Showing posts with label Nigeria. Show all posts

Friday, 13 July 2018

Herdsman resists arrest, kills policeman in Kebbi

By Eje peter

The Police Command in Kebbi on Thursday confirmed that a suspected herdsman had killed a policeman, Umaru Danladi, at Kaoge in the Bagudo Local Government Area of the state.

It said the herder, Babuga Kuaara, had already been arrested for the alleged offence, adding that the deceased policeman was attached to the Kaoje Police Division in Bagudo Local Government Area.

The suspected herdsman was reported to the police division by a farmer in the area that the herder grazed his cows on his farm, destroying the crops on Wednesday evening.

A witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told newsmen on Thursday that ”a police officer attached to Kaoje police division was ordered to go and arrest the herder who was still wandering with his cattle within the area.

“The police officer who came with his rifle, arrested the suspect, but as he was taking him to the waiting patrol vehicle, the herder drew his machete and stabbed the officer on his neck.

“We saw the officer groaning in pains and bleeding but he died before we could apply first aid. The herder was overpowered by officers who rushed to the scene,” the witness said.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Mustapha Suleiman, told journalists that the suspect had been arrested.

(TEvB)

World Cup 2018: Lagos provides six viewing centres, insurance cover

Eje Peter Nigeria ,

World Cup 2018: Lagos provides six viewing centres, insurance cover

By eje peter

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has opened six viewing centres for Lagos residents to watch live football actions from the ongoing Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The sports-loving governor also provided security, traffic control and general sanitation at the viewing centres.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ambode equally provided a public liability insurance cover for the six centres for the period of the World Cup.

The viewing centres are located at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos Island; Abesan Estate, Alimosho; Naval Yard Ajegunle; Bishop Aggrey Secondary School, Mushin, and Epe Recreation Centre.

Titi Oshodi, the Head of Public Relations, Lagos State Sports Commission, who made the disclosure on Friday, said that all the necessary backups were provided to make the centres safe.

Oshodi said that the public viewing centres would be open for all the matches of the World Cup.

“The viewing centres were opened to fans on Day One of the Coupe de Mundial on June 14 for the opening ceremony as well as the opening match between the host, Russia, and Saudi. Arabia.

“The centres will run until the end of the World Cup on July 15, ” she said.

“The Executive Chairman of the LSSC, Dr Kweku Adedayo Tandoh, gave the assurance that entry into the viewing centres was free.

“The government has made adequate provisions for medical coverage, security, traffic control and general sanitation at all the viewing centres.

“Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, who is a member of the Federal Government’s delegation to the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup, wants Lagos resident to have a feel of football actions in the ongoing World Cup.

“He believes the viewing centres will also serve as fun and relaxation spots for the residents,” Tandoh said.

Fashola, power firms oppose bill to criminalise estimated billing

Eje Peter Nigeria ,

Fashola, power firms oppose bill to criminalise estimated billing

By Eje peter

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission on Tuesday opposed the move by the House of Representatives to criminalise estimated billing by electricity distribution companies in the country.

All the Discos, represented by the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, also kicked against the bill.

The House Committee on Power opened a public hearing on the bill in Abuja on Tuesday.

The bill, which was sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, had as title, ‘A Bill to Amend the Power Sector Reform Act to Prohibit and Criminalise Estimated Billing by Discos and provide for Compulsory Installation of Pre-paid Meters for all Power Consumers in Nigeria’.

However, lawmakers ignored the opposition, saying that the much that could be done was to incorporate some of the views expressed by stakeholders in the legislation.

Gbajabiamila, who participated in the hearing, said it was not justifiable to continue to ask consumers to pay for power not consumed.

Giving his reasons for opposing the bill, Fashola state that it could destroy the entire power sector, adding that the financial challenges of metering must first be addressed.

The minister told the session that though the Discos had a contractual obligation to provide meters, it was not their core mandate.

Fashola stated, “And I take it that we all know what is core mandate. Their core mandate is to supply energy.

“My view is that let new players be licensed to have the supply of meters as their core mandate to take the load off the Discos.”

He added that energy theft and meter bypass must be addressed too by prescribing heavy penalties against offenders.

On its part, ANED told the session that the law would simply promote darkness in the country.

It noted that the first response of the Discos would be to disconnect supply to customers who had no meters in a bid to escape punishment over estimated billing.

