At Sheka Barde in Kano’s Kumbotso local government area, the Kano State Hisbah Board arrested five males accused of homosexuality.
Dr Harun Ibn-Sina, the Board’s Commander General, confirmed the arrest in a statement signed by Lawal Ibrahim, the Board’s Public Relations Officer, and published in Kano on Monday.
According to him, the arrests were conducted in response to local citizens’ complaints.
“All the suspects confirmed to be above 20 years of age, were apprehended on July 11 during a special raid,” he said.
The commander-general expressed outrage over the alleged actions of the youths.
Ibn-Sina thanked members of the community and security stakeholders for their cooperation and support in cracking down on corruption in the state.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced on Monday that it is working on a Tertiary Institutions’ Entrepreneurship Scheme (TIES) to help re-orient, teach, and fund entrepreneurship ideas among Nigerian graduates.
Dr. Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said this in a goodwill message to the 35th Conference of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, which is being held at the Kano State University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil.
It would also help to create jobs for thousands of the country’s young people who graduate from various institutes of higher learning each year, he added.
“Around 600,000 graduates from our tertiary institutions will enter the workforce this year after participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, seeking the already thinned out white collar jobs.
“The situation has contributed significantly to the rising youth unemployment across the country,” he said.
Emefiele said that the proposed scheme would also provide a platform for building digital skills relevant to Nigeria’s broader developmental goals.
He explained that efforts were ongoing aimed at addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on production sectors and dwindling oil revenues in the country.
“Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) portend great opportunities for addressing these gaps and accelerating economic growth by leveraging our vibrant youth population,” he said.
Hon (Chief) Keston Okoro Muhammed Al-Amin, former member of the Delta State House of Assembly and National President of the Urhobo Peoples International Assembly, UPIA, has stated that the Urhobo nation opposes the 3 percent revenue to host communities, adding that UPIA demands 10% and that the passed bill must be amended before the president signs it.
Following a conversation with journalists, Chief Okoro stated that this decision was made recently during a meeting of prominent elders and leaders representing various Urhobo communities who met to talk on the subject.
According to him; “We know what the act of oil exploration has caused the Niger Delta and for once, we are saying that they should allow the region that takes care of the nation enjoy from their wealth,” noting that to whom much is given, much is expected.
“The Federal Government and especially the National Assembly ought to have realized the negative impact we have suffered. We sustain the Nigerian economy with almost 90 percent of our resources. “But we also are supporters of one Nigeria. We just said we don’t wash our dirty linen outside if not no one has the monopoly of violence. We know where we are coming from in this country. But we have come to the point where we must call a spade a spade because what is good for the goose is good for the gander, but we don’t want to pervert the cause of justice. We don’t want to be a stranger in our own God’s given land.”
He further stated that, this time, they will resist every form of intimidation or threats on the PIB matter.
“We are not accepting that 3 percent, not even 5 percent. What we agitated for is 30 percent. But because some leaders are saying because of the situation of the country, we said okay we agree to ten percent. But anything short of that will be resisted fully,” he said. Continuing, he said he believes that their position is same view of other Niger Delta ethnic groups. “As it is, we are all at alert; peradventure they decide to impose it on us. We know what the land use act has caused us,” he added.
He ,however, called on Mr. President to act fast, as he urged NASS to reconvene, withdraw the clause of three percent and come up with 10 percent.
Adding that this is a must if the president and federal lawmakers want Urhobo nation to continue to support the call for Nigeria remaining together and not divided.
The Grand Finale of the 3-day epoch making Healing Streams Live Healing Services with Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has millions of people around the world captivated to their devices.
The event, which began on July 9, 2021 and is being translated into over 3000 languages, has seen numerous healing and blessing miracles.
People from all across the world have tuned in over the last two days to see God’s Word in action.
