By Peter Usman 

Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has commended what he called the high level of professionalism, politeness, firmness and unbiased conducts of the police personnel, before, during and after the just concluded Osun state gubernatorial election.

The IGP also commended other security and safety agencies deployed for the election.

In a statement, the IGP declared that there were no official complaints of violence or injury to persons reported at any police station/division in all the seven units where the re-run election was held on 27^th September, 2018.

He therefore implored members of the public to disregard and discountenance claims in some sections of the media that security agencies intimidated journalists, election observers and voters during the re-run election.

According to him, “The Nigeria Police Force appreciates the law abiding attitude and peaceful conduct of the good people of Osun State during the Election.

Idris stated that the good disposition and spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by most of the political parties in the election which doused fear and tensions during the election was gratifying and highly commendable.

“We commend the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIGP, Department of Operations, the entire police personnel, officers and men of other security and safety agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES deployed for election security during the just concluded Osun state gubernatorial election, and the re-run election of thursday, 27^th  September, 2018.

“The IGP appreciates the commitment and civility of the entire security personnel in ensuring adequate security and conducive environment for a credible gubernatorial election in Osun State.

“The impressive performance of the police personnel to ensure law and order and a successful election is a clear testimony of the capability of the Nigeria Police Force in its renewed commitment to continue to adhere to international best practices in the conduct of elections in the country now and in the future.

“As a lead security agency in election security in a democracy, the IGP further commends the entire security personnel deployed for the election for their personal sacrifice, collective patriotism and commitment in ensuring that the election was conducted in an atmosphere of peace devoid of any breach of public peace and security throughout the period of the election.

“The Nigeria Police Force will continue to sustain and improve on the election security successes recorded in the gubernatorial elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Ekiti States and the just concluded gubernatorial election in Osun State as an index for the conduct of subsequent elections in the country” he said.

Six African women with albinism who have overcome stigma, abuse, rape and machete attacks are set to scale the continent’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, to dispel the negative perceptions surrounding people with the rare skin condition.

The novice climbers – aged between 26 and 35 years old and from Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Senegal – said their seven-day trek up the 5,895-metre (19,340-ft) summit in Tanzania was to celebrate people with albinism.

“We are tired of being told we are incapable, cursed and cannot be part of society,” said Jane Waithera, Kenyan activist and co-founder of the “Climb for Albinism” expedition, which begins on Oct. 1.

“So, here we are, six African women with albinism who have succeeded in their lives despite the odds, are climbing the continent’s biggest mountain to amplify the voices of people with albinism – and hopefully be an inspiration to others.”

Joining Waithera are Senegalese bass player Maah Koudia Keita, Nigerian optometrist Onyinye Edi, South African actress and singer Regina Mary Ndlovu, Tanzanian entrepreneur Mariamu Staford and Zimbabwean educator Nodumo Ncomanzi.

People with albinism – a lack of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes – are frequently shunned and attacked in Africa due to lack of awareness about the rare genetic condition.

In some countries, they are targeted for their body parts which are prized in witchcraft for use as lucky charms or in magic potions.

Women risk rape due to myths suggesting sex with a woman with albinism can cure AIDS.

Rising reports of ritual and witchcraft-related killings for body parts in countries such as Tanzania, Malawi and Burundi in recent years has prompted the United Nations to appoint a special expert to protect people with albinism.

The six women on the expedition have faced their own struggles growing up with albinism – some more horrific than others – and are now fighting the stigma and raising awareness about the condition.

Ten years ago, Staford had her arms hacked off by three men as she slept with her infant son.

With help from a charity and aided by prosthetics and a special machine, she started her own knitting business and is now a prominent activist in Tanzania.

“So many things have happened to me in my life, yet here I am. They cut off my arms, but not my will to survive and be something,” Staford, 35, told the media at the sidelines of a press conference.

“I want everyone to understand that people with albinism can do great things if they are given opportunities.”

The other women told stories of how they were abandoned by their parents when they were born, or how they were bullied at school, or even abused and raped because of having albinism.

Some of the women said they were unaware of what their condition was until they reached adulthood – struggling through school due to poor vision and not understanding why they could not play outside as their skin blistered so easily in the sun.

“I could never see the blackboard in class properly, but the teacher would never believe me when I told them. As a result, I couldn’t read or write until I was 25,” said Ndlovu, 29.

“My biggest wish is to leave a reference behind for others with albinism. I want young girls with albinism out there to see what we are doing and think ‘I can do this too.”

But the ascent of Kilimanjaro is not going to be easy.

As part of their training in May, the women climbed Mount Kenya which stands at 5,199 metres – but two of them had to turn back.

Elia Saikaly, film-maker and co-founder of the expedition, said the women will face near sub-zero temperatures near the top of Kilimanjaro, and the extreme altitude will make it difficult to breath – but all precautions had been taken.

Reuters/NAN

All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Screening Committee has disqualified, Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, from participating in its rescheduled governorship primary election coming up on Saturday.

This is according to a list of governorship aspirants cleared as well as those not cleared issued by the party’s Spokesman, Yekini Nabena, on Thursday night in Abuja.

The list revealed that the minster who was in the race to contest the Oyo State governorship election, was disqualified from contesting the primary because he did not participate in the compulsory one year National Youth Services Corps (NYSC) scheme.

https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/08/20/news/nigeria-gombe-apc-gubernatorial-aspirant-dolls-out-n40m-as-sallah-gift-to-party-officials/

Retired AVM Victor Udoh has urged the Armed Forces to invest more in technology, Research and Development (R&D) and training of personnel to be able to harness the benefits of space technology.

