Day: April 6, 2024

The Namibian Police Force in the Oshikoto Region have opened a case of concealment of birth against a 38-year-old woman after she allegedly gave birth to a baby boy and dumped him in crop fields.

According to the region’s crime investigations coordinator Deputy Commissioner Titus Ekandjo on Saturday, the incident happened on Friday around 12h00 at Oniimwandi village.

The suspect is admitted at Onandjokwe District Hospital.

‘It is alleged that the suspect gave birth to a baby boy in a Mahangu crop field on Friday and placed the baby in a plastic bag, tied it up, hid the plastic bag in a bucket and left it in the crop field,’ Ekandjo said.

He said the suspect’s housemates discovered some bloodstains in the house and started questioning the suspect, who then admitted to have given birth and dumping the baby body.

The baby body was taken to the Onandjokwe State Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem to be conducted.

The suspect is not arrested yet and investigations continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Twenty-five victims of Thursday’s banditry at Agojeju-Odo community in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi were buried on Saturday.

Chief David Akpa, District Head and Ochala Onu-Ife Bagaji Odo, Omala, Kogi, told newsmen in his palace that those buried included two women and four children.

Akpa described the attack as barbaric and wicked given the way and manner the bandits unleashed mayhem on his people.

‘We are mourning our loved ones who were killed in cold blood. We have never had any misunderstanding either with bandits or with herdsmen before now.

‘As it is now, we are living in fear, more so that we heard that they are coming to Bagaji Odo, where surviving victims are taking refuge.

‘We are pleading with the federal and state governments to come to our aid and protect us from bandits,” he pleaded.

Akpa explained that Thursday’s attack was the second in the year sending serious fears into residents.

A community member had alleged on Thursday that a running battle between militia groups in parts
of Benue and some bandits led to the onslaught on the sleepy towns of Agojeju-Odo, Ajokpachi-Odo, Bagaji and environs.

‘They destroyed farm produce with ease in an attempt to draw the communities into the conflict,” he said.

Retired Commodore Jerry Omodara, Special Adviser on Security to Gov. Usman Ododo, said on Friday that the governor had ordered a thorough investigation of the incident.

‘The killing of innocent and harmless residents of the community by alleged hired militiamen is very callous, unacceptable and condemnable,” he said.

Omodara said property; especially houses, vehicles, and crops were destroyed in the attack.

He called on people of Agojeju-Odo and neighbouring communities to remain calm as government and security agencies were on top of the situation.

Police spokesman in Kogi, SP Williams Ovye-Aya, also confirmed the attack and assured that security operatives were keeping vigil over the community to forestall further attacks.

‘A tactical response team of the police, the military,
and members of vigilance groups has been deployed in the area. Normalcy has since returned to the troubled community.

‘Investigation into the incident has started to bring the perpetrators to book,” Ovye-Aya assured.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Eleven houses where destroyed by strong winds and rain at Onderombapa in the Aminuis Constituency of the Omaheke Region on Thursday.

Families in the settlement were left destitute after the heavy rain left them with houses with roofs blown away, walls destroyed, crops destroyed and one vehicle wrecked.

Representing the Omaheke Regional Council, Aminuis Constituency councillor Peter Kazongominja affirmed that 11 houses were destroyed, saying the regional disaster risk management was tasked to assess the situation and will decide on the way forward. He urged the government to approach this situation differently than in other previous disasters.

‘We had the same problem at Otjongombe two years back and up to date nothing was done to assist our people, we did the same thing we are doing now assessing the situation. I am urging our government to act this time so that we assist our people,’ Kazongominja said.

Naomi Kandjii, the 72-year-old owner of the car smashed by a tree during the storm told this agency tha
t it was a great loss to her and others who were affected directly and indirectly by the storm.

‘As you can see that car is totally destroyed, I am stranded, I do not know what to do right now. No one sustained any injuries although some of those big trees fell on our roofs. I am pleading to our government to come to our aid, we need food as our food was destroyed too,’ she said.

Other villagers from that area claimed that the rain lasted only for half an hour and was accompanied by a very strong wind, something they said rarely happened there.

Terii Kanguvi, senior traditional councillor in the Ovaherero Traditional Authority said the rain came very fast and caused the damages, adding they received 80mm in just a few minutes.

‘We are busy now trying to assist where we can and we are also asking for anyone who can help during this difficult time to come forth, while we are waiting on the government to help our people with destroyed houses and properties,’ Kanguvi said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja on Saturday matriculated 102 new intakes for its 2023/24 academic session.

Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu, Acting President, AUST, in a speech at the ceremony, advised the new entrants to take advantage of Information Communication Technology (ICT), in tackling challenges bedeviling Nigeria.

Onwualu noted that ICT knowledge was being applied to every sector of the economy and called on the students as well as youths in the country to embrace it.

