Black South Africans on Sunday night attacked Nigerian owned businesses in Johannesburg.
The Dune Correspondent in South Africa said scores of shops have burnt, while others have been looted.
Some cars belonging to Nigerians doing business in the area have been burnt, while others were vandalised, according to photos and videos obtained by The Dune.
The attack took place on Marlvin Julie street, Kempton Park, Johannesburg, an area dominated by Nigerians.
A Nigerian resident in the area, Teddy Elobi, who spoke to The Dune on telephone on Monday 2nd August, said the attack started on Sunday night, September 1.
He said more than 50 Nigerian businesses have been directly affected by the attack.
More photos of the incident
“More than 50 Nigerians and their businesses have been affected in the Sunday night attack.”
Nigerians and other nationals living in the affected area have confined themselves to their homes.
“There was no movement last night till this morning. We are in our houses.”
He said the reason for the attack is not known.
Elobi said the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa is aware of the attack, and is working with the South African police to bring the situation under control.
The Dune could not obtain a statement from the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa as at the time of fielding this report.
AKWA IBOM – For the second year consecutively, Mr. Cletus Ekpo, executive chairman of Etinan local government, Akwa Ibom State, has passed the annual executive performance assessment carried out the council’s legislature.
The assessment is based on performance and adherence to the budget, the council legislators said.
Addressing journalists on Thursday 22nd August, at the council secretariat, leader of the legislature, Mr. John Udofia, said the commendation was given after an assessment and evaluation of the implementation of the 2019 fiscal law.
Mr. Cletus Ekpo, Chairman Etinan local government area (m), Mr. John Udofia, leader, Etinan legislature (4th from left) with councillors after the 2019 performance assessment by the council’s legislature.
Udofia, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and associate member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, said the council’s legislature has made it part of its annual oversight to review the implementation of the council’s fiscal law and rate the executive accordingly.
“We assess performance of the executive per fiscal year and rate it accordingly. By so doing, the executive chairman knows that we are watching him every step of the way. That has helped us to monitor and measure performance per year.”
“In our assessment for 2019, based on the fiscal bill that we passed, the legislature has scored the chairman very high on welfare, rural roads intervention, rural sanitation and hygiene and, infrastructure”, he said.
Udofia explained that the sixth legislature in the council adopted the annual executive performance assessment as peer review system for planning and budgeting for the next fiscal year, adding that the assessment was easy because the council has an approved operational budget for each year.
“Assessing the performance of the executive is easy because we have a fiscal law. So, the performance is based on the implementation of the budget. During the assessment, we note areas that need more attention and make recommendations”, Udofia added.
At plenary, a motion for a vote of confidence to be passed on the executive chairman, Mr. Cletus Ekpo, was moved by Ubong Peters, councillor representing Etinan Urban ward three and deputy house leader, and seconded by Mfon Ekarika Ekong, councillor representing South three.
Other councillors who contributed to the motion mentioned some of the projects executed by the council to include, construction of lock-up stores and toilet facility at general market Mbioto 2, construction of toilet facility at Etinan Urban market, construction of access road and gate house at the council secretariat, and procurement of vehicles for principal officers of the council.
The councillors noted that the executive chairman was working assidously towards the construction of an ICT centre at the council.
They said beyond the projects, the Cletus Ekpo led administration has kept a cordial working relationship with the legislature.
The Etinan legislative council says it has passed eights motions, two bills and treated many motions of urgent public importance.
Earlier this month an amalgam of Etinan youths comprising, youth caucus, youth council, christian youths, Dakkada youths, village youth president, passed a vote of confidence on the chairman, Mr. Cletus Ekpo.
Joshua and Ruiz during their first boxing match. It appears that Andy Ruiz Jr did not need much persuasion to agree to his rematch against Anthony Joshua being held in Saudi Arabia on December 7 after all. The Mexican, who shocked the world when he knocked out the previously undefeated Briton on June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York, had strongly rejected the $8 million offer to fight in the Middle East citing security concerns as the main reason.
However, in an unexpected U-turn late on Thursday night, Ruiz’s camp confirmed that the fight would go ahead as planned in the city of Diriyah close to the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.
According to The Athletic, a subscription-based sports website, Ruiz Jr has been guaranteed an extra $2 million than the original purse, to agree to the location for the much-anticipated match-up.
It’s understood that on Thursday, Ruiz was offered a fresh deal with an added incentive that will see him earn $10 million, win or lose.
Joshua, one of the most bankable sporting stars on the plant, will receive twice that sum.
