By Ismaila Chafe

Nigeria has recalled its High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Kabiru Bala and also pulled out of World Economic Summit holding in Cape Town on Wednesday.

A presidential source told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Nigeria also demanded for full compensation for the loss of life and property of Nigerians affected by the xenophobic attack.

He also disclosed that Nigeria has pulled out of World Economic Forum on Africa billed for Capetown, South Africa, from September 4-6 over the xenophobic attacks.

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo was to represent Nigeria at the forum.

Earlier, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Malawi pulled out of the event.

Presidents Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Felix Tshisekedi (DRC) and Peter Mutharika (Malawi) have all withdrawn from the event.

The source said that Nigeria has also demanded for full compensation for the victims of the attacks.

According to the source, this is the outcome of President Muhammadu Buhari, Osinbajo and Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, brainstorming session on the raging Xenophobic attacks of Nigeria in South Africa.

Onyeama had on Tuesday during at a joint news briefing with the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Bobby Moroe, insisted: In the first place, we must address the issue of compensation. There has to be accountability and there has to be responsibility for compensating all those Nigerians that have suffered loss and we are going to absolutely push forward.

Source: NAN

By Stephen Adeleye

The governorship primary election ended abruptly in the early hours of Wednesday when gunmen invaded the venue of the election, Lokoja Confluence Stadium.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that voting had ended and sorting of votes were going on when the gunmen came to the venue at about 1:45a.m. and started shooting from different directions.

According to report, votes in eight out of the 10 ballot balloxes have already been counted and sorted out before the disruption by the gunmen.

Aspirants, delegates and others scampered for safety while the number of casualty has yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

NAN correspondent said that Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee escaped the bullets of the gunmen.

Source: NAN

Source: NAN

Zambias football association has called off its friendly match against South Africa due to xenophobic attacks.

Chipolopolo andBafana Bafanawere scheduled to square off on Saturday in Zambia.

In a statement released on Tuesday evening, the Football Association of Zambia wrote: The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) regrets to inform members of the public that the international friendly match between Zambia and South Africa that was scheduled for National Heroes Stadium on Saturday, 7 September 2019 has been called off in view of the prevailing security concerns in South Africa.

FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala has relayed the message to the South African Football Association (SAFA) about the decision.

The South African Football Association is now looking for a replacement for Saturdays match.

Source: NAN

By Ezra Musa

The Kaduna State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has embarked on evacuation of communal dumpsites across the state.

Mallam Ibrahim Hussaini, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources of the ministry made this known on Wednesday in Kaduna.

Hussaini said the exercise, which was in collaboration with the Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA), would be conducted in Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan.

He said that Gov. Nasir El-Rufai had approved the clean-up and evacuation of the dumpsites to ensure a healthy environment.

He expressed dismay over the indiscriminate dumping of waste on rail tracks and called on market associations to caution their members against the habit.

A good number of the waste emanate from the markets, especially Sheik Abubakar Gumi, Chechenia and Bakin Dogo markets, he said.

Hussaini said that the recent clean-up was a short term solution to the menace, emphasising that a medium and long term would be put in place to ensure that an integrated waste management approach was employed.

The commissioner said that waste generated and efficiently evacuated for disposal would be sorted from points of generation into biodegradable metals, plastics and other recyclable materials.

He said that plans were on the way for government to go into partnership with investors to establish an integrated solid waste management facility.

Mallam Yahaya Salisu, the Senior Officer of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, expressed appreciation for the effort put in place by the state government to evacuate the dump that had overtaken the rail tracks.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the dumpsites identified are within public school premises and cemeteries.

Source: NAN

By Fortune Abang

Amb. Kabiru Bala, the Nigeria High Commissioner to South Africa, says the mission never shut its door against Nigerians who came to register their grievances over xenophobic attack in that country.

Bala said this in a telephone conversation with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Pretoria, South Africa on Wednesday.

The high commissioner debunked the claims in some quarters that the mission in Pretoria was attacked by Nigerians in South Africa because it did not give them attention.

Bala, who said story was appalling and wicked, added, the two missions were never closed. Two groups of Nigerians came to the high commission last week Thursday. They were received by the Acting High Commissioner while I was away.