“We have seen the glory of God, and His amazing love as expressed through the gift of healing freely given to everyone who believes. For two days, people from across the nations and territories of the world have lifted their hands in worship, praising him for the wondrous works that he has done in their sight. With billions of people participating across the world, this is the biggest broadcast event ever,” a statement from the Healing School, organizers of the Healing Streams Live Healing Services with Pastor Chris.
All over the world, people gathered in hotels, bars, on the streets, in prisons and their homes. Some of them watched on TV, some watched on their smartphones and computers, and some listened on the radio. Wherever they were and whatever the medium, the power of God was present to heal.
The Man of God, Pastor Chris, has blessed the global audience with teaching on the truths and realities contained in God’s Word. Indeed, this has been an expose unveiling God’s desire to have all men be healed and enjoying divine health. The times of ministration and impartation have been nothing short of astounding.
Watching in awe and reverence, people across the globe saw the man of God stretch forth his hands and cast out demons. Faith rose to the highest and many were ready and alert to receive. So, when the man of God directed those same hands to the cameras and declared every sick person healed and all infirmities gone, it was an avalanche of wonders.
Children with deformities were made perfect, blood conditions disappeared, and every sickness and disease became history. Testimonies of the miraculous having been popping up everywhere from all over the world. One just has to look. There are healings and miracles everywhere as men, women, and children glorify the Name of the Lord God.
Kima from Nigeria had been diagnosed with lumbar spondylitis and had suffered for a long time. During yesterday’s broadcast, even before the man of God began to speak, she was on her feet. The demon that had tormented her came out, and she was totally free. In a healing centre in Tacoma, USA, a lady who had suffered a spinal injury that left her dependent on a walker for mobility got healed and began to walk unassisted.
From the UAE to Papua New Guinea, from China to Saint Lucia, the stories and pictures and videos are still pouring in. The blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the bedridden arise from their sick beds at the mention of the Name of Jesus.
A baby from Ethiopia was born with deformed hands and nose. Through the Healing Services, she has been perfected. No more anomalies, whatsoever! Samuel Lian From Myanmar had kidney failure and this tormented him for about three years. He says, “My life was miserable because I had to go to dialysis every week and it was very tiring physically and emotionally. So, during Healing Streams on Friday, the man of God pray for me and I felt relieved as something left my body. I knew that I was healed and I’m truly alive now. I received my healing at home. I thank God for using Pastor Chris through this ministry to change my life.”
It gets even better. There is one more healing service to go. As Pastor Chris said at the end of the second service last night, “This is the big one. We are taking it higher, and we will see miracles like we’ve never seen them before.” Are you ready for a supernatural impartation and divine visitation like never before? Visit www.healingstreams.tv/ now to connect. God bless you.
…As Landowners Blame Local Chiefs For Illegal Land Transactions
Over the weekend, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) pulled down over 137 unlawful dormitories, motels, and other facilities in Iddo Sarki, a village near the University of Abuja main campus.
In accordance with a Ministerial directive to remove all contraventions and illegality from the nation’s capital, a combined team of the FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, the Department of Development Control, the Department of Security Services, and other relevant agencies carried out the exercise.
The FCT Minister was infuriated, according to Comrade Ikharo Attah, Chairman of the Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, by people’s continuous disrespect for warnings to stay away from local Chiefs who have no authority to sell lands or transfer any valid title to buyers of such land, according to the provisions of the Land Use Act.
According to Attah, the exercise was a quick response to avoid further destabilizing the city’s growth plans and to save desperate businessmen and people from financial catastrophe.
He expressed regret that some persons continued to disregard timely warnings and enter into land deals with local chiefs without the approval of the relevant government.
He further added that if the unlawful hostel blocks and other development projects on the site had followed official procedures, the millions of Naira invested would have been correctly directed if the illegal hostel blocks and other development projects had followed official procedures.
He said that, the shortcut process undertaken by the investors had not only infringed heavily on extant laws, but distorted Abuja Master plan, while leading into collosal economic waste.
According to Attah , “FCT Minister has avowed commitment to espousing investment in the city, but would not tolerate illegalities and disobedience to the provisions of the Land Use Act.
