TheNewsGuru

Tag: kogi

  • Inflation increases to 34.19 percent – NBS

    Inflation increases to 34.19 percent – NBS

    The headline inflation rate increased to 34.19% in the month of June, according to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

    The report said food inflation also increased to 40.87 percent on a year-on-year basis, which was 15.62% points higher compared to the rate recorded in June 2023 (25.25%).

    It stated that the rise in food inflation was caused by increases in prices of Millet Whole grain, Garri, Guinea corn, etc (Bread and Cereals Class), Yam, Water Yam, Coco Yam (Potatoes, Yam & Other Tubers Class), Groundnut Oil, Palm Oil, etc (Oil & Fats Class) and Catfish Dried, Dried Fish-Sadine, Mudfish (Fish Class), etc.

    “On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 11.40% points higher compared to the rate recorded in June 2023, which was 22.79%. This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in the month of June 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e. June 2023).”

    “Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in June 2024 was 2.31%, which was 0.17% higher than the rate recorded in May 2024 (2.14%).”

    “The rise in Food inflation on a Month-on-Month basis was caused by the rise in the rate of increase in the average prices of Groundnut Oil, Palm Oil, etc (Oil & Fats Class), Water Yam, Coco Yam, Cassava, etc (Potatoes, Yam & Other Tubers Class), Tobacco, Catfish Fresh, Croaker, Mud-
    fish Fresh, Snail, etc, (Fish Class).

    It stated that all Items inflation rate on a Year-on-Year basis was highest in Bauchi (43.95%), Kogi (39.91%), and Oyo (39.15%), while Borno (25.90%), Benue (27.52%) and Katsina (29.21%) recorded the slowest rise in Headline inflation on Year-on-Year basis.

    “On a Month-on-Month basis, however, June 2024 recorded the highest increases in Yobe (3.79%), Abuja (3.45%), Ondo (3.38%), while Nasarawa (0.71%), Osun (1.19%) and Kano (1.27%) recorded the slowest rise on Month-on-Month inflation.”

  • Army hands over 8 rescued students to Kogi gov, Ododo

    Army hands over 8 rescued students to Kogi gov, Ododo

    The Nigerian Army on Monday handed over eight students of Confluence University of Science and Technology Osara, Kogi State, who were rescued on Sunday, to Gov. Ahmed Ododo, at Army Headquarters Abuja.

    The handing over was conducted by the Deputy Chief of Operations (Army), Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Emekah, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.

    Emekah said the troops of the Nigerian Army in synergy with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, successfully rescued the abducted students who were taken hostage by terrorists.

    He said the rescue operation took place in a dense forest near Oro Ago Village in Kwara following an intense clearance mission.

    He added that the operation was still ongoing to apprehended the perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to book.

    In his remarks, Gov. Ahmed Ododo thanked God Almighty for making it possible for the rescue of the students, adding that it was a mixed feeling for him as two of the 31 abducted students were murdered.

    Ododo said that 29 of the students were successfully rescued while appreciating the efforts of President Bola Tinubu and the military for the fight against insecurity in the country.

    He also thanked the National Security Adviser (NSA) for making the country’s security apparatus more effective, efficient and technology driven.

    “At this level, I have come to realise that the Nigerian army has all it takes to stamp out kidnapping, banditry and all forms of criminal activities from our land.

    “Because the level of synergy, the level of understanding, collaboration and coordination carried out by them professionally is highly commendable and I sincerely appreciate you and your men.

    “I want to promise that Kogi State will always be there to partner with you and we are ever ready to answer your call at any point in time and fighting crimes and criminality in our land.

    “We have all it takes in terms of equipment and we will continue to collaborate and synergise with your agencies to make sure our land is free of all these criminalities,” he said.

    Ododo assured the student that the government would continue to support them to ensure that they succeed in their aspiration and educational pursuits.

    According to him, Kogi is a state that is well known to be well blessed with mineral deposits and that deposit must work for the state.

