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Gov Zulum subsidises petrol at N600/litre for farmers

Published

2 days ago

January 4, 2025

Borno State governor, Babagana Umara Zulum

Gov Zulum subsidises petrol at N600/litre for farmers

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has announced that the state government will subsidise the cost of petrol to farmers in communities affected by Boko Haram insurgency.

He announced the subsidy on Friday evening in Bama town when he flagged off the distribution of farm inputs to over 5,000 farmers displaced by Boko Haram insurgents.

According to the governor, a litre of petrol sold between N1,000 and N1,200 in Maiduguri will be subsidised to the farmers for N600.

This is aimed at alleviating the financial burden faced by farmers in communities that have suffered economic and infrastructural destruction due to years of conflict.

Zulum emphasised that a similar initiative implemented in Damasak, Mobar Local Government Area, last year had significantly increased food production and improved livelihoods.

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“One of the major challenges that are facing the farming communities here as regards irrigation farming is the increasing cost of fuel. As a result, I want to announce to the general public that government will procure petroleum products and sell to the farmers at a subsidised rate. A litre of petrol is being sold in Maiduguri at the cost of about N1,200 but in’shAllah, henceforth for irrigation farmers, this season, a litre of petrol will be sold at the rate of N600.

“The Commissioner for Agriculture will work with the Brigade Commander to ensure the delivery of the petroleum products to farmers in Bama town as soon as possible,” he said.

In addition to the petrol subsidy, Zulum distributed farm inputs, including 2000 bags of blended NPK fertiliser, 1000 units of water pumps, and 620 units of gasoline pumps.

Other materials include 380 units of solar water pumps, 1000 units of sprayers, 800 rolls of 2-inch flexible hose, and 1000 litres of pesticides and seeds, among other items.

According to him, his administration has constructed over 100 tube wells for use by irrigation farmers while also announcing the approval for the construction of an additional 250.

The governor also visited Darajama and Goniri villages under Bama Local Government to assess the ongoing reconstruction work.

Zulum expressed satisfaction with the quality of the project but also reiterated that his administration would not allow anyone to sabotage its resettlement drive.

The governor expressed gratitude to the federal government for the tremendous support of his administration’s reconstruction and resettlement of communities affected by insurgency.

Gov Zulum subsidises petrol at N600/litre for farmers

metro

Gunmen kill 3 sons of Anambra native doctor

Published

33 minutes ago

January 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Anambra State Police command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga

Gunmen kill 3 sons of Anambra native doctor

Gunmen have killed three children of a native doctor at their home in Nise community of Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State.

The killers were said to have carried out the act on Saturday night by scaling the fence to gain entrance to the building.

It was learnt that the suspects dumped the corpses in a parked Mercedes Benz car in the compound before exiting.

Spokesman of Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, told newsmen on Monday that a manhunt for the killers had begun.

“The assailants entered the compound, killed the victims and dumped their corpses inside a parked Mercedes Benz in the compound. The incident happened on Saturday, but we got the report late on Sunday.

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“We are trying to unravel the circumstances behind the killing, whether it was due to the negligence of their father or the motive of the suspect and as soon as we conclude our investigation, the report will be made public,” he said.

A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the bodies of the three boys, aged between six and two, were found with their mouths tied.

The source claimed the native doctor had a habit of locking up his children and wife in the house while he is out.

“The father of the victims was reported to have been having issues with some unconfirmed individuals. However, it cannot be determined if these conflicts led to the deaths of the three children or not,” the source added.

Gunmen kill 3 sons of Anambra native doctor

metro

Court to hear Speed Darlington’s N300m suit against IG Jan. 13

Published

38 minutes ago

January 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Speed Darlington

Court to hear Speed Darlington’s N300m suit against IG Jan. 13

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, fixed Jan. 13 to hear a N300 million fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by the detained Singer, Darlington Achakpo, popularly known as Speed Darlington.

He filed the lawsuit against the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Justice Musa Liman fixed the date after counsel for the singer, Abubakar Marshal, sought an adjournment to enable the I-G’s lawyer, Garba Audu, to study and to respond accordingly to the processes served on him in the open court.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Liman had, on Dec. 23, 2024, ordered the I-G to charge Speed Darlington to court or release him on bail unconditionally within 48 hours.

