All federal and state government-owned airports in Nigeria have approach and landing navigational aids, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency has said.
It said Satellite Performance Based Navigation procedures that could enable aircraft operate at any time of the day into these airports were also in place.
The acting Managing Director, NAMA, Matthew Pwajok, disclosed this at the 26th annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation correspondents in Lagos.
He said the idea of tagging some airports in the country as ‘sunrise’ or ‘sunset airports’ was misplaced.
This, he said, was because almost all airports in Nigeria had instrument landing facilities for approach and landing, which meant that they were operating based on Instrument Flight Rules.
Pwajok said the airports were not operating based on Visual Flight Rules where pilots were required to visually approach and land within sunrise to sunset time.
The NAMA boss said, “Apart from one or two private aerodromes, all federal and state government-owned airports managed by NAMA are equipped with Instrument Landing System.
“The exception is where they are temporarily unserviceable or the runway and approach lights are unserviceable, but nevertheless you cannot refer to them as sunrise or sunset airports.
“Apart from Owerri and Calabar where the agency is working to install Category II Instrument Landing Systems, and Jalingo that has no ILS for now, basically all airports in Nigeria have a minimum of CAT II ILS, most of which were installed brand new. So there is nothing like obsolete navigational facilities.”
Pwajok stated that in a bid to tackle visibility issues in some airports during adverse weather, the agency commenced the implementation of Category III ILS in Abuja and Lagos airports, while those of Katsina, Kano and Port Harcourt were being installed and would be ready before the end of 2022.
Social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, known as Mompha, has reacted to being declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as he accused the agency of blackmail and intimidation.
It was earlier reported on June 30 2022 that Mompha’s absence stalled his alleged N6 billion money laundering trial before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Ikeja Special Offences Court.
Then in a notice on Wednesday signed by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwajaren, the embattled social media celebrity was declared wanted for criminal offence.
Reacting to the notice in lengthy Instagram posts on Thursday, Mompha noted that EFCC, via its lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, used his absence to blackmail him.
In the statement titled, ‘Mompha Wanted By The EFCC’ – The Truth Story’, Mompha detailed the history of his arrest and arraignment by the EFCC.
Mompha said, “After my arrest and arraignment on the first case at the Federal High Court Lagos, on the 10th of December 2021, the court gave me judgment and ordered EFCC to release my wrist watches and other valuables in their custody to me for having been unlawfully seized.
“Being a bitter agency, the EFCC in dissatisfaction with the judgment of the court on the release of my wristwatches came up with other trumped up charges against me.
“On the 10th of January 2022, while I was at there office at Okotie Eboh to retrieve my wristwatches in compliance with the judgment of the court and immediately after collecting my wristwatches, they held me down at their office and charged me to court the following day on the frivolous charges.
“I was arraigned before a familiar judge to the EFCC and in effect,I was given a very difficult bail to meet as a result of which I ended up spending over two months in prison custody while making efforts to meet the difficult bail.
“After several attempts to meet the bail conditions failed, I successfully applied for the bail conditions to be reduced which eventually led to my release.
“Upon my release, I traveled outside Nigeria to check on the welfare and wellbeing of my family and returned to Nigeria shortly only for the EFCC Corrupt lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, rather than focus on the establishing his criminal case against me along with the EFCC operative Kaina Garba, chose to capitalize on the fact that I travelled to blackmail me into entering plea bargain with EFCC else he would inform the Judge I travelled and ensure my bail is revoked therefore making me have no choice than to dance to his tune.
“I initially refused but after so much blackmail and intimidation by Rotimi Oyedepo, I succumbed and was told to pay N142 million naira to EFCC as compensation and also sign for a one year imprisonment sentence which I was uncomfortable with and they thereafter reduced it to N40 million naira and one year imprisonment.
“When it became obvious to EFCC that I wasn’t going to sign the plea bargain and play to their game, they informed the Judge I travelled, without any concrete evidence and disregard.”
Speaking on being declared wanted, Mompha added, “Finally it was obvious entering the plea bargain with the EFCC, which they wanted to force me into at all cost, means I would be convicted for a crime I did not commit and therefore become an ex convict.
