Home Blog Page 867

Max Air dumps Lagos passengers in Abuja, shifts Kano trip several times

Marcus FATUNMOLE
-
0
Max Air dumps Lagos passengers in Abuja, shifts Kano trip several times

ON Wednesday, June 28, one of Nigeria’s airlines, Max Air, dumped its passengers travelling from Kano to Lagos in Abuja for hours without any explanation.

The flight took off from the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, around 5:25 pm and arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 6:10 pm.

The airline’s crew allegedly asked the passengers to disembark and promised to put them on another aircraft some minutes later.

The passengers remained at the airport till 2:09 am the following morning before a flight flew them to the Lagos airport by 2:56 am.

Similarly, another aircraft by the operator from Abuja to Kano was scheduled for 8:20 pm that day, which was the first day of Eid-el-Kabir festivity. Some passengers (including this reporter) got to the airport and found that the aircraft will not take off as scheduled.

The staff on duty said they had rescheduled the flight for 9:40 pm.

Between 9:40 pm and 11:00 pm, there was no communication from the airline, either verbally or through the airport’s public address system. 

The ICIR discovered that the public address system and all air conditioning system at the departure hall were not working. There was much heat as passengers sweated profusely.

Lagos and Kano passengers travelling with Max Air were about two-thirds of all passengers waiting at the airport’s departure hall. They were apprehensive and angry. Some protested and walked down to the airline’s check-in counter on the ground floor to confront the staff. Others formed groups at the departure hall discussing how the airline is notorious for delaying passengers and shifting flights with impunity.

At precisely 11: 00 pm, one of the airline’s workers verbally called Kano passengers to proceed to board.

The passengers queued at the aircraft’s door on the tarmac, but a pilot from the plane addressed them and explained that the airline could not fly allegedly because of poor weather in Kano. The pilot’s claim could be untrue, as subsequent findings later revealed.

All passengers returned to the departure hall, this time more enraged.

At 11:28 pm, another announcement came verbally through a Max Air employee that the Kano passengers should proceed for boarding, leaving Lagos passengers behind.

The aircraft eventually touched down in Kano about 12:20 am.

Meanwhile, The ICIR reporter observed that the leather on the aircraft’s seats was peeling off, suggesting the aircraft might be old. Because the aircraft did not have many passengers, the reporter checked and observed that about 10 per cent of the seats were affected.

One of the seats on the Max Air flight VM1601 on Wednesday, June 28.
Photo credit: The ICIR/Marcus Fatunmole

Reasons for delay – Max Air

Meanwhile, the Kano manager for Max Air, Bello Ramallan, said the pilot who was to fly the Abuja aircraft to Kano became sick suddenly on his way to the airport, forcing the airline to look for another pilot “who lives in Nyanya,” 52 kilometres from the airport.

Ramallan’s explanation contradicts what the pilot told passengers on the tarmac in Abuja.

His claim also becomes more suspicious because the airline also blamed its failure to take its passengers from Lagos to Kano on a sick pilot in April 2022, after reportedly delaying for seven hours.

However, Ramallan said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) allows a pilot to fly an aircraft to a maximum of seven different destinations in one day within Nigeria. “Four is the minimum, and seven is the maximum,” he stated, stressing that “the number of routes was reduced from 10 to seven because it overburdened the pilots”.

He apologised for the flight delays. “I want to apologise for what happened. It had been happening not just yesterday or the day before, especially in terms of delay and keeping quiet without (giving passengers) any information. It’s not deliberate. We are not happy with delaying people and keeping quiet, especially in Abuja and Lagos. We are unhappy with the habit of keeping quiet without informing the passengers. On behalf of Max Air everywhere, I want to apologise. 

“The delay came because the operating pilot was sick and unconscious; we had to look for someone to operate that flight. So, the flight was delayed for about two to three hours. The fault was that our staff in Abuja could have made the announcement, not to open up on what happened. People have had about a 30-minute delay and did not complain.”

