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Top 9 stories of Tuesday, March 22, 2016

NYSC MEMBER CONFIRMED DEAD BY INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would have to conduct fresh polls in all the areas where it suspended the electoral process in Rivers state due to the violence and criminality that characterized the elections over the weekend. Resulting from the widespread violence and electoral irregularities, INEC also confirmedMonday (March 21) that one of its ad hoc staff, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Mr. Samuel Dumebi Okonta, was killed during the exercise.

INEC’s announcement coincided with that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which said the conduct of INEC and security operatives of the Federal Government in Saturday’selections in Rivers state fell short of expected standards, given the level of mobilization and preparedness. On Sunday, INEC released the results of nine state constituencies and one federal constituency in which rerun elections were held in Rivers state, but suspended the electoral process in all other constituencies in the state where results were not announced, blaming its action on the widespread violence that marred the election.

 

NIGERIAN ARMY KILLS BOKO HARAM LEADER AND 18 OTHERS

The Nigerian Army has reportedly killed one more Boko Haram kingpin at Dalori camp for displaced people on Sunday, March, 20. The soldiers of 22 Brigade carried out a clearing operation at the IDP camp in which they killed 19 Boko Haram insurgents among whom was Ameer of Dalori. They also resized two AK-47 rifles, a small machine gun and a hand grenade and covered four pickup vehicles.

The troop also liberated 67 captives from the militants. The freed hostages are undergoing screening at the camp for displaced people in Dikwa. Unluckily, during the operation, the soldiers of Mine Resistant Anti-personnel vehicle ran into an improvised explosive device and had a damaged tyre. There are steady signs of the Nigerian Army success against Boko Haram. A Military spokesman claimed that large numbers of Boko Haram operatives are surrendering. They also point at the military’s capture of Boko Haram arms, foods and even drugs.

 

PRESIDENT BUHARI DECLARES WAR ON POWER SECTOR

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared war on the country’s power sector, saying epileptic power supply is no longer a laughing matter. Speaking on March, 21 at the National Economic Council retreat on the economy at the state house conference centre, residential villa Abuja, the President revealed that his government has set a target to generate ten thousand megawatts distributable power in the next three years. Buhari, who frowned at the privatization of the power sector, said it is yet to yield the anticipated result as the quality of service had not improved.

President Buhari further revealed that his government is embarrassed with the predicament of privatization of the power holding companies, pointing out that Nigerians favourite talking point and butt of jokes had become the epileptic power situation in the country. The president listed other impediments like transformers, power fluctuations, which destroys manufacturing equipment, household appliances as well as low voltage which cannot power industrial machines. The Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have taken a swipe at President Buhari while expressing worry over the state of country’s economy. The organized labour said the economy had stopped functioning and urged the president to use the opportunity of the planned economic conference to come up with policies that could be implemented to get the country out of its current economy set back.

 

ANOTHER PROTEST HITS LAGOS OVER UNPAID SALARIES

The clinical and non clinical staff of cardiac and renal centre, Gbagada, Lagos on Monday, March 21, carried out a peaceful protest over nonpayment of salaries. The affected members of staff lamented that the management has refused to take actions to resolve the payment of six-month salary arrears. This peaceful protest was led by the billing officer, Olalekan Oluwole who spoke on behalf of the protesting staff. He said: “We would not resume to work until our payments are made”.

Speaking on the claims, the CEO, cardiac and renal centre, Professor Babatunde Green attested that he was aware of the nonpayment of salary and that the workers were right to stage the protest as citizens of the country, adding that he wished this action was not happening when it did because he is barely five months into his appointment at the centre. He said also, that he needs the staff to serve the patients because when patients are served, money will be generated to make payment, stating further that he cannot give a definite time for payment of salaries but assured that work was being done on effective means to generate funds.

 

JEGA TO REVIVE EDUCATION IN THREE NORTHERN STATES

Former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has been appointed to head an advisory committee that will revive the education sector in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states. Jega, who hails from Kebbi state, would work with six other professors from the zone and would advice the governors of the three states on how to fix the myriad of problems facing the sector, especially at the tertiary education level. Jega, among other recommendations, stressed the need for improved funding of the institutions, reinvigorated training and promotion of exchange programmes among institutions in the three states.

The committee also advised the three states to establish a joint Education Tax Fund in the mould of the federal government-funded TETFUND and revive the former remedial school to be established in one of the states to prepare students for higher studies. Receiving the report on behalf of his colleagues, Governor Yari of Zamfara state said even though Sokoto had already declared a state of emergency on education, both Zamfara and Kebbi states would follow suit. He said the three governors would liaise with their various state Houses of Assembly and state Attorneys-General to review the laws that established the institutions.

