School teachers at the Baga area of Borno State were caught unaware following the visit of the state governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, to the area on Monday.
It was gathered that the governor visited the area to determine the level of their qualifications and ability to teach.
A statement released on Monday by the governor’s spokesman, Isa Gusau, said Zulum conducted an impromptu test for the teachers and also supervised them.
Gusau, however, noted that the governor told the teachers that the test was not to sack anyone but to determine their teaching capacity.
“Those that have no capacity to teach would be given a choice, either to redeploy them to the administrative department or send them for further training.
“At the end of each year, every teacher and his pupils will be evaluated and the government will also support them with accommodation and other related services.
“After interacting and revealing their aptitude test results, Zulum announced a package of 20,000 Naira and 10 yards of fabric (Shadda) to each teacher.
“The Senior Secondary School’s Principal and the Primary School Head Teacher each got 50,000 Naira and 10 yards of fabric (Shadda),” the statement read.
The statement quoted Zulum as saying: “As long as you will make a meaningful impact to the society, we shall support you. We shall evaluate you, and those of you whose salaries need to be upgraded will be updated.
“Whenever I come back to this town again, I will call a teacher by name and determine the level of his capacity and that of his pupils.
“We would encourage more pupils’ intake, especially by providing a meal and other support.”
We will keep doing everything to grow Lagos – Speaker Obasa
Gives reason for the creation of Neighbourhood Safety Corps
Urges taxi operators to device better means to win patronage
Lagos Speaker Obasa with LCCI
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, has promised that the legislative arm of government would continue to work for the progress of the state.
The Speaker noted that Lagos enjoys an enviable environment for businesses to thrive. He also said the state currently enjoys a great level of security of lives which the government constantly improves upon.
According to the Speaker, the legislature had continued to make efforts, through lawmaking and feedback mechanisms, at ensuring that Lagos moves up from being the fifth largest economy in Africa.
Noting that Lagos is a mini-country with representatives from different parts of Nigeria, Obasa, who commended LCCI for its collaboration with the state legislature, said the House had made laws relating to security, transportation and other sectors and that these had helped to boost the state’s economy.
He, however, lamented the refusal of some critical stakeholders to honour invitations to public hearings on bills being considered by the House, only for them to raise complaints when such bills are passed.
“We realised that it is important to have security and protection of everybody because investments can only grow when you have safety. That led to the creation of the Security Trust Fund and the Neighbourhood Safety Corps to ensure we support the Nigeria Police.
“There is also a need for continued collaboration with industries in the state. We will continue to work together for the progress of Lagos,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Mrs. Mabogunje commended the House for the various bills it has passed for the improvement of businesses in the state.
“We appreciate your laudable efforts in this regard and look forward to more bills passed into law to promote enabling environment for the private sector to thrive so that they can generate more revenue for the state,” she urged.
Mabogunje, who noted that the mandate of the chamber is to protect the welfare of its members, appealed for consistency in policy implementation.
“Lagos State needs a multi-modal transport system to solve the traffic congestion on our roads today,” she said among other suggestions while promising more collaboration with the House and the government.
Meanwhile, Speaker Obasa has urged the Lagos State Taxi Drivers and Cab Operators Association to device strategies that would make them effectively compete with other organised operators in the state’s transport system.
Obasa said this when some members of the association paid him a visit.
President of the association, Otunba Omolekan Taiwo, had complained that some transport organisations engaging in taxi services had taken over the state.
He lamented that many of the members of his association have been left handicapped especially by the competitors who engage the use of the internet.
He pleaded with the House to assists with laws and resolutions that would favour the association.
In response, Speaker Obasa noted that the transport sector remains an important aspect of the commerce of a state or country.
“Transportation is a big industry that we cannot allow any single body to dominate. You have to create room for others to participate.
“What I want to suggest is that there is need for your organisation to be proactive and bring about new dimensions to your operation,” he told the transport operators.
Just In: : Lionel Messi Agrees Two-year Contract With PSG, Set To Undergo Medicals
Argentine international Lionel Messi has agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner arrived in Paris on Tuesday afternoon to seal his move to the French club on a deal worth £25m per year after tax, plus bonuses.
Messi had two other options after leaving Barcelona last week but has opted to move to PSG, who will have the option of extending his stay in the French capital by the third year.
Messi – who will receive a £25m signing-on fee as part of the move – was set to extend his 21-year stay at Barcelona by signing a new five-year deal this summer.
However, the club announced on Thursday that “financial and structural obstacles” meant the deal could not be completed, meaning Messi left as a free agent.
The 34-year-old said he wanted to stay at Barcelona and “did everything” he could to remain at the club, including agreeing to a 50-per-cent wage cut.
