KICNEWS

Category: News

  • Katsina probes Hisbah over alleged torture, murder

    Katsina probes Hisbah over alleged torture, murder

    Katsina probes Hisbah over alleged torture, murder

    The Acting Governor of Katsina State, Faruk Umar, on Tuesday, inaugurated a committee to investigate a viral video on social media showing the alleged torture of some individuals by the personnel of Hisbah.

     

    Activities of Katsina State Hisbah Board were recently tagged by residents as anti-social and infringement of rights of people across the State.

     

    Investigations by PUNCH Online revealed that on May 5, 2024, in the Katsina metropolis, a joint operation by Hisbah and Community Watch Corps at a wedding ceremony turned violent. The security forces fired shots into the crowd, resulting in the tragic death of Mallam Gambo Maipaci, a middle-aged vulcanizer.

     

    An eyewitness, Mohammed Musa, told PUNCH Online that “immediately the Hisbah alongside CWC alighted, without much ado, they started shooting while those with knives too were seen chasing the crowd.

     

    He said, “In the process, a bullet pierced through Mallam Gambo, the vulcaniser. They rushed him to a nearby hospital where he later died. Not only that, Hisbah has been infringing on our rights ever since its establishment by Radda’s administration.”

     

    Related News

    Inaugurating the committee on behalf of the acting Governor, Secretary to the Katsina State government, Abdullahi Faskari, read the terms of reference to include “investigate the veracity or otherwise of the viral video on the social media on alleged torture of individuals by personnel of Hisbah.

     

    “Other allegations of victimisation and torture being perpetrated by the personnel of Hisbah; study the Law establishing HISBAH Board with a view to determining lapses (if any) leading to violations of fundamental human rights; identify Hisbah personnel who are involved in the act of victimisation and torture of people and recommend sanctions as appropriate.”

     

    He said the committee will submit a report within 10 days from the date of inauguration of the Committee.

     

    The Commissioner of Youth and Sports Development, Aliyu Zakari, will chair the committee, while others are Permanent Secretaries of Ministries of Religious Affairs, Justice, Internal Security and Home Affairs, among others.

     

     

  • Protest: Shelve proposed nationwide protest, IG tells organisers

    Protest: Shelve proposed nationwide protest, IG tells organisers

    Shelve proposed nationwide protest, IG tells organisers

    The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday warned groups planning and mobilising for a nationwide protest against economic hardship in the country scheduled to begin August 1, 2024, to have a re-think and jettison the plan because it is ill-advised.

     

    He spoke against the backdrop of viral social media campaigns about the proposed protest which is gaining momentum, adding that the country had had its fair share of violent protests with dastardly consequences.

     

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    Speaking at a meeting with DIGs, AIGs and command police commissioners of the 36 states and FCT in Abuja, Egbetokun reminded Nigerians that the last #EndSARS protest aggravated crime rates and insecurity in several parts.

     

    He said: “Before concluding this address, it is important I address an issue of urgent national importance which appears to have gained some momentum, particularly on social media, in the past few weeks.

     

    “Some groups of people, self-appointed crusaders and influencers, have been strategizing and mobilizing potential protesters to unleash terror in the land under the guise of replicating the recent Kenya protests.

     

    “While the force acknowledges the right to peaceful protest as enshrined in our constitution, we must ensure that these protests do not snowball into violence or disorder.

     

    “As a nation, we have had more than our fair share of violent protests, with rather dastardly consequences.

     

    “The last #EndSARS protest led to one-tenth destruction of public assets, including police stations, courts, and transport infrastructure, as well as the loss of several lives. Tales of sorrow, tears, and blood followed what was supposedly intended to be a well-intentioned exercise.

     

    “Rather than lead to any positive outcome, #EndSARS merely aggravated crime rates and insecurity in several parts of the country. Indeed, we are yet to fully recover from the huge economic losses and deep-seated psychological and emotional trauma inflicted upon our people by these protests.”

