Police IG Mohammed Adamu

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, on Wednesday inaugurated the Zone 13 Nigeria Police Headquarters at Ukpo, near Awka in Anambra.

Ukpo is in the Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the newly-created zone covers the three South-East states of Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra.

Ebonyi was previously under Zone 6 in Calabar, while Enugu and Anambra were under Zone 9 with headquarters in Umuahia.

In a message read on his behalf by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Mr Celestine Okoye, Adamu said in Ukpo that siting the zonal headquarters in Anambra would boost the operations of the police in the South-East.

He said that the process of locating the zonal headquarters at Ukpo was not easy, thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for approving Ukpo community as zone 13 headquarters.

The IGP disclosed that the police authorities would soon inaugurate a Mobile Police Base in Nsugbe in the Anambra East Local Government Area.

He commended Mr Arthur Eze, an indigene of Ukpo for his contributions toward the location of the zonal headquarters at Ukpo.

Eze, a philanthropist said he was thankful to Buhari and the police high command for their choice of his community as the headquarters of zone 13.

Buhari has shown love and interest in the development of the South-East since he took over as the nations president.

He is currently rehabilitating the Enugu-Onitsha highway, constructing the 2Niger Bridge and has approved this new police zone 13 for our people.

We cannot thank him enough, and as a leader from the zone, I must say that we the Igbo people are happy with President Buhari and will continue to support his people-oriented programmes.

Eze, who later handed over the key of the complex to the Okoye, said that policemen deployed to the zone would have a fruitful working experience.

A former Commissioner of Police in Enugu and Edo States, AIG. Danmallam Mohammed, has since assumed duties as the pioneer officer in-charge of the new zone.

NAN reports that none of the three governors in the states under the zone was present at the inauguration ceremony attended by scores of traditional rulers, business executives and politicians from the three states in the zone.

Source: NAN News

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) on Monday agreed to collaborate in the fight against rape and other Sexual and Gender- Based Violence.

The agreement was made during a working visit to the Acting Inspector General Force Intelligence, Ibrahim Lamorde by the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu in Abuja .

They agreed to set modalities in place to strengthen their collaboration in dealing with cases of rape and other Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) brought before them.

Ojukwu said that, it has become imperative to activate the Bi-monthly meeting between the Commission and the Police.

He stated that this meeting would be well focused to deal with all human rights cases which deserve urgent attention from the police especially cases of SGBV which is now a pandemic.

The Commissions work to effectively discharge its mandate in dealing with certain violations cannot be complete without relating with the police.

We need the police to coordinate timely response to save lives.

There is an urgent need to build the capacity of Human Rights and Gender Desk Officers in all the Police Commands across the country, to ensure professionalism and efficiency in dealing with numerous cases generally and rape/SGBV cases in particular he said.

He noted that most survivors of rape are deflated in spirit on arrival to make complaints at the police station.

This, he attributed to the unprofessional conducts in handling the cases by police officers who stigmatise survivors through dismissive comments, describing it as highly unacceptable.

A crop of professional police officers dealing with Human Rights and SGBV can provide accurate data on SGBV cases.

Data is key in addressing these cases because it will help us to get a rundown of cases across the country by knowing how many cases we have at hand; how many are prosecuted and so on Ojukwu stated.

Responding, Lamorde commended the executive secretary for the visit, noting that stigmatisation makes rape cases thrive and that it needs to be addressed from the point where survivors report the incident to the police.

He said officers need to understand the magnitude of the problem they create when they discourage survivors due to their unprofessional conduct.

A special court should be created to ensure accelerated hearing, provide enabling environment to ensure privacy for survivors and encourage them to speak out freely when they present their cases during hearing.

There should be a need to check the threshold of dealing with rape cases which are usually delayed due to the ambiguity surrounding the evidence to prove such cases.

Delay in justice has psychological impact on survivors which emboldens the perpetrators he added.

Lamorde reiterated the importance of retaining professional police officers trained in dealing with rape cases to stay on their beat for at least three years.

This according to him was to ensure continuity in capacity to deal with cases as well as share knowledge with other officers on how to deal with such sensitive cases.

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja, approved N108 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of four road projects.

The projects are in Adamawa, Borno, Enugu and Rivers states.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, stated this announced this while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the seventh virtual meeting of the council in Abuja.

He said that council approved an augmentation of existing contract by N25 billion for the completion of the Lokponta section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt highway.

The ministry of works and housing presented two memoranda.

The first one was to aid the completion of the Lokponta section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt highway.

It was the augmentation of an existing contract by N25 billion and the council approved that augmentation, Fashola said.

The minister said the council also approved the award of three different roads.

The first is Dikwa-Marte-Monguno road for N60.273 billion and the Numan road linking Borno and Adamawa for N15.527 billion.

The third is for Gombi-Biu linking Adamawa and Borno also for N7.643 billion.

