Pakistan Plane Crashes Killing Over 100 Passengers On Board

   

   A passenger plane belonging to state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has crashed near the southern port city of Karachi, killing all 107 passengers and crew, the city’s mayor has said.

  The PIA flight PK8303 was on a routine domestic service between from Lahore to Karachi, and was almost at the end of the 90-minute flight when it crashed on the approach to Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. The Airbus A320 aircraft was carrying 99 passengers and eight crew members when it came down among houses, sending plumes of smoke into the air that could be seen from some distance away.

  Rescue workers and local residents were seen pulling people from the debris, as firefighters tried to put out the flames. “I heard a big bang and woke up to people calling for the fire brigade,” said a Karachi resident, Mudassar Ali. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was “shocked and saddened” by the crash, tweeting that he was in touch with the state airline’s chief executive.

  The disaster comes as Pakistanis across the country are preparing to celebrate the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid Al-Fitr, with many traveling back to their homes in cities and villages and only days after Commercial flights resumed after planes were grounded during a lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.

Man caught picking out used sanitary pads in dustbin in Abuja

   

A yet-to-be identified man has been nabbed picking out used sanitary pads from a dustbin in an Abuja estate. 

  The man who was confronted by the lady who disposed the used item in the dustbin alongside a male resident of the estate, claimed innocence when questioned.

  He was however accused of specifically searching for the used sanitary pad by the lady who said that she carefully placed the used items in a  "nylon'' , before disposing it. 

 

NDLEA uncovers first-ever hashish oil lab in Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a secret laboratory where hashish oil is manufactured in Lagos. Hashish oil is a derivative of cannabis Sativa, a banned substance in the country.

A statement released by the Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs of the NDLEA, Jonah Achema on Friday May 22, said the laboratory, located at 7 Imam Augusto Close, Victoria Island, was dismantled by the Serious Enforcement Team of the agency. The suspected owner of the laboratory, Oladapo Ifedayo Oluseyi Adedayo, was also arrested.

 “A clandestine laboratory for the production of Hashish Oil, a derivative from Cannabis sativa has been dismantled by the Serious Enforcement Team of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. The laboratory was located in an apartment on No. 7, Imam Augusto Close, Victoria Island-Lagos.

In the course of the operation code-named Hash-Caste, the Agency arrested one Oladapo Ifedayo Oluseyi Adedayo, “M”, the suspected owner of the laboratory which engages in indoor growing of cannabis sativa and processing same into Hashish oil through clandestine laboratory extraction.

Adedayo is an half-caste, with a Nigerian father (late Professor OLADAPO Ifedayo Olawole, an indigene of Ondo town, Ondo State, Nigeria and a Danish Mother, Dr. Mrs. Jyette Marie (nee Roug).

The suspect is a graduate of University of Southern Denmark with a degree in Electronic Engineering. Aged 42, Adedayo claimed to have been pushed into the hydroponic cannabis growing and Hashish Oil extraction following the collapse of his Inverter, Metering and Solar Installation Company in 2019. He said he noticed that there is so much money to be made in view of the high demand for Hashish oil in the international market as a curative medicine for cancer.

Adedayo’s expansive premises is well fortified with protective dogs and himself well armed, ostensibly to put up resistance from the suspected onslaught of law enforcement agencies. In the course of the operation, several drug exhibits were recovered including 911 grams of Cannabis seeds, 21 Kilograms of Cannabis infused Ethanol, 83 grams of Hashish Oil 123mg THC-70 CBD, 1.127 Kilograms of Cannabis Cream, 80 grams of fresh Cannabis plant and 25 grams of dried Cannabis plant.

Other items found in the active laboratory are: 500 grams of Potassium Hydroxide Pellets, Propyl Alcohol, 500 grams of Sodium Hydroxide Pellets, Distilled water, Water Aspirator Vacuum Pump, Round bottom Flasks, Citric Acid, PH Meter, Retort Stands, Distillation Flasks, Printer, Spectronet wireless wifi, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Pipes, Wooden base for Hydroponic System of Cannabis growing, LED Flood lighting for Photosynthesis purpose for the Cannabis indoor planting and one product of Berreta 92 Pistol (a short gun) with thirteen (13) rounds of live ammunition.

Two vehicles belonging to the suspect were seized as they were suspected to have been acquired from the proceeds of illicit drug trade. The vehicles are a Toyota Camry Car with Registration Number AKD 609 FV ‘Lagos’ and one Old Model Toyota Hilux with Registration Number AKD 519 AQ ‘Lagos’. Also detected are two bank accounts belonging to the suspect and one jointly operated by the suspect and his mother.” the statement read

While commenting on this new development, the  Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (Rtd.), said the drug trade is assuming a hitherto unthinkable dimension for somebody to turn his premises into a cannabis farm and also establish in the same premises a laboratory to process the proceeds into bye products such as Hashish.

 

Captured Boko Haram insurgents are quarantined and given face masks - Defence Headquarters

  

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has shared some of the measures it has instituted to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the fight against terrorism.  Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Coordinator of defence media operations, John Enenche said captured Boko Haram members are provided with face masks and also quarantined to curb the spread of Coronavirus. Eneche said; 

 “The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way everything will be done. 