The judge made the order in a ruling on an ex-parte motion moved by a lawyer who appeared for Achakpo, David Ihuoma, and adjourned the matter until Jan. 6 for the hearing of the substantive case.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Speed Darlington, 39, was allegedly arrested by the police over allegations of “defamation and cyberstalking” of the ace award-winning artiste, Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy but was released on bail on Oct. 8, 2024.

A lawyer and human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju alleged that Speed Darlington was apprehended in Lagos State following a petition by Burna Boy, and was moved to Abuja where he had been in detention.

Upon resuming hearing in the matter on Monday, Marshal informed the court that the matter was scheduled for hearing of the originating motion on notice for the enforcement of Achakpo’s fundamental rights.

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Although Audu said he was yet to be served with the process, the court however confirmed through the proof of service in the court record that the police were duly served.

The judge thereafter directed Marshal to avail Audu with a copy of the application in the open court.

Justice Liman then asked Marshal if the singer had been released but the lawyer responded in the negative.

Responding, Audu explained to the court that the I-G had already filed a criminal charge against Speed Darlington before the singer filed the motion ex-parte for his release.

He said the singer was admitted to administrative bail but allegedly jumped the bail.

The police lawyer said that the charge, which was filed before Justice Ekerete Akpan of Court 13, came up earlier in December 2024, but could not be heard.

He said an application was also written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for the reassignment of the criminal matter to a vacation judge so that the defendant can be arraigned but all to no avail.

He explained that the criminal matter was now fixed for Jan. 15 for Speed Darlington’s arraignment before Justice Akpan.

The lawyer further explained that contrary to insinuation, the police did not flout the order of the court as it would have been difficult to arraign the defendant at the time the order was made going by the Christmas holiday.

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Marshal, therefore, prayed the court to direct the police to release the singer to him pending when he would be arraigned.

“We shall be applying pending the trial and arraignment of the applicant that your lordship make an order admitting him to bail.

“If my lord will, as ministers in the temple of justice, we will ensure his presence in court on the day of arraignment,” he said, but Audu opposed the application.

Justice Liman, who agreed that the police were not in deliberate disobedience to the court order, advised Audu to ensure Speed Darlington is released to Marshal, having undertook to produce him in court.

“I don’t see anything the police will lose if granted bail,” the judge advised.

He subsequently adjourned the matter until Jan. 13 for hearing of the substantive matter.

NAN reports that in the fundamental right suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1832/2024, Speed Darlington sued I-G as sole respondent.

The artiste, who urged the court to declare that his arrest and detention violated his fundamental rights as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, sought four orders.

In the suit filed by Adeyanju, he sought an order directing the I-G to immediately and unconditionally release him from detention facility where he is being kept.

Alternatively, he sought an order mandating and compelling the I-G to produce him before the court to enable the court inquire into the circumstances constituting grounds of his arrest and detention and where it deems fit, admits him to bail.

He also sought “an order directing the respondent to pay the applicant the sum of N300,000,000.00 (Three Hundred Million Naira) only as general, exemplary and aggravating damages for their unlawful and continued detention since the 2024 till date.”

In the affidavit deposed to by Esther Eyisi, a secretary in the law firm, she alleged that Speed Darlington was first arrested on Oct. 4, 2024 for allegedly defaming Burna Boy.

She said he was illegally detained for five days and subjected to severe torture and maltreatment without being formally charged to a court of competent jurisdiction.

Eyisi averred that the artiste was eventually granted bail by the police after spending five days under inhumane conditions.

According to her, on Nov. 27, 2024, the applicant was arrested and detained by officers of respondent on the grounds that he allegedly jumped administrative bail.

This, she said, is inspite of notification from her client about his medical emergency and his inability to report on the scheduled date and obtaining the permission of the officers of the respondent to travel to Owerri, Imo for a performance.

She said the continuous detention of Speed Darlington without arraignment contravened his constitutional rights, describing him as the “breadwinner in his family.”

Court to hear Speed Darlington’s N300m suit against IG Jan. 13

metro

Police arrest killer of Delta DPO, eliminate four gang members

Published

54 minutes ago

January 6, 2025

Trends Admin

Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi

Police arrest killer of Delta DPO, eliminate four gang members

The Police Force headquarters said on Monday that its operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have arrested one Ogaga Dickson 35 years old, a member of a notorious armed robbery syndicate responsible for the death of CSP Hassan Jega, the DPO Agbarho Division, Delta State.