Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has appointed Mr Mahmoud Ozigi as the pioneer Executive Secretary of Kogi State Drug Management Agency (DMA).
The appointment was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to Kogi State Government (SSG), Dr. Folashade Ayoade.
It congratulated Ozigi and assured of Gov.Yahaya Bello’s support.
It urged the new executive secretary to carry out his functions at the agency with renewed zeal, commitment and dedication.
Newsmen reports that the appointment takes effect from Sept. 28.
Prior to his appointment, he had served as consultant to both government and the private sector.
He was the former National General Manager of TYONEX Pharmaceutical Limited and the Managing Director of AMMAN Pharmaceutical.
Ozigi is a fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacy (FWAPCP) since 2010.
He is a Consultant Pharmacist who specialises in Social and Administrative Pharmacy and a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (MPSN) with over 20 years experience in hospital drug management and dispensing, among others.
The traditional ruler of Lokoja, Alhaji Kabir Maikarfi III (OON) has died at 80 years of age in a brief illness.
Secretary to Lokoja Local Government Traditional Council, Muhammed Usman stated this in a press statement made available to TheNewsGuru.
The statement noted that the royal father would be buried later on Thursday in Lokoja at 16hrs (4:00pm) local time.
Meanwhile, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has joined others to condole the family of decease over the loss and prayed Almighty Allah to grant the Royal Father eternal rest. .
This was contained in a press statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed.
The Governor described the late monarch as a principled, firm, incompatible and loving father whose words of advice, guidance and unique leadership would be missed.
He also prayed for fortitude for those left behind for their loss and enjoined them to take solace in the fact that he lived a life worthy of emulation.
In their condolence messages, the Deputy Governor, Chief Edward Onoja, the minister of state for FCT, Hajiya Ramatu Tijani and other dignitaries also expressed sadness over the death and described the monarch in glowing tribute.
TheNewsGuru recalls that the traditional ruler ascended the throne as the traditional ruler of the ancient town in 1992 and recently celebrated 30th anniversary as monarch in March this year.
The lawmaker representing the Constituency, Atule Egbunu stated this while bemoaning the current situation in area which has been submerged in water.
According to the lawmaker, thousands of Houses and farmlands have been overtaken by the disaster which he described as an “unfortunate annual disaster.”
Mr Egbunu also described the disaster as devastating, saying relocating the victims to a safer place like Idah is currently difficult and beyond the capability of the victims.
He noted that the people are currently not having what it takes to address the damages caused by the diaster, appealing to the State and Federal Governments as well as International Community to come to their aid.
The Lawmaker called on the State Government to urgently come to the aid of the people of Ibaji especially those affected by the Flood.
A Chief Magistrate Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has remanded a 47-year-old man, Tahiru Abdul (aka Iyepopo) for allegedly killing two brothers: one ex-Naval officer and a traditional title holder, Mr. Sylvester Mohammd Sule, Onwocho Sule.
The two brothers hailed from Aku Community in Ankpa Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect was arraigned in a suit with file number: 8MCL/CR19m/022, NoCML239th/2022 before the magistrate court in Lokoja.
Tahiru Abdul was alleged to have conspired with others to kill Sule and Onwocho Sule in their separate houses at Aku village on January 29, 2020 and allegedly setting ablaze property worth billions of Naira.
In an affidavit sworn to in support of a motion experte by the Police Prosecution Officer, Inspector Toyin Momoh on 22 September 2022, it attached an application to remand the accused person in the Federal Correctional Centre in Koto Karfe.
The prosecution averred that the accused person committed the offences of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide punishable with death contrary to Sections 97(1) 223 and 337 of Kogi State’s penal code.
The police preliminary investigation, however, led to the arrest of the suspected killer on 19/9/22, who was said to have been on the run since he committed the offence on January 29, 2020.
