Day: April 4, 2023

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied suspending the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege from the party.

This is contained in a statement by the Delta APC Executive Committee signed by Elder Omeni Sobotie, the state chairman of the party and Mr Peter Akarogbe, the secretary in Warri.

The APC said that Omo-Agege, who was its govenorship candidate in the March 15, election. remained a bonafide member of the party.

It described the publication alleging his purported suspension, as the handwork of rabble rousing impostors who claimed to have held positions at the various levels of the party in the state.

“We the legitimate and only recognised state executive committee of the APC at the National Headquarters, in consultations with all other levels in the chain hereby disclaim the publication as fraudulent, a ruse and of no consequence.

“Therefore, it should be disregarded and ignored as the handiwork of mischief makers by all party faithful and the general public.

“The executive committee members of the APC at the wards, local governments, senatorial districts and state levels, were duly elected by bonafide members of the party in a transparent process at the different congresses organised by the party.

“So, they remain legitimate and still hold their offices and positions in accordance with the APC Constitution.

“The general public, party faithfuls and stakeholders are therefore advised to discountenance the said publication, and view it as the worthless undertaking of men with crooked intentions,” it said.

The APC added that the signatories were not only dubious impostors, but very reckless, saying that their claims could cause a breach of public peace and should not be permitted.

It, however, enjoined the police, Department of State Service (DSS) and other security agencies to take note of the wanton rascality and the unscrupulous intent to cause disharmony and a breach of public peace in the state.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Police Command in Kano State has arrested one Philibus Ibrahim for allegedly strangling his pregnant girlfriend, 22-year- old Theresa Yakubu.

Ibrahim, who committed the offence in Tudun Wada Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, was arrested alongside his accomplice Gabriel Bila, both of Unguwar Korau Tudun-Wada LGA.

Mr Mamman Dauda, the Commissioner of Police in the state, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Kano.

According to Dauda, on April 2 at about 4:30 p.m., we received an information from a good Samaritan that a lady was seen lying on the roadside, unconscious on Kano-Jos Road in Anadaria Village.

“On receiving the information, a team of policemen was rushed to the scene and the victim was taken to Tiga General Hospital where she was confirmed dead by a doctor.

“Investigation, however, revealed that the victim left Nassarawan Kuki to Yantomo Village in Garin Babba LGA of Kano on March 27, at about 6:00 p.m.

“In the course of investigation, the principal suspect was arrested and confessed committing the offence by using the victims veil to strangulate her.

Dauda said that investigation was ongoing and once completed the suspects would be charged to court

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Defence Headquarters has clarified that the UN Peacekeeping fighting vehicles and equipment sighted recently in Benin, Edo were meant for deployment for peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Gusau said circulation of the video of the said equipment on social media, had given rise to insinuations that were inimical to public peace which might cause panic.

He said that presently, Nigeria is contributing troops to various UN Peace keeping operations; the most recent is United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), Southern Sudan.

“The Mission is commanded by a Nigerian, Ma.-Gen. Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr.

“It should be noted that the UN doesn’t have its own troops, rather it enter into agreement with troops contributing countries to provide their personnel and equipment for operations in its various missions.

“Therefore, it is imperative to state emphatically that the military fighting vehicles and equipment painted in UN colour as sighted are being moved through the Warri port for movement to the mission area in Southern Sudan.

“The Defence Headquarters under the leadership of Gen. Lucky Irabor, wish to assure Nigerians that our nation is not under any threat that will warrant the deployment of UN troops on our soil”, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a video clip titled, “tension as heavy military UN trucks arrive Nigeria”, surface on one BVI Youtube channel on Sunday.

The commentator was seen raising alarm that something was cooking in the country that the government was not telling the citizens

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Disrupting stress factors in the lives of Nigerians

A news analysis by Ismail Abdulaziz, News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Salaudeen Mohammed, a teacher in Niger State, said what worries him the most daily is the way people behave inside commercial transport, especially when talking about the problems of the country.

‘’You hear someone expressing an opinion about national issues with such jaundiced points that one have to intercept him as an educated person. But what do you get; the anger is transferred to you as if you caused the issue. Thank God if the speaker does not have a stereotype about one tribe or the other. That will be another wahala,’’ he said.

For Mrs Evelyn Adejo, a trader in Wuse market, it is the challenges she faces coming to the market that gives her concerns and headaches.

