News Agency of Nigeria
Mohbad: Sam Larry is in our custody – Police
Entertainment

Mohbad: Sam Larry is in our custody – Police

By Deborah Akpede

The police in Lagos have confirmed that music promoter, Balogun Eletu, aka ‘Sam Larry” was in custody and currently assisting with the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of 27-year-old singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, a.k.a Mohbad.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, made this known on his verified Twitter handle@BenHundeyin.

Hundeyin did not disclose whether  Sam Larry was arrested or he turned himself in.

”He is currently assisting with ongoing investigation,” the image-maker said.

NAN reports that Mohbad died on Sept. 12 and was buried on Sept. 13, but was exhumed on Sept 21 for autopsy.

Many fans and celebrities in some states took to the streets in protests following Mohbad’s death.

They demanded that justice be done as they suspected that there was more to Mohbad’s death than met the eye. (NAN)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Abia Industrial Innovation Park, feat with multiple benefits – Adighije
Entertainment

Abia Industrial Innovation Park, feat with multiple benefits – Adighije

By Deji Abdulwahab

Sen. Chris Adighije has described the groundbreaking of Abia Industrial Innovation Park (AIIP) initiated by the state government as a double feat with multiple benefits for the state, country and West Africa at large.

Adighije, who said this in a statement in Abuja, said the initiative of Gov. Alex Otti’s administration was a blessing.

According to him, the park will create immense job opportunities for the people, shore up government’s revenue and attract foreign investments.

“To birth an idea of an AIIP is novel, and a double feat with multiple benefits, not only for the state, but for the country, the West African subregion and the Continent at large.

“To start with, the idea is long overdue to help harness the state’s innovative and industrial drives into a systemic corridor that can be monitored and invested into, in a more scientific way.

“The AIIP, as is currently designed and projected, will create immense job opportunities for the people of the state, and for other Nigerians as well, while also shoring up the government’s internally generated revenue (IGR).”

According to him, it will also attract foreign investments from other places within and outside Nigeria, as it would also in turn, create a better export net for products from Aba, and/or, other parts of the state.

“As products from the AIIP travel to other places on the continent, and even outside Africa, the economy of scale resulting from this would further improve Per Capital Income of individuals and households.

“It will allow for increase in taxes cum government income,” Adighije said.

He congratulated the governor and people of the State for recording the monumental achievement.

He stated that since May 29, 2023 when Gov. Otti was sworn in, the issues and discussions of governance in Abia State had taken a positive dimension in the areas of education, Infrastructural development, security, economy and others.

“I join the government and people of Abia to celebrate this onerous feat of positioning our Dear State on the World map.

“For long Abia State has been the darling of commerce and technological innovations that has endeared it to people and places beyond the shores of Nigeria.

“Products from Aba have traveled to Bamali in Mali, Dakar in Senegal, Aswan in Egypt, Ashanti in Ghana, to list a few places in Africa.

“In Europe, Madrid in Spain, London in UK, Oslo in Norway, Heidelberg in Germany, just as Kyoto in Asia’s Japan, Sydney in Australia, among others, all bear testimonies of the ingenuity of people in Abia State.

“Such words as “Aba Made” is a common cliche among Nigerians, whether it is spoken with patriotism or otherwise,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Stakeholders urge states, LGAs to boost rabies elimination
Agriculture

Stakeholders urge states, LGAs to boost rabies elimination

By Felicia Imohimi

Stakeholders in the animal health sector have urged the states and local governments to step up efforts at dog vaccination in order to meet 2030 rabies elimination in Nigeria.

The stakeholders– Life Stock Management Services (LMS) and the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the commemoration of the World Rabies Day.

World Rabies Day is observed annually on September 28 and the theme for 2023 is, “All for 1, one health for all.”

Dr Abubakar Muhammed, Director and Chief Executive Officer of LMS, in his keynote address, said the states and local councils should prioritise efforts at rabies elimination by carrying out awareness campaign and dog vaccination on regular basis.

He identified weak coordination of fight against rabies at the subnational level as a challenge militating against rabies control in the country.

Muhammed said that rabies was one of the deadliest tropical zoonoses and one of the six disease prioritised in the animal health sector.