It claimed that more than 150 countries in the world, including the United States, Turkey, Germany, Brazil, Egypt, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jamaica, Algeria, Australia, Angola, Belgium and South Africa were using estimated billing.

ANED stated, “The estimated billing system should be simplified for the understanding of the consumers and the operators to provide for transparency in application.

“Legislative effort should be applied to criminalising energy theft and meter bypass, and creating electricity special/mobile courts. This will assist in catalysing the desired large scale metering within the sector.”

NERC, represented by a commissioner, Mr. Dafe Akpeneye, adopted a similar position, warning that 50 per cent of power consumers would lose their connection if the law was applied without first addressing the challenges of metering.

“The law needs to be amended, but this is not the amendment we need. Criminalising lack of metering is not the way out now,” the NERC official stated.

Illegal conversion: LASG shuts five banks, 80 other buildings

Eje Peter Nigeria ,

Illegal conversion: LASG shuts five banks, 80 other buildings

By Eje peter

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday shut down five banks and about 80 buildings in the Allen Avenue, Ikeja area over alleged illegal conversion.

The affected banks are Zenith, Access, Sterling, Unity and UBA.

Also shut are Tantalizer, Adebowale Electronics, Panasonic and several other buildings used for commercial purposes.

The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), led by the agency’s secretary, Mr Tayo Fakolujo, and a director in the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), Kayode Daramola, drove out the customers and bank officials at Zenith Bank, while Unity Bank was sealed before it opened for business.

The government said the affected buildings got approval as residential building, but were later converted for commercial purposes without approval.

The General Manager, LASBCA, Lekan Shodeinde, said owners of the affected buildings had been issued notices over one month ago to regularise their documents and get commercial approval, but ignored the call.

Shodeinde said, “LASBCA is carrying out an audit on buildings in Lagos State to ensure safety. The government had given six months grace for people who did not have permits before erecting their structures to regularise them without paying the penalties.

“The owners of buildings on Allen Avenue did not come forward to regularise their papers, hence the need to enforce the law.

Peace Corps: Save Nigerian youths from frustration – Presidential aspirant tells Buhari

TheEaglesVoice Nigeria ,

A presidential aspirant of the National Conscience Party, NCP, Dr Wilson Ikubese, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the bill of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN)
Ikubese said President Buhari’s refusal to assent to the bill will cause more frustration among the teeming unemployed Nigerian youths.
Ikubese who addressed Journalists at the Ondo State NUJ Press Center in Akure, the state capital said the President must prevent unemployed youths from committing suicide by assenting to the bill.
He said “The President needs to reconsider his stance and assent to the bill, so as to save over one hundred and fifty Nigerian youths who had hoped that the Peace Corps of Nigeria would provide means of livelihood for them
“Taking about 150,000 youths off the unemployment market and engaging them productively to the benefit of society is a venture that the administration should be proud to champion, having promised to create jobs ab initio
“The National Assembly passed the Peace Corps bill, giving hope to the youths who have since been serving voluntarily with the Corps, hoping to be on a regular salary pay roll as soon as Mr President assents to the bill.”

Ikubese ,however, said “the hope of these youths and their many dependents was dashed when President Buhari withheld assent to the bill,citing security and financial concerns.
“Mr President fears that the burden of the monthly remuneration is that which the federal Government cannot bear at this time of scarce resources.
“It is a known fact that today, in not a few cases, as much as 30 police officers are attached to a single individual! Nigeria has a population of about 186 million people and a Police population of about 370,000
“Of the 370,000 a staggering 80% of this number are assigned to private citizens, politicians, businessmen and private enterprises, leaving only 20% for the core police duties of peace and security
“In simple terms, of the 370,000 police officers in Nigeria, 296,000 are assigned as ‘private’ guards while only 74,000 are left to the core duties of policing a nation of 186 million people
“The United Nations recommendation for Police: Citizen ratio is 1:400, meaning that every 400 people should be policed by an officer. However, with the current Nigerian situation of 74,000 police officers to a population of 186 million people, we run on a ratio of 1:2,514
“This means that instead of a Police officer to a population of 400 people, we have one police officer to 2,514 citizens, leaving us SIX TIMES under-policed
“Besides, the PCN can also serve in information gathering, a missing link in the Chibok and recent Dapchi kidnap scenarios,” he said.