The Association of Power Generation Companies, APGC, Thursday, said it has the capacity to generate 12,000 MW to reduce the electricity needs of Nigerians.Joy Ogaji, the Executive Secretary of the association said the generation companies have an installed capacity that could provide 12,500 MW of electricity to Nigerians.

‎“Then they have an available capacity of 8,000 MW. Out of that 8 ,000 MW, Transmission Company or the transporter that can take this power from us to give to the distribution has a capacity of maximum 5,500 , which is what they claim, but we believe they can ’t take more than 4,500.

“A system stress test that was conducted on the distribution lines shows that the distribution companies (DISCOs ), can take a maximum of 4,600 MW.

“With the available capacity , I have 8 ,000 MW if I say okay, come and take no one can take ’’.

On current reduction in power generation despite its capacity to produce more , NAN reports that Ms. Ogaji noted that paucity of funds hindered GENCOs from procuring gas to fire their power plants.

“For now we don ’t have vandalism problem but inability to pay for gas. How do we pay for the gas (when) my people were paid a week ago for the electricity generated in January.

“And when they put 100 percent on the grid , maximally they have been paid 30 percent , of the money this is one of the issues,” she said.

“As we speak, the sector owes the generation companies about N600 billion, unpaid for power that have been generated and consumed already, about N 600 billion.”

Ms. Ogaji, who noted that GENCOs were ready to advance power generation in the country, also said it was important to overhaul the transmission and distribution networks in the country to facilitate the supply of more electricity to Nigerians.

Commenting further on the funds the Nigerian government promised to make available, Ms. Ogaji lamented that the funds have not been released.

“Now Federal Government came to announce on March 1 , that they are bringing N 701 billiom for the generation companies,” she noted.

“Where is this money… that N 701 billion where is the money; we have written to government, please show us where this money is.”

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is considering declaring a former Commissioner of Local Government in Niger State, Kantigi Liman, wanted after a further N2billion was traced to his United Bank for Africa account by the agency.An EFCC insider told PREMIUM TIMES the discovery brings to N6 billion funds traced to accounts held by the politician and companies linked to him.

The Commission had weeks earlier traced N4billion to two accounts in GTBank, both linked to Mr. Liman.

The first account belongs to Sadiq Air Travel Agency Limited and the second to Kantigi.

Sources at the Commission however disclosed that the politician, who was a governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2015 election, has been elusive.

“He is on the run and all efforts to track him down have been futile. The next option left for the Commission is to declare him wanted,” the source said.

The source further disclosed that investigations so far indicated the funds were siphoned from the local government joint account of Niger State.

“The Commission desperately wants Liman, to confront him with the available evidence,” the source said. “He is believed to rake in a monthly interest of over N33million on the fixed deposits.”

Mr. Liman could not be reached for comments Friday morning.

When contacted, EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed Mr. Liman was being investigated.

“It is an ongoing investigation so I am not able to provide details at this time,” he said.

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The Director General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, DAWN, Commission, Dipo Famakinwa, is dead.

Multiple sources close to Mr. Famakinwa confirmed his death to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday morning.

Mr. Famakinwa’s organization was responsible for designing and implementing the blueprint for better integration and governance of the six south-western states.

Mr. Famakinwa died in a Lagos hospital on the eve of planned evacuation for medical treatment abroad.

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Some unidentified gunmen have killed a 50-year old businessman, Bello Danbuba and his teenage son, Aliyu, in Gandi village, Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The killings happened on Thursday.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the attackers, believed to be bandits, trailed Mr. Danbuba to where his herd of camel was kept, then shot him and his son.

The gunmen left without carting away any camels or cash.

The late businessman was also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area.

The spokesperson of the State Police Command, El-Mustapha Sani, has confirmed the incident.

Mr. Sani said that the two victims had since been buried in their hometown, Gandi, after a funeral prayer.

Sani said: “The Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Abdulkadir, had visited the bereaved town on Thursday.

“He had since directed the deployment of more patrol teams in the local government and its neighbours, with a view to tracking down the fleeing gunmen.

“The command had since launched a manhunt for them, we will not relent until they are apprehended and brought to book.”

The late businessman is survived by his aged mother, three wives, 13 children and grandchildren.

(NAN)

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The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed Saleh Dunoma as the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.The appointment was ratified by the presidency in a statement released on Thursday.

