and provide update on steps taken to address the challenges identified during the BVAS testing and mock accreditation.

He added that the mock accreditation confirmed that INEC assigned registered voters to new polling units without prior information to them, revealing a potential operational challenge on Election Day where voters would be unable to locate their polling units.

INEC should investigate cases where the BVAS failed to authenticate the biometrics of voters, despite having the names on the register. This will inspire public confidence in the BVAS and IReV.

As a matter of national emergency, INEC should notify all voters affected by the migration of polling units of changes to their polling units via text messages, emails, and phone calls if possible.

In addition, a copy of the voter register should be posted across polling units for voter to confirm their polling unit.

This should be backed by a national campaign on locate and confirm your polling units via online and offline platforms, he said.

Itodo said there was need for INEC to replicate the transmission of the accreditation data on the BVAS to the IReV in the general election.

He added that the transmitting accreditation figures would enhance the transparency of the election as it would give Nigerians the opportunity to check the consistency of the number of accredited voters recorded on the BVAS and the accreditation figures entered on the result sheet by polling officials.

He said that INEC should educate polling officials on recording and documentation of election figures, to avoid discrepancies between the accreditation data uploaded by the BVAS to the IReV and the figures recorded on the polling unit result sheet.

He said INEC should ensure all the BVAS devices deployed for the mock accreditation were reconfigured to read zero in the field for accreditation before deploying for the general election.

He said that the assembling a monitoring team to supervise and monitor the reconfiguration was highly recommended.

Yiaga Africa commends and encourages INEC to continue to demonstrate its commitment to enhancing the transparency of the electoral process, while hoping that all the other recommendations of ERAD will be implemented for the 2023 general election.

Director of Programmes, Yiaga Africa,Cynthia Mbamalu, said that in the states observed by Yiaga Africa, the BVAS testing was successful and the ICT staff demonstrated good knowledge of the systems and testing guidelines.

She however, said some devices failed activation and configuration due to hardware failures such as problematic cameras, screens and power buttons.

She said the exercise was also blighted by poor internet connectivity.

Network challenges were experienced mostly in Adamawa, Taraba, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.

More than half of the locations visited during the four visits experienced network challenges which hindered the activation of the machines on the days observed.

Cases of faulty BVAS devices were reported in states like Sokoto, Edo, and Akwa Ibom, the ICT officials discovered the defective hardware components when they attempted to operate the machines.

The dominant hardware defects include non-functioning camera, faulty screen and faulty fingerprint scanner and reports from half of the centers indicate faulty fingerprint scanners was the most prevalent defect with the BVAS devices, she said.

Mbamalu said that in some states, INEC officials resisted and declined to grant access to citizen observers to observe the testing process and this hampered the observation in Zamfara, Jigawa, Kaduna, Plateau Kogi, FCT, Cross-River, Bauchi, and Gombe states amongst others.

She said that in 98 per cent of polling units, the BVAS functioned properly, saying however that in two per cent of polling units, the BVAS malfunctioned, and it was fixed.

She said that in 84 per cent of polling units, every voters fingerprint was checked using the BVAS and in cases where the fingerprint authentication failed, the official resorted to facial authentication.

She said that Yiaga Africa observers reported cases of missing names of the voter register and the BVAS were denied accreditation.

Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu , Board Member,Yiaga Africa, recommended that registered voters should utilise platforms provided by INEC to locate and confirm their polling units before election day.

Nwagwu said that this would fast-track the process of voting on Election Day.

He said that the National Assembly should consider further amendments to the Electoral Act, 2022 after the 2023 general election to make the conduct of testing and mock exercises for electoral technologies mandatory including timelines for their conduct.

He said that political parties should educate party agents on the process of accreditation and results management process to ensure effective oversight and avert undue interference with the process on Election Day.

He said that civil society groups, media and international partners should undertake and support campaign initiatives aimed at assisting voters to locate and confirm their polling unit including inspiring confidence in the BVAS and IReV. (NAN)(nannews.ng)

ATAB/ABI

Source: NAN News

Azibaola, standing, addressing a cross-section of the engineers during their tour of Zeetin Engineering complex in Idu, Abuja

Zeetin founder charges young engineers on innovation, patriotism

Mr Azibola Robert, founder of Zeetin Engineering Limited, has charged young engineers to take advantage of the companys expertise and array of machines to improve their practical knowledge in engineering and contribute to the technological advancement and infrastructural development of Nigeria.

He gave the charge on Friday while taking members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Abuja branch, on a facility tour of Zeetin Engineering complex in the Idu Industrial Area of Abuja.

Our engineers have learnt a lot in schools. Now, Zeetin is the right place for our young engineers to come and hone their skills; they can come here and practice what they have been taught in schools, Azibaola, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers said.

He said that young engineers would be given the opportunity to use the company to demonstrate their ability to design and carve metals into different shapes and sizes with the companys machines.

We are also building capacity; we are open to collaboration in engineering with Nigerian engineers across the globe, as we continue to work with our technical partners to achieve all these.

