Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase has promoted Godwin Hosea, a police sergeant serving with the Bauchi state command of the Nigerian Police Force, to the rank of police inspector, for inventing a bullet proof vest.

The Bauchi state commissioner of police, Mohammed Mohammed, who represented the IGP at the ceremony, applauded Hosea for his exceptional efforts.

Mohammed said Hosea had earlier on July 22, 2015)during a visit by the IGP to the state, presented a fabricated bullet proof vest he had manufactured locally, to the police chief.

“As a result, a visibly happy IGP instantly promoted the Sergent to the rank of Inspector with effect from 22/7/2015,” Mohammed said.

The CP urged Hosea to rededicate himself to duty and consistently follow the part of patriotism he had already embarked upon.

Hosea, while appreciating the police authorities for the honor done to him, however said he did not fabricate the vest anticipating any reward instead, to assist many of his unprotected colleagues who were constantly dying from the bullets of criminals.

By Tosin Omoniyi

A Federal High Court on Monday in Abuja granted bail to the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, who is standing trial on a one count charge of illegal possession of firearms.

Dasuki, who pleaded not guilty to the allegations leveled against him, was granted bail on self recognition.

Investigators had told the court that the alleged crime is punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms CAP F28 LFN 2004,”

Dasuki’s defense counsel, Joseph Bodunrin Daodu, in his submission, however, said the alleged offence was a bailable one.

He added also that the law presumed an accused person innocent until it was disproved in a competent court of law.

He argued that since the accused was a responsible Nigerian who had held a top level security office in the country without betrayal and, thus, eligible for bail.

He subsequently relied on Section 158 (1) (2) (3) of the new Administration of Justice Act and Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution to apply for bail on behalf of his client.

Following the no objection by the prosecutor, Mohammed Diri, who doubles as the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, DPPF, the presiding judge, Adeniyi Ademola, granted bail to Dasuki.

The judge, however, ordered that the defendant deposit all his travelling documents with the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation of the court.

Dasuki, who had attended the hearing from home will return on October 26 and 27, when the case comes up for further hearing.

Dasuki’s homes were raided by operatives of the Department of State Security, DSS, on July 16, just 48 hours after he left office as NSA.

The DSS explained that it raided the Abuja and Sokoto homes of the erstwhile NSA after it obtained credible intelligence that he was planning to commit treasonable felony against the government.

The DSS also claimed that it recovered sophisticated arms and ammunitions, military related gears and 12 new vehicles, including five bullet-proof cars from Dasuki’s home, a situation he could not explain.

By Abiose Adelaja Adams, Lagos

The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, said in Lagos on Monday it was in full swing to regulate the use, dosage and bogus claims in traditional medicine, in the overriding interest of safeguarding the nation’s public health.

The director general of the regulatory body, Paul Orhii, made the assertion at the 13th African Traditional Medicine Day marked by practitioners in African medicine from across the continent. According to him, there was an increase in reports of negative health consequences resulting from the use of traditional medicine.

“Despite the World Health Organization’s findings that 80 per cent of the population still relies on traditional medicine due to its affordability, accessibility, the issue of safety is still a big issue,” Orhii said.

It is generally believe that traditional medicine is as old as mankind thus many Nigerians use it as remedy for ailments like malaria, headache, diarrhea, and other diverse ailments, due to the belief it offers longer-lasting health benefits and also because of its affordability and accessibility.

Orhii, however, said, long term use of traditional medicine was not a guarantee for its safety, adding that all medicines (whether conventional or traditional) could cause health risks.

Meanwhile, the president of the National Association of Nigeria Traditional Medicine Practitioners, Thomas Oleabhiele, who was also at the event, said NAFDAC, should not view the verification of claims with criticism.

“The system whereby we are not allowed to state what the medicine does on the label of the product and yet are directed by the same NAFDAC to state that our claims are yet to be evaluated is a stab on the progress of the practice in the country,” said Oleabhiele

By Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

About 40, 000 youth in Yobe state will benefit from the state government’s planned partnership with a Chinese firm in the area of irrigation agriculture, the state government has said.

The Yobe state governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, who is currently on an official visit to China on the invitation of the country’s investors, is expected to finalise agreements on the partnership.

According to a statement by his spokesperson, Abdullahi Bego, the effort was aimed at ensuring that the youth are self-reliant.

“Irrigation agriculture is very significant in unleashing the enthusiasm and capacity of our youth for self-reliance. We are very much committed to using irrigation as another catalyst for helping to empower our youths. This is why we came here to establish wide ranging partnerships that will accelerate irrigation agriculture in our State,” the statement said.

