Bridget Ikyado

Mr Emmanuel Shior, the Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), said on Wednesday that the rampaging flood has submerged five communities in Agatu and other parts of Makurdi, the state capital.

Shior disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Makurdi on the current flood situation in the state, adding that Rice Mill and other settlements on the banks of River Benue were also affected.

He said that the state government had taken proactive measures, including setting up a committee to sensitise the people of the state on the dangers ahead.

He said that the committee consists of officials drawn from SEMA, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Information and other stakeholders in the state.

Shior said that SEMA, in conjunction with NEMA and other stakeholders, had embarked on an awareness campaign in the media, churches and Mosques.

He said that the campaign was intended to encourage residents of flood prone areas to relocate to safer areas.

The BSEMA boss said that the latest check with a guage showed that the water level at the River Benue had risen to 11 metres, barely one meter to its maximum level.

According to him, the water has virtually reached the level that caused flooding in 2012, during which most parts of the state were submerged.

He advised residents to steer clear from the river because of the high level, saying that 12 metres was the highest level that could cause disaster in any state.

He said that centres in the state, including the International Market, had been prepared to accommodate displaced persons.

In his remark, Mr Lugard Slaku , the Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for North Central, said that 12 states, including Benue, had been listed as most threatened by flood in the country.

So we have come with a team trained by NEMA to collaborate with SEMA to assess the situation, check the available facilities and gaps and report back to the head office for additional resources, where needed. Slaku said.

Slaku said that while NEMA, SEMA and other stakeholders were working hard to ensure prompt response to distres calls, the people must cooperate with government to prevent avoidable disaster.

Source: NAN

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has again reassured Nigerians that the military is winning the fight against Boko Haram terrorism and will not rest on its oars until terrorism is wiped out of the country.

However, it expressed concerned about mischievous reports by section of the media aimed at discrediting the efforts of troops in the North East.

According to a statement issued by Brig.-Gen. John Agim, the Acting Director Defence Information DDI, the report is being spearheaded by a particular foreign news agency that the Armed Forces is losing the battle against insurgency. He did not name the agency.

Agim, however, said that the report was not true, adding that such malicious articles should be disregarded while the military would continue to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation.

The report was calculated to dampen the spirit of the troops at the theatres of operation and to demean the successes recorded so far in the war against terrorism.

It is more worrisome when such an ill-informed report is coming from a supposed credible news agency expected to be a partner in progress.

It agitates the mind whether the reporter is working in isolation or speaking the mind of its sponsors.

It is a well known fact that terrorism thrives on publicity and propaganda.

It is also known that some journalists work for Boko Haram and fraternize with terrorist commanders against the standing forces to whip up sentiment, he said.

Agim said that at the heat of Boko Haram insurgency, the armed forces with limited weapon chased Boko Haram out of Abuja and other cities into Sambisa Forest.

How much more now that the military is well equipped with determined troops to take on any terrorist group, be it Boko Haram or Islamic State In West Africa.

If this is still seen as struggling by the purveyors of the false report, then the word may have assumed a new meaning, he said.

The DDI said the truth remains that the military strategy of drawing out the enemy had been a great success as hundreds of terrorists had met their waterloo in their desperate attempts to recapture some cities in the North East.

He said the military would continue to do this until terrorists and terrorism were completely annihilated, adding that it was insensible to attempt to rewrite the script and make the military look like the losing side.

Agim urged Nigerians to be wary of uncomplimentary remarks about our nation and its armed forces by sympathisers of terrorist organisations.

Source: NAN

Nigerias ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has released the revised timetable for the conduct of its primaries ahead of February 2019 general elections.

The quoted the National Organising Secretary of the party, Mr Emma Ibediro, saying that the timetable had been approved by the National Working Committee.

Accordingly the 2018 primaries would be held as follows:

Presidential Primary September 25, 2018.

Governorship Primaries September 29, 2018.

Senate Primaries October 2, 2018.

House of Representatives Primaries October 3, 2018.

State House of Assembly Primaries October 4, 2018.

Presidential National Convention October 6, 2018.

Source: NAN

Senator Ademola Adeleke, the PDP governorship candidate in the Osun election on Saturday may not be qualified to run for the office and his attempt to make things up, has landed him in Police trouble.

The police asked him and four others to report today to their Special Investigation Panel at the Abuja headquarters for arraignment in court.

He and the other suspects will face a charge of examination malpractice, criminal conspiracy, personation.