     

    Consequently, Egbetokun urged the citizens to jettison the proposed protest, insisting that the police had a responsibility to protect citizens and their properties.

     

    “Our position is that the proposed violent protests are ill-advised and should be jettisoned fortuitously. We have the responsibility to protect properties and everyone, irrespective of their race, colour, ethnicity, or tribe, who are lawfully embarking on their daily activities.

     

    “We will, therefore, not sit back and fold our arms to watch violent activities unleashed on our peaceful communities or destroy any of our national critical infrastructure and assets again,” he added.

     

    The IGP said measures were in place to ensure that any hoodlums attempting to disguise themselves as protesters would be apprehended.

     

    He said: “We have mapped out plans to ensure that no individual or group succeeds in fostering a reign of terror and anarchy on other law-abiding and dissolving Nigerians.”

     

     

  • Lagos billionaire kidnappers: Last-minute conversation before they struck at Ladipo

    Lagos billionaire kidnappers: Last-minute conversation before they struck at Ladipo

    Lagos billionaire kidnappers: Last-minute conversation before they struck at Ladipo

     

    Lagos billionaire kidnappers: Last-minute conversation before they struck at Ladipo

     

    LAGOS — As if in a movie, the conversation between the leader of recently killed billionaire kidnappers in Lagos, said to be a Nollywood actor/producer, Prince Henry Ode and another member of the notorious gang planted at the market on the day of their operation, has been exposed.

     

    Police sources said they had stationed one of their members inside the popular auto spare parts market on the Oshodi-Apapa expressway, Lagos, to monitor the movement of their target, hours before they struck at the market.

     

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    It was learned that he was giving them minute by minute information on the movement of their victim, and when it was ripe to strike, he gave the go-ahead information.

     

    It was gathered that details of their conversation emerged after detectives at the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Special Squad led by Kehinde Oni unearthed vital digital and electronic information about their preparation for the operation, during which the squad swooped on them and in an exchange of fire, they were neutralised.

     

    It learned that the hoodlums had arrived the market not knowing that they were being watched by detectives, who were personally selected by state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adegoke Fayoade, strategically stationed.

     

    Intelligence revealed that a voice recorded message was going on between the popular Nollywood actor and a yet-to-be-identified member of the gang posted to the market to monitor their victim.

    The voice-recorded conversation in Igbo language ran thus:

     

    Actor: How far, is he out now? Which road leads to that place, is it through airport or 7/8?

    Member: I don’t know the road he uses. I am still watching him. Where are you people now? Have you taken off? He has entered his car, no time.

     

    Actor: Do you know your problem? You are never calculative. You are a drunk. Drink will make you not to achieve anything in life. So you have the compass about the man’s movement and you did not tell us earlier? Continue drinking.

     

    All I want is for you to give me the information I need. After we must have succeeded and given you your share, you can finish it on drinks, no wahalla. How many times did I call you? We don dey come.

     

    Member: Please don’t be angry with me, no vex. You know how Ladipo is now.

  • Sad; Plane crashes in Nepal with 18 dead, pilot sole survivor

    Sad; Plane crashes in Nepal with 18 dead, pilot sole survivor

     

    Plane crashes in Nepal with 18 dead, pilot sole survivor

    Plane crashes in Nepal with 18 dead, pilot sole survivor

    Officials examine the site after a Saurya Airlines’ plane crashed during takeoff at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on July 24, 2024.

     

    A passenger plane crashed on takeoff in Kathmandu on July 24, with the pilot rescued from the flaming wreckage but all 18 others aboard killed, police in the Nepali capital told AFP. (Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP)

     

    A passenger plane crashed on takeoff in Kathmandu on Wednesday, with the pilot rescued from the flaming wreckage but all 18 others aboard killed, police in the Nepali capital told AFP.

     

    Nepal has a woeful track record on aviation safety and the Himalayan republic has seen a spate of deadly light plane and helicopter crashes over the decades.

     

    The Saurya Airlines flight was carrying two crew and 17 of the company’s staff members, Nepali police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki told AFP.

