TheNewsGuru

Tag: Abuja

  • EFCC arrests 6 suspected internet fraudsters in Abuja

    EFCC arrests 6 suspected internet fraudsters in Abuja

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives have arrested six suspected internet fraudsters in Bwari and Dutse axes of Abuja.

    Its Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, who said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said that they were arrested on Monday, following an intelligence report on their alleged cybercrime-related activities.

    According to him, the suspects are Odey Paul, 25, Greg Odey, 23, Julius Okpanachi, 21, Ugbede Opaluwa, 25, Okpanachi Emmanuel, 25, and Mohammed Abba, 26.

    He said that items recovered from the suspects included two Toyota Camry and one Mercedes Benz C300 cars, twelve mobile phones and three laptops.

    Uwujaren said that they would be charged to court as soon as the investigation was concluded.

  • Abuja Airport: FCTA to pay N825.8m compensation for construction of 2nd runway – Wike

    Abuja Airport: FCTA to pay N825.8m compensation for construction of 2nd runway – Wike

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Mr Nyesom Wike, says the FCT Administration (FCTA) will pay N825.8 million as compensation for the construction of second runway for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    Wike stated this in Abuja on Tuesday, while briefing newsmen at the end of a closed-door meeting with members of the Jiwa community and other stakeholders.

    He said that the amount would be paid through the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for compensation and resettlement of the people of the community affected by the project.

    He added that as part of the incentive, 12 people from the community would be employed by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and its agencies and 10 by FCTA.

    He added that the government would also construct the Tunga Madaki bridge along with a five-kilometre road from the bridge to the community for easy movement of the people.

    The minister explained that the project would be captured in the 2024 budget of the FCTA.

    Wike also said that FCTA would equally provide a modern health facility to provide quality health care services for people of the community.

    He said that an undertaking would be signed based on the agreement between the government and the community.

    He identified the signatories as the permanent secretaries of FCTA and ministry of aviation, the Chief of Jiwa, the Chairman, Abuja Municipal Council and the Commissioner, Public Complaint Commission.

    “If that is done today, and tomorrow or next tomorrow the money is paid to them, contractors will no longer delay. They have to move to the site immediately and commence work.

    “So, the second runway has come to stay,” he said.

    He said that the current administration was determined to ensure that the second runway was delivered.

    He commended the Chief of Jiwa, Alhaji Isa Idris, for mobilising his people to attend the meeting to resolve the crises.

    His counterpart, Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, said that he met the issue on his table, adding that the project ought to have been delivered in July.

    Keyamo said that the contractors could not be mobilised because of the issue of compensation.

    Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, said that the completion of the project requires the support of all relevant stakeholders.

    Adesola commended Wike for the intervention to ensure a quick resolution of the issue.

    Dr Emmanuel Meribole, Permanent Secretary, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, said that the project was approved by the Federal Executive Council in March 2022.

    Meribole said that the project was awarded to four contractors in April, with CCECC Nigeria Limited as the major contractor.

    He, however, said that the project was stalled because of the disagreement over compensation to the affected community members.

    Earlier, the Chief of Jiwa, said that the ministry of aviation through its consultant had earlier pegged the compensation at N2.5 million per hectare, for the 12,000 hectares allocated for the project.

    Idris further said that the amount was later reviewed downward to N700,000 per hectare when FCTA took over the discussion as the rightful authority to determine how much compensation to be paid.

    He said that the community took the matter to the Public Complaint Commission with a view to resolve the issue amicably.

    The community leader said that his people were concerned that the N700,000 being offered per hectare would not be enough for the affected persons to acquire another land.

  • Why we demolished multimillion naira duplex in Abuja – FCTA

    Why we demolished multimillion naira duplex in Abuja – FCTA

    A multimillion-naira duplex built on plot 226, in Wuse Zone 6, was on Monday demolished by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

    According to FCTA, the structure was brought down because it was built on unapproved land.

    This was made known by the Director, Department of Development Control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima.

    Galadima said that the building was illegally developed against all warnings, adding that his team had carried out an extensive investigation to ascertain the original owner of the plot, given varying claims that were being put forth by the parties.

    He added that investigation revealed that the developer was not the owner of the plot, adding,” That is why we had to remove the building.”

    He said the FCT Administration will not consider the status of any defaulting developer once development rules and regulations are violated.

    Galadima said: “We demolished the duplex because somebody built it on someone else’s land without valid title and building plan approval.”

    “We allowed the building to this stage before demolishing it because we had to follow all due processes,” he said as quoted by NAN.

  • Abuja building collapse: Wike orders arrest of landlord, victims count losses

    Abuja building collapse: Wike orders arrest of landlord, victims count losses

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike has, ordered the arrest of the owner of the two-storey building that collapsed on Wednesday night at Lagos Street, Garki Village, Abuja.

    The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FCT FEMA) said in a statement that two victims have died, while 37 others were evacuated and taken to the hospital.

    Wike, who gave the order when he visited the scene of the incident on Thursday, also asked the Permanent Secretary, FCT Administration, Mr Adesola Olusade, to pay the medical bills of those hospitalised.

    The minister also urged the Department of Development Control, FCTA, to urgently resettle the residents of the community.

    He urged stakeholders to work with government officials for the interest of everyone.

    “This is what we are talking about; people just built houses without due diligence to minimum standards.

    “This is why cities are planned – forestall this kind of incidents.

    “I sympathise with those who lost their lives while the medical bills of those in the hospitals will be paid immediately,” he said.

    Earlier, the Director, Development Control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, had explained that the area was unplanned and houses an indigenous community.

    Galadima said that the two-storey building was multipurpose and was for both residential and commercial use.

    The permanent secretary commended security agencies and some contractors who came out in their numbers to render support in evacuating the rubbles and search for more victims.

    Also, the Director-General, FCT FEMA, Dr Idriss Abass, said that relevant agencies had been on ground since the occurrence of the incident, to rescue the victims.

    Abass said that efforts were still ongoing “to ensure that no one is left under the rubbles”.

    Meanwhile, some of the victims, who spoke with NAN said that they lost their investments and properties to the incident, and called for government support.

    One of them, Ms Glory Perekeme, who operates a restaurant and a bar at the building, said she lost about N5 million as she could not take anything from her restaurant.

    “I closed for business around 10:00 p.m. and was on my way home when I received a call that the building had collapsed and my investment gone.

    “I am still in shock; and I don’t even know where to start from.

    “I really need assistance. Government should come to our aid so we can start all over again,” she said.

    Another victim, Mrs Ann Anyi, who owned a laundry and sells shoes, said that she lost everything to the incident.

    “I have been crying since I got the news of the incident in the midnight.

    “I am just hoping that when the rescue operation is over, I will be able to salvage something from the rubbles,” she said.

  • BREAKING: 2 dead, 37 rescued in Abuja building collapse

    BREAKING: 2 dead, 37 rescued in Abuja building collapse

    Two persons have been confirmed dead and 37 others were rescued from the rubbles of a two-storey building that collapsed on Lagos Street, opposite the Garki police station, Garki Village, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) late Wednesday night during a heavy downpour.

    The director-general of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Dr. Abbas Iddriss, while confirming the incident, said 37 persons had so far been rescued at the scene of the collapsed structure, while two others were fatally injured.

    Idriss said the affected persons had been evacuated to various medical facilities in the FCT, while some people were still trapped in the rubbles.

    He said the heavy downpour had slowed down the rescue operations.

    “Rescue team and others are on the ground. Rescue operations are on but slowly due to ongoing rain. They are making frantic efforts at getting an excavator to remove people from the rubble,” he had stated late Wednesday night.

    The director general commended the efforts of all stakeholders working hard manually to rescue trapped persons, including members of the community.

    He revealed that rescue missions have continued while they await the arrival of equipment to enhance the operations

    A combined team of FEMA, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), FCT Police Command, and the VIO have intensified efforts to search for more victims who were still trapped under the rubbles.

    The collapsed two-storey building was reported to have served both residential and commercial purposes.

     

  • Many trapped as building collapses in Abuja [VIDEO]

    Many trapped as building collapses in Abuja [VIDEO]

    A multi-storey building located at the Lagos Street in Garki village area of Garki II district in Abuja, has reportedly collapse, amidst heavy rainfall last night.

    Confirming the incidence, a former aide to the immediate past Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Ikharo Attach, said on his Facebook page that thirty seven person have been rescued and taken to the hospital, while others are still trapped.

