Crime: 31year old mechanic arrested for allegedly defiling 11-year-old girl

Operatives of the Gender Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have arrested a 31-yearold mechanic allegedly caught having carnal knowledge of an 11-year-old girl in the Popo Giwa area of Ilorin, Kwara State.

The suspect, identified as Yusuf Abdullahi, was allegedly caught by one of the officers of the NSCDC on Saturday, while molesting the minor, who leaves in the same house with him.

The suspect, a father of three, said he was sleeping when the little girl came to wake him up to ask for his phone, adding that he willingly brought out the phone and played an Indian film for her, which aroused him.

Abdullahi, who said his wife had just put to bed, stated that he was an automobile mechanic at Eyenkorin village, a suburb of Ilorin.

He stated, “I leave at Atako compound, Popo Giwa area of Ilorin with my wife and three children. My wife has just put to bed and we are staying in the same house with the minor. I was sleeping when the girl came in and woke me up, she requested my phone and I willingly played an Indian film for her; that was how the incident happened.

“I was only fondling her and I hadn’t gained access to her private parts.”

The spokesman for the NSCDC in the state, Babawale Afolabi, who confirmed the incident, said the victim had been taken to hospital for treatment.

culled from Punch.

Working 55 hours or more weekly kills 745,000 people — WHO, ILO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) say 745, 000 deaths from stroke and ischemic heart disease occurred in 2016 as a result of long work hours.

WHO, in a statement from its headquarters in Geneva on Monday, said that the figure was the first global analysis of loss of lives and health associated with working long hours.

“WHO and ILO estimate that in 2016, 398, 000 people died from stroke and 347, 000 from heart disease as a result of having worked at least 55 hours a week.

“Between Year 2000 and Year 2016, the number of deaths from heart disease due to working long hours increased by 42 per cent and from stroke by 19 per cent,” it said.

The health agency said that work-related disease burden was particularly significant in men (72 per cent of deaths occurred among males), people living in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions, and middle-aged or older workers.

According to WHO, most of the deaths recorded are among people aged between 60 years and 79 years, who had worked for 55 hours or more per week between 45 years and 74 years.

“With working long hours now known to be responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease, it is established as the risk factor with the largest occupational disease burden.

“This shifts thinking toward a relatively new and more psychosocial occupational risk factor to human health,” it said.

WHO said that the study concluded that working 55 or more hours per week was associated with an estimated 35 per cent higher risk of stroke and 17 per cent higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease, compared to working between 35 hours and 40 hours a week.

It said that the study covered global, regional, and national levels, and was based on data from more than 2,300 surveys collected in 154 countries from 1970 to 2018.

WHO said that data from 37 studies on ischemic heart disease covering more than 768,000 participants and 22 studies on stroke, covering more than 839,000 participants were synthesised.

It disclosed that the number of people working long hours was increasing, and currently stands at nine per cent of the total population globally.

“This trend puts even more people at risk of work-related disability and early death,” it said.

WHO said that the new analysis came as the COVID-19 pandemic shines a spotlight on managing working hours.

“The pandemic is accelerating developments that can feed the trend toward increased working time,” it said.

The Director-General of WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly changed the way many people work.

“Teleworking has become the norm in many industries, often blurring the boundaries between home and work.

“In addition, many businesses have been forced to scale back or shut down operations to save money, and people who are still on the payroll end up working longer hours. 

“Governments, employers, and workers need to work together to agree on limits to protect the health of workers,” Mr Ghebreyesus said.

WHO advised governments to introduce, implement and enforce laws, regulations, and policies that ban mandatory overtime and ensure maximum limits on working time.

It added that bipartite or collective bargaining agreements between employers and workers’ associations can arrange a working time to be more flexible, while at the same time agreeing on a maximum number of working hours.

WHO advised employees to share working hours to ensure that the number of hours worked does not exceed 55 or more per week.

(NAN)

Kidnapped UNIJOS professor, husband regain freedom

A professor with the Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Jos, Grace Ayanbimpe and her husband, Isaac Iyanbimpe who were kidnapped on Monday have been freed.

DAILY POST had reported that the professor and her husband were kidnapped on Monday when gunmen suspected to be kidnappers invaded their residence behind Haske Quarters, Lamingo in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

It was gathered that the victims were released on Monday night, hours after their abduction.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, ASP Ubah Gabriel Ogaba confirmed to DAILY POST correspondent on Tuesday morning that they were rescued unhurt.

