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 Gunmen Miss Catholic Priest, Abduct Catechist In Southern Kaduna Unknown gunmen have kidnapped Mr Kefas Ishaya, the Catechist of St. Monica Catholic Church, Ikulu-Pari, in Chawai Chiefdom of Kauru Local Government, Kaduna State. It was gathered that the gunmen abducted the Catechist when they could not get his boss, Rev Fr Joseph Shekari. According to NAN, Shekari, who was not at his residence when the attack occurred, had travelled out of the village. Chairman of Ikulu Zone of the parish, Mr Sunday Bage, told NAN that the abductors came “around 9.30 p.m. and dragged the Catechist to the bush. ”They took him with his phone. We have been calling the line, but it keeps ringing out.” He said the gunmen shot sporadically, moving through the church, the school and the priest’s residence in search of the Rev Father. Some residents of the area told NAN that the gunmen broke into the priest’s house through the fence. ”They used stones and bullets to break the main door of the house. ”This is

Unknown Gunmen Abducts Scores Of School Pupils In Doma  ***  Scores of pupils at LGEA Primary School Alwaza, Doma LGA of Nasarawa State have been kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.  The gunmen invaded the public school Friday morning and whisked away the children to unknown destination.  A community youth leader who confirmed the incident said the kidnappers were heavily armed.  He said about six(6) children were abducted by the gunmen.  Operatives of the Nigeria Police have been deployed for the rescue of the abducted children.   

NSUK Wants Driver Who Killed 200-Level Student Prosecuted  *** The management of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) has vowed to ensure that the driver who killed a student of the institution, Miss Adama Abdulrahman was prosecuted.  This, in a statement issued by its Information and Protocol Officer (IPO), Abraham Habu Ekpo, in Keffi on Thursday, was to serve as deterrent to anybody that will commit such an offense. Miss Adama was hit by a vehicle on her way to school to write an examination on Wednesday January 18.  Ekpo who described the incident as painful and unfortunate also said they are taking every measure possible to ensure the safety of students so that such an unpleasing incident does not happen again.  He assured that the management will follow up with the law enforcement agents to see that the culprit behind the incident face the full wrath of the law.  The deceased until her death was a 200-level student of Mass Communication in the state owned University.  

Relief For Ekweremadu As Court Vacates Interim Forfeiture Order Of His Properties January 20, 20230 A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, set aside the Nov. 4, 2022, interim forfeiture order on 40 landed property linked to Sen. Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, said he had found that the application for forfeiture filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was not brought in good faith and ought to be struck out. Justice Ekwo further held that the EFCC failed to disclose material facts about the matter. He said though the anti-graft agency knew the predicament of Ekweremadu and his wife in the United Kingdom (UK) and did not deny writing a letter to the Crown Prosecution Service in the UK to furnish them with information about the lawmaker, the EFCC still brought an application seeking an order for them to show cause on the assets to be forfeited. “I do not think that the desired objective of the legislature in enacting the pro

*Government Clamps Down on Touts in Anambra State* By Paul Nwosu The Anambra State Government has intensified the war against touts in Anambra State. Following Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludos get-together with transporters and sundry stakeholders in the transportation industry at Prof Dora Akunyili Development Centre, Awka where he reduced the taxes levied on the operators, there has been an intensification of the battle against the touts (ndi agboro) who harass the Keke, Shuttle bus, and other commercial drivers. In Onitsha, some hoodlums who nefariously branded a Mercedes car in the mode of the Anambra IRS have been apprehended in their devilish deed of harassing the drivers. To underscore the seriousness government attaches to the ban on "agboro", a set of Hotlines have been specifically created for the public to call anytime and anywhere touts are found to be in operation in Anambra State.  The Hotlines are:  Airtel: 08122554530 and 08120356133 MTN: 07069680112 and 080

PRESIDENT BUHARI CELEBRATES MINISTER OF STATE, LABOUR, FESTUS KEYAMO ON 53RD BIRTHDAY   President Muhammadu Buhari joins leaders and members of All Progressives Congress (APC) in congratulating Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, on his 53rd birthday, January 21, 2023.   President Buhari felicitates with the former Minister of State, Niger Delta, and renowned human rights activist, who has thrown his wealth of knowledge and experience in championing the governing party, and also graciously accepted the role of Director of Strategic Communications for the Presidential Campaign Council.   The President acknowledges the sacrifices of the party stalwart and his dedication to duty, especially in pursuing the welfare of the people through laudable initiatives like providing a framework for long-term social security.   President Buhari notes the courage, confidence, and brilliance that the legal luminary brings to the table in shaping policies and his commitment to c