However, Barcelona are hamstrung by La Liga’s rules on club spending and even halving Messi’s pay was not enough to ensure he remained at the Nou Camp.
Messi is now set to join PSG, with their potential to compete for major trophies – including the Champions League – understood to be a key factor in his decision to move to France.
Messi is also believed to be keen to reunite with Neymar, with whom he won two La Liga titles, three Copa del Reys and the Champions League during their time together at Barcelona.
Asked about a move to PSG at his farewell press conference last weekend, Messi said: “That is one possibility, to reach those heights.
“I had a lot of calls, a lot of interested clubs. At the moment, nothing is closed, but we are talking about a lot of things.”
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) has explained why special transportation was availed Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the murder of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, as she was driven out of the court premises on Monday.
This medium reports that NCS used to be known as the Nigerian Prisons Service until the Federal Government changed the parastatal’s name.
Minutes after she was remanded by Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo, a prison official put Miss Ojukwu, without handcuffs, in the front seat of a Toyota Camry car with Lagos plate number EPE 671 BD, and whisked her away from the Yaba Magistrates’ Court.
Chidinma seated in the car about to be driven to remand by a Prisons official
The front windows of the car with tainted black glasses was wound down such that Chidinma could be seen looking straight ahead as the car sped out of the courthouse parking lot. They left behind a green prison bus, which was used to convey other inmates to the courthouse.
Explaining that there was a good reason for the treatment Miss Ojukwu got, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Rotimi Oladokun said the Correctional Service often makes special transportation arrangements for defendants in high profile cases, as a security measure.
“It’s not the usual practice. It was a security diversion. It is a high profile case, so it was part of our security diversion. It was just to create a diversion,” Oladokun told The Nation
Chief Magistrate Adedayo on Monday remanded Ojukwu and her co-defendant Adedapo Quadri for 30 days following an application by the police counsel Cyril Ejiofor.
The defendants were accused to have conspired to kill Ataga and stole his laptop, phones and cash valued at N3.8 million.
They allegedly committed the offences on June 16, at No. 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The court adjourned till September 6, for review of remand and Directorate of Public Prosecution’s Advice (DPP)’s advice.
Miss Ojukwu, a 21-year-old Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, was arrested by the police on June 23, 2021. She was said to have been in a romantic relationship with 50-year-old Ataga for about four months before the incident.
Following her parade by the police on June 24, the undergraduate said she and Ataga were “having fun” when an argument broke out and she stabbed him twice.
On June 29, she pleaded for forgiveness saying she was not ready to die. She attributed her action to influence of hard drugs and smoking. But things took a dramatic turn on July 13, 2021 when Chidinma recanted on her earlier confession.
The caretaker chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yola South local government of Adamawa State, Alh. Sulaiman Adamu has taken a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari saying that if wishes were horses, he would have wished coronavirus kill the president.
Adamu who made the spiteful and denigrating remark, said, if he is asked to choose between Buhari and his Vice, Yemi Osinbanjo he would pick the latter with dispatch.
The APC chairman according to reliable sources made the statement during a meeting of some high profile stakeholders of the party, including the immediate past Governor of Adamawa State, Muhammadu Umar Jibrilla Bindow and the immediate past Speaker of Adamawa State house of assembly, who is the incumbent member representing Yola south constituency in the state house of assembly, Kabiru Mijinyawa.
Other APC stalwarts present at the meeting are, Yusha’u Adamu who served Bindow as adviser and Abubakar Umar Sirimbai who was a former development area chairman.
Sources privy to the development said the meeting took place on Sunday August 8, 2021 at the residence of the former commissioner of local government and chieftaincy affairs, under the Bindow administration, Mustapha Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha, between 3:00pm to 5:00pm.
In an audio clip made available to our reporter, the APC chieftains were heard making spiteful and denigrating remarks against the person of President Muhammadu Buhari without let or hindrance.
“I don’t know why coronavirus did not kill Buhari. If the president is placed side by side with Osinbajo I will pick Osinbajo and leave Buhari,” the chairman was heard lamenting in the viral audio clip spoken in Fulfulde.
Also lambasting the president, Abubakar Sirimbai in another sneering vituperation, said, it is better for the accursed president to die so that Osinbajo could take over the reigns of power.
“It is better for the accursed president to die so that his vice can assume the reigns of power. We sold our properties to help the president win the election. We bought under wears, braziers, and cosmetic which we used to give him a make up. If I’m averse to Osinbajo becoming the president, may God not give me the privilege of living till evening.
” Buhari has achieved nothing in Adamawa in the last six years. APC in Adamawa thrives on the legacies of Bindow. We heard that Buhari used to be extremely happy whenever he learnt someone has gone bankrupt. We can’t be worshipping him like others, ” Sirimbai said.
