TheNewsGuru

Tag: Kogi State

  • PHOTOS: Many, including students, pupils feared dead in Lokoja Black Wednesday accident

    PHOTOS: Many, including students, pupils feared dead in Lokoja Black Wednesday accident

    Several persons, including students of Kogi State Polytechnic and some primary school pupils, have been killed in a Black Wednesday accident in Lokoja, Kogi State after a petrol tanker exploded and caught fire at Felele area in traffic gridlock.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports no fewer than 10 people have been confirmed dead after the petrol tanker caught fire after ramming into several vehicles in the traffic gridlock in the accident that happened in the early hours of Wednesday.

    Over ten vehicles were burnt down while the road has been closed down temporarily. Already men of the Federal Road Safety Corps and firefighters were on hand to control the situation.

    https://twitter.com/Ha_m_zaah/status/1308694908065153028

    Details shortly…

  • Gov. Bello suspends management of Kogi Revenue Service

    Gov. Bello suspends management of Kogi Revenue Service

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has suspended the management of the State Internal Revenue Service with immediate effect.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Onogwu Muhammed, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lokoja.

    Muhammed said that the suspension was due to alleged violation of corporate governance in the service as revealed by its 2019 Audited Financial Report.

    “The decision of the governor was to ensure that the service carry out its activities with excellent corporate governance, utmost transparency and accountability,” he said.

    Muhammed added that the governor also approved the constitution of an interim management committee to oversee the daily affairs of the service.

    The committee will be chaired by the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Idris Asiru, while the state Accountant General, Alhaji Momoh Jibrin, as secretary.

    Other members were the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ibrahim Sani Mohammed, the Auditor General, Alhaji Yakubu Okala and the Auditor-General Local Government Service, Alhaji Usman Ododo.

  • Gov. Bello restates commitment to development of education sector

    Gov. Bello restates commitment to development of education sector

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has expressed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector as the key to high-level human capital development needed for emancipation of the people.

    Bello made pledge in his remarks on Thursday at the inauguration of the reconstructed 30-bed capacity Hajia Hauwau Bello Health Centre, a Security House, perimeter fencing and renovated lecture theatre at Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.

    The governor said that, even though he considered the economy sector to be important, it was no secret that he held the education sector in high esteem in view of its foremost position in development.

    “Quality and affordable education is the key to high level of human capital development, which is in turn the access code to unlocking keys needed for breakthrough in all other sectors,” he said.

    The governor said that, in spite of the distractions arising from the court cases over his re-election, his government had successfully completed the legal and regulatory frameworks for establishment of the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara.

    “In the same vein, we have also upgraded the college of Agriculture, Ochaja, to a Diploma awarding institute in order to provide career prospects for students.

    “As a government, we shall continue to nurse Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, for maximum functionality as well as all the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state,” he said.

    Bello, who also confirmed Dr Salisu Ogbo Usman as substantive rector of the polytechnic, praised the rector’s development initiatives which had transformed the institution.

    He commended what he described as the creativity, competence, resourcefulness, foresight and capacity of the rector, adding that under straining financial circumstances, he had turned lemon into lemonade within a short time.

    “This can-do attitude; the attitude of it-is-doable; the attitude of it is possible; the attitude of we will get there; we will get the job done is the soul and spirit of our new Direction Agenda,” the governor said.

    Earlier, Usman commended the governor for finding him worthy and giving the Polytecnic the enablement to execute the projects.

    He said that the education sector under the Bello’s administration had recorded monumental growth in policy direction and infrastructure, due to the governor’s resolve to alter the negative narratives of the past.

  • Kogi: PDP reacts over Supreme Court verdict affirming Bello’s election

    Kogi: PDP reacts over Supreme Court verdict affirming Bello’s election

    The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Kogi Chapter, says it has accepted in good faith, decision of the Supreme Court dismissing its appeal against election of Gov. Yahaya Bello.

    The Party, in a statement by the state Publicity Secretary, Bode Ogunmola, on Monday in Lokoja, said it accepted in good faith the ruling of the Apex Court and left the “final judgment in the hands of God.”

    It commended the party’s flagbearers in the Nov. 16, 2019 Governorship Election, Mr Musa Wada, and his running mate, Mr Sam Aro, for their perseverance.

    “While the higher court in the land has given its verdict, the PDP has no choice than to accept it and go ahead to appreciate the resilience of members and the teeming supporters of the party,” the party said.

    The party also appreciated its legal team and paid tribute to all those who either died, got maimed or injured during the election.

    “We thank God for the grace and the courage to go this far. We believe that He has the ultimate say,” the party said.

    The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the appeals by Musa Wada of the PDP and Natasha Akpoti of Social Democratic Party (SDP) challenging Bello’s re-election for lacking in merit.