The statement added that the governor had already held discussions with a number of companies, including Rainfine (Dalian) Irrigation Company Ltd, a company that specializes in the manufacture, installation and training of people in centre pivot irrigation technology.

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“We are particularly interested in modern centre-pivot irrigation where a single machine or a cluster of machines can irrigate large expanses of land. We can use this all year round to irrigate farmlands and produce crops that will positively impact the lives and future of our youths and improve on our economy in the long term,”said the statement.

“I am confident we can begin this before the year runs out; precisely within the next three months. We have it in our budget for the year and we are determined to carry it through”, His Excellency the governor said after inspecting irrigation equipment on the factory floor of Rainfine Irrigation Company in Dalian.”

Bego said a committee had been set up under the leadership of a former permanent secretary in the state ministry of Agriculture, Gambomi Goni, to work out modalities on the execution of the partnership as well as locate suitable locations within the state for the projects.

The governor was also said to be wooing Chinese investors in the area of infrastructural development into Damaturu, the state capital, with discussions already held with Peng Shigou, chairman of China International Engineering Company Ltd, a company experienced in road, bridge and other engineering constructions.

By Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin City

A controversial twist has emerged in the circumstances surrounding the killing of Samson Amineshi, a retired captain and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo State last Thursday.

Amineshi was reportedly shot dead by unknown gunmen on the fateful day along Igarra-Okpe road while returning from Igarra in what many believe was an armed robbery attack.

Fresh facts indicating that Amineshi may have been killed by suspected assassins however emerged on Monday.

Chairman of Akoko-Edo local government, Folorunsho Akerejola, who commented on the incident on Monday, insisted that the killing of Amineshi was an assassination as none of his possessions was removed from him.

Akerejola disclosed that security agencies were working on that theory, even though no arrest had been made thus far.

“Investigation is still going on. The initial information we got was that it was a case of robbery, but when investigation started, security agencies told us that if it was robbery, all his belongings were still with him; his money, his phones especially that his neck was turned, an indication that when they discovered that he didn’t give up after shooting him. They strangulated him and turned his neck and ensure that he was dead. At that level, nobody can still be talking about robbery. They didn’t take anything from him, he had money on him, he had phones on him and nothing was taken from him.

“So the security agencies have to now begin investigation into a case of assassination and we are waiting for them to give us their report.

“The security agencies will give us the report and I am sure before the end of this week, they will tell us how far they have gone. We cannot say whether it is political, community related or business-wise for now. We cannot say what went wrong, but all we know with the situation on ground, it is assassination,” Akerejola stressed.

As at the time of filing this report, the police are yet to make any comment on the incident. It was however gathered that investigation had commenced.

By Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, has donated medical supplies and three plastic water tanks to Internally Displaced Persons presently being cared for at the International Christian Mission camp in Uhogua village, Ovia North East local government area of Edo state.

Arase who was represented at the presentation ceremony by the Force Medical Officer, Grace Okudo, an assistant inspector general, promised the IDPs who were mostly children they would not lack anything, just as he assured them that adequate security would be provided for them.

“We will do our best for you. We know many diseases can be caused by bad water, so we brought these Geepee tanks. You will not miss anything. Our team from Asaba and Benin will be visiting to know your needs particularly as regards your health issues. We will be coming always to see what we can do,” he promised.

Founder of the International Christian Mission, Solomon Folorunsho, thanked the police boss for his concern and timely medical intervention.

It would be recalled that a total of 142 of the internally displaced persons, numbering about 900, that were brought to the camp were reunited with their families two weeks ago.

By Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin City

An Egor Magistrate Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State Monday sentenced one Lucky Esonahae, to five years imprison for setting his pregnant lover, Stella Isaac, ablaze.

Esonahae was said to have accused his pregnant wife of infidelity for allegedly returning home at about 6 pm from the hospital where she attended antenatal clinic, threatened to kill her, before she ran to her sister’s residence.

He was arraigned one a one-count charge bothering on causing bodily harm.

According to the Prosecuting Officer, Ganiyu Yahya, a sergeant, the incident occurred on 6 July, 2015, at Uwelu Quarters in Benin City, and was reported by the victim on the same day.

Yahya said that ‎Esonahae had locked his wife in a room, poured kerosene on the head of the woman, who was said to be carrying a seven-month pregnancy for him, lit a match and set her on fire.

‎The victim was however rescued by one of her sons and one of her neighbours, after forcing the door tp her room open. She sustained burns on her hands and forehead, and was later rushed to the Central Hospital, where she received treatment.

The accused who pleaded guilty to the offense begged the court for leniency.

Delivering his judgment, the Presiding Magistrate, Igho Braimoh, ‎said the court would not be lenient on the convict and therefore sentenced Lucky Esonahae to five years in prison without an option of fine