U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the resignation of Mr Scott Pruitt, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Trump in a tweet announcing the resignation said Pruitts Deputy Andrew Wheeler would assume duty on Monday as Acting Administrator.

I have accepted the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Within the Agency Scott has done an outstanding job, and I will always be thankful to him for this.

The Senate confirmed Deputy at EPA, Andrew Wheeler, will on Monday assume duties as the acting Administrator of the EPA.

I have no doubt that Andy will continue on with our great and lasting EPA agenda. We have made tremendous progress and the future of the EPA is very bright! Trump tweeted.

Pruitt was on Monday confronted while dining with a friend at Teaism restaurant in Washington, D.C., by a teacher identified as Kristin Mink, 33, holding her two-year-old son.

He was Trumps point man for the administrations plan to roll back environmental regulations, many of which were put in place by the former President Barack Obama administration.

Pruitt moved to quash or replace numerous environmental regulations opposed by industry lobbyists while boosting the continued burning of fossil fuels, which scientists have concluded is the primary cause of climate change.

His tenure was quickly overshadowed by a number of controversies, including spending 25,000 dollars retrofitting his D.C. office to include a soundproof booth, another 9,600 dollars on office furniture, 3,000 dollars to have the space swept for bugs and surveillance equipment, and another 1,560 dollars on a dozen custom pens.

He was caught taking a 163,000 dollars first-class, chartered, taxpayer-funded flight to watch Wimbledon tennis tournament in 2017, and rented an apartment in D.C. that lists for 4,300 dollars a month for just 50 dollars a night but only paid for the nights that he actually slept there.

Source: NAN

Newsrooms across the country paused Thursday to observe a moment of silence for five employees of a Maryland newspaper who were killed a week ago in one of the deadliest attacks on journalists in U.S. history.

The Capital Gazette staff paused sombrely at 2:33 p.m. as editor Rick Hutzell rang a bell for each person who died at the Annapolis paper exactly seven days earlier, The Baltimore Sun reported.

The staff traditionally convenes meetings by clanging a bell, and Hutzell said the act has taken on a new meaning.

Every time we ring that bell, were going to think about our friends, Hutzell said.

The American Society of News Editors and The Associated Press Media Editors asked newsrooms around the globe to join in a remembrance of the dead, and many did.

About a dozen people held hands and prayed next to a memorial near the building where the shootings happened. Cheryl Starr and her son, Sam, came to pay their respects.

We live right next door, so it just hit us hard, because its so close to home way too close to home and its tragic. Everyone in the community knew these people, and it just shouldnt happen like that, she said.

In Louisville, Kentucky, the newsroom at the Courier Journal fell silent in memory of the victims after executive editor Joel Christopher read the names of the dead.

They paid a high price for doing what we do, he said.

In the newsroom of The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia, the vigil was accompanied by the names of the five victims being read aloud, according to reporter Jane Harper.

Read more at:

Source: NAN

By Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni

Maritime Legal Practitioners on Thursday advised cargo owners in Nigeria to use shipping companies that have emergency fund for support in the case of bankruptcy.

Some of the legal practitioners, who spoke at the closing ceremony of the 15th edition of the Maritime Seminar for Judges held in Abuja, urged cargo owners to investigate the viability of the companies.

Mrs Oritsematosan Edodo-Emore, an International Maritime Lawyer, said that a lot of lessons were learnt from the Hanjin shipping company, the largest shipping company in the world that fell into bankruptcy.

She said that cargo owners should always ensure that outside the
insurance of cargoes, they investigate that the carrier has sufficient fund against insolvency.

As the result of the bankruptcy of the Hanjin shipping company last year, it has brought a lot of lessons for cargo owners.

Before cargo owners use a carrier that will carry their cargoes, they should investigate that that carrier is sufficiently buoyant and it belongs to an alliance.

Alliance is a group of shipping companies that decide to carry a container for each other, they should find out whether that alliance has an emergency fund.

In case, one of the companies becomes bankrupt, whether there is a fund that can support the problem of bankruptcy, she said.

However, Mr Femi Young, Chairman of Sun Logistics and Marine Services, United Kingdom, said that cargo owners should always investigate the viability of shipping companies before using them.

He said that Nigerian government could have a regulatory body that would investigate shipping companies annually, to enable cargo owners know the right carrier to use.

Government should have a regulatory body that will annually;
investigate shipping company to know which ones are viable.

Some alliance have being set up, this alliance are group of shipping company that come together like a family, that if something happen to one of the company others will help.

And out of those alliances, it is only one that has an emergency fund against insolvency.

What am saying is that, maybe one of the rules that we should have is that, we should only use a shipping company that has emergency fund for insolvency, Young said.

Justice Olayinka Faji, Federal High Court, Lagos, said an importer is expected to know the statue of his carrier at the time of loading or before loading.

He said that the carrier has to be properly checked out and the
contract of sale must be binding in terms of insurance stating that shipping companies needs to be monitored.

Source: NAN

Some Nigerians on Twitter have called on the Federal Government to properly brand Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s story and legacy in order to increase tourists influx into the country.

The call came following the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to the New Afrika Shrine, which is a popular Fela ‘hangout’.

Fela was a legendary multi-instrumentalist, musician, composer and pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre. He was also a human rights activist, and political maverick.

The proponents of the branding explained that the late Afrobeats Legend remains an international brand even after death as he piques the interest of music lovers and Human Rights activists alike.

