Global Naija Info

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) said it would be collaborating with the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) on the registration, certification and licensing of teachers across the country. Mr Muyiwa Ojewuyi, Head, Information and Public Relations unit of the council, quoted the council’s registrar, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, to have said this in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday. Ajiboye, also the Chief Executive of TRCN, said this was to rid the teaching profession of quacks without any hesitation when he paid a courtesy visit to the NUT headquarters in Abuja, it said. The statement said that the collaboration between both organisations would reposition the teaching profession in the country better. “We are now more determined and focused on how to positively reposition the teaching profession in Nigeria and that is why we have come to solicit the support of NUT.” According to him in the statement, TRCN is NUT’s baby and the baby must not die as a ...

Plenty rams but no buyers due to high cost As Muslims prepare to celebrate Eid-El-Kabir on Sept. 12, ram sellers in Jos have been moving with their animals on the streets of the Plateau capital in search of buyers. Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who went round some parts of the city, found youths dragging hordes of rams through various streets, where they haggled over the prices with those that showed interest. At Beach road in central Jos, the hawkers were seen with five rams, while some dragged eight rams or more, through the crowds and heavy traffic. The situation was the same in Bukuru, where youths were seen moving round with the rams around communities populated by Muslims. Some of the ram sellers told NAN that they were forced to look for buyers on the streets because customers were not visiting the usual selling points. One of the sellers at Tudun-Wada, Akilu Ambali, said “usually, buyers come to us, but this year, they are not showing up. “Since th...

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode Kazeem Ugbodaga Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has clarified the N500bn Bond Programme approved by the State House of Assembly, saying that the Bond was a pool fund that would span over a period of time and not just for the current appropriation year. The Governor, who spoke to journalists on Wednesday, said that it was pertinent to clarify the Bond Programme as it had been technically misrepresented in some section of the media. Explaining the modalities of the Bond Programme, Ambode said that the State, since 2007, has had two Bond Issuance Programme, adding that the one recently approved by the Assembly was the third and would run for a period of three to five years. He said that for the current appropriation year, the State could only draw N60 billion from the pool of N500 billion, saying that the State would draw from the fund for subsequent years as approved by the House. “Before you can actually even appropriate it in your budget, you nee...

The Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) said it had lost transformer oil, aluminium conductors, upriser cables and other valuables worth N108.8 million to activities of vandals in three states-Kano, Katsina and Jigawa, from August to date. This is contained in a statement signed by the company’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Mohammed Kandi, and issued to newsmen in Kano on Thursday. According to Kandi, the spate of vandalism, energy theft and meter bypass had recently risen extremely in the company’s areas of operation and was becoming unbearable. “The appalling development has caused the company huge losses and setbacks within a period of six weeks,” he said. He called on customers of the company, “who bear the brunt” to watch over the installations in their areas and report to the appropriate security agencies any suspicious move for action. The spokesman quoted KEDCO’s Chief Technical Officer (CTO), David Omoloye, as saying “the quantity of vandalised materials includ...

The Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh has appealed to ex-agitators in the Niger-Delta to always tow the path of peace and dialogue, to ensure sustainable development of the region. Boroh, also Special Adviser to the President on Niger-Delta, made the appeal in a statement issued to newsmen on Thursday in Yenagoa on Thursday. The statement is signed by Mr Piriye Kiyaramo, Media Coordinator, Amnesty Programme, Bayelsa Liaison Office. Boroh said that peace and dialogue remained significant in moving the region forward. The coordinator said that the Federal Government was aware of the plight of the people in the region, particularly the youth and ex-agitators. He urged the aggrieved ex-agitators to seek peaceful ways of resolving issues, through meaningful dialogue with the appropriate authorities. Boroh decried threat by the ex-agitators on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over unpaid stipends, saying such threats were improper. “I advise ...

Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, Inspector General of Police The Commissioner of Police in FCT, Mr Muhammad Mustafa, has ordered massive deployment of security personnel around praying grounds, shopping malls, gardens, recreational spots, critical infrastructures, motor parks for the sallah festivities. This is contained in a statement issued by the command’s spokesman, ASP. Anjuguri Manzah, in Abuja on Thursday. Mustafa gave the order during the command’s strategic operational meeting attended by Heads of Department, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers attached to the command. He felicitated with Muslims faithful in the FCT, and advised worshippers to guard against carrying bags and baggage to prayer grounds. He also enjoined residents to continue to partner with the command by providing it with timely information about criminals and suspicious persons hibernating around their environment through the command’s 24 hours emergency help lines.

Prices of rams on Thursday increased in some markets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at Kuje, Gwagwalada and Abaji markets, prices of rams has increased in spite of low patronage from buyers. At Abaji ram market, a big ram sells for between N100,000 and N120,000 depending on their sizes. A ram trader in Abaji market, Mr. Haruna Bala, told NAN that the price hike was due to the recent increase in the cost of transportation and cost of sustaining the rams before sales. “Prices of commodities in various markets have increased and the cost of transportation of goods is not in the interest of traders. “Transportation fare of a full truckload of rams from Sokoto to Abuja has doubled as against what we normally pay in previous years. “After transporting the rams, we normally invite veterinary doctors to check them because some fall sick due to the long journey,” Bala said. Similarly, at Gwagwal...