    He said the criminals had now known that Kogi was not a safe heaven for them, assuring that no criminal that entered the state would be spared.

    The governor commended the army for its efforts and display of professionalism in carrying out the rescue operation.

  • Finally, Kogi govt rescues all abducted CUSTECH students

    Finally, Kogi govt rescues all abducted CUSTECH students

    The Kogi State Government has announced the rescue of the remaining eight kidnapped students of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara (CUSTECH) Bringing the numbers of rescued students to 30.

    Recall 32 students were abducted inside the school premises early last month while preparing for the commencement of their exams. Four of the abducted students were first rescued, followed by another 16, and two students who escaped on his own, before the latest 8 that were rescued.

    Two of the abducted students were however killed last week by the abductors following the state government decision not to pay ransom for the victims, but rather embarked on ‘kinetic and non kinetic” onslaught against the kidnappers.

    This latest development was revealed on Sunday in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo.

    “The Kogi State Government has announced the rescue of the remaining eight kidnapped students of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara.

    “The Governor has directed full support towards the recovery of the students and their parents, while modalities are being put in place to make Kogi safer for all.

    “The Government of Kogi State expresses profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for directing the mobilization of resources to ensure the rescue of the kidnapped students.

    “We also thank the National Security Adviser immensely for his commitment to the release of the students and the general security of the State.

    “The Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, the Director General of DSS, the Inspector General of Police and all the officers and men of the Armed Forces that put in their best as well as the Pilots, did a wonderful job to support us in reuniting the kidnapped students with their families.

    “The Kogi State Command of all the security agencies, Police, DSS, NSCDC and our local hunters are also highly appreciated for their efforts towards this feat.

     

    “Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo also expresses immense gratitude to his Kwara State counterpart, Governor AbdulRahmam AbdulRazak for his personal commitment, cooperation and support towards the success of the operation that led to the rescue of the remaining kidnapped students.

    “The Kwara State Governor showed the reason he is effectively leading the Nigerian Governors Forum. His actions have also reinforced the Kogi/Kwara cooperation and unity of purpose.

    “Now that the remaining students have been rescued, our administration will continue the drive to recalibrate our security architecture and pay an uncompromising attention to the Safe School Initiative.

    “As the State with the lowest out of school children in the North, we have put structures in place to keep our schools safe to ensure every child is not deprived of his or her right to education.

    “Kogi has domesticated the Child Rights Act and we will defend the right of our children to quality education. In Kogi State, education is free up to the Secondary School level.

    “We also pay the registration fees for our students to write all internal and external examinations with a budgetary allocation that is way above the UNESCO benchmark for education. We do all of these to educate our children and make them responsible contributors to the economy of Nigeria.

    “We urge our citizens to always volunteer intelligence to security agencies to enable them to prevent crime. This is safer, cheaper and better for us all.

    “All of us must come together to defeat banditry, kidnapping and any form of criminality in our society.”

  • 2 kidnapped Kogi varsity students killed

    2 kidnapped Kogi varsity students killed

    The police command in Kogi on Sunday confirmed the killing of two of the abducted students of Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH),Osara.

    The State Police Commissioner, Mr Bethrand Onuoha, said this when he spoke with NAN in Lokoja.

    Onuoha described  the killing by their abductors as very unfortunate.

    The CP did not however, gave the details of the killing, said that the security operatives were on the trail of the abductors to bring them to book.

    According to reports, the abductors invaded the school around 9.00 p m., on May 9 while the students were studying in their classes ahead of their examinations slated for May 13 and abducted some students, after shooting sporadically into the air.

    Although security agencies had rescued 21 of the abducted students with the help of local hunters, a few were still in the hands of the abductors.

    Meanwhile, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Education For All (E4A), had condemned the killing of two student in spite of ongoing negotiations with the parents to pay ransom for their release.

    Malam Nasir Ibrahim, the Publicity Secretary of the NGO said this in a statement in Lokoja.

    Ibrahim described the killing as the height of callousness.