“On 30/1/2020 at about 02.48 hours, the complainant/applicant received a report from one John Adoga ‘M’ and one Theophilus Sule ‘M’ both of Aku village in Akpan Local Government Area in Kogi State alleging that on 29/1/2020 at about 22.00 hours, the aforesaid suspect and others now at large criminally conspired, while armed with dangerous weapons invaded the house of one Sylvester Mohammed, Sule and one Onwocho Sule, ‘M,’ both of Aku Village via Akpan,” the prosecutor posited.
“The suspect along with other accomplices now at large killed the two brothers in their respective houses and also set vehicles, motorcycles and other valuables ablaze,” the prosecution said.
The prosecutor also told the court that there is a need for further investigation, stressing that the case file has been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.
The court granted the application and the accused person was remanded at Koto Karfe Correctional Centre.
The court also adjourned the case to 6th October 2022.
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has ordered the closure of a New Generation Church named The New Jerusalem Deliverance Ministry located in Okene.
Church members leaving the premises during the sealing by gov’t agents.
The Church had was in the news two weeks ago when it was gathered that the Pastor was selling water to some of his followers to protect them against guns.
The church that has also been in the news for defrauding unsuspecting members of the public by selling the so called anointed water and running an unapproved medical facility without a license to that effect.
The Pastor popularly known as Peter Adeiza, a music-artist-turned-Pastor is said to have been operating the facility since 2008 and several people were said to have lost their lives as a result of the Illegal and Unhygienic medical practice.
Effecting the Order, Kogi State Security adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara in company of the Information and Health Commissioners, Kingsley Fanwo and Zekeri Usman, other government officials, Agencies and the Security Agents.
Upon entering the church premises, almost 100 people were seen in the building that was said to have been approved to be a Residential area.
It was discovered that aside housing a hospital that is used for illegaly taking deliveries and treating sicknesses, it is also used as a psychiatric and rehabilitation home as several people were seen with chains in their hands and legs.
Members and worshippers confirmed that they have been receiving treatments for different ailments from the “Man of God”.
Mary Oyiza who was chained confirmed that she had a terminal disease and got recovered after she was given anointed water by the pastor. She added that she was chained by an agent of the pastor after she recovered from her illness.
Yunusa Sanusi a member of the community said that his wife was invited to the church as a result of an internal disease that was threatening her life but she lost her life afterwards.
Sanusi said “The pastor called me to come and pay for blood transfusion and I paid over Thirteen Thousand naira but he didn’t do anything”. He added that “it took the intervention of the Community before the pastor could release the corpse of my wife to me”.
According to the state security Adviser, the Pastor had earlier been arrested following a preliminary investigation by the State Investigation Bureau of the Police and the Department of State Services to look into the activities going on in the church location.
Omodara Added that there are enough documented evidences that indicates that what they practice is contrary to both religious and medical practices. He said “In a couple of days, he will be arraigned in court and will be prosecuted if found guilty”.
While addressing Newsmen, the Information Commissioner Kingsley Fanwo said, “we are here for the singular purpose of carrying out the Order of the Governor to see what is happening here and see how to safeguard the interest and health of our people”.
On his part, the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Zekeri Usman said that the health of residents and citizens of Kogi state remains top priority of the government and they as government will not tolerate any act that can threaten the health and peace of its citizens.
His words; “We are not here because of the spiritual things going on here because the people have the right to any religion. We are here because of medical quackery that is being practiced here where babies are being delivered by people who are not trained or licensed to carry out such acts.”
Dr. Zekeri added that “There are a lot of people with mental illness who are chained here without a qualified Medical Practitioner to operate the place. We have heard confessional statements from relatives of people who have lost their children and wives in this facility”.
The commissioner said that it is the directive of the governor to seal off the premises as well as send signals to all other worship centers that practices quackery.
He said, “Kogi State Government has declared a state of Emergency on all forms of Medical quackery and the government will not spare any worship centre that is involved in such criminal act irrespective of the religion.”
Commissioner of Police Edward Egbuka represented by Okene Area Commander ACP Ibrahim Usman said that the Police and other security agencies are on ground to ensure that the premises remain sealed as well as maintain law and order.
Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello has inaugurated the Kogi state 32 -year plan (2023 – 2055) stating that while the current New Direction blueprint is a medium term plan, the ‘32-year Development Plan’ is a prospective plan that would facilitate the state’s developmental aspiration on a long term basis.
He said “we are being intentional about a 32-year development plan now, because we want the future of Kogi state that is optimized to harness the massive advances in human development which are inevitable over the next three decades”.
Governor Bello stressed that at the end of the committee’s exercise he would appreciate action points that would guide his and subsequent administrations on how to make kogi state Nigeria’s confluence of opportunities in reality
He stated that in 32 years from now he envisioned a state that has a strong and sufficient economy, with the highest standard of living obtainable anywhere across the nation alongside abundant social economic opportunities for all residence and citizens.
The governor pointed out that the major duty of the developers of this plan would be to interpret the vision and detail the means of achieving it asserting that the plan must provide for new venture creation and development of industrial hubs in an environment where foreign direct investment would thrive and local enterprises flourish.
According to him “The plan must stipulate an improved network of housing, roads, bridges, telecommunication and electricity infrastructure across the entire state. It must also adjust for the effect of climate change while promoting incremental improvement in education and healthcare, human capital development, security, agriculture and diversity management”.
Governor Bello expressed passion about launching kogi state into a development trajectory that would outlive his tenure; hence the kogi state developmental plan according to him would not only sustain the current successes of his administration but build on them.
He recalled that in the past years of his government, good progress was made in education, health, infrastructure, youth empowerment, civil service and pension reform, agriculture and human capital management as well as critical areas of diversity management, cooperation and integration.
The governor highlighted that the New Direction Government has excelled in public finance management, which according to him had reflected in its number one position among Nigeria’s state in the State’s Financial Transparency Accountability and Sustainability performance in the last four years.
He said the results achieved under his leadership were not by mere guess work noting that from inception there was the New Direction blueprint which guided the government and has helped to make quick progress towards accelerated and proportional development of the state in all constituencies.
Governor Bello tasked members of the steering and technical committees to deliver a developmental plan that was not only far reaching, functional, practical and sustainable but also bold and transformational.
He also charged them to avoid personal and clique interests while they collaborate in the overall best interest of the public, deploy and conduct extensive research, in depth analysis of gathered data which must be extracted from a wide spectrum engagement cutting across all critical sectors.
Light Up Movement, a group created to bridge the gap between the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and consumers in Kogi state has continued on its mandate to ensure effective service delivery from the company and that customers on the other hand meet up with their obligation.
In an event at the Lokoja Town Hall to mark the 3rd Annual Stakeholders Engagement, the Chairman of Light Up Movement, Comr Zakari Iliyasu, commended the recent improvement in power supply to the state and harped on the need for stakeholders to work together in ensuring that the gains are sustained.
He noted that the agitation at the first stakeholders engagement centered around the increase of power supply to 8 hours daily, while the second edition was about the increase of power supply from 3 hours to 10-12 hours of supply daily.
He commended the AEDC for their recent response to issues and the current improvement from 12 to 22 hours daily.
lliyasu emphasized on the importance of power supply to the local economy, adding that the essence of this year’s stakeholders engagement was to evaluate the present power situation and chart a way forward.
In his address, the Kogi Regional Manager of AEDC, Engr. Lamidi Obadaki, who was represented by the Head Technical, Engr. Abdul Bashar, commended the Light Up Movement for providing the platform for stakeholders to meet annually to evaluate performances and address pressing issues affecting customers and the service provider.
He also tasked stakeholders to take the front line in ensuring that electrical installations in their communities are not vandalized, stressing that vandalism creates untold inconvenience for both the company and the consumers. He advised on energy conservation as the way to go given the increase in power consumption.