According to him, part of the reason Nigeria is still grappling with credibility of elections is the failure of youths to embrace ICT.

He opined that if ICT was properly utilised in the country’s elections, there won’t be credibility issues.

He said that governance was facing same fate of credibility because it was not technologically-driven.

‘If governance is technologically-driven, it will be easy to monitor what the politicians are doing.

‘Technology is the way to go. My happiness is that we have the oppo
rtunity to train these young ones for another three to four years from now. They are going to be leaders in the technology world.

‘We are expanding our facilities so that we have a new generation of technology entrepreneurs. No matter the field of science or engineering, business or whatever you want to do, it has to be technologically-driven.

‘We have even changed our curriculum in such a way that no matter the course you are studying at AUST, you have to be good with ICT, artificial intelligence and others,’ he said.

Similarly, Dr Usman-Bello Abdulmalik, Acting Dean, School of Science and Science Education, advised the matriculants to remain committed to academic excellence tin order to achieve their goals.

Abdulmalik, who is also the Chairman, Senate Ceremonial Committee, advised the students to be focused and avoid distractions.

He particularly cautioned them against joining bad groups as such evil gangs could derail their future.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

WINDHOEK: A 33-year-old male paramedic student from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) died on Thursday during a practical session at the City of Windhoek (CoW) Emergency Training Centre.

A media statement issued on Friday by CoW said the incident happened at about 15h00 when the student was participating in a practical component of confined space training, which is part of their second-year Bachelor of Emergency Medical Care training requirements.

‘This training session was conducted in collaboration with NUST, as per the Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions,’ it reads.

The statement further noted that immediate basic life support measures were initiated, and the student was promptly transported to the Katutura Intermediate Hospital for further medical attention, however he succumbed despite the efforts.

‘An investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident is ongoing, and the City of Windhoek is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities,’ it ad
ded.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Dr Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, on Friday restated the commitment of the government to develop Kotangowa ICT market into a world class marketplace.

Babatunde disclosed this during an inspection of the area earmarked for the relocation of Ikeja computer village in the urban regeneration programme of the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls the Lagos government had announced that the Computer Village would be relocated before the end of 2017.

Babatunde said that the contract of Bridgeway Global Project Ltd., former consultant for the market project had been terminated over two years ago.

He said that the government had taken over control of the project from the company and assigned it to the Urban Development Department in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, headed by Mrs Bola Bello.

He said that Bridgeway had no right to continue to collect fees from traders at the market and urged them to desist
from doing so.

The special adviser said that the government would ensure that any money illegally collected from the traders or shop owners was refunded, after proper verification.

He said that anything that had to do with project control should be in line with Lagos State Building Control Agency’s guidelines and regulations.

‘Director from Urban Development, Mrs Bola Bello and her team will be the ones to represent the State Government on this market project till further notice and if you have anything to do on this market project, please liaise with her,’ Babatunde said.

The General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Mr Gbolahan Oki, urged traders and sellers in the market to keep the place clean.

He urged them to avoid littering and any other actions that could make the environment unclean.

Oki advised them to keep the access roads to the market clear, to avoid traffic congestion.

He urged them not to pay any money for anything that was related to the market until further instructions wer
e given, to prevent exploitation by unauthorised parties.

The general manager informed them that the government would be removing illegal structures built without proper permits to facilitate the proper development of the market.

Mr Ogunkelu Sylvester, Chairman of the State House of Assembly Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development, said that the legislative branch was at the market to investigate issues raised by the market association in a petition.

He said that they would report their findings to the speaker for further decisions.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Minister of Tourism, Mrs Lola Ade-John, on Friday urged Nigerians to work unanimously in preserving the nation’s cultural heritage.

Ade-John made the call during her visit to La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in Ikegun, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

The minister was received by the Founder of the beach resort, Chief Olawanle Akinboboye, who led her and her entourage on a tour of the vast 65 acres of the resort.

‘Through initiatives like La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, we harness tourism’s power to showcase Nigeria’s beauty and diversity while fostering economic growth and sustainable development.

‘I urge all stakeholders present to continue supporting endeavours that celebrate our Nigerian identity and promote our cultural heritage, ensuring places like La Campagne Tropicana serve as beacons of pride and inspiration.’

The minister said she would be deeply committed to promoting and preserving the Nigerian heritage for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

She described the tourism asset as a b
eacon of creativity and ingenuity.

She appreciated Akinboboye for allowing her team to immerse themselves in the vibrant tapestry of the Nigerian culture and heritage visible everywhere at the resort.

She also expressed her appreciation to the management of the beach resort for its unwavering commitment to excellence and dedication to showcasing the best of Nigeria.

She expressed optimism that her visit would mark the beginning of a new era, a renaissance of Nigerian culture and heritage shining brightly for generations to come.

‘La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort is a beacon of creativity and ingenuity, a testament to Nigeria’s richness and diversity.