LAGOS ARRAIGNS COUPLE FOR ASSAULTING CHILDREN  The Lagos State Government has reiterated its zero tolerance to all forms of Child Abuse, Domestic and Sexual Violence, assuring residents of its unrelenting resolve to uphold the tenets of the rule of law, Safeguarding, and Child Protection in the State.   The Executive Secretary, Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi stated this following a viral case that led to the arraignment of a couple before the Samuel Ilori Magistrate Court Ogba, for the alleged physical assault, meted out against their two children, aged Five and Two years old.   Vivour-Adeniyi said it was alleged that the suspects have been maltreating the two children by beating them with belts, canes and horsewhip, adding that it took the intervention of a dedicated reporter who ensured the case was brought to the attention of the relevant authorities, including the Policemen at the Idimu Divisional Police Station, who immediately arrested th

RAIL RED LINE PROJECT: LASG EXTENDS TRAFFIC DIVERSION AT MURITALA MOHAMMED WAY   In furtherance of the ongoing construction of the First Phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit, Red Line project, the Lagos State Government has announced the extension of the traffic diversion on Muritala Mohammed Way and Apapa Road, Oyingbo from the 27th January, 2023 to 31st March, 2023 for a duration of nine weeks.  A statement signed by the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde explained that the total lane closure will be sustained to allow the contractor to complete the project without any inhibition during the works.  Oladeinde revealed that the previous alternative routes will be sustained as well, adding the traffic on Muritala Mohammed way will be diverted to Abeokuta Street to access Borno Way to Coates Street to link Muritala Mohammed Way again while motorists can alternately access their destinations from Cemetery Street.  According to him, Traffic on Apapa Road will be accomm

RE: LASG TO REGULATE ACTIVITIES OF MAJOR AND INDEPENDENT PETROLEUM MARKETERS The Lagos State Government has noticed the reactions generated by its directive to major and independent petroleum marketers operating on major roads. The measure is to stop the traffic congestion that has resulted from their activities; it is not to compound the hardship motorists and commuters have experienced because of the lingering fuel shortage. Following assurances from some of the offending filling stations, the 9 am to 4 pm restriction will no longer be enforced. For the avoidance of doubt, filling stations are not restricted from doing their business, but fuel marketers have a responsibility to ensure that their activities do not cause any disruption whatsoever to traffic flow. It is against the law to impede the free flow of traffic on our roads. Traffic Management Agencies have been directed to invoke the law should any marketer be found to have allowed queues on its premises to spill onto major ro

 PRESS RELEASE IGP MEETS POLICE NOMINEES FOR JERUSALEM PILGRIMAGE  Gets NCPC Approval, Institutionalizes Support for Pilgrimage The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, NEAPS, fdc, CFR, on Friday 20th January, 2023, met with the ten (10) Christian Police Officers who have been nominated for the 2023 pilgrimage in Jerusalem, Israel. The pilgrimage which is the first of its kind has been initiated and financed by the IGP in collaboration with some well-meaning Nigerians to encourage Police Officers to be steadfast and uphold the lofty tenets of their faith. The IGP has also sought and gotten the approval of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) to ensure that this becomes a routine activity. He has equally institutionalized the system to ensure that subsequent administrations tow the same path. The Inspector-General of Police urged the officers to be good ambassadors of the Nigeria Police Force and the country during the period of the pilgrimage. He

CBN Asks Nigerians To Reject Old Naira Notes From Banks The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed customers to start rejecting old naira notes from banks, insisting that the old notes ceased to be legal tender by the January 31 as earlier stipulated. The Deputy Director, Currency Operation, Dr Rekiyat Yusuf, disclosed this in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Thursday during the sensitisation of market men and women about the redesigned naira notes. She said that appropriate sanctions would be applied against any erring banks found dispensing old notes to customers henceforth. The CBN therefore directed customers to report any bank still dispensing old notes either over counter or through the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to the apex bank. Yusuf further urged traders to avail themselves of the window provided by the January 31st deadline by visiting banks to exchange the old notes with the new ones. “There is no reason for banks to still be stocking their Automated Teller Machines with old

