Category: General

Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria has urged leaders at all levels to fear Allah and ensure equality of all citizens irrespective of their religious, tribal and political affiliations.

The Chairman, Northern States’ Council Missioners of Ansar-ud-deen, Sheikh Muhydeen Ajani-Bello, made the call at the 28th Annual Ramadan lecture and Special Prayer for the nation held at the society’s Mosque, Maitama-Abuja on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of of the lecture was: “Ramadan: Islam and Good Governance, the Role of Muslim”.

Ajani-Bello, who was the Guest Lecturer at the event, also emphasised the need for leaders to take the issues bordering on the welfare and well-being of the citizens more seriously.

“As a leader, you have to govern well. Everybody is very important to you either being a Muslim or Christian in as much as you are their leader.

“You must look at their welfare, it is very important and you should allow them to advise you because you should have advisers among them those who can advise you constructively and if you listen to their advice it will guide you.”

Earlier, the Chief Imam of Ansar-ud-deen Abuja Mosque, Dr Musa Olaife, enjoined all the newly elected and reelected leaders to fulfill their campaign promises.

“Our leaders, especially the newly elected ones need to be very upright and sincere in their dealings and fulfill all their promises, because we are tired of promised and fail it too much in this country,” he said.

Also, the Co-Chairperson of the Day and daughter of the President-elect, Mrs Folashade Tinubu, appealed to all Nigerians to intensify prayers for the success of the incoming government of Sen. Bola Tinubu and Vice President-elect, Sen Kashim Shettima.

She said: “I appreciate all Nigerians that supported and voted them and it is not over yet, we need to pray for them to do the needful.

“We also need to pray for them to be able to do things that will satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.”

Earlier, the Chairman of Abuja branch of the soceity, Alhaji Mohammad Olayiwola implored all Muslims to justify the benevolence of Allah on them by sharing their prosperity with the less privileged among in the society.

He also enjoined Muslims to donate raw food items, cash and other resources to the poor in seeking Allah’s blessings on their lives and assets.

Olayiwola said: “This year’s Ramadan theme reminds us on the emulation of our Islamic leader and role model, Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in government as a leader and the governed.”

NAN reports that the high point of the event was the offering of special national prayer for an end to the socioeconomic as well as the security challenges facing the country and enhanced peace, progress and development of the land.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Lagos State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun on his Appeal Court’s victory.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Friday annulled the Osun Governorship Election Tribunal’s decision and upheld Adeleke as the rightful governor of Osun in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel headed by Justice Mohammed Shuaibu.

It would be recalled that the Osun governorship election tribunal annulled the July 16, 2022 election of Adeleke and declared the incumbent, Gov. Gboyega Oyetola the winner.

Reacting, Lagos PDP Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Hakeem Amode told NAN that the chapter was happy the appellate court affirmed the mandate given to Adeleke at the poll.

“”The entire leadership and members of PDP in Lagos state are elated with this victory. It is heartwarming.

“We are looking forward to getting justice in all our court cases across the country,” Amode said.

Commending the judiciary, Amode said that the judges were expected to be above board without being intimidated or influenced by corrupt politicians in any matter before them.

“The Judiciary is supposed to be the hope of the people but what happens nowadays in our clime worries so many people.

“Where do people run to if judges and justices meant to stand in the gaps and dispense justice now allow themselves to be influenced because of money?

“Our society is what it is today because of the compromise in our justice system.

“The only way our society can be saner and compete favourably with the western world is when evil people, no matter their influence and affluence, power and position, can no longer evade justice in the law court.

“We are happy with this judgment and wish justice will be rightly dispensed in all cases of electoral frauds in the just-concluded general elections,” he said.

According to him, if Nigerian leaders and citizens, have the consciousness that there will be consequences for actions, everyone will sit tight and change negative attitude in the society.

Amode urged the judiciary across levels to rebuild Nigerians’ confidence in the justice system of the country.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Dr Victor Oye says his position as the party’s chairman is not in dispute because the Supreme Court has not delivered a fresh judgement on the matter.

