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By Abel Leonard Nzwanke/Lafia

Officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and representatives of the Nasarawa State government have met and agreed on modalities for accessing a N1.5bn credit facility to assist youths across the state in establishing agribusinesses.

Chairman of the committee set up by the state government to secure the credit facility and Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the state governor on Youths, Sports and NGOs, Yakubu Kwanta, said shortly after the meeting, at the state Ministry of Agriculture that government and the parties have agreed on the modalities for accessing the loan.

He said the government has since kick started the process of the loan disbursement, with application forms issued freely to youths from across the 13 local government areas of the state.

The SSA further disclosed that the collection of the completed forms has commenced, following which the committee will sit down and analyse critically, whether the youths that applied for the facility were qualified or not.

“Our main target are youths between the ages of 18 and 35 that are graduates of agriculture and those that are desirous of going into agriculture,” he said.

Also speaking, Akin Ogidi, Head, Development of Finance Office at the CBN Lafia branch, said the project is at the preliminary stage, with the apex bank laying out its requirements for accessing the credit facility.

Ogidi confirmed that the state government was willing to take part in the programme.

By Mike Oboh

Kano State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje applauds the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its immense contributions to the people of the State towards the development of their educational career and beyond.

The Governor stated this at the celebration of the 89th National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia organised by the Saudi Embassy in Kano, held at Afficent, Sultan road.

He acknowledged with full appreciation how several citizens of Kano are currently in Saudi Arabia studying various courses in the Kingdom’s Universities and some of them enjoy Scholarships under the Saudi Government.

“For nearly half a century, several Islamic Scholars from the State obtained different level of advanced religious knowledge which greatly gave them upper hand in imparting authentic Islamic knowledge and help in ensuring peaceful coexistence among Muslims in the State.

” Of recent, the donations of funds and Scholarships slots by the Saudi Ambassador during pronouncement of our free and compulsory education policy is a phenomenal and will remain in the mind of the good people of Kano State,” he revealed.

Ganduje represented at the occasion by his Deputy Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, noted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had occupied a unique place not only in the history of humanity but in the heart of over billion inhabitants of this world.

” As political entity, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia occupies an elegant place in the committee of Nations for its unique strides and the strategic roles it plays in the modern global political – economy,”the Governor said.

Ganduje said being a predominantly Muslim’s State, Kano State would continue to hold a veritable perception towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a strategic nexus that link the people of the State to the rest of the world.

In our own part, the Governor continued, the State would remain committed in supporting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to promote the long relationship that exist between the two parties for the benefit of its citizenry.

Earlier, the Console General of Saudi Arabia in Kano Sultan Abdulrahman Al- Dhakel said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its Sister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria share strong relationship and tides which is being based on Islamic faith that teaches peace and brotherhood.

Sultan Abdulrahman added that “The relationship between the two Countries has passed through different stages and were consolidated after the exchange of diplomatic presentation, which made it easier for the Government and people of the two countries to transact and exchange interest in various diplomatic activities.”

He explained that despite being loving and advocating for peace, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is facing malicious campaign aimed at improving its security and that of the entire world.

Abdulrahman said “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had presented numerous initiatives and treaties among various parties in the Arab and Muslims world a move that contributed to the stability and progress of these countries “.

Oil rose further above 64 dollars a barrel on Monday, supported by doubts about how quickly Saudi Arabia can restore output after a crippling attack this month and a resulting greater focus by investors on supply risks.

Despite efforts by the top crude exporter to reassure the market it can resume full production by the end of September, state oil company Saudi Aramco has asked some customers to switch crude grades and delay shipments.

“The geopolitical risk premium has returned with a vengeance and supply-side developments have been thrust back into the spotlight,” Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM said.

“While Saudi oil facilities smoulder, the potential for fresh outages in Nigeria, Libya and Venezuela continues to hang over the market.”

Brent crude was up 31 cents at 64.59 dollars a barrel at 0911 GMT, having risen as high as 65.50 dollars. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 rose 28 cents to 58.37 dollars.