They held the opinion that the Federal Government could generate huge revenues from tourists who would want a structured guide on the life and times of Fela, especially in Lagos.

@Yemitwist tweeted, “No doubt, Fela is enough tourism.”

@Joidbg wrote, “Believe it or not #Fela can generate the ministry of tourism enough income if branded properly… #CelebrateAfricanCulture #MacronAtNewAfrikaShrine”.

@BanksandPhil tweeted, “Nigeria needs to tap into the influence and legacy of the great legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Abami Eda is an icon all over the world. This is a tourist attraction Nigeria can benefit from.”

@Iam_realjayson said, “If President Emmanuel Macron could visit the Afrika Shrine in Lagos to #CelebrateAfricanCulture, then truly, we are yet to really understand and appreciate the value of Fela! Pele is considered a National Asset in Brazil. What have we done with Fela? Fela is enough tourism!”

Chinese tycoon Wang Jian, whose sprawling conglomerate HNA Group owns a host of foreign assets, has died after a falling off a wall while sightseeing in southern France, police and his company said Wednesday.

Wang suffered the fatal accident on Tuesday in the picturesque hillside village of Bonnieux after climbing onto a parapet, either to see the view of the valley below or to have his photograph taken, local security sources told AFP.

“He jumped up on to the wall and was carried over it by his own momentum,” a source close to the case told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The 57-year-old businessman, the co-founder of HNA and its second-highest ranking executive, fell into a 10-metre (32-foot) void, sustaining serious injuries that emergency services were unable to treat at the site.

“Together, we mourn the loss of an exceptionally gifted leader and role model, whose vision and values will continue to be a beacon for all who had the good fortune to know him,” his firm said in a statement issued in China.

HNA said Wang, whose personal fortune is estimated at 1.7 billion dollars by Forbes magazine, had been visiting Bonnieux during a business trip to France.

The company started as a small provincial airline servicing China’s Hainan Province but has expanded quickly in recent years under the leadership of Wang and business partner Chen Feng.

The firm’s $230 billion in assets were built up during a foreign buying spree that saw it diversify into tourism and finance via major deals to buy shares in companies including the Hilton hotels group and Deutsche Bank.

It also took stakes in foreign airlines such as Virgin Australia, France’s Aigle Azur and TAP in Portugal.

But HNA came under pressure last year as Beijing cracked down on the risky debt-fuelled financing that enabled its expansion.

The conglomerate has started selling parts of its empire to pay down its loans, including its Hilton and Deutsche Bank shares, and Wang’s death was seen as likely to complicate the unwinding process.

“Wang’s passing will mark the end of an era of aggressive expansion by HNA,” Corrine Png, chief executive at the Singapore-based research firm Crucial Perspective, told the Bloomberg financial news agency.

“It will also put HNA Group and related companies’ restructuring plans back on the drawing board, in our view,” Png added.

At the end of 2017, the company reported that its debt was 638 billion yuan (81.5 billion euros), up 36 percent from 2016.

Wang owned about 15 percent of the Chinese group, making him one of the group’s biggest shareholders, Bloomberg reported.

Wang began his career in civil aviation planning in 1983.

Bonnieux is a mediaeval village in the Provence area of the south of France, a favoured destination for the rich and famous over the peak summer holiday period.

Adegboyega Adenekan, the Chrisland School Supervisor, who allegedly defiled a two-year and 11-month pupil failed a polygraph test, an expert, Mr Adebayo Falola, told an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Special Offences Court on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Falola apart from being a Polygraph Expert, is a Security Consultant with the Halogen Security Company Ltd.

Led in evidence by Mr Babajide Boye, the Chief State Counsel, Falola disclosed that he had worked with Halogen Security Company Ltd for 15 years.

Listing his qualifications, he said: ” I am a graduate OF Kwara Polytechnic and the University of Lagos. I was trained by the American Institute of Polygraph Examination.

“I have a Diploma in Polygraph Examination from the United States. I’m a retired military intelligence operative, I served in the Nigerian Air force Intelligence Squadron.

“A polygraph is a lie detector test that measures and records several physiological indices of a human being such as the breathing, blood pressure, pulses and skin conductivity.

“Polygraph is used for specific investigation, pre-employment, post-employment, theft, burglary, infidelity and sexual harassment.

“I have conducted over 250 polygraph examinations in Nigeria for private individuals, financial institutions and multinationals.

“We have an archive of all our polygraph tests which can never be erased.We didn’t even know this matter will come up in court,” he said.

The polygraph expert in his lengthy testimony, said he was contacted from the United States by the father of the Chrisland pupil who enquired about his company’s polygraph services.

He noted that shortly after, the child’s mother came to his office for the test with her uncle as well as Adenekan, and representatives from the school.

He said: “We conducted the polygraph examination on Nov. 15, 2016.

“Prior to that day, the child’s mother contacted us and told me that her daughter was molested by a teacher of the school and she wanted to conduct a polygraph on the teacher.

“The school authorities called me on Nov. 14, 2016 and I requested that that the alleged perpetrator, the mother and representatives give letters authorising Halogen to conduct the test.

“The next day, two school representatives, the alleged perpetrator and the mother came with an uncle of hers.

“We all sat together because I needed to know the scenario. I was told the perpetrator allegedly molested the child and the school representatives denied that it happened.

