APC Condemns Attack on Protesters in Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the attack carried out by thugs against the #BringBackOurGirls protesters in Abuja on Wednesday.

In a statement by the party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the attack on the protesters confirmed that the federal government was embarking on a campaign to shift the responsibility from the government to the abductors, in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s admonition to the protesters to direct their protests at the abductors rather than to his government.

 

The party noted that members of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign have conducted themselves in a civil and peaceful manner. It said the attack was therefore deplorable and definitely orchestrated to shift the focus from #BringBackOurGirls to the spoiler #Release Our Girls.

 

It therefore urged the government to focus its energy on how to bring back the girls safely, more than one-and-a-half months into their abduction.

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Democracy Day: Jonathan Receives Locally Made Vehicles

As part of Democracy Day celebration, President Goodluck Jonathan was on yesterday presented with three Made-in-Nigeria Nissan vehicles.

The Chairman of Stallion Group, Mr. Sunil Vaswani, presented the vehicles to the President at the International Conference Centre where a special event was organised to mark the nation’s Democracy Day was held.

The vehicles, which have been produced at the Stallion Nissan Motors Plant located on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, included a Nissan Patrol SUV, a Nissan Almera saloon car and a Nissan NP 300 Pick-Up.

Mr Vaswani noted that the vehicles met global standards of product and technology and that they were produced in Nigeria in pursuant of the Federal Government’s new Automotive Policy.

“The evolution of automotive manufacturing sector in Nigeria would not only encourage more FDIs but stimulate industrial clusters such as original equipment manufacturers that include steel plants, glass manufacturers, aftermarket shops and transportation service providers leading to job creation and contributing significantly to the GDP,” he said.

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Children’s Day: UNICEF Calls for Cooperation to Protect Children

As the world marks Children’s Day today, 27 May, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for collective responsibility in the protection of children, reports Leadership newspaper.

A statement made available to the newspaper yesterday in Abuja noted that the collective include the family, community, society and the state, the report said.

According to the report, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Ms Jean Gough said that the fear of abduction will erode all the gains made in girls’ education.

‘Let us all work together, collectively to ensure that our children are protected against harm so they can grow into productive adults who will contribute to the development of Nigeria in future,’ she said.

Similarly, UNICEF’s Communications Specialist, Mr Geoffrey Njoku, said that the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls recently underscores the urgent need for collective action. “We need to create a protective environment for our children to ensure a bright future for them,” he said.

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Electricity Tariff to Increase from June 1

Following the review of the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) for 2014, electricity tarrif is set to go up fromJune 1.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Chairman Dr. Sam Amadi made this known to newsmen in Abuja, recently. He said that some positive variables culminated in the significant changes in the tariff review.

Mr Amadi explained that for Abuja Electricity Distribution Company’s R2 customers, for instance, who have been paying N13.75 per unit will then pay N14.90. However, the fixed charge remains unchanged.

He added that the full details of the review will be made public on the Commission’s website.

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El-Rufai Sues PDP, Thisday, Metuh, for N1.5b

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has instituted a N1.5 billion suit against the Peoples Democratic Party, its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, and ThisDay newspaper before a High Court in the FCT.

 

Mallam El-Rufai accused Mr. Metuh of authoring a defamatory statement, on behalf of the PDP, linking him and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Boko Haram insurgency. He added that in a separate publication, Mr. Metuh claimed that he collected N5billion as consultancy fee from the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi.

 

Mallam El-Rufai claimed that the publications caused irreparable injury against him and damaged his hard-earned reputation.

 

He is seeking an order awarding N1billion as general damages against Metuh and PDP. He is further seeking an order awarding additional N500 million as general damages jointly and severally against the three defendants.

 

The case has been adjourned till 5 June for mention before Justice Abubakar Talba.

 

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Nyanya Bombing: Katsina Community Denies Suspects

Residents of Tsiga, a community in Bakori local government area of Katsina State, have dissociated themselves from Mr Rufai Abubakar Tsiga and Mr Annas Isa Tsiga, the suspected masterminds of the April 14, 2014, Nyanya bombing in Nyanya, Abuja, who were paraded by the police recently.

 

The spokesperson of Tsiga Community, Alhaji Faruk Ibrahim Tsiga, said the suspects left the village about 20 years ago in search of almajiri education and had since then been living away from the village as a patent medicine hawker.

He added that one of the suspects, Mr Abubakar subsequently opened a medicine shop in Abuja where he employed the second Mr Isa, as a sales boy.

The spokesperson further stated that the people of Tsiga community were shocked to hear that two sons of the area were engaged in the dastardly act, but sympathised with families of the victims and the Nigerian government over the incidence.

