Day: April 6, 2023

A Dei-Dei Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Thursday ordered that a 30-year-old man, Victor Emeka be remanded in a correctional centre for allegedly swindling a commercial sex worker.

The police charged Emeka of Mpape, Abuja, with criminal breach of trust and theft which he pleaded not guilty to.

The judge, Mr Saminu Suleiman, ordered that the defendant should be taken to Suleja correctional centre until May 5, when the facts of the case would be reviewed.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Chinedu Ogada told the court that the complainant, Sandra Orogbo of White House Hotel Abuja, reported the case at the Zuba Police Station on March 17.

Ogada alleged that the defendant went to the hotel, patronised the complainant with a promise to pay her N2,000 for her services on March 16.

He added that after the complainant rendered her service to the defendant, he refused to pay her.

Ogada said the defendant further deceived the complainant to Suleja, collected her cell phone valued N60,000 and ran away.

He added that the defendant eventually got arrested and was handed over to the police for investigation.

The offence he said contravened the provisions of sections 265 and 287 of the Penal Code.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A 40-year-old vulcanizer, Mohammed Ibrahim, was on Thursday docked in an Upper Area Court in Gwagwalada, FCT for allegedly receiving a stolen bicycle from a minor.

The police charged Ibrahim who resides in Chukuku village Kuje, FCT, with receiving stolen property.

The Prosecution Counsel, S.K. Iyakwo told the court that Mr Sunday John of Old Kutunku Gwagwalada Abuja, reported the matter at the police station on April 2.

Iyakwo said that on March 10 a minor, 16, stole the complainant’s bicycle worth N35,000 and sold it to the defendant for N6,000.

He said that during police investigation the stolen bicycle was recovered from the defendant.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provision of Section 316 of the Penal Code.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Defence Counsel, Mr Ayam Micheal, in an oral bail application prayed the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms.

Michael cited Section 158, 161 and 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to buttress his claims for bail.

The Judge, Malam Abdullahi Abdulkarim, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

He ordered that the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and adjourned the case until May 3 for hearing.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Abdul’aziz Yar’Adua, the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Senator-elect for Katsina Central Senatorial District, has promised to deliver his campaign promises to the people of the zone.

Yar’Adua, who toured the 11 local government areas that constitute his senatorial district, said the visit was to thank them for the election victory.

The statement was made available to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja by Mr Abubakar Umar, a legal practitioner and member of the APC in the state.

Yar’Adua said the visit was to show appreciation to the people on behalf of the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu; Katsina State Governor-elect, Dr Dikko Radda and his humble self.

“The tour, which started on Tuesday, 28th of March to Saturday, 1st of April, 2023 across the local governments, was to express gratitude and appreciation to the people who stood firm to see that the APC emerged victorious in the just-concluded elections and to assure them of our commitments in making sure that the campaign promises are prioritised.

“The tour involved meeting with traditional rulers, party EXCOS and stakeholders from each local government,” he said.

The senator-elect, a retired Lt.-Col. in the army and younger brother to late President Umaru Yar’Adua, said it was imperative for him to visit his constituents just as he did before the elections to let them know that they had made the right choice.

“We will do everything within our capacity to see that your concerns are taken care of, especially the issue of banditry that has destabilised the peace in the state.

“The President-elect Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Katsina Governor-elect Dr. Dikko Umar Radda and myself have Issue of insecurity as one of our top most priorities,” he said.

On his part, Umar said the visit was a tip of the iceberg out of what the lawmaker-elect had in store for the people.

According to him, hopefully, this practice of holding townhall meetings will be a continuous one as it afford the people the opportunity to interact with their elected representatives and voice their concerns.

Sani Baba, a resident of Batsari Local Government in the state, thanked the senator-elect for the engagement.

Baba, a 45-year-old farmer, said Yar’Adua’s visit was the first time any elected official would ever embarked on such a tour to show appreciation to the electorate.

“This shows that the newly elected government is serious with its campaign promises and the people can count on them,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the senatör-elect was awarded a certificate of merit at Kaita Local Government Area by representative of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Comrade Aliyu Kaita.