    He said that the intent of the kidnappers was to scare young people from going to school, which was unfortunate.

    “It is sad that the criminals killed two of the students who were not among the 21 rescued through the operation coordinated by the Kogi Government.

    “Although the circumstances of their kidnap and being traced to a forest in Kwara State by security agencies are yet to be ascertained. This is sad, callous and a call for collective action against attackers of educational institutions.

    “We are aware that parents of the students were negotiating with the kidnappers which slowed down the offensive on the kidnappers by security agencies so as not to endanger the lives of the captives.

    “We were very hopeful and optimistic that they will be released at the end of the negotiations,” he said.

    Ibrahim added:“Information reaching us shows that the students allegedly killed were James Michael Anajuwe, a 100 level Information Technology student and Musa Hussein, a 100 level Software Engineering student of the University.

    “They were allegedly killed at the kidnappers’ hideout in Kwara.

    “We are broken and shattered that despite the efforts of the parents, NGOs and the State Government, we still lost these promising students.”

    He called on the Kogi government to work with its Kwara counterpart to take a decisive action against the perpetrators who were said to be hiding in a forest in Kwara, very close to Kogi and Ekiti States.

    He commiserated with the families of the lost children, urging the NSA and the Federal Ministry of Education to reinvigorate efforts on the Safe School Initiative.

    “The painful loss of the two students should provoke the office of the National Security Adviser to work with the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure the safety of our schools across the country.

    “It is unacceptable to lose children whose only offence was embracing education. Our nation must rise to the occasion to arrest the rising insecurity across the country, ” he said.

  • Kogi Govt gives 14-day ultimatum to illegal occupants of Confluence stadium to quit

    Kogi Govt gives 14-day ultimatum to illegal occupants of Confluence stadium to quit

    The Kogi Government on Monday directed illegal occupants of the Confluence Stadium Lokoja, to quit the premises within 14 days.

    The state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mr Monday Anyebe, gave the directive when he led a team to assess the extent of vandalism in the stadium in Lokoja.

    Anyebe said the team was in the stadium to assess the extent of vandalism by criminal elements who had carted away some equipment at the stadium.

    He expressed concern over the level of vandalism, describing it as ‘worrisome’ and vowed that government would do everything possible to bring perpetrators of the heinous crime to book.

    The commissioner, therefore ordered all the illegal occupants to vacate the premises within 14 days, after which they would be forcefully evicted and arrested for prosecution.

    He also warned that the government would not allow miscreants to turn the stadium complex into harbouring criminal elements and vandalizing the sports facilities.

    “All illegal occupants within the premises and the immediate perimeter fence of the stadium should heed the directive to vacate the premises within 14 days.

    “Gov. Ahmed  Ododo will not condone any act of criminality in the state; anyone caught will face the full wrath of the law,” Anyebe warned.

    Anyebe further disclosed that plans were ongoing to renovate the stadium to a world standard for easy sporting activities in the state.

    He, therefore implored the perpetrators to desist from causing set back for the government in its quest to develop the state.

    The commissioner stressed that adequate measures were being put in place to safeguard the sports facilities.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after assessing the stadium, the commissioner visited the State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    He intimated the NSCDC Command of the development and stressed the  need for collaboration with the ministry towards providing adequate security for the stadium.

    Anyebe appealed to the Command to work collectively with his office in ensuring that personnel of the Corps were posted to the facility to avoid recurrent vandalisation.

    In his remarks, the Deputy Commandant, Bala Bodinga, on behalf of the state’s NSCDC Commandant, Paul Igwebuike, commended the commissioner and his encourage for the visit.

    He described the visit as timely and assured the commissioner of the NSCDC collaboration to ensure the safety of facilities at the Stadium complex.

  • Nigeria’s three most expensive states revealed

    Nigeria’s three most expensive states revealed

    Oyo, Kogi and Bauchi have all been identified as Nigeria’s three most expensive states on a year-on-year basis according to reports from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, (NBS)

    The latest April consumer price index and inflation report shows  all three states recorded highest in its  Items Inflation.

