Gunmen kidnap Eight Persons in Benue

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Not fewer than eight persons have been kidnapped in Atamka, Owukpa, Ogbadibo local government area of Benue State.

According to a resident of the area who pleaded anonymity, said the incident happened between Saturday and Sunday when the gunmen laid ambush on people returning from church along Atamka/Ugbudu road linking Obollo Afor in Enugu State.

He said a security man was abducted on Saturday, adding that the other seven people were abducted on Sunday while returning from church.

Few of the victims were identified as; Onyechi Onuh, John Ameh and Agnes Ikwuta.

Former chairman of the local government, Prince Samuel Onu who confirmed the kidnap to our corresondent on Monday said that there were two incidences of abduction in the area.

He said, "The first incident was on Saturday when a security guard was abducted at Atamka. On Sunday, some people who were on okada and returning from church were ambushed at the same place and taken away by the suspected kidnappers.

"The people actually waylaid eight people but they discovered that one of their victims has a bad leg and could not walk normally, they left him. So, in total, seven people were abducted on Sunday.

The former chairman said that security men were on the trail of the suspected kidnappers and making frantic efforts to rescue the victims.

Mining: Association partners countries for international standards

The Gold Miners Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (GMPMA) said it was committed to partner with other mining developed countries to achieve international standards in the sector.

President of the association, Mr Auwal Bununu, said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

He said that the commitment would support the sector to acquire more knowledge on mining activities and provide equipment for effective implementation of policies and projects.

According to him, the challenge in the Nigeria mining sector is provision of mining equipment and machinery as well as international standard technical services.

“What we have started doing now is that we are looking at the mining developed countries such as Australia, Canada, China, South Africa, Turkey and Europe, to work with them.

“We are collaborating with those countries so that we can strongly build and strengthen mining companies in Nigeria.

“Working with international companies will help us get their capacity, gain more knowledge and higher standards to support our mining industries,” he said.

He said Nigeria took samples to laboratories at those developed countries to test some of the materials before use in the country.

He said that if such services could be provided to Nigeria about 80 per cent mining problems would be solved appropriately.

“When we have the services and have about 90 per cent of operators who are experts, investigations of materials and other activities will be easy and accessible.

“We can also provide the services locally in accordance with international standards.

“So, we are making efforts for our local mining companies to have access to such equipment that will get to the standards.”

Bununu said that the association had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Beijing Institute of Mineralogy and Mineral Resources.

He said that the association had also engaged with other partners from Europe to build up the synergies.

He said the effort was to ensure that Nigeria would get to the international standard in the mining activities.

Bununu, also Technical Adviser to Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), a mining group, said the association was an umbrella body of the GMPMA.

He said that the NACCIMA had engaged with other relevant stakeholders, such as Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and all the regulatory agencies under the ministry.

He said the engagement with the ministry and other stakeholders was to ensure that Nigerians comply with environmental laws, for safety of the environment and health of people.

The association boss said that the effort was to ensure that its mandates and objectives were achieved effectively.

He said that the collaboration would as well enable them to monitor unlicensed miners across the country.

“The association is committed to address the issue of unlicensed miners and other unauthorised activities in the sector.” (NAN)

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has eulogized late Etsu of Karu, HRH Emmanuel Kyauta Yepwi, the Sa’karuyi of Karu, as man of peace and an epitome of wisdom who was steeped in the culture and traditions of his people.

Bello also commiserated with the Karu Chiefdom in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), over the death of their monarch, aged 76 years, who reportedly died after a brief illness over the weekend, at medical facility in Kano State. The FCT Minister who led a delegation of senior officials of the FCT Administration on a condolence visit to the palace of the Etsu Karu on yesterday, described the late monarch as a person of wisdom who contributed immensely to the development of his domain, adding that his guidance and counsel will sorely be missed.

Represented by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, the Minister also stressed that his reign brought peace, stability and development to Karu Chiefdom and indeed, the FCT,.

He however, prayed that Almighty God will grant the royal father eternal rest and his family and the Karu Chiefdom, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Speaking on behalf of the Palace, the District Head of Jikwoyi, Mr. Nicodemus Machi, appreciated the FCT Administration for the condolence visit to the Karu Chiefdom and prayed that the good relationship between the Palace and the FCT Administration will continue to flourish.

On his part, the Senator representing the FCT at the National Assembly, Phillip Aduda, thanked the FCT Minister for coming to commiserate with the Karu people and for his support.

Aduda however, disclosed

Some financial experts have advised the Federal Government to reappraise engagement with the World Bank Group in the interest of economic growth.

The experts spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) against the backdrop of the ongoing Spring Meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) /World Bank in Washington DC.

They said that both institutions had not represented the interest of Africa in its past meetings.

A past president of the Chattered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mr Okechukwu Unegbu, suggested that Nigeria and Africa should look toward the African Development Bank (AfDB) for more functional economic development.

“I have lost confidence in the World Bank and IMF, because whatever economic measures they propose are usually negative for Africa but positive for Europe and America.

“The only time we can expect their intervention to be beneficial to Africa is if they are reorganised with a strong African presence at such reorganisation, ” he said.

He suggested that Nigeria and other African countries should look more toward the AfDB for development of the continent znd its economies.

Balami tasks incoming president-elect to combat insecurity

By Usman Shuaibu

The retired Judge of the Federal Capital Territory

(FCT) High court of Justice, Hon. Justice Mwada Balami, has charged Nigeria president elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his cabinet members to deem it necessary to wage war against security challenges facing the country.

He also urged the incoming government to always move towards fighting corruption which had eaten deep into the fabric of our nation for so long now.

Balami, who gave the charge in an interview with newsmen in his residence in Gwagwalada to mark the remembrance of the death of Jesus Christ.

He called on both Muslims and Christians to live in peace with each other for the sake of togetherness, noting that no country could move forward in the atmosphere of rancor and acrimony.

He, however, pleaded with Christians and Muslims to cultivate the habit of living peacefully with their neighbours anytime of the day.