A News Analysis by Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni

For over 15 years, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom, has been enmeshed in a myriad of challenges ranging from conflicts, poor management, infrastructural deficit to the core challenge of unqualified teachers.

An academy formerly known as the Nautical College of Nigeria, was established in 1979 as to educate and train shipboard officers, ratings and shore-based management personnel.

However, the academy was only able to graduate its first set of cadets in 1983 after which the academy still grappled with so much challenges.

For the Rector of the Academy, Commodore Emma Effedua, restructuring and repositioning the school is tops on the agenda of the Federal Government, which he had pledged to drive to the fullest.

For him, there is no challenge or shortcoming which the school currently faces that is not surmountable.

Effedua itemized some of the problems bedeviling the school to include: uncompleted projects owing to lack of funds.

He proposes the conversion of some of the buildings in the school to hotels from which money can be generated to execute other critical projects.

The Rector disclosed that management was already at the point of getting permission to effect the conversion, adding that the hotel could also house students on short courses.

Effedua noted that the restructuring and repositioning of the academy was timely as International Maritime Organisation (IMO) was gradually losing hope in Nigeria producing quality seafarers.

He promised that the new management and the governing board will work together in few months on the infrastructure and cadets to get the required training expected by IMO standard.

The Federal Government had on March 9, 2018 inaugurated the governing board of five agencies under the ministry of transportation including MAN board headed by Ademola Seriki.

The board saw an urgent need to inspect the academy facilities towards its restructuring to arrest the deteriorating state in line with its mandate and core values.

Mr Ademola Seriki, Chairman of the governing board, decried the level of abandoned projects and obsolete infrastructure in the academy.

He observed that some of the equipment purchased 25 years back dotted the foundry shop of the institution and underscored the need to replace them with modern ones.

I am disappointed, particularly over abandoned projects and the large areas of land that have not been developed. We have a lot to do.

We need to put the necessary infrastructure in place; we must really work in synergy with our sister agencies like the Nigeria Port Authority, NIMASA, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and others.

We must build a relationship that will result in acquiring assets that will be of benefits to everyone, he said.

However, the Chairman, House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, Mr Mohammed Umar-Bago, who also went on an oversight function, had advised the management to sack the 83 staff employed in 2016 without due process.

The Chairman said that the academy was a special school that needs professionals to train the cadets not just employing people that are not relevant to the mandate of the academy.

Rector, the issue of this 83 staff, sacks them if their employment did not go through due process; that is how touts are employed.

Any employment that does not have approval means there was never any employment in the first place.

It does not make sense to have 700 staff in an academy of just 300 cadets. That means the academy is over bloated. I will encourage you to right-size. Even if people dont like it, it must still happen.

The lawmaker attributed the poor infrastructure to the debt the school owed contractors, and urged the management to pay-off debts of contractors to enable them complete all abandoned projects.

Umar-Bago also charged the institute to address over 6,000 petitions against the academy.

According to him, the new management should avoid any form of petition against the academy and pay more attention to staff welfare and promotions.

I want to charge this management on staff welfare, promotion and retirement; this should be our focus for 2018 budget.

We want to reduce acrimony to zero per cent and reduce the issue of petition; we also want to reduce every forms of dissatisfaction and lack of motivation among staff.

We have more than 6,000 petitions against this academy only, we dont have space for the petitions, pay all your contractors. This school is indebted that is why we have so many uncompleted projects, he said.

He expressed the willingness of the committee to support the management to move the institution forward, saying it is sad seeing Nigerians going outside the country for courses obtainable in the academy.(NAN)

Source: NAN

Despite Central Bank of Nigerias (CBN) effort to promote financial inclusion,Nigerian banks lost over 2 million customers between 2016 and 2017.

According to statistics from theNigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), the number of active bank accounts also reduced by 1.5 million, dropping from 65 million to 63.5 million.

The statistics obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from the NIBSS website on Sunday, showed that the total number of bank customers dropped from 61 million in 2016 to 59 million in 2017.

According to NIBSS, the banking sector, however, made great strides in linking customers account using the Bank Verification Number (BVN).

The report showed that linked BVN accounts grew from 26 million in 2016, to 41.3 million in 2017.

According to a banking industry source, the reduction in banking customers is not unconnected to the Federal Governments declaration to fight against corruption.

When Buhari assumed office, many people abandoned their accounts, especially civil servants because of fear of investigation.

While some out rightly closed down their accounts, others opted for gradual withdrawal so as not to raise alarm, the source said.

The source, who works at one of the top five banks in the country, blamed the BVN for the low patronage of banking products, especially in the rural areas, where awareness was already very low.

A bank customer, Mr Olaitan Alagbe told NAN that she closed some of her accounts due to unnecessary and illegal charges by banks.

First of all, the interest rate is next to nothing, so there is little reason to keep your money at the bank when you can turn it over doing other businesses, she said.

Another customer, who preferred to remain anonymous said he opened several accounts during the Ponzi scheme boom in the country, but was forced to abandon them after the schemes crashed in late 2016 and early 2017.

However, a source at the CBN told NAN that the reduction in the number of banking customers was caused mainly by the introduction of BVN.

The reduction may not necessarily be a bad thing. For example, many people opened accounts using different variations of their names.

A person bearing Musa Salisu Mohammed, may have other accounts as Salisu Mohammed or Musa Salisu.

So with the introduction of BVN, such customers were forced to regularise their names, however, some opted to close down their accounts, which resulted in the reduction of active bank accounts and customers, the source said.

The CBN source was, however, optimistic that the financial inclusion strategy of the bank would succeed in bringing in more people into the formal banking system.

The Financial Inclusion strategy aims to ensure that major bulk of the money in the economy remains within the banking sector.

A major challenge in the financial inclusion process is how to ensure that the poor rural dwellers are carried along considering the lack of financial sophistication among this segment.