     

    “The pilot has been rescued and is being treated,” he added. “Eighteen bodies have been recovered, including one foreigner. We are in the process of taking them for post-mortem.”

     

    The flight was being conducted for either technical or maintenance purposes, Gyanendra Bhul of Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority told AFP without giving further details.

     

    Bahadur and Bhul were unable to confirm the nationality of the sole foreigner aboard.

     

    Images of the aftermath shared by Nepal’s military showed the plane’s fuselage split apart and burnt to a husk.

     

    Around a dozen soldiers in camouflage were standing on top of the wreckage with the surrounding earth coated in fire retardant.

     

    The plane crashed at around 11:15 am (0530 GMT), the military said in a statement, adding that the army’s quick response team had been lending assistance with rescue efforts.

     

    News portal Khabarhub reported that the airplane had caught fire after skidding on the runway.

     

    The plane was scheduled to fly on Nepal’s busiest air route between Kathmandu and Pokhara, an important tourism hub in the Himalayan republic.

     

    Saurya Airlines exclusively flies Bombardier CRJ 200 jets, according to its website.

     

    – Plagued by poor safety –

    Nepal’s air industry has boomed in recent years, carrying goods and people between hard-to-reach areas as well as foreign trekkers and climbers.

     

    But it has been plagued by poor safety due to insufficient training and maintenance — issues compounded by the mountainous republic’s treacherous geography.

     

    The European Union has banned all Nepali carriers from its airspace over safety concerns.

     

    The Himalayan country has some of the world’s trickiest runways to land on, flanked by snow-capped peaks with approaches that pose a challenge even for accomplished pilots.

     

    The weather can also change quickly in the mountains, creating treacherous flying conditions.

     

    Nepal’s last major commercial flight accident was in January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines service crashed while landing at Pokhara, killing all 72 aboard.

     

    That accident was Nepal’s deadliest since 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane died when it crashed on approach to Kathmandu airport.

     

    Earlier that year a Thai Airways aircraft had crashed near the same airport, killing 113 people.

     

     

  • FG doles out N150,000 grant for small businesses in Jigawa

    FG doles out N150,000 grant for small businesses in Jigawa

    FG doles out N150,000 grant for small businesses in Jigawa.

     

    FG doles out N150,000 grant for small businesses in Jigawa

    FG doles out N150,000 grant for small businesses in Jigawa

    The Federal Government, on Tuesday, offered N150,000 grants to outstanding Micro Small and Medium Enterprises in Jigawa.

     

    Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the offer while launching the 4th edition of the Expanded National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Clinic in Dutse, Jigawa.

     

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the expanded National MSME Clinics is one of the federal government’s strategies for ease of doing business in Nigeria.

     

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    This will be achieved through a series of business forums organised across the country to provide on-the-spot solutions to challenges confronting MSMEs.

     

    The first, second, and third editions were launched in Benue, Ogun, and Ekiti States, respectively, earlier this year.

     

    Shettima, who reiterated the federal government’s support for MSMEs, noted that the N150,000 grant “is an outright grant that does not require beneficiaries to repay.

     

    “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to announce that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has mandated that a grant of N150,000 each be awarded to outstanding exhibiting MSMEs at today’s event.

     

    “Rest assured that this is an outright grant, and the beneficiaries will not need to repay it.”

     

    Shettima said that, as the very foundation of the nation’s economy, the MSMEs sub-sector had remained a top priority of the Tinubu administration.

     

    He noted that the MSMEs did not only represent 96 per cent of all businesses in Nigeria but contributed more than 45 per cent to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

     

    Shettima added that MSMEs provided a crucial lifeline to 80 per cent of the nation’s workforce.

     

    “We recognise your essence, and that’s why we are establishing MSME clinics across the nation.

     

    “These clinics will act as incubators for small businesses and offer alternative financing. They will also ensure that you have the support and resources you need to compete and thrive,” he noted.

