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Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has disclosed that two commercial test-run flights will land at the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri, on Friday, April 30, 2021.
Governor Obiano disclosed this when he led members of Anambra State House of Assembly, traditional rulers, members of the clergy including the Catholic Bishop of Ado Ekiti Diocese, Most Reverend Felix Femi Ajakaye, Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, and heads of communities in the state to assess work level at the airport.
According to Governor Obiano, the two test-run flights would land simultaneously on either sides of airport runway which has already been completed and certified by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA earlier this week.
The airport has a three-point-seven kilometer runway, with two racers of one kilometer each attached on either sides of the runway, making it the longest in Subsaharan Africa.
While the control tower, water supply source, fire control units, terminal building, taxi ways and parking lots are nearing completion, ninety percent of the airport fencing is completed.
Also among the visitors were Awgbu, Anambra State-born Mayor of Brent, London, Mr Enerst Ezeajughi, the Nigerian Ambassador to Burundi, Chief Elijah Onyeagba, among others.
Governor’s wife, Dr (Mrs) Ebelechukwu Obiano was also in the entourage.
The Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma‘s house at his hometown in Omuma, Oru East local government area of Imo state, on Saturday morning was attacked and set ablaze by suspected hoodlums in black and black attire.
Vanguard in Owerri monitored the attack which saw sympathizers, villagers struggled to extinguish the fire.
As of the time of filing this report, many of which was said to be official vehicles were inflame as the suspected lifeless body was lying in front of the governor’s house. Just as part of the building was also inflame.
The House of Representatives has begun an investigation into the discreet, illegal human organs’ trade between Nigerian and Chinese trafficking syndicates.
The resolution was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by a member, Rimamnde Kwewum from Taraba State and co-sponsored by Olajide Olatubosun from Oyo State at the plenary on Thursday.
Moving the motion earlier, Kwewum said that about two weeks ago, Chinese authorities seized a cargo ship that sailed from Nigeria with thousands of human private parts.
According to him, they were found in 36 boxes labelled as plantain on the ship that harboured at the Shanghai port called Red Market.
He said the Chinese General Administration of Customs had alerted that an increasingly large number of armed groups in Africa used organs which were harvested in unsanitary conditions to finance their nefarious activities.
“The media was awash a few years ago with horrifying stories of the harvest of organs of Nigerians and other Africans stranded in Libya for sale in Europe, the Middle East, America and China.
“Aware that the increasing cases of missing persons, ritual killings and trafficking of persons out of the country may be linked to the Red Market which can be attributed to the trafficking of young men and women who end up being victims of organ harvesting;
“Also aware that the increased banditry, kidnappings and spiralling violence in several parts of the country today make those parts of the country vulnerable and provide safe havens and ready supply channels for the illicit activities,” he said.
Kwewum said that harvest of organs could only be done by medical surgeons with the aid of rogue public officials.
He added that the perpetrators of the illicit trade generated between $600 million to $1.2 billion profit annually.
Kwewum recalled that in 1987, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that the illegal trade violated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Cognisant that the International Community has made efforts to curb the menace of Red Market, such as the Istanbul Declaration urging professionals to put an end to the unethical actions where organs of unfortunate victims of economic migrants and human trafficking in Europe and the Middle East are ripped off, thereby constituting a gross abuse of the rights to life of those Nigerians.
“Convinced that if nothing is done to curb this criminal act, more criminals will set up shops dealing in human organs in Nigeria, taking advantage of the insecurity in the country,” he said.
The House mandated the Committees on Human Rights and National Security and Intelligence to investigate the whole gamut of this value chain, known as Red Market or illicit market in human organs.
In his ruling, the Deputy Speaker of the house, Ahmed Wase, mandated the committees to report back within 10 weeks for further legislative action.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, yesterday, inaugurated the newly asphalted 22.443km Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Abba-Obollo Etti road which was awarded under the Phase one roads of the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP-2) in the state.
Inaugurating the all-important rural road which connects Isi-Uzo and Udenu local government areas, Governor Ugwuanyi disclosed that the project was in line with his administration’s rural development agenda, stressing that it will ease “the movement of goods and persons while advancing our administration’s rural connectivity and integrated development strategy.”
The governor revealed that two collapsed Bailey bridges were also reconstructed as part of the road project, adding that “this 22.443km road received asphaltic concrete surfacing along its entire length representing a pioneering instance of asphaltic concreting of RAMP-2 roads since the programme’s inception in Nigeria.”
He expressed gratitude to the World Bank and French Development Agency (AFD) for yielding to his administration’s persuasion for the novelty in asphalting of RAMP-2 roads in the country.