According to him, the 2018 Nigeria Centre for Disease Control report shows that no fewer than 10,000 dog-bite incidences in Nigeria  are documented per annum with over 1,600 deaths.

He said the best way to go in achieving the set target was to collaborate with traditional rulers and intensify awareness on the danger pose by rabies and its preventive measure.

Muhammed listed other challenges militating against rabies elimination as inadequate laboratory diagnostic capacity especially in the human sector, limited access to vaccines and support in rural areas.

Others, according to him, are poor funding for rabies programme with high cost of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), little awareness on anti-rabies vaccines and PEP as well as inadequate legislation.

He identified the way forward as stronger collaborative efforts by major stakeholders the ministries of agriculture, health and environment as well as private sector, stronger engagement and linkage with states and local governments.

Also, Dr Chinna-Joe Iruobe, Chairman NVMA FCT Chapter, said rabies was a deadly zoonotic viral disease known to man.

“It is zoonotic in nature; affecting all warm blooded animals and man and is mostly transmitted by domestic and wild canidae through the bite of an infected animal mostly dogs and cats.

“Rabies is deadly and accounts for about 59,000 human deaths annually, however it is of essence to note that it is preventable when our dogs and cats are adequately vaccinated annually and kept on leash, ” she said.

Speaking on the theme, Iruobe said the association was partnering with  LMS, NCDC, Federal Ministry of Health, Environment and Agriculture and Food Security to ensure elimination of rabies menace by 2030. (NAN)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Nigeria seeks innovative solutions to reposition water, sanitation sector
Environment

Nigeria seeks innovative solutions to reposition water, sanitation sector

By Tosin Kolade

The Federal Government has called for more innovative solutions that will reposition the water resources and sanitation sector in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, made this call at the opening of a three-day Top Management Retreat on Thursday in Abuja.

The theme of the retreat is, “Strategic Planning for Achieving Ministerial Mandate.’’

Utsev, represented by his Minister of State, Alhaji Bello Goronyo, said the retreat was an opportunity to share experiences, best practices, and innovative solutions to strengthen water governance in Nigeria.

According to him, Nigeria can build a future where every citizen has access to clean water and sanitation services, and the environment thrives for generations to come.

He said Nigeria was faced with numerous challenges, from population growth to climate change and it was the ministry’s duty to rise above these challenges and find innovative solutions.

“I believe that through knowledge exchange, and collaboration, we can develop strategies and action plans that will lead to tangible improvements in the sector across the country.

“I am confident that this retreat will not only equip us to meet the challenges of our expanded mandate, but will also strengthen our resolve to create positive change in the water resources and sanitation sector.

“Therefore, let us work together to ensure that Nigerians have access to clean water, proper sanitation facilities, and sustainable irrigation practices for a healthier and more prosperous future,’’ he said.

Utsev gave an insight into activities to promote improved access to clean water and sanitation, dam and irrigation, climate change and flood management.

He said the issues were being addressed in alignment with the eight presidential target areas, adding that the retreat was an important step towards achieving them.

The minister urged the participants to develop strategies and plans that would reposition the ministry’s policies, saying it should be in line with the expanded mandate and shared vision for a better future.

He also urged them to push aside sentiments and ensure that the ministry’s Standard Operating Procedures, vision, mission, mandates and functions aligned properly with the present administration’s focus areas.

Earlier, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Didi Walson-Jack, said the ministry’s role in ensuring the sustainable management of the country’s water resources by providing access to safe and clean water for all was crucial.

According to her, addressing the various challenges associated with water supply, irrigation, sanitation and water related hazards should be embraced by all.

“This retreat has become necessary to restrategise and reposition the ministry to deliver on its expanded mandate following its redesignation.

“We will focus on the federal ministry of water resources and sanitation’s programmes and other key policies and mandate that shapes our work”.

She said the vision, mission, mandate and structure of the ministry guided the programmes and actions, saying they contributed to overall water resources development and management.

The permanent secretary said the retreat would foster collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovative thinking.

Walson-Jack said the aforementioned factors would bring actionable strategies to achieve the ministry’s goals and objectives.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the workshop was an opportunity for dialogue in moulding strategic framework to represent Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda. (NAN)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Coalition writes Tinubu, demands SSAP on youth affairs, others
Politics

Coalition writes Tinubu, demands SSAP on youth affairs, others

By Bukola Adewumi

A coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CNYL) has written to President Bola Tinubu, demanding the appointment of a Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on Youth Affairs.