  • Supreme Court upholds Gov Yahaya Bello’s victory

    Supreme Court upholds Gov Yahaya Bello’s victory

    The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the appeal of the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Musa Wada and his party against the election of Mr Yahaya Bello as Governor of Kogi.

    The apex court in a unanimous judgment dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit and upheld the concurrent decisions of the Court of Appeal and the majority judgment of the Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

    The lead judgment read by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, held that the appellants were unable to prove allegations of electoral malpractices in the November 16 governorship election.

    The apex court held that failure of the appellants to call polling units agents was fatal to their case, adding that the appellants merely dumped documents that could not be attached probate value.

    Set to deliver Judgment in SDP’s appeal.

  • Kogi mourns death of Attah Igala

    Kogi mourns death of Attah Igala

    Kogi Government has described the death of Attah Igala, Michael Ameh Oboni, as shocking and a colossal loss to the state and Nigeria.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication Strategy, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, in Lokoja on Sunday.

    Fanwo stated that the late monarch ruled with great courage and with fear of God during his seven-year stay on the throne.

    Oboni was until his death in an Abuja hospital on Aug. 27, the Chairman of the state Council of Chiefs.

    Fanwo stated that the late Attah was fiercely loyal to his people throughout his lifetime and used his throne to foster friendships and partnerships for his domain and for Kogi State.

    “The late Attah of Igala was a great man indeed and often ahead of his time and institution in thinking and action.

    “He believed that widespread penetration of electricity was key to achieving this objective.

    “Fortunately, he found a willing partner in Gov. Yahaya Bello and lived to see ‘Project Light Up Kogi East’ (PLUKE), a project designed to expand electricity infrastructure into all the local government areas of his kingdom,’’ the statement said.

    The commissioner hinted that the state government would soon immortalise the late monarch in a befitting manner.

    “Government will continue to honour the memory of this pragmatic leader by sustaining rapid development as the bedrock of governance in Kogi State.

    “His Royal Majesty, Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni II will be sorely missed.

    “We console his family, the great Igala people and all of Kogi State on this great and irreparable loss,’’ he stated.

    Michael Ameh Oboni II, born in 1948, died in a hospital on Thursday morning in Abuja.

  • Supreme Court announces date to decide if Yahaya Bello continues as Governor

    Supreme Court announces date to decide if Yahaya Bello continues as Governor

    The Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed Aug. 31 to deliver judgment in the appeal brought before it by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Musa Wada and his party.

    Wada and PDP are challenging the re-election of Gov. Yahaya Bello of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Nov.16, 2019 governorship election.

    The seven man panel of justices of the apex court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad on Tuesday fixed the date after parties in the appeal adopted their various written briefs.

    The Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal had in a concurrent judgments affirmed Yahaya Bello’s re-election on the grounds that Wada and his party failed to prove the allegations of electoral malpractices in their petition.

    Dissatisfied with the two judgments of the lower courts Wada moved to the supreme court for the setting aside of the concurrent judgements of the tribunal and that of the court of appeal.

    He wants the apex court to set aside the judgments of the appellate court on the grounds that the Court of Appeal discarded evidence of rigging and violence in seven local government areas of the state.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Bello, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the governorship poll, having won majority of votes cast and the spread threshold in the election.

    However, four contestants and their parties, including Wada and the PDP, had disagreed with INEC and subsequently approached the Kogi State Election Petitions Tribunal to challenge the victory of Bello.

    The other petitioners are the Actions People’s Party (APP); the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Democratic People’s Party (DPP).

    However, their petitions were all dismissed by the tribunal for lacking in merit.

    Similarly, the Court of Appeal agreed that the cases of the appellants lacked merit and even dismissed some with cost against some appellants.

    The Court of Appeal had in its judgment held that the allegations of over-voting, multiple thumb-printing, and results falsification were not proved by the appellants.

    In the split ruling delivered by Justice Haruna Tsamani, the appellate court held that the appellants merely dumped documents on the tribunal without calling relevant witnesses to link the documents to the allegation of over-voting.

    According to him, a party who alleges over-voting must tender the voter registers for the affected polling units and the results of the polling units, show how, without over-voting, the results would be in his or her favour.

    While the majority judgment delivered by Justice Kashim Kaigama favoured Bello, the minority judgment delivered by Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele held that there was evidence of electoral malpractices in seven LGAs of the state.

    Ovbiagele subsequently upturned Bello’s victory and ordered a rerun in the seven affected local government areas of the state.

  • NCC activates 112 emegency code in Kogi

    NCC activates 112 emegency code in Kogi

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has activated the 112 free emergency call number in Kogi State.

    This was confirmed in a statement issued on Friday in Lokoja by SOLSAN Technology Ventures Ltd., the private firm managing the emergency number on behalf of NCC in the state.

    Mr Shola Ajayi who signed the statement said that the emergency number, which could be dialed from any phone was activated in March.