“And this is what EFCC set out to achieve with me to enable them generate more social media publicity hence the desperation in falsely declaring me wanted and misleading the public.
“I want the general public to know I am not wanted by the EFCC but rather the court issued bench warrant for my production in court on the next court sitting.
“I didn’t steal from anyone or involved in any money laundering. I still don’t know why EFCC are so jobless that they want to tarnish my image. last last na international court go settle this matter.”
US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he will sign protocols on Sweden’s and Finland’s accession to NATO.
Earlier in the day, US Congress passed a resolution on the ratification of documents on these countries accession to the Alliance. Under US laws, the ratification procedure is executed by the president upon the Senate’s consent. Biden hailed the Senate voting results, noting that this was the fastest Senate process for NATO expansion protocols since 1981.
“Finland and Sweden joining the Alliance will further strengthen NATO’s collective security and deepen the transatlantic partnership. <…> I look forward to signing the accession protocols and welcoming Sweden and Finland [into NATO],” Biden said in a press statement released by the White House press service.
Stockholm and Helsinki applied for NATO membership on May 18 but the accession process was blocked by Turkey, which demanded these outlaw Kurdish organizations as terrorist, extradite persons accused of terrorism or involvement in the attempted coup in 2016, and lift the bans on weapons supplies to Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andresson, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on June 28, ahead of a NATO summit in Madrid. The talks yielded a memorandum on Sweden’s and Finland’s accession to NATO, which is to be ratified by all the alliance’s member states. By now, more than 20 out of 30 NATO members have done it.
New Chelsea signing, Kalidou Koulibaly has told the fans not to compare him with departed Blues defender, Toni Rudiger because they are not the same personality in terms of playing style.
Recall that the Senegalese international was signed from Napoli this summer after Rudiger joined Real Madrid.
Koulibaly during his presentation stated that he will his best to solidify the team.
“Antonio is a really good player,” said Koulibaly at today’s presentation.
“I know what he did for Chelsea. I used to play against him when he was at Roma. He did a lot at Chelsea and I’m happy for him when he joined Real Madrid, but for me it’s not pressure.
“I don’t want to be the guy who is replacing Rudiger. I am Koulibaly, another player, not the same player, I don’t play like him. I have different skills, another style, another idea of football, so I will try to do my best to give solidity to the team.”
Solidity was a word Koulibaly brought up often. For all his ballplaying ability, it clearly defines his motivations as a defender, as he explained in greater detail when he considered the challenges that await him in England.
“I like duels, I like one against ones, to give solidity, to defend, so it’s the right place for me. There are a lot of good attackers in the Premier League, some of the best in the world, so it will be difficult, but I’m easy and I want to show I can be the defender everybody thinks.
“My first idea is to not let a goal in,” he added.
“If we do that, we have a lot of talent, a lot of big players who can score every time, everywhere. If we give this solidity to the back, in front they will have no worries and they will score a lot.
“I come from Italy, it will be difficult, but I’m ready because I’m really motivated. I want to show everybody I’m ready to play in the Premier League.”
And what challenges, Koulibaly was asked, will English football pose him?
“Everything is faster. I have to think faster, my head has to go faster, my eyes have to go faster. This is the most difficult thing for a player coming to the Premier League. In Serie A everything is more with the brain, more calm. That’s the first thing I have to change.
“It’s a new system for me, 3-5-2, so I have to adapt. I’m thankful to the staff because they have helped me understand everything and talked a lot with me, and the other players like Thiago Silva and Azpi.
“The most important thing is to have good behaviour to understand everything fast.
“I need time, for sure. I cannot be the player everybody is waiting for in the first game, but I will take my time, give everything I can, and I know in two or three months I will be the player everybody is waiting for.
“For the moment I’m really calm, I am thinking game after game, and preparing to help the team on Saturday if the coach gives me the opportunity to start.
“I want to give everything for the club. They have a lot of confidence in me, so I want to show them on the pitch they made a good choice with me.”
