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KOGI: Fire Razes Central Market
Written by AdminThe popular Kogi Central Market in Kabba was razed down by fire.
The fire, which began on Monday morning, shocked and saddened traders and members of the community as it devoured multiple enterprises and sources of livelihood.
Sympathisers hurried to the site to stop the spread, but the ferocity of the blaze made it difficult.
Authorities are still investigating the origin of the incident, trying to ascertain if it was caused by an electrical failure, carelessness, or anything else.
Meanwhile, people in Kabba have criticised the lack of firefighting equipment on the market, which would have assisted in putting out the flames.
Over 1,000 Islamic clerics have offered special prayers for President Bola Tinubu and the NNPP National Leader, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, for the country’s peace, growth, and political stability.
Rep. Abdulmumin Kofa (NNPP-Kiru/Bebeji), who hosted the clerics in Kiru, prayed for Kano State Governor Kabir Yusuf’s victory in court.
This was said by the lawmaker’s Media Aide, Malam Sani Paki, in Kano on Monday.
The clerics recited the holy Qur’an 1,101 times throughout the prayer session and prayed for the country’s peace, growth, and political stability, according to the statement.
According to Kofa, his relationship with Tinubu is no secret.
He stated that Kwankwaso is his mentor and that he will continue to support and promote Tinubu and Kwankwaso’s peaceful relationship.
The NNPP, according to Kofa, is a highly promising party that is still open to collaboration, alliance, and merger with the APC, as well as the PDP, LP, or any other party that expressed interest, as long as it is for the sake of Nigerians.
He also vowed to use his little political network to reach out to Kano political gladiators in order to resolve any resolvable issues and de-escalate the state’s existing tensions as a consequence of the Kano governorship race.
The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Sunday, said the country was almost comatose when President Bola Tinubu came into power.
Abiodun disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
He said, “The President Tinubu-led administration has been very bold and audacious.
“They’ve taken the bull by the horns. They’ve done what no government has done in the history of Nigeria.
“Tinubu inherited an administration that was almost comatose. I believe this government is very bold and taking the bull by the horns.
“President Tinubu has been able to do what no president has ever been able to do in the history of Nigeria.
“President Tinubu deregulated the petroleum industry to save Nigerians.”
The governor, however, urged Nigerians to be patient with the President, saying he is confident in the Tinubu-led administration to tackle the challenges facing the country.
He added, “You know our President, besides being a former governor and a senator, he is also an accountant.
“So, he is someone who is very spot on and all hands are on deck to turn this economy around. We are very hopeful and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
This is coming a few days after the Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, said the administration of Tinubu took over a “dead economy.”
Soludo stated that the Tinubu regime inherited an economy already beyond revival before it assumed office.
“I said it before. This particular government inherited a dead economy from a microeconomic point of view. This government inherited a dead horse that was seen standing but people didn’t know that it was dead. I think it’s important for Nigerians to understand this,” he said on the same programme.
Earlier this month, Tinubu while negotiating an infrastructure loan in Saudi Arabia had also stated his administration took over substantial fiscal and infrastructure deficits.
PUNCH reports that Tinubu took over from former President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2023.
Buhari and Tinubu belong to the same party, the All Progressives Congress.
A nationwide curfew was declared yesterday by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio after unidentified gunmen attacked military barracks in the West African nation’s capital, Freetown.
This is as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) condemned the plot by some individuals to disturb the peace of the West African country.
The condemnation is contained in a statement issued by ECOWAS on Sunday in Abuja.
The situation in Sierra Leone has been tense since the disputed re-election of Bio.
Taking to X, Bio said unidentified gunmen attacked a military armoury within the barracks in the capital, Freetown, early morning. “They were driven back by security forces and calm has been restored,” he added.
As the combined team of security forces continues to root out the remnant of the fleeing renegades, a nationwide curfew has been declared and citizens are encouraged to stay indoors, he wrote.
But, ECOWAS said it has learnt, “with utter disgust, a plot by certain individuals to acquire arms and disturb the peace and constitutional order in Sierra Leone”.
“ECOWAS condemns this act and calls for the arrest and prosecution of everyone involved in the illegality.
“The bloc has always maintained its zero-tolerance for unconstitutional change of government.
“We want to reaffirm our commitment to supporting the government and the people of Sierra Leone’s quest to deepen democracy and good governance by consolidating peace and security so as to foster socio-economic development,” it stated.
It was also learnt that some inmates from the central prison in Freetown had escaped and the authorities are investigating into the incident. So far, it is not clear how many had escaped the prison.
Some of the videos that circulated in the social media revealed many people fleeing from the prison area, while gunshots were heard in the background. According to officials, the gunmen who attacked the military barracks later broke into the prison and freed the prisoners.
Sierra Leone’s civil aviation authority had urged airlines to reschedule flights after the curfew was imposed.
The aviation authority said in a statement that passengers should be placed on the next available flights after the curfew is lifted. It added that the country’s airspace remains open.
Bio was reelected for a second term in June amid opposition party’s accusation of Sierra Leone’s electoral commission of conspiring with his party.
Since the end of the 11-year brutal civil war, it was the fifth presidential election held in the nation.
Since 2020, there have been eight military coups in West and Central Africa. Bio has been facing criticism because of weakening economic conditions. The nation is battling severe poverty, youth unemployment among other issues.
On the latest attack, the U.S. embassy in Freetown said in a statement that such actions were not justified.
he All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has alleged that Governor Ademola Adeleke absconded from the state to avoid giving account of stewardship for his one year anniversary.
The Nation recalls that Adeleke had embarked on overseas trips amid speculations that he went for a knee surgery three weeks ago, but his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, at the weekend disclosed that the governor embarked on vacation because he had not gone for any since he assumed office.
APC through its Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement yesterday berated Adeleke’s one year old administration, saying: “We know very well that Governor Adeleke has absconded from the state so he will not be able to give due account of his stewardship to the people.”
He added: “Since November 2022 when he came on board, Governor Adeleke has run the state aground with his sheer incompetence, lack of proper education and his zero administrative acumen. He is afraid to disclose to Osun people how he has mismanaged over N130billion revenue accrued to his government in the last one year.”
Lawal said: “Adeleke is afraid to tell them how he has allocated the supplementary budget of over N10billion for his food, entertainment and office use while the parents of University of Osun (UNIOSUN) students are struggling to pay increased school fees his administration forced on them to pay. Osun people deserve to know the whereabouts of their governor.
“Governor Adeleke is ashamed to face Osun people that one year after, his promise of making Osun another Dubai is a fluke told by a scoundrel and conman. Adeleke is distraught to face Osun people because he has failed to provide palliative for them in the face of economic hardship occasioned by removal of fuel subsidy and the N9billion he collected from the Federal Government, his demonic government has looted it.”
Adeleke through his spokesperson, Rasheed, reacting to Osun APC, said the opposition was still living in pains of 2022 governorship and 2023 general election defeats
He said: “When I assumed office, we had benchmarks and deliverables according to each sector. Our team set milestones to achieve in health, education, infrastructure, ICT, agriculture, youth, women among others. I look back and I can tell you we’ve performed beyond our plans.
“The opposition APC is still nursing the wound of their electoral defeat. So the party is ashamed to see the positive changes we are recording in the state. Our achievements are there for all to see.
“In the road sector, we have reconstructed 90 kilometres of roads, with another 45 kilometres ongoing. We have rehabilitated 31 schools with another 31 in the pipeline. We have built 332 water projects, while major water works at Iwo, Ede, Osogbo are under rehabilitation.”
The ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered the government of Nigeria to amend some Sections of the Nigerian Press Council Act of 1992 to align with international practices that promote free, pluralistic, and professional journalism.