Mr Nehemiah Zaka, the National Coordinator of the CNYL, who spoke on behalf of the coalition, made the call in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Zaka said that a letter of appeal signed by 42 youth organisations made up of youth activists to this effect had already been written to the President.

He said that the coalition also demanded other appointments from among renowned and practicing youth development experts and professionals.

Zaka commended the President for re-establishing a full-fledged Federal Ministry of Youth Development and also appointed young people as cabinet members.

He also commended the president for making history as becoming the first President to uplift the Ministry by appointing a Minister and a Minister of State.

He said by this the President, showcased the importance he placed on youth development.

He said that the appointment of a SSAP on Youth Affairs, and other political appointments from among the coalition would satisfy the yearnings of the youth constituency.

“This would equally bring experience and expertise to bear on decision making processes on youth development matters in the renewed hope of the Tinubu administration.

The coalition further said strategic advocacy had been planned to press home its demands.

He said the coalition believed it is in the best interests of the nation and participatory government promised by the President. (NAN)

Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Isaac Aregbesola

NBA condemns alleged torture of 28-yr-old man to death in Bauchi
Judiciary

NBA condemns alleged torture of 28-yr-old man to death in Bauchi

By Ahmed Kaigama

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bauchi State Chapter, on Thursday condemned the alleged police torture of 28-year-old Aminu Abidina to death in Bauchi.

Mrs Sadiya Saleh, Chairman of the Human Rights Committee (HRC) of the NBA, stated this in a statement made available to newsmen in Bauchi.

She said the HRC of the Nigeria Bar Association strongly condemned the alleged torture that led to the death of  Aminu Abidina while in police custody. 

Saleh expresses deep concern over the recent tragic incident involving the killing of Abidina due to alleged torture by the police in Bauchi.

“The NBA is committed to upholding the principles of justice, fairness, and human rights. 

“We are saddened by the alleged excessive use of force by the Police, leading to the death of an innocent young man,” Saleh said.

She stressed that the incident is a violation of the fundamental rights of the victim.

“It raises serious questions about the professionalism and the application of rules of engagement of our law enforcement agencies.

“The role of the police in preserving law and order is crucial, but it must be carried out within the confines of the law and with respect for human rights. 

“It is disheartening to see such a tragic occurrence, as it erodes public trust in law enforcement agencies and undermines the notion of justice.

The Chairman, HRC, urged the State Government and other relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident and hold the responsible police officer and his cohorts accountable for his/their actions. 

According to her, the NBA Human Rights Committee demands that justice be served for the victim and his family.

“We urge the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies to prioritize the training of its officers in human rights, conflict resolution and the appropriate use of force. 

“Our security officers must be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle situations calmly and by legal standards as well as human rights principles.

Responding, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, Spokesperson of the Police Command, Bauchi, debunked the allegation in a statement. 

“We are very categorical in informing the public that the deceased Aminu Abidina died 12 days after the above-narrated occurrence.

“He neither died in Police custody nor anywhere close to a Police facility or at Dutsen Tanshi Division.

“It is just a piece of news we are hearing and we condole the family for the loss,” Wakil said. 

He added that “an investigation committee has been launched to thoroughly Investigate the remote cause of these acts.” (NAN)

Edited by Vincent Obi

NSCDC trains officers on leadership, pledges improved service delivery
Defence/Security

NSCDC trains officers on leadership, pledges improved service delivery

By Victor Adeoti

Mr Sunday Agboola, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Osun, has assured residents of the state of improved service delivery by the Corps.

Agboola said the command would continue to work harder to justify the trust reposed in the Corps by Nigerians.

A statement by Mrs Kehinde Adeleke, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, said Agboola gave the assurance at the opening of a two-day leadership training for officers of the command on Thursday in Osogbo.

The training was organised for Heads of Departments, Units, Area Commanders, selected divisional officers, senior and junior officers in the command.

Agboola said that the training was organised to enhance the capacity of the personnel in tandem with the vision of the Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi, for best global services.


He said that the command under his leadership would continue to aim at a robust productivity and enhanced service to the state.