Oye said this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.

He said that the briefing was to make some clarifications on the rumours that the Supreme Court had given fresh judgement on the chairmanship tussle between himself and Mr Edozie Njoku which was settled on Oct.14,2021.

He said that the supreme only sat on Friday to correct a clerical error.

He said that following a judgement which purportedly affirmed the factional National Convention of APGA held in Owerri,Imo, he approached the Court of Appeal in Kano to set aside the judgement.

He said that consequent upon that,the Court of Appeal delivered a judgement on Aug.10 ,2021 which allowed the Appeal Court to set aside the judgment of the Jigawa High Court and the Supreme Court also upheld the Appeal Court’s judgement on Oct.14 ,2021.

He said that it was an act of mischief for people to contemplate that the Supreme Court delivered another judgement on March 24.

“The news have been going around about a purported judgement by the Supreme Court today ; there was no judgement by the Supreme Court. No fresh judgement by the Supreme Court at all.

“The Supreme Court sat today for less than 10 minutes, to correct a clerical error on page 13 of the judgement that they delivered on Oct. 14, 2021.

” What was the clerical error? At the Jigawa Birnin Kudo High Court, Edozie Njoku’s name was mentioned there as having purported suspended by the party,a fact alleged in the summons filed at the Jigawa High Court which was thrown away by the Appeal Court Kano.

“So that clerical error was just on page 13 of the judgment of the Supreme Court, just one name ,Edozie Njoku to replace my name there because my name was not mentioned at the Birnin Kudo High Court.

“This is because I have never been suspended by anybody; I have always been the National Chairman of the party because I was duly elected by a national convention of the party held on May 31, 2019 in Akwa monitored by INEC,” he said.

He reiterated that on Oct. 14 2021, the Supreme Court affirmed the judgement of Court of Appeal Kano after the appeal affirmed him as National Chairman, resting on the judgement of an Awka High Court which had not been appealed till date.

He said there was no basis for a fresh case because the Supreme Court had affirmed the judgement of the Court of Appeal and dismissed all applications for joinder.

“It was dismissed ,so there was no way the Supreme Court would have sat in judgement over its own judgement , because as far as we are concerned that judgement is Res judicata ,it has been dealt with and gone forever,so Njoku cannot be Chairman.”

Oye expressed disappointment over some media reports on the issue which were without clarification or balancing, adding that the story indicating fresh judgement was fake news.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Maj.-Gen. Obinna Ajunwa, says debate and quiz competitions are well thought out strategies to develop critical thinking in students.

The competition was sponsored by the GOC, who is passionate to see children grow up into critical thinkers and become world-class leaders in different endeavours.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Command Day Secondary School (CDSS) Lagos, (Ipaja), came first; CDSS, Oshodi, came second and CDSS, Ojo came third.

Ajunwa said that the best thing that one could give to a child was education, be it university education or craft, indicating that both educations were complementary.

“So, we must aspire to get both and that is why the education system is changed to 6-3-3-4 to make sure we can acquire both.

“The idea of this event is not to get a winner or loser but to make sure that we improve you in your studies, confidence level and especially in your ability to think critically.

“Critical thinking is one of the first forms in which a system develops and you may be able to critic whatever somebody gives to you and not swallow it hook, line and sinker,” he said.

The GOC said that during his days as a student, he was privileged to have participated in debate and quiz competitions which he said developed his confidence level.

“It is one thing for you to have the knowledge and it is another thing for you to practise it and to make it available to the public.

“It is my privilege to have seen that the students communicated a high level of knowledge and I believe that there are also good ones among you that did not come out to participate.

“I urge the teachers and the administrators to make sure that they continue to give the best to them so that their tomorrow and our tomorrow will be better,” Ajunwa said.

Ajunwa said that it was important for students to know that education was not only done in the classroom but also done outside the classroom.

“So, we must teach them to remain focused in that direction that is why you have to bring them out for activities such as this, sports among others.

“By so doing, they will have a complete education that is comprehensive and that is why this type of programmes are important.

“I believe in them because all of us are actually products of the same process and we will not allow the process to die,” Ajunwa said.

Muhammad Owolawi, an SSS 3 student of CDSS, Lagos (Ipaja), said that such competitions had helped him to build his self esteem.

Owolawi ascribed his ability to speak in public to his teachers and his colleagues who encouraged him to be bold and always give his best.

Also, Mariam Adebayo, 12-year-old student in JSS 3, CDSS, Ojo said that her participation in debate, especially, when it brought laurels to her school, suppressed her initial stage fright.

Adebayo said that she was grateful for such opportunity to engage in public speaking and looked forward to more competitions in future.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The AU Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to creating the enabling environment for sustained political will, needed to eliminate TB and improve the health of Africa’s people.

H.E. Amb. Minata Cessouma, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union ?Commission (AUC), made the remarks in a message to mark 2023 World Tuberculosis (TB) Day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is marked annually on March 24 and the theme for 2023 is : “Yes! We Can End TB!”.

According to Cessouma, the global theme for the day induces a fresh perspective of hope for collective power, ?attention, and energy to end TB.

“As Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the AUC, I join the rest of the world to commemorate the 2030 World TB Day.

“The message comes at a time when we are encouraged by ongoing collaborative works between governments, scientists, healthcare workers, development partners and communities to produce more effective TB treatment.

“ All the TB-related policies – AU Agenda 2063, Africa Health Strategy (2016 – 2030) ???and the Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB, and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030 – champion partnership for sustainable development and prosperity in Africa.

“We must join efforts to ensure that ?all the hard work is amplified to result in improved TB awareness, prevention, detection, and treatment.?’’

According to her, it is well understood that TB infection is influenced by social and economic development determinants such as HIV infection, malnutrition, diabetes, smoking and alcohol use abuse.

“The significant impact of HIV co-infection among TB patients in Africa calls for stronger integration of TB and HIV-enhanced services.

“The AU Commission’s social development agenda 2063 is premised on delivering a human-centred approach to promote socioeconomic wellness, human rights and dignity.

“I believe that addressing the social determinants of health, such as ?housing, income and access to culturally-appropriate health care, can potentially drive down the TB epidemic.? ?

“Advancing the implementation of the AU Theme of the Year 2022 on Nutrition and Food Security will also increase food security sustainability,? thereby reducing TB disease prevalence.

She said it had become crucial to protect vulnerable groups affected by humanitarian emergencies, including children, people with disabilities, and older persons, and preserve their social welfare.

“This is as they are vulnerable to severe direct and indirect financial and economic costs that pose barriers significantly affecting their access to TB diagnosis and treatment.

“ Increased investment in strategies to reach vulnerable populations is crucial to fulfilling the End TB Strategy ?(2023-2030).

“The Strategy envisions reduced TB incidence by 80%, TB deaths by 90%, and eliminated catastrophic costs for TB-affected households by 2030; it is achievable if we all work together.’’

She said that ensuring equitable access to prevention, treatment and care for this disease across all ?AU Member States required adequate funding for TB and TB/HIV services and relevant advocacy, research and innovation activities.

“The 2022 Global TB Report illustrates a decline in global spending on essential TB services.

“ The “Addis Ababa Commitment towards Shared Responsibility and Global ?Solidarity for ?Increased Health Financing Declaration” (AU Assembly ALM ?Declaration) calls for mobilising adequate domestic resources for health care to reach all who need it.

“There is an urgent need to intensify efforts to mobilise additional funds from domestic sources and international donors.

“The 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB in ?September will allow leaders to renew their commitment to accelerate efforts to end TB.?

“When leaders speak boldly about TB, and other communicable and non-communicable diseases, it breaks barriers created by ?stigma and inequality. ‘’

Cessouma urged all AU Member States to join hands to demonstrate bold, ?accountable leadership towards ending TB.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A member of the ’94 set of the Super Eagles, Mutiu Adepoju, has described the Super Eagles 0-1 loss to the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau as unbelievable.