    He said that 112 was a sort code assigned by the NCC for all manner of emergencies such as armed robbery, kidnapping, accident, fire , floods, banditry and vandalism among others.

    ”When calls are received by the 112 agents, they are usually escalated to the correct agency responsible for such emergency .

    ”The emergency communication project is a non-commercial collaboration project between Federal Government through the NCC, state governments, telecom companies , security agencies and power companies,” he explained.

    He listed the telecom companies in the arrangement as MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile, saying that all the collaborating establishments are contributing to the 112 emergency code as their social responsibility commitment to the society.

    According to him, the 112 number is strictly for emergency calls only and not for prank callers.

  • BREAKING: Gunmen kill 13 family members in Kogi, injure 6 others

    BREAKING: Gunmen kill 13 family members in Kogi, injure 6 others

    Unknown gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday invaded Agbudu community in Kogi-Koton-Karfe Local Government area, killing 14 persons and injuring six.

    The state Police Commissioner, Ede Ayuba, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the command headquarters in Lokoja, said he got the report about 2: 00 a.m.

    Ayuba said that 13 of the slain victims were from same family.

    “This morning around 2 am, my Area Commander called me to report that he received information that there was an attack on Agbudu community.

    “I called the SSA on Security of the Local Government in Koton-Karfe and I said that before I get there, he should mobilise his vigilante men to assist the police – the DPO and the Area Commander in the area – for them to assess the place and see what assistance they could render.”

    Ayuba said that the vigilance men and his men left immediately and by the time they got there, the hoodlums had carried out their operation and left.

    The commissioner said he later went to the scene of crime and took part in collection of the dead bodies, adding that: “I was there and I was part of those who picked some of the dead bodies we are talking about.”

    “Yes, 14 people were killed and about six others were fatally injured. The saddening thing is that out of the 14 dead bodies that were brought out, 13 were from one family.

    “In that family, it is only one person that survived. His uncle, his mother, his uncle’s wife, his younger brother, his senior brother’s wife, his wife and all his children were killed,” he said.

    The commissioner said that the police had carried out some preliminary investigations and discovered that there had been long-standing communal fued in the community.

    “What I think is, there has been a long-standing communal problem around that area which we are not clearly seeing, but we know that it would not be far from it.

    “Presently investigation is in progress. The only person that survived the attack is already with us and he is helping us, the chief of that place is also helping us and some other spirited individuals.

    “The Ohimege of Koton-Karfe, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isa-Koto, is also helping us, the local government and all the personnel are helping us.

    “We are sure, God helping us, we are going to get to the root of all these things that are happening.

    “In the interim, I want to give the assurance that we are not going to relent in our efforts. We will make sure we get to the root of anything that is behind the killings,” he said.

  • Kogi Rep hails Gen Jemibewon @80

    Kogi Rep hails Gen Jemibewon @80

    Hon. Yusuf Tajudeen, member representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives has hailed General David Medaiyese Jemibewon on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

    Hon. Tajudeen expressed excitement that General Jemibewon has continued to make enduring contributions and record significant milestones in varied spheres of life.

    “It is with profound gratitude to God Almighty and absolute joy that I use this medium to, on behalf of the good people of Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, felicitate with our revered father, mentor and guardian; General David Medaiyese Jemibewon, on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

    “Indeed, it is a thing of joy that having survived every vicissitudes of life, soaring over every twist and turns, General David Medaiyese Jemibewon, today; July 20th, 2020, has joined the very exclusive, special and reserved Octogenarian club!

    “Personally, I am very happy that our very dear Elder statesman; General David Medaiyese Jemibewon has continued to make enduring contributions and record significant milestones in varied spheres of life.

    “Over the years, having being a keen and enthusiastic chronicler of his legendary feats in the military; as Governor of the old Western state and later Oyo state, Adjutant General of the Nigerian Army and General Officer Commanding 1st Infantry Division, as well as his innumerable achievements in politics; as a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Minister of Police Affairs and Board of Trustees Member of the PDP, certain rare qualities are very noticeable in all of these.

    “One is very pleased that, at all times and in every situation; no matter how challenging, turbulent and engaging, General David Medaiyese Jemibewon always displays uncommon courage, unusual fervour and unflinching commitment to the realisation of set objectives, vision and mission. As a true Okun person, our revered elder statesman has carved enviable niches for himself as a hard working, forthright, dogged, transparent, focussed and development-driven quintessential professional and irrepressible leader,” he stated.

    “Sir, as I join your family members, professional colleagues, political associates, friends, acquaintances and other numerous well wishers within and outside the country on this momentous occasion, it is my sincere prayers that God Almighty shall be with you always.

    “I pray that you experience the grace, mercy and glory of God, more than ever before, in every area of your life. Also, I pray that God Almighty shall endow you with good health, strength and long life to enjoy the fruits of your labor to Nigeria and humanity, Amen,” Hon. Tajudeen stated.