The CBN, Money Deposit Banks, Micro Finance Banks and other stakeholders are curre implementing different policies designed to enhance financial inclusion in the country.

Source: NAN

The Inspector-General of Police ( I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all policemen attached to Very Important Personalities (VIPs), political and public office holders in the country.

Idris gave the order at the monthly meeting with Commissioners of Police and above on Monday in Abuja.

A directive for the withdrawal of all police officers deployed to VIPs, political and public office holders, with immediate effect, is hereby given,he said.

He said that the order became expedient in view of the current security challenges in the country, adding that it was aimed at enhancing effective and efficient policing of the country.

Idris said that the directive included business entrepreneurs, multinational companies as well as corporate individuals.

The police boss said that a memo would be forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for approval.

He added that the approval would also serve as a guideline or template for the deployment of officers to VIPs, political and public office holders.

Idris said that a Task Force had been constituted at the Force Headquarters to ensure compliance to the directive while command commissioners would replicate same at their various commands.

He said that organisations and individuals that required services of the police and are found worthy would be considered by the Special Protection Unit ( SPU) of the force.

Idris explained further that this would be on application for re-validation through the state commissioners of police where they are resident.

I am charging the commissioners of police with the responsibility of supervising such official deployment and thereby holding them accountable,he said.

On illegal use of siren and spy number plate, Idris directed all holders to return them to the Force Transport Officer ( FTO) in Abuja to apply for re-validation.

He said that a Task Force would be formed at the command levels by state commissioners of police to ensure compliance.

Idris said that when formed, the list of members of the task force would be forwarded to the DIG operations on March 31.

He said that criminals now take advantage of the situation to perpetrate heinous crimes across the country.

The police boss also warned individuals covering their vehicle number plate and using siren illegally to desist forthwith.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has decorated some newly promoted senior police officers with their next ranks.

The officers include : AIG Danjuma Ibrahim, AIG Istifanus Shettima, AIG Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, CP Dasuki Galadanchi, CP Bello Yahaya, CP Mukaddas Garba, CP Fave Semali, among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the Police Service Commission on March 6, approved the promotion of 414 senior police officers.

Source: NAN

Senator Dino Melaye who is challenging moves to recall him by his constituency is in fresh trouble: the Police said they have filed a case in a Lokoja court accusing him and three other persons of illegal possession of firearms.

Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, announced the move today in a statement.

The police took the action, following the confession of two dreaded thugs who claimed they were working for Melaye, who represents Kogi West in the Senate.

The men were arrested on 19 January at Ogojueje in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, after a shootout with the police and have confessed being hired by Melaye, to cause mayhem in the state, Moshood said.

One of the persons arrested was identified as 31 years-old Kabiru Saidu, a.k.a Osama. The other was Nuhu Salisu, who is 25 years-old. The third person charged to court was identified as Alhaji Muhammed Audu, a politician, who is now said to be at large.

The police said they seized from the thugs and their gang members , two AK47 rifles, five pump action guns, two locally made pistols and heaps of charms.

According to the police, the men not only confessed to have been involved in several kidnappings in the state and environs, they also claimed to be hired thugs for politicians.

According to the gang leader, Osama, he has been working as a political thug for one Alhaji Mohammed Audu a Politician in the State.

He said Alhaji Mohammed Audu invited him to Abuja and introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye and they met on Airport road, Abuja inside the Senator Dino Melayes Car in the month of December, 2017.

The suspect further confessed that Sen. Dino Melaye told him that they should start working for the Senator as his political thugs and they should recruit and train more other(sic) thugs to work for him in preparation toward 2019 General election to enable him ( Sen. Dino Melaye ) challenge his political opponents and disorganised Kogi State.

The police said Osama further confessed that Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two Pump Action guns and the N430,000.00 to share with his boys.

Consequent on the indictments and criminal confessions against Senator Dino Melaye by the principal suspect KABIRU SAIDU a.k.a OSAMA 31 YRS, Nigeria Police Force, wrote a letter dated 2nd of March, 2018 addressed to the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria informing and requesting him to release Senator Dino Melaye to report to Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command on the 7th March, 2018 to answer to criminal offences levelled against him, to enable the Police carry out a discreet investigation into the confessions of the principal suspect against Senator Dino Melaye. But Senator Dino Melaye have refused to honour the Police invitation till date.

A case of Criminal Conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms have therefore been filed by the Nigeria Police Force at Federal High Court Lokoja on 16th March, 2018 against the two suspects mentioned above, Senator Dino Melaye and Alh. Mohammed Audu who is also a suspect in the matter and is now on the run.

*Also read

Source: NAN

Unseeded Naomi Osaka has won her first WTA title and simultaneously, she logged the record as the first Japanese player to win the Indian Wells final, routing Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday.

World number 44 Osaka rolled over Kasatkina, breaking her serve four times and winning the battle of the 20-year-old rising stars in just 70 minutes.

I just knew that she was going to fight for every point, too, said Osaka. So I couldnt afford to lose points based on nerves, and I had to keep making the right decisions.

Osaka captured the title on her first match point by blasting a backhand into the open side of the court.

The Japanese dynamo improved to 13-4 on the season two days after her biggest previous win, a dominating semi-final triumph over world number one Simona Halep.

She was only the fourth unseeded player to reach the Indian Wells final, with the most recent before her being Kim Clijsters in 2005.

The loss ends a brilliant run in the California desert by Kasatkina, who was playing in her second final in a row after a runner-up finish in Dubai.

She was much better today than me, so she really deserved to win, Kasatkina said. Of course, we were both nervous at the beginning, because the biggest finals so far.

But during the match, she was able to manage her nerves and stuff, and I was still a little bit tight during the match. So it is what it is.

Kasatkina was two points from defeat against Venus Williams in the semi-finals but rallied for the upset triumph.

Kasatkina, who wasnt even born when Williams first competed at Indian Wells, said she really felt the nerves getting to her on the big stage in the final.

She called her coach to come down from the stands for advice at one point but couldnt remember after the match what he told her.

I mean, I already forgot what he told me. I was so nervous, that I really forgot, she said.

Osaka blasted five aces, made three double faults and won 79 percent of her first-serve points.

I wasnt really trying to hit hard today, said Osaka, who was born in Osaka, Japan, but is a dual citizen after living in America since the age of three.

I felt like it would be better for her to take my pace.

So I wanted her to do whatever she wanted to do and I was going to sit back and see what she does.

Like Osaka, Kasatkina was playing in her first Indian Wells final. This was the first time both Indian Wells finalists were under age 21 since Serena Williams beat Clijsters in 2001.

The opening set was even until Osaka blasted two aces to take a 4-3 lead. She then broke Kasatkina to make it 5-3 and finished it off with another strong service game.

Osaka pounced on Kasatkina from the beginning of the second set, starting with an opening break of serve.

She also broke Kasatkina to go up 4-1 with another precision forehand winner down the line and never looked back.

Kasatkina is now 1-3 in WTA singles finals, winning in Charleston last year and finishing runner-up last year in Moscow and this year at Dubai.

*AFP

Source: NAN

ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast flopped at home and fellow former African title winners V Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo also bowed out of the CAF Champions League Sunday.

The Abidjan club, winners of the competition in 1998, looked set to succeed in a last-32 tie against Zesco United of Zambia after building a 1-0 lead on the road last week.

In a dream start to the return match, ASEC doubled their overall advantage when Gbagnon Badie converted a penalty after just seven minutes.

But 2016 Champions League semi-finalists Zesco scored through Fackson Kampumbu after 29 minutes and Lazarous Kambole on 65 minutes to triumph 2-1 and qualify on the away-goal rule.

While Zesco go into the Champions League group draw this Wednesday, ASEC drop to the less lucrative CAF Confederation Cup, the second-tier African competition.

The elimination of Williamsville by defending champions Wydad Casablanca of Morocco Saturday means African football powerhouse the Ivory Coast will have no club in the group stage.

V Club hosted Difaa el Jadida of Morocco needing to overcame a 1-0 first-leg loss, but after a promising start they could only draw 2-2 and were eliminated.

Jean-Marc Makusu Mundele scored after 20 minutes for the Kinshasa club who conquered Africa 45 years ago.

Hamid Ahaddad lifted his CAF goal tally to six this season by levelling after 77 minutes to tilt the tie decisively toward the Moroccans.

The Congolese needed at least two more goals to survive, but got only one as Mundele netted again before Ayoub Nanah equalised in stoppage time.

Jadida and Wydad will carry the Moroccan flag in the mini-league phase while DR Congo rely on five-time champions TP Mazembe, whose multi-national squad secured a place Saturday.

As ASEC and V Club fell, former champions Esperance and Etoile Sahel of Tunisia, Entente Setif of Algeria and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa all progressed.

A first half goal from Anice Badri was enough to give Esperance a 1-0 home win over Gor Mahia of Kenya after a goalless first leg in east Africa.

The outcome shattered Gor dreams of becoming the first Kenyan club to reach the group phase, where qualifiers earn at least $550,000 (450,000 euros).

Etoile, the only winners of all five current and past CAF club competitions, lost 1-0 away to Plateau United of Nigeria, but squeezed through 4-3 on aggregate.

Plateau were disadvantaged by having to move the match from their Jos home to Kano after the Tunisians complained that the original venue did not match international standards.

Twice champions Setif sounded a warning by thrashing Aduana Stars of Ghana 4-0 at home having trailed by a goal going into the return match.

Sundowns overcame a rain-soaked Pretoria pitch and rugged opposition from Rwandans Rayon Sports to win 2-0 after a goalless first encounter.

Uganda goalkeeper Dennis Onyango rescued the 2016 champions with several superb early saves before a goal in each half from Wayne Arendse and Sibusiso Vilakazi won the tie.

Rarely has a 3-1 defeat been celebrated so much as that suffered by Port of Togo away to twice runners-up Al Hilal of Sudan.

The Lome club, who played 55 minutes a man short after a red card, won the tie on away goals to become the first club from the tiny west African country to reach the group phase.

Source: NAN

Former US Open winner Juan Martin Del Potro stunned world number one Roger Federer 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/2) to win the Indian Wells Masters tournament on Sunday.

In the close to three-hour thriller, the two players kept the audience on tenterhooks, as Federer came from one set down to level scores in a tie breaker.

Federer missed clinching the championship, when he broke del Potro at 4-4, then fluffed the opportunity when he served, by allowing the Argentinian to claw his way back to level scores at 5-5. Like the second, the third set also went into a tie break, with Federer spraying many errors and losing the match.

Del Potro survived three match points before clinching the championship in the tiebreaker, ending a two hour, 42 minute marathon contest on the main stadium court.

He won the first five points of the third set tiebreaker then closed it out when Federer smack a forehand long.

Im still shaking, Del Potro said. Its difficult to describe with words. Its like a dream.

After all my problems, after all my surgeries, I couldnt believe Im here winning a Masters 1000 and beating Roger. Its amazing.

Del Potro was competing in his first Indian Wells final since 2013 when he lost to Spaniard Rafael Nadal.

This is just Del Potros seventh win over Federer in 25 career meetings.

Del Potro is back in the top 10 in rankings this season after dropping to No. 1,045 before beginning his comeback from three left wrist surgeries in 2016.

Its a bit disappointing but thats how it goes, Federer told the press.

But well done to him. I lost my serve a little bit (in the tiebreak) and he was clean.

Standing at the trophy ceremony I wish I couldve played that tiebreak again, he added.

