Dear KFBers, we have got loads of interesting stories in tonight's #MajorHeadlinesYouMissedToday feature...enjoy!
Former presidential candidate, Pere Ajuwa dies
The death has been announced of elder statesman, Chief Pere Ajuwa.
Ajuwa, a former Presidential Candidate of the Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria and the Alliance for Democracy in the 2003 and 2007 elections reportedly died at a hospital in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Confirming the development, Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson described Ajuwa’s demise as sad, shocking and a monumental loss to the government and people of Bayelsa State.
Dickson, in his condolence message, recalled Ajuwa’s journey into politics, which saw him hustle for the governorship stool of the old Rivers State and later for the presidency.
Dickson said, “Ajuwa supported every genuine effort of the Ijaw people to be properly recognised and be accorded their pride of place politically, economically, and in other areas of human endeavour by using his personal resources to fight for the political and economic emancipation of the minorities of the South-South.”
Nigeria can produce 3m barrels of crude per day – Kachikwu
The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources , Mr Ibe Kachikwu, said that Nigeria is capable of producing three million barrels of crude oil per day from the Niger Delta region.
Kachikwu stated this at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs on Tuesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that apart from the Niger Delta Ministry, the convener, the meeting was also attended by officials from the, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCD&MB), among others.
The minister said the insecurity in the region had been undermining the nation’s capacity to realise its potential in oil production.
“It is important we continue to sustain the institutional engagement and negotiations which are key to the development of the region.
“Our target is zero militancy by the middle of 2017, and an incident reduction in the region by 90 per cent by 2018.
Akpabio denies sponsoring 2face Idibia’s planned protest
The Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has denied that he is the brain behind a nationwide protest which will be staged by singer 2face Idibia and other celebrities against the federal government on February 5.
Social media has been awash with speculations that Akpabio, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, was sponsoring the protest.
Rumours claimed 2face has been friends with Akpabio for a long time and pointed to the Prado SUV he received from the Governor in 2013 as a wedding gift as proof.
But in a statement released by his spokesperson, Anietie Ekong, he made it clear that he had nothing to do with it.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that Senator Akpabio knows nothing about the planned protest neither is he the sponsor,” the statement read.
The statement continued: “According to the information being circulated the organizers of the planned protest have stated clearly that their protest is: ‘a call for nationwide protests as we say no to the Executive, no to legislatures, no to judiciary.’ Is it not idiotic and senseless for anyone to imagine that Senator Akpabio will sponsor a protest against the same arm of government that he is serving as a leader?
“As the Minority Leader, Senator Akpabio has consistently maintained that Nigerians should put aside their differences and support every effort that will pull the country out of the present recession.
“Much as he believes in the right of every Nigerian to express himself, he does not think that mass protest is the solution.”
“The mischievous attempt to drag the name of Senator Akpabio into the planned protest should be discountenanced as the handiwork of political jobbers,” the statement said.
Policemen who harass Nigerians, search through phones in trouble – AIG
Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone II Kayode Aderanti has warned police operatives against harassing Nigerians.
He spoke on Tuesday during a familiarisation visit to the Lagos Police Command at Ikeja.
On issue of kidnapping, Aderanti said: “Already, the commissioners of police in Lagos and Ogun States are working in partnership with the inspector general of police’ anti-kidnapping unit.
“Also, there has been an increase in cultism in Lagos and I charge policemen to take up the responsibility and ensure their effrontery is reduced to the barest minimum.
“Illegal duty by policemen has reached an alarming proportion and is highly unprofessional. It needs to be nipped in the bud. Some of them operate in unmarked vehicles, harassing people and searching through their phones. That must stop as violators will be severely dealt with.
“The current Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has zero tolerance for corruption and official misconduct.
“Whosoever requests money for bail or to register people’s complaints is on his own and they will be tackled appropriately. I warn again, don’t demand gratification from members of the public.”
The AIG further warned officers and men residing in dilapidated barrack buildings to vacate.
He said: “Policemen living in rickety barracks should vacate those buildings. Most of those structures cannot stand any integrity test.
“I urge you in your best interest to move out because of your family. When you go to work, you leave them at home and if the building collapses, they will be victims.
“We have a genuine desire for them to be alive because it’s only the living that can fight crime. Anyone who does not live in police barracks is paid his/her rent allowances.”
FG bars Unviersities of Agric from admitting students without farming interest
Nigerian Government has stopped the admission of students who do not have farming interests into its Universities of Agriculture.
Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said this at a stakeholders’ meeting with registrars and pro-Chancellors of the universities in Abuja on Tuesday.
The minister, who expressed regrets that non-agriculture-based courses like engineering were being offered in the schools, directed that only agriculture-related disciplines be thought.
Ogbeh said the Federal Government’s decision to relocate its three Universities of Agriculture from the Federal Ministry of Education to Agriculture, was to refocus the schools as globally acclaimed citadels to move the agriculture sector forward.
“The domiciliation of the universities in this ministry is a commendable effort by the Federal Government based on sound reasoning and logic.
“Your return will effectively help us to reposition the three universities of agriculture as centres of excellence for the rapid development of the agriculture sector.
“There is no place where the competence and capacity to drive agriculture resides outside the Universities of Agriculture. We need to achieve a hunger-free Nigeria.
“Henceforth, students who are not interested in becoming farmers should be made to seek admission elsewhere.
“We are determined to offer you the necessary support for your transformation, for research for a healthier realm of discovery and self-actualization,’’ Ogbeh added.
Zimbabwean football star, Onisimor Bhasera cheats death, survives car crash (Photos)
International football star, Onismor Bhasera has escaped with minor bruises after he was involved in a car accident in Zimbabwe on Monday, January 30, 2017.
The defender, who represented Zimbabwe at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, was traveling in his white BMW to South Africa, where he plays for SuperSport United, when he lost control of his car after hitting a pothole just after Birchenough Bridge in Zimbabwe..
The defender, who represented Zimbabwe at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, was traveling in his white BMW to South Africa, where he plays for SuperSport United, when he lost control of his car after hitting a pothole just after Birchenough Bridge in Zimbabwe..