A recipient of the highly coveted National Productivity Order of Merit Award, NPOM, Mr. Saleh had contributed immensely to the growth and development of aviation in Nigeria and beyond.

Prior to his appointment as the MD, he was the director in charge of projects in the authority and his wealth of experience was very instrumental to the success of the Airport Remodelling project of the Federal Government, under which all 22 airports being managed by FAAN were remodelled, according to existing international standards.

He is currently the African Regional President of Airport Council International (ACI), a body overseeing the safety and security of airports globally. Mr. Dunoma is the first Nigerian so elected to occupy the office.

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The Nigerian authorities must immediately scrap plans to execute death row inmates in Kirikiri prison in Lagos, Amnesty International said Friday amid reports from inmates that the prison’s gallows were being prepared and one inmate had been isolated possibly in preparation for execution.This follows a statement by Adeniji Kazeem, the Attorney General of Lagos State, during a press briefing on April 18, indicating that the state government would soon start signing execution documents.

“The indications that Kirikiri prison authorities may be gearing up for a string of executions are deeply alarming. The death penalty is an outdated and cruel punishment which violates the right to life,” said Damian Ugwu, Amnesty International’s Nigeria Researcher.

“We also have serious concerns as to whether many of the inmates on death row have received a fair trial. The Nigerian police are overstretched and under-resourced and tend to rely heavily on coerced ‘confessions’ rather than investigations. In some cases death sentences are handed down on the basis of statements signed under torture.

“The Nigerian authorities must halt these executions immediately and establish an official moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.”

In 2016, Nigeria handed down 527 death sentences – three times more than it did in 2015 – the highest recorded globally excluding China, according to Amnesty International.

Lagos State imposed the highest number of death sentences in 2016, 68 people, which was closely followed by Rivers State with 61, according to official records provided by the Nigeria Prisons Service.

This massive spike in death sentences puts the country at odds with the global trend towards abolition of the death penalty, Mr. Ugwu noted. Currently, 141 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice.

On December 23, 2016, three death row prisoners were put to death in Benin Prison, Edo State. Their executions were carried out despite the fact that one of them, Apostle Igene, was sentenced to death in 1997 by a military tribunal, and never had an appeal.

Amnesty International called on the Nigerian government to commute all death sentences to terms of imprisonment and immediately establish an official moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.

For years, the federal government has claimed to have a voluntary or self-imposed ‘moratorium’ but executions have happened nonetheless; including those in December 2016.

The authorities have not confirmed officially that they plan to carry out executions imminently at KiriKiri prison.

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The Akwa Ibom Police Command says it has rescued two Turkish nationals kidnapped on April 9 in their hotel rooms at Eket, Eket Local Government Area of the state.The Turkish citizens are staff of BKS Construction Company in Onna Local Government Area.

The Commissioner of Police, Donald Awunah, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Uyo on Friday.

Mr. Awunah said that the two expatriates were rescued along Oron/Calabar creeks on April 19.

He said that five suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime.

“It will be recalled that on April 9, two Turkish nationals were kidnapped and taken to the creeks of Calabar/Oron waterways.

“Following sustained police activities in the waterways, deployment of technical platform, cultivation of actionable intelligence and skillful professional negotiation, the two Turkish gentlemen were released on April 19, 2017.

“The victims of crime have been reunited with their colleagues after medical assessment.

“Five suspects have been arrested and further investigation is ongoing,” Awunah said.

The commissioner said that the suspects would be arraigned after investigation.

(NAN)

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Troops of the Nigerian Army successfully repelled Boko Haram attack on Madagali and Liman Kara towns in Adamawa and Borno states, North-East Nigeria.Army Public Relations Officer of the 28 Task Force Brigade Mubi, Major Akintoye Badare, said the attack on the two towns lasted one and half hours.

Major Badare told Channels Television on Friday that there is no record of casualty so far, and that everything is calm.

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A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and National Assembly leadership to rescue the party from collapse.Other party leaders Frank appealed to in a statement on Friday in Abuja, included former Governor Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

He pleaded with the leaders and other stakeholders to urgently salvage the party.

Frank was reacting to the postponement of the party`s National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings by its National Working Council (NWC).

The party’s NWC through a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Thursday announced the postponement of the meetings citing “unexpected developments“ as reason.

It said that new dates for the meetings would be announced in due course.

Mr. Frank, however, blamed the postponement of the meetings on the lack of trust by party leaders in John Odigie-Oyegun, the party’s National Chairman and his leadership style.

He said the party under its current leadership, was not bringing anything to the table to support President Buhari’s administration contrary to expectations.

He said that what the party needed at the moment is a national leadership that could consult widely before taking decision.

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident which led to the death of football fans in a viewing centre in Calabar, Cross River State.In a statement via his Special Adviser on media and publicity, Turaki Hassan, Mr. Dogara condoled with families of those who lost their lives, those who survived the incident, and the people and government of Cross River State.

“My heart goes out to the families of football fans who died in the incident at the viewing centre. At this moment, my thoughts and prayers are with the affected families, survivors, and the government and good people of Cross River state following this sad incident.”

“It is my ardent hope that survivors are receiving adequate care, and that the state government is taking the necessary steps to avoid a recurrence of such a sad incident”, the Speaker said, and urged the state government to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“May God comfort all the families which have been thrown into mourning, and may the souls of the dearly departed rest in perfect peace.”

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Onuora Nzekwu, the founding General Manager of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), has died at the age of 89, the family confirmed on Saturday.Mr. Nzekwu, the author of Eze Goes to School, a novel, died by 4.30p.m. on Friday in his home in Onitsha, Anambra, where he had been living in retirement, a family member, Louis Chuke, said.

Mr. Nzekwu joined the Federal Civil Service as editorial assistant at the Nigeria Magazine Division of the Federal Ministry of Information.

He worked as editorial assistant from 1956 to 1958 when took over the position of editor-in-chief of the magazine.

In 1966 when the Nigerian civil war broke out, he transferred his services to the Eastern Nigeria Public Service and returned to the federal service at the end of the crisis in 1970.

He served as General Manager of NAN from 1979 to 1985.

Mr. Nzekwu wrote Troubled Dust, a novel that recounts the experiences of the civil war.

(NAN)

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A special board of inquiry set up by the Nigerian Army has asked the National Human Right Commission to partner with it in investigating allegations of human rights abuses, brought against army personnel.The President of the special board of inquiry, Major General Abubakar Jubrin (rtd), said the move is to ensure that all allegations are thoroughly, impartially and objectively investigated.

According to him, this would enable relevant authorities to take appropriate actions. He therefore asked the commission to furnish the committee with any case of violation that has been reported to it.

Speaking on behalf of the National Human Rights Commission, the Director of the Monitoring Unit, Mr Tony Ojukwu, told the board that the two agencies are already in cooperation on many levels that have yielded results and that the commission would not fail to make any input it can to help the board carry out its assignments.

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The Nigeria University Games Association, NUGA, has temporarily suspended the national university Games which began on Saturday in Makurdi, over what it called “technical hitches”.NUGA Secretary-General, B. O. Orodele, who announced the suspension on Sunday in Makurdi, said that the action became necessary because “both athletes and contingent officials have not been accredited as required by the guidelines of the Games”.

“The temporary suspension will enable both the officials of NUGA and the host university to sort out the technical hitches,” he said.

Reacting to the hitches, the President of NUGA, Stephen Hanafyelto of the University of Maiduguri, blamed the confusion on the ICT Unit of the association which “defied my instructions over accreditation”.

He alleged that the ICT Unit refused to heed his instructions on the procedure for accreditation, preferring to deal with the Secretary-General.

“If the problems are not resolved before Monday, we will have no option than to cancel the Games,” he said.

The NUGA president said that more than 450 accreditation tags were needed for both athletes and officials.

Reacting to the threats of cancellation, Emmanuel Kucha, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, the host institution, said that the university should not be punished “for the sins of others”.

“The problem is between the Secretary-General and the President of NUGA, and not the host institution; we have done all they asked us to do. We provided facilities and venues.

“How can they take such an arbitrary decision after we have spent so much money? Do they know where we got the money from?

“As far as University of Agriculture, Makurdi is concerned, we are ready. We have done our part. We should not be victims of any disagreement between two NUGA officials,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the opening football match of the fiesta, between the host institution and the Kaduna State University (KASU), rescheduled from Saturday to 7 a.m. on Sunday, had to be postponed again, owing to the confusion over accredited athletes.

No date has been fixed for the game and other subsequent soccer outings.

A cross section of athletes, who spoke on the development, expressed dissatisfaction over the confusion that had enveloped the games.

