Sahara Reporters Latest News Monday 21st October 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Monday 21st October 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 21/10/19

Over 300 Shops Razed In Benin Market Fire

No fewer than 300 shops and goods worth millions of naira were on Saturday night destroyed by fire that engulfed Santana Market on Sapele Road in Benin, Edo State.
News Agency of Nigeriareports that residents and owners of the shops could not salvage the situation due to the intensity of the fire.
A resident around the market, Monday Ogbeide, said the fire started at about 11:00pm on Saturday.
He said, “We just saw the market burning and we did not know the cause of the fire. All efforts to put out the fire was not successful because of the intensity.
“When we got there, we called fire service but they did not respond.”
It was learnt that it took the effort of fire fighters from the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company to put out the fire.
All effort to reach the state fire service to find out why they did not respond to distress calls put across to them was not successful.

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Investigate MDAs Over Recruitment Scandal, SERAP Tells EFCC, ICPC

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission have been asked to “jointly carry out a prompt, thorough, transparent and effective investigation into allegations that principal officers and members of the Nigerian Senate are using their official positions to get job slots from government agencies”.
The call was made by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project in a petition signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
SERAP also urged the anti-corruption agencies to “probe allegations that some ministries, departments, and agencies are selling the employment slots at their disposal, with a single slot being allegedly sold for as much as N1.5m”.
It added, “We urge you to prosecute anyone suspected to be involved should you consider there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence, and to make public the outcome of any investigation.
“These allegations show the face of public recruitment in Nigeria in recent decades, which has typically been that of political influence, cronyism, patronage, and corruption.
“The allegations amount to a fundamental breach of the Nigerian constitution 1999 (as amended), the country’s anti-corruption legislation and international obligations, particularly Article 7 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a party.
“The leadership of the Senate allegedly received 100 employment slots from Federal Inland Revenue Service to share among themselves.
“The Senate President Ahmad Lawan allegedly secured 26 job slots from the FIRS.”

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USSD Charge: Minister of Communication Calls For Discontinuation By Network Providers

Minister of Communication, Isa Pantami, has ordered the immediate stoppage of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data deductions by network providers in Nigeria.
Pantami ile reacting to public outcry about the charges on Twitter,said the ministry was not aware of the sudden plan by network providers to charge users for USSD transactions.
He said, “We have directed Nigerian Communication Commission to ask MTN to suspend the plan.
“We are not aware of it officially. We will investigate and make sure the right thing is done.”
MTN Nigeria had reportedly sent a message to customers notifying them of its intention to deduct N4.00 per USSD transaction.

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Ondo Road Accident Leaves Five Persons Dead, Two Injured

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At least five persons lost their lives while two others were left seriously injured after a road accident involving a car and truck on Sunday along the Ondo-Ore Expressway.
The accident, which took place at Awoyaya Junction, involved a private Sharon Volkswagen car with registration number KTU 706 BW said to be travelling from Onitsha to Ile-Ife; and a heavy-duty truck.
Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Ondo State, Rotimi Adeleye, who confirmed the tragedy to Channels Television, added that two others sustained injuries, while a little boy escaped unhurt.
Adeleye revealed that the accident must have been caused by speeding and poor visibility.
He said the bodies had been deposited at the morgue, while those who sustained injuries are receiving treatment at a hospital.

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E2%80%94tcn Nigerian Government Earmarks $1.61bn For 24-hour Power Supply —TCN

The Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Alhaji Usman Gur, has said the government in collaboration with international donor agencies has set aside over $1.61bn to ensure constant power supply in the country.
Gur, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the TCN, revealed this on Sunday in Kano State while briefing journalists at the Kumbotso power sub-station, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
He stated that the project will be carried out under the Transmission Rehabilitation Expansion Programme.
He said, “We are rehabilitating and expanding to degree 20, 000 Mega Watts by 2022 across the country.
“The total amount that we are going to pay for compensation across the country is about N32bn.
“And the total project cost is $1.61bn. The project will be supported by various international donors.”

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Buhari Orders Eradication Of Illegal Rehabilitation Centres In Nigeria

President Buhari Observes 59th Independence Anniversary

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the police and other law enforcement agencies to identify and flush out all illegal rehabilitation centres across the country.
The order follows the discovery of another unlicensed correctional facility in Kaduna on Saturday after one had earlier been found in Kano and Katsina states.

