A transitional military council is established in Chad, headed by Lt.-Gen. Mahamat Idriss Deby, the son of late president Idriss Deby, the Al Wihda newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The military plans to publish a transitional charter soon.

Chad declared a two-week national mourning period after the presidents death and imposed a curfew from 18:00 p.m. local time until 05:00 a.m.

In addition, the military decided to close land and air borders until further notice.

The AFP reported earlier in the day that Deby, who commanded an army unit during hostilities against the rebels in Chads north, died.

A source confirmed to Sputnik that the president was critically injured during the clashes and died later in a hospital.

Mahamat previously served as the second in command of the Armed Forces for the Chadian Intervention in Northern Mali (FATIM).

On Feb. 22, he led his army against rebels in the Adar al-Ifoghas mountains in Northern Mali leading to the Battle of al-Ifoghas.

They eliminated a rebel base said to be of significant importance, inflicting heavy losses upon the rebels but also losing twenty-six men in the process, including Abdel Aziz Hassane Adam, a commander of special forces.

Mahamat took full command of the FATIM and has since been leading operations against rebels in the North. (Sputnik/NAN)

Source: NAN News

The transitional period in Chad, which was imposed after the death of President Idriss Deby, will last for 18 months, the military council said on Tuesday, also announcing the closure of land and air borders.

A transitional military council, led by the son of the late president, was established in Chad.

The transitional military council ensures national independence, territorial integrity, unity, respect for international agreements and treaties, and also ensures a transition within 18 months, the council said in a statement, published on the presidential website.

The transitional military council also announced it would dissolve the cabinet and the parliament.

Land and air borders are closed until further notice, the statement read on.

Apart from that, a nationwide curfew will be imposed from 18:00 p.m. until 05:00 a.m. local time.

A military spokesman said on Monday that Chadian soldiers halted a rebel advance in the countrys north, after American and British embassies urged personnel to leave ahead of a possible assault on the capital.

General Azim Bermandoa Agouna, the Chad Army spokesperson, said the countrys forces had defeated a group of terrorists who had ventured into the north of the Kanem province, on national TV on Saturday.

He said that the clashes had taken place late Saturday and that the rebel column from Libya was totally decimated.

The rebels are believed to be from a group known by its French acronym FACT: The Front for Change and Concord in Chad.

The central African nation that held presidential elections last week has had a long history of rebellions during the 30-year reign of President Idriss Deby Itno, who is expected to remain in power.

At times he has accused neighboring countries of supporting the rebel movements.

Chadian soldiers also have long battled militants from the extremist group Boko Haram.

Some 330,000 Chadians are internally displaced, the majority in the volatile Lake Chad region where Boko Haram fighters are most active. (Sputnik/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Egyptian Minister of Transport Kamel al-Wazir has replaced the head of the railway authority on Tuesday, following a series of deadly train crashes in one month.

Ashraf Raslan was removed from his position and will serve as an advisor to the minister, according to a ministry statement.

Mostafa Abdel-Latif Abul-Makarem will be the acting head of the authority for one year.

These decisions were part of 10 senior appointments al-Wazir made within the railway authority.

The changes are in line with the next stage which requires a number of qualified (personnel) to continue the comprehensive development for the railway network, the ministry said in its statement.

The outgoing head, Raslan, was appointed in July 2018 amid similar circumstances, as his predecessor was also removed following a deadly train derailment.

Since March 26, Egypt has seen several train accidents which left some 30 people killed and hundreds injured.

In February 2019, an unmanned locomotive rammed into a platform at Cairos train station, causing a fire that claimed 31 lives.

Egypts worst rail disaster took place in 2002, when a passenger train caught fire, killing more than 360 people. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Chadian President Idriss Deby, who died in the battlefield on Tuesday, was a distinguished military leader, the African Union (AU) has said.

President Deby was a great Statesman, the African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said in a condolence message on Tuesday.

Mahamat wrote that he learnt of President Debys death with great dismay and deep emotion while sending his condolence message to Chadians.

President Deby, who rose to power in 1990, has been acknowledged for his fight against the Boko Haram insurgents and was on the frontline when he was killed.

The Chadian leader had joined his troops to fight rebels marching towards the capital, NDjamena, when he was killed.