The ICIR reports that Max Air has its head office in Kano.

Passengers react

A passenger on the flight, Muhammed Sumani Musel, a Canadian, said: “It is unfortunate that the biggest economy in Africa doesn’t have its domestic flight. It is really unfortunate that this is happening. I’m just speechless. I have nothing to say. Initially, they postponed our flight from Kano to 4:50 pm, Then we left by 5:50 pm. We came here and arrived at 6:30 pm. They told us it would be an hour’s delay. Then, we spent another hour. Now, it’s 11:00 pm; we are still here.”

Musel would like to sue the airline but would not because of the time and resources he said he would waste. “Ultimately, it is not economically feasible when you want to sort things out (in the court). It’s a lot of consumption of time and money.”

Another passenger, Benjamin Justice, said, “It is very embarrassing that we paid for Kano to Lagos, and they brought us to Abuja and dumped us as if we don’t have anything we are doing or we are just slaves.”

He said because of the delay he encountered earlier, he missed the first flight he was supposed to fly with to Lagos and had to pay extra funds to join the second airline that took him to Abuja instead of Lagos. 

He explained that he would not consider litigation because of his work which would not give him time.

Boye Odunayo, another passenger, said, “We’ve not been challenging them. That is the truth. We have a country where nothing is working. No sector is working. Nigeria is reaping what I can call a catastrophe of ineptitude, the catastrophe of celebrating merit on the altar of favouritism. Most of the people who handle sensitive offices in Nigeria are incompetent.”

He added: “It is a systemic thing. It is a systemic inefficiency. It has accumulated over time.

Some of Max Air’s flights at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Wednesday, June 28.
Photo credit: The ICIR/Marcus Fatunmole

The ICIR contacted the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to seek the organisations’ reaction to the delays.

The official in charge of complaints, Uloh Ikwo, urged this organisation to detail the incidents as a complaint and submit to a mail she provided.

She promised the NCAA would conduct an urgent probe into the complaint. 

History of Max Air’s flight delays and cancellations

Checks by The ICIR revealed that multiple reports in recent times show how Max Air, established in 2008 by the late business mogul Dahiru Barau Mangal, has delayed or flagrantly cancelled flights, leaving its passengers stranded.

In September 2022, this organisation reported how the airline and two others topped delayed flights in the first quarter of that year.

Another report that month showed how the operator cancelled a flight at midnight and left passengers stranded after five hours delay.

In April 2022, one of Max Air’s pilots reportedly held passengers hostage for four hours in Abuja.

The ICIR further reports that the airline rescheduled its flight from Kano to Abuja on Saturday, July 1. The flight was supposed to take off at 5:25 pm but was rescheduled for 2:00 pm.

 

 

Davido in the eye of the storm

Itoro ETUKUDO
-
0
Davido in the eye of the storm

IN the past week, afrobeat superstar, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has been embroiled in scandals as different women have come out to allege that he impregnated them.

The singer, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s top three artists, is not new to controversy but this one is threatening to tarnish his reputation.

On Tuesday, June 27, a United States-based lady identified as Anita Brown accused Davido of impregnating her. Brown made the allegation via an Instagram live session. Following attacks from Davido’s fans, Brown claimed that she had been in a relationship with the singer since 2017, until the pandemic in 2020.

“We met in Dubai, 2017, let’s be clear! This is not no one . Don’t ever play with my name. Off and on up until the pandemic in which I was in a long relationship”, she stated.

Amidst the intense scrutiny faced by the artist following Brown’s claims, a woman named Ivanna Bay from Paris, France, came forward, asserting that she too is expecting a child with Davido.

Taking to her Instagram story, she shared screenshots of her conversations with the singer, along with a pregnancy test result.

Adding to the unfolding saga, a Kenyan woman named Pendo Stacy boldly asserted in a live video that she had also engaged in intimate relations with the singer. To support her claim, she proudly displayed a boxer brief that she alleged belonged to the artist.

