30/04/23

SHINA J.O

The Nigerian Ambassador to Sudan, Safiu Olaniyan says the Embassy is waiting for clearance from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and NEMA and also the Governments of Nigeria and Egypt, to move the buses across the border.

The envoy gave the update while reacting to complaints and allegations levelled against the embassy.

Olaniyan, in a voice message sent through the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), stated that a security clearance is what is needed for those at the boarders of Sudan to move to Egyptian borders.

He also clarified that the embassy was not in charge of hiring buses to convey evacuees out of Sudan and pleaded with those aggrieved to rethink the alleged plan to attack embassy officials.

The Ambassador assured parents and students that the Embassy officials are fully on ground in Khartoum, and as such, they share in the challenges from the war with all Nigerians affected.

30/04/2023

SHINA J.O

No fewer than four persons were trapped saturday evening in Calabar building Collapse which occured around effio-ette Junction of Calabar Municipality Area Council of Cross River State .

Rescue operation started in earnest with a team from the state government have removed one person from among the workers trapped at the three story Collapsed buildings.

The State Commissioner for Information, Eric Anderson who led the government team said all the needed supports and equipment have been provided to the rescue team.

Those injured as a result of the incident have been taken to the General and Teaching hospitals while ambulances and medical team were still on ground till night to remove others trapped in the building.

Joint security operatives including the Police, DSS, FRSC, NSCDC and State Government Owmed Operation Akpakwu were all on ground to maintain law and order.

No official information yet on the reason for the collapse of the three storey building as rescue operations Continue at the Scene.

29/04/23

SHINA J.O

The Ministry, of Foreign Affairs and that of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development have confirmed that the first batch of 13 buses conveying six hundred and thirty seven (637) stranded Nigerian students, had arrived the identified safe borders at Aswan, Egypt.

The necessary documentation and clearance before admission into the Egyptian territory for their eventual evacuation to Nigeria is ongoing.

A joint statement by the Permanent Secretaries of the ministries indicates that the movement of the second batch of 29 buses will commence this Saturday, 29th April, 2023.

They urged evacuees to be at the designated locations with only one luggage.

The statement added that contrary to insinuations on social media, the Nigerian embassy staff are very much on ground in Khartoum to coordinate the evacuation exercise to the very end.

The students and other Nigerians awaiting evacuation from Khartoum, Sudan are therefore advised to cooperate with them in order to ensure orderliness and proper documentation while embarking on the buses

The statement expalins that the outcry over the negotiated sum of $1.2 million for the buses hired for the exercise is uncalled for.

It says the amount in question was negotiated in a condition of war, and there are competing demands for the same bus services by other countries also trying to evacuate their citizens.

The first batch of Nigerian evacuees who have arrived Aswan are expected to be airlifted to Nigeria in the coming hours by the Nigerian Air Force and Air Peace airline, who have been on standby for the operations.

ELIZABETH D.D

29/04/23

The Nigerian Army is deploying 197 contingents to the Gambia, with assurance from the army hierarchy that only quality peacekeepers will be deployed, towards contributing to international peace and security, in tune with the policy direction of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nigeria’s Army Chief of Operations, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, said this during the pre-deployment graduation of the contingents, at the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peace Keeping Centre, Jaji Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria.

The Pre-deployment Training was aimed at refreshing the knowledge and expertise of the contingents in Peace Support Operations, as well as enabling them to have a firm grasp of all the rudiments of the mandated mission.

The Chief of Operations Army, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja in his message, delivered to the contingents by the Commandant of the Peace Keeping Centre, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, charged the contingents to be worthy ambassadors of the country.

He further explained that the tactical skills imparted to the contingents will put them in good stead, to accomplish the tasks, in fulfilment of the ECOMIG Mandate.

The deployment of the 197 contingents to the Gambia, is coming two weeks after the Nigerian Army deployed 172 troops to Guinea Bissau, for a similar operation.

29/04/23

PRESS RELEASE

BENEDICTA T. D

Police in Katsina say they on Thursday, April 27 foiled a kidnap attempt and rescued a renowned businessman within the metropolis.

In a statement by the Police spokesman, chief superintendent, CSP Gambo Isah, the feat was achieved based on credible intelligence gathered.

According to him, based on credible intelligence, the command’s Anti Kidnapping Unit, (AKU) intercepted a notorious gang of kidnappers for ransom, on the wanted list of the police.