Other party members in company of Yar’Adua include Mr Usman Banye, member-elect representing Rimi, Batagarawa and Charanchi; Hon. Mu’azu Tsagero; Alhaji Tanimu Gwarzo and Alhaji Abdullahi Moda.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Nigerian weightlifter, Adenike Olarinoye has been appointed as member of the Athlete’s Commission of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA).

A statement from Tony Nezianya, Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) on Thursday said the appointment was approved at an ANOCA forum held in Algiers, Algeria.

Nezianya also quoted NOC Secretary-General, Tunde Poopola, in a congratulatory message that Olarinoye’s exploit in weightlifting earned her the international appointment.

“There’s no doubt that your appointment is a pride to you but the NOC as well and improve your personal growth generally in sports.

“Once again and on behalf of members of the Olympic Family, we praise this outstanding achievement,” the statement quoted Poopola as saying.

Olarinoye who is of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, represented Nigeria at the 2019 African Games which is her maiden African Games appearance.

She claimed three medals including two gold medals and silver medal in the women’s 55 kg weightlifting event.

The athlete also created a new African record in weightlifting in the clean and jerk category by lifting 116 kg during the 2019 African Games.

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK she won the gold medal with two new Commonwealth Games Records, 92kg in snatch and 203 kg overall.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, says dialogue and cooperation between government and non-governmental actors were vital to preventing and countering terrorism and violence.

Yahaya, represented by the Chief of Training (Army), Maj.-Gen. Sani Mohammed, said this while speaking at the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Interagency Seminar 2023 on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that there was the need to regard the broader public, local communities and the private sector as partners and stakeholders in the collective effort to countering threats bedevilling the nation.

He added that the aforementioned stakeholders must no longer be regarded as passive, but as active participants in security and law enforcement activities.

“This we must achieve by streamlining our efforts for the collective goal of enhancing national security.

“Streamlining all initiatives for countering threats to security will be premised on effective partnerships between all the actors.

“Civil society is a very important stakeholder in this regard as it helps to create the space for constructive engagement between the state and citizens,

“It helps to foster trust and understanding between the state and citizens as they take ownership of strategies put in place to counter their collective threat,’’ he said.

He stressed that partnerships between stakeholders would help to eliminate mistrust, conceptual misunderstandings, and differences in understanding of national security issues.

“Indeed the time for the full involvement of society in efforts to counter our internal security challenges is overdue.

“This is more so in the understanding that no stakeholder can successfully counter internal security challenges single-handedly.

“It also informed my vision for a professional Nigerian army ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in the defence of Nigeria,’’ he said.

He added that the current asymmetric environment required the collaboration of all military efforts as the military had made tremendous strides in countering internal security threats.

He said there was the need to build upon the gains so far made through cooperation by all other relevant security agencies.

He said also that the seminar could not have come at a better time than this post-general election period.

“Apart from serving as a medium for appraising our collective efforts at steering Nigeria, the seminar affords us an opportunity to appraise our collective performances during the just-concluded elections.

“Added to this, all of us as a nation have come to the realisation that our operations need to be intelligence-driven,’’ he added.

In his contribution, Commandant of AWCN, Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Alabi, said the seminar was part of the college’s curriculum for Course 7/2023 which was inaugurated on Feb. 17 with 74 participants.

Alabi said that in dealing with crises arising from the actions of actors within Nigeria’s geostrategic environment, it was essential to employ all the elements of national power to stem the tide.

He added that the projection of the elements of national power required security agencies, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to cooperate and collaborate towards the attainment of national objectives.

He added that interagency cooperation and coordination module of the course was designed to equip participants with the knowledge required to operate with governmental and non-governmental agencies.

“The seminar is another step towards enhancing interagency cooperation and coordination among MDAS as well as an opportunity for them to discuss thematic issues affecting the management of the security sector.

“It is hoped that this seminar will also highlight the fundamental issues in the management of our nation’s defence and security sector,’’ Alabi said.

The seminar has “Streamlining initiative towards effective interagency collaborations in Nigeria’’ as its theme.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria