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Tag: Kogi

  • Kogi Correspondents Applauds Isiguzo, ascribes victory

    Kogi Correspondents Applauds Isiguzo, ascribes victory

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    Kogi State Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Monday in Lokoja applauded the re-election of Chris Isiguzo as President of NUJ.

    Isiguzo who was re-elected unopposed at the Union’s 7th Triennial National Delegates Conference held on Thursday, October 7th at Umuahiah, Abia State, ascribed his victory to his forthrightness, transparency, accountability and commitment to the welfare of Journalists.

    In a statement issued by its Chairman, Mr Friday Idachaba on Monday in Lokoja, the Correspondents’ Chapel congratulated Isiguzo and lauded his leadership qualities and positive roles in the journalism profession.

    Idachaba said the re-elected NUJ President had on several occasions intervened between journalists, government and their employers redressing disaffections resulting from breakdowns in communication.

    He expressed optimism that Isiguzo would perform better in his second term having been tested as a leader with passionate love for working journalists with regard to their welfare as he demonstrated in his first tenure.

    The Chapel chairman remarked that Isiguzo who was elected in 2018 had championed the current narrative in the NUJ through transparency, accountability and open-door policy and had stabilised the union away from the “one-man show” of the past to an all inclusive unionism.

    “We cannot forget in a hurry all his efforts in ensuring that journalists in Kogi State were accorded their rightful position as obtainable in other places, with clear cut intervention.”

    Idachaba enjoined Isiguzo to put more efforts in harmonizing government /Journalists relationship in Kogi state adding “President should not rest on his oars till the goal is achieved.”

    “It is a well-known fact that journalists are the beacon of light and mirror between the government and the governed. As we approach the 2023 general elections the role of the media cannot be overemphasized.”

    “Let the media, through their contents, provide the needed guide to the government and the led as ‘whatever has passed the credibility test of the press is deemed to have won the sanctity of truth’ and the rule of law.”

    He expressed confident that Isiguzo will keep the flag of journalism profession flying and ensure that the welfare of media professionals remains a factor to be held in trust in his interface with employers.

  • Gov. Bello Sets To Implement 30,000 New Minimum Wage In Kogi

    Gov. Bello Sets To Implement 30,000 New Minimum Wage In Kogi

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    Kogi State Head of Service (HOS) Mrs. Hannah Onyinoyi Odiyo on Wednesday in Lokoja re-stated government’s commitment to implement the N30,000 new minimum wage for workers in the state.

    Mrs. Odiyo disclosed this while declaring open a day Workshop organised by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, (ASCSN) Kogi state Chapter, for its members in Lokoja.

    She reemphasized the State Government resolve to sustain enhanced welfare packages for civil servants in the state to enhance their productivity, maintaining that re-training of staff will also continue to receive priority attention.

    The HOS promised that Government will sustain regular payment of salaries, pensions and other entitlements currently being enjoyed by its workers to better their living conditions.

    She disclosed that government had equally embarked on motivation of workers through empowering them on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to meet up with the modern reality in the discharge of their duties.

    “As Civil Servants, you must strive to complement government’s efforts by keying into investments that will better your living as well as plan for your retirement in future” she advised.

    Earlier in his welcome speech, the Chairman of the Kogi Branch of the Association, (ASCSN), Comrade Akeji Aron called for the quick implementation of the new minimum wage by the state government saying that none-implememtation of the policy was long overdue under the prevailing economic woes in Nigeria.

    The Chairman also called on the state government to jettison the rumoured implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme and the Kogi Health Insurance Scheme and give attention to the payment of arrears of benefits of civil servants in the state.

    In the two papers delivered by the Director of Finance & Administration at Kogi State House of Assembly, Enimola Martins, titled: tittles “Preparing For Retirement: Challenges and Solutions,” identified proper investments as a major tool to have a better and enjoyable retirement life.

    The Guest Lecturer enumerated some areas for lucrative business for the retirees to include; Garri grinding machine services, Kerosine retail sales, Pure water packaging, Rental services, Sales of seasoned food stuff, Vegitable garden, Fruit planting, Supper Market, Barbing saloon as well as Tye and Dye businesses.

    Martins also maintained that investment in Human Resources constituted an essential basis for nation building and a major ingredient for achieving progress towards the welfare of citizenry.

  • POS Owners, Others To Register Business Premises Or Face Sanction In Kogi

    POS Owners, Others To Register Business Premises Or Face Sanction In Kogi

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Kogi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Hon. Gabriel Olofu on Tuesday in Lokoja directed all business owners across the State to register their business premises within the next one month or be sanctioned.

    Disclosing this at a joint press conference with the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) in Lokoja on Tuesday, said failure to register the premises in accordance with the directives of the State government would draw sanctions on defaulters.

    “We are appealing to the General Public to comply with the provisions of the law concerning registering of business with ministry of Commerce and Industry as required by law.”

    “This is to avoid sanction or punishment as the case may be. We urged business operators to pay their taxes directly into KGIRS specified account and obtain receipt or teller; thereafter proceed to ministry of Commerce and Industry to obtain their Business Premises certificate.”

    The Commissioner stressed the need for all payments to be made directly through the Bank in accordance with the cashless policy of the State Government, adding that with the grace of one month, after which the enforcement would commence.

    “At the expiration of one month, the state tax force on revenue drive would tour round all business establishments in the state to enforce the law”.

    He disclosed that the ministry of Commerce and KGIRS have Area tax officers at the various LGAs and other Strategic positions to assist tax payers meet up their payments.

    “The list of businesses according to the provisions of the law covers wide range of enterprises of about 100 different businesses including the new areas of tax drive such as POS, Miners, contractors handling jobs for Kogi State Government and others.”

  • Jailbreak: Gunmen Attack Kabba Prison, kill Soldiers, Sets Prisoners free In Kogi

    Jailbreak: Gunmen Attack Kabba Prison, kill Soldiers, Sets Prisoners free In Kogi

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    Hundreds of prisoners were said to have escaped from the medium federal correctional centre in Kabba, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State over the weekend.

    It was gathered that Gunmen in their numbers attacked the prison centre which is on the Kabba – Lokoja highway, on Sunday night and early hours of Monday morning, killing the military men keeping guard on the road before attacking the centre.

    The gunmen thereafter launched attack on the prison officers before creating access to set all the prisoners free.

    The Assistant Inspector General of police zone 8, Ayuba Edeh, who confirmed the jail break, said the State Commissioner of Police and other heads of security agencies have swang into action to do an assessment of the cause of the break.

  • Kogi, Kwara, FCT, 3 Others Performs Low On Agric Extension Services – ActionAid

    Kogi, Kwara, FCT, 3 Others Performs Low On Agric Extension Services – ActionAid

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Food and Agriculture Programmes Coordinator for ActionAid Nigeria, Azubike Nwokoye has rated Kogi, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Delta, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory low in its recent assessments of agricultural extension service performance.

    The Coordinator who presented outcome of his findings to farmers in Abuja, according to ‘Kogi Report’, lamented that poor funding and lack of sufficient training of extension workers were some of the factors militating against food surplus in the country.

    Nwokoye who also gave fair pass marks to Gombe and Ondo States
    further identified lack of mobility and transport allowance to enable extension workers move around as snags affecting the sector.

    The Programmes Officer called on the federal, states and local governments, to pay more attention to extension service providers so as to scale up food sufficiency and increase the country’s earnings.

    He added: “The essence of this gathering is actually to show the latest data we have on the level of access extension services in Nigeria. And the challenges of poor funding of the extension services and the components of agriculture for us to push for increased funding.”

    He called on relevant authorities to incorporate women farmers into extension service providers adding that extension services is the fulcrum of agricultural productivity. “Over the years, farmer agent ratio has been very poor; there is a wide gap and some of the statistics are showing that in Nigeria you have one extension agent to 2,500 family farms.”

