A 40-year-old notorious criminal has been arrested by operatives of the Yobe State Police Command.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Monday which also indicated that, the suspect, Haruna Mohammed, specialised in demanding money and other valuables from victims through menacing phone calls, threatening death or harm.

“Haruna Mohammed, a 40-year-old resident of Lantewa village, Tarmuwa LGA, has been apprehended by the State Intelligent Department (SID).

“The Command had been tracking Mohammed for his involvement in terrorizing towns, villages and neighbouring states.

“A victim from Siminti village, Lantewa, Tarmuwa LGA, reported that Mohammed demanded N3,000,000.00 or threatened to kill him and his family,” the statement said.

The statement further disclosed that the suspect confessed to the crime and implicated other syndicate members, who are currently being trailed by the Police.

“The Commissioner of Police warned that anyone with a criminal tendency will face stiff resistance,” the statement added.

The Chief Imam of Mista Ali community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Imam Abdulkadir, has cried out the theft of his sacrificial ram.

The incident occurred during a heavy downpour in the area on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.

An Imam in the community, Malam Haruna Yaqub, revealed this during the sermon right after the two Raka’at prayers, denouncing the act and labelling it as insensitive.
“The Ram of our Chief Imam, which he purposely bought to sacrifice, was stolen in the night.

“We are really shocked by the incident. We were surprised to hear this story.

“This means that people are not God-fearing. It is scary that people have gone to the extent of stealing ram meant for religious activity,” Yaqub said.

Yaqub, however, urged the people to fear God and steer clear of theft or any criminal behaviour, stressing that everyone will answer for their deeds in this life and the next.
He said, “It is high time people repented and took the path of Allah. It is not too late. People should stop committing bad things and act according to Allah’s commandments.

The Nigerian government has disclosed that the visa ban restricting travellers to the United Arab Emirates, UAE, will soon be lifted.

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this during a 44-minute interview with the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, Otega Ogra, published on the official YouTube page of the State House.

Keyamo assured Nigerians that resolutions have been reached between President Bola Tinubu, and UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to lift the ban.

He said the resolution was reached during Tinubu’s visit to UAE in September 2023.

The Minister said the Nigerian government has since completed all processes, paving the way for an imminent announcement from the UAE government.

According to Keyamo: “After that high-level meeting, Mr. President, credited to him, made things very easy for us all. We did our follow-ups as his ministers.

“We have done everything. We have resolved everything. Just wait for the announcement from the UAE government, and that announcement is imminent.”

Keyamo further mentioned that he is aware of the specific date when the travel restriction will be lifted but he emphasised that it is up to the UAE government to make the official announcement.

France began a frantically short election campaign Monday, with President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance facing an uphill struggle to avoid a new defeat at the hands of the far right.

Macron called the snap parliamentary polls three years early in a dramatic gamble to shake up politics in France after the far right trounced his centrists in EU elections.

But with less than a fortnight before the vote, his alliance risks being squeezed by new coalitions on the left and right.

Many in France remain baffled over why Macron called an election just weeks before the country hosts the Olympics, risking the far-right National Rally leading the government and 28-year-old Jordan Bardella becoming prime minister.

“Emmanuel Macron, who triggered this dissolution to trap the parties, has ended up trapping himself,” said Le Monde daily, warning that the RN risked winning the election.

Candidates had until Sunday evening to register for the 577 seats in the lower house National Assembly ahead of the official start of campaigning from midnight. The first round of voting takes place on June 30, with the decisive second round coming seven days later.

The political tremors have reached the Euro 2024 football tournament in Germany, where France’s star player Kylian Mbappe said he was “against extremes and divisive ideas” and urged young people to vote at a “crucial moment” in French history.

“Today we can all see that extremists are very close to winning power and we have the opportunity to choose the future of our country,” Mbappe said.

“I hope I will still be proud to wear this shirt after July 7.”

Macron’s dissolving of parliament after the French far right’s victory in the EU vote has undoubtedly redrawn the lines of French politics.

“The aim is to create a new parliamentary majority,” former prime minister Edouard Philippe, who leads a party allied to Macron’s bloc, told BFMTV.

But perhaps to Macron’s surprise, a new left-wing alliance — the New Popular Front that takes in Socialists, Greens and hard-leftist France Unbowed — has emerged.

On the right, Eric Ciotti, the leader of the Republicans (LR), has agreed to an election pact with the RN, provoking fury inside the party and a move by its leadership to dismiss him, which a Paris court blocked on Friday.

In a further twist, the new left-wing alliance has already shown signs of cracking, with the LFI’s raucous figurehead Jean-Luc Melenchon too divisive a figure for some to contend for prime minister.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who is leading the campaign for Macron’s bloc, said voters had three choices.

“There’s the alliance led by (hard-left) LFI, there’s the alliance led by the (far-right) RN — extremes that would be a disaster for the country,” he told the RFL broadcaster.

And “there’s a third bloc… that we are leading”.

Macron is this week due to return to the domestic campaign fray from engagements abroad at the G7 summit in Italy and the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland.

The personal stakes are huge for the president, who risks becoming a lame duck until his term expires in 2027. He then faces handing over power to the RN’s Marine Le Pen who is likely to run for the Elysee for a fourth time.

Former Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin, who famously bowed out of politics in 2002 after Jean-Marie Le Pen, Marine’s father, knocked him out of the presidential elections run-off, warned of the perils for Macron.

He said the president had forced the country into a “hurried” campaign and was “giving the RN a chance to come to power in France”.

“It’s not responsible,” he told Le Monde, accusing Macron of “arrogance” and witheringly adding that “surprise is not enough to be master of the game”.

In an interview with the Journal du Dimanche newspaper, former president Nicolas Sarkozy also warned that Macron was taking a risk for himself and the country, saying the move “could plunge France into chaos from which it will have the greatest difficulty in emerging”.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stopped pilgrims from proceeding to the Jamarat Bridge for the ritual of throwing stones from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. due to extreme heat

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman, issued the directive in a statement on Monday in Mina, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Sulaiman stated that the measures became necessary to ensure the well-being of pilgrims amidst high temperatures and to prevent heat stress.

“Accordingly, the following measures have been implemented: Pilgrims are prohibited from proceeding to the Jamarat Bridge for the ritual of throwing stones from 11. a.m to 4.pm.”

Speaking further, he said security personnel would be stationed at camps to enforce the restriction and prevent any pilgrim from departing before 4 p.m.

He urged the Office of Hajj Affairs and service providers to ensure compliance, adding that they would be held responsible for any violations thereof.

“We pray for Allah’s protection over the pilgrims and the acceptance of their Hajj.”

Meanwhile, the official of Nigeria’s Hajj Commission has intercepted two illegal migrants of Nigerian descent ( Muhammed Umar and Nazifi Tasi’u GARBA), over infiltration of pilgrims’ tents amidst concerns regarding overstretched accommodation and petty theft.

Consequently, the suspects were handed over to the Saudi Police, where their biometrics were obtained and a fine of 10,000 Saudi Riyals was imposed on them to be paid whenever they were leaving the country.

NAN reports that the Jamarat are three pillars located in Mecca and are an important part of the Hajj pilgrimage for Muslims.

As part of their pilgrimage to Mecca, pilgrims throw pebbles at the pillars to symbolically “stone the devil.”

The Stoning of the Devil—or rajm al-jamaat, translated as throwing pebbles—is a way for Muslims to reject temptation, affirm their faith in Allah, and honour the Prophet Ibrahim.

Over 1.83 million pilgrims performed this year’s hajj, according to the Saudi Gazette.

A total of 1,833,164 pilgrims came from within the Kingdom and abroad to perform the annual pilgrimage and they included 1,611,310 foreign pilgrims and 221,854 domestic pilgrims, both citizens and expatriates.

An Indian man accused of an alleged plot to assassinate an American citizen in New York has been extradited to the US, the Washington Post reports.

Nikhil Gupta was charged by the US government last year with trying to hire a hitman to assassinate US-based Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Mr Gupta was arrested by authorities in the Czech Republic last year on Washington’s request and jailed in Prague.

Last month, Czech Constitutional Court rejected his petition against his extradition to the US.

Prison records show he is currently being held at the federal Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn.

He is expected to be produced in a federal court in New York on Monday. The charges against him carry up to 20 years in prison.

In November, US prosecutors had charged Mr Gupta with a plot to kill at least four Sikh separatists in North America, including Mr Pannun.

Mr Gupta paid $100,000 (£79,000) in cash to a hitman to assassinate Mr Pannun, prosecutors said. The hitman, they added, was an undercover federal agent.

US authorities alleged Mr Gupta was directed by an Indian government official who was not named or charged in the indictment.

The Indian government denied it had anything to do with the murder plot.

Mr Pannun is a dual US-Canadian citizen living in New York.
He is the general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, an organisation based in the US that supports the broader Khalistan movement, which calls for an independent homeland for Sikhs who make up about 2% of India’s population.

Mr Pannun was designated a terrorist by the Indian government in 2020, an allegation he denies.

He was also an associate of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader who was shot dead in Canada in his car last year.

The murder had led to a deterioration in India-Canada ties after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged there were “credible allegations” that Delhi had been involved. India denied the accusations.

In November, the White House said it had raised the alleged assassination plot against Mr Pannun with India at the most senior level.

Indian officials distanced themselves from the alleged plot, saying such actions were against government policy.
Delhi said it had formed a committee to investigate the allegations against Mr Gupta.

In January, India’s Supreme Court rejected a plea from Mr Gupta which asked it to aid his release and help him get a fair trial. The petition in India claimed Mr Gupta was arrested by “self-claimed” US federal agents and had not yet been given a fair trial.

India’s top court said it would not intervene in the case, adding that it was up to the government to take action.

Eight people have died and around 25 have been injured in a train crash in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

The accident occurred when a goods train hit a stationary passenger train, the Kanchenjungha Express, in the New Jalpaiguri area on Monday morning.

Dramatic footage from the accident site showed one wagon of the express train suspended in the air.

It’s not clear yet what led to the crash but authorities say a detailed investigation will be held.

Authorities say ambulances and disaster teams have been sent to the site for rescue efforts.
“We are trying to complete the rescue operation as soon as possible,” Railway official Sabyasachi De told reporters.

“The preliminary information we have is that the Kanchenjungha Express was hit from the rear by a goods train,” he said, adding that the reason would only be confirmed after investigation.

A passenger rescued from the Kanchenjungha Express said he had suffered a head injury in the crash. “I was travelling in B1 coach when the train was hit,” he told ANI news agency.

Federal Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that relief teams were working in close coordination with railway officials to carry out rescue operations.

“The injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached the site,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The railways have set up a control desk with a helpline number at Rangapani station, near which the collision took place.

Last year, a devastating crash involving three trains in the eastern state of Odisha had killed around 290 people and left more than 1,000 injured.

Three persons have died in an accident that occurred in Aagba town, Osun State on Sunday.

It was gathered that the accident involved a motorcycle and a private car.

The driver of the private car reportedly fled the scene of the crash.

The fatalities were three passengers being conveyed by the motorcycle.

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Osun State Command, Adeleke Kehinde, confirming the accident, said officers from the command had visited the accident scene

“The accident involved a Toyota Camry pencil light and a motorcycle with the number plate AKD 810 QX. The accident claimed the lives of three persons on the motorcycle on the spot,” he said.

Also, 22 people sustained various degrees of injuries in another accident which occurred in Sekona town.

It was gathered that the accident occurred along the Osogbo-Gbongan Road.

Adeleke, while giving details about the accident said, it was caused by a Toyota Hummer bus which had veered off its lane and had a head on collision with a vehicle coming from the opposite direction.

“It was discovered that the Toyota Hummer bus driver slept while driving. Adult men and women including children sustained varying degrees of injuries/fractures while the Toyota Hummer bus driver sustained fractures on both legs.

“Three persons were involved in the Fiat Van, while 19 were injured in the Toyota Hummer bus.