According to him, the development was aided by hunters and vigilante group in the area.

The PPRO said, “With the Concerted effort of the Police Tactical Team, Plateau State Command, hunters and vigilantes, the kidnapped victims, Prof Grace Ayanbimpe and her husband, Mr Isaac Ayanbimpe were released unhurt”.

Arewa Forum: How to end open grazing

Chief Audu Ogbe, the Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has said stopping herders from West African countries from entering Nigeria as advocated by Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje is one of the ways that open grazing can be stopped in the country.

The ACF chairman said in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Kaduna, that the suggestion by Kano State Governor would help to contain open grazing and farmer/herder conflicts.

He Nigeria should seek an amendment to Article 3 of the ECOWAS protocol, “especially as regards free movement of cattle and other livestock without special permit.

” If it is done, we have over five million hectares of land in old grazing reserves left, enough to accommodate over 40 million cows if well grassed and watered.”

He also urged Northern States Governors to look at the viability of those spaces to develop ranches for lease to Nigerian herders, so that the matter of open grazing can be brought to an end.

“Thereafter, any herders found roaming can be penalised and our ECOWAS neighbours can find ways to deal with their own issues the way they deem fit.”

The forum chairman advised Nigeria to seek support from Africa Development Bank, the World Bank, European Union, Kuwait Fund or any source willing to support the initiative.

Ogbe maintained that hurling abuses, suspicion and threats as currently trending, “will only produce grief and disaster.”

He agreed that nobody would accept the attitude of herdsmen who trespass into farms with their cattle,  eat up the crops and rape or kill any one raising objections.

Ogbe said governors should not think that merely banning open grazing would end the crisis, as the bulk of the violent herders were from neighboring countries, who have no regards to boundaries, whether State or regional.

He added those were the herdsmen that must be stopped.

ASUU joins NLC warning strike in Kaduna

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University Chapter, has directed its members to join the ongoing warning strike by public sector workers in Kaduna State.

The ASUU Chairperson, Dr Peter Adamu gave the directive in a circular to the members of the union, issued in Kaduna on Monday.

Adamu said: “I am directed by the National Secretariat of our great union through the Zonal office Kano, for members to join the warning strike.

“Members should remember that ASUU is an affiliate of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the principal officers of ASUU were part of the NLC National Executive Council that took the decision on the strike action.

“Also, members that violate the strike action must note that the union will not be there for them when the wrath of the governor falls on them.

“We must unite for a just cause because injury to one is injury to all.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NLC National President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said at the five-day strike action that it would run its full course unless the state government attended to the workers grievances.

Some of the grievances included the recent sack of 7,000 local government workers and refusal of the state government to settle the entitlements of about 50, 000 it disengaged from service from 2017 to date.

Government activities in the state were completely paralised on the first day of the strike on Monday, with banks, schools, hospitals, water, electricity, rail and air services shut.

Gunmen kidnap UNIJOS professor, husband in Plateau

A professor with the Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Jos, Grace Ayanbimpe, has been kidnapped by gunmen.

The PUNCH learnt that the professor was abducted in the early hours of Monday alongside her husband by the gunmen who stormed their residence behind Haske Quarters, Lamingo in Jos North Local Government Area of the state

A resident of the community, Philip Dachung, confirmed the incident to our correspondent in Jos on Monday.

Dachung said, “The kidnappers came to their house around 2 am. They broke into their apartment and shot into the air. Neighbors who were terrified by sounds of gunshots could not come out for the fear of being hit by stray bullets.

“So, this morning, we discovered that the gunmen had taken the professor and her husband away. We don’t where they are right now.”

A staff of the University of Jos, who also confirmed the incident, said, “This morning, we got information that Prof Grace Ayanbimpe of Department of Medical Microbiology was abducted from their residence along with her husband.

“Please, pray for their safe and quick release from their abductors. May we also see the end of insecurity in our country.”

The Head, Department of Medical Microbiology of the University of Jos, Dr Mark Okolo, declined to speak on the incident when contacted by our correspondent.

Also, the Spokesman of State Police Command, Ubah Ogaba, promised to get back to our correspondent when contacted.