Two Nigerian journalists had sued the government for violating their right to freedom of expression by imposing restrictive criteria for practicing journalism.
They claimed that the Nigerian Press Council Act of 1992 discriminated against online and citizen journalists and failed to recognize public interest media.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice ruled in their favor and ordered the government to amend the contested sections of the Act.
In its judgment delivered by Hon Justice Dupe Atoki, Judge Rapporteur, the Court declared that Sections 19 (1)(a), 27 and 37 of the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Act failed to recognize public interest media including rights of online and citizen journalists thereby violating Article 9 (1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and Article 8 (1) and 10 (2) of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa.
The Court also dismissed some of the journalists’ claims that were not substantiated, such as unlawful arrest and detention.
The journalists asked for one million USD as damages, but the Court did not grant this request.
The case with suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/31/21 was filed on 14 June 2021 by lawyers representing the Applicants – Mr Isaac Olamikan and Mrs Edoghogho Ugberease – online and citizen journalists who practise journalism for the promotion of freedom of expression, opinion, and access to information.
In the application, they claimed that Sections 19(1)a, 27 and 37 of the Nigeria Press Council Act of 1992 requiring journalists to be at least 18 years and accredited by the NPC, 25 years to be an editor with working experience in reputable media organization or news agency and registered with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, discriminated against them.
Foresees A Brighter Future For Nigeria
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience with the administration of President Bola Tinubu, assuring them that ongoing reforms in the country will ultimately lead to economic prosperity and stability for the nation.
Speaking during a prayer ceremony organized in his honour by his family at his Ijagbo country home in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Fagbemi emphasized that President Tinubu’s primary goal is not self-aggrandizement but rather the betterment of Nigeria.
Fagbemi expressed confidence that Tinubu’s interactions with foreign investors will soon yield positive results for the country’s economic development.
He urged Nigerians to remain patient, acknowledging that progress takes time.
He said, “Immediately after his swearing-in, he has been all out to seek investors’ buy-in. As a result, positive responses have been trailing his discussions with foreign investors. The only thing we need is to exercise some patience. Even if you plant a tree, it won’t grow into fruition until after a while.
“Nigerians need to be patient; things will improve greatly in the coming days. The sacrifices of today will translate to a greater future for the country. I know with prayers and support of Nigerians, the country will emerge stronger.”
The event was attended by Kwara State Governor Abdurrazaq Abdurrahman, along with monarchs, friends, and well-wishers.
Fagbemi took the opportunity to acknowledge the governor’s significant contributions to the state’s progress.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Enyinnanya Abaribe, has said Nigeria is collaborating with the Shanghai University of Electric Power (SUEP) to correct the misalignment arising from the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) value chain.
Addressing reporters at a workshop tagged: “Exploring opportunities for cooperation under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for the Nigerian Electric Power Sector” at the weekend in Abuja, Abaribe said the engineers in the sector are not competent enough for the attainment of seamless generation, transmission and distribution the country has been yearning for.
The committee chairman said the focus of the partnership was mostly on capacity building for the manpower.
He said: “I think what we are discussing with SUEP mostly are in the area of capacity building.
“The fact on the ground in Nigeria is that we have a misalignment between the different parts of the power sector. There is a misalignment between generation and transmission. There is a misalignment between transmission and distribution. And so, part of the critical issue that has led to this is lack of capacity.
Read Also; PHOTOS: Gov Sanwo-Olu hosts Oba Of Benin in Lagos
“So, many of our people, like the engineers, are not competent enough at ensuring that we are able to have a seamless transition between generation and distribution.”
Abaribe noted that the discussion with SUEP was focused on capacity building, either by training manpower within the sector itself or training those who in the universities who would enter the power sector.
The chairman noted that by identifying the opportunities that abound in the sector with an energy shortage of over 35,000MW, it was germane to support the discussions with BRI to tap into the opportunities.