Also chipping in, the former speaker of the state house of assembly, Mijinyawa in apparent approval of what others have said added that, “Osinbajo is our own.”
Chelsea would prefer to sell Abraham to a foreign team than a Premier League rival; 23-year-old striker fell out of favour at Stamford Bridge after Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard; Arsenal also interested in signing England forward.
Roma have agreed a £34m deal to sign Tammy Abraham from Chelsea, reports Sky in Italy.
The 23-year-old striker must now decide if he wants to join the Italian club, who are managed by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.
Fellow Serie A side Atalanta and Arsenal are also interested in Abraham, but Chelsea’s preference is to sell him to a foreign club, making a move to their London rivals less likely.
Abraham fell out of favour at Chelsea midway through last season as Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard as head coach and was left out of the squad for May’s Champions League final, despite being fully fit.
The imminent arrival of Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan is set to push Abraham further down the pecking order and all but end the possibility of him staying at Stamford Bridge.
Despite his limited game-time during the second half of last season, Abraham ended the campaign as Chelsea’s joint-top scorer with 12 goals.
He has featured in each of Chelsea’s three pre-season friendlies and could be involved as they take on Villarreal in the Super Cup final on Wednesday.
Mourinho was in charge at Stamford Bridge as Abraham was coming through the Chelsea academy, but the forward didn’t make his first senior appearance for the Blues until after the Portuguese had left the club.
Abraham’s form for Chelsea under Lampard saw him feature for England in Euro 2020 qualifying and in their most recent Nations League campaign, but a lack of playing time under Tuchel saw him fall out of Gareth Southgate’s plans in the months before this summer’s tournament.
The Federal Government has adopted the Kingdom of Jordan as a new permanent Christian pilgrimage destination.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Reverend Yakubu Pam, disclosed this during a meeting with the Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiques, Nayef Alfayez.
A statement released by the NCPC media office on Monday quoted Pam as saying that the shift was meant to boost Nigeria’s relationship with the Arab nation.
It added that the shift would also focus on improving diplomatic relations with the Middle-East country in the areas of peace, tourism, agriculture and technology.
“The commission in the past had three pilgrimage destinations which are: Israel, Rome and Greece. But now Jordan has been officially added to our pilgrimage destinations,” he said.
Speaking also, the Jordanian Minister, Alfayez, commended the federal government for considering and adding the holy sites in Jordan as viable pilgrimage destinations.
Alfayez explained that the peaceful co-existence between the Christians and the Muslims was the greatest value Jordan cherished as an Islamic nation.
In a remark, the Nigerian Ambassador to Jordan, Faruk Yabo, solicited more cooperation in the area of visa procurement to enable more Nigerians to have the opportunity to visit Jordan so as to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
The Kaduna State government has denied giving permission for primary and secondary schools in the state to resume on August 9.
This is as the state government emphasized that schools are to remain shut until security operatives give clearance for the safety of the students and teachers following series of attacks on schools by bandits and kidnappers.
The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Shehu Muhammad, stated this in Kaduna at a joint press conference with the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan.
According to him, students, parents, proprietors, and all other stakeholders are to ignore the fake news making rounds that approval has been given for schools in the state to resume for the third term on August 9.
He reiterated that the indefinite postponement of school resumption announced by the government on August 6 remains in place until otherwise stated.
“We were, however, surprised that for mischievous reasons, some individuals are circulating misguided information, claiming it was from the ministry, asking schools to resume.
“We want to categorically say that all schools – public, private and religious, including federal schools in the state – are to remain close.
“We will reopen as soon as we are advised to do so by security agencies, assuring us that schools are safe to open,” he said.
On his part, Aruwan said that the government ordered the closure of schools so as not to endanger the lives of the students, parents, teachers, and others.
He added that security operatives are working round the clock on the situation and schools will resume once everything is in place.
“It is for this reason that the government was advised against opening so as not to endanger the life of students. The government is concerned for the safety of lives and property and will give clearance for the schools to reopen as soon as security improves,” he said.
Odumosu Moves To Sustain Lagos Peace As The Command Arrests Robbery Suspects
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, on Monday, August 9, held a strategic meeting with his Management Team, Area Commanders, DPOs, HODs and other tactical commanders to review security situation in the State.
This is contained in a statement signed by CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer and made available to the National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE.
According to the statement, the meeting was part of concerted, deliberate efforts to sustain the existing peace and tranquility currently being enjoyed in the State.
Addressing the officers, CP Odumosu charged them to always carry out diligent investigation and prosecution of criminal cases, and be more proactive by constantly carrying out intelligence-driven and aggressive raid of identified black spots with a view to smoking out criminals from their hideouts.
