NIGERIAN NOTCH

The Nigerian Air force said on Monday that its Air Task prosecuting Operation Rattle Snake in the North East, at the weekend killed several ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists who had gathered at a meeting point in a building at Kollaram, Borno State. A statement by Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola said, “In continuation of Operation Rattle Snake, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has neutralized some Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters as they assembled for a meeting at their hideout in Kollaram on the fringes of Lake Chad in the Northern part of Borno State. ” The operation was executed on 14 December 2019 following credible intelligence reports indicating that some of the ISWAP leaders had assembled for a meeting in one of 2 buildings at the centre of the settlement. “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jets dispatched by the ATF to attack the location scored accurate hits on the target building completely obliterating it and killing its terrorists’

 BY ENGR. DIKEOMA CHIBUEZE The success of any lawmaker in attracting goodies for his people at the National Assembly is highly dependent on the position of the member in any 'juicy' committee. This is because, almost all serious politicking at NASS is done at the committee level. For a member to be assigned a worthy position in a functional committee, the member needs to be a ranking member with networks of goodwill among the members of the house. Being assigned a worthy position in a functional committee means that the lawmaker will in no time influence jobs, road projects, healthcare and entrepreneurial support for his constituents, utilizing his influence in the committee. If truth be made manifest, of all the candidates contesting to represent Okigwe North in Federal House of Representatives, only one of them is ranked and is better positioned to have a large support network among members of the house. He is *Hon. (Engr) Obinna Kingsley Onwubuariri, PDP Candidate.

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello said that the restriction placed on commercial tricycle operators to certain parts of the city was one of the most difficult decisions that the FCT administration had to make. Mr Anthony Ogunleye, Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, in a statement on Sunday, said Bello disclosed this during the presentation of the FCT’s 2020 statutory budget to the joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the The minister said that the decision was imperative because commercial tricycles by law should not operate on the express and highways along with vehicles as they pose dangers to both passengers and riders. According to Bello, most roads within the Federal Capital City, were expressways and thus could not accommodate the presence of the commercial tricycles and motorcycles. He, however, said that the FCTA was not unmindful of the challenges commuters were facing as a result of the policy, adding that strategies we

President Muhammadu Buhari has rejoiced with a former governor of Oyo State, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, on his 70th birthday on Dec. 16. The president’s congratulatory message was conveyed in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Sunday. Buhari said in the statement that he was joining the family, friends and associates of the former governor in celebrating the milestone. He particularly congratulated Ajimobi ”for his many years of outstanding achievements in both the private and public sectors, leaving behind a legacy of excellence in the places where he had been at the helm of affairs, especially in the insurance and oil sectors.” According to him, Ajimobi’s forthrightness, patriotism and passion in working for the good of the country and humanity will continue to stand him out as a resourceful manager, exemplary leader and patriot. The president also commended the former governor for his contributions to the nation’s d

The  President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, has been eulogised for his consistent efforts to  speak against the obvious marginalisation of Ndigbo by the Nigerian federation. Ndigbo Unity Assembly (NUA), in a statement yesterday in Enugu, in Enugu State, said they were particularly happy the way Chief Nwodo has continually spoken truth to power without mincing words. The Assembly said one of such was his recent letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police on the  numerous military/para-military and Police check points dotting the major Expressways leading to South East, especially between Lagos and Onitsha Expressway, where he alleged that there were at least 64 check points. Chief Nwodo in the letter according to the statement  signed by  spokesman,the check points were erected purposely  to extort Ndigbo who mostly ply the road on daily basis to  carry out their businesses. The Assembly called on the IG to dismantle the check poin

Dr Samuel Orijiako, a pain management specialist and medical consultant at NAUTH, Nnewi Anambra state, has conducted a free medical outreach in Umuonaga Village, in Awka South LGA of Anambra state. The maiden edition of the medical outreach which started at Umuonaga, the home town of Dr Orjiako, witnessed massive attendance by the young, elderly and children, who came out to check their health status, by a team of medical consultants from NAUTH, who were on ground to take care of the health challenges of the people. While speaking with newsmen, the coordinator and sponsor of the medical outreach, Dr Samuel Orjiako, thanked members of his community, for coming out enmasse to partake in the medical outreach. He stressed that the reason he brought the medical outreach, with his team of consultants to his community was because he wants people around him, to be hale and hearty at all times. Dr Orjiakor stressed that " one does not need to have so much before sharing with y

.......sets up Taskforce on decongestion The chairman of tricycle operators known as CITROWAAS in Anambra State, Mr. Sylvester Obiora, has cautioned the operators to avoid recklessness on the road this season. Obiora who spoke recently in Awka the state capital , while  addressing the operators also warned them not engage in criminal act this season. He cautioned  that  Christmas and new year period was  associated with heavy traffic,  therefore they should obey traffic rules and regulations to avoid accident and congestion of the roads. The chairman charged the taskforce not to hesitate to arrest any tricycle operator who defaulted  the directives, stating that for any operator to run one way amount  to serious traffic violation. Obiora lauded the Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Christian Madubuko, for his commitment to sanitise transport sector. Madubuko  in his speech commended Obiora for setting up Special Taskforce for the decongestion of roads during this season.

By Obi Bright Governance and legislation are said to be a process, where the fortunes of the masses are entrusted in the hands of an elected few to drive the course of development and to pilot the affairs of nations, states, constituencies as well as local government areas for a period of time. If governance is a process, then the process is supposed to be marked with “continuity” at all level. Unfortunately, over the years Nigeria has been bedeviled with neglect of projects by previous administrations at all levels. This trend of initiation and reinitiating projects has resulted in littering of fragmentary projects in states, federal constituencies and local governments “the hallmark of democratic dividends” since the resurfacing of democracy in 1999 to the Nigerian political sphere. Hence, democracy which is thought to be a system of governance that leads to social equity has become the machinery for not just disparity but planting seeds of discord and clannish repugnance. Ho

World heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has expressed appreciation to the Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Mr Benaoyagha Okoyen, for psyching him up to reclaim his titles. After Joshua lost to Andy Ruiz Jr during their first match in New York in June, Okoyen sent him a letter praising his courage and assuring him of Nigeria’s support in his future fights. In the four-paragraph letter, the envoy assured him that Nigeria remained proud of the “remarkable feat’’ he had attained in his boxing career. The letter obviously meant a lot to the 30-year-old Nigerian-British pugilist, who held it up in a photograph obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). After reclaiming the titles in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, he reciprocated with words of appreciation to the Consul General. Joshua’s message was conveyed by a U.S.-based Nigerian journalist, Joi John, who covered the rematch in Saudi Arabia. The two-time heavyweight boxing champion was quoted as saying that the

Electricity workers have suspended a strike that engulfed a major part of the country in darkness for a little more than 24 hours. One of the major distributors in Lagos, Eko Electricity Distribution Company on Thursday morning confirmed the development and its readiness to commence business immediately. Dear customer, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has suspended its strike. Our offices and payment channels are open for business. Thank you for your patience and understanding,” the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Eko Disco) shared on its Twitter page on the morning of Thursday, December 12, 2019. Recall that after a 21-day ultimatum, electricity workers embarked strike on December 11, citing unpaid severance allowances, salaries and pensions owed 50,000 former employees of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) before the country privatized its power sector in 2013. Comrade Joe Ajaero, General Secretary of the NUEE says: “Following the agree