The athletes regretted the poor arrangements from NUGA and the host university, and called for a timely resolution of the differences and the technical hitches, so that the games would resume.

Mr. Hanafyelto also said NUGA is not satisfied with facilities at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi though it is staging the Games there.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday that the association had to postpone the Games preliminaries and shift the Games several times to allow UAM to fix its facilities.

He said the association had been in Makurdi several times, including its last visit in February to ensure that facilities were ready for the Games.

The NUGA president disclosed that the choice of alternative venues with better facilities within Makurdi was to protect the integrity of the competition.

“When it became obvious that no other institutions will take up the hosting of the Games, the options available to us were either to stage them at the National Stadium, Abuja, or further postpone them.

“If we had opted for postponement to get adequate facilities, they wouldn’t be held even in 2019.

“That is why swimming is holding at the National Stadium Abuja, because the swimming pool here will gulp about N200 million to be ready for use.

“It was at that stage that we decided to go into the town to source for alternative venues with better facilities for the Games,” he said.

NAN reports that the Games are holding in Vaatia College, Makurdi Club, Aper Aku Stadium, Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School and the Sports Complex of the Makurdi university.

He therefore, advised coaches, heads of university contingent and athletes to manage available facilities for the success of the Games.

“I know that they are supposed to lay tartan tracks for athletics but we will make do with what we have to select athletes that will represent us at the World University Games later in China.

“Any athlete that can win running on sand will excel competing on tartan tracks.’’

However, the Vice-Chancellor of UAM, Emmanuel Kucha, in an earlier interview with NAN had said the university’s facilities were okay for the Games.

He disclosed that the institution invested about N500 million on facilities, explaining that some were “built from scratch while others were upgraded’’.

Also corroborating Kucha’s views, the institutions Director of Sports, Stephen Awen, took exception to allegations of inadequate facilities, saying NUGA had certified them in a pre-Games inspection visit to the school

(NAN)

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The Presidential committee to investigate corruption allegations against the two suspended officials of the Buhari administration says it will conduct its work in camera.A statement by the Vice President’s Spokesman, Laolu Akande, on Saturday in Abuja said the camera sitting of the committee would enable all parties in the matter to make full disclosures.

President Muhammadu Buhari had named Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to head the panel to investigate the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke.

Mr. Lawal was accused of violating due process in the award of contracts to companies handling the resettlement programmes in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the North-East.

Mr. Oke was also accused of transgressions in the discovery of large amounts in foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.

“In the discharge of its work, the panel is expected to invite all relevant officials and private individuals who may be connected to both cases.

“It will also obtain and scrutinize documents that may throw some light on the issues raised in both cases.

“All its proceedings will, however, be in closed sessions to avoid speculations, allow for full disclosure and enhance the pace of proceedings,’’ the statement said.

It said that the committee had begun its work in earnest to be able to meet the two weeks deadline given to it by Buhari.

According to the statement, the panel will conduct its work with utmost diligence and without fear or favour.

In the three-member committee with Mr. Osinbajo are the Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Munguno (retd).

(NAN)

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Crown Flour Mill limited Customer’s Forum and award Ceremony held at Hotel seventeen Kaduna. On 20/4/2017.Crown Flour Mill Limited

L-r Regional Head North Crown Flour Mill limited Alhaji Alfa Abubakar, Alhaji Sabo Dankoli with his award , Managing Director at Crown Flour Mill Ltd (CFM) – ‎Olam International Ltd Mr Anurag Shukla, Number One Distributor of (CFM) Alhaji Yahuza Abdullahi, Mr Usman Ali Balaribe ,and commercial director Olam Grains Mr Abolaji Anifowose, at Customers Forum and award Ceremony Organized by Crown Flour Mill Limited held at Kaduna State on 20/4/2017.

L-r Regional Head North Crown Flour Mill limited Alhaji Alfa Abubakar, Managing Director at Crown Flour Mill Ltd (CFM) – ‎Olam International Ltd Mr Anurag Shukla, Number One Distributor of (CFM) Alhaji Yahuza Abdullahi, and commercial director Olam Grains Mr Abolaji Anifowose,

L-r Regional Head North Crown Flour Mill limited Alhaji Alfa Abubakar. Number One Distributor of (CFM) Alhaji Yahuza Abdullahi, exchanging greetings with , Managing Director at Crown Flour Mill Ltd (CFM) – ‎Olam International Ltd Mr Anurag Shukla, commercial director Olam Grains Mr Abolaji Anifowose, Vice President Floor Olam International limited Mr Rohit Chugh, and National Head Logistics/Distribution Olam Grains Mr Kasa Vitus Uchenna .