“I got a souvenir that day. His boxer has colours , orange, yellow and black. I love Davido that much”, she said.

Anita Brown utilised her social media accounts to hurl a barrage of disparaging remarks on the artist, his spouse, and even Nigerians as a whole.

“Evil ass Nigerians. Sacrificing babies and shit. I would never want part in no demonic culture! @Davido WICKED”, she said in a tweet.

Following these developments, several celebrities and Nigerians at large have taken to social media to react to the derogatory remarks, expressing their anger and displeasure.

A journalist, David Hundeyin replied Anita Brown in a tweet.

“Not sure if you got the memo, but we aren’t exactly dying to claim you either. And since you hate Nigerians and our “demonic culture” so much, you should be disgusted at the thought of giving birth to the Nigerian baby you claim is growing inside you. You can do us all a favour,” he tweeted.

Some Nigerian Twitter users also responded to her tweet.

“Nigeria if you all do not report her account and get her account suspended today then we have all enabled this Moriah Mills clout chasing maniac insulting an entire country. There’s one thing calling a man out for impregnating you and there’s another insulting his dead child, his wife and an entire country. It’s quite obvious you’re now chasing clout from Nigerians. Since Nigerians are so evil, close your square headed legs next time and also stop begging them for money. You cannot mess with Nigerians and get away with it, especially on Twitter. You say you’re pregnant but you’re insulting someone else’s child and for the fact you’re insulting a dead child, for heavens sake don’t you have any morals or even shame”, @TheSerahIbrahim tweeted.

“A Nigerian is allegedly growing inside you and it’s been your biggest achievement. You are tripping”, @FS_Yusuf_ said.

Some celebrities including Tonto Dike, Bobrisky among others also responded via their Instagram stories.

Reactions from celebrities
Reactions from celebrities

The musician has become the hottest topic on the social media in recent days, with Nigerians discussing his alleged escapades.

Davido keeps mum

Davido is yet to issue a statement to either accept or refute the claims made by these women.

However, he shared a screenshot of one of his popular tracks, “Unavailable,” from his latest album on his Instagram story. This gesture was widely interpreted as his response to the numerous accusations being levelled against him.

Elon Musk introduces daily reading limits on Twitter

Mustapha USMAN
-
0
Elon Musk introduces daily reading limits on Twitter

DAILY reading limits have been introduced on Twitter in a bid to address extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation on the social media platform.

This was disclosed by the Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk shortly after the app began to display a message which read: ‘Rate limit exceeded. Please wait a few moments then try again’.

Verified accounts are limited to reading 6,000 posts per day, while unverified accounts are restricted to 600 posts per day. New unverified accounts are limited to 300 per day. 

Read Also:

The development was met with outrage from Twitter users as many found it difficult to access latest information. 

The ICIR also gathered that unverified accounts who have probably read more than 600 posts in a day couldn’t refresh news platforms and other social media handles as they all displayed the ‘Rate limit exceeded’ message.

Reacting to this, Elon Musk explained that the decision was to address levels of data scraping and system manipulation.

He tweeted: “To address extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation, we’ve applied the following temporary limits: – Verified accounts are limited to reading 6000 posts/day – Unverified accounts to 600 posts/day – New unverified accounts to 300/day.”

Meanwhile, the Twitter billionaire owner in another tweet promised that the rate limit will soon increase.

He tweeted: “Rate limits increasing soon to 8,000 for verified, 800 for unverified & 400 for new unverified.”

Users react


Some twitter users have expressed their dissatisfaction at the development, stating that there should be no imposition of limit to access to information by someone who promised ‘free speech’ while purchasing the app.

Popular Nigerian critic, Daniel Regha bemoaned the situation, noting that it will affect a lot of people who can’t afford a verification badge.

“Verified accounts are limited to reading 6,000 posts a day but unverified accounts to are limited to just 600? This will affect a lot of people who can’t afford it. Twitter is one social media platform where millions of people get news, this should’ve been considered. So sad.”