‘Through its intricate presentation of architecture, cultural practices, cuisine, and entertainment, the resort encapsulates the essence of our unique identity, inviting visitors to discover and appreciate our heritage.

‘As we gather amidst the breathtaking beauty of this resort, let’s reflect on the significance of our shared cultural heritage.

‘Nigeria
, with its myriad traditions, languages, and customs, is a treasure trove of diversity, a mosaic of experiences waiting to be explored and celebrated.

‘This resort serves as more than a destination for leisure it is a platform for cultural exchange and dialogue, a space where people from all walks of life can come together to learn, share, and celebrate what makes us uniquely Nigerian.’

The Minister went on a boat cruise; inspected the holiday homes at the resort; and the Bolekaja bar- a heritage of transport scenario of the nation in the 60s, preserved at the resort for future generations.

She also went on tour to the founder’s camp, where Akinboboye first landed at age 26, to begin the actualisation of his dreams.

Then a tour of the houses with live trees strutting out of their roofs as well as the Oja Africa where all African nations have a stand, to sell their artefacts, arts and culture, and many other locations around the resort.

Ade-John also had the opportunity to witness a rare performance of Ar
a Thunder, one of the major stars of Atunda Entertainment, also founded by Akinboboye.

Earlier, Akinboboye appreciated the Minister for her visit.

He emphasised that tourism was not just about sites and destinations but also about the culture and traditions of the people.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The immediate past Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has called on African writers to embrace the continent’s rich indigenous languages in their works.

The former minister made the call on Friday at the World Organisation of Writers Congress, held in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammed chaired one of the sessions at the congress with the theme, ‘Africa Meets the Writers of the World’.

Mohammed, the Managing Partner of Bruit Costard, a lobbyist and public relations firm, said in a global landscape dominated by dominant languages, the voices of indigenous communities should be heard and their stories told.

‘As writers, you have a unique opportunity and responsibility to amplify these voices, to breathe life into languages that are at risk of fading into obscurity.

‘Our pens, our keyboards are not just tools of expression; they are instruments of preservation and empowerment.

‘When we write in indigenous languages, we are not just creating literature; we ar
e reclaiming history, honouring tradition, and empowering communities.

‘We are also giving voice to those who have been silenced,’ he said.

Mohammed noted that from available statistics, about 90 per cent of those who won the coveted Nobel Prize in Literature, especially from the non-English-speaking countries, wrote their books in indigenous languages.

He said the statistics underscored the richness and depth of indigenous languages in shaping global literary landscapes.

‘It highlights the importance of preserving and promoting linguistic diversity, as well as the invaluable contributions of indigenous writers to the world of literature.

‘Let us seize this opportunity to amplify diverse voices, challenge prevailing narratives, and champion the transformative power of literature to shape hearts and minds,’ he said.

While commending the organiser of the event, Mohammed said the panel session provided a unique platform for writers from Africa and beyond to converge, collaborate, and celebrate the power o
f words to transcend borders and unite humanity.

He also seized the opportunity to commend some notable literary giants for putting Nigeria on the global map of literature.

Specifically, the former minister commended Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; Chinua Achebe; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; Buchi Emecheta; Ben Okri; Abubakar Gimba, among others for their contributions.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has urged the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to use its wide reach to educate Nigerians on the sacrifices made by the military toward stabilising the country.

He also urged NAN to support the military as it strives to ensure peace in every corner of the country.

He observed that there was still a low level of understanding of the military as a strategic national institution that is there for all Nigerians.

Musa spoke on Friday when the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, led the agency’s management team on a courtesy visit to the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

He said that the lack of understanding was why some uninformed Nigerians tend to regard personnel of the armed forces as enemies instead of reliable friends committed to a peaceful Nigeria.

‘What we realised again is, a lot of Nigerians really don’t have a lot of understanding of what the military is all about.

‘Because of the past military regimes, a l
ot of sentiments have been there and so people view us with a kind of suspicion here and there.

‘I am happy that since the arrival of democracy, we are here to defend and protect democracy and ensure that it thrives.

‘For us, democracy will benefit us more because during military regime, we were also clamped down.

‘That is why it is important for Nigerians to understand that this is their own armed forces, and the armed forces is here to protect them so that everybody will be happy in his own land,’ Musa said.

The CDS said that the media, especially NAN, had played a key role in the achievements recorded by the military in the war against insurgency in the North-East.

‘The media was partly instrumental to my successes as Theatre Commander, so I want to commend you for that consistency, for your ability to report despite all the challenges.

‘For me, the media has remained a very good partner; media made my job a lot easier because we were able to reach out even to the terrorists themselves in bushes and
that is why they started surrendering.

‘It started in July 2021, until I left in January 2023 and now, we have over 120,000 and still counting.