The police named the other suspects as
MR Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School , Egbedore LGA, Osun State), Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (School Staff responsible for the registration of candidates for NECO), Mr Dare Olutope (School Teacher who facilitated the commission of the crime).

Here is the police statement:

On 21st July 2017, the Osun State Police Intelligence Bureau (SIB) received and acted on an actionable intelligence about an ongoing examination malpractice involving Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke at OJO/Aro Community Grammar School in Osun state.

When the Police operative arrived at the school, only Sikiru Adeleke was found seated for the examination while Senator Ademola Adeleke seat was vacant and was suspected to have escaped before the arrival of the Police operatives.

Further investigation revealed that both Senator Ademola Adeleke and his brother Sikiru Adeleke registered and were sitting for the National Examination Council Examination (NECO) 2017 as internal candidates impersonating students of the School at the ages of 57years and 42years respectively. This crime was facilitated by the principal of the school, and two other members of staff of the school for which they are under investigation and being charged to court.

The Principal of the school, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau, the staff responsible for registration, Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo and a teacher Mr Dare Olutope were arrested on 21 July 2017.

Senator Ademola Adeleke was arrested on 27 July 2017 and Sikiru Adeleke was arrested on 8 August 2017.

Senator Ademola Adeleke made cautionary statement and admitted that he registered for the 2017 NECO examinations as an internal student in the said school but he didnt sit for the examination.

However, Police investigation revealed the following primafacial and culpability facts against Senator Ademola Adeleke andfour (4) others.

Senator Ademola Adeleke made cautionary statement and admitted that he registered for the 2017 NECO examinations as an internal student in the said school and did not sit for the examination but have a result from NECO with Seven (7) Credit and One (1) Pass, a copy of which was obtained from NECO by the Police.

The Ojo/Aro 2017 NECO, SSCE school photo album (Schools copy), with Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke Photographs in school uniform in the said album. Senator Ademola Adeleke in the NECO 2017 Result obtained by the claimed that he was born on 12th June 1997 but in his statement to the Police, senator Ademola Adeleke wrote 13th May 1960 as his Date of Birth.
The photographs of both Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke appearing side by side in the photo album have no NECO stamps on them.

Senator Ademola Adeleke and four others were arrested, investigated, granted bail and being charged to court. Charges of Examination Malpractice, Criminal Conspiracy, Personation, Breach of Duty, Aiding and Abetting against Senator Ademola Adeleke (PDP Governorship Aspirant in the 22nd September, 2018 Gubernatorial Election in Osun State) and four (4) others namely; MR Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Egbedore LGA, Osun State), Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (School Staff responsible for the registration of candidates for NECO), Mr Dare Olutope (School Teacher who facilitated the commission of the crime) have been filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja under the Examination Malpractice Act, CAP E15, 2004 today, Wednesday, 19th September, 2018.

Consequently, Senator Ademola Adeleke (PDP Governorship Aspirant in the 22nd September, 2018 Gubernatorial Election in Osun State) and four (4) others namely; MR Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Egbedore LGA, Osun State), Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (School Staff responsible for the registration of candidates for NECO), Mr Dare Olutope (School Teacher who facilitated the commission of the crime) are hereby advised in their own interest to report to the Special Investigation Panel, Force Headquarters, Abuja immediately for arraignment in court.

Source: NAN

The African Development Bank Group on Thursday banned for 48 months, Geo Sciences International Sarl, a consulting firm based in Yaound, Cameroon for alleged fraudulent practices.

An investigation conducted by the Banks Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption established that GEO SCIENCES engaged in numerous fraudulent practices in bidding for a consulting contract under the Agro-Forestry Development Support Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

While participating in a tender for the conduct of various technical, biophysical and mapping studies, the company misrepresented its experience in conducting such studies as well as the remuneration of the experts involved in these studies.

Further, GEO SCIENCES failed to properly disclose a potential conflict of interest.

The debarment renders the consultancy firm ineligible to participate in Bank-financed projects during the debarment period.

The debarment qualifies for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Recognition of Debarment Decisions, including the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank Group.

The Agro-Forestry Development Support Project was financed under the Congo Basin Forest Fund hosted by the AfDB.

The Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption of AfDB Group is responsible for preventing, deterring and investigating allegations of corruption, fraud and other sanctionable practices in Bank Group-financed operations.

The investigation by the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption of the African Development Bank was conducted by Mr. Mehdi KHOALI and Mr. Bouraoui JAOUADI.

African Development Bank staff and the general public can use secured hotlines to report sanctionable practices within the Bank or operations financed by the Bank Group. ()

Source: NAN

Simon Pesco Mallam, Chairman, Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission, and Mr Dazhu Yang, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Technical Cooperation, signed Nigerias Country Programme Framework (CPF) for the period of 20182023 on 19 September 2018.