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in talks with Serie A club Udinese for Italy-born Nigerian left-back Destiny Udogie.
The 19-year-old rose to prominence last season after an incredible debut season with Udinese.
Udogie scored five goals and provided three assists in 35 Serie A appearances for Udinese, showing off his skills both offensively and defensively.
And Sky Sports reports that Tottenham are working on a deal for Udogie and they could agree to pay Udinese around €25m, including add-ons, for him.
Also, Spurs are willing to leave the full back in Italy for another year, allowing him to continue his development in Serie A.
Contracted to Udinese until 2026, Udogie has attracted the attention of a number of clubs this summer, but none have sent in a convincing offer to the Friulian side.
Tottenham coach Antonio Conte is known for his impressive ability to develop wing backs, so Udojie will almost certainly be keen on the move.
Chelsea have reportedly opened talks with Barcelona as they are interested in signing former Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang before the transfer window closes, reports says.
The Blues have already signed Raheem Sterling but Thomas Tuchel is eager to add another forward to his ranks following the departure of Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan.
Having only joined in February, Aubameyang wants to stay at Barcelona but he is a player they would be willing to move on to raise funds to register their new signings.
And according to transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea identified Aubameyang as a potential new striker and contacted Barcelona to begin negotiations.
New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly held talks with Barcelona chiefs earlier this summer over potential transfers.
The London club have not yet tabled an official offer for Aubameyang. However, Tuchel has a close relationship with Aubameyang from their time at Dortmund and Chelsea could try to use that to their advantage.
Boehly will also push to get a deal confirmed as he is eager to deliver everything Tuchel wants – including a left back, right back, centre back, midfielder and forward.
Boehly has not had as much success as he would have liked during the summer transfer window so far.
He has struggled to progress in negotiations with top-flight clubs this summer and subsequently missed out on a host of high-profile players following the departure of Petr Cech and Marina Granovskaia – who brought more financial caution and market knowledge to the table.
Chelsea’s decision to turn to Aubameyang came after Boehly missed out on signing Robert Lewandowski.
The former Bayern Munich striker decided to join Barcelona in a £42.5million deal instead of linking up with Tuchel’s side.
Aubameyang could be seen as a worthwhile alternative – considering he has scored 68 goals in 128 Premier League matches.
He also got his hands on the Golden Boot in the 2018-2019 campaign after equalling Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio to share the award.
At least six persons have been apprehended over housebreaking, cultism, and illegal possession of firearms by Amotekun in Ogun state.
The state’s Commander of Amotekun, David Akinremi, made this known in Abeokuta on Wednesday.
He said the trio of Azeez Wasiu, Azeez Adeyemi, and Atunrase Tobi were arrested in Ijebu Igbo for conspiracy, housebreaking, theft, and unlawful possession of firearms.
He said Wasiu and Adeyemi were arrested at the residence of one Alalukurani Amidu at No 3, Ipase Street, Ojowo, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, where they gained entrance through the visitors’ toilet and stole household items.
He said, “On interrogation, the two suspects confessed to their membership of the Eiye cult group, having been initiated at different times in 2020 and 2021. They also admitted being members of a robbery gang operating in some parts of Ijebu-Ode and gave the name of other members of the gang as Atunrase Tobi, Balogun Lanre, and Adesanya Yussuf, while a locally made pistol was recovered from them.’’
Senate President Ahmad Lawan has stated that the level of insecurity in the country is “frightening.”
This was stated on Wednesday, August 3 by Lawan while speaking during a meeting between the leadership of the Senate and security chiefs.
Lawan said insecurity is on the rise even though the Muhammadu Buhari administration has invested so much in security than its predecessors.
According to him, the situation is affecting Agriculture, direct foreign investments and crude oil production.
He said;
“This Senate particularly and indeed the previous sessions of the National Assembly generally, have shown serious commitment and partnership with the Executive arm of government.
“As far as I can remember, there has never been an administration in this country, especially since the Fourth Republic started in 1999, that invested so many resources in the security of this country like this present administration.