    The NBS’s latest April consumer price index and inflation report further showed , Lagos, Ondo, and Edo as the most expensive states in Nigeria on month-on-month basis.

    In the breakdown of  the NBS report, Kogi state has 40.84 per cent of all items in inflation, Bauchi (39.91 per cent), and Oyo (38.37 per cent).

    Conversely, Borno (26.09 per cent), Benue (27.53 per cent), and Taraba (28.69 per cent) recorded the slowest rise in Headline inflation on a Year-on-Year basis.

    Meanwhile, on a month-on-month basis, April 2024 recorded the highest increases in Lagos (4.52 per cent), Ondo (3.35 per cent), and Edo (3.27 per cent), while Kano (0.30 per cent), Ebonyi (0.97 per cent), and Adamawa (1.25 per cent) recorded the slowest rise in Month-on-Month inflation.

     

  • Four remaining as 6 more abducted Kogi university Students rescued

    Four remaining as 6 more abducted Kogi university Students rescued

    The Kogi State Government has disclosed that six more students abducted from the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Osara, Okene, have been freed from captivity.

    The students were kidnapped by suspected bandits who invaded the school premises last Thursday, May 9.

    Fourteen students were earlier rescued by the state government. In an update given today May 14, the state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, stated that six more students have been safely rescued.

    The Commissioner said; “Our data shows that there are four students yet to be found. The fierce gun battle between security agents and the kidnappers forced the kidnappers to succumb to superior firepower and abandon the kidnapped students. Some of the kidnappers escaped with severe injuries”

    The Commissioner said that the families of the six students just rescued, confirmed that they have arrived home.

     

  • Insecurity! Hunters, security operatives search forests for abducted varsity students in Kogi

    Insecurity! Hunters, security operatives search forests for abducted varsity students in Kogi

    The Kogi Government on Friday deployed security operatives and hundreds of local hunters into the bush on the trail of bandits that invaded and abducted university students Thursday night.

    The invaders had abducted an unspecified number of students of Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTEC), Osara, Okene after storming the institution and trapping the students in their classes.

    Nine students were abducted in the invasion.

    Mr Kingsley Fanwo, the State Commissioner for Information, told newsmen in Lokoja that the combined effort is to rescue the abducted students.

    He said: “Hundreds of local hunters, who understand the terrain, as well as the conventional security agents, are currently combing the area to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students who were kidnapped from their classrooms.

    “So far, nine students have been reported missing and we hope to rescue them as soon as possible.

    “We wish to assure students, parents and the entire people of Kogi that the government is on top of the situation and all the abducted students will be rescued alive.

    “Gov Usman Ododo has also directed that security agents be positioned around all tertiary institutions in the State,” he said.

    The commissioner commended the local hunters and other security agents who rose stoutly to engage the kidnappers on the night of the invasion.

    According to him, their gallantry and dedication ensured that the kidnappers did not have a field day.

    Fanwo said that the state government would spare nothing toward ensuring that all the students abducted were safely rescued and reunited with their families.

    “We won’t submit to terror. We shall prevail by God’s grace,” he said.

    An eye witness account indicated that the bandits swooped on the university around 9.00 p.m. while the students were reading for their upcoming exams.

    The source said that the bandits came in through the bush, went into three lecture halls and began to shoot into the air to scare the students.

    The bandits thereafter started grabbing the students trapped inside the three halls.

    Recall the school was thrown into total confusion as fear-stricken students in other halls scurried to safety, scampering in various directions.

    Luckily, brave local security guards and the conventional security men at the gate engaged the bandits, though they were able to abduct some students.

    That effort did minimised the damage as the attackers didn’t go beyond the first three halls.

    The students were preparing for their first semester examination expected to commence on Monday, May 13, when the bandits struck.

  • Group urges Bello to submit himself to EFCC for questioning

    Group urges Bello to submit himself to EFCC for questioning

    The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has advised former Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, to submit himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning over alleged misappropretion of public funds.