     

    He observed that the prosperity of small businesses was the prosperity of Nigeria, and their downturn was the downturn of Nigeria.

     

    Shettima urged the business owners not to harbour any fear, assuring that the Tinubu administration would not rest until each of them “is in a vantage position to access the support and capital made available for them.”

     

    Earlier, Gov. Umar Namadi thanked the federal government for providing dividends of democracy to the people of the state through the MSME Clinics and related projects scattered across the area.

     

    Namadi urged the existing and aspiring small business owners in the state to take advantage of services provided through the clinics.

     

    He described the initiative as a rare opportunity for operators in the sector in Jigawa.

     

    He said the state government was aligning with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda through the ‘Greater Jigawa Initiative’ that provides social protection services and projects for the people.

     

    The high point of the event at the Malam Aminu Kano Triangle was the inspection of exhibition pavilions by MSMEs in the state and the commissioning of the Jigawa Retail Empowerment Shops.

     

    Earlier, on arrival in Dutse, Shettima commissioned the 10-hectare solar-powered irrigation farm at the Sumore Farm in Madobi.

     

    He also commissioned 1,435 J-AGRO Agricultural Extension Agents and the distribution of agricultural inputs under the NG-CARES Fadama Programme.

     

    NAN reports that the inputs will benefit more than 26,000 individuals, of whom 30 per cent were women.

     

    Similarly, Shettima inaugurated the Palliative Shop initiative at Yalwawa before proceeding to the Dutse Ultra Modern market, where he commissioned a 120KVA solar plant.

     

    Shettima said the solar unit would ensure that the entire market receives a minimum of eight hours of electricity per day during market hours. (NAN)

     

     

     

  • Hoodlums ‘ll loot our shops’, Kaduna non-indigenes flay planned protest

    Hoodlums ‘ll loot our shops’, Kaduna non-indigenes flay planned protest

     

    Hoodlums ‘ll loot our shops’, Kaduna non-indigenes flay planned protest

    ‘Hoodlums ‘ll loot our shops’, Kaduna non-indigenes flay planned protes

     

    Non- indigenes in Kaduna State have raised alarm over consequences of the planned nationwide protest against soaring cost of living and economic hardship in the country, alleging that hoodlums hiding under the protest would loot their shops; market and business premises across the State.

     

    According to members of the Kaduna Non Indigenes Forum especially the Igbo traders, they decided to withdraw from the protest, because of past experiences in which once there was any protest action or crisis situation in the State, the target was usually market stalls and business areas with extensive looting of food items; electronics and valuables .

     

    The Kaduna Non-Indegenes Forum in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Chief Emeke Emmanuel Okafor and Secretary, Mr Adewale Peter Adelanwa urged the citizens to shun the directive to embark on the planned protest, considering the fact that the Police Command in State recently banned all forms of unlawful protests. “It is our hope that citizens in the State will remain law abiding in this regard,” they added.

     

    While expressing concerns over the possibility of violence, citing past instances where similar protests in the State had degenerated into escalated crisis, the Forum called on state government to deploy armed security operatives to red zones or identified flash points to secure lives and properties.

     

    It described Kaduna as a volatile State with non-indegenes most hit and suffering huge loss of lives and property during any crisis period over the years, adding that they can’t afford to lose anyone and valuables.

     

    “It is our desire that considering the past crisis experiences and strong possibilities of hoodlums hijacking the peaceful process, we strongly advise against any form of protest in Kaduna for now .We want to categorically state that we are part of the people facing the economic hardship, but we cannot afford to lose our hard earned investments and properties at this critical period,when Nigerians currently are battling one of the country’s worst inflation and economic crisis sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.”

     

    “There was a report where the United Nations (UN) department of safety and security warned that the planned protests in Nigeria may be hijacked by groups with ulterior motives,hence our decision to appeal to citizens against joining the protest action.”

     

    “There is no how the “10 days of rage,” starting from August I to 10 will address the country’s soaring cost of living and economic hardship,instead it will cause more hardship,” the kaduna Non indigenes Forum added.