The Managing Director of XEM Consultants Limited, Dr. Eugenia Ndukwe, who was the convener of the conference, explained that the ceremony was meant to explore opportunities for collaboration between China and Nigeria under the BRI-funded project.
She explained that the BRI is a Chinese government initiative to connect the world together.
Ndukwe added: “For sure, we know that the philosophy of President Xi Jinping is to build the community of shared future and for shared prosperity.
“So, the BRI has done so well and funding a lot of projects, especially roads, rails at the port and powering infrastructure.”
Narrowing the initiative down to Nigeria, the convener said: ”But so far, there tends to be a missing gap in our own assessment of the BRI. The power infrastructure is a serious and a critical challenge for us here in Nigeria.
“So, what we are doing is to leverage that gap to look at opportunities where we can begin to consolidate opportunities under the BRI to help the sector.”
According to her, SUEP is an academic institution that serves the energy needs of the Belt and Road Initiative of China.
Ndukwe added: “Basically, as a knowledge and research-based organisation, what intervention they will be providing is in terms of talent development for the power sector and not infrastructure.”
Also, the Director General of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Ahmed Nagode, said the institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SUEP in 2019 to support Nigeria with power sector capacity building.
The support, he said, rangeds from training of instructors and curriculum development.
Nagode, who described China as adept in solar PV installation, added that SUEP would be required to upgrade Nigeria with new technology in the sector.
He said: “We want to see where we can exchange the programme to deal with the content of what we do and see how they can also help deepen and improve on what we do, especially in relation to new technology.
“We equally look at the fact that China is very good in building energy, especially solar PV.”
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has listed Bwari, Kuje and Abaji as the area councils that are worst hit by kidnapping.
Director of Administration and Finance, FCTA Security Services Department, Ebele Molokwu, made this known during the end of the year media briefing on the activities of the department.
She said major kidnapping incidents in the territory were usually from those councils even though there are some isolated cases in the others area councils.
She said the councils share boarder with some states noted for kidnapping, adding that when the bandits came to strike they will run back to those states.
A military armoury in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown came under attack on Sunday, the government announced, as it imposed an immediate national curfew.
The government said those attempting to break into the armoury had been repelled. Witnesses told AFP they heard gunshots and explosions in the city’s Wilberforce district.
The information ministry assured the public that “the government and our state security forces are in control”.
“To enable the security forces to continue the process of apprehending the suspects, a nationwide curfew is declared with immediate effect across the country,” the ministry said.
No further details were given on the alleged perpetrators of the attack or their motives.
Sierra Leone, an English-speaking country in West Africa, has been going through a political crisis following presidential and general elections in June this year.
ECOWAS, U.S react
Meanwhile, the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has condemned the disturbances at Freetown.
In a statement released Sunday morning, it said: “The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has learnt with utter disgust a plot by certain individuals to acquire arms and disturb the peace and constitutional order in Sierra Leone.
“ECOWAS condemns this act and calls for the arrest and prosecution of all participants in this illegal act.”
ECOWAS reiterated its zero-tolerance for unconstitutional change of government, underscoring its commitment to supporting the government and people of Sierra Leone to deepen democracy and good governance, consolidate peace and security as well and foster socio-economic development.
Similarly, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the US embassy in Freetown “condemn in the strongest possible terms the attempted overnight forceful seizure of Wilberforce Barracks and armoury.
“Such actions have no justification. We urge full cooperation with the government security forces’ ongoing operation to detain those
responsible and strongly encourage all to adhere to government guidance regarding the ongoing curfew for their own safety.
“The United States continues to stand with all those working for a peaceful, democratic, healthy, and prosperous Sierra Leone.”
[DailyTrust]
More...
Russia on Saturday morning launched its most intense drone attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion in 2022, targeting the Ukrainian capital, military officials said.
“Kyiv was the main target,” Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on his Telegram channel.
In total, Russia launched 75 Iranian-made Shahed drones against Ukraine, of which 74 were destroyed by air defenses, Ukraine’s air force said.