A CPF is the frame of reference for the medium-term planning of technical cooperation between a Member State and the IAEA and identifies priority areas where the transfer of nuclear technology and technical cooperation resources will be directed to support national development goals.

Nigeria has been an IAEA Member State since March 1968.

Its 20182023 CPF identifies 6 priority area of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Food and Agriculture Health and Nutrition, Water Resources and Environment,Energy and Industry and Research Reactors.

Source: NAN

By Olawale Akinremi

An Ibadan Customary Court sitting on Mapo Hill on Thursday struck out a case of infidelity brought against
a woman following her death.

The petitioner, Marian Folalu, a housewife, had asked the court to dissolve her 20-year-old marriage to her husband, Kayode, over the controversy surrounding her fifth pregnancy that she probably had it for another man.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that at the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, Kayode informed the court that his wife died sometime in May during child bearing.

Consequently, Chief Ademola Odunade, the courts President, who sympathized with the respondent, however, struck out the case.

Odunade advised Kayode to approach the appeal division of the customary court for a redress if he so desired.

Marian had told the court that the controversial pregnancy, being the subject of litigation before the court, belonged to her concubine, Ololade.

Marian, who denied that her husband was responsible for the pregnancy, told the court that her concubine, who had been sleeping withher since January of 2018, was the rightful owner of the expected child.

Oloade, in his testimony, corroborated the petitioner s claim that he was responsible for the pregnancy.

But the respondent dismissed the claim and and insisted that the pregnancy was his.

The court had adjourned the case until Sept. 20 when Marian was expected to have given birth so that DNA test could be conductedto determine the paternity of the child.

Source: NAN

Trumphis attacks on OPEC Thursday morning amid oil prices that have climbed to their highest level in two months.

We protect the countries of the Middle East, they would not be safe for very long without us, and yet they continue to push for higher and higher oil prices! We will remember.

The OPEC monopoly must get prices down now! trump says

With the caveat that its quite possible to over-interpret Trumps tweets, todays action underscores the tricky oil politics facing the White House.

Trump is moving ahead with sanctions against Iran that are already curbing their exports ahead of formal reimposition in November.

But keeping Iranian barrels off the market tightens supply and puts upward pressure on prices, which creates political risks for Republicans, particularly before midterm elections.

OPECs output already reached a 9-month high in August, according to the International Energy Agency.

Iranian oil minister Bijan Zanganeh on Thursday said he would veto any OPEC deal that imperils Tehrans oil market share, complicating the organisations talks with Russia and other partners to institutionalise their supply management accord beyond this year.

The comments come just ahead of this weekends meeting of a committee monitoring the supply pact between OPEC, Russia and some other non-OPEC producers.

The session is aimed at putting meat on the bones of the broad agreement last June to raise output, Platts notes.

Read more at :

Source: NAN

By Chukwudi Ekezie

After Vote Buying, Nigerias new political headache, reached its climax during the conduct of Ekiti governorship election in July, Nigerians have been thinking of ways to deal with the phenomenon which threatens to destroy the countrys democracy.

The electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has since then held several stakeholders engagements to find a solution to the problem, which gets more sophisticated with every new election.

At the beginning, it was the bribing of prospective voters by politicians, who offer them gifts of food and clothing items as well as suspicious acts of philanthropy in form of empowerment programmes and infrastructure development projects during electioneering.

Later the practice was the secret bribing of election officials, party and security agents to change poll results in favour of losers.

However, recent experiences demonstrate the boldness of politicians who have turned election venues to open auction grounds, where the ballot goes to the highest bidder.

To avoid the shame of Ekiti during which voters received pay for voting after displaying pictures of thumb-printed ballot papers to party agents, INEC has resolved to re-administer polling units, starting with the Osun Governorship Election holding on Sept. 22.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said when he presented Certificate of Registration to 23 new political parties that the new polling unit structure would make it difficult for voters to display their ballot papers after marking them.

The commission is deeply worried about our elections, particularly the way they are becoming increasingly monetised.

Vote buying is a cancer to our elections and we must work together collectively to stamp it out.

Accordingly, and on the part of the commission starting with Osun Governorship Election coming up on Sept. 22, we will change the way our polling units are administered.
It will be done in such a way that there will be no room for voters to expose their marked ballot papers between voting cubicles and the ballot boxes.

We shall further re-strategise with the security agencies for a more robust response to the arrest and prosecution of vote buyers.