  • NDLEA warns youths against drug abuse, trafficking

    NDLEA warns youths against drug abuse, trafficking

    NDLEA warns youths against drug abuse, trafficking

    Drug abuse

    Retired Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa, the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA ) has cautioned youths against illicit drug consumption and trafficking.

     

    Marwa, advised the inauguration of the agency’s new Zonal Office in Ayingba, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi on Tuesday.

     

    Marwa, who was represented by the Zonal Commander Zone C, Mr Hassan Sakaba, said that the establishment of the zonal office at Ayingba was to help the agency in it’s activities to checkmate the prevalent drug abuses and trafficking in Kogi and North Central.

     

    He called on the residents of Kogi to join the agency in its fight against illicit drug consumption and trafficking to save the youths from destruction.

     

    “As patriots and concerned citizens of our dear country, we should rise to the occasion to ensure that we fight against the menace to keep our youths safe and sound.

     

    “Illicit drugs are cutting short lives of our children, very promising children, who are our future leaders. We must therefore not allow that to happen, ” he said.

     

    The NDLEA boss commended Gov. Usman Ododo for his unalloyed support to the agency in the state.

     

    Inaugurating the Office, the EJE of Dekina, Alhaji Usman Obaje, commended NDLEA for its resilience at fighting the illicit drug war in Kogi and the entire nation.

     

    The traditional ruler said: ‘the quantum of seizures and arrests of drug traffickers in recent times speaks volume of the enormous works your agency is doing to protect the citizens from destruction.”

     

    Earlier, in his welcome address, the NDLEA Kogi Commander, Alhaji Umar Yahuza, said that the opening of the zonal office was to ease the activities of the agency in tackling drug abuse and trafficking in the state.

     

    He urged the people of Ayingba and environs to we endeavor to report any suspicious moves by drug peddlers for immediate action.

  • Lagos govt arrests 40 persons overnight street trading

    Lagos govt arrests 40 persons overnight street trading

    Lagos govt arrests 40 persons overnight street trading

    Lagos Taskforce impounds 11,300 motorcycles, arrests 9, 664 offenders in 2021

    The Lagos State Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences, Enforcement Unit says it has arrested 40 persons for allegedly trading on the street at night and causing heavy traffic in Ikeja.

     

    The agency’s Spokesperson, Mr Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, confirmed the arrests to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

     

    Abdulraheem said that the suspects had been operating illegal night street trading and restaurant at Alade Avenue, Orishe and Johnson Streets, all off Obafemi Awolowo Way in Ikeja.

     

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    “They have converted streets to mini-markets and restaurants, thereby causing serious human/vehicular traffic obstructions and serious environmental pollution along those routes and adjoining streets,” he said.

     

    The spokesperson said that the two-day night raid led by the agency’s Chairman, CSP Adetayo Akerele, was carried out when the traders erected makeshift shops and placed barricades on parts of the road, causing traffic impediments.

     

    Abdulraheem noted that the suspects also flouted the state’s laid-down environmental laws through indiscriminate disposal of waste and solid materials into the gutters in the area.

     

    He said: “The raid will be a continuous exercise as a step made in the interest of the citizenry who have longed for solutions to the menace of street trading.

     

    “Some of these locations serve as a haven for suspected criminals and they enjoy the proceeds of their criminal activities there.

     

    “The flooding experienced in some parts of the state is also as a result of improper disposal of waste that end up clogging the drainage channels.

     

    “They also sell drugs indiscriminately there, which is counter-productive to the society,” he further said.

     

    The spokesperson appealed to other recalcitrant street traders and vendors to relocate their stores to designated outlets designed for trading and vacate the streets and inner roads.

  • What Nigerian politics has done to women – Akpoti-Uduaghan

    What Nigerian politics has done to women – Akpoti-Uduaghan

    What Nigerian politics has done to women – Akpoti-Uduaghan

    What Nigerian politics has done to women

    Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, (PDP, Kogi Central), has said politics in Nigeria has robbed women of their femininity.

