ActionAid Nigeria steps up campaign against violence

The ActionAid Nigeria, an NGO, says it is stepping campaign against violent extremism in parts of the country.

To achieve this, Ms Ene Obi, the Country Director of the organisation, inaugurated a project, tagged “System and Structure: Strengthening Approach Against Radicalisation to Violent Extremism (SARVE 2)”, in Lafia.

The project is aimed at reducing the vulnerability of young persons and women, as well as strengthening communities’ resilience to violent extremism.

Obi said that the project, worth $2.5 million Dollars (about N900 million), was being implemented in Nasarawa and Kogi States, within a period of 33 months.

Represented by Madam Tasallah Chibok, the Director of Programmes of the organisation, Obi said that the project would be implemented in 24 communities within 12 local government areas in both states.

She said that the SARVE 2 project was targeted at 165,360 persons, comprising 360,000 direct and 129,360 indirect beneficiaries.

For Nasarawa state, the country director said 82,680 persons in 12 communities across six local government areas would benefit from the project.

She listed the benefitting local government areas to include Lafia, Obi, Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon, Nasarawa and Toto.

Obi further explained that 18,000 persons would benefit directly while 64,680 others would benefit indirectly from the project in Nasarawa state.

She said that the target groups would include in-school children of 0-15 years, youths of between 15 and 35 years, community, religious and opinion leaders as well as duty bearers/government officials, both at the local and state levels.

The country director noted that the programme was the outcome of a research in Kogi and Nasarawa states, which indicated a high level of violence, especially against women and children, high youth unemployment and poverty.

“So, ActionAid, in a bid to address these challenges, is working with the communities to strengthen their resilience against violent extremism.

“We work with community groups and civil society organisations, to create alternatives to violent extremism through youth and women economic empowerment and engagement with local authorities, for equal social cohesion,” she added.

Obi added that the project was also being implemented in Kogi with the same number of beneficiaries and communities as in Nasarawa state.

She said the first phase of the project was successfully implemented in Kogi state between 2016 and 2018, reaching 12,985 youths; 4,230 women and 8,705 men directly, with capacity building, sensitisation programmes and socio-economic empowerment.

According to her, nine mini-cottage industries, including rice milling, cassava processing, bakery and block moulding factories were established in the communities where the project was implemented in the state under the first phase.

She said that the project also leveraged on the “Catch them Young” principle, in reaching children through peace clubs in schools, to make them peace ambassadors from young age.

Mr Abari Aboki, the Nasarawa state Head of Service, who inaugurated the project on behalf of the State Government, assured ActionAid Nigeria of necessary support towards its success.

Aboki was represented by Mr Alanana Attah, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Information.

He charged the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunities at their disposal in order to ensure its sustainability.

- PM NEWS

Court bars AC Milan from Europa League

AC Milan have been excluded from the 2019-20 Europa League as a result of Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has announced.

The Serie A giants will play no part in continental competition during the upcoming campaign, despite having secured a fifth-place finish last season.

They ended 2018-19 one point behind arch-rivals Inter and outside of the Champions League spots.

The Rossoneri were due to participate in Europe’s secondary club tournament, but they have been forced to withdraw after failing to adhere to FFP regulations.

A statement from CAS reads: “AC Milan is excluded from participating in the UEFA Club Competitions of the sporting season 2019/2020 as a consequence of the breach of its FFP break-even obligations during the 2015/2016/2017 and the 2016/2017/2018 monitoring periods.

“The Adjudicatory Chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body is invited to issue a Procedural Order, acknowledging the outcome of the present arbitration(s) and terminating the AC-01/2019 proceedings relating to the 2016/2017/2018 monitoring period, which have become moot.”

Milan had faced similar sanctions ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, with UEFA having brought charges against them intending to block their participation in the Europa League.

That decision was overturned on appeal by CAS and the Rossoneri were reinstated but the Italian giants have been unable to repeat that success 12 months on.

Having been allowed to compete in 2018-19, Milan ended up being knocked out at the group stage.

The side then managed by Gennaro Gattuso finished third behind Real Betis and Olympiakos, falling at the first hurdle.

There has been plenty of change at San Siro since then, with Marco Giampaolo now at the helm but he will not get the chance to take in European action during his debut campaign.

With Milan being ruled out of the Europa League for 2019-20, Italian football has one place to fill. (Goal.com)

That invitation will drop one place down the final standings in Serie A from 2018-19, with Torino seemingly now replacing Milan.

Their campaign will start at the second qualifying round, with Roma joining old adversaries Lazio in securing a passage straight through to the group stage.

- PM NEWS

Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers building camps in Edo forests – Oba of Benin

The Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II of Benin has raised the alarm that criminal elements, including bandits and herdsmen, are building camps in forests within his kingdom.

This came as no less than 20 farmers were shot dead on Tuesday when Boko Haram terrorists invaded farmlands at Ngamgam village of Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State.

On the heels of these, gunmen yesterday kidnapped 28 travelers along Akure/Ikere-Ekiti highway in Ekiti State, Vanguard reports.

Criminal camps now in Edo forests—

Oba of Benin The Oba, who disclosed this when he met with Enigie (dukes) in his kingdom in Benin yesterday, urged them to be more vigilant in their communities.

He directed Enigie to nominate credible persons from their villages to be part of the Security Surveillance Team to be set up by Edo State Government.