Isah added that nemesis caught up with the suspects when they were on their way to commit their heinous mission of kidnapping a renowned businessman in the state and met their Waterloo.

The police image maker added that, during the encounter, two suspected terrorists were neutralized and two AK 47 rifles were recovered.

Isah further said, in the course of scanning the scene, the corpse of a suspected terrorist, Samaila Shehu of Tsaunin Kura Village, Malumfashi Local Government Area was recovered.

According to him, Shehu was arrested in 2020, in connection with the attack at Government Secondary School, Malumfashi Staff Quarters, Katsina, and was charged to court.

28/04/23

SHINA J.O

River state governor Nyesom Wike and Oyo state counterpart Seyi Makinde on Friday visited the President-elect Bola Tinubu at the defense house in Abuja. Speaking to Journalists after the meeting, Both Governor’s said their visit to the President-elect is to congratulate him ahead of the may 29 inauguration and to assure him of their support.

They expressed confidence in the ability of the President-elect to deliver on his promises to the Nigerians.

The President-elect is expected to visit River State on May 3rd to commission some projects.

29/04/23

BENEDICTA T.D

Seventy-four out of the 96 abducted members of Wanzamai Village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, have regained freedom, after paying six million Naira ransom.

According to a resident of the troubled village, the abductors released 74, while they killed two of the victims, and held back twenty.

The 74 were brought into the village and taken to a private hospital for medical screening because many of them could not walk properly.

The 96 persons were said to have been abducted in the affected village but one of the victims later escaped, leaving 95 behind.

The abductors are insisting that families of the victims must add more money before they will free the remaining twenty persons still in captivity.

The 74 who regained freedom were weak, traumatized and needed urgent medical attention, to be able to get back on their feet.

It would be recalled that on Friday, 7th April, suspected terrorists invaded Wanzamai Village and abducted 96 women and children to an unknown location, demanding three million Naira ransom, which the families of the victims paid.

The abductors also demanded an additional two million Naira and later asked the families of the victims to add one million to make it three million Naira.

It was after this payment that they released the 74 victims.

29/04/23

SHINA J.O

Two local women miners have been reported killed while three others sustained injuries at a local mining site in Bar Kudu, Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, North East Nigeria.

Confirming the incident, Musa Nakwada, who is the Member representing Bogoro at the Bauchi State House of Assembly, said urgent action will be taken to regulate local mining in Bauchi State.

The history of local mining in Bauchi State cuts across the local governments, with women and children mostly seen in the business.

Here in Bogoro, the case is not different.

According to the residents, this local mining site in Bar Kudu used to witnessed not less than Five hundred people, trying to earn a living.

Worried about the spike in local mining in Bauchi State, the Chairman House Committee On The Environment at the Bauchi State Assembly, Musa Nakwada, immediately brought the matter under urgency, on the floor of the Assembly, after the incident that happened in Bar Kudu.

The incident is coming barely weeks after the National Association of Women in Nigeria conducted a policy dialogue for women miners in Bauchi State, on their rights in the sector.

The Organised Labour in Nigeria has rejected a ‘stop used letter from the federal capital territory, FCT not to make use of the popular Eagle Square for the May one workers Day celebration.

The Abuja investment and property limited had written to the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, informing them of the latest development.

At briefing in Abuja, TUC President, Festus Osifo on behalf of the Labour movement says workers will not accept the old parade ground alternative, they will rather occupy the streets of Abuja.

Osifo says the letter claims the May one workers Day will affect preparation for May 28 inauguration at the Eagle Square.

The Eagle square has been used for Workers day May one celebration since 1999, except for the 2020 edition which was due to the covid-19 lockdown.

According to the Labour movement the action of the FCT authorities is more political than the excuse of the inauguration, due to the Labour movements affiliation to Labour Party.

PRESS RELEASE

29/04/23

SHINA J .O

The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has called on those concerned with passages and movement of persons and services along contiguous borders of Sudan to create a humane condition for about 7000 Nationals, including Nigerians to have unfettered access to their various destinations.

Dabiri-Erewa said
over 7000 Nationals, including Nigerians, are not being allowed to cross the border into Egypt since their arrival late yesterday evening .

She added that the Nigerian mission in Egypt has been working tirelessly on this as the Egyptian authorities are insisting on visas by fellow Africans to transit back to their countries.

She appealed to the Egyptian authorities to kindly allow the already traumatized travelers to transit to their final destinations in various countries in Africa