” FCTA is pained about what is going on here. FCT Minister had briefed the Directors of Development Control , security services and DRTS, and had given us a matching order to stop what he termed as extreme illegality here.
” These people were taken advantage of the closeness of the University of Abuja to sell every available land here. You can imagine that someone here had built a house that run into hundreds of millions of Naira, without a proper approval, but just based on ordinary agreement signed with the Chief on foolscap sheet , that for me is an aberration.
He continued; ” No one here has any allocation. It is very sad and worrisome that Abuja is going this way. What the natives are telling people here is that if you buy land and build, before Development Control will come you would have recovered your money.
” The Minister has ordered that this place be cleared as a signal to people. Those who wants to build hostles for student can approach the administration and the University management and do it on building operate and transfer ( BOT ) or build, operate and own (BOO) arrangements with a proper allocation and development approval from government.
” The Chiefs have denied that they never sold any land, while the buyers who insist they bought the land from the chiefs are now lamenting. We asked them to produce papers of approval, but none of them have done that. They said they bought the land between N2 million and N7 million.
” We have done this, because we have the mandate to secure the city within the context of the Land Use Act .
Speaking earlier, the Acting Director, the Department of Control, Garba Kwakur, hinted that the land in which the illegal development was going on had been allocated to the Nigerian Navy.
Kwakur further added that while the developers have no valid title to the land, the buildings erected on it had no approval.
According to him ; ” All this area has long been allocated, part of this land has been allocated to the Nigerian Navy, they have complained about encroachment.
” We have come here several times and sensitised them to stop this illegal development, FCT Administration is not very happy with what is going on here.
” We have marked the illegal buildings several times, and they were cleaned off. We have met with the Chiefs and youth leaders on the need to get permit before any expansion, but they have not done that.
Bandits have abducted the Emir of Kajuru, Alhaji Alhassan Adamu, at his palace in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
The bandicts also kidnapped 12 more members of the emir’s family, including women and children.
Saidu Musa, the emir’s grandson and the traditional title holder of Dan Kajuru, confirmed the kidnapping.
According to him, the event occurred at 12:30 a.m.
Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Samuel Aruwan and Police Public Relations Officer Jalige Mohamed did not return phone calls.
This is the latest in a series of attacks across Kaduna State. Although bandits have been subjecting Kaduna residents to torture, the last few weeks have been very tough.
Chief Godwin Okporoko, Vice President of the Urhobo Peoples International Assembly, UPIA, has expressed displeasure with the attitude of some political leaders in the state who have labeled the group as anti-government without first studying what they stand for, adding that the group is completely apolitical and that he cannot be a part of a group that will fight Governor Okowa.
With a large crowd from all 24 Kingdoms of Urhobo country in attendance, Okoroko provided the guarantee during the group’s first meeting and election of National Officers at Orho-Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to him; ‘’I am an Executive Assistant on Security to the Governor. I can’t fight the man that feeds me. We are only fighting for Urhobo interest and bringing what belongs to Urhobo to Urhobo. We are in support of the Governor on all issues that will bring progress to Urhobo. By 2023 the governor will give order to those of us in PDP and that is what we will follow. The same applies to APC members or members of other political parties who would take directive from their leaders. The group belongs to all political parties but we are here to fight for Urhobo.
‘’Let me emphasize that as members of this group, we have the right to visit all party leaders to discuss the way forward for Urhobo. We can visit anybody whether in PDP or APC or any political party whom we believe can bring results to Urhobo. If there is an Ijaw man, Ibo or Akwa-Ibom man whom we believe has Urhobo interest at heart, we shall visit him. I therefore appeal to all Urhobo patriots to close ranks with this group to move Urhobo forward’’, Okporoko added.
Hon Chief Keston Okoro Muhammed Al-Amin, a former member of the Delta State House of Assembly and the group’s National President, has also assured that the group’s entire purpose was to fight for Urhobo interests rather than to fight any political leader, urging all Urhobo to unite in order to restore the Urhobo nation’s lost glory.