The Oba said the government has resolved to set up the Security Surveillance Team to help identify criminals and their hideouts in the society. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Oba, Desmond Agbama, quoted the Oba as telling the Enigie that investigations had revealed that herdsmen and kidnappers, as well as other sets of criminals, have established camps in the forests in the various villages in Edo State, adding that there was need for the Enigie and the people to provide information that would help security agencies dislodge such criminal camps in the forest.

The Benin Monarch said those to be nominated by the Enigie would be thoroughly screened to ascertain their integrity and uprightness in carrying out the function and warned the Enigie not to usurp their powers once nominated.

Oba Ewuare II charged those to be nominated to do their work diligently and truthfully and report any criminal or person with questionable character to the Enigie who will in turn forward same to the relevant security agencies for necessary action.

The Oba of Benin said the Palace was pleased with the Enigie for their loyalty and dedication over the years and urged them to keep supporting the Palace in order for peace and progress not to elude the people, assuring that more good things awaited the people in the years ahead.

- PM NEWS

Spanish police find cocaine aboard Brazilian presidential plane headed for G20 summit

Spanish police officials have arrested a crew member of the Brazilian Air Force who carried three bags of cocaine on an advance military plane of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s president.

Bolsonaro, who was headed for the G20 summit in Osaka, Tokyo, was scheduled to have a stopover in Lisbon.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Brazilian Air Force said in a statement the airman was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking.

Spanish customs officers were reported to have discovered 37 packets of cocaine which weighed 39kg during a search of the aircraft while the plane was waiting to continue its journey to Tokyo.

“Obviously, given the quantity of the drug he was carrying, he didn’t buy it on the corner and bring it, right? He was working as a mule. A well-qualified mule, so to speak,” said Hamilton Mourão, Brazil’s vice president said.

In a statement released on his Twitter page, Bolsonaro said he has ordered immediate cooperation with Spanish police.

“I immediately ordered the defence minister to cooperate with Spanish police to establish the facts and cooperate with every stage of the investigation, and to launch an investigation by the military police,” he said.

“There are around 300,000 men and women in the armed forces who are trained to uphold the highest principles of ethics and morality. If the airman is found to have committed a crime, he will be tried and convicted according to the law.”

- THECABLE

PL NEWS : Liverpool sign new player

Liverpool have completed the signing of 17-year-old defender, Sepp van den Berg, from PEC Zwolle.

The UEFA Champions League holders made the announcement in a statement posted on the club’s official website on Thursday.

Van Den Berg joined the Anfield club for an initial fee of £1.3million.

The statement read: “I’ve seen what kind of players from the Academy grew into the first team here. It is unbelievable, especially when this kind of big club does that.

“It’s just an amazing feeling,” Van den Berg told Liverpool’s official website. “It is, for me, the biggest club in the world and it’s a dream come true. I am really excited.

“I’ve seen what kind of players from the Academy grew into the first team here. It is unbelievable, especially when this kind of big club does that.

“Of course, the trainer [Jürgen Klopp] is a great guy and one of the reasons they are successful – and also one of the reasons, I came here.

“I think this is the best place for me to grow and hopefully, play a lot of games here.”

- DAILY POST

Man bags 6 months imprisonment for stealing yoghurt

An Ejigbo magistrate court has sentenced one Morufu Wasiu to six months imprisonment for stealing yoghurt and other items in one Mr. Joseph Ejikeme’s house at 18, Church street, Ijegun, Lagos.

The prosecutor, Supol Kenneth Asibor (ASP) said the suspect and others who are still at large, jumped into the compound of Ejikeme at about 04:15pm on May 23, 2019, and stole Holladian yoghurt, pack of Pepsi, pack of Eva water, pack of Happy Hour juice, pack of Eva milk and other assorted juice of various makers all valued at N85,800.

According to Asibor, the suspect and his accomplice packed all the items inside a truck and took them away to an area called Dustbin, where the Hausas usually sell scraps at Pipeline, Ijegun.

He said: “immediately the Hausas saw them at that odd hours pushing the truck with goods inside, they knew it was stolen goods and they started taking the goods one after the other and started drinking, though it was a fasting period.

“This alerted the members of OPC in the area to what was going on and they arrested Morufu While others ran away at the sight of the OPC.

“The case was handed over to the police and the suspect was charged to court on a two count charge for burglary and stealing.

“It was discovered that the suspect has been in the habit of stealing through his confessional statements, and that he came all the way from Ogun state in Totowu area with others at large.”

The suspect, having pleaded guilty to the 2 count charges, was sentenced to a 6-month imprisonment by Magistrate T. O. Shomade, with option of N20,000 fine.

- DAILY POST

Tension as another building collapses in Lagos

A three-storey building at Iju area of Lagos State on Wednesday night collapsed, leaving many people trapped in the rubble.

The General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, told journalists that the building, which was under construction, collapsed at K Farm, Fagba, Off Iju Road, Lagos.

“It was a building under construction, and people occupying the building have been evacuated and the injured are responding to treatment.

“No mortalities recorded. All the key stakeholders that are important in managing disaster in Lagos are on ground.

“However the building will be pulled to ground zero for safety of the people living in the area.

“All the buildings adjacent or beside the collapsed building will be subjected to solid material testing, for your information,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

- DAILY POST