The 29-year-old Olympic champion is already worth a tidy £60 million and change. He has already backed more than £10 million from each of his last five fights, which have been sell-outs at Wembley and the Principality Stadium in Wales, as well as June’s Madison Square Garden showdown.
Despite losing to Ruiz Jr on that occasion Joshua collected his biggest purse to date, £20 million plus.
ABUJA – The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said the federal government will undertake situation analyses of projects excited in the region.
Senator Akpabio disclosed this when Youth for Peace and Development in Niger Delta paid him a courtesy call on Friday 23, August 2019, in his office in Abuja.
Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Permanent Secretary in the Minstry, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack (seated) and members of Youths for Peace and Development in Niger Delta, during a meeting in Abuja on Friday, August 23, 2019.
He said the analyses of the projects will enable the Buhari’s administration to assess the impact of federal government’s activities and programmes in the region.
Akpabio said the analyses will guide the formulation of new policy and programmes aimed to address challenges in the region.
The Minister promised to visit each State in the region to assess the immediate situation on ground and report back to the President.
He also promised that everything would be put in place to ensure that the President commissions at least one key project in each State of the region in the next 24 months.
Senator Akpabio noted that his appointment and that of Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN was not a coincidence but a deliberate policy of Mr. President to appoint them as they are sons of the region and therefore acquainted with the needs and expectations of the people. .
Akpabio assured the youths that the President is committed to changing the face of the region and charged them to take his message home “that the era of crying and suffering is over.”
The Coordinator of the group, Youth for Peace And Development in Niger-Delta, Comrade Joseph Opuama, thanked Mr. President for the appointment of Sen. Akpabio and Mr. Keyamo, to rescue the ugly situation facing the Niger Delta region.
The Chairman of the group pleaded with the Minister to pay more attention to the East-West road, which according to him has become a death trap to the people of the region.
Comrade Opuama also called on the Minister to strengthen the process of human capital development and youth empowerment in the region.
The youth group pledged to cooperate with the security agencies to ensure that there is total peace in the region.
AKWA IBOM – Governor Udom Emmanuel has commiserated with Senator Chris Ekpeyong over the demise of his wife Dr. Grace Ekpeyong.
The State Governor who was accompanied on the condolence visit by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, Director General Divine mandate Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, National Legal officer of the PDP, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, Senator Anietie Okon, SSG Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, former SSG, Obonganwan Grace Ekong, Dr. Udoma Ekarika Dr Etido Ibekwe,Elder Aniekan Umana, some members of the state executive council and political stalwarts.
Emmanuel said the news of the demise of Late Mrs Grace Ekpenyong came as a shock and urged the family especially, the bereaved husband to be consoled by the fact that God who created her knew that a moment like this would come.
The governor said there is no better moment to loose a loved one.
He prayed God to comfort the family and to grant her eternal rest in the bosom of the Lord.
Responding Senator Chris Ekpeyong thanked the Governor and his entourage for identifying with him in his grief described the wife as a daughter of Zion and committed Servant of God as well his pillar of strength.
He thanked the Governor for the support given her during her travails to receive medical attention both at home and abroad.
Senator Chris Ekpeyong said that his late wife was an ardent supporter of the Governor and the PDP when he aspired for the Senatorial seat she gave him her blessings.
He recalled fond memories and said that he will greatly miss the companionship and her wise counsel.
He appealed to the state government to stand by him and the family to give his departed wife a befitting burial.
Prayers were offered for the family and for God to grant her Soul eternal rest .
DELTA -The Deputy President of the Senate and Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has said he will use his position in the senate to make his constituents self-sufficient.
Senator Omo-Agege who made the pledge during his maiden empowerment programme for his constituents in Delta central, said he will give the people good representation.
“It is my resolve to represent my people with the very best of my capabilities and in doing so, empowerment programmes like this one is one of the ways in which we can reach out to the rural people and help them to be self-sufficient.”
The empowerment programme which took place in Orhomuru, Orogun, the hometown of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Omo-Agege represented by Mr. Jimmy Omo-Agege said that sustainable empowerment of the people is the key to a safer and better society.
Items distributed at the empowerment programme include cars for all chapter chairmen of the APC in Delta central, members of the ‘Agege Again’ team, ward youth and women leaders.
Other empowerment tools include, tricycles, motorcycles, and grinding machines.
Beneficiaries of this gesture were elated and thanked the Senator Omo-Agege and the APC for the show of love towards them.
Grinding machines donated by the senator.Motorcycles donated by Senator Omo-Agege
DELTA – The Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC/ND Western OML 34 AMT (Asset Management Team) has said that activities of illegal bunkers are increasing in its area of operations in Delta State.
The Manager, Government, Community Relations and Security, Mr. Aiguedo Sheidu, disclosed this at a press conference in Warri.
