Lifestyle

Five die as car plunges into canal in Kogi

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Five persons have died after a car plunged into a canal in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Yagba West Local Government Chairman, Hon. Pius Kolawole, who confirmed the incident on Saturday, May 28, 2023, said it happened around 4:30PM on Friday.

It was gathered that the deceased victims were coming from a burial ceremony in Oga, a small community and heading back to Lokoja before the ugly incident occurred.

Hon. Pius Kolawole, said the accident was caused by over speeding, adding that the bodies have been deposited in the morgue.

“There is a big dam. So, in that dam, they now created a canal that was meant for irrigation. If you are coming from that area, especially when you are going to Lokoja, it is very short for us to pass through,” he explained.

“The road is very narrow and beside the canal. So, the victims were coming from Oda and they decided to pass through the canal road. On that road, there is a sharp corner. From what we gathered, the driver was speeding, he lost control and plunged into the river. All the five persons in the vehicle lost their lives.”

Lifestyle

Flood sacks Kogi Assembly members from their official quarters

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The official quarters of the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Prince Matthew Kolawole; his deputy, Honorable Rabiu Ishiaka Momoh and other House of Assembly members have been submerged by flood in Lokoja.

Kogi House of Assembly members were forced to relocate due to the flooding.

Recall the floods have taken over nine local government areas in Kogi State, namely Lokoja, Kogi-Koto, Ajaokuta, Ofu, Igalamela-Odolu, Bassa, Idah, Ibaji, and Omala.

The water level keeps increasing by the day, with many residents rendered homeless.

More houses have been flooded along the rivers Benue and Niger, including the Lokoja metropolis.

World News

Police rescues 12 kidnapped passengers in Kogi

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Police operatives in Kogi on Thursday rescued 12 abducted passengers in the state.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Edward Egbuka, confirmed the development in a statement issued by the spokesman for the state police command, William Ovye-Aya.

Egbuka said the 12 victims were among the 16 Benue-bound passenger bus recently intercepted by suspected kidnappers along Anyigba – Ankpa road.

He said: “The Command received a distressed report that a Toyota bus, with Registration Number- Benue 192 XA, driven by one Bernard Ejeh conveying 16 passengers from Abuja to Benue State via ANKPA, ran into kidnappers at Ojuwo-Ajebgo village of Ofu Local Government Area, along Anyigba road.

“Without waste of time, the operatives of Quick Response Unit, stationed at Itobe, promptly swung into action, pursued the hoodlums into the bush and rescued 12 passengers including the driver while four other passengers are yet to be seen.

“Luckily too, I was on a visiting tour to Kogi East Senatorial Zone, so when I got the information while on my way to Ejule, I immediately moved to the scene, where I met with the rescued passengers.”

Politics

‘Make your findings on N20bn bailout public,’ Kogi dares EFCC

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The Kogi State government on Sunday dared the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to make public, the report of its investigations on the purported misappropriation of the N20 billion bailout secured from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The commission in August alleged that the loan which was domiciled in Sterling Bank had been partly misappropriated.

The loan was meant to augment the payment of workers’ salaries and the running costs of the government.

The Federal High Court, Lagos, on August 31 blocked the Kogi State government’s account in the bank.

Justice Tijjani Ringim granted the order following an ex parte application brought by EFCC pending the conclusion of the investigation or possible prosecution of the state government on the matter.

However, the commission withdrew the suit, seeking the forfeiture of the N20 billion bailout fund on Friday.

But in a statement in a statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, the government charged the EFCC to make its findings on the fund public.

He said despite the withdrawal, the commission should be able to provide facts of its investigations.

The commissioner also urged Nigerians to ask the EFCC in whose custody it found a part of the bailout fund said to have been dissipated.

Fanwo insisted that the alleged sum of N19.3 billion which Sterling Bank had undertaken with the EFCC to transfer to the CBN, does not belong to the Kogi government.

According to him, the state did not enter into any agreement either with Sterling Bank or the EFCC, to return any bailout fund to the CBN as claimed by the commission.

Fanwo said: “It is our belief that the withdrawal of the suit by the EFCC without informing the court of the facts, is a deliberate and face-saving effort by the commission, all in a bid to ‘nail’ at all cost, the Kogi government and tarnish its image.

“Nigerians should further ask the EFCC whether a commercial bank can simply undertake to transfer a customer’s money from the customers’ account without the order of any court mandating such transfer or a forfeiture?

Nigerians also deserve to know what becomes of the criminal allegation that the EFCC made when it informed the Federal High Court that the sum of N666,666,666.64 out of the N20 billion bailout loan had been dissipated and that same was being traced.

“Nigerians will want to know if the EFCC has found the money, if so, in whose custody was it found? Have charges been preferred against the custodian of the said funds. Or has the EFCC also abandoned that chase? Nigerians deserve to know the truth.

“We have as of October 2019, fully disbursed our bailout funds and are already religiously repaying the loan to Sterling Bank Plc.”

Lifestyle

CHOLERA: Kogi confirms eight deaths, 129 cases

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The Kogi State government on Wednesday confirmed 129 cases of cholera and eight deaths in the state.

The state’s Epidemiologist, Dr. Austin Ojotu, who disclosed this in a statement in Lokoja, said the cholera outbreak was recorded in Kogi, Bassa, Lokoja, Ankpa, and Kabba -Bunu local government areas of the state.

He added that the cases were recorded between February and August.

Ojotu said: “Seven communities were affected in the aforementioned council areas with 129 cases.

66 cases were recorded in three communities in Kogi, Lokoja, and Ankpa local government areas where all the eight deaths were also recorded.

These are border communities with hard to reach terrains.

“It is important to mention at this point that most of the deaths occurred before the reports got to the local government/state authorities.

“Our findings also revealed that majority of the deaths in all the outbreaks occurred at home.”

Entertainment

Two policemen killed, three others injured at Kogi checkpoint

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Unknown gunmen allegedly shot dead two policemen at a checkpoint in Kabba, headquarters of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi state.

An eyewitness stated that the policemen were shot at the Origa checkpoint along Kabba- Iyara road at about 5p.m on Monday.

The gunmen were said to be passing by in a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), when the policemen waved them down for a routine check.

It was then that they opened fire on both officers, and sped off afterwards, leaving them dead.

The eyewitness added that three other policemen managed to escape. This was as they sustained different injuries and had to shoot indiscriminately in order to escape.

It was also gathered that the affected policemen were from the newly-created Kabba police B divisional headquarters.

However, the robbers were said to be coming from the Ekiti axis and were probably heading towards Abuja en route Kabba before the incident occured.

The remains of the two policemen were said to have been deposited at the morgue of the General Hospital in Kabba, while the injured are said to be undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

When contacted for his reaction, the police public relations officer, William Aya could not be reached as of the time of filing the report.

Politics

Kogi varsity workers begin three-day warning strike

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Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU), Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State, on Tuesday, commenced a three-day warning strike.

The peaceful protest by the Kogi varsity workers is a notice to the Federal Government due to its failure to implement the eight-point Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the parties.

In a statement by chairman of the Kogi University workers, SSANU/Joint Action Committee, Uche Onyedi, the members threatened a complete shutdown of the institution.

It read, “You recall that the JAC of NASU and SSANU had a 14-days warning strike which started from midnight of 4th of October and ended on 12 midnight 18th of October, 2020.

“As a result of the warning strike by NASU/SSANU, an eight-point MoU was signed by JAC of SSANU and NASU on one hand, other stakeholders of the Federal Government on the other hand, at the instance of the Federal Ministry of LaLolbour and Employment, Abuja, on the 20th of October, 2020, in which a committee was constituted to look at our demands with a view to mapping out ways of solving them.

Very unfortunately, the Federal Government reneged on its promises to implement the agreements contained in the MoU.
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“You are aware that there are glaring inconsistencies in the IPPIS payment platform, non-payment of allowances, non-payment of arrears of minimum wage consequential adjustments, delay in renegotiation of the 3009 agreements, very poor funding of state-owned universities, lack of visitation panels to universities for a very long time, non-payment of retirement benefits.

“We are asking the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency implement the MoU now, to avoid closing down the university for another year.”

Politics

Kidnapped Ekiti petrol dealer freed in Kogi

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Popular petroleum products dealer, Alhaji Suleiman Akinbami, who was kidnapped in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, last Sunday night was set free by his kidnappers on Sunday afternoon after spending a week in captivity.

He was abducted about 9 pm last Sunday at his petrol station along Ado–Ijan Ekiti Road by the gunmen.

A source close to the family, who said Akinbami had rejoined his family on arrival at Ado Ekiti, said he could not ascertain whether any ransom was paid for his freedom.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, Sunday Abutu, who confirmed the release of the oil merchant, said, “He was released around 3pm somewhere in Kogi State”.