Former Speaker of the Kogi state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Umar Ahmed Iman, in his message, lauded the improvement of power supply by the AEDC. He however called on the management of AEDC to take proactive steps in the provision of prepaid meters to customers across the state, noting that most of the issues raised on unpaid bills hampering the delivery of more hours of light in the state will be addressed effortlessly if majority of the customers are metered.
On his part, the Chairman of Lokoja LGA, represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Tawheed Abdullahi lauded the efforts of AEDC in recent times while underlying the abnormally faced by citizens in some communities regarding the uniformity of bills to unmetered homes and businesses. He called on the AEDC to look into the issue and provide immediate solutions.
Hon Dele Iselewa, the Special Adviser to Governor Yahaya Bello on Job Creation and SME Development, also urged stakeholders to educate their communities about the dangers of electrical equipment vandalism.
He however, highlighted that the state’s improved power supply is in line with Gov. Yahaya Bello’s new direction Blueprint, stated that consistent energy supply will lead to greater job creation, which is a focal point in the Bello administration.
In his goodwill message, Alhaji Zakariya ldakwoji, representative of the Kogi State Council of Ulama’u, commended the leadership of the light-up movement while requesting assistance from the AEDC’s regional manager. He praised the effort of the state government for supporting energy supply to its citizens in comparison to other administrations.
While calling on critical stakeholders to ensure the security and protection of facilities in their communities, the cleric also urged the AEDC to address the issue of illicit light tapping in some neighbourhoods.
Representatives of Artisans and communities at the event took turns to state the issues in their respective domains, while the AEDC Lokoja Area Manager, Mr. Danladi Baba and the Area Manager (Special Project) Ganaja, Emmanuel Ajibogun were on hand to give responses to enlighten and clarify gray areas.
The Chairman of Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, Engr. Abdulrazaq Muhammad, has directed the security agencies to investigate one Pastor Peter Michonza, who reportedly sells “bulletproof water”.
Activities of the self-acclaimed Man of God got to authorities after it was alleged that he runs labor wards for pregnant women in his church.
The pastor was also accused of selling “bulletproof” water to the people, amongst other medically unacceptable practices which have reportedly led to so many deaths.
Abdulmumin Abubakar, the Special Adviser to the Chairman on Media & Publicity accused Michonza of engaging in “ungodly activities”.
The statement added; “The investigation became necessary after some of his alleged ungodly activities were published on social media by concerned members of the public.
“The council chairman appreciates people for blowing the whistle and exposing the alleged atrocities of Mr. Peter in the name of church activities, noting that details of the investigation will be made public in due course.”
Pastor Peter Michonza
The presiding pastor of “New Jerusalem church” located within Ageva axis of Okene, had earlier called for the release of disgraced singer, R.Kelly who was recently jailed over child pornography and rape.
Pastor Michonza became popular after a video surfaced on social media where it was alleged that the clergy was selling ‘bulletproof water’ to members of his church.
On his Twitter, he introduced himself as “the son and representative of FATHER HIMSELF on The New Earth. I am HE. I am The Rock. I am Here to reign in love, with love and FOR LOVE”.
The Kogi State House of Assembly has again summoned Dangote Cement Limited to appear before it to shed more lights on how former Obajana Cement was acquired by the company.
This is as the Management of Dangote Cement Limited did not appear before the House on Saturday in Lokoja.
This was disclosed on Saturday by the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole at the Hallowed Chamber of the House during the botched public hearing with the management of Dangote Cement Limited.
The Speaker noted that the invitation to Dangote Cement Company and other companies operating in the State became necessary to demand the State’s fair share from the companies.
He added that despite the huge amount of resources being taken away from the soil of the State, what was being paid to the government coffer as revenue was nothing to write home about.
According to him, “the invitation is simply a demand for the rights of the State to a fair share of resources taken out of her soil.”