The governor, therefore, tasked the beneficiary communities to “take ownership of this critical infrastructure, protect it and optimise its utilitarian value”, stressing that “our administration is committed to the establishment of Enugu State Rural Road Maintenance Agency for enhancement of the durability and serviceability of rural road infrastructure while we desirably strive to participate in the RAMP-2 successor Project, the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), for consolidation of the gains made in RAMP-2.”
National Coordinator for Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) and Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU), Abuja, Aminu Bodinga Mohammed, commended Governor Ugwuanyi for his administration’s performance of Enugu RAMP-2 “that has successfully constructed a total of 417.682km rural roads against the set target of 370km.”
Mohammed who noted that “this laudable achievement is quite commendable”, pointed out that the administration of Gov. Ugwuanyi, which paid its counterpart funds, “was also able to construct a total of 23 nos. River Crossings against the set target of 16.
“The achievement of the state (Enugu) cannot be over emphasized, most especially the completion of about 270km of roads within 11 months.
“Let me also congratulate the SPIU team under the able leadership of Engr. Chinedu Ugwu for a work well done in Enugu State. I urge the state to keep up the good works.”
State Project Coordinator for Enugu RAMP-2, Ugwu and the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Greg Nnaji applauded Gov. Ugwuanyi for his commitment to the success of RAMP projects in the state, in spite of the state’s lean resources as a result of the nation’s economic challenges.
He said that RAMP has constructed over 418 rural roads, several brides and culverts in the state.
The Delta State Police Headquarters, Asaba, has been gutted by fire. The incident was caused by an electrical spark that occurred at the Command control engine room, causing damages to some gadgets and part of the building housing the unit.
The incident was confirmed in a statement by the Acting Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bright Edafe.
He said, “today 22nd April 2021, at about 1445 hours, there was a fire outbreak at the command control engine room.
“The command wishes to state that the fire outbreak affected only a part of the control room. Fire service was called immediately, and their timely intervention saved the situation.
“Presently, fire has been put out. Cause of fire incident not yet known but suspected to be as a result of an electrical spark from the communication engine room.
“Meanwhile, investigation into the incident has commenced.
“The Commissioner of Police urge members of the public to ignore any rumor contrary to the actual fact stated above.”
Leader of the outlawed Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has said that he is banning any forms of Election campaign in Anambra state
According to him in a live broadcast he made yesterday, he said “Because of the very nasty statements recently made by Governor Willie Obiano; because Obiano has invited DSS into Anambra who now go about abducting IPOB members, there will no longer be elections in Anambra state. Any politician that comes out to campaign in Anambra state shall be fiercely confronted.” Nnamdi Kanu on Radio Biafra (22:04:21)
The Enugu state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu
Tension enveloped Enugu on Thursday evening as Hausa cattle traders at the New Artisan Market attacked government officials and destroyed a police vehicle.
The PUNCH gathered that trouble started when officials of the state government went to demolish the New Artisan Market following an order of the State High Court, which was said to have declared the market a security threat because of its proximity to the Government House.
However, an attempt to effect the execution was fiercely resisted by the Hausa traders, who reportedly went inside the market, brought several AK-47 rifles and chased away the officials and police detachment.
An eyewitness, who gave his name as Sampson Okorie, told our correspondent that the gun wielding Hausa traders also seized two bulldozers the state government deployed to the market and destroyed police Hilux vehicle
The vehicle, according to him, was abandoned by the police, who ran for their life when they could not escape with it.
He said, “I was opposite the market when four police vehicles with about 10 policemen arrived at the place with people suspected to be government officials. Earlier in the day, two bulldozers were deployed to the area.
“Shortly after the police arrived, there were gunshots in the air. I came out from the shop where I was and saw people scampering for safety. The policemen were also running.
“The next thing I saw was gun wielding traders, who came out and blocked the NNPC end of the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway and stopping vehicular movement, just as they set up bonfires along the expressway. When the atmosphere became tense, I moved out of the area,” Okorie said.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu, confirmed the incident when contacted on telephone.
Aliyu described the action of the traders as unfortunate, saying the traders had a meeting with the State Governor, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, on Wednesday night, when they agreed to move out of the market on Thursday.
President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the latest killing of tens of people by bandits in Zamfara State.
The Nigerian leader warned that “such wanton disregard for life will be brought to an end sooner than later.”
President Buhari in a reaction to the incident said that “this insane and persistent violence against innocent people must stop”.
He added that “these criminals should stop pushing their luck too far by believing that the government lacks the capacity to crush them.”
The President directed the military, security and intelligence agencies to take immediate steps to close all existing gaps in their operations being exploited by criminals to wreak havoc.
He expressed hope the Special Operation launched by the military at 3:00am on Thursday from Maru Local Government area will prove decisive in ridding the state of the “frequent and horrifying “bandit activities.
“The violence against poor villagers who are struggling with poverty and other severe economic challenges is not going to be tolerated by this administration,” the President warned.