‘’I live in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, and come to Wuse, FCT, market every day except Sunday to sell my wares. The heavy traffic and manner of driving on the road gives me goose pimples and stress. So see driving of all kinds; wrong overtaking, speed, change of lane and sometimes government officials harassment.

A retired civil servant, Mr Audu Stephen, said he has taken all the challenges in his stride because there is always a solution to every problem in life.

‘’Due to my experience as a civil servant, I have realised that I need to do my own quota to get the change that I want to happen.

“In my community now I have taken it on myself to take care of challenges that we have with the electricity distribution company.

“Another retiree, has taken it on himself to take care of any problem of the community relating to local government in terms of tax and levies’’, he said.

Every day coming from home, reaching places of engagement as well as when returning home, a Nigerian is faced with one stress/depression or the other, mostly due to lack of action or inaction of a fellow human being.

Simply put the stress factors include commuters on commercial vehicles not behaving orderly, drivers’ recklessness and not wanting passengers to caution them, holdups along the road due to careless parking in unauthorised areas to pick passengers. The list is endless.

Unruly behaviours of medical personnel in health facilities, bank officials, unapologetic and lack of courteous attitudes of tricycle and motorcycle operators, vehicle inspection officers, FRSC, states road marshals can also be added to the list of stress faced Nigerians.

According to UNICEF, depression can happen as a reaction to something like abuse, violence and the death of someone close or family problems like domestic violence or family breakdown.

Someone might get depressed after being stressed for a long time. It can also run in the family. Sometimes we may not know why it happens.

If you’re constantly under stress, you can have physical symptoms like headaches, an upset stomach, high blood pressure, chest pain, and problems with sex and sleep. Stress can also lead to emotional problems, depression, panic attacks, or other forms of anxiety and worry.

What can be done to rectify these challenges in order to bring sanity to Nigeria and its patriotic citizens? Yes, patriotic.

All hands must be on deck to have an individual commitment to seriously consider ‘’doing unto others what you will want done unto you’’ and also making the rule of law work.

If you are among those that read or watch films, you will see deliberate efforts by citizens of developed countries to make their society liveable in all aspects.

They give information to the relevant authorities’ to handle any infractions observed and actually follow up to see that the right thing is done.

There is no society without laws and regulations well defined. It has not been enough for Nigerians to complain about things not working or acting correctly in those societies where there is order.

Take for example, in some parts of the country particular habits are not permitted and everybody that wants to live there abides by it.

So, in effect we should as citizens take it upon ourselves to see that well defined rules and regulations for our safety and wellbeing are discharged by those paid and charged with the responsibilities.

Politicians have shown the right attitude over time by taking their disagreement over election results to the law courts as demanded by the constitution and the electoral Act.

This is the way to go. The journey to greatness starts with a move in the right direction. Nigerians must move towards the right direction and one day, our dream of a better Nigeria would be realised.

Nigerians must not be deterred by one incident and hastily conclude that nothing will work in the country.

Getting what we want requires much sacrifice so as to allow the future to be much brighter. It requires knowing the law, following it and when needed changing it to suit current situations.

Experts say the functions of law in society are infinite. Law ensures survival of the society, sustains accepted standards of public morality, provides the substratum for social-economic emancipation, a desire to live, and necessity for living in society.

The law teaches how to organise our affairs in a manner that discourages conflicts by guiding human actions.

What are the citizen roles in the community? A citizen must have a role in the community that others recognize as important.

Being a teacher, a parent, a student, an artist, a neighbour, a committee member, and/or a person in recovery are all roles that are recognized as important and valuable for society and the individual.

For example, local residents need to engage in voluntary work, organise litter-clearing campaigns, set up collectives to purchase solar panels or form local care cooperatives. They may also be involved in the decision-making about the municipal budget.

Researches show that rule of law correlates to higher economic growth, greater peace, less inequality, improved health outcomes and more education.

The rule of law is a critical factor for the advancement of democracy, rooted in equal rights and accountability.

By strengthening the rule of law, we protect the rights of all people, advance inclusiveness, and limit the arbitrary exercise of power, which are the cornerstones of modern democracy.

According to the father of rule of law, A.V. Dicey, personal liberty is “the right not to be subject to imprisonment, arrest and any other physical coercion in any manner that does not admit of legal justification.”

Nigerians fate does not only rest in the hands of a few, the majority have a lot to do in the attainment of the right atmosphere and environment for a better society that promote stability, mental health and socio-economic development of all.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria