Local Lafia news, Nigeria
A drama played out between the officials of the Oyo State Government and men of the Nigeria Customs Service , Oyo / Osun Area Command , Ibadan , on Wednesday as the Customs rejected the 1 ,800 bags of rice donated to the state by the Federal Government .
The officials of the Oyo State Government , led by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development , Jacob Ojemuyiwa , were denied entry at the main gate of the NIS zonal headquarters in Ibadan .
Recall that Dr Debo Akande , a Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde , on Friday alleged that the rice was not good for human consumption.
The delegation was told on Wednesday to return the bags to the state government.
While addressing journalists, the commissioner said , “The state had written a letter to the Nigeria Customs Service indicating that the bags of the weevil- infested rice would be returned .”
READ ALSO : NAFDAC boss faults viral video criticising certified product
The commissioner said the team would report back to the State Executive Council for necessary steps .
An official of NIS , who under condition of anonymity , said the delegate was turned back because the command had not received any directive to receive the rejected bags of rice .
Coronavirus: Trump says China wants him to lose re-election
US President Donald Trump has said China "will do anything they can" to make him lose his re-election bid, stepping up his criticism of Beijing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In a White House interview with Reuters news agency, he said Beijing faced a "lot" of possible consequence from the US for the outbreak.
He said China should have let the world know about the contagion much sooner.
Mr Trump himself is often accused of not doing enough to tackle the crisis.
The coronavirus has ravaged a formerly humming US economy that had been the president's main selling point for his re-election campaign in November.
Mr Trump, who has waged a trade war with China, offered no specifics about how he might act against Beijing.
Why so many US nurses are out of work
Coronavirus: Tracking the global outbreak
He told Reuters: "There are many things I can do. We're looking for what happened."
Mr Trump added: "China will do anything they can to have me lose this race."
The Republican president said he believes Beijing wants his likely Democratic challenger Joe Biden to win in November's election.
Mr Trump also said he is sceptical of data indicating Mr Biden would win.
"I don't believe the polls," the president said. "I believe the people of this country are smart. And I don't think that they will put a man in who's incompetent."
US media reported earlier in the day that Mr Trump had erupted at political advisers last Friday evening about internal polling that showed him losing in critical states.
His aides have doubts about whether Mr Trump will win crucial battlegrounds such as Florida, Wisconsin and Arizona, while some of his re-election team have all but given up hope of success in Michigan, according to the Associated Press news agency.
"I'm not losing to Joe Biden," Mr Trump reportedly said, inserting an expletive, during a conference call with campaign officials.
The US president also reportedly snapped at his campaign manager, Brad Parscale, who had called in from Florida.
He cursed at Mr Parscale and at one point mentioned suing him, according to CNN and the Washington Post, though it is unclear how serious was his threat of legal action.
Upping the virus
President Trump's criticism of China has been consistent - and increasingly sharp - in recent weeks. He's questioned the accuracy of the death toll there, and even said he was looking into suggestions that the virus originated in a laboratory in Wuhan.
But this is the harshest criticism of its kind so far. By claiming that China's delay in alerting the world to the spread of the virus was politically motivated - and designed to boost the election chances of his political rival Joe Biden at the expense of his own - Mr Trump is upping the ante in an increasingly bellicose war of words.
Earlier this week a senior Chinese official, Le Yucheng, questioned the president's handling of the crisis, and accused him of not acting quickly enough in order to prepare the American people for the spread of Covid-19.
For all that, the president dismisses claims that the 2020 election will amount to a referendum on his handling of this crisis, its outcome may well rest on the pace of the economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic. Expect the war of words between the world's two largest economies to continue.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Trump said he would not be renewing his government social distancing guidelines once they expire on Thursday.
The guidelines - which were originally supposed to last 15 days and were then extended an additional 30 - encouraged Americans to work from home and avoid large gatherings, while advising those with underlying health conditions to self-isolate.
After more than a month being stuck mainly at the White House, Mr Trump said he plans to resume travel, starting with a trip to Arizona next week.
He told reporters he hopes to hold mass campaign rallies in the coming months with thousands of supporters.
The US currently accounts for around a third of all coronavirus cases worldwide. Its death toll - at more than 60,000 - has in six weeks surpassed the number of Americans killed in the two decades of the Vietnam War.
Unemployment, which just a few weeks ago was at a near-record low, now stands at more than 26 million.
Newly released figures on Wednesday showed the US economy had shrunk by nearly 5% - its sharpest c ontraction since the Depression
Latest news Lafia - here are the news of nearby cities
Benue Assembly suspends plenary for members to undergo coronavirus tests
The Benue House of Assembly has suspended its plenary sessions to allow lawmakers and members of staff to subject themselves to COVID-19 screening.
Mr Tertsea Gbiseh, the Chairman House Standing Committee on Information and Orientation, announced this in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Makurdi.
The statement said the decision to undergo COVID-19 screening by members was arrived at after the noticeable spike in cases around the state.
“Going by the nature of the Assembly’s functions which warrant us to interact closely with constituents at the grassroots on one hand and top government functionaries in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, on the other hand, it has become imperative to embark on regular COVID-19 tests due to the risk of exposure encountered in the discharge of our duties,” the statement read.
The Assembly commended members of the State Action Task Force on COVID-19 for their efforts thus far and urged them to do more by making test centres readily accessible to all those willing to confirm their status in the state.
The Assembly also sympathised with all those who had tested positive to the virus and wished them a speedy recovery.
They urged all citizens of the state to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols and stay safe.
The statement said that plenary session would resume as soon as the leadership of the Assembly determined it was safe enough for members and staff of the assembly.
Two Detained Nigerian Air Force Personnel In Benue Cry Out For Help, Allege Plot To Murder Them Over Cooperative Society Activities
Two detained officers of the Nigeria Air Force in Makurdi, Benue State, have cried out for help over what they described as false accusations levelled against them by senior officers in the service.
The men, Military Warrant Officer Oyebanji and Warrant Officer Paul Atteh, were detained after they set up a Multipurpose Cooperative Society to service soldiers and interested civilians outside of the Nigeria Air Force to the disdain of their superior, one Air Commodore L. I Oluwatoyin, a family source said.
Air Commodore Oluwatoyin, who is not a member of the cooperative, SaharaReporters gathered subsequently launched an audit of the accounts of the independent group.
“The headquarters, Tactical Air Command of the Nigerian Air Force, Makurdi, was asked to audit the account and they did and found nothing wrong with the cooperative management. Not satisfied, Air Commodore LI Oluwatoyin requisitioned another audit to be conducted and the Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force Accounts & Budget commissioned a private audit firm and they re-audited the cooperative society and still found nothing,” a source said.
He added that failing to prove any wrongdoing, Air Commodore Oluwatoyin commissioned a private auditing firm, Abba Adadu & Co. who alleged that over N41, 286, 056.57 (Forty-One Million, Two Hundred & Eighty-Six Thousand, Fifty-Six Naira, Fifty-Six Kobo) had been misappropriated as at June 2019 even though records show that the sum was captured as the value of the investment as at June 2019.
SaharaReporters gathered that one Group Captain AO Akinbuwa working in cahoots with Air Commodore Oluwatoyin sent an allegedly false report through a Nigeria Airforce Signal Message accusing one of the detained persons, Military Warrant Officer Oyebanji of stealing fifty million Naira from the cooperative society.
The Nigeria Airforce was again called in and one Captain L. I Nansok who is the Commander Provost of Investigations alleged that Military Warrant Officer Oyebanji misappropriated the sum of forty million, two hundred and seven Naira, seven hundred and sixty Kobo.
On the combined strength of these conflicting figures, the two airmen MWO Oyebanji & WO Atteh have been in detention for the past one year under the guise of a court-martial trial which is suffering endless adjournments just to allow time for them to suffer severely.
Based on the alleged findings of the investigator, the two men have been in detention for one year facing court-martial with “endless adjournments” leading to their suffering, a source said.
The two airforce personnel are now crying out for help after another airman who was detained in a guardroom at the Nigeria Airforce base in Sokoto allegedly committed suicide.
“Because of the incident, they have removed basic personal hygiene materials like toothbrush & paste, beddings and loin clothes all carted away on grounds that they may do something untoward to themselves.
“But the real question is why are they detained for so long without releasing them to attend the court from their official quarters or from the Mess as is required by the service extant laws? Why would people who have devoted their entire youth in the service of the Air Force be made to sleeping on the bare floor in this 21 century? Even the little beddings provided by their wives have been confiscated from them. Their cream, their comb, toothbrush/paste, loincloth including their food all removed.
“One Air Police Corporal Galadima planted by Air Commodore LI Oluwatoyin and Group Captain AO Akinbuwa has been a torn on their flesh in executing the instructions of his masters. He has of late openly told them to their faces that he is going to poison their food so that they will die and nothing will come out of it.
“How on earth can a man who has declared to the hearing of the public that he will kill the duo of MWO Oyebanji & WO Atteh be allowed to still attend to them if the authorities of the Air Force are not working in collusion with the man to ensure he does their hatched job?,” the Oyebanji family said.
The men and their family called on the Nigeria Airforce and well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the men and ensure their release before it is too late.
“The offense they are alleged to have committed is not treasonable felony neither are they facing murder charges. The cooperative society in issue does not belong to the Air Force. The Air Force is not a shareholder. It is society owned by some soldiers, retired soldiers and some civilians including the detained airmen. So what exactly is the interest of the Nigerian Air Force and why are they hell-bent on ensuring that these men die in detention?”, the family queried.
They called on the Nigerian public and government to hold Air Commodore L. I Oluwatoyin, Group Captain A. O Akinbuwa, Air Commodore Aliyu the President of the Court Martial and Squadron Leader Umuoh the Judge Advocate responsible if harm comes to the men.
The men, Military Warrant dSocietyetainedOfficer Oyebanji and Warrant Officer Paul Atteh, were after they set up a Multipurpose Cooperative to service soldiers and interested civilians outside of the Nigeria Airforce, to the disdain of their superior, one Air Commodore L. I Oluwatoyin, a family source said.
Air Commodore Oluwatoyin SaharaReporters gathered who is not a member of the cooperative subsequently launched an audit of the accounts of the independent cooperative society.
“The headquarters, Tactical Air Command of the Nigerian Air Force, Makurdi was asked to audit the account and they did and found nothing wrong with the cooperative management. Not satisfied, Air Commodore LI Oluwatoyin requisitioned another audit to be conducted and the Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force Accosourceunts & Budget commissioned a private Audit Firm and they re-audited the cooperative society and still found nothing,” a said.
He added that failing to prove any wrongdoing, Air Commodore LI Oluwatoyin commissioned a private auditing firm, Abba Adadu & Co. who alleged that over N41, 286, 056.57 (Forty-One Million, Two Hundred & Eighty-Six Thousand, Fifty-Six Naira, Fifty-Six Kobo) had been misappropriated as at June 2019 even though records showed that the sum was captured as the value of the investment as at June 2019.
SaharaReporters gathered that one Group Captain AO Akinbuwa working in cahoots with Air Commodore Oluwatoyin sent an allegedly false report through a Nigeria Air Force Signal accusing one of the detained persons, Military Warrant Officer Oyebanji of stealing N50m from the cooperative society.
The Nigeria Air Force was again called in and one Captain L. I Nansok, who is the Commander Provost of Investigations, alleged that Military Warrant Officer Oyebanji misappropriated the sum of forty million, two hundred and seven naira, seven hundred and sixty Kobo.
Based on the alleged findings of the investigator, the two men have been in detention for one year facing court-martial with “endless adjournments” leading to their suffering, a source said.
The two air force personnel are now crying out for help after another airman who was detained in a guardroom at the Nigeria Air Force base in Sokoto allegedly committed suicide.
“Because of the incident, they have removed basic personal hygiene materials like toothbrush & paste, beddings and loin clothes all carted away on grounds that they may do something untoward to themselves.
“But the real question is why are they detained for so long without releasing them to attend the court from their official quarters or from the Mess as is required by the service extant laws? Why would people who have devoted their entire youth in the service of the Air Force be made to be sleeping on the bare floor in this 21st century? Even the little beddings provided by their wives have been confiscated from them. Their cream, their comb, toothbrush/paste, loincloth including their food all removed.
“One Air Police Corporal Galadima planted by Air Commodore LI Oluwatoyin and Group Captain AO Akinbuwa has been a thorn on their flesh in executing the instructions of his masters. He has of late openly told them to their faces that he is going to poison their food so that they will die and nothing will come out of it.