Another Nigerian, Dípò Awójídé said Twitter didn’t give the condition when he was subscribing for Twitter Blue.

“Elon, hire professionals and pay them for the job they do. There should be no limit to the number of tweets I read daily. You didn’t give me this condition when I subscribed to Twitter Blue.”

John Junyszek said the new development may negatively impact people who use the platform most as part of their job.

“I may be overestimating, but it feels like I usually see more than 6,000 posts a day as part of my job. It feels like it could negatively impact people who use this platform the most. If this does end up causing issues for folks, would you be open to increasing the view limit?”

Kano demolitions: I am reclaiming public assets stolen by Ganduje — Yusuf

Beloved JOHN
-
0
Kano demolitions: I am reclaiming public assets stolen by Ganduje — Yusuf

KANO State governor, Abba Yusuf, says he embarked on the demolition of structures across the state in order to recover public properties ‘stolen’ by the administration of his predecessor Abdullahi Ganduje.

He said this while receiving the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, district heads and members of the Emirate Council, at the government house on Friday, June 30. 

According to a statement by his spokesperson, Hisham Habib, the visit was part of the Eid Kabir celebrations.

Since the governor assumed office on May 29, several buildings across different parts of the state have been pulled down. One of the first structures demolished was the government house roundabout.

The state government said the structure was too tall to be placed in front of the Government House as it blocks the view for security surveillance.

Following this, the governor Yusuf has continued to carry out demolition of structures.

The ICIR reported that the first of such buildings to be demolished, a three-storey structure, is located on the Race Course Playground in the Nasarawa GRA area of the state.

The governor also promised to demolish more illegal structures erected on plots of land reserved for schools, graveyards, markets and hospitals.

“I am announcing, today, that all these public places and assets that were immorally plundered and sold by the Ganduje administration should be taken over by law enforcement agencies, led by the police, the DSS, Civil Defence, and Hisbah pending the final decision of government,” he said.

The demolition of these structures across thr state has drawn criticism from Nigerians across the country.

Last Monday, residents hit the streets to protest the ongoing demolition exercise.

However, addressing the Emir and his entourage, Yusuf argued that It is essential to reclaim public properties that individuals and cronies acquired illegally from the previous administration.

He said structures belonging to the state government illegally sold to private entities during Ganduje’s administration would be recovered.

“Your Highness, it is important for the Emirate Council to note that we embarked on the demolition exercise to reclaim public properties that were illegally acquired, and we will ensure that all such properties are restored for the benefit of the good people of Kano,” he said.

Yusuf, of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), defeated Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ganduje’s anointed candidate, to win the governorship election in Kano State.

Flooding: Residents of Trademore Estate count losses

Beloved JOHN
-
0
Flooding: Residents of Trademore Estate count losses

OVER a hundred families were affected by a flash flood in Trademore estate in the Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday, June 23, after an intense rainfall that lasted for about 3 hours.

Water surged into homes and businesses, forcing the residents to abandon their belongings and scamper for safety.

This is the fifth flood incident in the estate since 2014 and, according to some residents, the worst of them all.

“The water got very close to the ceiling of my store,” a resident, Nafisat Abutu said, pointing at the brown lines over the window level. 

Nafisat is a 24-year-old salesperson at an electrical gadget store on Lugard Street, Phase 1. She said she was alone and terrified when the flood came.

“If one of estate security had not come to rescue me, I might have drowned in the water,” she says. “Because of the level of the water, there was nowhere I could go, nothing I could do. I was so terrified that, at some point, I started crying. 

“We lost goods that cost millions as a result of the incident. It’s a devastating experience.”

Some of the goods left in Nafisat’s store.

When The ICIR visited the estate, the water had receded, but the ground was still wet. There were cracked buildings and broken walls, with debris scattered everywhere. And the residents are still dealing with the devastating impact of the flood. 