“Mr Adenekan said he needed to exonerate himself and said he would take the polygraph test and we all agreed that he should take the test.

“Only the examiner and the examinee are to be in the polygraph laboratory and consent form was signed by Adenekan and it said he was not threatened nor maltreated into taking the test.

“We don’t do polygraph tests for pregnant women, underage children, the elderly who are 70-years-old and people with specific ailments like hypertension and diabetes.

“There must be no pause and within 25 seconds, you must give an answer.

“I asked Adenekan if he was diabetic or hypertensive and he said no and added that his family had no history of the ailments.

“The result are in three stages which are deceptive, non deceptive and inconclusive.

“The outcome of this was minus nine which showed that Adenekan was deceptive to the case under investigation as at that time.”

Falola noted that his level of competency and accuracy for polygraph tests is 99.9 per cent adding that he sent the polygraph result to his clients via email.

During Falola’s testimony, Boye the prosecutor sought to tender the result of the polygraph test, consent form and polygraph charge sheet as evidence.

Mr Olatunde Adejuyigbe (SAN), defence counsel to Adenekan objected to the tendering of the documents.

He told the court that the polygraph evidence was not recognised under Nigerian law.

“The totality of this evidence is inadmissible according to Section 57 of the Evidence Act.

“There is nothing in Sections 58 to 76 that admits an opinion as to whether a person is lying.

“The opinion of experts is circumscribed in Section 68 and Section 76 says that if you purview the provision of the Evidence Act, you have to seek other laws validly on force in the country.

“There is no law that grants the admissibility of polygraph examination in our Nigerian laws. His oral evidence and what this document seeks to talk about is expressly excluded by Section 67.

“The revised Evidence Act of 2011 has taken all technological advances into consideration. Polygraph evidence is a foreign practice and our jurisprudence does not recognise it.

“It will be a dangerous practice for the courts to openly embrace it. I urge this court to mark the documents tendered as rejected.”

Responding, the prosecution said the SAN misinterpreted the Evidence Act in his submission.

“The question is that are these documents relevant, part of the facts in the issue and are they connected?

“The defendant was not compelled.He went voluntarily and signed the consent form.

“Proper foundation has been laid in relation to Section 84 of the Evidence Act and we submit that these documents are admissible.”

Earlier during proceedings, Adejuyigbe cross-examined Dr Oluwatoyin Olayioye, a medical doctor from the Mirabel Centre who examined the Chrisland School pupil.

Olayioye insisted that she spoke to the child’s mother when she brought her daughter to the Mirabel Centre.

The defence disputed her claims by showing her records of the mother’s courtroom testimony in which she admitted that she did not speak to a doctor at the Mirabel Centre.

The medical doctor also said that she did not notice scars or abrasions in the genital area of the child when she examined her.

Justice Sybil Nwaka adjourned the case until Oct. 5 for ruling on whether the court will admit the documents as exhibits.

NAN reports that Adenekan who was arraigned on Jan. 29, pleaded not guilty to a charge of defilement of a child.

The prosecution alleges that Adenekan committed the offence sometime in November 2016 at Chrisland School, Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos.

According to the prosecution, the defendant defiled the complainant by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

The offence violates Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 which recommends a life sentence for anyone convicted.

An appeal panel set up to resolve complaints and petitions arising from the recent National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday evening submitted its report to the Partys National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The appeal committee chaired by former Senate President, Ken Nnamani disclosed during the report submission ceremony at the Partys National Secretariat in Abuja that twenty four petitions were received by the Committee.

We treated each case very seriously. It wasnt our purpose to add kerosene to already raging fire. We made what we consider to be useful suggestions to the new National Working Committee that will give our members a feeling of justice.

Justice does not mean you must win your case, it means that you will get a level playing field, that you are given the opportunity to make your case. The appellants had tremendous opportunity of presenting their cases, and they did.

Oshiomhole who received the report accompanied by other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) thanked the committee for devoting its time and energy to the assignment. He assured the Appeal Committee that the NWC will side by the truth and ensure justice in considering the report.

We will do everything possible to be different from the way the NWC has operated in the past. I am aware having been a former governor and member of National Executive Committee (NEC) that there has been a tradition in the past that committees are set up, work is done, reports are submitted and action is not taken. We will act on every report submitted to us, we will not sit on the fence, we will side with the truth and we will ensure that justice prevails.

My appeal to those aggrieved is the assurance that under my leadership, we will make our obvious mistakes but once our attention is drawn we will find courage to make up for our mistakes. He said.

The APC National Chairman also used the opportunity to address all party members and leaders over grievances and disputations.

I am very appreciative of the fact that we were all elected and in the case of some of us, we were even unopposed. That is a huge responsibility that our members have entrusted us, that we can pilot the affairs of the Party at this time. We knew there were challenges when we contested for the various offices to which we have now been elected. So we cant claim we didnt know.

For us it is a huge opportunity to make a difference not only for our Party but to the Country. We will do everything possible to sustain confidence, to sustain trust. For us, everybody is important, everybody matters. We want to run an inclusive Party. But as I said in my acceptance speech, there are no losers. If we run the party efficiently and democratically, those who lost will find that their interests, whatever service they wanted to render are being rendered efficiently and democratically.

As the saying goes, if God gives you power may he not deny you wisdom I pray for wisdom. I pray for courage and I believe we have it and we will deploy it to make peace within the APC family.