*SOLUDO’S COMPASSIONATE TAX REGIME* *- Let Ndi Anambra be the Judge* Paul Nwosu When the administration of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo (CFR) came on board, one of the first things he did was to take a close look at the existing taxes and levies. His aim was to: first, reduce the tax burden on Ndi Anambra. Second, was to ensure that the minimum they will eventually pay, come into the coffers of the government so that the taxes and levies will be used for constructing roads and generally develop the state to becoming a more livable, pleasurable and prosperous place. Before now, apart from the formal sector where taxes such as payee, VAT, corporate and others which have been long structured by law and collected seamlessly, collection of taxes and levies from the informal sector especially transport operators in Anambra State have been brutish and hash. The collection was ruthlessly enforced with guns, axes, knifes and cudgels by middlemen and their goons who fixed the rates arbitrari

Five Escape Death As Fire Razes Four Bedroom Apartment In Awka Five people from different families, in the early hours of today escaped being burnt to death as fire razed a four-room apartment at Araba street Awka, Anambra State capital. The incident, which started around 2 am in the morning, was suspected to have emanated from a spark from electrical connections in one of the rooms in the apartment. Narrating the incident, an eyewitness and tenant at the Ikechukwu Anakor's compound, Mr. Ahmed Abubakar Idris; from Kogi State, said he started hearing explosion in the early hours of the day while he was still asleep, adding that aside his mobile phone, his certificates, laptop and a sophisticated (DI) machine were destroyed in the incident that defied individual efforts to extinguish it. Contributing, son of the landlord of the compound, Mr. Agozie Anakor explained that gas cylinders in the room where the incident started helped escalate it, adding that but for individual efforts, th

OCHA Brigade Parades 17 Illegal Revenue Collectors. Operation Clean And Healthy Anambra, OCHA Brigade, has paraded over 17 illegal revenue collectors arrested across major flashpoints in the state. The parade took place at the command headquarters in Awka.  The suspects were young men between the ages of 20 and 45 who were moving around with dangerous weapons and patrol vehicle fraudulently written  government of Anambra State and AIRS while defrauding members of the public of their properties and goods mostly in Onitsha.  Parading the suspects, the Public Relation Officer of the agency, Mr Anthony Onyekwelu revealed that inline with the bill of function of the agency, the command has been on top of their game in carrying out the mandate of government and described their job as an interface between government policies and implementation. Mr Onyekwelu noted some unscrupulous individuals are bent on scuttling Governor Soludo’s vision of making the state prosperous and liveable homeland b

Nsugbe Community Excommunicates Ubanese Nsugbe Council of Elders, the highest decision-making body in Nsugbe community in Anambra State has excommunicated former Senator Alphonsus Igbeke, aka Ubanese from all community activities till further notice. The council otherwise known as ‘Ndi Eze Nsugbe’ also imposed a fine of N1 million against the senator for using the police to hound youths who oppose his reign of terror in the community. They also imposed a fine of N100,000 on any son or daughter of the community who associates or interacts with the excommunicated Senator. The Council of Elders drawn from ten (10) villages that comprise Nsugbe town passed their judgment on Wednesday. Passing their verdict, the elders accused Ubanesse of abducting and causing the forced disappearance of eight youths including teenagers of the community for 21 years now, along with police collaborators. The Head of the Council, Elder Obi Paul Nwankwo, who announced the decision of the council , said, “That

High Level of Insecurity Involving Robbery And Rape In Ifite Awka Triggers Protest By Students Sequel to the incident of a student being shot and killed by armed robbers in a student lodge in Ifite Axis of UNIZIK back gate that we earlier reported, there have been series of robbery cases that got to its peak yesterday with the case of both robbery and rape which took place at Novena Lodge in Ifite. Our reporters got to find this out with series of what’s app status which were flying all over the messaging app last night. These incidents have triggered a proposed 3 day peaceful protest by students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka which is aimed at bringing the attention of the general public and the state government to the decaying level of security in the students inhabited area of ifite, this protest has the ability of shutting down activities in the state capital. The Government should as a matter of urgency respond to the cries of the students and increase the security level of Ifi