On education, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who also addressed the correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, said the council approved an agreement between the Kaduna Polytechnic (KADPOLY) and an investor to renovate 18 blocks of student hostels.

According to him, the contract which is a 15-year concession at the cost of N744.264 million is under a Renovate Operate, Maintain and Transfer (ROMT) arrangement.

It will take one year to construct the hostels, after which the contractor will run it for 15 years within which they will recover what they have sunk into the project.

There are 18 blocks of hostels and each room in a block will house four students.

The total number of students to be housed will be 4,032, Adamu said.

Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and that of Special Duties, Sen. George Akume, gave accounts of the performances of their respective ministries in the past eight months.

Onyeama revealed that his ministry embarked on various job-creating schemes aimed at meeting the Buhari administrations goal of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

He said the ministry had also started organising seminars and strategic meetings aimed at changing the process of the nations foreign policy direction.

On his part, Akume disclosed that his ministry was looking into the possibility of creating one cottage industry in each of the 774 local government areas to boost commercial activities among rural dwellers across the country.

He said the ministry would partner with the Nigeria Governors Forum to fast track the establishment of the industries.

Source: NAN News

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu

The Federal Government has dismissed media report that Unity Schools will be reopened for graduating students to sit for their final examinations.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, stated this when he addressed State House correspondents at the end of the virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Adamu said the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, was misquoted when he spoke on the matter during a Presidential Task Force Briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja on Monday.

Nwajiuba was reported to have announced that school facilities would be made available for revision classes ahead of the examination which commence from Aug. 4 through Sept. 5, and called on parents to take note of the date.

However, according to Adamu, the Federal Governments schools will not reopen any time soon until it is safe to do so because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schools under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education will not reopen on Aug. 4 or any time soon.

Our schools will only open when we believe it is safe for our children and that is when the situation is right, not when the number of COVID-19 infection is going up in the nation.

So, I just want to make that clear.

We will not reopen schools now for examinations or any other reason unless it is safe for our students; even WAEC because WAEC cannot determine for us what we do. So schools will remain closed.

The minister frowned at the way and manner WAEC was handling the issue of the examination timetable, saying the ministry of education was consulted before the announcement of the new date for the exams.

He, therefore, emphasised that no school would participate in the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations earlier scheduled for between Aug.4 and Sept. 5.

Yesterday we called a meeting of stakeholders to tell us their situation and what needs to be done in order to reopen schools but while the meeting was going on, WAEC announced that they will start exams.

So lets see who they are going to start with, he said.

I feel responsible for the whole children in Nigeria not just those in Federal government-controlled schools. Please lets save our children from this.

You can look at this scenario; just one infected child going into a class, can infect everyone in the class and after classes they go back to the hostel; because children cannot observe social distancing as expected.

If one child in the hostel is infected, the next morning everybody will be infected so this is not the right time to open schools, he said.

He, therefore, maintained that final year students preparing for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) would not be allowed to return to school contrary to earlier announcement.(

Source: NAN News

Clement Agba Minister of State Finance

By Nana Musa

The Federal Government is set to develop the countrysAgenda 2050 and a Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2021-2025 to coordinate sectoral approaches.

The Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mr Clement Agba made this known while inaugurating a Central Working Group (CWG) for the programme on Wednesday in Abuja.

This is contained in a statement issued by the ministrys Director of Information, Mrs Imaobong Udoh.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that theMTNDP is being designed to succeed the current Nigeria Vision 20:2020 and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) terminating in December, 2020.

On the other hand, the Agenda 2050 is a long-term perspective plan.

Agba said that the CWG would coordinate sectoral approaches to interventions for joint implementation of the plans.

He said that the adopted approach would address anticipated challenges for preparing an evidence-based national development plan, long-term vision document as well as make recommendations to the ministry for implementation.

According to the minister, the groups assignment includes to refine the scope where necessary, provide leadership, establish the strategy and schedule for the project.

They are also to develop management plans, including a monitoring evaluation framework and the structure for national planning process.

Agba said that the group wouldconvene high-level consultations where necessary designed to elicit commitment to national objectives for development.

The minister said that the group wouldprioritise policies, programmes, projects and interventions for Nigerias rapid economic development and recommend strategies to support effective implantation of identified development priorities.

The CWG wouldcoordinate progress reporting to the steering committee and serve as clearing house for information sharing among the various layers within the institutional arrangement for the plans.

It will deliver key process outputs, including strategies for effective participation of states and non-state actors in the preparation and implementation of the plans. Agba said.

The minister said that they would develop detailed documentation of programmefor collaborative implementation with States, LGAs and non- and ensure that the final plan documents MTNDP 2020-2025 and 2050 meet the standard quality of good development plan that could be showcased anywhere in the world. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Flood

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has inaugurated a special committee to adequately prepare, mitigate and respond to saving lives and providing supports to flood-prone communities.