The National President, who described the group as apolitical, listed the group’s objectives, which included protecting, enhancing, and promoting Urhobo socio-cultural and political interests when threats are identified, promoting the spirit of oneness and love among Urhobos, and initiating moves toward industrialization and quality education among the people, protect Urhobo and secure the land at all times, to stand firmly as official mouth piece of Urhobo on issues of national interest at all times, be committed to the protection, preservation and promotion of Urhobo arts, culture and cultural heritage through concert, carnivals and such other events and to always propose and advice government on areas of interest for Urhobo people towards bringing solution to identified problems.
‘’This group is not out to fight any individual but to fight for the pride of Urhobo nation. This is not a personal battle but a collective one. We shall address issues of common interest to Urhobo be it economic, political or cultural. This group is not political but socio-cultural. We are not here to fight Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and there shall be no reason to fight him. We are not even going to fight the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege or President Buhari. We are here to look at issues bordering on Urhobo welfare and pride so as to collectively tackle them and bring solutions instead of fighting our leaders’’, Hon Keston Okoro Al-Amin added.
He recounted many battles fought by Urhobo youths together with youths from other areas and the results derived from those fights, adding that the average Urhobo man was a man of courage and guts.
‘’Far back 1927, Urhobo, through Chief Oshue Ogbiyerin of Orhuwhorun, held the colonial government hostage over tax matters and we got results. Why are our people afraid to take challenges and fight for our rights today? The time to fight for Urhobo interest is now. UPU is divided and we must do everything to get Urhobo united behind one leader. We should not divide ourselves. Everybody should surrender whatever they have to fight for Urhobo, be it physical strength, spiritual, religious or intellectual strength’’, he said.
Among those elected and sworn-in at the meeting to the executive council of the body are Hon Dr Liege Lord Keston Okoro Muhammed Al-Amin, National President; Chief Godwin Okporoko, Vice President; Chief Matthias Efe Olowu, National Secretary and Prince Kingsley Oboruruaria, National Treasurer.
The Minister Of Transportation Honourable Rotimi Amaechi has assured travelers on the Abuja-Kaduna railway, that the constant train breakdown while in transit will soon be a thing of the past. Amaechi gave the assurance in Lagos during a post commissioning inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan railway protect.
He said the inspection was necessary to ensure that little details identified before the commissioning have been fixed by the contractors.
The Minister who attributed the ugly situation to lack of spare parts from China, hinted that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the purchase of spare parts for the Lagos- Ibadan rail line, but said part of it will be deployed to fix the Kaduna-Abuja problem.
“After the last breakdown of the Kaduna-Abuja train, I instructed the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to rest that particular locomotive. I am surprised that there was a delay related to another breakdown in the early hours of today.
“The issue with the break down of the Kaduna-Abuja train is down to lack of maintenance which is attributable to a lack of spare parts from China. We have written to Mr President on this issue and he has graciously approved the purchase of spare parts for the Lagos-Ibadan trains. Very soon, the Chinese people will supply us with enough spare parts for the Lagos-Ibadan rail. By the time they do that, we will be forced to use some of these spare parts for the Kaduna-Abuja trains and hopefully, the issue of incessant breakdown of the trains will be resolved, ” Amaechi said.
He said the inspection was necessary to ensure that little details identified pre-commissioning have been fixed by the contractors.”
The minister who was excited at the increased passenger traffic, said patronage is good and on the increase. He disclosed that the Lagos-Ibadan trains conveyed 42,000 passengers in the month of June 2021.
“On the Lagos-Ibadan trains, 42,000 passengers were moved in June. We expect the figure to increase in the coming months because if we can move 42,000 in the month that we started, then the figures will increase as more people become aware of the train services between Lagos and Ibadan.”
On the completion stage of the train stations, the Honourable Minister explained that due to a recent kidnap of some Chinese officials in the Olodo area of Ogun State, the train station there is yet to be completed.