Brent has gained 18 per cent this year, helped by a supply-limiting pact led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, although concern about slowing economic growth has limited the advance.

A survey on Monday showed euro zone business growth stalled this month, and the latest U.S.-China talks have failed to produce signs of a breakthrough in the two countries’ prolonged trade dispute.

“Investors remain unconvinced that a trade deal is about to see the light of day soon,” said Hussein Sayed, analyst at broker FXTM. “That’s likely to put a cap on any further gains in risk assets.”

Tension in the Middle East has escalated since the Saudi attack, also lending oil some support.

The Pentagon has ordered additional U.S. troops to be deployed in the Gulf region to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s air and missile defences.

Britain believes Iran was responsible for the attack and will work with the United States and European allies on a joint response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have already blamed Iran, which denies responsibility. (Reuters/NAN)

By Mike Oboh

Africa footballer of the year award winner and former super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu has described the upgraded Memorandum of Understanding signed between the League Management Company and IPRO Sports as a win win bargain.

Kanu made the declaration at the signing of the MOU in Abuja.

According to him, the Nigeria premier league stands to gain more from the agreement as it will help boost the financial standing of the league.

Kanu noted that unlike other sponsorship, the league will benefit more from this partnership as the league hold the patient right for the sale of IPRO Sports product in the country.

Also speaking the chairman of LMC, Mallam Shehu Dikko said the deal to seal the partnership began in 2015 and the league will appoint distributors for the product to properly monitor the income that will be gotten.

Dikko explained that league has a percentage from every of the product which is branded with logo of the league.

The Managing Director of IPRO Sports Nigeria limited, Hermamt Patel, on his part, said with the involvement of Kanu in the deal based on his humanitarian services through the Kanu Heart Foundation, the company was hopeful that the best of the partnership will benefit both parties.

Patel who said it has been a long journey noted that the partnership was a strategic and amazing one.

The former chairman of Sunshine Stars football club of Akure, Prince Dapo Ajibade said the transparency exhibited by the leadership of the league by not making it their personal business was worth commending.

Ajibade said this legacy will stand to benefit sportsmen and women and the league in particular aa it was not an easy task to get this type of partnership.

By Mike Oboh

In an effort to discharge one of its statutory responsibilities of encouraging what is good and forbidding what is haram, Kano State Hisbah Board has destroyed over 196,400 bottles of alcohol.

Speaking shortly after flagging off the destruction exercise at Kalemawa in Dawakin Tofa local Government Area, Kano State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said Islam has strongly condemned drinking of Alcohol and all other intoxicants that can distort mental capability of a person.

“In Islam, drinking of alcohol is strongly forbidden being one of the backbones of committing sins either big or small and that has been stated out at several places in the Holy Qur’an.

” our Islamic Scholars, religious and community leaders should joint hands together in the crusade against such social vices because issue of taking Alcohol is not only Islam that forbids it, to good Christian, consuming Alcohol is also prohibited ” he said.

The Governor represented by his Deputy Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna assured that all other shari’a agencies in the State would enjoy similar promotion and support with State Hisbah Biard to enable them discharge their mandates.

He said “This Government is a Shari’a compliant Government. We will continue to support the Hisbah Board more especially as we witnessed the launched of New Hisbah Commanders of all the 44 Local Government Areas and also witnessed the rebranding and taking the State Hisbah Board to the next level.”

Ganduje therefore implored people in the State to accord the needed support and cooperation to the officials of the Hisbah Board, pointing out that…” giving them all the supports to discharge their duties will not only promote their work but ensure that our society become free from evil social acts “.

In his remarks, the Commander General Kano State Hisbah Board Sheik Haroon Muhammad Sani ibn Sina disclosed that the board had succeeded in preventing selling and drinking of Alcohol under the provision of penal Court section (401) of 2013 shari’a law in Kano.

According to him, the Board has got court order under this section to destroy over 12 Tippers of Alcohol confiscated while trying to bring them in to the State which are meant to distort the life of the teaming youth.