Four Soldiers Killed By Terrorists In Borno

At least four Nigerian soldiers and a militia fighter were killed in clashes with IS-aligned jihadists in Borno State, security sources told AFP on Sunday.
Fighting erupted late on Saturday when troops ambushed a convoy of the Islamic State West Africa Province near Jakana Village, 42 kilometres from the state capital, Maiduguri.
Several troops were also injured and four trucks were lost to the militants, a soldier said.
The jihadists were riding in pick-up trucks fitted with machine guns according to a source, who confirmed the death toll.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Nigerian military said seven jihadists were killed and eight injured when their vehicle hit a landmine during a clash near Jakana on Friday.
The improvised explosive device had been planted by the jihadists, army spokesman Colonel Aminu Iliyasu was quoted as saying.
The decade-long conflict, which spilt into Nigerian neighbours — Niger, Chad and Cameroon — has killed at least 35,000 people and forced some two million to flee their homes in Nigeria alone.

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E2%80%93army Seven Terrorists Killed, Eight Crippled By Own IEDs In Borno –Army

The Nigerian Army has said that seven terrorists died when their vehicle stepped on Improvised Explosive Devices they planted for troops in Lamba’a forest along Jakana-Mainok road in Borno, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Col. Aminu Iliyasu, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, adding that eight other terrorists were crippled by the IEDs.
He said, “The incident was a clear case that can be best described as a tactical boomerang as a vehicle belonging to the terrorists stepped on an IED they planted against troops in the area.”
Iliyasu also disclosed that a syndicate specialised in smuggling smoked fish from the Lake Chad region for sale in some parts of Nigeria was busted by the troops.
He said the proceeds from the sales are believed to be channelled into the procurement of food stuff, groceries, drugs, toiletries, vehicle spare parts and other items for the sustenance of the terrorists’ activities.
He added, “Relatedly, troops of Sector 3 Operation Lafiya Dole, while acting on intelligence, raided the residence of some suspected illegal fish smugglers near Water Board Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno State.
“Four suspects were arrested and 16 sacks of smoked fish concealed in a room were recovered.
“In a similar operation conducted by troops of Sector 2 Operation Lafiya Dole on October 10, intercepted nine vehicles loaded with smoked fish consignments at Bukarti in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe en-route Hadejia in Jigawa.
“Consequently, 18 suspects including drivers, conductors, mechanics and agents were also apprehended.”

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E2%80%99s-convoy One Killed During Attack On Kogi Governorship Candidate’s Convoy

A man named Yusuf Seidu Uhiene has been killed after hoodlums attacked the convoy of governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kogi, Mr Musa Wada, on Saturday.
In a statement, the Deputy Director, Public Communication of the PDP in the state, Austin Okai, said the spate of attacks was becoming a threat to the conduct of the November 16 governorship election in Kogi.
Okai disclosed that Uhiene was killed by thugs believed to be supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
According to him, two other PDP supporters, Nasiru Sule and Ilemona, sustained serious injuries during the attack.
He said, “Our candidate, Engr Musa Wada, was in Anyigba to attend the Kogi East PDP stakeholders meeting.
“Between the main road and Harbour bay, the venue of the meeting, APC thugs unleashed mayhem on our supporters killing one and injuring two others.”

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Assistant Commissioner Of Police Kidnapped In Kaduna, N50m Demanded To Free Him

The Area Commander, Suleja Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr Isa Rambo, has been kidnapped by gunmen around Kaduna.
It was revealed that Rambo, who is an Assistant Commissioner of Police, was kidnapped on his way to Jos, Plateau State, on Saturday evening.
A senior officer told PUNCH, “He was kidnapped around Kaduna and was on his way to Jos along with his driver when they were attacked and whisked away.
“The kidnappers have made contact with us and are demanding a ransom of N50m.”
The victim is the second senior police officer to be abducted in the last three months.
In August, a Divisional Police Officer in Delta State identified as Okoro was abducted and released after a ransom of N3m was paid but the police denied the incident.
The Abuja-Kaduna Expressway has witnessed unprecedented kidnappings in recent times, forcing many to opt for trains rather than road transportation.
When contacted, the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said he was not aware of the incident.

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