 

KANU ACCUSES DSS OF THREATENING TO KILL HIM

The Radio Biafra director Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently in detention, has accused the department of State Security Services (DSS), of threatening to kill him like the late Chief Moshood Abiola. The lawyer of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Ifeanyi Ejiofor told reporters: “lt’s very instructive to note at this juncture that we were reliably informed by Nnamdi Kanu that during the period of his arrest and unlawful incarceration in the custody of the DSS, he was threatened to be killed by the investigating officers, if he refused to cooperate with them. He was also told that Abiola was murdered in a manner that remained shrouded in secrecy; that he would be killed in similar manner, if he refused to drop his agitation for self-determination.”

He was further informed by the investigating officers that they had the backing and approval of powers that would send him to his early grave. And in response, Nnamdi Kanu assured them that killing him would not stop the accusation of the Indigenous People of Biafra for self determination; that killing him in the manner been expressed by them would rather attract the wrath of God on the families of those that kill him; that not only them but their generations unborn will be visited by the wrath of God.

Kanu has been in detention since October, accused of treasonable felony by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

 

SHELL DONATES RESEARCH CENTRE TO VARSITY

Shell Petroleum Development Company Joint Venture has gifted the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, with ultra-modern subsurface research centre. The centre will go a long way to boost the development of top rate manpower for the nation’s oil and gas industry. The centre has 15 fully-networked workstations, a high-end server complete with internet facilities and a standby 45-kva generator among other facilities.

Vice chancellor of the institution said,“We appreciate the contributions of the SPDC JV to education, to the geosciences and to university of Ibadan in particular. The facility will help the efforts of the university to recreate itself as a centre of excellence in geosciences training”.

The subsurface centre is expected to usher in new levels of learning at the University of Ibadan and other institutions in southwestern Nigeria. Students and researchers can access real-time information and connect with other learning centres anywhere in the world from their keyboards.

 

NOMORELOSS PASSES ON 

Singer and songwriter Nomoreloss (real names Olumuyiwa Osinuga) has passed away. His manager Joyce Ize-Iyamu who confirmed that the singer and talented songwriter died yesterday (Monday, March 21, 2016) from complications of typhoid and chest pain. Nomoreloss’ last major performance was at the August edition of Afropolitan vibes. He was on the bill with singers Waje and Venus Bushfire. In 2012, Nomoreloss wrote the biggest song of singer Jaywon’s career titled “This Year”. ‘In June, 2015, he released the album ‘Grass to Grace’. In 2014 he dropped the album ‘Standing, and ‘Then & Now’.His debut album was ‘Let Them Say’ released in 2006 which featured the hit singles ‘Iyawo Asiko’ and ‘ololufe’.

Nomoreloss who was born in the late 70’s entered public consciousness in 2002 when he featured in Ruggedman’s classic cut, ‘Ehen’. Prior to that he was a presenter on the music TV show ‘Groovoidz’. While making a name for himself as a gifted singer, Nomoreloss also shot music videos for many Nigerian singers at the time. Nomoreloss got married to Rhythm 93.7 FM OAP Phoenix (Adeola Osinuga) in 2008. They had their on Saturday, January, 2011.    

 

SPECIAL ADVISER TO EX-PRESIDENT JONATHAN TO BE ARRAIGNED BY THE EFCC TODAY

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will today March 22, 2016 arraign Kingsley Kuku, former special adviser on Niger Delta Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, and his two former aides: Lawrence Pepple (Technical Assistant on Reintegration to the Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs) and Henry Nonso Ugbolue (Special Assistant, Media & Communication to the Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs) before a Federal Capital Territory High Court (Court 26), Wuse Zone 2, Abuja. They are to be docked on two separate charges bordering on  criminal conspiracy, false declaration of assets and fraudulent acquisition of property.

Kuku and Ugbolue are alleged to have conspired and awarded contracts running into millions to companies in which they had interest. Ugbolue is the sole signatory of Great & Gamaliel Alliance Limited, the company which provided integrated management of communications and stakeholders’ engagement chain for the office of the special adviser to the President in Niger Delta. Pepple is Director and sole signatory for KER Global Wave Limited which was awarded the contract to provide Reintegration support services by the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta under the Presidential Amnesty Program.

@Chika Okorie for encomium.ng

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