Udoh, who is also the Head, Airbus Defense and Space in Nigeria, made the call in Abuja at the Second Annual Lecture organised by the Nigerian Institution of Space Engineers (NISE).

The annual with the theme: “The Role of Nigeria Security Agencies for Peaceful Uses of Outer Space”, was held in honour of retired Brig. Gen. Micheal Agu, a renowned engineer and the pioneer chairman of the institution.

Udoh said that although space was a free platform for citizens to use but should not be deployed into disturbing the peace of the nation.

“Outer space is not a place of sovereignty. Outer space can be used within the ambit of the law for military activities.

“The law prohibits keeping weapon of mass destruction or any nuclear weapon establishing military formations in space but assets like satellites that can be used for surveillance, intelligence, imagery and can be put in space for positive use.

“The Nigerian military should train more officials to utilise these assets to solve our security challenges.
“We have various security challenges which technology and intelligence will solve.

“The role of the armed forces is to invest more in technology and train personnel to harness these assets,” he said.

“Space is not cheap, it is expensive to go out there in space and we must invest in the assets as well as the human beings themselves because any weapon is as good as the man behind it,’’ he said.

Udoh said that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) showed that very little went into technology, Research and Development (R&D), compared to other developed nations.

He however expressed delight at the progress that the country was making in developing technology, adding that the Defence Headquarters was putting measures in place to establish an R&D outfit to boost intelligence among officers.

Prof. Seidu Mohammed, the Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) said that space technology over decades had impacted on the society.

Mohammed said that the agency was engaging young engineers in the training, designing and manufacturing of Nigerian satellites for sustainability of space technology.

He recalled that NASRDA engineers designed a Nano-Satellite in 2017 with features to handle environmental issues, adding that they were also working on developing another one with infrarred features to focus on agriculture.

The President of Nigerian Society of Engineers, Mr Adekunle Mokuolu, said that there was need for remote sensing in the application of handling security issues.

According to Mokuolu, space technology has the potential to help Nigeria achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Spencer Onuh, the National Chairman of NISE, earlier in his opening remarks recalled that the UN established the UN Office for Outer Space (UNOSA) in 1967 to provide equal access to the outer space.

Onuh said that the Outer Space Treaty (OST) was signed by UN member states and the treaty binds on parties utilising space for peaceful purposes.

He, however, noted that the first president of the institution deserved the honour because he initiated the formation of the Space, Engineering Division which resulted into the establishment of NISE.

Prof. Turner Isoun, former Minister of Science and Technology, said that space technology was very strategic in many aspects of the economy.

“Space technology is strategic in many sectors of our country like in agriculture, communications, navigation, and so we must deploy best minds and best technology to upgrade our domestic product.

“For instance, the communication sector for many years was not contributing to the GDP but today ICT sector is contributing almost 10 per cent.

“Satellite technology is very critical and more importantly, it is the frontier of technology and Nigeria should be there in order to increase the economy and protect security.”

Isoun called on Nigerians to repose confidence in the country’s satellite and ensure patronage accordingly.

Agu, on his part expressed gratitude for the lecture organised in his honour, adding that he had been involved in the space sector for some time.

“No security outfit can handle security challenges alone and with collaboration, coordination, issues of insecurity will be surmounted,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the event was held on Thursday concurrently with the first Conferment of Fellowship Awards of some members of the institution.

The engineers are Yusuf Mshelia, Ibrahim Mohammed and Brig. Gen. Micheal Agu received fellowship awards, while Prof. Seidu Mohammed of NASRDA and Air Vice Marshal Victor Udoh received honourary awards from NISE.

NAN

A flotilla of small boats rescued all 47 passengers and crew from an Air Niugini flight that crashed into the sea short of the runway at an airport in the tiny South Pacific nation of Micronesia on Friday, the Airport’s Manager said.

“It was supposed to land but instead of landing it was 150 yards short and she went down,” Jimmy Emilio, general manager of Chuuk Airport at Weno in Micronesia, told Reuters by telephone.

“We don’t really know what happened … people were rescued by boats – 36 passengers and 11 crew were all rescued, only the plane is sinking right now,” he said.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft hit the lagoon surrounding the small island about 9.30 a.m. local time (2330 GMT Thursday), Emilio said.

The passengers and crew were taken to hospital but no serious injuries were reported.

“I thought we landed hard until I looked over and saw a hole in the side of the plane and water was coming in,” passenger Bill Jaynes said in a video posted by the Pacific Daily News website.

“I thought, well, this is not like the way it’s supposed to happen,” he said, adding: “Water was waist-deep in the cabin before rescuers arrived.”

Video published online by Radio New Zealand and pictures posted on Twitter showed the half-submerged aircraft surrounded by small speedboats.

Air Niugini said in a statement the airline is “making all efforts” to look after the passengers and crew.

A spokesman for Papua New Guinea’s Accident Investigation Commission said investigators would fly to the scene as soon as possible to piece together what happened.

Reuters/NAN

China’s northeastern province of Jilin has reported a new outbreak of African swine fever, the agriculture ministry said on Friday.

The case occurred on a farm of 44 pigs in the city of Songyuan, killing three pigs.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said eight pigs were also infected in the city.

China has banned the transport of live hogs and pig products from regions bordering provinces where the fever has been reported.

The outbreak of the disease is not the first in Jilin province.

Reuters/NAN