    “In some situations, one extension agent to ten thousand farms. Latest, people that have done it are saying ten thousand extension agents to eighteen thousand family farms.”

    “So, the gap is wide. There is also in existence the challenge of low recruitment, lack of mobility and transport allowance and lack of training and low number of female extension agents across Nigeria.”

    “The aim of this conversation is to make sure the poor funding situation is addressed within this budgetary process that is currently ongoing in the 2022 agriculture budget.” he added.

    “We believe that it is a waste of our common wealth if government, both at the federal and state levels have extension agents that they cannot provide them with motorcycles and transport allowance to do their job.”

    “It means that when they pay them at the end of the month without providing them money for operation, government is wasting our common wealth.”

    “It is better for government not to waste our common wealth by ensuring that trainings and retraining are provided for extension agents and that they are provided with proper mobility to be able to deliver this services to the farmers.”

    “Across Nigeria, we have a lot of technological research that are lying on the shelves. Because of the low funding of extension services, these technologies are not distributed to farmers.”

  • BREAKING: NTA Staff Stoned To Death In Kogi

    BREAKING: NTA Staff Stoned To Death In Kogi

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    A Nigerian Television Authority, (NTA) Staff identified as Chukwu Odiahu has been killed in Okene, Kogi State by unknown Persons.

    It was gathered that late Odiahu who works at the engineering department of the NTA boaster station in Okene was stoned to death on Tuesday evening after he closed of the transmission around 10pm and office the premises.

    Although the cause of the attack on late Odiahu is yet to be known as at the time of filing this report, news had it that all the staff on duty have been arrested and are currently under interrogation at the Divisional Office of the Nigeria Police Force in Okene.

    A staff of NTA in Okene who spoke under anonymity confirmed the incident adding “It is very unfortunate we all woke up this morning to see the death of one of our colleagues under the engineering department discovered his corpse stoned to death by unknown persons along Okene – Magingo roads.

    The Police Public Relations officer of the Kogi State Police Command, DSP, William Ayah who confirmed this on Wednesday said information got to the command that an unidentified corpse was discovered along Okene-Magogo road at about 6.30 am on Monday.

    He said that when his Okene command visited the scence, it was discovered that the dead man was a staff of Nigeria Television Authority Okene.

    He further stated that when the body was examined it was discovered that there was blood stain in the body and brusis all over the body and was identified as one Chukwu working with NTA Okene.

    He further mentioned that the corpse has been deposited at a mortuary in Okenwe hospital while investigation is on to arrest those behind the crime.

  • Bloodbath In Omala: Gunmen Kills 9, injures scores In Kogi

    Bloodbath In Omala: Gunmen Kills 9, injures scores In Kogi

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    No fewer than nine persons were in the late hours of Tuesday night allegedly killed and scores injured by unknown gunmen that attacked Bagana community in Omala local Government Area of kogi state.

    A local sources told our correspondent that, the gunmen invaded a provision shop located in the heart of the village and opened fire killing four persons on the spot and on shooting spree in which many people who were running to escape were hit by stray bullets.

    He disclosed that he counted five dead bodies from his hiding which included one Alias Barrister, a diesel oil dealer and a dispensary staff of the Local Government Health Center at Ogba, residing in Bagana.

    Confirming the incident, the Force public Relations officer of the state command DSP William Aya, said , one Usman Salifu called the DPO on phone around 9.30pm on Tuesday that his shop has been attacked by gunmen leading to the death of his sales boy, Bashir Sule and three other customers, while scores sustained various degrees of injury.

    He added that on receipt of the distress call, the DPO mobilised his men to the scene and evacuated some of the injured to the Hospital for treatment, adding that the force has commenced manhunt to bring the perpetrators to book.

    He said peace has returned and assured the people to return home to continue with their legitimate businesses.

    Another villager while recounting his ordeal to our correspondent said they were woken up from their sleep by the gunshots as they scampered into the bush for safety lamenting at the incessant killings of innocent citizens and wanton burning of their houses by the marauders since 2014.

