Tag: World

A personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps, OH Ola-Ige, on Monday, assaulted and attempted to arrest an unidentified man at the Gwarinpa Pedestrian bridge.

The incident which happened at about 5:30 p.m. caused outrage as concerned citizens stepped in to prevent the officer from arresting the man, raising questions about the use of force and the official’s role in law enforcement.

Our correspondent who witnessed the scene saw the moment the FRSC official slapped the unidentified man several times while dragging him up the pedestrian bridge before onlookers who claimed he had no right to arrest the victim prevented the official.

While narrating what transpired, the FRSC official said, “The traffic control situation here was on a gridlock, and we have all these garage guys here that try as much as possible to maintain free movement of traffic, then this particular man had to stop a vehicle, and the garage guy told him to move, the next thing he did was to start manhandling one of them till he entered the vehicle.

“I had to obstruct the vehicle to tell him to come down when the vehicle was in a very slow motion. He started slapping the garage guy from inside the vehicle, I had to stop that car, and then we dragged him out. He tour my jacket. He’s drunk, but that drunkenness will leave his face.”

However, the man disagreed with the FRSC officer’s account of the event, insisting that he did nothing to the officer who not only assaulted him but also subjected him to ridicule in the presence of his son.

The middle-aged man said, “I don’t have anything to do with the officer, we came in, I and my son. We entered a vehicle and the officer told the driver to stop. I did not do anything. Those guys saw everything, we did nothing and I did not fight any of them. It was the officer and the Agbero guys (touts) who started slapping and beating me after they dragged me out of the car. People here can bear me witness; I did nothing wrong.”

The man was eventually taken away alongside his teenage son by police officers who responded to a call for backup by an FRSC officer.

Our correspondent gathered that the man was taken to the Gwarinpa police post opposite the Rainoil filling station.

@FRSCNIGERIA Officer Assaults Abuja Man In Presence Of Teenage Son pic.twitter.com/7GOhcXzGos

— The Whistler Newspaper (@TheWhistlerNG) October 9, 2023

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A grieving US President Joe Biden on Monday again condemned Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel which have led to the killings of 11 American citizens.

It’s also feared that some missing Americans may have been abducted by the terrorists.

The attacks on Saturday morning by Hamas terrorists from Gaza through land, sea and air have shaken Israel with international condemnation.

As the war entered day three, over 900 Israelis have been killed with citizens of Thailand, UK, France, Austria among others confirmed killed and abducted by the terrorists, according to several news outlets.

The EU, Austria, Canada among other countries have immediately frozen aid to Palestine as a mark of support for Israel.

The US has sent in weapons to prop up Israeli retaliatory attack if needed.

A visibly shaken Joe Biden in a statement on Monday said the attack was cold and cowardly, and one that’s heart-wrenching.

“As we continue to account for the horrors of the appalling terrorist assault against Israel this weekend and the hundreds of innocent civilians who were murdered, we are seeing the immense scale and reach of this tragedy,” the US president said.

“Sadly, we now know that at least 11 American citizens were among those killed – many of whom made a second home in Israel,” Biden has said.

He declared, “It’s heart-wrenching,” adding that, “These families have been torn apart by inexcusable hatred and violence.

“We also know that American citizens still remain unaccounted for, and we are working with Israeli officials to obtain more information as to their whereabouts.

“My heart goes out to every family impacted by the horrible events of the past few days.

“The pain these families have endured, the enormity of their loss, and the agony of those still awaiting information is unfathomable.

“The safety of American citizens – whether at home or abroad – is my top priority as president.

“While we are still working to confirm, we believe it is likely that American citizens may be among those being held by Hamas,” Biden added.

He assured that, “I have directed my team to work with their Israeli counterparts on every aspect of the hostage crisis, including sharing intelligence and deploying experts from across the United States government to consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts …

“This is not some distant tragedy. The ties between Israel and the United States run deep.

“It is personal for so many American families who are feeling the pain of this attack as well as the scars inflicted through millennia of antisemitism and persecution of Jewish people.

“In cities across the country, police departments have stepped up security around centres of Jewish life, and the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other federal law enforcement partners are closely monitoring for any domestic threats in connection with the horrific terrorist attacks in Israel.

“In this moment of heartbreak, the American people stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israelis. We remember the pain of being attacked by terrorists at home, and Americans across the country stand united against these evil acts that have once more claimed innocent American lives.

“It is an outrage. And we will continue to show the world that the American people are unwavering in our resolve to oppose terrorism in all forms.”

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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has recalled the 2002 Ikeja bomb explosion, describing it as a trying moment for the army, given the magnitude of the damage it caused.

The explosion, which happened on January 27, 2002, reportedly killed about 1,100 people with over 20,000 displaced.

Sanwo-Olu, however, noted that the tragic incident did not weaken the commitment of the Nigerian Army in carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.

The governor spoke on Monday when he received the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who was on a courtesy visit, at Lagos House, Marina.

According to Sanwo-Olu, the army has earned the citizens’ confidence and respect as a member of the nation’s armed forces., given its sense of commitment, dedication and patriotism.

He said: “We are grateful to the Army and its men for their dedication to the country at this difficult time in different parts of the country. You have continued to uphold the Constitution, maintain high integrity and stick to the best rules of engagement to protect the sovereignty of our country. The Army is well respected by the citizens, given the commitment, dedication and sense of patriotism in discharging its statutory roles.

“The 2002 Ikeja bomb explosion was a trying moment for the Army, given the magnitude of the damage. But the event never weakened the resolve of the military. The Army has continued to live up to their responsibilities provided by the constitution and the sacrifice paid by soldiers to keep the territorial integrity and peace of our country would not go unappreciated. Lagos State Government is committed to ensuring that the Army gets all the necessary support for your security operations.”