I had a great run again this week, Federer said. We love coming here. There was not much in between us, but you (del Potro) deserve it. Enjoy the moment.

See you all next year.

Source: NAN

The President of the Dickson Akoh Foundation, Amb. Dickson Akoh has expressed gladness over the return of some displaced Benue communities.

The displaced people of Ogobia and Ondo communities of Ugboju district in Otukpo local government of Benue State, returned to their ancestral homes, six months after a communal clash.

The two communities had been enmeshed with crises which had lasted for three years, where over 100 persons had lost their lives, property worth millions of naira destroyed and over 1000 people displaced.

Elder Okopi Odah, the Village Head of Ondo community and the Youth leader, Enokela Agba, told a gathering at the weekend that, the people had no other place to call their home, since the government did not provide any camp for the displaced persons, they had been living at the mercy of friends and relatives in the neighbouring communities.

Since the Eje Alekwu of Ugboju (the cultural festival of Ugboju people) is this weekend, we cant afford to celebrate it elsewhere, other than our ancestral home, we have no option than to return home, Mr. Odah told his visitors.

He, however, lamented the recent arrests of over 5 youths from the community whom he said have been languishing in police net without prosecution or bail.

Responding, the President of Dickson Akoh Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, appreciated the community for heeding to his entreaties that they should return home, assuring that, his foundation would continue to liase with the government to ensure that lastiing peace, tranquility and decorum return to the hitherto crisis ravaged communities.

Akoh who is a holder of the traditional title of Ogigomebe kUgboju (the traditional mirror of Ugboju district), enjoined the people of the community to shun further act of violence, saying no community will develop or progress in an atmosphere of crisis.

On the alleged illicit arrests of youth members, the National Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria assured the youth that he would liaise with relevant authorities to ensure that they were released, adding that, he had met with Governor Samuel Ortom early hours of the day to discuss state of the communities with him.

While warning against reprisal attacks and malicious accusations against fellow brethren, Akoh, however, said, in a case where it is established that anyone is linked to the killing of the deceased, the law shall be allowed to take its course.

Akoh, through his foundation, made cash donation and relieve materials which include food items and others, that could serve round the entire returnees, even as he promised to ensure that adequate security is provided as the people celebrate Eje Alekwu festival.

Meanwhile, a teenager and student of Vama Model Secondary school in Otada, Otukpo local government of Benue State, who recently invented a dummy motorcycle, car and grinding machine from waste plastic products, Paul Oloche, was at the weekend celebrated in his school by Dickson Akoh Foundation.

In the event which had in attendance, the member representing Adoka/Ugboju constituency at the Benue House of Assembly, Barr. Adam Okloho, the Paramount ruler of Otukpo area council, Chief John Eyimonye, the Proprietor of the school, Rev. Fr. Sylvester Onmoke and others, Akoh called on Idoma leaders to rally round the young and talented Oloche to enable him fulfil his dream of becoming a renowned Engineer.

To this end, the foundation made a cash donation of five hundred thousand naira to be lodged in an account which shall serve to raise endowment fund for young Oloches university education outside the country.

In a related development, the foundation also visited a 3-year old boy, Fanen Tehemen who has been languishing in Makurdi hospital since September 2017 as the parents could not raise the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira to perform a surgery on him.

The little Fanen who has lost one of his hands and about loosing his eye due to excruciating effect of fire burnt, however, got his medical bills paid by Dickson Akoh Foundation which would warrant immediate surgery to be performed on him.

Source: NAN

The last batch of 108 Nigerian police officers has been withdrawn from the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) after five years of service.

UNMIL said the remaining 108 Nigerian FPU officers, the last UNMIL uniformed contingent remaining in Liberia, withdrew as part of the UN missions termination.

The batch of 200 Nigerian peacekeepers withdrew from Liberia in February as part of the termination of the missions mandate, scheduled on March 30, the mission said.

The Nigerian contingent has been deployed in Liberia since UNMIL was first established in 2003.

Nigeria has been a main contributor of military and police to UNMIL.

The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has been a steadfast partner to Liberia for the last 15 years.

It has supported security and security sector reform, rule of law, efforts to disarm, human rights and sustainable peace.

The Mission will complete its mandate on 30 March 2018.

UNMIL was established in September 2003 with 16,475 uniformed personnel to monitor a ceasefire agreement in Liberia, following the conclusion of the Second Liberian Civil War.

An official farewell ceremony was held in February in honour of the last departing 689 uniformed personnel 404 military and 285 police personnel who had served with the Mission.

This symbolised the end of UNMILs military and police operations in Liberia, more than 14 years after UNMIL was deployed in compliance with Security Council resolution 1509 (2003).

Nigerias Maj.-Gen. Salihu Uba is the Force Commander and Head of UNMILs Military component of men and women from various countries, including Nigeria, Pakistan and Ukraine.

Uba was Commander of the Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army before his appointment as the Force Commander for UNMIL by the former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Jan. 9, 2015.

The Formed Police Unit composed of Nigerian and Chinese personnel and since 2003, 61 contingents from various countries had served in Liberia, UNMIL said.

According to Uba, the missions uniform component military and police have taken greater stride towards strengthening peace and security, rule of law, governance among others in Liberia.

The Force Commander stated that it was not all roses particularly for the military which had the highest fatalities of 138 personnel while the police lost 21 persons.

As we are closing, the memory of those 159 persons and others in the Mission will continue to live in our minds.

We will continue to pay special tribute to them and those who contributed to peace and security in Liberia the Major General said.

The Force Commander, on behalf of the Police Commissioner Simon Blatchly, expressed their profound appreciation to the uniformed component of UNSMIL.

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Farid Zarif, had in his speech, stated that the farewell signified an important benchmark in the history of the UN in West Africa.