Building broken by flood in Trademore

Residents who spoke to The ICIR said about three persons died in the flood – one man and two women.

Jacob Sule, a resident in Phase 2, said he is still occupied with sorting his properties and cleaning his apartment. He had recently moved into the estate, unaware that it was prone to flooding or had experienced flooding in the past.

He explained that his entire property was affected by the water. His clothes, shoes, home appliances and gadgets. “I lost so much that I can’t count them all,” he said.

“I just learnt that this is a recurring crisis.The authorities need to contain this problem. It was a very nasty and bad experience. Psychologically, it is disturbing. I hope it never rains again.”

One of the residents The ICIR reached out to was devastated by the experience and unwilling to speak as a result. 

His flat was submerged by the flood. The ICIR observed that his sitting room had been emptied out as most of his properties were wrecked in the flood. 

“I can’t talk now. Maybe later. There is nothing to talk about. I have three cars that I cannot drive, and three cameras that I can’t work with. What is there to say? Ma, please just leave,” he said angrily. 

Why flooding in Trademore

Residents who spoke to The ICIR say the flooding is due to a poor drainage system present in the estate. 

According to Victor, a resident who has lived in the estate for over a decade, the flood is not totally a natural crisis but a result of the sub-standard drainage system. 

“Because of the slope in Trademore and there’s a subpar drainage system that is blocked around the area, the slope area gets easily flooded. The drainage is blocked too,” he said.

“This is not the first flood in Trademore but this is worse because the water flowing from several estates in Abuja, get to this point and cannot flow properly.”

Harold Idemudia, a member of the estate board of trustees, also affirmed this, noting that the challenge is beyond the capacity of the developer. 

According to him, water from nine different districts is channelled through the small bridge by the gate of the estate. And flows down to the airport road, then to Gurara estate.  

He pointed out that should the flow be disrupted, the bridge in Trademore will be affected. 

“We have only three cells here for water passage which is too small for the quantity of water channeled here. In 2014, government agencies came together, and certain issues were identified. 

“They were categorised under internal issues and external issues. All the internal issues that were asked to be done by the developer was done such as extending the bridge, erecting retaining walls and dredging of the waterway but the external things are the responsibility of the government.”

‘We are paying mortgage’

The Trademore Estate chairman, Phase 2, Stella Okuteh, has kicked against the demolition of houses in the estate.

Earlier in the year, 30 of the houses marked for demolition were pulled down by the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Agency said this was to reduce the risk of flooding and prevent loss of lives and damage to property, especially during the rainy season.

However, Okuteh rejected the Agency’s position, stating that demolishing the area is an ineffective way to resolve the problem. 

“Demolition will not solve the problem. If they demolish this place, other houses will still get flooded,” she said. 

“Trademoore is not the only estate affected. The government should fix the problem. Trace the water, build better drainages.”

Okuteh disclosed that houses in the estate were built by the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB) through Platinum Mortgage Bank, and many of the estate residents are civil servants who have been paying back the mortgage loan for years. 

“The houses here own by the Federal Mortgage Bank through Platinum that built this house. Many residents here are civil servants who are still paying mortgages to the government.

“Are you saying the government body did not inspect this place before building? If they don’t fix the problem, the people in the estate should stop paying the mortgage. They are paying back the loan and you want to demolish their house?

“We won’t allow any demolition here,” she said.

FCTA declares Trademore disaster zone

Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has declared the estate a disaster zone.

The FCTA promised to take urgent action to stop further damages, loss of lives and properties.

The permanent secretary of the FCTA,Olusade Adesola, disclosed this while assessing the area.

Adesola stated that a task force on flood mitigation, consisting of heads of relevant agencies in the FCT, would evaluate the situation and suggest remedial actions.

“Having seen the extent of the flooding, we declare the Trademore area a disaster zone that needs immediate action to remedy further damages and loss of lives and properties.