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Gbagyi Carnival to be Launched in Abuja

The Gbagyi ethnic group of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is set to hold a carnival in Abuja this month.

 
The coordinator of the carnival association, Mr. Ifraimu Dauda Ushafa, while briefing newsmen at the Bwari office of the association said the carnival became necessary in order to bridge the gap that exists among the Gbaygi people.

“Peace, unity, and development are the major objectives of the association,” he said. “The association thought it important to use the Gbagyi culture as an instrument to bring about achieving such a Herculean task.”

Similarly, the spokesperson of the association, Mr Obed Nuhu Nana, in a statement, said the concept was borne out of the desire to bring together all the Gbagyi speaking people across five states of the country together to celebrate their culture.

The carnival begins of 31 May.

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FCTA Implements New Land Application Fees

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has implemented the new land application fees announced by the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, a few months ago, reports Leadership newspaper.

The report said the new fee for land in area councils as announced by the minister is N50,000, down from N100,000.

The minister had said the reduction of the application fee became necessary because the value of land within the 250 square kilometres of the Federal Capital City (FCC) is not the same with surrounding area councils and satellite towns, it said.

It added that a visit to the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) last week indicated that the agency has commenced the new application fee regime.

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Abducted Schoolgirls: Protesters Return to Unity Fountain Today

Following the harassment by the police yesterday at their sit-out at the Maitama Amusement Park, protesters in Abuja demanding for the search and rescue of the Chibok abducted schoolgirls will today reconvene at the Unity Fountain, venue of their earlier meetings.

The protesters have left the Unity Fountain when it was cordoned as security measures towards the successful hosting of the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEFA) in Abuja last week, and moved to the Maitama Amusement Park.

The new venue was also sealed after their first meeting there but protesters continued to hold their daily sit-outs in front of the park. However, police descended on the protesters yesterday, asking them to disperse.

Former minister of education and frontline protest leader, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili alongside other protesters insisted on the right to peaceful assembly. Mrs Ezekwesili later announced on her Twitter handle that the protest returns to its first venue at the Unity Fountain today at 3 p.m.

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National Conference Resumes Today

Delegates to the National Conference will today resume sitting in Abuja after a one week break following of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Abuja last week.

Some of the issues that will be considered at different committee sessions include the independence of election management body and the relationship between the state and religion.

Detaching the state from religious matters has been a source for debate between the Muslim and Christian delegates, with the later arguing the country's constitution had given unequal advantage to the Islamic religion.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had argued for the repeal of laws establishing and funding religious courts. According CAN, if the government fails to change it as it was presently in the constitution, it will not hesitate to establish and fund Ecclesiastical Courts for Christians as counterpart to Sharia.

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Nigeria Unlikely to Meet 2015 MDGs Target - FG

The federal government has said that it was not likely to meet some of its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targets by 2015.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr Linus Awute, made this disclosure yesterday in Abuja at the pre-57th National Council on Health (NCH) meeting. He said considering the nearness of the deadline for the MDGs, the council chose to stimulate discourse around the focus that Nigeria should take in the post 2015 development era.

Mr Atuwe added that besides carrying out the unfinished MDG work into the post 2015, the council would also give focus to non communicable diseases, including haemoglibinopathies and mental health, and develop policies and strategies for the attainment of universal health coverage in Nigeria.

“Each year during the NCH, now including the pre-NCH meetings,” he said, “we identify issues, informed by the global health agenda and our local priorities, to deliberate upon. This helps to ensure that while we are thinking globally, we are also able to act in locally appropriate ways to further improve the performance of our health system.”

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Security Operatives to Search Nyanya

Following a second bomb explosion in Nyanya, Abuja, security operatives would soon begin a house-to-house search in the area, in order to recover explosive device kept by insurgents in the area to prevent further explosions, reports Leadership newspaper.

The report said a top security officer disclosed that the two explosions have given them the reasons to suspect some insurgents might be living in the neighbourhood and a house-to-house search would go a long way in exposing them.

“The fact that the explosions took place within two weeks in almost the same spot is an indication that some insurgents are living in that neighbourhood. We are going to conduct a house-to-house search with a view to recovering any explosive device that could be hidden and any suspect in that area would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

“Remember I told you that those criminals were targeting Abuja but there is no way they could enter Abuja; we are watching them closely and we are monitoring all the satellite towns now and we are appealing to the populace to give us useful information of any suspicious movement to the nearest police station.”

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Abuja BrignBackOurGirls Protest Changes Venue Today

Protesters in Abuja calling for the rescue of the Chibok abducted girls have agreed to relocate from the usual meeting place at Unity Fountain and gather instead at the driving school beside the Grand Square, Central Area, today at 2 pm.