While my colleagues in uniform are writing the last pages of the peacekeeping operations here, Liberians and their Leaders have started writing the first pages of a brand new chapter in their history.

Liberian President George Weah commended UNMIL for its longstanding support to peace and stability, saying the Liberian people will forever remain grateful to them for their bravery and service.

Weah said: Thank you for your hard work and sacrifice you have made over the years to keep the peace and stability of our beloved mama Liberia. As you leave us now, we will forever remember you. (NAN)

Source: NAN

The White House on Monday said the re-election victory of Russian President Vladimir Putin was no surprise to the country.

The spokesman Hogan Gidley saidthere was no congratulatory phone call scheduled with President Donald Trump.

Were not surprised by the outcome, he said of the Russian election.

Gidley further told reporters on Air Force One, which was carrying Trump to New Hampshire, that the United States will work with Russia where it can.

We will work to cultivate the relationship with Russia and we will impose costs when Russia threatens our interests, but we will also look for places to work together when it serves our interests, Gidley said.

Source: NAN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Monday injected 210 million dollars into the inter-bank Foreign Exchange Market, in its bid to sustain liquidity in the foreign exchange market.

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, CBN, Mr Isaac Okoroafor in a statement said that the move would ensure the continuous availability of foreign exchange to customers.

Giving a breakdown, Okoroafor said that the bank offered 100 million dollars to authorised dealers in the wholesale segment of the market, while the Small and Medium Enterprises segment received 55 million dollars.

He said also that customers requiring foreign exchange for invisibles such as tuition fees, medical payments and Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), among others, were also allocated 55 million dollars.

Okoroafor reassured the public that the bank would continue to intervene in the interbank foreign exchange market in line with its desire to sustain liquidity in the market and maintain stability.

He also said that the steps taken so far by the apex bank in the management of foreign exchange was paying off, as reflected by reduction in the countrys import bills and accretion to its foreign reserves.

The CBN also recently injected 210 million dollars into the Wholesale segment of the foreign exchange market.

Meanwhile, the naira continued its stability in the foreign exchange market, exchanging at an average of N360 to a dollar in the Bureau de Change segment of the market.

Source: NAN

Senator Dino Melaye has described as preposterous and laughable, the allegations by the police that he hired two political thugs and armed them to cause mayhem in Kogi State.

The police in Lokoja today said they have charged the senator with illegal possession of firearms in a case filed in a Lokoja court on 16 March.

Charged along with the senator were another politician, Muhammed Audu , said to be on the run and two other deadly persons linked with a spate of kidnapping and robbery.(Also Read:
One of the two suspects was identified as a 31 year-old Kabiru Saidu, a.k.a Osama. T
The other was Nuhu Salisu, who is 25 years-old.

The duo were arrested in January. Police claimed they had confessed that they were also working as thugs for Senator Melaye.

Fabricated lies by Kogi State Govt and the police will fail. Its utterly laughable and preposterous. Its a sign of desperation, the embattled Senator tweeted today.

No amount of lies and blackmail will detract my attention from speaking the truth and defending it, he said.

Melaye also claimed that the withdrawal of police from VIPs, announced by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, was targeted at him.

I am the target. IG wants to expose me so I can be killed. Having survived assassination attempt twice, I deserve police protection in a country where Im a tax payer, he wrote.

At a press conference in Lokoja today, the police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, said the police seized from the thugs and their gang members , two AK47 rifles, five pump action guns, two locally made pistols and heaps of charms.

According to the police, the men not only confessed to have been involved in several kidnappings in the state and environs, they also claimed to be hired thugs for politicians.

According to the gang leader, Osama, he has been working as a political thug for one Alhaji Mohammed Audu a Politician in the State.

He said Alhaji Mohammed Audu invited him to Abuja and introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye and they met on Airport road, Abuja inside the Senator Dino Melayes Car in the month of December, 2017.

The suspect further confessed that Sen. Dino Melaye told him that they should start working for the Senator as his political thugs and they should recruit and train more other(sic) thugs to work for him in preparation toward 2019 General election to enable him ( Sen. Dino Melaye ) challenge his political opponents and disorganised Kogi State.

The police said Osama further confessed that Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two Pump Action guns and the N430,000.00 to share with his boys.

Consequent on the indictments and criminal confessions against Senator Dino Melaye by the principal suspect KABIRU SAIDU a.k.a OSAMA 31 YRS, Nigeria Police Force, wrote a letter dated 2nd of March, 2018 addressed to the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria informing and requesting him to release Senator Dino Melaye to report to Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command on the 7th March, 2018 to answer to criminal offences levelled against him, to enable the Police carry out a discreet investigation into the confessions of the principal suspect against Senator Dino Melaye. But Senator Dino Melaye have refused to honour the Police invitation till date.

A case of Criminal Conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms have therefore been filed by the Nigeria Police Force at Federal High Court Lokoja on 16th March, 2018 against the two suspects mentioned above, Senator Dino Melaye and Alh. Mohammed Audu who is also a suspect in the matter and is now on the run.

Source: NAN

Ride services company, Uber today suspended its autonomous vehicle programme after its self-driving sport utility vehicle, killed a woman on the street, in Arizona.

The 49 year-old woman was identified as Elaine Herzberg. She died from her injuries in a hospital, police said.

The accident in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe dealt a potential blow not only to Ubers strategy but the eventual rollout of robot cars on public roads.

It was the first fatality from a self-driving vehicle.

The vehicles are being tested around the globe in a high-profile race by global automakers and tech companies expecting that autonomous vehicles will transform transportation and the ride services business.

The vehicle was in autonomous mode with an operator behind the wheel at the time of the accident, which occurred overnight Sunday to Monday, Tempe police said.

The vehicle was traveling northbound when a female walking outside of the crosswalk crossed the road from west to east when she was struck by the Uber vehicle, police said in a statement.