     

    She spoke during the ECOWAS Female Parliament Association spotlight initiative titled: “Rethinking Women’s Proportional Representation in Governance: Case Study of Nigeria”, in Abuja, yesterday.

     

    Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan used the opportunity to highlight the high cost of politics in Africa’s most populous nation which she said puts women at a disadvantage because most men are more financially stable than women in Nigeria.

     

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    She said, “Politics is extremely dangerous in Nigeria. In Nigeria, you can’t be gentle as a woman.

     

    “ I honestly wish politics in Nigeria would not be so tough because when a woman who is born to nurture becomes too tough, it’s not good.

     

    “I am so tough now that I rarely cry except maybe something totally touches my heart that I pushed myself.

     

    “That is what violence teaches you, so I have to constantly tell myself, do not let your experiences change you because I don’t want to be like those who attacked me.”

     

    The federal lawmaker emphasised the financial strain playing politics in Nigeria places on politicians noting that running for office in Nigeria is a very expensive venture.

     

    She, however noted that as a public spirited individual who cares about the welfare of the greater number of people in soceity, she has not allowed these challenges dissuade her from running for office.

     

    While going down memory lane, the Senator narrated her intentional move to join politics in 2018, the challenges she faced during elections, and her determination to serve her community.

     

    Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed the need for a less financially burdensome electoral process and expressed her interest in studying the independent candidature system in Liberia as a potential solution.

     

    She also recalled the personal sacrifices she made for her political career, including surviving accidents and enduring physical hardships while running for office.

     

    In her address at the event, she addressed the challenges women face in Nigerian politics, including the loss of dignity and the cultural barriers they encounter.

     

    She urged male leaders to be mindful of their words when addressing women in politics, adding that they should rather support and encourage women in their political endeavors.

     

    Akpoti-Uduaghan further advised women to carefully craft their political agendas and be mindful of overpromising during their campaigns, sharing her own experiences and the toll it took on her health.

     

    She also mentioned her collaboration with Senator Ireti Kingibe to present a bill for gender equity, focusing on 45 percent women inclusion.

     

     

  • Breaking: Senate passes Minimum Wage Bill from N30,000 to N70,000

    Breaking: Senate passes Minimum Wage Bill from N30,000 to N70,000

    Breaking: Senate passes Minimum Wage Bill from N30,000 to N70,000

     

    ***Reduces the time for Periodic Review of Minimum Wage from 5 to 3 years

     

    ABUJA- THE Senate has passed a bill that seeks to amend the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019, to increase the National Minimum Wage from N30,000 upward to the sum of N70,000.

     

    Also passed by the Senate on Tuesday is a bill, inter alia that seeks to reduce the time for periodic review of the National Minimum Wage from Five (5) years to Three (3) years, and for Related Matters.

     

    A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019 to increase the National Minimum Wage and reduce the time for periodic review of the national minimum wage from five years to three years and for related matters, 2024, 2024 (SB. 550) was presented by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central.

     

    The Executive bill forwarded to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu was first presented for the first reading, then scaled second reading and was read the third time and passed.

     

    In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, Senator Bamidele said, “Mr. President, Distinguished colleagues, I humbly rise to lead the debate on the general principles of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 550). The Bill, inter alia seeks to amend the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019, to increase the National Minimum Wage and reduce the time for periodic review of the National Minimum Wage from Five (5) years to Three (3) years, and for Related Matters.

     

    “The Bill was read for the First Time today, 23rd July, 2024.

     

    “You will recall, Mr. President, my dear Colleagues, that in recent times, a plethora of agitations and clamours have been recorded from Organised Labour and another segment of our society, for an increase in the National Minimum Wage given the prevailing economic situation in the country. In response to the agitations and after a series of negotiations between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour, the current National Minimum Wage of N30,000 Naira only has been reviewed upward to the sum of N70,000 Naira only.

     

    Details later…