In his lecture, Mr Segun Oduyebo, the CEO of Destiny Development Initiative (DDI), said the training was meant to impart leadership qualities in men and officers of the corps.

Oduyebo urged participants to develop themselves further on the skills and knowledge acquired at the training.

He noted that the lesson learnt by the officers at the training would assist them to interact positively with members of the public.

The training, organised by the command in partnership with DDI has as its theme “Leadership and Personal Transformation.” (NAN)


Edited by Tayo Ikujuni

Democracy: Don calls for devt of quality leadership in Africa
Foreign

Democracy: Don calls for devt of quality leadership in Africa

By Fortune Abang

Prof. Jonah Onuoha, a don, on Thursday, underscored the need to promote leadership development at the national level to ensure sustainable democracy in Africa.

Onuoha said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

According to him, the thought by people to always rejoice over the coup does not by any means make democracy bad.

“Whoever says the military is better than democracy is telling a lie. The issue is how we bring our leader to follow the tenets of democracy, that is the issue.

“The quality of leaders in Europe and America varies, not minding their institution, because of what they have there, there are leaders here too with a different mindset about leadership.

“Leaders who have three kinds of qualities, these people are fearless, shameless and hopeless; so it is not that democracy has failed, but the actors have failed.

“Therefore, military coups will continue to happen in Africa and people will continue to jubilate until the leaders sit up to generate the dividends of democracy for the people.

“What we want to see are good roads. We want to see our institutions functioning well. We want to see good schools. We want to see people coming back home from abroad,” the don.

According to him, people always rejoice when there is a coup to succeed a government considered bad and still celebrate when elections are held to enthrone a democratic government.

“People rejoice for good reasons; they rejoice for unacceptable reasons as well. They always rejoice when there is a change, whether good or bad.

“When people argue that democracy has failed in Africa, it is not really because democracy itself is bad, but because its operators are not operating democracy the way they ought to.

“Africans have been made to understand that democracy brings development, but if after decades of democratic rule, they do not see the expected development they worry,” he said.

Onuoha decried a situation where Nigerians leave the country in their numbers in search of greener pastures in what has popularly been described as “Japa syndrome”.

He called on Nigerian leaders to take advantage of the possibilities offered by democratic governance to better the lives of Nigerians to prevent brain drain to other countries. (NAN)

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

CSOs seek inclusion in 0m World Bank water, sanitation programme
Environment

CSOs seek inclusion in $700m World Bank water, sanitation programme

By Tosin Kolade

The Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) has called for the inclusion of its members in the implementation of the 700 million dollars World Bank- funded water, sanitation and hygiene Programme.

The programme, called the Sustainable Urban, Rural Water Supply Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Project is being implemented in seven states of Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Katsina, Kaduna and Plateau.

NEWSAN National Coordinator, Mr Benson Attah, made this call at a virtual meeting with its state representatives for SURWASH programme states on Thursday.

According to him, the meeting is an opportunity to discuss ways forward in ensuring that the programme implementation is beneficial for the population.

He said that its members in the implementing states were not carried along in implementation processes, adding that coordination was necessary to improve access to water and sanitation in the country.

Attah identified the CSOs as partners in efforts toward improving the lives of the populace, adding that identifying gaps and challenges in programme implementation early would help in achieving its goals.

“Today’s meeting is to follow up with SURWASH states to strengthen collaboration for the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector. We are working to identify gaps and areas for improvement.

“NEWSAN’s contribution is to give technical support for effective and smooth running of the programme; our states are well prepared to support implementation. The essence is to see that all stakeholders function well for the programme success.”

Mr Princewill Mordi, NEWSAN deputy national coordinator, noted that many SURWASH states were not consulted, citing the lack of coordination between the implementing partners.

According to him, there is the need for the World Bank to strengthen and include its work plan in order to improve access to potable water and sanitation for Nigerians.

He said that building human capacity through NEWSAN would help to end challenges of project management and implementation in the programme.

State Coordinators from Kaduna, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Plateau, Katsina all noted that programme implementation in the state had excluded their members.

They spoke about their activities since programme commencement in 2021, but worried about SURWASH state programme implementation units only mapping WASH CSOs but neglecting them.