“The victims were evacuated and taken to Sekona Government Clinic for first aid and were later moved to Uniosun Teaching Hospital by Government Ambulance for proper medical attention,” he added.

Excitement enveloped Kogi State at the weekend as Governor Usman Ododo surprised the state workers by paying their June salaries in the middle of the month.

Many of the workers were surprised as it was the first time they were getting such a gesture.

A top government official said that the gesture was to enable the people to celebrate the Eid-el Kabir festival with joy.

There were reports that the governor also distributed food items and other palliatives to the workers and other residents of the North-Central state.

Some of the civil servants during an interview expressed appreciation to the governor for the gesture which, they said, would help them to enjoy the Muslim festival.

“The governor’s early payment of June salaries, alongside the distribution of food palliatives to workers, is a huge blessing to us,” said a civil servant, Hajiya Fatima Baba.

Another civil servant, Bala Adejoh, who was full of praise for the governor, said that the payment of the June salary was a “huge relief.”

Mr Adejoh said, “It’s a great relief getting June salary to celebrate this Sallah. My prayer for the governor is for him to enjoy God’s grace, guidance and blessings as he rules Kogi in this trying time.’’

Mr Ododo had, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Public Relations, Onogwu Muhammed, said that the peoples’ vote for ‘consolidation and continuity’ in Kogi, was not a mistake.

According to him, before 2016, Kogi State was burdened with a bogus and ineffective civil service system with salaries always irregular.

“Unfortunately, efforts to sanitise the system and ensure timely wage payments for genuine workers were hindered by lack of political will and various obstacles. It was the bold initiative of ex-Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration that tackled this cumbersome system. The civil service reform initiated by Bello’s administration was arduous and demanding for both the civil servants and the government. Since 2017, the government policy has ensured that workers’ salaries are paid between the 25th and 27th of every month, a policy that the current administration is sustaining. The civil service reform was one of the five key thematic areas of the ‘New Direction Administration’ of the previous government, focusing on education, health, agriculture and infrastructure. Part of the fulfilment of the promise of sustainable welfare is paying the June salaries and pensions of workers and retirees in Kogi ahead of the Sallah celebration,” the statement said.

The statement quoted the governor as saying that prompt payment of salaries and the distribution of the second quarterly food palliative to vulnerable populations were part of efforts to ensure people enjoyed the festivities with their families.

He was also quoted as reassuring the people that his administration would continue to prioritise welfare of workers, pensioners and all residents.

The statement said that the reforms in the public and civil service sectors made Kogi one of the most attractive public employers in Nigeria.

The lawmaker representing Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odefa Federal Constituency, Olumide Osoba, has distributed bags of rice and cash to members of his Constituency including party faithful to celebrate eid-el-kabir.

The development was said to aim at easing the economic difficulties faced by hundreds of his constituents.

In a statement issued by Osoba’s media team on Saturday in Ogun State, it was revealed that over 400 constituents benefited from the initiative.

“Over 400 constituents and party faithful including all ward vice chairmen, treasurer, organizing secretary, financial secretary, PRO welfare officer, legal adviser, and physically challenged leaders received 50,000 each as their share of the largesse.

“Hon. Osoba also extended his Eid-El-Kabir generosity to all wards in his constituency. Leaving no one behind, Hon. Osoba distributed bags of rice to all wards. And also doled out cash gifts to all government executives,” the statement reads.

On Friday, the Federal Government declared Monday, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18, 2024, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir festival.

Over 2 million Muslims from around the world have converged on a sacred hill, “Mount Arafat” southeast of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for intense, daylong worship and reflection.

The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the hill of mercy, is considered the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage, one of the most sacred rituals in Islam.

According to Andolu Ajansi on Friday, pilgrims made their way to the Grand Mosque, then headed towards Mina, a valley located 7 kilometers northeast of the mosque. This marks the start of the Hajj rituals, following in the footsteps of the Prophet Mohammed.