They came around 9 p.m. and were received and assured of safety and security. So it was not true that they were turned back.

Let those who came and were either turned back or found the embassy closed give specific date and time.

He said that the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburghad offered immense assistance to the affected Nigerians in the crisis.

Bala said that the mission had started to compile a list of Nigerians affected for engagement with the South African government and other stakeholders.

According to him, all Nigerian victims of the current attacks are requested to come forward to report their situation to the High Commission and the Consulate.

The two missions will continue to be home to all Nigerians in these trying times and in the future.

Since the outbreak of the attacks last week, the two missions have remained open and continued to render normal services to Nigerians and other customers without hindrance.

We appeal to Nigerians to remain calm and avoid any action that may jeopardise efforts to engage the South African government through diplomatic channels to bring situation under control and restore normalcy.

The two missions are currently working alongside all relevant authorities in South Africa, including the police to address the unfortunate situation, he said.

Mr Ben Okoli, the President of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), who corroborated the high commissioner claim, stressed that the report was not true.

The missions gate has never been shut against Nigerians; it has always kept its door open.

What happened is that after the crisis in Pretoria where South Africans have destroyed Nigerian business and property, those whose property were destroyed had gone to the mission out of frustration and anger.

So, I understand the situation; though it is not easy for somebody to lose his property and just be watching, but the mission gate was not shut against them, he said.

According to him, they were received and invited by the minister of consular affairs who went as far as organising food for them and drinks to make sure that they are comfortable.

So they were attended to and nobody would say that the gate was shut against them.

The mission allowed them even though they came in by forced and destroyed part of the entrance, the mission provided food for them and gave them some drinks and that is it.

And, they were encouraged to go and calculate their losses and bring back the report through the organisation. So, we are actually collaborating with people, who have lost their property.

We are collecting inventories of what our people have lost which I will make available to the high commissioner in due time, Okoli said.

Source: NAN

By Lucy Ogalue

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, said the safety, quality, cost and efficiency of transport services influenced the trading environment of a country.

Bello, who disclosed this during the ground breaking ceremony of the Ultra Modern Truck Transit Park (TTP) in Potiskum on Wednesday, said this also determined the competitiveness of exported and imported goods.

According to him, transport is a critical determinant in the conduct of domestic and international trade with great impacts on national economic growth and development.

Road transportation is the dominant mode of transportation owing to challenges in our rail system, restricted waterways and expensive air travel.

Road transport accounts for about 90 per cent of freight movement. Therefore, the safety of cargo on the highway must be given a priority, Bello said.

According to Bello, TTP is a Modern road transport infrastructure designed for the safety of cargo and standardisation of truck driving.

The NSC boss said it ensured truck operators obtained some measure of safety and comfort while in transit and reduced the rate of road traffic crashes.

While reiterating other benefits of TTP, Bello said the need to enhance the transport value chain in the country necessitated NSCs involvement in the project.

Potiskum is known as a mega hub of heavy truck business especially in the North East region of Nigeria.

It has a vibrant cattle market which is the largest in sub-saharan Africa and it is a major gate to Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic.

Therefore, the prospects of the project are very bright, he said.

Bello, however, urged indigenous investors, multilateral lending institutions and other investors across the globe to invest in the project.

The Executive Chairman, Potiskum Local Government Council, Salisu Muktari, expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for his administrative policies which the state had benefited from.

Muktari added that Buharis decision for a TTP in the locality was a wise decision in the right direction.

He further commended the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi in his efforts toward improving rail transport in the country and the NSC boss for collaborating in the TTP project.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yobe State Government and NSC are partnering under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to construct the transportation hub.

The project falls under the States Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Industry and the State government had provided 50 hectares of land as site for the park. (NAN)

Source: NAN

By Franca Ofili

The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) branch, has called on Nigerians to access their mortgage products through National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme.

Mrs Felicia Aningo, FMBN FCT Coordinator, made the disclosure during an awareness campaign in Abuja on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FMBN took the awareness campaign to markets, shopping malls and motor-parts within the FCT.