“How on earth can a man who has declared to the hearing of the public that he will kill the duo of MWO Oyebanji & WO Atteh be allowed to still attend to them if the authorities of the Air Force are not working in collusion with the man to ensure he does their hatched job?,” the Oyebanji family said.
The men and their family called on the Nigeria Air Force and well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the men and ensure their release before it is too late.
“The offense they are alleged to have committed is not treasonable felony neither are they facing murder charges. The cooperative society in issue does not belong to the Air Force. The Air Force is not a shareholder. It is society owned by some soldiers, retired soldiers and some civilians including the detained airmen. So what exactly is the interest of the Nigerian Air Force and why are they hell-bent on ensuring that these men die in detention?”, the family queried.
They called on the Nigerian public and government to hold Air Commodore L. I Oluwatoyin, Group Captain A. O Akinbuwa, Air Commodore Aliyu, the President of the Court Martial and Squadron Leader Umuoh, the Judge Advocate responsible if harm comes to the men.
Benue university deputy vice chancellor dies of coronavirus
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) of the Benue State University (BSU) and Vice Chairman of the State Action Committee on COVID-19, Prof. Godwin Achinge, is dead.
Achinge died on Sunday afternoon in Jos, Plateau State.
A source in Makurdi Benue State, told newsmen that he died due to complications arising from the disease.
Recall that Governor Samuel Ortom had on Saturday confirmed that Achinge and 32 others tested positive for the deadly disease.
Nasarawa to open portal for unemployed youth
Nasarawa State government says it will launch a website where unemployed youth will be registered across the state and afford them the opportunity to select skill acquisition of their choice.
This was disclosed by the state commissioner for youth and sport Othman Bala Adam in a chat with journalists in Lafia.
Othman said that registration will commence in the first week of August and that the ministry of youth and sport development will release the link for prospective youth to register.
He said government will use the website for job consideration when the need arises while urging youths across the state to take advantage and get registered
Othman said that the idea is to also have a database of potential and unemployed youths across the state and register them according to the career of their choice.
He said that the portal will be designed in such a way that registered youth will be afforded the opportunity to also select skill acquisition of their choice and be trained so as to be self-reliant.
“Registered youth will state their qualification, for those who are educated, while those who are not fortunate to attend school will also have their names and equally make a career choice.”
Othman explained that the portal will also give government statistical data of the number of unemployed youths across the state and plan
towards providing jobs for them.
“It will afford us the opportunity to also plan ahead on how to provide incentives to those that participate in any of the skill acquisition programme.
“We are out to ensure that we capture the majority of our talented youths who are not gainfully employed but can train on becoming self-reliant.
“This government is conscious of the fact that the youth form the majority of the population but lack what to do. So we will design the website in such a way that other agencies can have access and may have professionals with skills that can work in their agencies.
“For instance, if we have a construction job in the state that needs builders and other professionals, we will click on the site and go to the space for builders and select those eligible and send to the contractor for consideration. So we don’t need to start advertising or going out looking for them.”
NMA Chairman, 64 Health Workers Test Positive For COVID-19 In Nasarawa State
Dr Bulus Peter, Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association in Nasarawa State, has tested positive for COVID-19.
Peter disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Saturday.
He said he was already receiving treatment at an isolated part of his home and was responding to treatment.
He disclosed that the total number of healthcare workers, who tested positive for COVID-19 in Nasarawa are 65 as of July 3.
“It is confirmed by the result from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control that I have contracted COVID-19 but I am now responding to treatment.
“As at July 3, the total number of healthcare workers who tested positive for COVID-19 in Nasarawa are 65 – public health facilities workers 51 and private health workers 14.
“The local government distribution of healthcare workers infected with COVID-19 are Karu – 12, Keffi – 21, Nasarawa Eggon – seven, Lafia – 25. One person has died.”
ICPC tracks 67 constituency projects in Nasarawa
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday said it has started tracking 67 selected constituency projects in Nasarawa State.
Mr Clement Obaniyi, the commission’s Commissioner in Benue, also overseeing Nasarawa and Plateau, told newsmen in Makurdi on Wednesday, noting that the projects were 2016 constituency projects of National Assembly members in Nasarawa State.
Obaniyi said that the selected projects ranged from construction of boreholes, HIV campaign projects, provision of buses/cars, erosion control and flood, electrification, dams and road construction.