Source: NAN

Mr Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives (APC) has reiterated his appeal to aggrieved members of the party to be patient with his leadership, in an apparent response to the emergence on Wednesday of a rebel group, Reformed APC(R-APC)

My appeal to all those who are aggrieved is to be patient, Oshiomhole said.

However, former Senate leader and the Senator representing Southern Borno, Alhaji Ali Ndume, dismissed the new group, saying that only God and time could determine the direction of the APC in 2019.

Oshiomhole spoke to newsmen after receiving the report of the partys just concluded National Convention Appeal Panel Committees report on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alhaji Buba Galadima who is the National Chairman of the Reformed APC, announced its formation at a news conference at the Sheraton Hotels in Abuja on Wednesday.

The assurance is that under my leadership, we will make honest mistakes and once our attention is drawn, we will find courage to make up for our mistake.

Some people say how can people eat their words, for me, I will eat my words if it is nutritious enough and if that is what I have to do to have peace in the family, Oshiomhole said.

He expressed appreciation to members of the party for his election and for entrusting with him, the responsibility to pilot the partys affairs at this time.

He acknowledged that he new of the partys challenges before accepting the task, saying that it wasa huge opportunity for him and other newly elected executives of the party to make a difference.

This, Oshiomhole said, was not only for the party, but for the country generally.

So, I appeal to people to realise that a blind man can redeem his eyes if he applies the correct medication, but you cant force it to open over night, he said.

He added that forcing the eyes to open over night, would create more problems and damage the eye the more.

The APC national chairman maintained that he would do everything possible to sustain confidence and trust, adding that everybody was important in the party.

He also said that everybody in the party matters, adding that he would run an inclusive party.

I pray for wisdom and courage and I believe that we have it and we will deploy it for peace within the APC family,Oshiomhole said.

Senator Ali Ndume, in a separate interview dismissed the new group.

He said the threat by the R-APC and nPDP to leave the APC would never spell doom for it, but only God and time would tell.

The Senator who admitted that politics is all about interest, said there was however, nothing wrong if an aggrieved group voices out its displeasure.

He added that movement from one political party to another is normal in politics.

What is happening is part of politics, especially now in our political days, all of us are Nigerians and we know what is happening.

So, politics is about interest and if somebody feels that his or her interest will be more protected by voicing out his dissent, it is Ok.

This party is a party of time, decided by Nigerian masses and it is only God that can decide the time of a political party: God and Nigerians know that APC government is the light at the end of the tunnel,the Senator said.

Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, APC National Publicity Secretary was more laconic in his reaction. He said the party leadership would get the full details of what happened.

Source: NAN

Lagos state has installed the longest free-standing pedestrian bridge in the history of Nigeria at the Oshodi transport interchange, now under construction.

The 53.2m bridge is only supported at the two ends without any support at the middle and it connects two of the terminals of interchange.

The hoisting started on Sunday and was completed early today.

Managing Director of Planet Projects, Mr. Biodun Otunola explained the purpose of the bridge:

This particular oneterminal one and terminal two. We also have another one that is linking terminals two and three and that is about 155metres long. The plan is that people can move from one end of the terminal to another be it from terminal one, two and three and then the nature of the terminal is such that we have six lifts and one escalator, and so in all we have 18 lifts and three escalators.

For anyone to access each of the sky bridge, you have to use the lift and we also have staircase for emergency exit. The skywalk is part of the features of the Oshodi Transport Interchange designed to make travel pleasurable, enjoyable, safe and more comfortable for commuting Lagosians, Otunola said.

We also have another one that is linking terminals two and three and that is about 155metres long. The plan is that people can move from one end of the terminal to another be it from terminal one, two and three and then the nature of the terminal is such that we have six lifts and one escalator, and so in all we have 18 lifts and three escalators, Otunola added.

The Oshodi interchange is billed for completion before the end of this year.

Source: NAN

The Federal Government on Wednesday said it had taken appropriate steps to ensure that Admiralty Law (Maritime Law) was included in the curriculum of Universities in the country for speedy resolutions of maritime cases.

Alhaji Hassan Bello, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) disclosed this at the 15th International Maritime Seminar for Judges, organised by the council, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.

He said that the Ministry of Transportation had set up a steering committee to work collaboratively with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to see how admiralty law could be taken as a course in the tertiary institutions.

The National Universities Commission has been approached to look into making admiralty law a compulsory subject (in the universities).

In fact, there is no hiding from that; it must be done.

We have to have sanctity of contract; we have to respect and effect international treaties, and then we have to boost our export (profile) for example.

And we need legal officers lawyers and judges to be conversant with it and if we are conversant with it, it must start right at the university.

So, we are pushing with that committee; very soon, you will hear what the committee is doing.

And I hope that they will establish the teaching of Admiralty Law in our universities.

He said that the inclusion of admiralty law in the curriculum would serve as the bedrock for future lawyers and judges to resolve maritime cases.

Also, Chief Justice of the Gambia, Justice Hassan Jallow, said that admiralty law had not been included in the university curriculum of his country, noting the impact of these on the timely resolution of maritime cases.

He said that the seminar had impacted participants from his country, as they were now abreast of the importance of admiralty law which was alien to most judges in the Gambia.

We dont have admiralty law being studied in our university unfortunately we dont have it as a course in the faculty of law or at the law school.

Many of us have gone through the university without studying it.;

Its a very important subject incredible; lawyers now recognise the essence of this field and more students will subscribe to it because you need the understanding of the law to be able to regulate the sector.

If lawyers and judges are not familiar with the law, things cannot work well.

So, the familiarisation programme is important.

Justice Abdulahamid Charm, Chief Justice of Sierra Leone said that although his country gets limited maritime cases, legal practitioners were making efforts to familiarise themselves with the law.

He admitted that maritime law was part of the curriculum of schools in the country, adding that efforts would be made to equip legal practitioners with the law.

We dont have maritime law in the curriculum of our universities and we are ready to discuss with the authorities to introduce it.

Because, that will really help to fully equip our judges and lawyers when they have such cases in court.

Source: NAN

FIFAs Referees Committee has reduced the number of referees for the final phase of its 2018 World Cup in Russia.

It has, therefore, selected 17 referees, 37 assistant referees and 10 Video Assistant Referees (VARs) for the final phase.

Pierluigi Collina, the Committees head, told reporters in Moscow that this was because the number of referees at the 32-day competition has to be reduced at this point in time.

The number of referees has been reduced in view of the number of matches left and the teams that have qualified for the next round.

We have only eight matches left and only eight teams left also.

These are in the quarter-finals (four matches), the semi-finals (two matches), third-place or losers final (one match) and final (one match).

Only eight matches are involved in this number of matches also.

So, there is, therefore, a need for a reduction in the number, the former Italian referee said.

The 17 referees picked for the next phase include Alireza Faghani (Iran) and Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain) from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Others are Malang Diedhiou (Senegal) and Janny Sikazwe (Zambia) from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

From the Confederation of Central American and Caribbean Football (CONCACAF) are Mark Geiger (U.S.), Jair Marrufo (U.S.) and Cesar Arturo Ramos (Mexico).

Also retained for the competition are Andres Cunha (Uruguay), Nestor Pitana (Argentina) and Sandro Ricci (Brazil) from the Confederation of South American Football (CONMEBOL).

From the Oceanic Football Confederation (OFC) is Matthew Conger (New Zealand).

The rest are from the European Football Association (UEFA), namely Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey), Bjorn Kuipers (The Netherlands), Antonio Mateu (Spain), Milorad Mazic (Serbia), Gianluca Rocchi (Italy) and Damir Skomina (Slovenia).

Ten VARs were also picked to continue on in the competition.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 36 referees and 63 assistant referees were selected in March for the competition, with 13 VARs.

They were picked from the 53 groups of three referees placed under FIFAs radar for the competition since September 2014. (NAN)
OLAL/AIB

Source: NAN

Fifty African countries are currently in Beijing, China for a three-week security forum for army chiefs on the platform of China-Africa Defence and Security.

The meeting started on June 26, runs till July 12 and is part of the preparations for the launch of a strategic security and military cooperation between Beijing and Africa.

The delegates, the forum details indicate, are discussing a major military roadmap aimed at protecting Chinese interests in the continent as well as improving Africans response to crisis situations.

Opening the discussions, the Chief of the Office for International Military Cooperation at the Central Military Commission, Major General Hu Changming, highlighted the need for understanding and cooperation on security matters between Africa and China.

The continental military cooperation plan is expected to be approved at the coming China-Africa Summit scheduled for September in Beijing.

The Chinese military cooperation with Africa at this particular time, is being monitored keenly by both Washington and Brussels.

Chinas ever increasing investment in Africa need enhanced security protection. China has been relying on African partners for its business protection in moments of most crisis.

In 2011 during the Libya civil war, China was forced to send its commando and military vessel to rescue some 36,000 Chinese citizens working in the country.

According to the China-Africa Research Initiative in 2016, there were more than 224,400 Chinese workers in Africa.

China is involved in more than 3,000 infrastructure projects in Africa according to the Brookings Institute, a US-based research organisation.

The Chinese Africa trade volume totalled $220 billion in 2017.

The Asian giant has in the recent past also used the participation in United Nations peace keeping mission to boost its security role in Africa. China has 2,400 soldiers under the UN in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali. Its navy also deployed in the Red Sea state of Djibouti.

China-built roads, railways and port networks across Africa connect the major global sea routes. Some of the routes traverse highly militarised global waters such as the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, which is a crucial route to connect Chinese trade between Asia and Europe.

Intelligence sharing, joint military training and joint operation between China and African partners is expected to be formally announced soon.

The Chinese forays have seen some African countries which are close allies of the Western world, engage in a delicate balancing act.

Read more:

Source: NAN

Chinas bilateral cooperation with Africa has grown phenomenally in the past 40 years with trade leaping from $765 million to $170 billion a year.

Chinas Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong said the growth was on the basis of interlocking interests since 1978.

The minister said this has therefore made China Africas largest trading partner during the last few decades.

In the same period Chinese investment in Africa reached a cumulative $ 110 billion.

Chen said Africas debt to her country is economically sustainable and should be no cause for alarm.

Chen, made the announcement in Beijing on Wednesday at the opening session of the 7th Forum of the China-Africa Expert Committee.

China is attentive to the situation in Africa and seeks to help the continent to contain the risks of debt and relieve the pressure of payment, the minister pointed out.

The minister said that Beijing also encourages companies in her country to do more investments as well as to explore new models such as public-private partnerships.

China, the official said, understands the importance of debt sustainability in Africa, thereby helping the continent to improve its investment environment.

Chinas investments on the continent range from Zambian power plants, Egyptian trade deals, cobalt mines in Congo, rail links in East Africa and infrastructure in Equatorial Guinea.

Source:

Source: NAN

A British Court sentenced a Nurse, Josephine Iyamu, to 14 years in prison on Wednesday for trafficking five Nigerian women to Germany to work as prostitutes, controlling them through voodoo.

The London-based British citizen, Iyamu, 51, was found guilty in a “landmark modern slavery case’’ after the first prosecution involving victims outside Britain, the National Crime Agency said.

The investigation involved cooperation between Police in Britain, Nigeria and the German city of Trier.

It began after a brothel owner “raised concerns about the identity of a woman working there’’ with German Police, leading to Iyamu’s arrest in August, the agency said.

Prosecutors said she was the ringleader of a network recruiting vulnerable women in rural areas of Nigeria.

Iyamu charged her victims up to 44,000 dollars, which they were forced to repay by working in brothels.

She used a voodoo priest to perform traditional West African “juju’’ rituals, forcing the women to drink blood containing worms, eat chicken hearts, have their skin cut with razor blades and swear an oath of allegiance.

They were threatened with serious harm to them or their families if they broke the oath, prosecutors said.

“Iyamu specifically targeted vulnerable women and put them through the most horrific experience for her own financial gain.

“She thought to live in a different country to where her crimes were committed would protect her,’’ said Kay Mellor of the National Crime Agency after the sentencing.

Police and prosecutors praised the victims’ “courage to describe what happened to them’’ via video-links from Germany.

Source: NAN

Cristiano Ronaldo has received an offer to leave Real Madrid and join Italian champions Juventus, multiple reports indicated on Wednesday.

The BBC reported that Madrid are considering an offer of about 100m euros (£88m) from Juventus.

Ronaldo, who joined Real from Manchester United in 2008 for a then world record 80 million pounds, is the Spanish club’s all-time top scorer with 451 goals in all competitions and has won two La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies with them.

Despite the glut of silverware, however, the five-times world player of the year has had frequent fallouts with Real and has declared on several occasions that he wants to leave the club.

Moments after lifting a third consecutive Champions League trophy by helping beat Liverpool 3-1 in the final on May 26, Ronaldo appeared to suggest he had already decided to leave Real, telling a television reporter on the pitch at Kiev’s NSC Olympic Stadium: “It was beautiful to play for Real Madrid.”

Ronaldo, 33, appeared to backtrack on that statement during Real’s celebration parade through the Spanish capital the next day, when he told a mass of supporters: “See you next season.”

The Portugal forward was reported to be on the verge of leaving last June after a news story appeared in Portuguese newspaper Record declaring he was unhappy with the club.

Which team are you supporting in the 2018 World Cup? To get the latest soccer news, text ‘SPORTS’ to 22840.

He also caused a stir in 2012 when he declared in a post-match interview after a game with Granada: “I’m sad and the club know why.”

Juventus declined to comment when contacted by Reuters, while Real Madrid said: “Our official comments are made through our official media channels.”

Real have not issued any statement on their website about Ronaldo, although in the past days they have issued statements denying reports they have made transfer bids for Paris St Germain forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Spanish newspaper Marca suggested on Wednesday that Ronaldo is unhappy at Real because they are searching for his successor and president Florentino Perez has publicly courted Neymar, urging the Brazilian last year to come to Madrid if he wants to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.

Ronaldo scored two goals against Juventus in Real’s 4-1 win in the 2017 Champions League final and earlier this season struck a jaw-dropping bicycle kick against the Italians in a 3-0 win in a quarter-final first-leg game in Turin which prompted Juve supporters to give him a standing ovation.

The Portuguese converted a stoppage-time penalty in the second leg to knock the Italians out 4-3 on aggregate.

Ronaldo enjoyed an explosive start to the 2018 World Cup by scoring a hat-trick in his side’s 3-3 draw with Spain, also hitting Portugal’s winner in a 1-0 win over Morocco. But he missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Iran and failed to score in his side’s 2-1 defeat by Uruguay in the last 16.

The Federal High Court in Osogbo has ordered the National Assembly to immediately commence impeachment process against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Justice Maurine Adaobi Onyetenu gave the order on Wednesday based on the suit filed Kanmi Ajibola and Sulaiman Adeniyi.

They had three months ago written to both the lower and the upper chambers of the National Assembly on the need to impeach President Buhari, citing alleged constitutional breaches by the President and threatened that they will approach the court if they fail to act accordingly.

But when the lawmakers refused, they headed for court and filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Osogbo asking for an order of mandamus to compel both the Senate and the House of Representatives to start the impeachment proceedings of President Buhari.

In the suit filed on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, they hinged their arguments on four grounds on why the National Assembly should impeach the Buhari.

In the motion ex-parte, the duo claimed that in flagrant violation of the 1999 constitution, President Buhari contested the election, won and was sworn in as the President on May 29, 2015 without possessing the basic constitutional requirement, which would have made him qualified for the contest of the election.

They further alleged that the fourth respondent, which is President Buhari in flagrant violation of section 137 (1) (j) of the 1999 constitution presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the purpose of the 2015 presidential election that brought him to the office of the President.

“In the light of the fourth respondent’s placement to continue in the office as the President, he has no certificate and basic requirement upon which this placement to continue in the office can be placed.”

Besides, they accused the President of treating the orders of the court with a great disdain and abusing the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at will, particularly from the angle of the observance of the Federal character as contained in section 14 of the constitution.

“The fourth respondent on May 29 2015, took an oath of office, among others, to the effect that, he would rule in accordance to and protect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly section 14 (2) (b) which stipulates that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”

They accused Buhari of contravening due process and sections 80 and 81 of the 1999 constitution by spending about $496million on the purchase of Tucano Jets without the approval of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as required by the law.

A rebel group announced its excision from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, calling itself Reformed APC (R-APC).

Alhaji Buba Galadima, an engineer from Gashua, Yobe State, and former secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change was introduced as the National Chairman of the group.

He told a press conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja that the R-APC includes all the progressive forces in the APC, without mentioning the names, except the parade of paperweight politicians who were named as ‘officers’.

A major political player, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, chairman of the New Peoples Democratic Party that had joined the APC in 2014, was at the conference.

He said on Sunday in Ilorin that the New PDP would make its stand known this week. His presence may therefore be taken that the R-APC and n-PDP are one and the same.

Galadima, who had expressed frustrations very early in the life of the APC government claimed members of the R-APC included most of the leading members of the defunct new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and others.

Galadima recalled that in the build up to the 2015 General elections, some political parties and groups came together, and formed a brand called the APC.

He said Nigerians however entrusted power to the APC based on its promises and potentials.

“We are sad to report that after more than three years of governance, our hopes have been betrayed, our expectations completely dashed.

“The APC has run a rudderless, inept and incompetent government that has failed to deliver good governance to the Nigerian people.

“It has rather imposed dictatorship, impunity, abuse of power, complete abdication of constitutional and statutory responsibilities, infidelity to the rule of law and constitutionalism.

“It has failed to ensure the security and welfare of our people and elevated nepotism to unacceptable height. The APC has failed to deliver on its key promises to the nation.

“There is no evidence of any political will to reverse the decline of our party, while leaders who have created these circumstances continue to behave as if Nigerians owe our party votes as a matter of right.`’

“The APC government, has been a monumental disaster, even worse than the government it replaced.

“The political party that was a vehicle for enthroning the government was rendered powerless by manipulations and complete lack of due process in its operations.’’

Galadima said the last straw, that broke the party was the congresses and Convention of the APC held recently.

He said that the congresses were intensely disputed as it was conducted with impunity, total disregard for due process, disregard for the party constitution and naked display of power and practices that had no place in the party.

“There are countless cases in courts all over the country challenging the legality of congresses and even the National Convention itself.

“It is very likely that the judicial decisions on these cases will result in massive chaos, confusion and uncertainties.

The fate of a party in this state with a few months to the elections is best left to the imagination, but it is not a fate we believe our millions of members should be abandoned to.’’

He said there were parallel congresses in 24 States while congresses in Wards, Local Government Areas and States all over the federation produced different sets of delegates.

“The so-called National Convention of the APC was even worse.

“The National Convention of the party was ridiculed with constitutional infirmities that were so glaring and obvious that no fair minded person can claim that a legitimate and lawful executive emerged from that process.’’

The Chairman of the organising Committee, Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, he said, declared 18 seats unopposed “since only one valid candidate stood at the end of the grossly manipulated nomination exercise for each of the offices.’’

This according to him was in flagrant abuse and violence to the Constitution of the APC.

Galadima added that even before the “illegal exercises’’ that had alienated millions of members, there had been widespread disenchantment with the manner the party had been run, and the conduct and performance of APC governments.

He said that the nPDP, which made a major contribution to the emergence of the APC administration, made strenuous efforts to invite attention to inequities, injustice and poor management in the party without any success.

The nPDP had shown good faith and commitment to the party, but it had been rewarded with indifference and even contempt.

“Under the circumstances, patriotic elements and most of the original founders of the APC have found themselves in the opposing side of this charade.

“Most of the delegates who bought and paid for forms for the congresses and convention and were elected as delegates have come together to take control and give legitimacy to APC to be now known as and called R-APC.

The R-APC as constituted have officers in all the wards, 774 Local Governments, and all the 36 States of the Federation including the FCT.

Galadima said that the R-APC also had National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee and other organs of the Party were properly constituted and functional.

He listed some of the National Officers of the R-APC to include Bala Gwagwarwa from Kano as national Deputy Chairman,North; Chief Theo Nkire, Abia State, as National Deputy Chairman, SouthEast; and Eko Olakunle, Ondo State, National Vice Chairman South West.

Others include Godwin Akaan as Deputy National Secretary; Dr Fatai Atanda, National Secretary; Kazeem Afegbua, National Publicity Secretary; and Daniel Bwala as Financial Secretary.

Galadima, who said the R-APC was the real party, said the reformed party would work with like-minded political parties and groups to offer Nigeria qualitative good governance in 2019.

He added that the party would in concert with others offer real change to Nigeria and “not fake change.’’

“It is clear that our party needs a leadership that will live by its founding ideals.

“We have therefore decided to legitimately lead those members to work to rebuild our nation more firmly on genuine democratic principles, to enshrine good governance and restore the faith of Nigerians in the possibility of the existence of a prosperous, secure and peaceful nation.’’

He called on all Nigerians, not to despair as a rescue plan was in the works and would be unfolded soon.

Answering questions, Galadima promised to deliver 75 per cent of the votes that president Muhammadu Buhari always could gather in any election.

The new Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole sued for calm and asked disgruntled party members to sheathe their swords.

The Director of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), South East Zonal office, Mr Walson Ibarakumo has warned of impending flood risk in specific areas of Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States.

He disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday.

Iberakumo said his warning was based on the forecast by National Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) and Nigeria Meterological Agency (NiMET).

The NEMA boss said the reason for the impending flood and storm was due to climate change.

The heavy rainfall, storm and wind currently experienced in these states is as a result of climate change so, the people should not be taken by surprise whenever they start experiencing it.

You know climate change has brought about a lot of changes to our environment amongst which is the flood risk that has been forecasted, Ibarakumo said.

He, therefore, advised that residents of the aforementioned states needed to have a change of attitude especially as regards to energy use until the climate returned to its normal state.

Ibarakumo said that NEMA had started creating awareness in the affected states and would be conducting simulation with other relevant response agencies soon.

The director noted that it was necessary to begin preparations on time in readiness for such disaster as it might eventually become big and devastating.

Ibarakumo went ahead to reel out the names of the forecasted areas describing some as highly probable and probable.

Enugu South and East are the highly probable areas while Oji River, Udi and Uzo Uwani are the probable flood risk areas.

In Anambra State, Aguata, Idemili North and Ogbaru are the highly probable flood risk areas while Anambra East and West, Anaocha, Ayamelum, Onitsha North and South, Dunukofia, Orumba North, Njikoka and Oyi are the probable areas.

In Ebonyi State, Afikpo South, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Ezza South, Ikwo, Ohaukwu and Afikpo itself are areas prone to flood risk, he said.

In addition, he said, NEMA had been able to effectively and successfully handled 30 emergency situations from January to June 2018.

Ibarakumo mentioned that these emergency situations involve floods, fire outbreaks, collapsed buildings and communal clashes.

He said that they were able to manage these disasters with the help of the Local Emergency Management Committees at the local government level and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

He said NEMA was facing a big challenge in terms of funding which was limiting its operations.

Source: NAN

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it is looking out for underage tanker and truck drivers to prevent accidents on the expressway.

Mr Hyginus Omeje, the FRSC Sector Commander in Lagos State, made this known on Wednesday at the 3rd Quarter overview of 2018 Corporate Strategic Goals and Projection at Sector Command, Ojodu Berger.

According to him, the legal limit for driving in the country is 18 years and above, but that somebody is looking small does not make him below 18 years.

We are always watching out for underage tanker and truck drivers to prevent crashes on the road, especially on the expressway, he said.

The FRSC official said that there were downward trends in the crashes involving tankers and articulated vehicles since 2016.

He said that the corps had intensified its patrol to prevent crashes in all the six geopolitical zones in the country.

It was so serious, particularly in 2016 when we were recording tankers and trucks crashes almost regularly, until the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, flagged off the training and retraining programmes for tanker drivers.

Since then, the corps has been sensitising them through various programmes to ensure that minimum standards are maintained on the roads, he said.

The sector commander also advised tanker drivers to desist from giving their vehicles to motor boys to drive.

He said that such action could lead to crashes on the roads as some of them have no skills and experiences to drive such vehicles.

Omeje urged truck and tanker drivers to follow rules and regulations of driving articulated vehicles by fixing their speed limit devices.

He also charged them to avoid alcohol intake and shun reckless driving for safety on the road.

Also, Mr Bisi Kazeem, the FRSC Head of Public Education, said that the corps was taking precautionary action following the June 28 tanker explosion at the Otedola Link Bridge on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Kazeem said: We are charging them to start engaging their members in rigorous traffic training so as to meet minimum safety standards concerning their vehicles.

It is very important to train and retrain them to enable them to follow the rules and regulations at the same time to meet the road standard concerning their vehicle.

In his remarks, the National Chairman, NUPENG/PTD, Mr Salmon Oladiti, on behalf of his members, commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the fire incident.

Oladiti described the incident as an unfortunate occurrence, saying that members of the NUPENG /PTD have been avoiding such calamities.

According to him, the union has been collaborating with the FRSC and other law enforcement agencies in observing minimum safety standards on the highways.

All efforts will be put in place to ensure that this kind of disaster does not recur on our roads, he said.

Source: NAN

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday granted permission to former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh to travel abroad to visit his family and friends.

The judge, Justice Okon Abang, granted Badeh permission following an application by his counsel, Mr Akin Olujimi (SAN).

As a result of some reservations by the prosecuting counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, (SAN), Abang ordered that one of Badehs sureties must sign an undertaking that he would return to face his trial.

He also said the surety must deposit his international passport with the court pending the return of Badeh to continue with his trial.

Jacobs had said that although he was not opposed to Badehs application to travel, he was concerned that no reason was given as to whether he was traveling for medical reasons or holiday.

Justice Abang adjourned the matter until Oct. 22 to Oct.26 for continuation of trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Badeh was earlier re-arraigned on a 14-count charge bordering on fraud, to which he entered a not guilty plea to all counts.

The former defence chief is standing trial for allegedly abusing his office by diverting N3.97 billion.

The diverted money is said to have been meant for arms purchase in the face of worsening destructions by Boko Haram terrorists.

Meanwhile the judge adjourned the case of former PDP Spokesman, Olisa Metuh until July 6 for continuation of trial.

Source: NAN