Aningo said that the bank was established to provide affordable mortgages to drive home ownership among Nigerians, particularly low and medium income earners through NHF.

According to her, Nigerian workers contribute 2.5 per cent of their monthly income to the NHF scheme.

She said a prospective home beneficiary was expected to make annual or monthly contribution over 15 years.

Aningo said that at the end of the contribution, if the applicant was not able to achieve his goal, the bank would pay back the money with interest.

She said that the move was imperative as government continued to make plans to help Nigerians own their own homes and also reduce housing deficit.

The bank is working towards ensuring the fulfilment of the law, Act NO.3 of 1992, that stipulates that All Nigerians in employment, weather self-employed or paid employment are required to contribute 2.5 per cent of their basic income to the fund, Aningo said

According to her, the scheme is under a simple procedure of registration, deduction of contributions at source.

Aningo said that cooperatives could also organise and access loans from the bank to provide affordable houses for members.

The products are NHF Mortgage Loan, Rent to Own, Home Renovation Loan, construction of homes, Estate Development Loan and many more.

In August the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, admonished FMBN to create more awareness on its several products aimed at ensuring affordable houses for Nigerians.

He said that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would focus on housing and consumer credit as a way of ensuring that Nigerians have affordable houses. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Mr David Lyon of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has emerged the winner of the just concluded primary in Bayelsa.

He scored 42,138 votes to win its closet rval, Mrs Diseye Nsirim, who scored 1,533 votes.

Others are Heineken yLokpobiri, who scored 571 votes, while Preye Aganaba, scored 354 votes and MrAmgbare scored 633 votes, while Prof. Maureen Etebu scored 564 votes.

The Chief Coalition Officer, Sen. Dangana Emmanuel, announced the result in Yenagoa.

He said the mode was direct primary as agreed by Bayelsa stakeholders, and confirmed by the national working committee.

The Returning Officer for the Bauyrlsa APC Primaries is Gov. Mai-Mala Buni of Yobe,

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC adopted the direct primaries mode to select the candidate to fly its flag in the Nov. 16 governorship election in Bayelsa.(NAN)

Source: NAN

By Emmanuel Acha

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has obtained orders for the interim forfeiture of assets traced to a former Imo governor, Rochas Okorocha, and his wife.

The Head, Enugu Zonal Office of the commission, Mr Usman Imam, disclosed this on Wednesday in Enugu while briefing newsmen on the activities of the commission in the last eight months.

Imam saidthat the commission also obtained similar order on a property traced to a former aide to Okorocha, Mr Paschal Obi, and the former governors daughter.

He saidthat the commission had established prima facie cases against the suspects which they would answer to.

Imam said that the commission would like to know how the Rochas Foundation andother accomplices acquired and or converted some of the property for personal use.

He listed some of the property to include a 16-block cum 96 flats and an eight-bungalow multimillion naira estate, hotel, two schools, shopping plaza, supermarket, hospital and four vehicles.

The EFCC chief said that while the hospital was traced to Obi, the remaining property were traced to the former governor and his family, including his wife and daughter.

We hope to get permanent forfeiture orders on the property in order to return them to the people of the state, he said.

Imam saidthat all the facilities, including the schools, would remain functional as the commission would not like to shut them down for the sake of the students and other users.

Other recoveries were made and are awaiting forfeiture, but for the court vacation. They include a twin three-storey building with a three bedroom bungalow and a duplex, both in Enugu.

The property were recovered from cyber fraudsters, he said.

Imam said that the commission, within the period, recovered N213.85 million and 10, 600 US dollars.

In one of such recoveries, one Augustine Ejimokor, who defrauded his victim of the sum of 5,000 US dollars and used it to acquire a Mercedez Benz C300 was ordered to forfeit the vehicle.

So far, the zone has arrested 88 suspected fraudsters since 2015, with 70 of them in 2019. This underscores the efforts of the present zonal head in conformity with the acting chairmans directives, he said.

Imam said that the zone also obtained 59 convictions out of whom were the 51 arrested and prosecuted in 2019. (NAN)

Source: NAN