In Zeetin, we want to make as many spare parts as possible and ultimately, make car engines both hydrocarbon-based and electric engines and that will change the narrative that we are not just about automobile assembly. Some of the machines we have here are the same machines that are used abroad to do your jets, he said.

Robert advised Nigerians to stop sending faulty machines and equipment abroad for repairs, instead of patronising Nigerian firms to fix them.

We should discourage the practice of quickly sending faulty machines, equipment for repairs to Europe or to China or to India. Despite the challenges we are facing as a country, we in Zeetin Engineering want to change the narrative.

By making Zeetin the engineering hub for the design, fabrication and production of OEM spares for all sectors of engineering, automobile, aviation, etc, instead of having to go abroad to either buy or repair these things.

This is because we have here in Zeetin the machines that our people go to patronise in other countries abroad.

Azibaola also charged Nigerian engineers to continue to advocate for changes and re-orientation of the way and manner the engineering profession and its practitioners are perceived by the Government in the development of the country.

The government encourage local production and the country will develop, no two ways about it. Its about Ingenuity. Its about ability to function. Technology is rapidly evolving. Not like it used to be in the 1980s, when you have to go through stringent policy process to be able to import machines.

If you encourage a lot of people to buy cars from the local industry, several industries will grow. For instance, I start making engine block, cars; somebody will be interested in making bolts and nuts, so, another industry will grow; somebodys interested in making upholstery.

It might not be very pleasant at the beginning; but over time, technology improves. We must start from somewhere, and keep improving.

Zeetin Engineering is a technology and precision engineering company, which focuses on all types of metal works, including high-end engineering spares production.

In his remarks, the leader of the delegation and chairman of the Abuja branch of the NSE, Ben-Osy Osita, accepted and thanked Zeetin founder for offering to give hands-on training to young engineers in the practical use of the different machines in the factory.

Our young engineers would like to be trained here in Zeetin. We would love to send them to come here and do training, their IT (Industrial Training).

We will definitely collaborate on that and bring our engineers here. We really appreciate and accept your kind gesture. Theres no other engineering firm in Nigeria that has the kind of equipment we have here in Zeetin.

Its only Zeetin and, I think, one company in South Africa, that have it in Africa. Our young engineers would like to be trained here, Osita said

He also thanked the Zeetin founder for his support and encouragement to engineering bodies as a whole, and commended his belief in Nigerian engineers.

Im very proud of your belief in Nigerians Building Nigeria. You employed Nigerian engineers and pay them well. Thank you for your belief in Nigerian engineers.

You believe that something good will come out of this country, for your belief in Nigerian engineers. Some other persons would, ordinarily, have gone elsewhere, like Ghana, to establish this factory there.

But you chose to establish it here in Nigeria because of Nigerian engineers. Thats commendable, and we thank you for that.(NAN)

Deputy Editor in Chief,
Head of Website/Solutions Journalism desk.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu and other dignitaries during the wedding

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Minister of Power, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, on Friday said that patience and tolerance were key to a successful marriage.

Aliyu made the remark shorty after the wedding fatiha of the son of the late Yobe Governor, Sen. Mamman-Ali, Alhaji Abdallah Mamman-Ali and Aisha Bello, held at Al-Noor Mosque, in Abuja.

The minister, who noted that marriage was a serious business, enjoined the groom to ensure a barrier between his friends and family.

Aliyu said: This is the beginning. So, it is a bumpy ride at the beginning, so they are now going to start to understand each other.

No matter the time they spend during courtship, they will never know each other until they come together under one roof. Then the real self will start to come out.

So, the only thing that can keep them together is patience. He has to be patient with his wife and the wife also has to be patient with her husband.

I want to advise him to realise that she is his wife no one else. She is not his friends wife, therefore, there has to be a barrier between his friends and his family. And family is a serious business.

We will continue to pray for them. May Allah give them a happy home and a blessed family.

Also speaking, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, the Deputy National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), reiterated that patience and tolerance were the magic wands for a very successful marriage.

Kyari: Ours is to pray for them to have a very successful marriage and a very bright future.

As we all know, there are challenging times ahead and we wish them all the best and they should keep all their problems within themselves.

Let them sort it out themselves without any third party and they will have a successful marriage just like his father and all of us.

On his part, the groom, expressed gratitude to the Almighty Allah for sparing his life to witness his wedding day in good health.

He added: I am very happy, I am fulfilled and in sha Allah, everything will go smoothly during this wedding ceremony and with my partner as well.

I dont think I will have the time to list all the qualities of my wife, but I will say she is a smart woman, she is very caring, she is loving and very appreciative.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe stood in for the groom.

NAN also reports that the union between the couple was solemnised after the payment of N200,000 dowry.

The wedding fatiha was presided over by an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Adam.

In attendance were the former Yobe Governor, Sen. Bukar Ibrahim, the Emir of Machina, Dr Bashir Bukar, Group Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari and Dr Kabir Kano, Director-General, International Centre for Islamic Culture and Education, among others. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News