    He wrote: ‘’So far 37 persons have so far been evacuated to Hospital, Two ‘Fatally injured’. Others reportedly still trapped

    Rescue team and others are on ground.

    Rescue operations on but slowly due to ongoing rain.

    They are making frantic efforts at getting an excavator to remove people from the rubble”

    The affected building is said to have housed many apartments while the ground floor was full of shops.

    See video below:

     

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    A post shared by Media/News Company (@thenewsgurung)

     

  • Alert! Abuja Water Board to stop taps from running today through Saturday

    Alert! Abuja Water Board to stop taps from running today through Saturday

    … affected areas: Lifecamp, Gwarinpa, Utako, others

    The Federal Capital Territory Water Board has advised Abuja residents to store enough water to last 72hours as taps would stop running from today through Saturday.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports this was contained in a public announcement shared in different WhatsApp groups operated by the board.

    In the announcement the board specifically mentioned the following areas that would be affected by the shut down: Gwarinpa, Jabi, Utako, Lifecamp, Gudu, Galadimwa and Karimo.

    The board however assured that water would be restored on Saturday after maintenance must have been concluded within the said period.

  • We cannot allow cows’: Wike vows to stop open grazing In Abuja

    We cannot allow cows’: Wike vows to stop open grazing In Abuja

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has vowed to end open grazing in Abuja.

    Wike, a former Rivers State Governor, said this in a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

    He said: “We will consult with the herdsmen to see how we will stop [open grazing] because we can not allow cows inside the city.

    “They can be outside the city because the grasses are outside the city. The grasses in the city were planted to beautify the city. It is not that one that they would eat.

    “So, we will discuss. It is important. Let us say it, you are trying inside the [Presidential] Villa for example, and you see about 20,000 to 40,000 goats, if foreigners see that, how would they feel?” ‘We will not accept that’

  • JUST IN: NDLEA seizes N56.9m worth of illicit drugs in FCT, arrests 343 suspects

    JUST IN: NDLEA seizes N56.9m worth of illicit drugs in FCT, arrests 343 suspects

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) FCT Command said it intercepted about  3,091.032 Kilograms of suspected illicit drugs with monetary value of over N56.9 million between  January till date.

    Mr Kabir Tsakuwa, FCT Commandant of the agency disclosed this  on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Tsakuwa said that the illicit drugs seized included suspected cannabis sativa, cocaine, Methamphetamine, Heroin, Tramadol, Rohypnol, Diazepam, Ecstasy, and Megadon.

    He also stated that 343 drug suspects were arrested within the period under review, adding that they comprised 328 males and 15 females.

    Tsakuwa also said that within the period under review, 188 drug offenders were prosecuted while 126 had been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms.

    According to him, out of the 3,091.032kgs of illicit drugs seized between January and now, cannabis sativa accounted for the largest seizure.

    Tsakuwa said: “Drugs seized were cannabis sativa 3,022.529 kilograms, cocaine 0.114 kilograms, Methamphetamine 1.25 kilograms, Heroin 0.0021 kilograms.

    “We also seized suspected Tramadol 18.578 kilograms, Rohypnol 1.195 kilograms, Diazepam 4.471 kilograms, Ecstasy 0.113 kilograms and Megadon 0.263 kilograms.

    “The monetary value of these drugs stands approximately N56, 903, 600) only.”

    The NDLEA boss said that 33 persons with drug use disorder were rehabilitated, while 102 drug users had been counselled and released within the!period.

    Tsakuwa added that the agency, in collaboration with other security agencies would participate in a joint operation within the FCT to dislodge shanties and hot spots in the FCT.

    This, he said, were areas where drug abuses and criminality were suspected to be thriving.

  • Nigeria’s First Lady hosts Super Falcons in Abuja

    Nigeria’s First Lady hosts Super Falcons in Abuja

    Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday hosted members of the Nigerian female football team, the Super Falcons, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the  Super Falcons crashed out of the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup, being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, having lost through penalties to the English team last Monday, August 7.

    The First Lady, who held a similar meeting with the victorious Nigeria female basketball team, D’Tigress, last Monday, has since been encouraging Nigerian female sports personalities by urging them on and holding meetings such as this.

    Oluremi Tinubu was seen jubilating after Super Falcons defeated Australia 3-2 in the second game of group B.