” it is against this background, I call upon the suppliers and those that consume the alcohol to shun away from this act as Hisbah Board will not relent on its effort to fish out the perpetrators and take them to court at any given time for prosecutions,” he assured.

Earlier, the Assistant Commander General Hisbah Board Malam Idris M. Umar quoted several verses from the Holy Qur’an that prohibit the selling and drinking of alcohol as well as it’s implication to human life.

By Jennifer Y Omiloli

The head office of Unity Bank on Victoria Island, Lagos State has been gutted by flame.

The flame flare-up which began in the early hours of Monday was affirmed by the bank by means of its official Twitter handle.

The bank said, “We regret to inform the public that there was a fire incident on one of the floors of our Head Office building early this morning.

“The cause of the fire incident is yet to be ascertained but the fire service has intervened and has brought the situation under control.

“While the extent of damage is being assessed, we are happy to note that there was no casualty or loss of life as a result of the incident.

“From current observations, however, the banking hall and other strategic business areas were not affected.”

See video of the burning building below:

Fire Destroys Parts Of Unity Bank’s Head Office
pic.twitter.com/1jGIHjZoG6

— Nigeria Facts & Diary⚙️ (@NGR_Facts) September 23, 2019

By Jennifer Y Omiloli

The Network of International Human Rights Organisations and Coalitions (NIHROC) say it may soon adopt Mr Omoyele Sowore, the detained Publisher of Sahara Reporters as a “Prisoner of Conscience”.

The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) said on Monday in Lagos that it was working with renowned rights groups across the world to ensure that Sowore was adopted as a Prisoner of Conscience unless the Federal Government releases the activist without further delay.

They also expressed shock that the Nigerian authorities were making frivolous charges against Sowore who had been in custody since Aug. 5.

The group also called for the release of Olawale Bakare, a member of #RevolutionNow arrested in Osogbo, Osun, on Aug. 5, Publisher of Cross River Watch, Mr Agba Jalingo and Ekanem Ekpo. The last two were arrested by the police and have yet to be taken to court.

“The continoued detention of Sowore is an embarrassment to Nigeria as a country. Everywhere we visit across the world, people are asking questions about Sowore’s detention.

“Many people do not understand the logic of laying charges of treason against Sowore simply because he used the word revolution.

“His incarceration continues to put a question mark on the credibility of the Nigerian government. Democracy dies when the culture of debate and the tradition of protest are lost,” the group said in a statement by CSNAC Chairman, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju,

CSNAC said the Nigerian government had beyond imaginations embarrassed itself by charging Sowore for “insulting the President”.

“It is even more ridiculous that he is being charged for insulting Mr President and also for money laundering where money was legitimately transferred through the financial institutions.

“These are frivolous charges aimed at seeking justification for his illegal arrest and continuous detention.”

CSNAC said from indications, the Nigerian government was desperate to press charges against Sowore and ensure he is jailed at all cost.

Suraju said Sowore was being hunted in part, due to series of publications in Sahara Reporters that consistently exposed corrupt practices in this and previous governments.

“Sowore is obviously a victim of vengeance. Corrupt politicians and security chiefs whose dirty deals have consistently been exposed by Sahara Reporters are looking for ways to settle scores. They think by bringing down Sowore, Sahara Reporters will die.

“Its an illusion to think by keeping Sowore in jail, Sahara Reporters would be off the global network. This is a mistake because Sahara Reporters has assumed the status of an independent entity,” he said.

CSNAC also dismissed the charge of money laundering by the Department of State Security, (DSS), saying it was an attempt to blackmail Sahara Reporters and its publisher.

Sowore was arrested on Aug. 5 in Lagos and the Federal Government obtained an ex-parte order granting his detention for 45 days.

After keeping him for almost two months, he was charged for insulting President Mohammadu Buhari during a life programme on AriseTV. The government also accused him of treason.

He was also charged for transferring the sum of $19,975 from his personal account to Sahara Reporters.