“This is part of steps to address the incessant flooding at the Trademore Estate. I want to assure residents that adequate steps will be taken to forestall further damages to properties and loss of lives to flooding at the estate.”

Falana urges DSS to speed up investigations on Emefiele, Bawa

Mustapha USMAN
-
0
Falana urges DSS to speed up investigations on Emefiele, Bawa

A HUMAN rights lawyer Femi Falana has urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to hasten investigations into cases involving the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele and Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) made the appeal during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, on Friday, June 30. 

He urged the DSS to arraign the two in court if there is evidence of wrongdoing against them, stressing that the continued detention of Emefiele and Bawa undermined the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

The Department of State Services (DSS) on June 10 confirmed the arrest of Emefiele, who was suspended by President Bola Tinubu as CBN governor.

Tinubu having suspended Emefiele, directed him to hand over the affairs of his office to the deputy governor, operations directorate, Folashodun Shonubi.

The DSS did not state or give any specific reason why Emefiele was arrested. However, the arrest may not be unconnected with the allegations the DSS had placed against him.

DSS had last year attempted to arrest Emefiele, accusing him of financing terrorism, aiding and abetting terrorism, and committing economic crimes.

Similarly, on June 15, the suspended EFCC boss, Bawa was invited by the secret police immediately after Tinubu suspended him indefinitely to allow proper investigation into his conduct while in office.

“This follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him. Mr Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation,” parts of a statement by the spokesperson of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, read.

Reacting to the continuous detainment of the duo, Falana called on the Nigerian government to follow due process.

He said: “Investigations should be speedily conducted, more so where allegations are made. I do not expect any delay in the investigation of the very serious allegation that has been made.

“In the case of Emefiele, the State Security Services last year alleged his involvement in terrorism financing. Please, quickly do something about that. With respect to money laundering and other offences, take them to the appropriate agencies of government.

“In the case of Mr Bawa, we haven’t been told the offences he committed. I cannot speak very confidently with respect to the gentleman except to ask the government or the agencies involved to speed up an investigation and have them arraigned if they are indicted.”

No plan to increase fuel price to N700 per litre — IPMAN

Harrison EDEH
-
0
No plan to increase fuel price to N700 per litre — IPMAN

THE Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged Nigerians to disregard reports that its members are planning to increase the price of a litre of premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, to N700.00.

IPMAN made the clarification in response to speculations and concerns that foreign exchange unification could spike importation price of petrol.

A media outlet (not The ICIR) had reported that the pump price of petrol could rise above N700 per litre in Northern Nigeria starting from July.

Reacting to the development, IPMAN urged Nigerians not to engage in panic buying as the the price of petrol would not be more that what is being sold presently nationwide.

Chairman of IPMAN South-West Zone, Dele Tajudeen, who dismissed reports of the planned hike in petrol pump price in Ibadan on June 30, noted that the slight hike in the price of the commodity was due to transportation cost.

He stressed that Nigerians should be at rest as the commodity will not be out of reach of the masses.

“I want to disabuse the mind of the people that they should not panic about it; there is no cause for alarm, we are in control and there is nothing like that.

“So, people should be rest assured that there is no way they can buy petrol more than the price it is being sold now.”

He further said that the price from NNPC retail limited, which is an integral part of NNPC limited, have more advantages than other independent and major marketers.

“However, I have read what somebody put into the paper. It is just speculation, it is not a reality. Nothing like that I want to assure the masses.

“There is no how the price can go to N700 as we speak, because even if the foreign exchange is N700 or N800 that has nothing to take the price of petroleum from N500 to N700,” Tajudeen said.

He noted that the product had been deregulated, hence the differential in prices was due to transportation as it is related to location.

”If you are moving products within Lagos the price may not be more than N300,000 but if you are moving up to Ibadan or thereabout it could be as much as N500,000.

”And if you are going to Ilorin, it could be as high as N700,000 that would account for differential in prices.”