Local television footage of the scene showed a crumpled bike and a Volvo XC90 SUV with a smashed-in front.

Tempe is 11 miles (18 km) east of Phoenix.

An Uber Technologies Inc spokesman said the company was suspending North American tests of its self-driving vehicles. In a tweet, Uber expressed its condolences and said the San Francisco-based company was fully cooperating with authorities.

Volvo confirmed the vehicle was a Volvo XC90, which Uber has been using special versions of in its testing. Russell Datz, a spokesman for the automaker, said the autonomous technology was not made by Volvo.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said they were sending teams to investigate the crash. NHTSA also said it was in contact with Volvo. The Swedish car brand is owned by Chinas Geely.

In Canada, the Ministry of Transportation in Canadas Ontario province, which is overseeing Ubers on-road autonomous testing in Toronto, said it was reviewing the accident.

On Friday, Alphabet Incs self-driving unit Waymo and Uber urged Congress to pass sweeping legislation to speed the introduction of self-driving cars into the United States. Some congressional Democrats have blocked the legislation over safety concerns, and Mondays fatality could hamper the quick passage of the bill, congressional aides said Monday.

This is a wake-up call to the entire AV industry and government to put a high priority on safety, tweeted former U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

Senator John Thune, who heads the Senate Commerce Committee, and has been urging Congress to pass sweeping legislation to speed self-driving cars to U.S. roads, said in a statement the accident underscores the need to adopt laws and policies tailored for self-driving vehicles.

Fallout from the crash will likely prove negative for all auto makers and suppliers with aspirations in autonomous driving, Buckingham Research Group analyst Glenn Chin wrote in a client note. A human fatality is likely to spur increased public and regulatory scrutiny of AVs around a process that is admittedly quite lax in the U.S.

Source: NAN

Scientists at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States have red-flagged two blood pressure drugs that are themselves killers.

According to Medical News Today, scientists found that individuals with hypertension who used alpha blockers and alpha-2 agonists to control their blood pressure showed an increase in blood pressure variability, which could increase mortality risk.

Alpha blockers which include doxazosin mesylate and prazosin hydrochloride work by dilating the blood vessels. Alpha-2 agonists, such as methyldopa, work by targeting sympathetic nervous system activity, thereby reducing blood vessel constriction.

Scientists said the two classes of drugs are inimical to users health and should be avoided.

Lead study author Dr. Brian Clements and team have recently presented their findings at the 2018 American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions, held in Orlando, FL.

Blood pressure is the force of blood that pushes against the wall of the arteries. And, in November last year, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the ACC set new guidelines.

Now, a person is considered to have hypertension if his systolic blood pressure (the top number) is 130 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or higher, and their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) is 80 mmHg or higher.

Systolic blood pressure is the force of blood against the artery walls when the heart is beating, while diastolic blood pressure is the force of blood when the heart is at rest, or between heartbeats.

The updated guidelines mean that almost half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, which puts them at greater risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease, among other health problems.

Of course, when it comes to treating hypertension, the goal is to lower blood pressure. This may be achieved through lifestyle changes such as adopting a healthful diet and increasing physical activity medication, or both.

Previous research, however, has discovered that consistency is key for blood pressure levels. A study published in The BMJ in 2016, for example, associated higher variability of systolic blood pressure with a 15 percent increase in all-cause mortality.

According to the new study from Dr. Clements and colleagues, certain types of medication that are used to lower blood pressure may be contributing to this mortality risk.

For their study, the researchers analyzed the data of over 10,500 adults with high blood pressure.

The participants had their blood pressure measured at least seven times between January 2007 and December 2011, and the type of blood pressure medication they were using was monitored.

The team used these data to assess whether certain classes of blood pressure medication were associated with variability in blood pressure levels.

The study revealed two classes of blood pressure medication that were linked to higher blood pressure variability in subjects: alpha blockers and alpha-2 agonists.

Based on the study results, Dr. Clements and colleagues say that these two medications should not be used to treat hypertension.

Patients should know what their blood pressure is, he says, and if its up and down all the time, the patient should work with their physician to explore options for the best blood pressure medications that will reduce variances.

Where possible, the two types of medications that show an increase in variances should be avoided.

Dr. Clements adds that ace inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, and thiazide diuretics may be safer treatment options for people with hypertension.

People who are on other types of blood pressure medications have an increased risk of death, he adds.

However, blood pressure variability is not solely down to medication; Dr. Clements notes that the way in which blood pressure is measured can have a significant effect on readings.

For accurate blood pressure readings, he recommends sitting or lying down for 15 minutes before measurements are taken. Avoiding stressful situations and using a well-fitting blood pressure cuff may also help.

Source: NAN

By Chukwuemeka Opara

In an effort to prevent further outbreak of Lassa fever, Ebonyi Government is to begin intensive campaigns against rat consumption in rural areas.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Chief Donatus Njoku, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abakaliki that the government would explore all avenues to dissuade the citizens from consuming rats.

NAN reports that Lassa fever outbreak in the state in January resulted in four deaths and it is believed thatinhabitants of the state erroneously believe rats have high nutritional value.

Njoku said: Rats are the primary vectors of the disease, and we are vigorously carrying out enlightenment through mass media, workshops, seminars and various ministries communication channels.

We will collaborate with traditional rulers and other opinion leaders at the grassroots to educate rural dwellers to shun such a notion and realise that rat is the diseases primary vector.

We have also continued to sensitise the populace to urgently report suspected cases to relevant health agencies.

With the total functionality of the state government-owned South-East Virology Centre, such an occurrence can be expeditiously handled.

On sanitation, Njoku said that contrary to insinuations, non-observance of the monthly sanitation in the state did not affect effective sanitation.

State and Federal Government functions sometimes fall on the last Saturday of the month, and when this occurs, we have to comply.

