Sahara Reporters Latest News Saturday 19th October 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 19/10/19
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E2%80%93gen-buba-marwa One Out Of Seven Nigerians Use Psychoactive Substance –Gen Buba Marwa
One out of seven persons in Nigeria between the ages of 15 and 64 years use at least one psychoactive substance as against global average of one in 20.
This was revealed by the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse in Nigeria, General Buba Marwa (Retd), who stated this at the public lecture and inauguration ceremony of the Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals in Abuja on Thursday.
He also said one out of five persons, who use drugs in Nigeria, are suffering from substance use disorders, which is higher than the global average of one in 11 persons.
He said though Nigeria’s population is about three per cent of the world population, it also constitutes six per cent of the world population of cannabis users and he described as alarming.
Marwa noted that 14 per cent of the world populations, who misuse pharmaceutical opioids are in Nigeria, thereby making the country one of the nations in the world with the highest population of drug abusers.
General Marwa, who was represented by Otunba Lanre Ipinmosho called for the introduction of addiction studies in the country’s higher institutions of learning, adding that it will go a long way in professionalising the field of drug demand reduction and subsequently contribute significantly towards addressing the challenges of substance abuse in Nigeria.
Drugs
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E2%80%99s-first-ebola-vaccine-gets-eu-approval WHO Celebrates As World’s First Ebola Vaccine Gets EU Approval
European drugs regulators on Friday approved the world’s first Ebola vaccine, a move, which has been hailed by the World Health Organisation as a “triumph for public health” that would save many lives and ensure people are protected.
Developed by United States drug maker Merck & Co, the vaccine is already being used under emergency guidelines to try to protect people against the spread of a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to reports, the vaccine is also being reviewed under a fast-track system by regulators in the United States.
WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, in a statement on Thursday, said; “This vaccine has already saved many lives in the current Ebola outbreak, and the decision by European regulator will help it to eventually save many more.”
Over 2,100 people have been killed by Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the middle of last year.
This is the second largest Ebola outbreak in history, after a 2013-16 epidemic in West Africa that killed more than 11,300.
The Merck vaccine, which the company has now brand-named Ervebo, is likely to get a full marketing licence from the European Commission within a few weeks, Reuters said in a report.
Merck said in a statement its priority now was to get regulatory approval of its Ervebo manufacturing site in Germany so that licensed supply of the vaccine “can be used to support global public health preparedness”.
Health authorities in Kinshasa said last week they planned to introduce an experimental second Ebola vaccine, developed by drug maker Johnson & Johnson in November in the country’s eastern provinces.
Ebola virus causes haemorrhagic fever and spreads from person to person through direct contact with body fluids and it kills around half of those it infects.
Ebola
PUBLIC HEALTH
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Border Closure: Ghana And Nigeria Agree On Temporary Import Corridor For Ghanaian Goods
Nigeria Cameroon border
Nigeria Cameroon border
Following a ban on all imports and exports by President Muhammadu Buhari, Ghana and Nigeria have agreed on the creation of a temporary corridor on Nigeria’s western border with?Benin Republic where Ghanaian goods in transit can pass to avoid collateral damage arising from the closure of Nigeria’s borders with Benin.
Nigeria partially closed its borders with Benin in August 2019 to curb the spate of rice smuggling, which Africa’s most populous country said was threatening its attempt to boost local production.
The Ghanaian authorities are expected to provide further information on Ghanaian companies that do business in Nigeria, the goods and companies affected and those likely to be affected by the closure of the borders, Graphic Online reports.
The decisions were reached when the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Botchwey, and Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyerematen, held talks with their Nigerian counterparts on the border closure in Abuja.
While Botchwey met with Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, Kyerematen held discussions with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said the Abuja meetings were aimed at discussing further ways of providing a path towards resolving the challenges facing Ghanaian companies and traders following the closure of the border.
Travel
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Man Remanded In Prison For Allegedly Raping Three-year-old Girl In Kano
A Chief Magistrates Court in Kano on Friday remanded Khalid Abdullahi, 20, in a correctional facility for allegedly defiling a three-year-old girl.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Pogu Lale, had claimed that one Mohammed Saddam of Badawa Quarters Kano, reported the matter at Bompai Police Division, Kano, on September 22, 2019.
He said, “On September 21, at about 2:00pm, the accused deceived and lured the complainant’s three-year-old daughter into his sister’s apartment located at Badawa Quarters, Kano, and had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.
“The violation of the minor caused her bodily harm.”
However, the Chief Magistrate, Muhammad Jibril, ordered the remand of the alleged person in a correctional facility and adjourned the case until October 28.
CRIME
Legal
S**
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BREAKING: Kogi Assembly Impeaches Deputy Governor
Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba, has been impeached by the state’s House of Assembly.
The incident, which took place on Friday, followed the submission of the report of the committee set up by the state Chief Judge, Justice Nadir Ajana, to investigate an allegation of gross misconduct against Achuba.