L-r Managing Director at Crown Flour Mill Ltd (CFM) – ‎Olam International Ltd Mr Anurag Shukla, presenting award to number 3 distributor Alhaji Sabo Dankoli, Vice President Floor Olam Grains Mr Rohit Chugh, Regional Head North Crown Flour Mill limited Alhaji Alfa Abubakar, and National Head Logistics/Distribution Olam Grains Mr Kasa Vitus Uchenna .

L-r Alhaji Sabo Dankoli, Managing Director at Crown Flour Mill Ltd (CFM) – ‎Olam International Ltd Mr Anurag Shukla, Number One Distributor of (CFM) Alhaji Yahuza Abdullahi, Mr Usman Ali Balaribe, and commercial director Olam Grains Mr Abolaji Anifowose,.

L-r Vice President Floor Olam Grains Mr Rohit Chugh, Regional Head North Crown Flour Mill limited Alhaji Alfa Abubakar, Alhaji Sabo Dankoli, Managing Director at Crown Flour Mill Ltd (CFM) – ‎Olam International Ltd Mr Anurag Shukla, and Alhaji Yahuza Abdullahi.

L-r Vice President Consumers Product Olam Grains Mr Amit Ghugre , commercial director Olam Grains Mr Abolaji Anifowose, and Consultant Operations- Animal feed and protein Olam Grains Mr Yahaya Fufore, Nigeria

L-r Vice President Consumers Product Olam Grains Mr Amit Ghugre , commercial director Olam Grains Mr Abolaji Anifowose, and Consultant Operations- Animal feed and protein Olam Grains Mr Yahaya Fufore, Nigeria

L-r Vice President Floor Olam International Ltd Mr Rohit Chugh , General Manager Protein Dr Vinod Mishra General manager olam International limited kaduna Mr Rahul khanduri.

L-r Managing Director at Crown Flour Mill Ltd (CFM) – ‎Olam International Ltd Mr Anurag Shukla, Number One Distributor of (CFM) Alhaji Yahuza Abdullahi, and Alhaji Murtala Abdullahi also a distributor .
15 ..L-r Alhaji Usman Ali Balarabe,Vice President Consumers Product Olam Grains Mr Amit Ghugre ,and Alhaji Nafiu Adamu .

Managing Director at Crown Flour Mill Ltd (CFM) – ‎Olam International Ltd Mr Anurag Shukla(m) Presenting award to CEO Geno Nigeria limited Mr. Chukwuemeka Ndukwe while others watch

L-r General Manager- Sales Marketing. Olam International Mr Charles Babarimisa, commercial director Olam Grains Mr Abolaji Anifowose, Alhaji Murtala Abdullahi also distributor . Consultant Operations- Animal feed and protein Olam Grains Mr Yahaya Fufore, Nigeria, and National Head Logistics/Distribution Olam Grains Mr Kasa Vitus Uchenna .

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National Conscience party 79th Post Humous Birthday Celebration of our Founder Chief Gani Fawehinmi held in Lagos on 22/4/2017.

L-r Financial Secretary National Conscience party (NCP) Lagos Comrade Akintunde Adedeji, Chairman NCP Lagos Comrade Bayo Ogunleye , General Secretary Comrade Yusuff Michael Omuya, and Publicity secretary Comarde Kehinde Adeoye at world Press Conference on the 79th Post Humous Birthday of Chief Gani Fawehinmi and the State of NCP held in Lagos on 22/4/2017. PHOTOS CHINYERE IKEANYI

.L-r Prof Maurice Fangnon,Past Chairman NCP Lagos State Comarde Tunde Agunbiade, Comarde Ade Adewunmi and Comrade Akintunde Adedeji, at world Press Conference on the 79th Post Humous Birthday of Chief Gani Fawehinmi and the State of NCP held in Lagos on 22/4/2017

L-r Chairman NCP Lagos Comrade Bayo Ogunleye , General Secretary Comrade Yusuff Michael Omuya, and Publicity secretary Comarde Kehinde Adeoye at world Press Conference on the 79th Post Humous Birthday of Chief Gani Fawehinmi and the State of NCP held in Lagos on 22/4/2017.

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