Nigeria Police emblem The Police Command in Kano State says it has lost its Divisional Police Officer in charge of Shanono Local Government Area of the state, SP. Hamisu Garko. This is contained in a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Magaji Majiya and made available to newsmen in Kano on Thursday. According to him, Garko died on Sept. 3, as a result of ghastly motor accident. “Until his death, the deceased was the Divisional Police Officer, Shanono Local Government Area,” he said. The police image maker added that the late police officer had been buried in his home town, Garko, in accordance with the Islamic rites.

FILE PHOTO: Kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls wearing the full-length hijab and praying in an undisclosed rural location A don, Prof. Saleh Dauda, says he supports the idea being canvassed that the Federal Government should swap detained Boko Haram insurgents with abducted Chibok School Girls. Dauda, of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Abuja, Dauda, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday. According to him, the idea is a welcome development, if it will guarantee the release of the girls. He spoke in reaction to reports that the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ campaigners were denied access to the Presidential Villa by security operatives on Tuesday. According to him, the blockage of the campaigners is a violation of freedom of association and protest enshrined in any democratic government. He, however, commended the campaigners for their steadfastness in keeping hope alive and putting the government on...

NSCDC operatives The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Sokoto State Command, has mobilised more than 800 personnel to provide security in the state during the forthcoming Eid-El-Kabir celebration. The state Commandant of the corps, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, on Thursday in Sokoto said that the security operatives would be deployed to Eid praying grounds, public buildings and recreation centres to ensure safety of residents. He said that the operatives would complement the efforts of other security agencies in the state to ensure security. “I strongly urge members of the general public to be security conscious and report any suspicious movements in and around their neighbourhood to security agencies for prompt action,” Aliyu said. He also said that plain-cloth security personnel had been deployed on foot patrols to sensitive locations. Aliyu said that the measure was aimed at protecting the citizens against security threats. According to him, NSCDC personnel in loc...

Governor Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State The Adamawa State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal has commenced sitting in Yola. The Secretary of the tribunal, Mr Jimmy Ferdinand, who confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Yola, said the tribunal had received eight petitions. “We received eight petitions, two for chairmanship and six for councillorship. “The two chairmanship petitions are from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Mayo-Belwa Local Government and Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in Lamurde Local Government challenging the victory of APC candidates,” Ferdinand said. He explained that four of the councillorship petitions are from Mayo-Belwa Local Government filed by PDP candidates in Bajam, Gorobi, Gengle and Ribadu wards. “We also have a PDP councillorship petition from Karewa ward of Yola North Local Government and an SDP councillorship petition from Banjiram ward of Guyuk Local Government.” Ferdinand sai...

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has resolved that next Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State will go on as scheduled. The commission on Thursday decided to ignore the advise by the Police and the Department of State Security not to go ahead with the election because of security concerns, saying the governorship election will hold on Saturday in Edo State. Details later.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed at the launch of ‘Change Begins With Me’ campaign in Abuja on Thursday, 8 September, 2016 President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday launched the ‘Change Begins With Me’ re-orientation campaign in Abuja to bring about attitudinal change in Nigerians. The programme designed by the National Orientation Agency under the Federal Ministry of Information is aimed at instilling discipline in Nigerians and promoting patriotism. Speaking as a special guest at the launch of the programme inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Buhari appealed to Nigerians not to see change merely in terms of economic and social progress but in terms of personal behavior, ”on how we conduct ourselves, engage our neigbhours, friends and generally how we relate with the larger society in a positive and definitive way and manner that promotes our common good and common destiny, change at home, change in the work place, change at ...

Brazilian president Michel Temer was booed as the 2016 Paralympic Games opened in Rio de Janeiro to a backdrop of colour, music and a powerful message of inclusivity. Thousands of performers were involved either side of the two-hour procession of competing countries at the Maracana on Wednesday. The competition begins on Thursday when Britain’s Dame Sarah Storey can become the most successful female Paralympian. The opening ceremony began with American Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham, in a wheelchair, jumping from a massive ramp from the Maracana stands and performing a backflip through a giant ring. The Brazilian national anthem was played on the piano by Carlos Martin, whose right hand is severely disabled, before the parade of athletes. The loudest cheer of the night was, however, as expected, reserved for competitors from the host nation. Each nation carried a piece of a jigsaw, which bore the name of their country on one side and faces of competing athletes on the other. Once ...