Suspected armed robber beaten to death in Ondo

 A suspected armed robber named Emmanuel who has been terrorising the residents of Ayede-Ogbese in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State has been mobbed to death.

It was gathered that the suspect who had been convicted earlier had been on the watch list of residents of the town after he was released, returned and continued his nefarious activities.

However, the suspect met his waterloo on Sunday when he was trying to escape with four motorcycles he had snatched from their owners but the truck being used to convey them broke down.

He was caught and the residents mobbed him, beating him up mercilessly.

The spokesperson of Ondo State Police Command, DSP Tee-Leo Ikoro confirmed the incident to Channels Television on Monday via a telephone conversation, noting that the suspect had been badly injured before the police arrived at the scene.

According to Ikoro, the suspect died before getting to the hospital.

Ikoro frowned at the jungle justice done against the suspect, adding that the police is presently investigating the incident.

Ozo reveals his current relationship status with Nengi

 

2020 Big Brother Naija housemate, Ozoemena Chukwu Joseph has opened up on the current status of his relationship with his ex-housemate, Rebecca Nengi Hampson.
Most fans of the two reality stars have tipped them to become married couples after they started sailing their ship whilst in the Big Brother Naija lockdown house.
Ozo has always expressed his love for the former Bayelsa beauty queen.
However, in an interview he had with BBNaija host and TV presenter, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Ozo revealed that he and Nengi they are focusing on being the best in their respective careers after coming out of the lockdown house.

According to the sports enthusiast, Nengi and him have just remained friends for now they are good friends for that matter.

New York Mayoral candidate to include Nigerians in government

Eric Adams, a leading New York City Mayoral candidate, has assured the Nigerian community of a place in his government if elected the mayor in November.

Adams gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in New York on the sidelines of a debate convened by The Nigerian Forum.

The forum is a coalition of the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians and the Nigerian-Americans Public Affairs Committee, a political action committee.

“You are going to see yourselves in my government. It is time to tear down those barriers and walls that prevent you from being decision-makers.

“We’re going to empower your non-profits so that outsiders wouldn’t come in your communities and deliver services.

“You know what your communities need. I’m going to empower you with resources so that you can provide the services that are needed.

“No more are we going to allow others to build up our community. This is our opportunity.’’

Adams, who is contesting on the platform of the Democratic Party, said he had been to Lagos and other parts of Africa helping the people.

According to him, he knows exactly how it feels to be a Nigerian or an African living in the U.S.

“To my brothers and sisters from the Nigerian community, this is an important moment for you.

“You have to ask yourselves, people are now coming to you to support them but where were they when it was time to deal with serious issues in this community?

“I don’t have to introduce myself to you. I’m just saying hello to good friends. I know what it is to be in Lagos helping young people learning the skillsets and opportunities.

“I know what it is to be on the continent of Africa.

“This is an opportunity for one of your own to become the mayor of the city of New York.

“We are going to do real partnership with good and services, US$ 22.5 billion budget for your small businesses to operate.’’

The New York City mayoral election is very competitive and strategic due to the city’s diverse nature and an annual budget of about US$100 billion, the largest municipal budget in the U.S.

No fewer than 13 Democratic and two Republican candidates have qualified for the city’s 2021 mayoral election following Democratic and Republican primaries on June 22, 2021, and a general election on Nov. 2, 2021.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that no fewer than three Nigerians are contesting in the city council’s elections.

They are Prof. Ranti Ogunleye, contesting for Staten Island City 49; Dr George Onuorah, contesting for Queens district 21; and Chris Durosinmi, contesting for Brooklyn District 37.

The Nigerian community is therefore positioning itself as an organized and important voting bloc that has enough weight to pull support for a candidate whose agenda resonates with the community.

Insecurity: Gunmen Attack Another Police Station in Abia

Gunmen in the early hours of Monday razed Ubakala police station in Apumiri community, Ubakala in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State.

Ubakala police station is located off the ever-busy Ubakala-Old Umuahia road.

No life was lost in the attack, which lasted for about an hour.

Vehicles within the premises were burnt while the the police building was set ablaze, The Nation reports.

This latest attack comes three days after a police station in Bende Local Government Area (LGA) of the State was razed down by fire and detainees freed.

It was gathered that a policeman on duty was shot in the leg as the hoodlums made their way out of the scene.