He further said that members have the luxury of sourcing their products from private depots besides NNPCLtd depots.

”Though NNPC has given us the price but the reality of it is that what we buy from the market; because NNPC limited is not the only source for our product, we get from private depots.

“So, whatever we buy is what we put our own margin and sell.

”But as of today, the highest you can get anywhere should be around N550; Lagos N510 per litre; Ogun State between N500 and N520,” Tajudeen added.

Tajudeen also said IPMAN is in total support of the removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu.

“Even in the Petroleum Industry Act, it has been clearly stated that the subsidy must be removed.

”So, I want to commend him for removing the subsidy and I want to say that we are in support totally. This is because the subsidy was a scam.”

Army arrests 12 rail track vandals in Nasarawa

Mustapha USMAN
-
0
Army arrests 12 rail track vandals in Nasarawa

TWELVE suspected rail track vandals have been arrested by the troops of 4 Special Forces, Doma, of the Nigerian Army, in Nasarawa State.

The Command’s acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations Major Joseph Afolasade disclosed this on Friday, June 30 at a press briefing in Doma.

“On June 15, 2023, troops of the Command, during a routine patrol, intercepted five suspected rail track vandals at an abandoned railway station between Angwan Yara and Agyaragu communities in Keana Local Council.

“The suspects were arrested with large quantity of rail track loaded in two trucks fully loaded.

“In the course of investigation, the troops arrested additional seven suspects on June 18, who made confessional statements,” he said.

The suspects, according to Afolasade, have admitted to have played various roles in rail track theft and also mentioned the names of prominent persons in Nasarawa and Plateau states as being part of the syndicate.

The spokesman, however, didn’t give the names of the prominent persons involved in the crime, noting that the suspects claimed that they were deceived by their sponsors.

“They offered our personnel N5 million to allow them go with the vandalised rail track equipment, but our men rejected the money and arrested them,” he added.

READ ALSO:

Afolasade further stressed that the Commander of the Special Forces, Maj. Gen. Owyinka Soyele, approved that the suspects be handed over to  Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigations.

Receiving the suspects, the Deputy Commandant of Nasarawa NSCDC,  Afere Joseph, commended the Army for the synergy to tackle insecurity and advised the residents to shun crime.

Joseph, however, assured that the suspects would be charged to court immediately after investigation.

Flooding: Jigawa govt commences dredging of Hadejia river

Mustapha USMAN
-
0
Flooding: Jigawa govt commences dredging of Hadejia river

THE Jigawa State Government said it has purchased two dredging machines and also commenced the dredging of Hadejia River to clear the waterway and prevent overflowing of water. 

This development was initiated to prevent future occurrence of flood, after the state experienced severe flooding last year.

The Executive Secretary of Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency, Yusuf Sani Babura confirmed this while responding to some of The ICIR’s findings on Jigawa state flood preparedness projects. 

The ICIR in an investigation published on June 26, detailed what Jigawa State government is doing to mitigate flooding and also highlighted some of the challenges faced by residents of the flood prone communities. 

According to the investigation, the onset of the rainy season in Jigawa evoked feelings of anxiety and sorrow among residents after the state faced one of the most devastating floods it had experienced in years.

However, despite the magnitude of destruction witnessed, most residents have returned back to their communities.

Reacting to the the impact of flood, Babura said the government is working day and night dredging the river to remove the grasses blocking the waterways.

Babura accused the residents of refusing to move to high lands despite financial support from the state government.

“When it comes to politics, people don’t always react to what the government is saying. Even land has been provided to them at the upper land, and money was given to them to go and construct houses and transfer from the former one, but unfortunately, most of them do not want to cooperate with the government. Some of them have moved while some of them refuse, and that’s the problem we are facing.”

Also, the Director of Flood and Erosion Control, Jigawa state ministry of Environment, Ado Yusuf explained that the state is battling river and coastal flooding.