‘So I think that is a gain, because they have been able to reach out because of the information they’ve been reading.

‘Those of them that were deceived found out that they were being lied to.

‘The impression they gave them was that any time they come out, the military was never going to spare them, but we made them understand that we knew that not all of them were involved.

‘Some of them were conscripted, some were forced. So, we were able to identify those areas and even the ones that were part of it also saw the light and decided to come out,’ he said.

The CDS, particularly commended NAN for its professionalism and its ability to positively project Nigeria to the world and also help people to understand the impact of the Nigerian story.

Musa pledged to partner with NAN to ensure that people got proper awareness that the military is their own and also understa
nd that the challenge of Nigeria is their own challenge too.

He also urged all Nigerians to join hands to make sure that the nation works, adding that it could only succeed if all Nigerians worked together.

He pledged that the military would remain transparent and professional in its dealings with the media and all Nigerians.

Earlier, Ali commended the defence chief over the handling of the recent killing of army personnel in Okuama community in Delta.

Ali said the exemplary leadership of the CDS had made the military to remain calm and exercise caution in the face of repeated provocations.

He said the task before the armed forces of Nigeria was enormous, and encouraged the military to continue to make sacrifices to keep the country safe.

The managing director said the visit was to express solidarity with the armed forces of Nigeria and partner with it to promote national security.

‘We commend all of you because the amount of sacrifice of lives and limbs cannot be quantified.

*We are here all the time
praying for the armed forces of Nigeria and some of you who are piloting the affairs.

‘Our role is to report Nigeria to Africa and Africa to the rest of the world. I want to also intimate you that being the biggest news agency on the continent, we have offices in some parts of Africa.

‘At a point we had eleven foreign offices beyond the shores of the continent of Africa. We had in Moscow, in the UK and of course, we are still in the US in the UN.

‘We are the only resident news agency in the United Nations,’ he said.

The NAN boss solicited the support and buy in of the CDS to the programmes initiated by the agency to galvanise support for the military and promote national security.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested an Ilorin-based clergyman, Prophet Adeniyi James, for allegedly defrauding a member of his Church of N3.9 million.

James is the General Overseer of Christ Apostolic Church(CAC), Freedom City Prophetic and Deliverance Ministry in Ilorin.

In a statement in Ilorin on Saturday, the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC arrested James on April 2, over the said offence.

Oyewale quoted the victim, Oluwole Babarinsa, as saying in a petition to the commission, that James called him out during a church programme sometime in 2021, and claimed that he had a revelation that he (victim) would travel abroad.

‘The petitioner said the cleric, in the course of giving the revelation, asked him about his preferred country, which he replied ‘Canada’ and they agreed to talk later in order to perfect arrangements for the trip.

‘The petitioner said James later told him that he had a friend in Lagos who c
ould help him facilitate his relocation to Canada, but at a cost of N1.7 million and N2.5 million for processing of flight ticket and travel documents, respectively.

‘Babarinsa added that he had to sell some of his properties and took some loans before he could raise N3,980,000 which he gave the prophet to facilitate his quick relocation to Canada.

‘After prolonged waiting with no result, the petitioner became agitated and began to query the prophet’s vision, prompting him to ask for a refund of his money.

‘He said that all efforts and entreaties to the suspect to refund his money yielded no positive result,’ EFCC spokesman said.

He said the suspect would be arraigned in court after the conclusion of the investigations.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Dauda Ali-Biu, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has said that Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs), were not caused by spiritual manipulations or ay other form of evil spirits.

‘The crashes are caused by physical errors; there’s nothing spiritual about them,’ Ali-Biu said at the Flag-off of the 2024 Sallah mega motor park rally on Saturday in Abuja.

He said that the rally had become particularly imperative in view of the envisioned increase in vehicular and human movement across the country as the festive period gathers momentum.

The FRSC boss was represented by Mr Shehu Zaki, the FRSC Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM) in charge of operations.

He said that the Corps was working assiduously to ensure a significant shift in the attitude of motorists in the year 2024.

‘Nigerians must be aware that frequent cases of road crashes on our roads cannot be linked to any spirit killing people.

‘There is an increase in human and vehicular movement, bad driving and impatience. These are the major causes,’ he
said.

Ali-Biu said that drinking and driving, overloading of vehicles, worn-out tyres, overloading, lane indiscipline, speeding, wrongful overtaking, among others, pose a threat to the life of the driver, passengers and property,

‘Such bad driving behaviours also hurt road infrastructure which cost a lot of tax payers’ resources to build.

‘As part of efforts to deal with these challenges, the Corps came up with the idea of taking the message of safety down to all of us at the Motor Parks early, in view of the critical role union officials play on the roads.

‘This also serves as a prelude to massive deployment of personnel and logistics to the highways, particularly at the black spots, to contain the perennial traffic gridlock and the accompanying hazards,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria