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DasukiGate: Court remands former Air Marshal in prison
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he Federal High Court on Friday ordered that a retired Air Marshal, Tony Omeniyi, be remanded in Kuje Prison, after he pleaded not guilty to allegations of diverting funds meant for the purchase of arms. Mr. Omeniyi was accused, alongside his company, Huzee Nigeria Limited, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of diverting over N136 million from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. The defendant’s counsel, Wahab Olatunji, had made a request for his client’s bail saying the offence is bail-able. After listening to arguments from counsel, the judge, Nnamdi Dimgba, fixed November 14 for hearing and determination of the application for bail; but ordered Mr. Omeniyi be remanded in prison till that day. The EFCC also arraigned two suspects, Sada Adamu and Babatunde Faro, employees of Diamond Bank Plc, before the same court for alleged fraud to the tune $1 million.
(ABUJA)
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igeria’s current arguably most famous prison, Kuje Prison, has over 70 undergraduate inmates, head of the prison, a Deputy Controller of Prisons, Akilu Abdullahi, said Friday. The inmates however began their degree programmes through the National Open University at the prison, having obtained their West African Senior Secondary School Examination, WASSCE, results from the prison, said Abdullahi. The prison chief stated this when non-governmental organizations working on a project known as “Youth Matters in Nigeria” visited the inmates to interact with them on the need to shun all vices that could further imperil their future. The visit was to also enable them suggest to government areas of mental and other health programmes they think gov-
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Terrorism inhibiting development in Africa—Buhari
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resident Muhammadu Buhari has called on African leaders to form a strong united front to defeat terrorism and violent extremism inhibiting development in Africa. A statement issued yesterday by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said Buhari spoke while receiving Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto at the State House. Buhari expressed concern that the continent was still grappling with acts and effects of terrorism after a successful de-colonisation campaign. Acknowledging the valued cooperation between Nigeria and Kenya in the fight against terrorism, the President commended the East African country for the recent successes recorded in tackling terrorism in the region. “A situation in which insecurity continues to obstruct the process of national development should not be allowed to continue”, the President told Ruto, a special envoy to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Kuje prison has over 70 inmate undergraduates —Controller Marcus Fatunmole
NOVEMBER 12, 2016
ernment should initiative for the nation’s youths. The group comprises Silver Lining Initiative, SLNI, KVS International, INVICTA Communication Limited, Education as a Vaccine (EVA), Parents against Drug Abuse (PADA), and Mike Omotosho Foundation (MOF) They work in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health. About 100 inmates who were assembled at the prison identified drugs, alcoholism, illicit and unprotected sex as major problems for the nation’s youth. They claimed peer influence pushes youths to do what never intended to do. While many of them feel visibly remorseful for being in the prison, religious institutions and other empowerment programmes initiated for them seem to have given them a hope of better life after leaving the prison. Some of the drugs identified to constitute threat to the nation’s youths are narcotic, tramadol, cocaine, ammagadol, marijuana, diazepam, Exxon 5, valium, heroin, Indian hemp.
On the forthcoming election of a new leadership for the African Union Commission (AUC), Buhari said African States needs a very strong leadership at the AUC that would encourage member states to refocus their resources and energy toward human and national development.
On Kenya’s request for Nigeria’s support for the candidature of Ambassador Amina Mohammed, Kenya’s Foreign Minister, who is vying for the AUC Chairperson, Buhari said Nigeria would hold robust consultations with other African leaders on the need for strong and capable leadership that would
respond to the current challenges facing the continent. In his remarks, Ruto commended Buhari for his leadership, particularly on regional security and the fight against corruption. Ruto said Buhari’s effort to eradicate terrorism and violent extremism
had emboldened the continent’s resolve to achieve lasting peace and security. He said, “For the decade that has just passed, the department has recorded lots of achievements. Apart from those already mentioned, the department has produced 11 first class graduates.
Children of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) studying under the sun at the Stafanos Foundation Camp in Jos, yesterday. PHOTO:SUNDAY ADAH/JAU/BJO/NAN
Bank of Industry disburses N36.82bn in nine months
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he Bank of Industry (BoI), disbursed N36.82 billion as loans in its Large Enterprise Directorate between January and September, an official has said. Adetokunbo Akinsola, Head, SME Group of the bank, represented by Obaro Osa, gave the figure during the bank’s SME Forum held at the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair. “BoI is positioned to deepen finance to small and large enterprises for the expansion of productivity and job creation in the industrial sector. “Under the large en-
terprise directorate, Food Processing Group and Agro-Processing Group, (BOI) disbursed N13.5 billion and N3.099 billion loans respectively to food and agro-based businesses. “N2.9 billion loan was disbursed by the Solid Mineral Group while Gas and Petrochemical Group disbursed N5.03 billion in the said period,” he said. Mr. Akinsola said that the Gender and Creative Industry Group through its segment based products namely; Fashion Fund and Nollyfund, disbursed N1.8 billion and N665 million. “N10 billion was dis-
Inusa Ndahi
on roads and highways in the country, the Borno State Sector Commander of FRSC, Shehu Iliyasu has disclosed. Iliyasu made this known on Friday in Maiduguri, in an interactivesession with journalists on the implementation and safety of installing speed limiters in vehicles in the state.
bursed to businesses under the Engineering and Technology group while N497 billion was disbursed under CBN’s Intervention funds, through commercial banks to 600 beneficiaries, ” he said. According to him, BoI’s strategic focus is to drive the financial inclusion of the unbanked population of artisans and market women toward building an inclusive economy. Earlier, Nike Akande, President, LCCI, advised SMEs to be innovative through introduction of new products and services, deployment of technology and participation at trade fairs.
She also proposed exploring new market trends and investigating new sources of raw materials that do not require foreign exchange. Ms. Akande commended BoI’s special intervention funds for youth and women entrepreneurs, geared toward job creation and industrialisation. She said that the industrial sector required credit support from development institutions like BoI to thrive in the country’s quest for local production, import reduction and currency stability. (NAN)
FRSC Pegs Speed Limit To 80-120Kph For Trucks, cars MAIDUGURI
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he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has pegged the speed limits of trucks and cars to 80 and 120 kilometres per hour (Kph), with effect from January 1, 2017 to reduce rates of auto crashes and deaths
He said that most of the auto crashes that killed and injured many people in the state, are caused by over speeding. Citing Beneshiekh’s recent auto crash in Borno, Iliyasu said: “The deaths of 24 people last July at Benisheikh town could have been avoided, if the bus had a speed limiter installed. The driver was on
top speed, but he could not negotiate the 45 degree angle road into the town, before crashing to kill 25 people with 16 others injured.” He said that when a driver, is on top speed, there is a tendency for tyre busts and veering off the road or highway to crash into a ditch or side tree and buildings.