Buhari has called on the security forces to “redouble their efforts in bringing an end to this mindless violence against innocent people.”
“Let’s not give these criminals any opportunity to succeed by taking the war to their own camps and stop them in their tracks before they even have the time to respond under our massive fire power.”
Buhari reassured the people of Zamfara State that, “despite the latest set back in our efforts to protect our citizens, there will be no compromise in our determination to defeat these enemies of humanity.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the backlash against Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.
Buhari declared his support for Pantami amid the backlash from Nigerians.
Pantami was recently linked to terrorists’ organisations like Al-Qaeda and Taliban due to his past radical preachings.
Following the emergence of his past, Nigerians have been calling for his sack and prosecution.
Pantami, however, distanced himself from such extremist groups.
He also admitted making such controversial comments but claimed his perception has changed.
Responding, Buhari berated Nigerians for their harsh disposition towards Pantami and some public officials.
He stated this in a statement signed by his spokesman, Garba Shehu.
The statement reads: “Today, there is an unfortunate fashion in public discourse that makes leaders in politics, religion, and civil society liable in the present for every statement they have ever made in the past – no matter how long ago, and even after they have later rejected them.
“This insidious phenomenon seeks to cancel the careers of others on the basis of a thing they have said, regardless of when they said it.
“The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami is, currently, subject to a “cancel campaign” instigated by those who seek his removal. They do not really care what he may or may not have said some 20 years ago: that is merely the instrument they are using to attempt to “cancel” him. But they will profit should he be stopped from making decisions that improve the lives of everyday Nigerians.
“The Minister has, rightly, apologized for what he said in the early 2000s. The views were absolutely unacceptable then, and would be equally unacceptable today, were he to repeat them. But he will not repeat them – for he has publicly and permanently condemned his earlier utterances as wrong.
“In the 2000s, the Minister was a man in his twenties; next year he will be 50. Time has passed, and people and their opinions – often rightly – change.
“But all discerning Nigerians know this manufactured dispute is nothing to do with the Minister’s prior words, but solely concern his actions in the present.
“This Administration is committed to improving the lives of all Nigerians – and that includes ensuring they are not over-charged or under-protected for those services on which modern life depends.
“The Minister has been leading the charge against illegal data deductions and pricing; he has revolutionized the government’s virtual public engagement to respond to COVID-19 and save taxpayers’ money; he has established ICT start-up centres to boost youth entrepreneurship and create jobs; he has changed policy to ensure locally produced ICT content is used by ministries, starting with his own; and he has deregistered some 9.2 million SIMs – ending the ability for criminals and terrorists to flagrantly use mobile networks undetected. In two short years, Minister Pantami has driven the contribution of the ICT sector to the GDP to more than 18 percent, making it one of the top two playing a critical role in the emergence of the economy from the COVID 19-induced recession.
“In putting people first, the Minister and this administration have made enemies. There are those in the opposition who see success and want it halted by any means. And there is now well-reported information that alleges newspaper editors rebuffed an attempt to financially induce them to run a smear campaign against the minister by some ICT companies, many of which do indeed stand to lose financially through lower prices and greater consumer protections. The government is now investigating the veracity behind these claims of attempted inducement, and – should they be found to hold credence – police and judicial action must be expected.
“The Administration stands behind Minister Pantami and all Nigerian citizens to ensure they receive fair treatment, fair prices, and fair protection in ICT services.”
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, has said that the leaders of the Southeast must ensure sanity within their region before negotiating for presidency in 2023.
AYCF National President, Yerima Shettima made the remark in response to comments by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, apex Igbo socio-political Organisation that they would reach out to other regions to allow the Southeast produce Nigeria’s President in 2023.
Speaking with DAILY POST, Shettima said it would be difficult to trust the Southeast with power amid the call for Nigeria’s breakup by groups and individuals from the region.
Recall that the President-General of Ohanaeze, George Obiozor, had said 2023 was the turn of the Southeast to produce Nigeria’s president.
Obiozor had disclosed that the South-East would negotiate with other regions to allow for an Igbo presidency in 2023.
But Shettima said Nigerians would not deprive them such an opportunity if Southeast leaders deal with Igbo descents calling for Nigeria’s breakup.
He said: “If Ohanaeze says they will negotiate, then that is a bit of politics but unfortunately for them, they need to ensure sanity in their region first.
“Nobody will deprive them the opportunity to produce the president being a Nigerian but not when they have one of their own threatening the corporate existence of our nation, Nigeria.
“They have not taken any decisive step to condemn the action and inactions of those criminally minded people, but expect Nigerians to entrust them with power.
“It will be difficult to entrust them with power, it’s better for them to ensure sanity in their home before coming to the table to discuss with those on top so people can say they have shown commitment and not by threats and intimidations, those days are over.”
BT Afrika 