PPPRA logo Major stakeholders in the petroleum downstream sub-sector have dismissed the report of an imminent increase in the price of fuel. This is contained in a statement jointly signed by Mrs Sotonye Iyoyo, acting Executive Secretary of PPPRA, Mr Obafemi Olawore, Executive Secretary, MOMAN and Mr Olufemi Adewole, Executive Secretary DAPPMA. The statement said in Abuja on Wednesday that the envisaged increase in fuel was unfounded and uncalled for. It said that a decision not to increase the price of fuel was reached at a meeting of the major stakeholders presided over by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu. The statement said the Group Managing Director of (NNPC), acting Executive Secretary of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), and acting Executive Secretary of Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) were at the meeting. Other stakeholders present were the Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), the Exe...

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (C) shake hands with resigning Secretary of Finance Luis Videgaray (L) as the new Secretary of Finance Antonio Meade looks on, during a ceremony at Los Pinos presidential residence in Mexico City on September 7, 2016.  One of President Enrique Pena Nieto’s closest advisers and confidants, Finance Secretary Luis Videgaray, has resigned in a move seen as linked to the unpopular decision to invite Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to visit Mexico. Pena Nieto has taken responsibility for the decision to invite Trump, but a former government official familiar with the workings of the administration said Videgaray would have had played a preponderant role in the decision. Newspaper columnists in Mexico have reported Videgaray was behind last week’s visit, in which Pena Nieto was criticized for not being forceful enough in rejecting Trump’s proposals and comments about Mexico. Videgaray acted as Pena Nieto’s campaign manager during his 20...

Caroline Caroline Wozniacki made it through to a fifth US Open semi-final by beating injured Latvian opponent Anastasija Sevastova 6-0 6-2 at Flushing Meadows. Sevastova needed heavy strapping on her right ankle after falling awkwardly in only the second game. Dane Wozniacki, who is unseeded in New York after slipping to 74th in the world, will play German second seed Angelique Kerber in the last four. Kerber, 29, defeated Italy’s Roberta Vinci, the 2015 finalist, 7-5 6-0. In the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic led 6-3 6-2 when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired with a knee injury, while Gael Monfils beat compatriot Lucas Pouille. Sevastova could not get anywhere near her best after having her ankle taped The decisive moment of the second women’s quarter-final came as early as the second point of game two, when Sevastova moved to her right and tumbled over while trying to make a service return. By the time the trainer returned at 6-0 3-0, she had won just 15 points. It took 52 minutes for...

The Late Abubakar Audu, There are reports that the police in Kogi State have arrested Mohammed Audu, the eldest son of the former governor of Kogi State, the Late Abubakar Audu. The reports revealed that Mohammed Audu and about 15 relatives of the former governor were arrested on Wednesday by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Kogi State Police Command. “The eldest of his sons, Mohammed, as well as siblings and cousins have all been arrested and in addition to them, a traditional ruler was also arrested and detained by the SARS team,” a family source disclosed. According to the family source, Late Audu’s relatives have been detained at the Lokoja police station. The source alleged that they were being detained on the orders of Governor Yahaya Bello. Governor Bello, through his Chief Press Secreatary Fanwo Kingsley, categorically denied being involved in any arrest of Mr. Audu’s relatives. “The governor did not order the arrest of anybody. However, law enforcement agents are...

Andy Murray Britain’s Andy Murray made his earliest Grand Slam exit of the year as Japan’s Kei Nishikori fought back to win their US Open quarter-final in five sets. Murray, seeded second, led by two sets to one but eventually lost 1-6 6-4 4-6 6-1 7-5 in three hours and 57 minutes. Sixth seed Nishikori goes on to face Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro or Swiss Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals. “It was too exciting on the court, but I tried to stay calm,” said Nishikori, the 2014 runner-up. Murray, 29, had been on course to become only the fourth man since the open era began in 1968 to reach all four major finals in the same year, having finished runner-up at the Australian and French Opens, and won Wimbledon.

Russia says its SU-27 fighter jets were trying to identify the US plane. The Pentagon says a Russian fighter plane flew within about 10ft (3m) of one of its reconnaissance aircraft operating over the Black Sea. US officials described the intercept by the SU-27 jet on Wednesday as “dangerous and unprofessional”. Russia’s defence ministry said the US plane had been approaching Russian territory and the SU-27 pilots had adhered to international rules. Russia is currently carrying out military exercises in the Black Sea. Pentagon spokesman Capt Jeff Davis said the US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft had been conducting routine operations in international airspace when the Russian fighter made the unsafe manoeuvre. Advertisement “These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions, and could result in a miscalculation or accident,” he said. A US defence official quoted by AFP news agency said the Russian plane had flown within 30ft of the P-8A before closing to just 10ft...

Boko Haram members There have been deadly clashes between two factions of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, security and local sources have told the BBC. Details of the violent fighting in the Monguno area of Borno state near Lake Chad are sketchy because of a lack of mobile communications in the north-east. It was sparked after so-called Islamic State (IS) announced last month that Abu Musab al-Barnawi was the leader of Boko Haram, replacing Abubakar Shekau. However, Mr Shekau, who initially pledged the group’s allegiance to IS, said he was still in charge. Some analysts believe the split could help the Nigerian military in its efforts to defeat the insurgents. There has been no comment yet from the Nigerian authorities on the fighting.