By Dauda R Pam MAIDUGURI

Operation LAFIYA DOLE,OPLD,troops of the Nigerian Army,NA,in Maiduguri,Sunday, swooped on a gang of suspected cultists,alleged to be engaged in Armed robbery and kidnapping in the state capital and environs.

According to a statement signed by Deputy Director Army Public Relations,DDAPR,Col.Ado Isa, indicated that the scoop was tumbled upon following information received from well meaning individuals, that a gang of suspected cultists,who engage in armed robbery and kidnapping in Maiduguri and environs were arrested, Sunday 22 September, 2019.

He explained that the feat was achieved by troops of the Nigerian Army Super Camp 1 Molai, in line with the Super Camp Concept of the Counter terrorism efforts Of Operation LAFIYA DOLE (OPLD)in conjunction with other security agencies

The DDAPR added that, the alleged cultists were about to perform an initiation rite on some new members into their confraternity, when the Army troops and other security personnel stormed their hideout in Maiduguri.

And that, the cultists attempted to flee and escape arrest but was unsuccessful as they were effectively overwhelmed and rounded up by the troops and other security agencies.

Col. Isa said,”the general area has since been cordoned off and 18 members of the cult group, comprising civilians and alleged students of the University of Maiduguri were arrested at the initiation scene including three serving personnel of the Nigerian Army who were also arrested and have since been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Borno State Command for further investigation and necessary action”.

Just as, “the arrested soldiers have equally been dismissed,after due interrogation in line with military justice system by 7 Division Military Police and handed over to the Borno State Police Command”, as law demands.

According to the release,the Theatre Commander OPLD, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi,Brigadier General AK Ibrahim,AgGOC, 7Division,NA,and the Commissioner of Police, Director of State Security Service (SSS), as well as other heads of security agencies in Borno State also visited the scene for on-the-spot assessment of the situation .

TROOPS of OPLD, and other security agencies have since mounted an intensive joint patrol within Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and its environs.

“While we continue to intensify the fight against insurgents and other criminals, members of the general public are once again enjoined to continue to support the security agencies with information that could assist in dealing with the criminals”,the DDAPR said,and also appealed to the public to be on the watch out for fleeing terrorists from the Lake Chad area.

By Danzumi Ishaku

Governor Darius Dickson of Taraba state, has appealed to waring parties in the southern part of the state to shield their sword in the interest of peace and development of the state.

The Governor stated this at thanksgiving service in honour of the Taraba state CAN chairman, Revernd Isaiah Magaji Jirapye which holds in Jalingo the Taraba state headquarters.

Governor Ishaku who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Anthony Jellason charged Christians to be there brothers keepers, calling on the people of Tsraba state to remain steadfast in prayers and not to castigate there leaders in authority.

The Governor said several cases of insecurity has been slowing down the growth of the state and urge religion leaders to preach peace at all times.

Also speaking the National chairman of CAN, Reverend Samson Ayokunle who was represented by CAN National Vice president, Reverend Caleb Ahima congratulated the Taraba state CAN chairman, Reverend Isaiah Magaji over his election and lauded the outgoing chairman Reverend Innocent Solomon for the service rendered to CAN in the state.

The National President urged the body of Christ to put aside sentiments as believes and unite as one body.

He stress the need for believes to keep supporting their leaders in payers.

Speaking at the ceremony the Taraba state CAN chairman Reverend Isaiah Magaji Jirapye said the occasion was intended to appreciate God over his faithfulness to him , the church and CAN in the state.

Jirapye said God chose him for a purpose and promise to do his best to uplift Christ.

He made a case for the unity of purpose among believes in the state saying their strength is in their unity.

The sermon at the occasion was taken by the coordinator Of NGADA development area Revernd Joseph Titus Nagombe who doubles vice president Mambila Baptist convention of Nigeria who took his reading from psalm 26 :1 to 12 and caption his sermon the purpose of thanksgiving,

He said thanksgiving is an expression of joy and gratitude to God and commended the celebrate for returning to thank God