Leader of the House, Hassan Bello Abdulahi, who announced the decision of the Assembly, said Achuba stands impeached after careful consideration of the report.
The committee was set up in August following allegations of gross misconduct against Achuba after he accused Governor Yahaya Bello of withholding his salaries and imprest since 2017 — an allegation denied by the government during hearing by the committee.
Politics
Breaking News
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Court Sentences Two Oil Dealers To Prison in Uyo
The Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced two oil dealers to one year imprisonment without the option of fine.
According to a post on Twitter, Justice Agathar Okeke convicted Ekerette Emmanuel and Christopher Uko Ubong after the duo were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 on a four-count charge bordering on dealing in petroleum products without licence.
The two men pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The tweet reads, “Justice Agathar Okeke of the Federal High Court, Uyo, on Thursday, October 17, 2019, convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment each without the option of fine two oil dealers, Ekerette Emmanuel and Christopher Uko Ubong.
“The convicts were arraigned by the EFCC on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 on a four-count charge bordering on dealing in petroleum products without licence and they pleaded not guilty.”
Legal
Oil
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Police Disperse Shiite Protesters With Gunshots In Abuja
Members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria also known as Shiites, were on Friday in Abuja dispersed by the Nigeria Police Force.
The IMN members had assembled in Nigeria’s capital to protest the continued detention of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
However, the police dispersed the protesting members with loud gunshots fired into the air.
According to Premium Times, the protest started on Sultan Abubakar Road at about 1:55pm on Friday.
The protesters in large numbers hoisted two flags, one red and the other black while chanting various slogans and calling for El-Zakzaky’s release.
ACTIVISM
Human Rights
Police
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Group Petitions Court Over Aiteo’s Alleged Refusal To Pay N259m Debt
A Port Harcourt, Rivers State-based firm, Charlietam International Services Limited, has petitioned the Federal High Court in Lagos, asking it to order the commencement of a wind-up proceeding against Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited, which acquired OML 29 oil bloc in Bayelsa State from Shell Petroleum Development Company in 2015, over its failure to pay a debt of N259m owed it.
The petition was filed through the firm’s solicitors, Anthony Enyindah, Victor Okezie and Dr Dickson Omukoro of Ntephe Smith & Wills.
The petitioner is praying the court to wind-up the company on grounds of insolvency pursuant to sections 408 and 409(a) of the Company and Allied Matters Act.
In a six paragraph affidavit verifying the petition, Mr Unye Micah, Managing Director of Charlietam International Services Limited, affirmed that between December 2017 to March 2019, his company rendered services valued at ?265m and was only paid the sum of ?6m without payment advice, leaving an outstanding balance of N259m.
The petitioner averred that several demand letters, including those from its solicitors were sent to the company’s Abuja and Lagos addresses, but Aiteo refused or failed to respond to any of the letters.
In the said letter, the petitioners demanded to be paid the amount owed and informed Aiteo of an impending legal action.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the petition by the court.
Legal
Oil
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Inmates Of Katsina Torture Centre Reunited With Families
The police in Katsina on Friday said all 65 inmates discovered at the Daura rehabilitation centre as well as those found at the Niga Rehabilitation and Reformation Centre, Kofar Durbi quarters, Katsina, have been reunited with their families.
Spokesperson for the command, SP Gambon Isah, made the clarification following enquiries on the fate of the inmates.
He said, “Police are not holding anybody. We have reunited all inmates with their families.
“The inmates we met at the Daura rehabilitation centre and those we found at the Katsina centre have all been reunited with their families.”
Investigation at the Daura and the Katsina rehabilitation centres also showed a dearth of activities there.
Those seen milling around the Daura centre claimed not to be inmates. They also refused comments.
Efforts made to trace the inmates and their families also proved tough as nobody was willing to volunteer information on their movements, according to a report by PUNCH.
On Tuesday, Katsina Chief Magistrates’ court remanded in prison custody, the 78-year-old cleric and owner of the Daura rehabilitation centre, Mallam Bello Abdullahi, over charges of criminal conspiracy, wrongful confinement, and cruelty to children.
He would be in the prison custody until October 22, 2019, when his case comes up for mention at the court.
Police
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‘Yahoo-Yahoo Boys’ Can Be Useful To Us, Says EFCC Boss, Magu
Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu, has said that the agency is planning to rehabilitate young people engaged in Internet fraud popularly known as ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ in Nigeria because they could be useful to the agency in future.
Magu stated this in Lagos on Thursday while delivering a paper at the third All Administrators National Conference of the Chartered Institute of Administration, according to a report by PUNCH.
While speaking on collaboration between the EFCC and other nations, Magu said the agency had secured collaboration with ECOWAS member-states to aid in prosecution of cross-border crimes.
He said, “So if you carry money from Nigeria and escape to Ghana, we will just call the men in Ghana and say, ‘arrange this man and keep him for me.
“This is what the ‘Yahoo-Yahoo boys’ like to do. But we are planning to rehabilitate them because they can be useful to us in future.”
Corruption
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