    He added that the village had lost over 300 of her citizens and had lost property worth billions of naira to the unending attacks by the militias allegedly invited from Benue and Nasarawa states.

    He said , the crises which started between the Agatu militias and Fulani herders from Benue state has rendered the town to a ghost , as the efforts by the state government to curtail the carnage proved abortive.

  • Joint Task Force Arrest 9-Member Cybercrime Gang In Kogi

    Joint Task Force Arrest 9-Member Cybercrime Gang In Kogi

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Joint Task Force operatives in Okehi Local Government area of Kogi state on Monday arrested a 9-member cybercrime syndicate who specialises in siphoning people’s funds from their accounts.

    Information released indicated that the suspect confessed to their involvement in defrauding people stating that they’ve been operating in Ondo State but recently relocated to Ihima in Kogi State to carry on with their nefarious deals.

    This syndicate according to ‘Kogi Reports’ were lodging at Ihima Guest House along cemetery road in Oboroke-Ihima before they were nabbed, while the two ladies among them revealed their involvements in Pornography videos including drugs and alcohol.

    According to reports, the tactical operation which lasted for hours secured the arrest of seven Males. Four from Ondo state, Two from Ihima, One from Okene and two females from Adavi Local Government while gadgets including mobile phones and other accessories were confiscated.

    The Okehi council Chairman, Abdulraheem Ohiare who led the team of operation noted that those apprehended were currently in the custody of the security agents helping with information that would lead to the arrest of others.

    The Council Chairman applauded the security agents for the success of the operation and the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for prioritising the Security of lives and property of the citizenry.

  • CP Dauda Assume Duty As Command Commissioner In Kogi

    CP Dauda Assume Duty As Command Commissioner In Kogi


    By Noah Ocheni,Lokoja.

    Barely three weeks after CP Arungwa  Nwazue resumed and left, the kogi state police command  received CP Idris  Dauda on Monday as the new state police Boss in the state.

    CP Dauda resumed work at the state police command headquarters on Monday, and said he will continue from where his predecessor,  CP Ayuba Edeh , now the AIG in-charge of Zone 8 police command in Lokoja stopped .

    CP Dauda who was in charge of  Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) at the state police command before leaving for a course which commissioned him to the new status said he will work with the stakeholders, media and members of the public  in the war against criminality in the state.

    “Where we will err, correct us , draw our attention into it and we will correct it immediately. I will continue to follow the footsteps of the CP, Ayuba Ede, the former state commissioner of police.”

    While responding to an observation, the new Commissioner of police said any uniform man is seen as an enemy by criminals, assuring that he will deploy his men to act on any matter of public interest .

    He therefore cautioned his men  to be at alert in the course of duty to avoid being taken unaware by criminals that are on the prowl in the state. 

    It was reliably gathered that CP Nwazue was redeployed few hours  after resumption at the state police command over undisclosed issue . 

  • AEDC Casual Staff, Muhammadu Electrocuted In Kogi

    AEDC Casual Staff, Muhammadu Electrocuted In Kogi

    A casual staff of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) Plc ,Lokoja branch Mallam Muhammadu Buhari was on Thursday Electrocuted while working on high tension wire in Madabo, old market area Lokoja.

    The deceased, Malam Muhammadu Buhari, a father of one, identified as Bapati, had gone to Madabo transformer point at about 9. 30am to rectify a fault at the pole when the incidence occurred.

    There was power outage which is expected to be restore by 10 am when the deceased mounted the pole.

    According to an eye witness, the power was off when the deceased mounted the pole and was on the process of rectifying the fault when power was Suddenly restored 30 minutes before the schedule 10am .

    The source said the 32-year-old man was instantly electrocuted, adding that his corpse was later evacuated by good Samaritans from the area and deposited at his palace residence, Lokoja .

    The deceased is survived by his mother, his triplets brother and sister, one which is Sani Karachi a popular horse rider in the area.