“Most of the stations have been completed except for Olodo which is delayed due to a recent kidnap of some Chinese officials. The contractor has completed most of the communication and signalling work, but we need to observe the project for the next six months to be sure everything is working perfectly as planned”.
“If not, we won’t be able to do the 16 trips-a-day train schedule as planned. The reason we are inspecting is to be sure everything is working as planned. After six months, when we are very sure of what we are seeing, then we can bring in new coaches and locomotives and increase the trips”.
Concerning the frequency of trips on the Lagos-Ibadan rail. The Minister disclosed that he has directed the Nigeria Railway Commission (NRC) to scale up the number of trips per day from four to eight. ”
Speaking about passenger demand for more trains and coaches as well as an increase in the number of trips on that route, the Minister said he had given a directive to scale up from four to eight subject to observing the signaling efficiency for six months.
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was commissioned by President Buhari on 10th June 2021 for commercial operations.
UNICEF and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV have agreed to supply up to 220 million doses of the J&J single-dose vaccine to all 55 African Union (AU) member states by the end of 2022.
By the end of the year, 35 million doses will have been administered.
The agreement between UNICEF and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV will aid in the implementation of the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) and Janssen Advance Purchase Commitment (APC) inked in March of this year.
By the end of 2022, that arrangement secured an option to order another 180 million pills, raising the total number of doses available to 400 million.
The African Union established AVAT in November 2020 to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to the African continent, with a goal of vaccinating 60 per cent of each AU country’s population. Under the plan, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and AVAT have signed a cooperation agreement on behalf of the AU for the development of an Advance Procurement Commitment (APC) Framework to support Member State access to COVID-19 vaccines. UNICEF will procure and deliver COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the AVAT initiative. Other partners include the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Bank. While multiple vaccines are anticipated to be part of the initiative’s portfolio, Janssen’s single-dose vaccine is the first to be included.
UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said, “African countries must have affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. Vaccine access has been unequal and unfair, with less than 1 per cent of the population of the African continent currently vaccinated against COVID-19. This cannot continue.
“UNICEF, with its long history of delivering vaccines all around the world, is supporting global COVID-19 vaccinations efforts through AVAT, COVAX, and other channels to maximize supply and access to vaccines.”
Drawing upon decades of experience as the largest single vaccine buyer in the world as it does annually for routine immunization, UNICEF is acting as a procurement and logistics agency on behalf of the AVAT partnership. UNICEF stands ready to facilitate the procurement, transport and delivery of vaccines as soon as they become available and AU Member States are ready to receive them. With its extensive capacity and decades of expertise in managing freight, insurance and transport of vaccines which require strict adherence to cold chain requirements, UNICEF will work with the vaccine industry, freight forwarders and transport companies to get the doses to the communities that need them.
Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine received a WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) on 12 March and is relying on a global supply network to produce the vaccine. The latest site for production, Aspen Pharmacare in Gqeberha, South Africa, was approved by the WHO on 29 June. Deliveries of the vaccine are expected to begin later in the 3rd quarter of 2021, with allocations to be determined by the Africa CDC.
The agreement comes as the African continent faces the steepest surge in COVID-19 cases yet, and vaccine supply challenges have left many countries with large unvaccinated populations.
In addition to its role in this partnership, UNICEF is also a key implementing partner for the COVAX Facility led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and CEPI. Under this initiative, UNICEF has contributed to the delivery of more than 100 million doses to 135 countries. UNICEF’s role procuring and delivering COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of AVAT will complement and supplement the shared COVAX goal of ensuring equitable access to quality-assured COVID-19 vaccines.
“Vaccinating the world against COVID-19, as the virus continues to spread and mutate, is one of the largest and most complex collective health undertakings the world has ever seen, and we need all hands on deck,” said Fore. “In the race to defeat this virus, equity is not a ‘nice to have’ — it’s an absolute necessity. This pandemic has cost everyone something, and some people everything. Only together can we bring the suffering to an end.”