”We believe that as a National Assembly, we have always met this Executive at the right position, at the right time, most especially when it concerns investment in the security of life and property in Nigeria.
“We have also, in our individual capacities as committees of the National Assembly and in fact, as a National Assembly, shown concern about the security situation.
”The security of any country cannot be 100 percent satisfactory but of course, there is a level at which no country can be comfortable with insecurity.
“Ours has lingered. We had hoped that by this time, the security situation would have been far better and Nigeria would have made more progress not only in the area of security but also in the area of the economy which is tied to the security situation.
”I believe that all security agencies and armed forces have been doing their best but apparently we have to do more to achieve what we desire.
“There are, of course, several arguments whether the resources available to our Armed Forces and our security agencies are enough or not.
”Definitely not enough. I don’t know of any country where there is enough really. But even within the scarcity that we have, this administration and this National Assembly have always prioritized the security of our country.
“This particular session of the interaction between us is to look into where we are today and probably this current position where we are is most frightening because it is like there is nowhere to hide and nowhere to go.
“Insecurity is everywhere. And it is coming to the point of dislocating the security situation where the government is quartered. We will review all strategies and see what more we have to do.
“Our population is largely peasant. Most of our people are in the rural areas and they live their lives by going to farms. In many parts of the country today, that is a Herculean task.
“My belief is that we can do better to secure the rural areas. The so-called ungoverned space. At least for our population who go to farms to earn their living.
“Where our agricultural productivity is drastically going down, that will complicate the security situation because the most ordinary Nigerians care more about what he or she or what the family will eat. And of course, all other things are secondary.
“We have problems with our economy to some extent because of insecurity. No foreign direct investment or not as much as we would ordinarily attract to our country.
“The level of oil theft is of industrial scale today and many of the oil companies, especially the oil majors don’t feel the environment is secured enough for them to continue with their business. Our oil will be useless if there is no room for us to export and earn revenue.
“The government may find it difficult to provide services if something is not done.
”Our crude is stolen at such a high scale and that means our revenue is drastically going down.
”I hope that our discussions will give us the opportunity to consider other things or other areas or ideas that we didn’t have before.”
The Senior Pastor of the Dunamis International Gospel Center, Paul Enenche, has warned against rigging the upcoming elections in 2023.
Enenche declared that the season Nigeria is entering would not be conducive to rigging.
On Wednesday night, he made this announcement during his sermon at the Glory Dome, the church’s administrative building in Abuja.
Additionally, the clergyman urged members of the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, to repress the desire to rig the outcomes of the upcoming general elections.
According to Enenche: “No satanic and rigging modality will work in the season we are getting into.
“No structure of corruption can work. We are moving over to the other side and nothing can stop it.
“People should always insist on doing the right thing, if you are working in INEC do the right thing.
“If social media is your department, don’t allow people to give you money to push the wrong information.”
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will take on Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal in an international friendly in September.
This was revealed by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Secretary General, Muhammad Sanusi.
Though, there is no official statement from the NFF or the Portuguese Football Federation.
According to Sanusi the game is expected to hold in September, as the NFF want to take advantage of the FIFA window following the postponement of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers till March next year.
Also, Sanusi stated that Eagles coach Jose Peseiro is involve in the arrangement of the friendly with Portugal.
Speaking on Brila FM, Sanusi said“We are all aware that qualifiers was fixed for September but because of the change of date of the AFCON qualifiers which has been moved to next year March, therefore the NFF has made it a duty to always use the FIFA window to play quality friendly matches with the aim of keeping the team in good shape.
“That’s why we use the contact and connection of our coach (Jose) Peseiro who is a Portuguese to arrange a quality friendly match with the Portuguese national team.“
Nigeria and Portugal have never clashed at senior level but both countries met three times at the U-20 World Cup with Portugal winning all three meetings (twice in 1989 and 2013).
Portugal will take on Eagles’ rivals Black Stars of Ghana in the group stage at this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
In 2016 Portugal won her first ever senior major title after edging hosts France in the European Championship final.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his resolve to retire completely from active politics after completing his tenure as Governor, dismissing speculations about...