The governor also appealed for cooperation among military personnel in the ongoing enforcement across the state, including Okada ban enforcement, adding that the enforcement was geared towards bringing back sanity to Lagos.

“We have collective responsibility to keep Lagos safe for commercial activities. It is important to acknowledge the complementary effort of the 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in supporting our security architecture in Lagos, with OP Mesa operatives working with the police to ensure our safety. That synergy among all security agencies is all that is required to maintain security,” Sanwo-Olu added.

Lagbaja who was in Lagos for the clearance of Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) at the 9 Brigade Military Cantonment, Ikeja, informed the governor about the army’s activities to be conducted in the state.

The COAS noted that ahead of the festive season, the army has put together three security exercises to prevent any form of breaches, which will be launched on Tuesday.

He said: “The Nigerian Army has put together a ceremony to remove unexploded ordnance at the site of the 2002 Bomb Explosion in Ikeja cantonment. The objective is to make the area safe and securely remove unexploded ordnances to a safe location in Ajilete area of Ogun State.

“We are ushering in the last three months of the year when citizens travel across the country for festivities. We need to provide safe and secure passage for the people travelling. We have put together three security exercises to prevent any form of breaches and these will be flagged off on Tuesday in Lagos.”

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The newly listed Chapel Hill Denham Nigerian Infrastructure Debt Fund (NIDF) is raising N26.8bn series 9 offer a few days after listing on the Nigerian Exchange Ltd.

The NIDF said the series 9 offer is for 246,182,408 units (nominal value of N100 each) issued at N108.89 per unit for an aggregating offer value of N26.8 billion.

In a regulatory filing on Monday, the NIDF said the fundraising is under the N200 billion Issuance Programme and is still open for subscription.

According to the NIDF, the offer was approved by the Securities & Exchange Commission and opened on September 19, 2023.

“The issuance represents the Fund’s ninth (9th) capital raise since inception in 2017 and the first since its Listing on NGX.

“The proceeds from the Offer will be applied towards infrastructure loans approved by the Fund Manager’s investment committee,” the NIDF said.

On October 5, NIDF’s 853,817,692 units were listed on the Main Board of NGX at N108.39 per share and will remit quarterly dividends to investors by paying out profits from investing in industries like power, transportation, healthcare and education.

With the listing, Chapel Hill’s NDIF became the first local currency-denominated infrastructure investment trust fund on its platform.

The NIDF is a N200 billion public infrastructure investment fund managed by Chapel Hill Denham.

The Chairman of NDIF, Phil Southwell during the fact behind the figures said the fund launched mid-2017 has generated 155 per cent returns.

“We have been fortunate enough not to have any non-performing loans (NPLs) and so it presents interesting risk returns for investors. In the UK market where I am originally from, 103 of the 350 stocks on the FTSE 350 are investment trusts and I look forward to being able to say the same thing about the NGX,” he said.

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… Assures Nigerians Of Steady Supply Of Petrol At Affordable Price

The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, on Monday met with representative of oil marketers to resolve the challenges faced in the importation and smooth distribution of petroleum products in the country.

The meeting was held at the headquarters of the NMDPRA in Abuja.

It was attended by representatives from the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners among other stakeholders.

In recent weeks, oil marketers have been battling with various challenges ranging from scarcity of foreign exchange to import petroleum products, deplorable road conditions to distribute petroleum products across the country, non-functional state of the country’s refineries and refusal of banks to provide credit for oil and gas businesses.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the meeting, the NMDPRA Boss said the meeting was a fruitful one as issues surrounding the seamless distribution of petroleum products were discussed.

He said from the discussion, the oil marketers have pledged their support to the Federal Government in guaranteeing the availability of petroleum products to Nigerians at affordable prices.

He said, “We had very robust discussions and they (oil marketers) expressed their concerns and also areas where we can support both the marketers and transporters to ensure that there is flow of petrol products across the country.

“So, NNPC has assured of supply and also the marketers have expressed their concerns about the availability of foreign exchange in order to also import and sell at the price.

“We, as regulators can continue to say the market is open for everybody and all those who have applied for license, over 90 marketing companies have gotten. We have given them access to all the required support that they needed in order to ensure there is a constant supply of products in the country.”

When asked on the assistance being given on the issue of foreign exchange challenges faced by marketers, the NMDPRA boss explained that engagement is ongoing with the Central Bank of Nigeria in that direction.

Ahmed added, “We have been discussing with the government and if you must have observed that a lot of work going on within the CBN in terms of their internal restructuring which will make available the dollar as soon as everything stabilizes.

“We are also working towards improvement in crude oil production, which will bring more revenue into the country and then of course, boost our foreign reserves.

“These are all part of the factors that we are all working on towards stabilizing of the naira.”

The Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPC Limited, Mr Dapo Segun assured of the commitment of the national oil company to make petroleum products available for Nigerians.

He said, “NNPC will continue to shop for supply. And yes, we’ve had discussions with other industry players on the issues affecting the industry.

“We are looking at ways to resolve these issues. We, at NNPC will continue to make sure that supply is there and we will also support the industry.”

The Chairman of DAPPMAN, Mrs Winifred Akpani, told journalists that there is adequate supply of the products and there is no need for Nigerians to panic.

She said, “I think its a good opportunity that this meeting is holding today. We know there’s adequate supply of products. We have sufficient products in the country and we have sufficient products in our depot and most of us we have products in our stations.

“The government has promised to resolve some of the issues for us, bearing in mind that we just transited from regulated market to deregulated market.

“We expect some of these issues to come but the most important thing is the willingness of all of us as stakeholders to resolve the problem.

“We assure the entire country that there is sufficient product and we will do all within our means to make sure that people never suffer for paying a higher price.”

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