The Director-General of the agency, AVM Muhammadu Muhammed (rtd.), while inaugurating the committee on Wednesday in Abuja, said it was part of the agencys efforts to step up comprehensive response to impending flood, as predicted for the year.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Head, Media Unit of the agency, Mr Manzo Ezekiel, and made available to newsmen.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had, on Jan. 21, released the 2020 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) report to guide the various sectors of the country.

According NiMet, a normal to above normal rainfall is expected generally in the country.
The agency envisaged total rainfall amounts to be 400mm in the North and about 3,000mm in the South.

Muhammed, who was represented by Mr Kayode Fagbemi, Director, Planning, Research and Forecasting of the agency, said that the agency had adopted the strategy to improve on the management of flood situations in the country.

Flood has been a perennial phenomenon in Nigeria, which has caused widespread devastation, resulting in loss of lives and damage to personal property and the critical public infrastructure.

According to the 2020 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction, the general outlook of annual rainfall amount is predicted to be normal and above normal in Nigeria.

Thus some places are expected to have above normal rainfall, which may result in flood. Already, some communities have started to experience flash floods, with associated impacts.

We are not going to wait to just respond to the forecasted flood this year; we can proffer solutions to the perennial floods in our nation.

Although we may not be able to determine the magnitude of the rain that may fall, we can decide to help reduce the negative impact on our communities, he said.

NAN reports that the committee had representatives from NEMA, stakeholders, organisations involved in disaster management as well as the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By VIctor Adeoti

The Osun government says it has recorded 11 new coronavirus cases in the state, barely 24 hours after it confirmed 21 cases.

Dr Rafiu Isamotu, the States Commissioner for Health, in a statement in Osogbo on Wednesday, said four patients were also discharged from the isolation band treatment centre after they tested negative to the virus.

Isamotu said the new confirmed cases were contacts of those who had previously contracted the virus in the state.

The commissioner said with the new cases recorded, the number of confirmed cases in the state had risen to 210 with 115 active cases.

Isamotu said 88 patients had successfully been treated and discharged with seven deaths recorded so far.

He appealed to residents of the state to always observe all the precautionary measures laid down by the state to contain the spread of the virus.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Acting EFCC Boss Ibrahim Magu

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded for the prosecution of suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu if found wanting.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said the demand became necessary after reviewing the reported circumstances surrounding the investigation of Magu.

Ologbondiyan said that PDP observed that the revelations of alleged corruption detailed in the memo by the Attorney General and Minister of justice, as well as the report of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Magus activities, had exposed the racket under his watch.

The allegations, according to him, included diversion of recovered funds and fraudulent sales of assets seized by the EFCC among others.

He advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow the matter to be swept under the carpet or allow Magu to be shield from prosecution.

What Nigerians expect at this moment is for Buhari to enforce the law by directing relevant agencies to commence actions that would lead to Magus prosecution at the court.

Anything short of this will not be acceptable to Nigerians, he said.

The embattled acting chairman was said to be under interrogation by a presidential panel set up to probe allegations of gross misconduct against him. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The result means these were the first points dropped by the Turin side since the season restarted last month.

Juventus appeared to be cruising to another win when Adrien Rabiot put them ahead with a solo goal two minutes after the break.

Cristiano Ronaldo added a second with a typical effort, his 26th league goal of the season.

But Juventus collapsed after Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled one back with a penalty kick in the 62minute.

Franck Kessie equalised four minutes later and Rafael Leao put them ahead one minute after that, before Ante Rebic completed the scoring in the 80minute.

In spite of the defeat, Juve on 75 points stayed seven points clear with seven matches to play after second-placed Lazio earlier lost 2-1 at lowly Lecce.

AC Milan climbed to fifth with 49 points, although they are still 14 points adrift of the top four.(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Dr Chikwe Ikekweazu NCDC Boss

By Abujah Racheal

Nigeria has recorded 503 new COVID-19 cases, as total infections from the virus rise to 29,879.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) made this known on its official twitter handle on Tuesday.

The NCDC said that as at July 7, a total of 503 new confirmed cases and 15 deaths were recorded across the country.

The health agency said that no new state had reported a case in the last 24 hours.

According to NCDC, to date, 29,879 cases have been confirmed while 12,108 cases have been discharged and 669 deaths have been recorded in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 503 new cases were reported from 20 states.

They states are: Lagos (153), Ondo (76) Edo (54), FCT (41), Enugu (37), Rivers (30), Benue (24), Osun (20), Kaduna (15), Kwara (13), Abia (9) and Borno (8).

Others are Plateau (6),Taraba (5), Ogun (3), Kano (3), Kebbi (2), Nasarawa (2), Bayelsa(1), and Gombe (1).

The health agency said that COVID-19 affected people differently, based on age and underlying health status.

It said that anyone who felt exposed to a case, or noticed known symptoms of COVID-19, should call state helpline immediately to get tested.

The NCDC urged Nigerians to refrain from prank calls to ensure that those who needed help got the required attention. (NAN)

Source: NAN News