“We have ordered for PPE for troops at the frontlines. 

“The moment they (Boko Haram members) are captured, they are quarantined and given face masks while observing social distancing too.

“Captured or surrendered enemies are treated in line with the Geneva Convention. COVID-19 has changed the way things are done at the frontlines and in barracks.

"In addition to the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON)  primary responsibility of producing defence equipment, it has succeeded in diversifying its human, equipment, machinery as well as research and development capacity, to support a much-needed strategic intervention to cushion the effects of the highly dreaded COVID 19 in the country”. 

 

27 More workers in Oyo company test positive for COVID-19

  

  Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has said 27 more members of staff of iSON Xperiences located in the Ibadan South West Local Government Area of the state have tested positive for COVID-19.

At least 63 members of staff had previously tested positive for the virus and are currently being isolated. Makinde made this announcement on Friday via Twitter.

  He said, “The COVID-19 confirmation tests for 28 suspected cases came back positive. Twenty-seven are from iSON Xperiences and the last case is from Akinyele Local Government Area. So, the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State is 190."

INEC Approves Policy To Conduct Elections Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved a policy to conduct elections despite the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, announced this in a statement on Thursday.

He disclosed that the strategy tagged “Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic” would be released on Monday next week.

Okoye explained that the policy would enable INEC officials and staff to handle the challenges of conducting elections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that it would provide a guide for engagement with various stakeholders as they prepare for the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States, as well as some bye-elections.

According to the INEC spokesperson, the commission is committed to conducting all elections that are due within the extant legal framework.

He, however, noted that the electoral umpire would put a premium on public safety and mitigation of health risks from coronavirus.

The commission had earlier announced that it would not postpone the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States scheduled for September 19 and October 10, 2020 respectively.

Read the full statement below:

INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION

PRESS RELEASE

POLICY ON CONDUCTING ELECTIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met today, 21st May 2020, and approved its “Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic”.

The general purpose of the Policy is to enable officials and staff of the Commission to understand and respond adequately to the challenges of conducting elections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide a guide for engagement with stakeholders as they prepare for elections.

The clean copy of the policy document, which will be released on Monday 25th May 2020, covers health and legal issues, election planning and operations, election day and post-election activities, voter registration, political parties, election observation, electoral security and deployment of technology.

Conducting elections in a pandemic such as COVID-19 is yet uncharted waters. Only very few jurisdictions have any experience with this.

That notwithstanding, the Commission is committed to conducting all elections that are due within the extant legal framework. However, in so doing it will put a premium on public safety and mitigation of health risks from COVID-19.

Citizens must be assured that they will be safe while participating as voters, candidates, and officials.

The Commission remains committed to raising public confidence in the electoral process in spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic and to regularly communicate its actions and challenges to the public.

 

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTS

In view of the end of tenure Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States scheduled for 19th September 2020 and 10th October 2020 respectively, the Commission will flag off robust engagements with its critical stakeholders to present the Policy Document. To this end, the Commission will meet with:

Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Saturday, 30th May 2020;

Political Parties on Monday, 1st June 2020;

Civil Society Groups on 2nd June 2020; and

The Media on 3rd June 2020.

 

CONDUCT OF BYE-ELECTIONS

It is to be noted that in addition to the Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States, the Commission has received official declaration of vacancies for 4 Senatorial Districts and read reports of the passing of a Senator and 4 members of some State Houses of Assembly.

As at today, the Commission is planning for nine (9) bye-elections across seven (7) States of the Federation as follows:

Bayelsa Central Senatorial District

Bayelsa West Senatorial District

Imo North Senatorial District

Plateau South Senatorial District

Cross River North Senatorial District

Nganzai State Constituency, Borno State

Bayo State Constituency, Borno State

Nasarawa Central State Constituency, Nasarawa State

Bakori State Constituency, Katsina State

 

The provisions of the Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic shall also apply to the conduct of these elections.

In conclusion, the Commission urges all Nigerians to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 protocols issued by the health authorities.

Festus Okoye Esq.

National Commissioner and Chairman,

Information and Voter Education Committee

21st May 2020.

Nigeria’s $1bn Case Against Shell, ENI Suffers Setback

 

  A High Court in London on Friday ruled that the $1 billion case against oil giants Shell and ENI over the Malabu Oil deal cannot proceed. 

The High Court Judge, Christopher Butcher, is reported to have held that the court does not have jurisdiction to hear the matter, which has a parallel proceeding in Italy, also brought by the Nigerian government over the Malabu deal. This was what formed the basis on which shell and ENI had moved to stop or stay proceedings in the $1 billion lawsuit in the UK, during virtual hearings of the case.

Both companies argued that the case in the UK court was a duplication of the ongoing criminal trial and a parallel civil claim brought by Nigeria in Italy over the same matter.

Nigeria had sued shell and ENI for $1.1 billion in 2011 over the licencing of OML 245 which the nation claims the said companies made it miss as a result of bribes they paid to Malabu oil, owned by former Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete.

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