One of the leaders of the protest, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili made this known yesterday at the sit out at Unity Square. She explained the change of venue was to enable them get closer to the Old Parade Ground, Area 10, Garki, where the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has agreed to meet with the group.

Similarly, the group further deliberated on convenient meeting place as from Wednesday as the Unity Fountain is expected to be cordoned as security measures towards the forthcoming World Economic Forum in Abuja billed to hold from 7-9 May.

Protesters, it was agreed, would be informed of the new venue at today’s rally.

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Confab Committee Proposes New Revenue Sharing Formula

The National Conference committee on the Devolution of Power has proposed a new revenue sharing formula, with the aim of empowering the states and local governments in their development efforts.

This would see a reduction in the existing Federal Government revenue allocation by 10 per cent, thus bringing it down from 52 per cent to 42 per cent.

Co-Chairman of the Committee and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Sir Obong Victor Attah, told journalists at the end of a four-hour meeting that the decision of the committee was guided by the belief that some funds must be devolved to states and local governments for greater development impact.

Attah said the Committee’s decision would be guided by certain provisions in the extant laws including the 1999 Constitution which have left ownership of mineral resources no matter where they are found in the custody of the Federal Government.

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Confab Secretariat Denies Reports of 6 Weeks Extension

The Secretariat of the National Conference has debunked media reports that the federal government has extended the duration of the National Conference by six weeks.

The conference Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications, Mr Akpandem James, noted in a statement in Abuja, that the information was not only misleading but untrue.

“If there is need for an extension, a request for that would emanate from the Conference Secretariat to the Presidency, and as at the time of issuing this statement no such request has been made to the Presidency and the Secretariat is not aware of any formal extension of the conference duration by the Federal Government, as reported in some sections of the media,” he said.

“As part of its engagement with delegates, the leadership of the conference had a meeting with Chairmen, Co-Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of the 20 standing committees to keep abreast with the activities of the committees and also find out if there are challenges that the intervention of the secretariat would be required.

“During the meeting most of the committee chairmen complained of the shortness of time for committee work, citing the heavy workload and relevant assistance they would require from external sources to do a thorough job. It was then agreed that one extra week should be added to enable the committees tidy up their activities and present meaningful reports,” he explained.

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October 1 Bombing: Okah Sues Prison Authorities

The accused mastermind of the independence day 2010 bomb explosion in Abuja, Mr Charles Okah who is currently in the custody at the Kuje Prison has sued the Nigerian Prisons Service over alleged inhuman treatment meted out to him by Prison officers.

In a suit filed by his counsel, Mr Festus Keyamo, the plaintiff prayed the court for an order restraining the officers of Kuje Prisons from administering a drug called Epilim Sodium Viproate, (ESV), primarily used for the ailment of epilepsy, and any other harmful drug on him as he is not epileptic and had no history of epilepsy. Further, he wants the court to declare that the administration of the drug on him by the prison  officers amounts to a breach of his right to life and dignity, as guaranteed by Sections 33 (1)and 34 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, (as amended).

He also wants the court to declare that the prison authorities violated his fundamental human rights, by denying him access to medication for the treatment of his hypertension and high blood pressure.

He therefore prayed the court for an order awarding N500 million as damages against the defendants, for the actions of the officers of Kuje Prisons, in breach of his fundamental rights to life and dignity as guaranteed by Sections 33 (1) and 34 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution.

Joined as defendants in the suit are the Minister of Interior, the Comptroller General of Prisons.

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Jonathan Orders 3 Districts for FCT Workers

President Goodluck Jonathan has commanded that three districts be allocated for housing schemes for workers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, made this known in Abuja yesterday at the May Day Rally. He added that the president also directed that the houses should be made affordable.  

“In the recent time,” the minister said, “Mr President has commissioned more workers’ housing estates in the life of this nation, this can also be said in other sectors of the economy, such as health, education, among others.”

The minister also noted that the FCT Administration recently gave out 200 plots as Long Service Award to some of its employees who served meritoriously, adding that the FCT Administration had been working assiduously to boost workers’ morale through various welfare programmes and incentives. 

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Construction Material Testing Lab Commissioned in Abuja

The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) has commissioned a construction library and materials testing laboratory in Utako, Abuja.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, NBRRI Governing Board chairman, Chief Dele Okeya, said the laboratory became necessary due to the volume of construction activities taking place in the FCT.

“To address this challenge of rapid constructions in the FCT, NBBRI, with the full backing of the governing board, embarked on the establishment of the construction testing materials laboratory,” he said. “Installed in the laboratory is the state-of-the-art equipment that will ensure accurate results whenever any construction material is subjected to testing.

Chief Okeya added that the library of the complex has been stuffed with the latest books and publications in the construction industry, making it among the best in the country,” he said.

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