News Rider

Gunmen Kill Late Dora Akunyili’s Husband In Anambra         Late Chike Akunyili  Dr. Chike Akunyili, the husband of the late former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dora Akunyili has been killed by gunmen. Dr. Akunyili was killed on Tuesday alongside his driver and a police escort around the Nkpor junction in Idemili North, Anambra State. A family source confirmed the news to Channels Television on Wednesday. He was said to have been returning from an event where he received a posthumous award of excellence for his late wife when he ran into the hoodlums at Nkpor and was shot and killed. Three other attacks were said to have occurred in Agulu, Okoh, and Nkpor areas of the state. During the attack, a police patrol van and the Labour Party campaign vehicle were set ablaze. The police have not issued a statement about the incident and also the number of casualties. But the State Commissioner of Police, Tony Olufu ha

Independence Day: FG Declares October 1 Public Holiday  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja          Aregbesola  In commemoration of Nigeria's 61st Independence anniversary as an indivisible entity, the federal government has declared 1st October, 2021 as a public holiday.  The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Shuaib Belgore, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.  He quoted the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as saying that the government remains committed in tackling and eradicating all forms of challenges, whether political, socio-economic and all diverse problems. Aregbesola congratulated Nigerians on the celebration of the country's 61st independence anniversary.  He noted that the celebration would be bereft of the usual pomp and pageantry given the presence of COVID-19 third Delta variant in the country.  The statement reads, "Our warmth, welcoming spirit and love as well as the abundant wealth inherent in ou

FG Empowers 700 Enterprises With Ozone-friendly Technology  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja                   Ikeazor As part of its commitment towards the phase-out of Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS), the federal government has empowered 700 enterprises in the foam, refrigeration and air conditioning, aerosols, fire protection and solvent-making industries with Ozone- friendly technology.  This is even as it led to 100 percent phasing out of over 4,000 Metric Tonnes of both the actual ODS and those with high Ozone Depletion Potentials (ODPs) such as CFCs, Halons, Carbon Tetrachloide and Methyl Bromide.  The Minister of State for Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor stated this in Abuja recently in commemoration of the International Day for Preservation of the Ozone Layer with the theme,  'Montreal Protocol – Keeping Us, Our Food and Vaccines Cool". The World Ozone Day, which is celebrated annually on 16th September heralded the signing of the Montreal Protocol (MP) on substan

How Ogoniland Clean-up, Climate Change Redefined Environment Sector  BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja  The immediate past Minister of Environment, Dr. Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar has disclosed that the clean-up of Ogoniland, climate change issues and new policies were the major successes that redefined the environment sector.  He stated this in Abuja recently while handing over the affairs of the ministry to the Minister of State for Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor.  President Muhammadu Buhari had on 1st September sacked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono and redeployed Dr Abubakar as the substantive minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.  Abubakar thanked Chief Ikeazor for her support, cooperation and resilience, which resulted in the numerous achievements recorded in the ministry during his two-year tenure as the minister. While stating that environment and agriculture shared same similarities, he assured that the two ministries wo

Duchess Camilla Appointed Patron Of Nigeria's Sexual Survivors Centre BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja  Duchess Camilla  Duchess of Cornwall, HRH, Camilla has been appointed as the first Patron of Nigeria's sexual survivors centre, the Mirabel centre, Lagos.  The centre is Nigeria’s first Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) that provides succor to survivors of rape and sexual assault, and has provided free medical and psychosocial support services to over 6,450 survivors, including Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD) since its inception in July 2013.  Speaking on the appointment, Duchess Camilla said she was delighted to serve as the patron of Mirabel centre, describing it as a trailblasing organisation that provides healing and justice for victims of rape and sexual assault. "Their vital work means that women need no longer suffer in silence and I am deeply grateful to all Mirabel’s wonderful staff and volunteers”, she added.    Married to the Prince of Wales, she

Gunmen Abduct Three Obasanjo’s Workers In Ogun                                                   Obasanjo  Gunmen have kidnapped three workers of former President Olusegun Obasanjo at a village in Abeokuta on Wednesday. A source told our correspondent on Wednesday that the gunmen waylaid the three workers at the Obasanjo Holdings in Kobape in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area. The source said the workers abducted are the financial controller, group auditor and group store manager of the firm. The source said, “They were abducted around 4pm at Seseri village after their Hilux car was shot at by the gunmen, who took them away". The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident. He said, “It happened today (Wednesday) around 6pm . There is Obasanjo Farm around the area in Kobape". PUNCH  

Amotekun Rescues Nine Passengers Kidnapped In Ondo Men of the Ondo State Command of the South-West Security Network, code-named, “Amotekun” have rescued nine of the 12 abducted Lagos-bound travellers by suspected gunmen in the state. Ondo Commander of Amotekun, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, told newsmen in Akure on Thursday that the victims were rescued after his men responded to a distress call from concerned citizens. The passengers, who were travelling from Abuja to Lagos in an 18-seater bus, were attacked and abducted by the armed men at Idoani-Ifira axis. The incident happened on Wednesday at a bad portion on Idoani-Ifira Road in Akoko South-East Local Government area of the state It was gathered that there were sporadic shootings by the gunmen who escaped into the forest with the bus passengers. Adeleye said that his men were still combing the bush to rescue the remaining three victims. “Our men responded to the gunshots and a distress call. They got there on time and were abl

Banditry: GSM Operators Obey FG’s Order, Shut Over 240 Zamfara Base Stations Matawalle  In compliance with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission that all telecom sites in Zamfara State be shut down due to the “pervading security situation” in the state, GSM operators have shut down their base stations in the state, Sunday PUNCH learnt on Saturday. A source in the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria confirmed to one of our correspondents that all the telcos had complied with the directive. Saturday PUNCH had exclusively reported that a leaked memo signed by the Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, which was addressed to one of the telecom operators on Friday, stated that the immediate shutdown of all telecommunications services had become necessary due to the insecurity in the state. In the letter titled, ‘Re: Shutdown of all telecom sites in Zamfara State’, the NCC boss stated that the shutdown, which would last from Se