    The TMSG Chairman,Mr Emeka Nwankpa said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    He described the stand-off between the former governor and the EFCC as unnecessary, saying it was an affront on the sanctity of the law and the integrity of President Bola Tinubu’s war against corruption.

    He asked Bello to heed to the advice of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi in this regard.

    This, Nwankpa said, was because the EFCC had not erred as it was doing its lawful job by asking Bello to appear before it for questioning.

    He said that EFCC was mandated by law to scrutinise and enforce accountability of persons in government positions in line with the anti-corruption policy of President Tinubu’s administration.

    “We have carefully watched all the drama and subterfuge that continue to trail the invitation by the EFCC to Bello, a senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “And the curious attempts to politicise the routine matter of the request by the graft fighting agency to ask former Bello to meet with its investigators.

    “For us, the intervention of the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, asking the former Kogi governor to subject himself to EFCC’s scrutiny is a clear signal in this regard.

    “Not only on the position of law, but also on the stance of President Tinubu’s administration on anti- corruption,” he said.

    He said it should be clear to Nigerians that strict accountability in governance occupied a cardinal place in Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

    Nwankpa added that to serve this purpose, the Tinubu-led administration had shown zero tolerance to cases of corruption since assuming office.

    “So the EFCC, by inviting the former Gov. Yahaya Bello, like it did with past and previous officials of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

    “And the immediate past Aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, is in tandem with its policy and character to nurture a culture of probity and accountability in governance.

    “As a staunch member of our party, we believe that Bello has no reason to fear.It is a process that is not predetermined.

    “We urge him to heed the advice of the Attorney General and make himself available to EFCC’s investigators as required by extant laws,” he said.

    He also advised members of the APC who had been up in arms against the anti-graft agency to be circumspect in their reaction to the issue.

    He said the TMSG saw anti-EFCC stance of such party members as a wrong signal.

    He wondered what their response would be if opposition elements decided to constitute obstruction to invitation by the anti-graft agency to former public officials who were not APC members.

    “For us, Bello owes it a duty to the state and the people he governed, if not to himself, to give account in line with our laws, and global best practices, it should not be seen as a witch hunt.

    “So rather than running from the law, this is a unique opportunity for Bello to face it with a view to preserving his integrity and honour which may qualify him for higher national responsibilities in the future,” Nwankpa said.

    He also urged the EFCC not to be deterred in its efforts at enthroning sanity, probity, and accountability in governance at all levels in the country.

  • 19 burnt to death in Kogi auto crash

    19 burnt to death in Kogi auto crash

    At least 19 persons were burnt to death in an auto crash on Okene Bypass on the Okene-Lokoja Highway in Kogi on Sunday.

    Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Assistant Corps Marshal Jonas Agwu stated in Abuja that the crash involved a Dangote Cement truck and a Toyota Hiace bus.

    He stated that it took operatives of the FRSC, battling through the accompanying inferno, three hours to rescue two surviving victims of the crash.

    Agwu added that the Toyota bus was travelling from Kano and was on its lane when the Dangote truck driver travelling from Port Harcourt wrongfully overtook a vehicle and collided head-on with the bus.

    “The impact of the collision resulted in an inferno that burnt the victims to death.

    “The crash, which was caused by route violation and wrongful overtaking, involved 22 persons, all male.

    “Unfortunately, 19 persons out of the 22 victims were killed, while one was injured.

    “The two victims who got rescued by FRSC operatives survived without injuries because they complied with traffic regulations on the compulsory use of seatbelts.

    “Corpses retrieved from the crash were deposited at Okene General Hospital,’’ Agwu stated.

    Agwu assured that the driver of the Dangote truck would be prosecuted in accordance with directives earlier issued by the Corps Marshal, Alhaji Dauda Ali-Biu.

    Ali-Biu had in the past called on the judiciary, the leadership of transport unions and other relevant stakeholders to join hands with the FRSC to restore sanity to Nigerian roads through speedy and effective prosecution.