Meanwhile, the Chadian Transitional Military Council, which was formed after the death of the 68-year-old leader, has named President Debys son, Mahamat Kaka, the President.

Deby was killed shortly after emerging winner of a recent Presidential election. (PANA/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate on Tuesday mandated its standing Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate the alleged assault on a security guard, Clement Sargwak.

The assault was allegedly committed by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, at Banex Plaza, Wuse II, Abuja.

Sagwak, had petitioned the Senate through his Sen. Istifanus Gyang (Plateau North).

President of the Senate Ahmed Lawan asked the Committee on Ethics and privileges headed by Sen. Ayo Akinyelure to investigate the matter and report back in four weeks.

The Senate investigation was premised on the fact that the petitioner was yet to seek redress in Court.

Earlier presenting the petition at plenary, Gyang said the petitioner was seeking for justice, given the assault on him by the Tribunal Judge, while carrying out his duty.

Gyang said the petitioner alleged Umar assaulted him, asked him to kneel down and also slapped him. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Muftau Ogunyemi

The Ondo State Election petitions tribunal on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by the PDP against the re-election of Gov. Akeredolu for a second term in office.

The petition was filed by Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP against Gov. Akeredolu of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Jegede challenged the victory of the ruling APC and its candidate in the Oct 10, 2020 governorship election which saw the return of Akeredolu for second term in office.

The Justice Umar Abubakar-led three-member panel struck out the petition for lacking jurisdiction in the matter.

Issues raised therein in this petition are settled issue of internal affairs and management of a political party on which this tribunal has no jurisdiction, Abubakar held.

Abubakar, who delivered the judgment via zoom, therefore upheld the reelection of Akeredolu as governor of Ondo State in Oct. 10, 2020 governorship election. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Adeyemi Adeleye

The Lagos State government says it plans to hold its local government councils poll in July.

Retired Justice Ayotunde Phillips, Chairman of Lagos State Independence Electoral Commission (LASIEC) said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

Phillips said election into the offices of Chairman, Vice Chairman and Councillors in all the 20 local councils and 37 LCDAs in the state would hold that day.

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) the body charged with the statutory responsibility of electoral management and administration is committed to conducting a free, fair, credible and inclusive election.

The Statutory Notice shall be published very soon, the LASIEC chairman said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tenure of the incumbents, who have been in power since 2017, will expire in July.

The state Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) had advised Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to set machinery in motion for the conduct local councils election.

The state IPAC Chairman, Mr James Adeshina spoke against the backdrop of insinuations that the state would not conduct council elections in 2021 since there was no provision for such exercise in 2021 budget of the state.

He said that IPAC members would not support appointment of sole administrators or caretaker committees when the tenure of the incumbents expired. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Kingsley Okoye

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday lauded the harmonious relationship among the various arms of government, attributing it to stability and purposeful leadership.

Ola Awoniyi, his Special Adviser on Media in a statement in Abuja said Lawan spoke at a book launch in Abuja to commemorate the 60th birthday of Sen. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC- Kwara ).

The senate president said the ninth National Assembly decided from its inauguration that what the people needed was service which could only be delivered through harmony in governance.

We have the unfortunate challenge of insecurity but we also have the fortunate aspect of a government that is functioning.

In the ninth national assembly, we have decided, right from the beginning of the session, that what the people of this country, what our citizens need is service, service and service.

And we cannot, as an administration, deliver the service without being committed to ensuring that we achieve harmony in our chambers and in the national assembly, that we achieve harmony and partnership with other arms of government.

This we believe is necessary, essential and indispensable for success that the administration will achieve. And thank God we are all focused, committed, dedicated and patriotic. Today we have stability in governance in Nigeria.

The crucial thing that we all feel we must conquer today is insecurity. The president and the executive arm of government are doing everything and anything to provide whatever government can provide for our security agencies to fight all the security challenges.

But the national assembly is always there to ensure that funds are available for these agencies to carry on their activities to discharge their mandate, Lawan said.

The senate president, however, said that the government needed the support of the people to succeed in its efforts to tackle the security challenges facing the nation.

We all need everyone and everybody to support government in this respect. No matter how much resources we put into fighting insecurity, if the citizens are not able to identify with the course, there will be setback.