Sheidu said, locals, surveillance guards and contractors in various communities are involved in vandalization of oil facilities and illegal bunkering.
He claimed that children and women are now recruited into the syndicate of illegal bunkers in communities, stressing that collusion between host communities, surveillance guards and contractors, to steal, was very high.
The manager noted that illegal bunkers were going after individuals who volunteer information to security and the company, thus discouraging people with useful information from speaking up.
“Someone’s properties were destroyed recently and was ostracised at Otor-Edo. Once they suspect you’re the one who gave the Company information, they destroy your properties.”
The manager regretted that the company has suffered tremendous loses to illegal bunkers despite spending billions of naira on pipeline security.
NPDC recently shutdown its operations due to vandalisation of its facilities and bunkering.
The company is employing technology to improve monitoring of its facilities, the manager said.
“We are employing technology to enhance our monitoring capacity and, at the same time trying to dig our feet on the ground so that when our lines are vandalized, we suspend you and cancel your contract.”
He said NPDC will continue to increase community awareness campaigns on the ills of bunkering.
Sheidu called on government to increase its presence in host communities to reduce the activities of illegal bunkers.
DELTA – The newly appointed Senior Special Assistant on Security Matters to the Delta State Governor, Comrade Ezekiel Daniel, has warned pirates to steer clear from the waterways of Delta.
Daniel said the State government will not condone any criminal acts.
“Anyone caught will be dealt with as a common criminal.”
He said Delta State will soon roll out waterway patrol which will finally put to end attacks of pirates.
The governor’s aide who handed down the warning during a chat with journalists at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, said the State is disturbed by frequent attacks by pirates.
He said frequent attacks on commercial transporters, riverside dwellers along Warri – Burutu routes, Agge Delta boundaries, Warri-Escravos, and Warri North Rivers, will be abated.
Daniel noted that the governor was worried by the spate of cult activities in the State.
“Another concern of the state government is the unabated increase of cultism in our dear State.
“Activities of these miscreants have destroyed night life in our cities and communities. Law abiding citizens are harassed and intimidated on daily basis.
“It makes life unpleasant in the State, and the State can no longer condone it. We are assuring Deltans that the security apparatus will do more to address this menace.
“It is our warning that those persons who are into such criminal activities should repent now, because anyone caught will be jailed”
Daniel said the government will set up special team of security to tackle street cultism and community vigilante to tackle activities of herdsmen.
He appealed to Deltans to support Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s SMART AGENDA project.
A girl (name unknown) has been reported dead three days after she was allegedly gang-raped by boys in a hotel room in Amukpe community in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.
The remains of the deceased was already decaying when it was found under the bed on Monday August 19.
It was learnt that the deceased girl was gang-raped by some boys who brought her to the hotel three days before she was found dead.
The boys reportedly hid her remains under the bed and checked out of the hotel room.
A source said, the offensive odour from the room attracted the hotel management who eventually called in the Police.
The police have evacuated the corpse deposited it in a morgue.
Police have shutdown the hotel.
Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Adeyinka Adeleke in a telephone chat with Our Correspondent confirmed the report.
CP Adeleke said, “It is true a lady died in a hotel in Sapele. I don’t know what killed her.”
Alhaji Hamisu Bala, the wanted kidnap suspect whose escape in Taraba State was credited with the death of three police officers and two civilians have confessed that he was freed by soldiers.
In a-40 seconds video released Tuesday 20th August by the Nigeria Police, and obtained by The Dune, Bala spoke in Hausa language, claimed that soldiers uncuffed him after rescuing him from the police.
The translation of the video is presented.
“My name is Hamisu Bala, popularly known as Wandume. I was the one arrested by the Nigerian police force, as they were taking me away, the soldiers chased after us while shooting, in the process some police lost their lives.
“They (soldiers) took me to their base where my handcuffs were removed and I escaped.”
“Since then I have being hiding, and not until now that I was rearrested by the police and taken to custody.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the Nigeria Police said it re-arrested the kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala.
Wadume was nabbed in the late hours of yesterday, 19th August, 2019 in his hideout at Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano State, according to a statement by the force PRO, Frank Mba.
The Police had been on the hunt for Wadume since 6th August, 2019 after he escaped in Ibi, Taraba State, resulting in the brutal murder of three police officers and two civilians.
The police say the arrest of the suspect, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume, will help in bringing answers to questions touching on the incident and the criminal enterprise of the suspect.
NECO has announced the 2024 SSCE internal exam results, showing that 60.55% of the 828,284 candidates scored five credits, including Maths and English.
Prof Dantana...