According to him, one of the factors that caused destructive flooding in 2022 was that the water in the dam was not released for irrigation purposes, which later led to an excessive increase in the volume of water in the dam during the rainy season.

“To avoid what happened last year. We have started talking to them, and they have started releasing the water at about 20cm cube per second, and we are still talking to them to increase it to 80cm cube per second so that the water would not come out like last year.”

Yusuf further explained that the state government has formed a flood mitigation committee that is working to identify high grounds where citizens will be relocated if there’s a recurrent of previous year’s flood. 

He also said the government is ensuring effective control of the diversion of the water channels by the construction of dykes, adding that it will make provision to open water from the dam when they want to use it for irrigation and close it back after use.

He stated that a significant factor contributing to the flooding last year was the absence of adequate drainage systems and the inadequate maintenance of existing ones by citizens, resulting in hindered water flow during rainfall.

He urged residents living on the shore of rivers to refrain from farming along the banks of rivers, noting that the practice disrupts the natural flow of water, often resulting in flooding.

Also reacting to The ICIR findings, the Coordinator Kano and Jigawa Territorial Office, National Emergency Management Agency, Nurudeen Abdullahi, explained that the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency has produced the annual flood outlook, which shows that there is a possibility of a high amount of rainfall this year, which may lead to flooding in some parts of the country. 

According to him, the agency released names of local government areas that may face the risk of flooding this year and outlined the mitigation plans and strategies for the state government agencies to protect the lives and properties from impending floods.

“So, that was part of what we discussed during our meetings and engagements. How to identify safer grounds, because a lot of people have gone back to that place.”

UK: Sunak kicks as court declares plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda unlawful

Oghenekevwe UCHECHUKWU
-
0
UK: Sunak kicks as court declares plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda unlawful

BRITISH Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces a setback as the Court of Appeal ruled against the government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, deeming it unlawful.

The court’s decision deals a blow to Sunak’s commitment to halt asylum seekers’ arrival in small boats from France to England.

Under a 140-million-pound deal struck in 2022, the UK intended to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers arriving on its shores to Rwanda, which is over 4,000 miles away.

The government argued that this move would disrupt human traffickers’ business model, but critics opposed it, calling the policy inhumane and ineffective.

Reacting to the court ruling on Thursday, Prime Minister Sunak expressed disagreement with their conclusions and announced the government’s plan to challenge the decision in the UK Supreme Court.

“While I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions,” Sunak said in a statement, adding that the government would seek to overturn the decision in the UK Supreme Court.

He emphasised that it is the UK government that should have control over who enters the country, not criminal gangs.

“The policy of this government is very simple. It is this country – and your government – that should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs,” Sunak stressed, vowing to take whatever measures necessary to achieve that objective.

The Court of Appeal, with a majority of two to one, concluded that Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country.

The Court ruled that deficiencies in Rwanda’s asylum system raised concerns about the possibility of those deported being returned to their home countries, where they could face persecution or inhumane treatment.

A planned deportation flight to Rwanda was previously blocked by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), imposing an injunction on deportations pending legal action in Britain.

In December, the High Court deemed the policy lawful, but the decision was challenged by asylum seekers from countries like Syria, Iraq, and Iran, as well as human rights organisations.

The ruling poses a significant challenge for Sunak, who is already dealing with issues like high inflation, rising interest rates, and decreasing public support.

The “stop the boats” initiative, one of his top priorities, aims to reduce the number of asylum seekers, costing the government £3 billion annually for accommodation.

Human rights campaigners celebrated the court’s decision, criticising the Rwanda policy as both unethical and ineffective.

Meanwhile, the number of undocumented people entering Europe has surged this year due to ongoing conflicts, global inequality, and the climate crisis, exacerbating the migrant crisis across the continent.

According to the UN’s refugee agency, over 36,000 individuals crossed the Mediterranean from January to March 2023, nearly doubling the figure from the same period in 2022.

1...866867868...3,441Page 867 of 3,441