A shell shocked Adepoju, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), queried what went wrong with the senior national team to warrant such an embarrassing defeat in the hands of Guinea-Bissau.

NAN reports that the Eagles wings were clipped at the M.K.O. Abiola Stadium in Abuja, venue of the Match Day 3 of African Cup of Nations qualifier.

The unexpected win for the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau came through France-based striker, Mama Samba Balde, who scored the only goal of the testy match in the 30th minutes.

Adepoju, who claimed not to have watched the match, said he would have expected the match to be a walkover for the Nigerian team.

“We lost at home again? This is serious, I just want to finish with breaking of the fast and settle down. This is a match we should have won, period.

“I don’t know what to say to this, it is just unbelievable that we can lose to Guinea Bissau right at home.

“We just need to find a way around this and see what other matches will bring, this is serious,” he said.

NAN reports that Nigeria now occupy second position in Group A standing with six point, while Guinea Bissau moves up the summit with seven points after three rounds of matches.

The Super Eagles have a date with the Wild Dogs on Tuesday, March 28.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Tanzanian authorities said Thursday that the pilots who flew a Precision Air plane which crashed into Lake Victoria last November failed to heed warnings from an automatic “pull up” alarm system.

Nineteen people died when the plane plunged into Africa’s largest lake on November 6 last year, with police blaming bad weather for Tanzania’s worst aviation accident in decades.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan promised a formal investigation into the disaster as anger erupted over the government’s handling of the rescue effort.

In the second preliminary report to be published since the accident, the transport ministry said Thursday that an enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) issued three alerts “about the excessively high descent rate”.

“The warning was not followed by corrective action of the flight crew,” the ministry’s aircraft accident and incident investigation branch said.

“Instead, the flight crew pushed the control column into a nose down position.”

The EGPWS alerts the cockpit if a plane is in danger of flying into the ground or hitting something.

The report said the pilots were flying in bad weather and in conditions marked by poor visibility, which “may have contributed to the failure to react to terrain warnings during the final approach.”

“This type of weather is common around the Bukoba airport and is well known to pilots,” it said, adding that the aircraft circled for about 20 minutes before its descent.

An earlier report published by the ministry soon after the accident said the rescue effort was too slow, and that more passengers would likely have survived had emergency workers been better prepared and equipped to carry out their duties.

Fishermen, who were the first to arrive on the scene, used canoes to pluck people to safety after a crew member unlocked a rear door, allowing survivors to get out.

But most of the victims were in the submerged front of the plane, while the two pilots were unable to escape the cockpit.

Investigators said the cause of the crash was still being probed.

Precision Air, which is partly owned by Kenya Airways, said 39 passengers and four crew members were on board flight PW 494 from financial capital Dar es Salaam to the northwestern city of Bukoba.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

Seychelles and other developing countries will have the same right to access and benefit from resources found in the high seas through a new United Nations high seas agreement.

Member states of the UN agreed on a text for the setting up of an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) at the fifth intergovernmental conference of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) in New York on March 4 in New York,

Marie-May Jeremie, the chief executive of the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT), who was part of the Seychelles delegation, told SNA on Friday that “for the first time there is a mechanism that is being established to preserve what we call ‘high seas,’ which for us are the places outside our EEZ [Exclusive Economic Zone].”

She said that the BBNJ will allow Seychelles and other countries to consider putting in place protected areas on the high seas.

The BBNJ Treaty, also called the Treaty of the High Seas, is an international agreement that aims to preserve and sustainably use the marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. This includes the high seas, which are outside of countries’ exclusive economic zones and make up nearly half of the Earth’s surface.

Jeremie said the benefits for Seychelles is that “we will have more possibilities to be part in research activities that take place in high seas especially. As a small island state along with other developing countries, we do not have the capacity to conduct these big researches. So, we want a system that is more equitable one in which everyone can benefit from what is called the ‘common heritage of mankind.”