He stressed that the summons should not be misconstrued as witch-hunting.
He decried the manner in which Obajana Cement which was wholly owned by the State was taken over by Dangote Cement Limited, adding that the public hearing was meant to unearth the secret behind the acquisition.
Kolawole explained that the House was not unmindful of what transpired in the past, saying they were making reference to it to avoid a repeat in the future.
According to him, “we are currently investigating sources of our Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, and we believe it is expedient for the House to interface with some companies operating in the State.
”For example, Dangote Cement Limited started as Obajana Cement company. Kogi State House of Assembly is interested and curious to know what happened at a point that the company transformed to Dangote Cement Limited.
“We want to know what is the benefits of the State in the company. What is the equity share of the State in the company.
”We are beaming our searchlights on all companies in the State, as we not particular about Dangote.
“We have Mangal Limited, we have some that are into mining coal, limestones, gold, even as different kinds of solid minerals are being mined out of Kogi on a daily basis.
”We want to know on whose instruction are they paying their dues. We are interested in doing business with companies that will give us our fair share of the quantum of resources taken out of our soil.
”We are not against any organisation, but let the right things be done at the right time. We enjoin them to give to us what belongs to us and that is why we are here.
”We are confident that when the report would be written a lot of discovery will be made. We invited Dangote and they are not here. I have directed the committee to invite Dangote for Thursday and ensure that they acknowledge receipt of the correspondence,” he disclosed.
Four persons have been killed while Two others sustained various degrees of injury by gunmen suspected to be bandits at Ofeapo along Dirisu -Bagana Road in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The victims who were returning from the war – torn Bagana Market around 8.30pm on Thursday were ambushed and killed by the bandits.
The victims were traveling in a tricycle popular known as keke Napep when the gunmen opened fire on them at a close range, while the two lucky survivors were evaluated to a nearby medical facility.
The spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP. William Aya, while confirming the incident, said one person, –a rider of the motorcycle -was killed while two others sustained injuries and were rushed to medical facilities in Abejukolo, headquarters of Omala LGC.
He said, the Commissioner of police, CP Edward Egbuka has mobilised tactical squad and officers of the Division to the scene to possibly fish out the perpetrators.
On his part, the paramount ruler of Omala Local Government Area Traditional council, Chief Boniface Musa condemned the dastardly act and pray to God to give the family of the victims fortitude to bear the loss.
He decried the incessant attacks on the Bagana people by unknown gunmen, lamenting that this killing has taken the peace process aback, at a time where all hands have been on deck for safe return of the Internally displaced persons IDP to their homes.
He appealed to the state Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello to as matter of urgency wade into the lingering Bagana crisis that has killed tens of people and rendered many homeless.
While urging him to implement the recommendations of the Col. Suleiman Babanawa (rtd) led committee, called for the deployment of the security agencies to Bagana town to forestall further bloodshed in the Communities.
According to the locals, those who were killed are two males and two females who are natives of Bagana but had to relocate to Abejukolo in the wake of the senseless killings in the Communities.
The locals lamented at the killing which they said, is one too many for a Community that has been under seize for more than a decade.
The inhabitants while speaking to our correspondent amidst sobbing, decried the barbaric actions of the assailants who shot and killed Mrs Zainabu Abdullahi in front of her six months old and shop off the head of another victim, as the lad mysteriously survived the attack.
They called on Governor Yahaya Bello to take over the security architecture in the community as efforts by his officials in the Local Government has not been able to stop the carnage.
Recall that the Attah Igala, Matthew Alaji Opaluwa had given directives to the belligerents to lay down their arms and embrace peace or be ready to face the wrath of the law.
However, with the assurances of of his Royal Majesty of the workable peace process , submission of the Committee Reports in the past weeks, and the assurance by the Chairman of the Council, Ibrahim Aboh to guarantee security for the people, that the market was opened before the ugly incident.