Abutu said men and officers of the command had not rested since he was whisked away last week, saying, “We have been on the trail of the kidnappers, serious manhunt had been launched on them, we believe that it was when the criminals felt that the pressure was much that led to his release”.

The police spokesperson, who said, “No arrest has been made all along. Efforts are still ongoing”, added that he was not aware of any ransom paid to secure the man’s release, saying, “As a matter of fact, we don’t negotiate with criminals. I am not aware of any ransom.”

He, however, advised residents, “The plain fact is that the police work better with useful and timely information.

“We are telling our people that they should give us useful and timely information that could lead to the arrest of those suspects and other criminal elements in society. They should be security conscious and ensure that they watch people around them.”

Entertainment

Meet Kogi State Governor And The Shortest NYSC Corps Member

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The Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alh. Yahaya Adoza Bello facilitate with the shortest NYSC Corps Member at his residence.

Governor Yahaya Bello has been the major Corps employer in the year under review. Corps members have worked in private and public sectors to contribute to the social-l economic development of the State.

The shortest Corps member Abu is a student of Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigerian State. Abu graduated from department of Library and Information Technology.

The size of the shortest guy has made him to be more popular right from his school and as well as within the NYSC camp, as most ladies are even dying to be around him.

From the report, Abu seems to be between 3 to 4.0 feet tall, which is the normal height of a 4 or 5 years old child. Throughout his academics, he proved to be obedient, hardworking and faithfulness toward his academics activities.

Lifestyle

Over 50 Die of ‘Strange Disease’ in Kogi – Lawmakers

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“Infected persons die within one week of contracting the disease.”

The Kogi House of Assembly has called on state and federal ministries of health to unravel the cause of the ‘strange disease’ which has killed 50 persons in Olamaboro Local Government Area of the state.

The House made the call at Tuesday’s plenary sitting in Lokoja following adoption of a motion on Urgent Public Importance, raised by Anthony Ujah (APC-Olamaboro), over the strange illness that has claimed over 50 lives.

According to the lawmaker, the unknown disease comes with symptoms such as headache, red eyes, loss of appetite, inability to urinate or defecate, convulsion and death.

Mr Ujah said that the residents of Etteh Community in the local government have been thrown into confusion by the outbreak of the alien disease.

He maintained that the cause or nature of the disease is still unknown, adding that infected persons die within one week of contracting the disease.

More worrisome, according to him, is that all efforts to get solution using local herbs and treatment at primary health centres with referrals to clinics and hospitals in neighboring Ogugu and Okpo have been unsuccessful.

“The reports reaching my constituency office from the community leaders confirmed that over 50 people between the age of 25 and 40 years have died since September,” he said.

Seconding the motion, Edoko Moses Ododo (APC-Dekina/Biraidu), said that the people of the community now live in fear.

He said that urgent steps need to be taken to save their lives as the disease can adversely affect the economic input of the agrarian community.

Deputy Speaker Ahmed Mohammed submitted that the community shares boundary with Enugu State and efforts should be made to urgently avert further loss of lives.

Mr Mohammed prayed that the state government should establish a hospital in Etteh community to prevent or tackle future occurrence of such epidemic and other health challenges.

The Speaker of the House, Mathew Kolawole, later asked for a minute silence in honour of the deceased.

He directed that a letter be sent to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, for immediate support and assistance.

Politics

Tension In Kogi As Police Allegedly Open Fire on Journalists, Thugs

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It was gathered that the miscreants gathered at the building as early as 7:00am chanting solidarity songs with the intention to break into one of the warehouses owned by the state government.

There is currently tension in Lokoja, Kogi State, as policemen reportedly opened fire on rampaging thugs, who had converged on Zone 8 area of the town in an attempt to loot a warehouse.

It was gathered that the miscreants gathered at the building as early as 7:00am chanting solidarity songs  with the intention to break into one of the warehouses  owned by the state government.

It was also gathered that efforts by the security personnel attached to the building to pacify and calm the thugs was unsuccessful as they called for reinforcement.

This situation led to sporadic shooting in the area as school children, journalists and others in the vicinity ran for safety.

A journalist with Sun Newspaper, Emmanuel Adeyemi, was alleged to have been hit by a bullet while covering the event.

It was learnt that was he had been moved to an undisclosed medical facility for treatment.

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