While appreciating the officers for their untiring commitment towards maintaining law and order, Odumosu reiterated his commitment to providing robust security for the good people of Lagos State, adding that while crime had reduced drastically in the state, there was need for officers and men to continue to be ahead of criminals and other hoodlums who often make lives unbearable for law abiding citizens.
Consequently, the CP has directed the creation of additional pin down points at Ile Zik, Opebi, Monkey Bridge, Odo Iya Alaro and other places to further strengthen security of the affected areas.
The Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu while also frowning at reckless attitude of motorists and motorcyclists who persistently violate traffic rules and regulations, vowed to instill discipline by arresting offenders in special and continuous operations that would commence in earnest on Wednesday 11th August, 2021. Therefore, the Command once again uses this medium to warn such traffic violators irrespective of their personality to desist from their unbridled penchant for breaking traffic laws in any part of the State.
In like manner, Ajisebutu added in the statement that following sustained surveillance patrols as part of proactive strategies for crime prevention and control around suspected flashpoints and other areas in Lagos State, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), have arrested two armed robbery suspects at the wee hours of August, along Akowonjo Road, Alimosho.
The suspects are a 31 years old Samuel Akabueze, of 34, Valentine Obasi Street, Idimu Road, and 37 years old Onuoha Joshua of 52, Yusuf Street, Ipaja, both in Alimosho area of Lagos State.
The suspects who are both from Imo State were intercepted while driving a suspected stolen Lexus jeep (LSD 666 GK), suspiciously along Akowonjo Road by the RRS operatives who trailed them to the point of arrest at Egbeda area of the State.
They are suspected to belong to a dare devil armed robbery gang responsible for the spate of armed robbery in Gowon Estate, Festac, Lekki and other areas in the State.
Exhibits found on them include a locally-made pistol with two rounds of live ammunition, four ATM cards, consisting of Eco and Access banks, charms, BRT cowry card, two different keys of another different Lexus SUV and a motorcycle.
Upon interrogation, the suspects claimed to be members of the Aye Confraternity.
The Commander of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS) CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi has immediately transferred the two suspects to the Special Squad of the Command for further discreet investigation in line with the directive of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu.
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu has allegedly undergone another knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, the United States.
It was gathered that the former Lagos State Governor returned to the United Kingdom on crutches after undergoing the successful surgery.
According to SaharaReporters, sources revealed that the 2023 presidential hopeful wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumour of his death.
The source said: “Tinubu had his second surgery at John Hopkins University in Maryland recently. He was accompanied by a popular Nigerian doctor in Chicago.
“He had wanted the surgery in Paris but when rumour was rife about his death, he hurriedly left for Nigeria and went to John Hopkins.
“He left the US for the UK on crutches.”
Recall that SaharaReporters had on July 13 claimed that Bola Tinubu was hospitalised in Maryland, the US.
the former Governor was reported to have had his first surgery.
Tinubu had been away from the political scene for a while, amidst reports of him planning to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
“Tinubu is hospitalised in Maryland, US. His health is failing. He couldn’t participate in launching his Arewa library, and he couldn’t participate in the Local Government Area elections last week. He could not attend today’s APC congress due to health reasons.
“He had surgery last week,” an authoritative source had disclosed.
Tinubu was also reported sick and hospitalised in Paris, France in January, 2021.
He had earlier complained of exhaustion and had travelled out to rest before the news of his collapse gone viral.
He was flown to Paris for medical attention in the first week of January.
“Tinubu is in Paris, France for a medical checkup. His health is deteriorating. Old age and other stuff, but he still wants to be president. This could mean another medical tourism presidency for our country,” a top source had at that time revealed.
But an aide to the former governor, Tunde Rahman, disclosed that his principal has not been hospitalised.
He insisted that Tinubu has no medical problem that would required hospitalization, saying the APC leader would soon be back.
Rahman said, “His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is fine. He is hale and hearty. He is not in any hospital. He has no medical problem that would require hospitalization. Yes, he is out of the country at the moment. He will be back shortly.
“Anytime he travels out of the country, the next thing some mischievous people would say is he is sick, hospitalized or has died. It is shameful that perpetrators of this evil are not deterred by the fact that each time this fake news has been propagated, they have been proven wrong.
“Who is afraid of Asiwaju Tinubu? Those wishing Asiwaju Tinubu evil or dead should be careful. They should know the matter of life and death is in the hand of only God Almighty.”
Governor Babajide Sanwo of Lagos State had after a recent visit to Tinubu maintained that the APC national leader is in good health.
According to the Governor, Tinubu is well and healthy contrary to some reports about his ill health.
“My going to see our leader was really around the rumours flying around about him.
“He is well and healthy. We discussed happening in our party and country at large. All is well with him as I saw myself and there is nothing to worry about,” Sanwo-Olu declared.