The state government has evolved policies which make the populace to clean their environments on daily basis and not wait for designated days, he said.

Njoku told NAN that the state Ministry of Environment ensured that state government ministries and parastatal-agencies cleaned their environments daily as directed by the governor.

We assess their performances to ascertain the level of compliance; to show his seriousness toward the directive, the governor visits the ministries for on-the-spot assessments.

We encourage the people to keep their environments clean to improve their health, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Wife of the President of the Senate, Toyin Saraki, has been named as special adviser to the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) of the World Health Organisations (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO).

The Media Office of Toyin Saraki, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, said the appointment was made earlier this month by WHOs Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti.

This move is intended to bring Mrs Sarakis considerable frontline experience to bear on WHOs strategy and policy.

Toyin Ojora-Saraki had since accepted the appointment based on the Advisory Groups focus on women and childrens health and in view of her role as a global champion for Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC).

I welcome the Advisory Group meetings focus on the health of women, children and adolescents as flagship indicators for Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) progress.

As a global champion for UHC, I advocate for a fuller understanding of its benefits, which go beyond health outcomes and include improved gender equality, higher levels of preparedness for epidemic outbreaks and transformative economic effects.

As Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives, I particularly welcome the introduction of WHO AFROs focused curriculum for the professional qualification education of Midwives and Nurses in Africa, she said.

I am looking forward to hitting the ground running in my new role as special adviser at the Independent Advisory Group meeting this week in Johannesburg.

The experience I have gained as Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, working closely with our midwives on the frontline, as part of the global Every Woman, Every Child Strategy to end all preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths, including stillbirths, by 2030, will inform my advice to the WHO, she added.

Source: NAN

Monty Pythons Terry Gilliam could be forgiven for thinking the whole Donald Trump presidency is a joke on him.

This is a man after all who renounced his American citizenship in protest at George W. Bush.

For years I was saying we are getting to the point of having a complete conman for a president, the film director and animator told AFP, And now here we are

For somebody who likes turning things upside down, I should be enjoying this but Trump is an idiot, said the maker of Brazil and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

And humour is no defence. Not even the Pythons in their 1960s pomp could match the surreal madcap nature of the presidency, he insisted: Its absurd.

The reality is funnier than anything one can do, Gilliam laughed.

The Life of Brian, their classic satirical take on a false messiah, now seems all too prophetic, he said, completely relevant to the world we are living in.

It makes me feel like Ive gotten very old and I am living through a nightmare, he added.

For his latest project, Gilliam, 77, is directing the opera Benvenuto Cellini in Paris

Its so crazy and there is no way you can do anything. So I have become apolitical, I am Candide, he said, referring to Voltaires naively optimistic hero. I am going to be tending my garden, thats what I am going to do.

Yet the madness of it all still gets Gilliams famously brilliant brain going.

Look at America under Trump, look at England under the Conservatives it is just a joke. Britain is part of Europe and to think it can be Great Britain again is utterly foolish.

Nor is Gilliam, now a British citizen, afraid to call out his old friend and fellow Python John Cleese for supporting Brexit, telling AFP bluntly: He is an idiot!

But even the political climate cannot curb Gilliams boundless optimism and creative fire for long.

At 77 he is still fizzing with ideas, with a stack of projects in his sights including a musical.

In fact, the maker of Time Bandits, The Fisher King and 12 Monkeys is on a high having finally finished The Man Who Killed Don Quixote after nearly two decades of development hell.

The movie has gone down in Hollywood history as one of the most cursed projects ever, beset by such a string of disasters that the saga spawned an acclaimed documentary.

Im free! Gilliam declared, I was the prisoner of Don Quixote for 26 years.

The best thing about it being finished is that I like it, because I thought for all those years I would only disappoint myself. But its great, Adam Driver (of Star Wars fame) and Jonathan Price are extraordinary, the whole cast is wonderful, he said.

#MeToo mob rule

Gilliam has dedicated the movie to the actors Jean Rochefort and John Hurt, neither of whom lived long enough to play Don Quixote.

Ever the mischief maker, the director said the film includes scenes of women behaving inappropriately.

It is his little jab at the #MeToo movement which he claims has morphed into something ugly and dangerous.

Its like when mob rule takes over, the mob is out there they are carrying their torches and they are going to burn down Frankensteins castle.

Its crazy how simplified things are becoming. There is no intelligence anymore and people seem to be frightened to say what they really think. Now I am told even by my wife to keep my head a bit low, he said, ignoring her advice.

While Gilliam condemned Harvey Weinstein as a monster, he claimed that he was not alone. The mogul was exposed because he is such asshole, he said.

I think some people did very well out of meeting with Harvey and others didnt. The ones who did knew what they were doing. These are adults, we are talking about adults with a lot of ambition.

Harvey opened the door for a few people, a night with Harvey thats the price you pay, said Gilliam, who is in Paris to direct an opera, Benvenuto Cellini next week.

He said power had always been abused in the film world and I dont think Hollywood will change. Power takes advantage, it always does.

The great irony, he said, was that while #MeToo has been in full flow a self-confessed pussy-grabber is the president of the US and is just walking around unchallenged, he added.

*AFP

Source: NAN

Donald Trumps lawyer claimed porn actress Stormy Daniels is liable for at least $20 million for violating a nondisclosure agreement that prevents her from discussing an affair with the president.

A lawyer for Michael Cohens Essential Consultants limited liability company which paid Daniels $130,000 under the agreement made the filing, which said that Daniels violated the deal at least 20 times.

The Settlement Agreement provides for liquidated damages of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per instance of breach, the court filing says.

Daniels signed the agreement pertaining to an alleged affair a decade earlier shortly before the 2016 election, leading to allegations that the payment amounted to an illicit contribution to Trumps campaign.

Lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels whose real name Stephanie Clifford earlier this month seeking to toss out the confidential settlement.