Mina holds a crucial position between Mecca and Muzdalifah. This valley, flanked by mountains to the north and south, is populated only during the Hajj period and lies within the boundaries of the Haram or Great Mosque.

To ensure a safe and successful pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia has made extensive preparations to welcome Hajj pilgrims at the initial stages of the rituals, including setting up four hospitals ready to deal with any contingencies and departments for combating heat stress and sunstroke, the Saudi News Agency said on Thursday.

Additionally, multi-story residential towers have been built in Mina to house over 30,000 pilgrims, featuring modern designs inspired by the urban identity of the holy sites.

Saudi Arabia has announced plans to host 1,000 family members of Palestinians killed or wounded in Gaza for the Hajj pilgrimage, under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Program.

The initiative is organized by the Saudi Islamic Affairs Ministry under a directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Program, according to SPA.

The king’s directive follows a similar one issued in May, bringing the total number hosted from Palestine for this year’s Hajj to 2,000, Arab News reported.

Hajj is the fifth pillar of the Islamic faith, a ritual that must be performed by all Muslims who are financially able at least once in their lives. The pilgrimage includes various rituals that symbolize essential Islamic concepts and commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.

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The Plateau command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed 1,408 personnel ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir festive period in the state.

The command’s public relations officer (PRO), Ruth Rimvyok, disclosed this in a statement in Jos on Saturday.

Mr Rimvyok said that the state corps commandant, Alexander Barunde, who approved the deployment, charged the personnel to ensure safety of lives and property.

”Our commandant has approved the immediate deployment of 1,408 personnel to beef up security in Plateau and its environs before, during and after the sallah season

”While briefing officers and men, Barunde ordered a complete beefing up of security across all the flashpoints and praying grounds across the 17 local government areas of the state.

”We are committed to protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, as well as life and property.”

The PRO noted that the corps would leave no stone unturned in dealing decisively with all miscreants, criminals, and vandals who wanted to disrupt the relative peace in the state.

President Bola Tinubu has urged Muslim faithful to reflect on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, an event that denotes sacrifice, faith, and obedience to the will of the Almighty.

“The President congratulates the Muslim faithful and prays that Allah accepts their supplications and acts of obedience,” Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the president, media and publicity, said in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

Mr Tinubu enjoined Nigerians to reflect on the essence of the occasion, which bears strong meaning and significance for the nation.

The president emphasised that sacrifice and duty were essential ingredients to nation-building, “noting that it takes collective purpose, will, and action to bring about great change.”

He called on citizens to pray for the nation’s continuous peace and stability while working according to purpose to promote unity, peace, and progress.

“The President acknowledges the sacrifices that Nigerians have made in the past one year as his administration sets the nation on a firm pedestal of growth and development.

“President Tinubu affirms that the sacrifices and great expectations of citizens will not come to nought as already propitious outcomes are beginning to manifest with the economy strengthening and vibrancy returning to critical sectors.

“The President reassures Nigerians that his administration is prioritizing their physical, social, and economic security and will not relent on this noble endeavour,” Mr Ngelale said.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), on Friday, rescued a commercial bus alongside the driver who recklessly swerved into a ditch to avoid the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) officials.

The agency’s permanent secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said a female sustained a minor injury during the accident at Obadore along LASU-Isheri road.

“Upon arrival at the incident scene at about 11.01hrs, it was observed that a commercial bus, with registration number FKJ 870 YG, was involved in a lone accident at the aforementioned location.

“Further investigations revealed that the accident occurred when the vehicle’s driver swerved recklessly in attempts to avoid a VIS checkpoint,” he said.

He added that the reckless driving caused the vehicle to lose control and fall into a ditch.

“No loss of lives was recorded during the incident. However, an adult female sustained minor injuries in the process.

“The bus was recovered with the help of the LASEMA response team, the Lagos State Fire Rescue and Service and the Nigeria Police Force, who were all in attendance,” he said.

About 15 passengers sustained injuries in a multiple accident that occurred at Ketu, inward Ojota, in Lagos State.

The permanent secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement on Friday.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said the accident was reported via the state’s toll-free emergency numbers, 767 and 112.