We will also engage with all well-meaning groups for more effective voter education and voter sensitisation, Yakubu said.

To strengthen its hold on the issue, INEC stated that voters would no longer be allowed to take smartphones into the voting cubicle to prevent them from taking pictures of thumb-printed ballot papers to present to party agents as evidence for payment after voting.

In the past, the commission said it was helpless over the handling of matters arising from the conduct of elections, especially the prosecution of electoral offenders. It said it lacked the capacity to prosecute such cases.

However, that responsibility has shifted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which has accepted to prosecute election fraud offenders.

The Acting Chairman of EFCC Ibrahim Magu said the agency was working with INEC and the police to track politicians and others involved in vote buying.

Magu said EFCC was monitoring spending by politicians and political parties during elections and had put banks on notice regarding transactions by parties and politicians.

We are working with INEC to stop vote buying, we are seriously pursuing this.

We will monitor unusual cash withdrawals. We are going to work with other relevant agencies like the police on this.

Before now, it was inconceivable for law enforcement agencies to investigate the sources of election funding of political parties and their candidates.

This has led to gross financial abuse and the pervasion of the electoral process and consequently enthroned bad leadership which in turn led to corruption and bad governance, he said.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on its part approved a bill for a law to establish an Election Offences Commission. The agency, it is hoped, will take the burden of post-election crises management off the shoulders of INEC.

The steps so far taken, particularly the ban on the use of smartphones in polling cubicles, do not appeal to some groups. The leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) describes the step as a plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the 2019 general elections.

We have all heard what the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said about the decision to ban the use of smartphones in the polling units. All over the world, a smartphone is the easiest way of communication.

What they have said clearly shows that the commission, in connivance with the All Progressives Congress, has perfected a rigging strategy for the next election.

In fact, INEC has sent Nigeria back to the primitive days.

The same plan to rig the 2019 election is responsible for the refusal of the president to sign the amended Electoral Act because the card reader must be used, PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus said.
Similarly, a group, Not Too Young To Perform, has rejected the ban on the use of smartphones at polling units and urged INEC to plan better.

For us, since the major incident of vote buying occurred during the Anambra governorship election in November last year, INEC has not done enough to nip the anti-people practice in the bud.

We hail the commission for recognising that vote buying is a big challenge that must be tackled, but the ban on use of cellphones and camera at polling units cannot be the best INEC can offer in its efforts to curb the menace. INEC should go back to the drawing board to find better ways to deal with it if it cant prosecute offenders.

While all stakeholders acknowledge the threat of vote buying to democracy, the issue remains contentious.

The approach adopted by INEC is traditional considering the state of technology at its disposal. The proposals by EFCC and FEC are laudable, but considering the weakness in law enforcement in the country, there are doubts that much can be achieved.

For example, while the law makes electoral fraud an offence, no one, including some persons alleged to have been involved in electoral violence, bribery, intimidation, forgery and manipulation of election results in the past, has been punished.

It has been difficult to apply the rule to all groups and persons in Nigeria, especially when influential persons are involved. Such persons and groups or those associated with them are often treated with deference.

In all societies when a problem arises in one sector the whole community, including scientists, get to work to resolve the issue.

The adoption of scientific approach to deal with issues is objective and less contentious.

Vote buying is a Nigerian problem. Maybe someday, a Nigerian scientist will develop a chip that can be installed on the panel used in constructing the voting cubicle to hinder all activities not related to the casting of vote in the enclosure. (NANFeatures)

Source: NAN

By Uchenna Eletuo

The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Lagos, said on Thursday that it had seized contraband valued at N81 million in the last one month.

Benjamin Binga, the new Comptroller of Customs, Western Marine Command, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Binga said the seizures in Idiroko, Yekeme and Badagry axis were made were made possible through intelligence gathering efforts of the officers.

He listed the seized items to included 800 bags of rice, 806 wraps of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) and 15,000 kegs of petrol each containing 30 litres.

The comptroller, who took over the command on Aug. 6, reassured the public that there will be no hiding place for smugglers.

Barely four days after I assumed office there was massive seizure of wraps of cannabis along the Badagry creeks, signaling a purposeful start.

Within thirty days other seizures were made, showing that the officers actually read my lips when I declared zero tolerance on smuggling during the handover ceremony, Binga said.

The comptroller said that the seizures had been auctioned to the public and some security agencies.

Binga also warned economic saboteurs to stay clear the zone as the command was poised to stop their illegal dealings. (NAN)

Source: NAN