The attack was “the most massive air attack by drones on Kyiv,” said Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv city administration. Ukrainian air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat confirmed later that the air defenses shot down 66 air targets over the capital and surrounding region throughout the morning.
[NaijaTimes]
At least 11 people were killed and 35 injured Saturday by a fire at a shopping mall in Pakistan’s commercial capital of Karachi, officials said. More than 60 people were inside the mall when the fire broke out on the fourth floor of the six-storey building in the southern port city.
“Our rescue workers have taken 11 dead bodies to hospitals so far,” said Shahid Hussain, a spokesman for the Chippa welfare organisation, which runs a rescue service.
The governors in the north-east say the poor road network in their geo-political zone is fuelling insecurity.
The north-east is currently having some level of respite from decade-long activities of members of Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Thousands have lost their lives and many more displaced owing to the conflict instigated by the aforementioned groups.
In a communique issued on Saturday after a meeting in Yola, capital city of Adamawa state, the north-east governors said they are disturbed about the poor infrastructure in the zone.
“More concerned that the federal roads within and between the states in the region have been neglected,” the communique signed by Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno and chair of the north-east governors forum, read.
“We call on the federal ministry of works to follow through with road contracts awarded in the region. The poor road network is fuelling insecurity stalling development and making life more difficult for our people in the region.
“Forum notes that the bad federal roads within and between the states are major setbacks to the infrastructural development of the region.
“Forum notes the poor energy situation in the region.
“To mitigate the situation, Forum resolved to work with Shanghai Electric to construct a 60 MW Coal Power Power Plant in each state of the region.
“Forum decried the lack of modern rail projects in the region and called for repairs on the old gauge rail lines which are no longer useful and sustainable technology.”
The governors called for inclusion of the zone into the Nigerian National Railway Transport plan using the modern gauge rail.
The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) says it arrested Wilfred Bonse, former Cross River governorship candidate, in connection to the security breach and financial fraud suffered by Patricia, a cryptocurrency firm.
He contested the Cross River governorship election in 2023 on the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Bonse, according to Muyiwa Adejobi, NPF public relations officer (PRO), conspired to launder the sum of N50 million that originated from the fraudulent diversion of N607 million from Patricia.
In a statement on Friday, Adejobi said Bonse received the funds with his bank account through a cryptocurrency wallet.
The fund is part of the N2 billion Patricia lost to a security breach on its crypto processing platform in May 2023.
Adejobi said after painstaking efforts, the police trail led to the arrest of Bonse.
He said the police, through its national cybercrime center (NPF-NCCC) made significant strides in the investigation of the complex financial fraud case reported by Patricia.
“The case involves a criminal conspiracy, unauthorised modification of computer systems, network data, and the unlawful diversion of funds amounting to over Two hundred million naira (N200,000,000:00k) as contained in a petition to the inspector general of Police,” the PRO said.
“Outlining the details of the alleged theft, conversion of cryptocurrency wallets, and unauthorised fund diversion from the company’s Flutterwave account, the petition specifically mentioned some individuals currently at large.
“Having registered his involvement in the complex crime. Wilfred Bonse conspired in laundering the sum of fifty million naira (N50,000,000:00k) originating from the fraudulent diversion of six hundred and seven million naira (N607,000,000:00k) from Patricia Technology company’s account to his bank account through a cryptocurrency wallet.
“While the investigation is ongoing, the Nigeria Police Force wishes to assure the public that all individuals involved in this criminal conspiracy will be brought to justice.”
This is not the first case of Bonse’s involvement in cyber fraud.
In February, the politician was accused of benefitting at least N40 million from a cyber fraud scheme executed by a group of hackers identified as ‘The Syndicate’.
“BONSE WAS USED TO STEAL FROM PATRICIA”
Commenting on Bonse’s arrest, Hanu Agbodje, founder of Patricia, said the politician was used “to steal N607,000,000 from Patricia”.