He added that the projects were selected for tracking by a team from Budget Office of the Federation, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, ICPC, National Institute of Quantity Surveyors and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
The commissioner, who noted that the projects tracking would last for four weeks, added that the commission had earlier tracked 98 of 2017/18 selected constituency projects in Benue.
He said that during the tracking, the commission discovered that some projects were abandoned, some ongoing, some completed, while others were yet to start.
He explained that while the commission was still investigating the issues discovered during the last tracking, its focus was on preventing any act that may lead to corrupt practices through system study and public enlightenment.
"Some Fuel stations increase fuel prize to #190 per litre"
Being on the 14th of November fuel have increase to #190 in Nigeria. And to this regard, some Nigerians are complaining, but watching the government on the next action.
However some Nigerians are saying that it was the the Nigerian government that give the go ahead saying that some of the neighboring countries are selling higher prize.. Every stock is increased..
Buhari finally speak to Nigerian youths.
Buhari has finally spoken to the Nigerian youths, telling the to be at peace, saying is for their own good to stay at peace.
However, he make promises that job will be provided, which he spoke the former minister of environmental to go round the ruler area and meet their kings,, or leader so that to reach the youth in Nigeria..
Benue council polls: Governor Ortom votes, urges voters to leave after voting
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Saturday advised people who turned out to vote in the state Local Government Council elections on Saturday to leave the polling units as soon as they voted to guard against the spread of COVID-19.
Ortom gave the advice on Saturday in Gbajimba, headquarters of Guma Local Government Area of the state after casting his vote at the LGEA Primary School polling unit, Gbajimba.
“Vote and leave in order to give room for other electorate to also exercise their franchise.
“The Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) has directed that in order to guard against the spread of Covid-19 only 30 electorate will be allowed at the polling units at a time.
“So, if you vote, you have to leave to allow others too to come and vote.
“I have the confidence that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will win overwhelmingly because in most of the local government areas, the candidates are unopposed.
Meanwhile, newsmen who monitored the polls in Makurdi, Kwande, parts of Gboko and Gwer Local Government Councils report that the polls were marred by voter apathy.
NAN reports that the polls had not commenced in any of the polling units within Makurdi metropolis as at 12 noon.
At Kanshio Primary School polling unit, located in the suburb of Makurdi, electoral officials were seen conducting the polls.
An electoral officer, Ms Priscilla Ikyer, in charge of the unit, lamented the absence of voting materials especially, ink pad, ballot boxes and stamp.
An aide to Gov. Ortom, Mr Orngu Anngu, who also voted at the unit, commended the officials for ” the peaceful and professional manner the election is being conducted”.
He also commended security officials for securing the polling unit and assured that his party would win overwhelmingly.
Orngu, however, regretted that polling unit officials were not properly kitted against Covid-19.
”They are not wearing face masks and other protective kits,” he said.
At Ikpayongo market, an accredited PDP agent in Mbasombo ward, Mr Terfa Uleve, who was cited wearing the party’s tag while displaying his wares at the market, alleged that “since there is no election, I returned to the market to sell my wares.
Reacting to the non availability of electoral materials, the Public Relations Officer of the Benue Independent Electoral Commission (BISEC), Ms Mavis Toryem, said the commission would address its shortcomings
Some intresting facts about the uefa champions league.
the uefa champions league Also called European cup is annual club football competition organised by uefa European football association,and contested by top division European club.
Introduce in 1955 as the European champion club cup which was initially a straight knockout tournament open only for the champions of Europe domestic league. In 1992 some features were introduce such as
Allowing multiple entrants from certain countries. Introduction of group stages, and changing the name to uefa champions league
Some intresting facts about the champions league are:
1 the winner gain automatic tickets to the group stage of the next coming champions leagues regardless of their position in there domestic league.
2 the winners qualified for the uefa super cup which is contested between champions leagues winners and Europa league winners
3 world club cup which is contested between seven club that emerge champions from the seven region of the world.THE CURRENT HOLDERS OF THE UEFA SUPER CUP AND THE CLUB WORLD CUP IS LIVERPOOL.
SEVILLA WILL BATTLE BEYERN MUNICH IN UEFA SUPER CUP.
FOR WORLD CLUB CUP IS NOT YET DESIDED.
DID U THINK BAYERN MUNICH CAN WIN THE CUPS ? SHARE YOUR THOUGHT
