Index to Nigerian Newspapers

President Muhammadu Buhari's body language as to his preferred candidate for the presidential ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has unsettled aspirants such as Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo, national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi. The lack of clarity on the president's direction is fuelling agitation among the aspirants and their supporters as the deadline for the conduct of the political parties' primaries approaches.

There are concerns at present in Kwara State over the latest rising trend in kidnap activities. While top security brass, who visited recently, described the state as one of the most peaceful in the country, the menace of kidnapping for ransom has continued to threaten that slogan. Daily Trust reports that there has been a spike in the frequency of abductions by gunmen lately which has led to the death of several persons and payment of several millions of naira in ransom.

However, it appears the perpetrators are becoming more daring if the incident that occurred about two weeks ago at Okanle, near Idofian, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, is anything to go by.

A 46-year-old truck driver, Kasimu Bawa, has been arraigned for offences bordering on illegal mining and illegal possession of solid minerals contrary to and punishable under Section 1(8) (b) (i) of the Miscellaneous Offenses Act 1984. Kasimu was arraigned on an amended one-count charge before Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was the driver of the truck conveying solid minerals purchased without licence by a Chinese, Dang Deng, who was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment on October 19, 2022 by the same court. Kasimu was arrested by the EFCC on September 9, 2022, at the Share area of the state with a DAF truck numbered: KEY 777 ZF, containing 25 tonnes of solid minerals worth about N2.4m suspected to be products of illegal mining.

When the charge was read to him, the defendant pleaded not guilty.

 

Kwara State government has announced the reversal of the directive reducing workdays from five to three for civil servants. The government on June 5, 2023, through a letter from the state’s Head of Service, Mrs Susan Oluwole, reduced the work days from five to three in the state.  She said the decision was to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal by the federal government on the civil servants in the state. However, in a letter to the heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Mrs Oluwole reversed the decision.