Army Kills Fourty Boko Haram Terrorists, Destroy Alajeri Camp

The army on Saturday said it has destroyed the Boko Haram camp in Alajeri, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, a colonel, said in a statement that the military operation, following intelligence on the presence of Boko Haram camp in Alajeri, led to the death of 40 terrorists and capturing of their arms.

“Following reliable information on the presence of some Boko Haram terrorists, troops of 113 Battalion conducted a fighting patrol to Dunga general area on Thursday during which they discovered and destroyed a Boko Haram terrorists’ camp at Alajeri village in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State,” Usman said.

The army spokesperson added that, “In the operation, the troops killed 40 Boko Haram terrorists and captured 1 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade 7 ( RPG 7), 6 AK-47 rifles, 2 Fabrique Nationale rifles, 10 magazines, 188 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition and 64 rounds of  7.62mm (Special) ammunition. Other items recovered by the troops included 3 mobile phones, 6 copies of Holy Quran and 20 Motorcycles.”

No Nigerian soldier died or sustained injury, serving as morale booster for the troops as they intensify campaigns to clear the war-ravaged region of insurgents, the army said.

“The troops are in high spirits because of the success of the operation coupled with the fact that there was no casualty or injury on the part of the troops,” Usman said.

One Injured, 15 Rescued In Lagos Boat Mishap

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Saturday confirmed that one person was injured as 15 others were rescued from a wooden boat which capsized at Grinaldi Port near Tin Can Island, Apapa, Lagos.

Independent gathered that the wooden boat conveying the passengers capsized near Niger Dock yard, located around Coconut Bus-Stop in Apapa.

Ibrahim Farinloye, spokesman for NEMA, while confirming the incident said that prompt response from officials of the agency, assisted by other people around led to the rescue of all the passengers.

Farinloye told our correspondent in a text message that waves generated when a bigger boat was passing near the wooden boat led to the capsizing of the small boat.

Independent checks revealed that from January till Saturday, March 12, 2016, a total of 10 persons may have been feared dead and 23 others rescued during boat mishaps which occurred in various parts of Lagos.

In February, three persons were feared dead when a boat mishap occurred around Iworo Ajido Road, near Arabian Bus-Stop in Badagry.

Director, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Michael Akindele, confirmed the incident, saying that the agency received the distressed call through the state’s emergency call number and immediately activated necessary emergency responders.

About a week later, a wooden boat conveying 20 passengers capsized at Ikorodu area, where seven persons were feared dead, while 13 were rescued by emergency agency officials.

In a statement made available to Independent, Farinloye said: “A wooden boat capsized at Grinaldi Port close to Tin Can Flyover Bridge, Coconut Bus Stop, Apapa, with 15 passengers on board.

“All passengers were rescued alive and only the driver of the boat sustained injury,” it stated.

It said the incident occurred at about 8.30p.m on Friday and that those rescued had gone to their different destinations.

Farinloye said that the injured driver refused to be treated, opting to treat himself in a private hospital.

He said Marine Police and other stakeholders were still investigating the cause of the accident.

Source: INDEPENDENT

Lassa Fever Death Toll Hits 58

A total of 58 persons have been confirmed dead by Lassa fever disease outbreak in Nigeria.

This was out of 83 diagnosed cases in the country.

Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, gave this figure when he paid a working visit to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital to inspect Lassa fever facilities at the hospital.

Ehanire said the federal government was working hard to stop yearly outbreak of Lassa fever in the country.

He assured that the disease was gradually being defeated.

According to the Minister: “We have been trying to curtail Lassa fever, which is going down now and Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital is one of the centres of excellence. I came to see the status and how well they are coping.

“This hospital is one of the centres with special facilities and I came to see how well they are coping.

“I have seen the equipment and the challenges and we are looking at ways to make sure Lassa fever does not become a yearly occurring problem.”

Virgin Atlantic Pulls Out of Nigeria, Sacks Crew

Confusion enveloped the aviation sector on Saturday when news filtered in that British flag carrier, Virgin Atlantic Airways is pulling out of the Nigerian route .
Though the airline is yet to officially announce its pull out, it has issued letters of sack to its Nigerian cabin crew .
A source close the regulatory authority hinted that the British carrier has also shut down its call centre in the Ikeja axis of the metropolis .
The exit from the Nigerian market, a source hinted may be connected with disappointment by the airline management over promises by government on Its operations in the country .
The source said :” Virgin Atlantic Airways has laid off all their Nigerian cabin crew. They were only given three weeks notice and no severance package regardless of their length of service will be paid.
“The air-hostesses they sacked were about 20 and last year, they closed down their Nigerian call centre and let go of all the Nigerian staff. ”
This is not the first time the airline is disappointed over doing business in Nigeria.
After the liquidation of Nigeria Airways in 2003, government invited the chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, Sir Richard Branson to float a domestic carrier in the country.
Within a few months, Virgin Nigeria Airways was set up with the British carrier as its technical partner .
After six years, Virgin Atlantic Airways pulled out as technical partner to the Nigerian arm of the business.
Following the sour relationship, Branson in 2012 said he was very weary about doing business in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, aviation unions have vowed to ensure that the entitlements of Nigerian cabin crew are paid in line with relevant provisions .

Accessing Intervention Funds For Agribusiness

Agriculture constitutes one of the most important sectors of the Nigerian economy. In terms of employment, agriculture is by far the most important sector, engaging about 70 percent of the nation’s labour force. The importance of the sector necessitated the government over the years to establish many intervention funds in the agricultural sector that would be entrepreneurs can take advantage of.

Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF)

The ACGSF was established by Decree No. 20 of 1977, and started operations in April 1978. Its original share capital and paid-up capital were N100 million and N85.6 million, respectively, with the Federal Government holding 60 percent and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), 40 percent of the shares. The capital base of the scheme was increased to N3 billion in March 2001. The Fund, which is managed by CBN, guarantees credit facilities extended to farmers by banks up to 75 percent of the amount in default net of any security realised.

Purpose – The purpose of the Fund is to provide guarantee in respect of loans granted by any bank for agricultural purposes with the aim of increasing the level of bank credit to the agricultural sector.

Security – The security which may be offered to a bank for the purpose of any loan under the scheme include the following: charge on land in which the borrower holds a legal interest or a right to farm, or a charge on assets on the land including fixed assets, crops or livestock;

charge on the movable property of the borrower; life assurance policy, promissory note or other negotiable security; stocks and shares; personal guarantee; and any other security acceptable to the bank. For loans of N20,000.00 and below, banks are not expected to demand tangible securities and feasibility reports. Read More

Falae Regains Freedom

Kidnapped former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Afenifere leader, Chief Olu Falae, has been released.
He regained his freedom today (Thursday) four days after he was kidnapped at his farm in Akure.
The circumstances of his release from the kidnappers, who had demanded N100 million ransom, are yet unknown.
The Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Wole Ogodo, who confirmed his release on Thursday, also declined to provide details of his release.
“Go to Baba’s house, whatever you find there, that is it,” he said, responding to an enquiry fromPremium Times. 

Also confirming his release, the Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, said that Chief Falae was on his way to the Government House in Akure, to meet with Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

His younger brother, Sunday Falae, who disclosed the news to journalists said that the former presidential candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) was released by his captors on yesterday afternoon.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, arrived Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Thursday, assuring that the Police would ensure the release of the elder statesman and arrest the abductors.
Arase, also disclosed that the Police deployed an helicopter to survey the state forest reserves in trailing of the kidnappers.
Chief Falae, a chieftain of the Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, and National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, was on Monday abducted at his Ilado farm along Igbatoro Road, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.