The treaty establishes a decision-making standard that requires activities affecting high seas biodiversity — both new activities and ones conducted under existing bodies — to be managed to prevent, mitigate or manage significant adverse effects. It also provides for much greater transparency when an activity conducted within national jurisdiction may have impacts on the high seas.

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, with 99 percent of its territory as ocean, this treaty’s aims and components are of national priority.

A press statement from the Department of the Blue Economy said the BBNJ treaty may benefit Seychelles in creating high seas marine protected areas (MPAs) that will help ensure Seychelles’ fisheries continue so that seafood production remains a pillar of our economy and provides food security.

Seychelles’ Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Ian Madeleine said “The treaty itself amplifies some of the important initiatives that Seychelles has pioneered in relation to Area Based Management Tools and Marine Protected Areas, to a global scale in order to secure healthy oceans through international cooperation. Beyond that, with an international agreement that makes provision for capacity building and technology transfer, there is potential for Seychelles to access the means to realise its environment conservation and sustainable development priorities.”

The treaty creates the foundations for Area Based Management Tools (ABMT). Through it, MPAs will be set up and environmental impact assessments, capacity building and transfer of marine technology as well as the management of marine genetic resources will be conducted on the high seas.

These will have huge implications for Seychelles since it is surrounded by water and everything that happens outside its borders is linked to its EEZ and internal coastal waters.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

The Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) and the French Armed Forces in the Southern Indian Ocean Zone (FAZSOI) will continue close collaboration in the battle against the trafficking of illicit drugs in the region, they reaffirmed on Friday.

The continued collaboration was part of discussions held onboard the French vessel Champlain where Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan met French officers involved in an enormous drug bust in the Indian Ocean.

Ramkalawan and the French Ambassador to Seychelles, Olivia Berkeley-Christmann, visited the vessel to thank and congratulate the team for the work currently being done in the region.

Around 1 tonne of heroin was seized on March 9 onboard an Iranian dhow, the Al Balal, on the high seas after the Champlain officers carried out an inspection. The dhow had been monitored for several days after its presence had been confirmed by a Seychelles Air Force Dornier flight operation.

“It was a highly successful operation, although it is not the first time that the BSAOM Champlain has helped Seychelles,” said President Ramkalawan in his speech to thank the officers.

The last time the vessel came to the small Island State’s aid was when there were tropical cyclones going through Aldabra Atoll, a Seychelles’ UNESCO World Heritage site, and Assumption, the island nearest to it.

“Had there been a need, BSAOM Champlain would have been the first vessel to assist us,” he explained.

The BSAOM Champlain is an offshore support vessel inspired by the platform supply vessel format, with a large loading capacity on deck and in the hold. It is 65m long, and displacing up to 2300 tonnes in weight, it is manned by two crews of 24 sailors, who change every four months.

Recently commissioned, Seychelles Coast Guard officer, Marlon Noel spent time on BSAOM Champlain.

President with Seychelles Coast Guard officer, Marlon Noel. (Rassin Vannier, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

“It was a successful mission, with the sophisticated equipment on board the vessel. Everything was done according to our SOPs [standard operating procedures]. I have seen how the French forces collaborated with Seychelles and how they worked to intercept the threats in the region,” he told reporters.

He also explained that while this is not the first time he has taken part in such an operation as he has done so locally but it is the first time he has done so with an international team.

FAZSOI, which is a permanent military presence based in Reunion and Mayotte, regularly holds such operations to combat drug trafficking in the region.

Seychelles, an archipelago in the Western Indian Ocean, has an Exclusive Economic Zone of 1.4 million square kilometres which makes surveillance of illegal maritime activities a challenge.

The island nation has stepped up efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking and illegal fishing in its waters. Part of the measures is that SDF assets are continuously involved in regional operations with partner countries and organisations.

Source: Seychelles News Agency