He added that LASEMA’s response team from the Command and Control Centre, C3, Alausa, swiftly swung to the scene.

“They arrived at the scene of the multiple collision, which involved three vehicles under the Ojota Interchange Bridge, at 11:40 a.m.

“Upon arrival, it was discovered that the accident involved a BRT bus, with registration number EXY-167XY, an articulated truck, with an unknown registration number and an 18-seater commercial bus, with registration number JJJ-439YG.

“The articulated truck was laden with a 40-feet container.

“Further investigations revealed that the articulated truck, while heading inward Ketu, suddenly lost control of motion,” he said.

He added that the truck skidded off its lane and collided with the BRT bus, which was headed toward Ojota from the opposite direction.

“The BRT subsequently skidded off its lane into the service lane and collided with the yellow commercial bus.

“Fifteen people were injured. No critical injuries were sustained and fatalities were recorded.

“The BRT bus suffered significant damage to the front and rear ends, and the tractor head of the truck was also damaged,” he said.

He added that the injured victims were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. The LASEMA official said the agency’s pre-hospital care team attended to four at the accident scene.

“The articulated truck was recovered off the road and towed to LASTMA yard at Oshodi.

“The BRT bus was recovered off the road to the BRT yard in Ojota, while the yellow commercial bus was driven off by its owner,” he added.

He said the road had been set free for vehicular activities.

A chief magistrates’ court in Abeokuta on Friday sentenced a 35-year-old man, Kabiru Lawal, to three months’ imprisonment for stealing goats and ram.

Mr Lawal, who resides in the Olomore area of Abeokuta, pleaded guilty to stealing and conversion on two counts.

The magistrate, V.B. William, convicted Mr Lawal following his guilty plea to the charges preferred against him.

Ms William sentenced him to three months each for the first and second counts, saying that the sentences must run concurrently.

She, however, gave him the option of restituting the goat and ram amounts to the complainant.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Lawrence Olu-Balogun, told the court that Mr Lawal committed the offences sometime in June 2023 at No. 47, Kuforiji Olubi Drive, Abeokuta.

Mr Olu-Balogun said the defendant fraudulently obtained eight goats and one ram valued at N300,000, property of one Ibrahim Akanbi, under the pretence of helping the complainant sell the goats and ram.

“The complainant gave the defendant eight goats and a ram to help him sell them, but the defendant sold all of them and converted the money to his personal use.

“After committing the crime, he ran out of Ogun state without remitting the money to the complainant but was later caught,” he said.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened section 419(b) and 390(3) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.

Ghana will undergo a three-week power supply disruption across many areas due to a reduction in the supply of gas from Nigeria, the Ghana Grid Company LTD. (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have announced.

“We wish to inform the public that due to reduction of gas supply from Nigeria since Wednesday 12th June, 2024 some areas across the country have experienced interruption in power supply,” GRIDCo and ECG said in a joint statement on Thursday.

The companies said the disruption in the gas supply chain from Nigeria is due to maintenance works being carried out by Ghana’s gas supplier, The West Africa Gas Pipeline (WAPCo), on its facilities. The maintenance is expected to last three weeks.

“The West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAP Co), in a statement, has explained that the reduction in gas supply was due to maintenance works being undertaken by a gas supplier in Nigeria and is projected to last three (3) weeks,” the statement said.

“The maintenance has caused a reduction in overall power generation capacity in Ghana which could result in load management over the period of the work.”

GRIDCo and ECG noted that everything is being done with relevant stakeholders to ensure equal distribution of available power across Ghana during the period.

“GRIDCo and ECG, however, wish to assure the public that we are collaborating with other stakeholders in the power value chain to optimise available resources to ensure minimal impact of the reduction in gas supply on consumers.”

The House of Representatives and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control have resolved to lift the ban on the sale and consumption of sachet alcoholic beverages in the country.

The deputy spokesman for the House, Philip Agbese, who disclosed this, said the lifting of the ban would end when the economy fully recovers from its current strain.