I want to assure everyone here that we in the ninth national assembly are conscious of the fact that there is only one way to make Nigeria better secure Nigeria, create a peaceful Nigeria, a just and equitable Nigeria, Lawan said.

On the celebrant, Lawan said Oloriegbe was a shinning example of the senators in the ninth senate.

Today we are celebrating his 60th birthday, this is a celebration of life of someone who has journeyed and journeyed very well and successfully too.

This celebration is also a celebration of the ninth senate because this is the kind of people that populate the ninth senate.

Everyone of us has journeyed over a long time and has been a successful person before coming to the senate.

Sen. Ibrahim Oloriegbe is a shinning example of what a senator of the ninth senate is: the character, commitment, dedication and the discipline.

It is not for nothing and it is not an accident that he is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, having achieved so much in the health sector, practised and of course being an active participant in politics at the state level, Lawan said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

The Senate has called on the Federal Government to provide more industrial incentives and protection such as offering concessionary loans and larger tax incentives for new entrants into cement production.

This is in order to boost production of cement, reduce price and encourage more valuable producers in Nigeria.

The Senates resolution was sequel to a motion on Tuesday at the plenary on Need for liberalisation of cement policy in Nigeria sponsored by Sen. Lola Ashiru (APC-Kwara) and co-sponsored by five other senators.

Moving the motion, Ashiru said that cement was one of the few building materials in which Nigeria was self-sufficient.

He said that cement took a large share of domestic expenditure and the price of the commodity significantly impacted the governments ability to provide much-needed infrastructural works required for the growth of the economy.

The recent increase in price of cement from N2, 600 to N3, 800 slowed down the amount of construction work being embarked upon thus negatively affecting labour engagement.

The Nigerian cement market is oligopolistic in nature with three players: Dangote (60.6 per cent), Lafarge Africa PLC (21.8 per cent) and BUA Group (17.6 per cent) largely dominating the scene therefore making it susceptible to price fixing practices.

If the status quo persists, the negative consequences of high prices on the economy will outweigh the benefits of producing cement locally, he said.

He said that the significant rise in cement prices in the country and the low purchasing power of Nigerians may result in substandard building construction and non-completion of planned infrastructural works.

Ashiru, therefore, called for an urgent need to encourage more local production of cement to satisfy the demands of Nigeria with a steady growth rate of approximately three per cent per annum.

Out of the three prayers of the motion, only one was adopted by the Senate after a Voice Vote by the President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Joshua Olomu

Amb. Mariam Katagum, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, says the Federal Government was committed to the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for enhanced contribution to the nations Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

She made this known in her speech at the 7EMPRETEC Global Summit, held virtually, on Tuesday, with the theme The Role of Entrepreneurship, MSME and Empretec in post COVID-19 Resurgence.

According to the minister, the Federal Government had rolled out various interventions to reposition MSMEs for increased and sustained contribution to the national economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we are all aware, the MSME sector is the engine of growth of any economy, contributing to its development, job creation and export, amongst others.

An MSMEs survey indicates that Nigerias SMEs contribute nearly 50 percent of the countrys GDP and account for over 80 percent of employment. No doubt, the sector is pivotal to Nigerias growth, including reducing poverty and unemployment levels.

It has, therefore, become more apparent that supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses by creating opportunities for MSMEs to thrive is essential for increasing productivity, creating jobs, and boosting our economy.

This is why Government is working with stakeholders across all sectors, to create the enabling environment for entrepreneurs and MSMEs to ensure that they grow now and into the future, she said.

Katagum said that the Federal Government was repositioning the MSMEs for global competitiveness, through effective implementation of policies and programmes.

She added that the Federal Government, through its Economic Sustainability Committee, had rolled out specific programmes aimed at cushioning the impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs businesses.

According to her, the programmes include, the Survival Fund and Guaranteed Off-take Schemes, which are managed by a Steering Committee in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

The Government of Nigeria had, prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, initiated the MSMEs Clinics scheme as a strategy, aimed at providing support for the MSMEs in the country.

At the clinics, operators in the MSMEs space are engaged by regulators and business advisory experts, on issues ranging from entrepreneurship, skill development, finance, quality