Mr Peter Kuzasuwat, Kaduna state coordinator, said its members were mobilised and sensitised about the programme implementation in six LGAs, adding that three of them were included in steering committee in the state programme.

He however listed the challenges and gaps due to bureaucratic delays, saying this made implementation slow.

“There are a lot of foot dragging due to bureaucratic bottlenecks; this is making the implementation process slow. There is the need to redouble efforts so that the vision of an open defecation free nation by 2025 is achieved.

Mrs Felicia Ngaji, SURWASH Communications Specialist, said the programme is a six-year programme consisting of a US$640 million Program-for-Results (PforR) with a US$60 million Investment Project Financing (IPF) component.

She said it introduces a results-based approach with the potential to propel Nigeria’s efforts to ensure that all its people have access to sustainable and safely managed WASH services.

“It introduces an innovative approach to sector programming that leverages incentives to simultaneously deliver infrastructure that works, policies that govern, and institutions that sustain.

“It is to increase access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services and to strengthen sector institutions in participating states of Nigeria”.

Ngaji, however, urged NEWSAN and its members to work with the implementing agencies in their respective states in line with the programme operating manual.

NAN reports that SURWASH will provide six million people with basic drinking water services and 1.4 million people access to improved sanitation services.

The programme will deliver improved water, sanitation and hygiene services to 2,000 schools and health care facilities and assist 500 Communities to achieve open defecation free status. (NAN)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Veterinarian seeks establishment of vet centres in LGAs
Agriculture

Veterinarian seeks establishment of vet centres in LGAs

By Felicia Imohimi

Dr Ifeanyi Ogbu, the immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) FCT Chapter, has called for the establishment of veterinary medical centres in all Local Government Areas in the country.

Ogbu made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja in commemoration of the World Rabies Day, observed every year on Sept. 28.

He said such measure would ensure prompt response to rabies cases at the grassroots and curb it prevalence.

The veterinarian said the implication of the move is that veterinary doctors would be at the reach of the populace at grassroots where the virus emanate.

NAN reports that World Rabies Day “All for 1- One Health for All” as theme.

Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. The rabies virus is usually transmitted through a bite.

Animals most likely to transmit rabies in the United States include bats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and skunks while In developing countries, stray dogs are the most likely to spread rabies to people.

He blamed the prevalence of rabies in the country on non availability of veterinary medical centres at the rural areas describing the challenge as a major gap in rabies prevention.

“We still have rabies prevalence in rural communities because of lack of veterinary medical centres and all this while we have been calling for government intervention.

“When rabies occurs communities will interprete it as mad dog syndrome but is actually rabies that is killing them.

“So we are lacking a touch in grassroots in rabies prevention because of lack of government veterinary facilities which is the major issue now. We are lacking

veterinary care and professionals in the rural communities.

“Most of the professionals when they graduate they head to teaching so there will be no vet left in such places, ” he decried.

The veterinarian further urged the government to improve funding for health sector particularly veterinary medicine in annual budgetary allocation.

He blamed the rate of infectious diseases from animals in the country on poor funding of veterinary health sector.

“Government should intensify health sector funding if they want to pass annual budget, allot a lot of money to it because infectious diseases from animals are rampant in this country.

“There will still be more outbreak of diseases from animals so, government at all levels should map out money for health particularly veterinary medicine, ” he said.

Speaking on the theme he emphasised the need for collaboration between

human medical doctors, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and attendants and veterinary doctors to look at everything happenings in environment and animals as a pointer to human health.

He says “this is because over 78 per cent of the disease that worries man globally are from animals, considering this factor there is need for all stakeholders in health and animal sectors to team up to protect man on the planet.

” The whole essence of the theme is collaboration between stakeholders in animal and human health in the fight against rabies.

“That is if rabies that affect animals particularly dog will end up in affecting man there is need for animal doctors that handles dog and human doctors that handles human to team up to combat this common enemy, ”

NAN reports that World Rabies Day inaugurated in September 2007 was aimed at raising awareness and advocacy for global elimination of the dreaded rabies disease that has been set for 2030.

The day coordinated by the Global Alliance on Rabies Control (GARC) is marked annually on September 28, the anniversary of the death of Frenchman Louis Pasteur. (NAN)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

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