The suit alleged that Daniels began an intimate relationship with Trump in the summer of 2006 that continued well into 2007.

On July 12, court proceedings will get under way to decide whether Daniels can dissolve the agreement.

The White House has denied any sexual encounter between Trump and Daniels who has offered to return the $130,000 she received so that she can be free to speak openly and freely about her prior relationship with the president and the attempts to silence her.

She is also asking to be allowed to publish text messages, photos and videos relating to the president, Avenatti said in a letter to Cohen.

Using the pseudonyms Peggy Peterson and David Dennison, Daniels and Trump were to sign the agreement, along with Essential Consultants.

But Trump never signed, providing the basis for Avenattis attempt to have it thrown out and release Daniels from her obligations.

Avenatti took to Twitter on Friday to criticize the court filing.

The fact that a sitting president is pursuing over $20M in bogus damages against a private citizen, who is only trying to tell the public what really happened, is remarkable. Likely unprecedented in our history. We are NOT going away and we will NOT be intimidated, Avenatti wrote on the social media site.

The filing today is yet another bullying tactics from the president and Mr Cohen. They are now attempting to remove this case to federal court in order to increase their chances that the matter will be decided in private arbitration, thus hiding the truth from the public, he wrote.

According to the court filing, Essential Consultants began an arbitration proceeding as provided for by the agreement at the end of February.

Trump has ample reason to want to keep the affair quiet.

The issue could hurt the president with religious voters, who were key to his electoral success, and appears to have already caused strains between the president and First Lady Melania Trump.

Earlier Friday the White House condemned any threat against Daniels after the porn stars lawyer claimed she was threatened with physical violence if she revealed details of the alleged tryst.

Obviously we take the safety and security of any person seriously, said press secretary Sarah Sanders.

The White House certainly would condemn anyone threatening any individual, but I have no knowledge of that situation, she said.

White House officials have tried to deflect questions about the alleged affair, pointing to previous denials by the Trump campaign.

AFP

Source: NAN

By Busayo Onijala

BBNaija housemate, Asogwa Alexandra, popularly known as Alex, has blasted fellow housemates, Tobi and Cee-C, over their frequent quarrels disturbing other housemates after Saturday night parties.

She expressed her displeasure with their behaviour after the duo engaged in a near-fight argument on Saturday, making it the third Saturday in a roll.

Cee-C, who used to be Tobis strategic partner, accused Tobi of calling her a bitch. She also added that she does not like being the topic of conversations in the house.

Alex, who could no longer bear the disturbance, warned both housemates not to bring todays fight into the house.
She told them to settle their problems outside at the lounge before coming in.

Last Saturday, you disturbed everyone with your fight. You made people not to sleep but this time, I wont allow it. Is it now every Saturday thing? Does it mean we wont have our rest in this house again?

Tobi, Cee-C its now becoming a trend after Saturday parties. Creating a drama every Saturday after the party is now boring. People will not understand that you guys are quarreling, It is exhausting for the viewers, I will advice you people to just go and sleep.

You guys are very tiring. If I was watching you at home, I will be bored and just turn off my TV after the Saturday party, she said.

Later on, Alex was heard telling Rico, See, todays own wont be funny.

If they think this house belongs to them, let them come in here with their fight and make noise. Youll see what Ill do to them. Can you imagine? They did it last Saturday and today again.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Alex has been described by BBN viewers as the life of the weekly party. She is always on top of her game when it comes to dancing.

Housemates have been playing individually since they were unpaired. As it is, no housemate will be blamed for the eviction of their strategic partner from the house.

All housemates except Rico Swavey and Nina who is the Head of House(HoH) have been nominated for possible eviction tonight.

Rico who was BamBams partner, is the only housemate who has never been up for nomination thereby making his chances of winning the grand prize high.

Nina was able to save herself from nomination with her power of being the HoH.

The live eviction show airs every Sunday by 7pm, Central African Time.

Source: NAN

BBNaija Double Wahala housemate Anto has been evicted from the show, becoming the eleventh as well as first individual housemate to be evicted.

Last week Big Brother (Biggie) dissolved the pairings therefore requiring them to play the game as individuals.

Previously, paired housemates Bitto and Princess (Pritto), Deeone and Vandora (Vandee), Angel and Ahneeka (Gelah), Ifu Ennada and Leo (Lifu) were evicted from the show alongside Khloe and K-Brule (Ksquared) who were disqualified.

Last week the Head of House (HoH) had her privilege restricted leaving her without the opportunity to alter the nominations.

Antos chances of winning the grand prize of N25 million and an SUV were cut short when she alongside 7 housemates received the highest nominations from fellow housemates.

The American born housemate escaped eviction last week along with her partner, Miracle.

However this week, BBNaija host Ebuka Uchendu announced Anto had received the lowest percentage of votes from fans across the world compared to fellow housemates who were put up for eviction this week.

The evicted housemate revealed to perennial host Ebuka Uchendu that her main purpose in the house was to win the grand prize.

She was however was initially attracted to fellow housemate, Tobi.

She said: I had my eyes on Tobi although he already got close to Cee c. He is a bit childish, we can be friends.

During her post eviction chat with Ebuka, Anto confirmed Cee cs possessive attitude towards Tobi. I could see Cee c did not like it when I interacted with Tobi.

The outgoing housemate took the opportunity to clear up her future with fellow housemate Lolu.

She admitted to spending so much time with him because she genuinely likes him, although she claimed to be open in the future.

I like him, he is my friend, I am not promising anything.

Notably during the eviction show Ebuka sprung up a surprise.

The host, dressed in a typical Nigerian attire known as Baba Riga, announced that viewers have the opportunity to vote to bring two evicted housemate back into the house to continue to vie for the grand prize worth N45 million.

For now, nine housemates left in the game will continue to compete for the grand prize.

Source: NAN