NAFDAC had banned the production of beverages in small sachets and bottles for reasons not unconnected with the prevailing cases of drug abuse in the country, especially by some young Nigerians.

Recall that the House of Representatives had on February 7, 2024, mandated its committee on the NAFDAC to probe the circumstances surrounding the ban imposed on the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small bottles in Nigeria by the agency.

This was sequel to a motion moved on the floor of the Green Chamber by members Paschal Agbodike and Philip Agbese during the plenary session.

Briefing journalists at the National Assembly Complex on Friday, Agbese disclosed that the resolution to temporarily lift the ban was arrived at after a meeting between the House Committee and NAFDAC officials.

He said, “We all agreed at the meeting that at a certain stage in history, we must move on with our counterparts across the globe. Nevertheless, at the moment, we agreed with NAFDAC that there would be a temporary lifting of the ban until the economy regains its strength.”

Speaking on how the decision was arrived at, Agbese who represents Ado/Ogbadigbo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, Benue State, said, “We had engagements with stakeholders, including NAFDAC and the organised private sector involved. Resolutions were reached at that meeting based on the submissions made by the stakeholders, civil society organisations and other interested parties.

“Part of the recommendations before the parliament was that the ban was not timely given the current economic realities and coupled with the fact that the five-year moratorium granted by NAFDAC to the private sector, the advent of COVID-19 and other economic realities we are facing today did not permit the operators in the industry to comply with their terms.”

Justice L.O. Ogundana of the Ekiti High Court in Ado-Ekiti, on Thursday, sentenced four men to death by hanging for murder and armed robbery.

The convicts: Sola Ogunleye, Ebenezer Adebayo, Lasisi Afeez and Ojo Oba were arraigned on charges of murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and conspiracy.

The offence of armed robbery is contrary to Section 6(b), of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.

While the offences of murder and attempted murder are contrary to Sections 319 (1) and 320 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap.C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

Ms Ogundana, when delivering his judgement, held that the prosecution proved all the offences against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge consequently convicted all the defendants and sentenced them to death by hanging for the offences of armed robbery and murder.

For the offence of attempted murder and conspiracy, Ms Ogundana convicted and sentenced the four men to life imprisonment.

The prosecution stated that the offences were committed by the convicts on May 29, 2017 at Oyan Orete Camp, ljan- Ekiti.

It said that the convicts robbed the residents of the camp at gunpoint and one Olasunkanmi Ramon was murdered.

The prosecution also informed the court that the convicts attacked one Usman Adeleye and inflicted him with machete cuts on the head.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare, who prosecuted the case for the state, called five witnesses and tendered seven exhibits to prove his case.

The convicts, who had pleaded not guilty to the offences, were represented by counsel, Chris Omokhafe, and Oluwaseun Oyebanji.

The four men gave evidence in their own defence during trial and called two other witnesses.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Ebonyi has waded into the crisis of gross human rights abuse in Agharoza, Iboko community in the Izzi Local Government Area.

Trouble erupted in the community on Thursday when the youths allegedly set ablaze the house of their kinsman, John Ekpono.

The action followed a spiritual revelation by a clergyman, commonly known in the area as “Ubadimma”, who was in the community for a three-day crusade.

During the crusade, the cleric had revealed that Mr Ekpono was responsible for the community’s backwardness and other calamities befalling the area.

Convinced by the revelation, the youths went on a rampage and burned down Mr Okpono’s house and other valuables, accusing him of being evil.

In an interview with journalists, the state coordinator of NHRC, Christopher Okorie, reacted to the development and expressed concern that people could be barbaric because of superstition.

Mr Okorie frowned at the practice where people relied on unfounded revelations and superstitions to witch-hunt innocent citizens in society.

He described such acts as unlawful and urged members of the society to desist from them.

“The people should stop taking the law into their hands. They should always report any serious concerns to the police, who are trained to handle such issues professionally.

“We have met with the victim’s family, and NHRC, in collaboration with some human rights-based civil society organisations in the state, have swung into action to investigate the case,” Mr Okorie said.

He said that the commission was committed to ensuring that justice was done in the matter.