Michael Ojuroye Initiative (Ngo)

The Kaduna State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the killing of three suspected armed bandits believed to be terrorising road users on the Kano-Zaria expressway. The Police Public Relations Officer, Aminu Lawal, confirmed the killing but refused to give further details. “The incident happened and police are still investigating the matter,” he said. Investigation conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria, however, revealed that the incident occurred on Monday night at Hawan Maimashi, near Maraban Gwanda in Sabon-Gari Local Government Area. A reliable police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one of the suspects died instantly during an exchange of fire with the police at the scene. “The second died later; the body of the third suspect, who ran away with gunshot wounds, was recovered from the bush and taken to the Zaria Police Station,” the source said. NAN also learnt that two locally-made guns were recovered from the deceased. Follow us on Twitter:   Click ...

A Consultant Neurologist, Prof. Adesola Oguniyi, on Wednesday in Lagos said that red pepper was a natural pain killer and an alternative to medication. Oguniyi, who works with the University of Ibadan, said   that extracts from red pepper were essential in pain treatment. “Studies have shown in some parts of the world that extracts from red pepper, especially the capsicum specie, can actually be used to treat pain. “It is not the pepper that will be rubbed directly on the affected area, it is the extracts from it which would have been processed in a laboratory. “It is useful as a topical preparation; when you apply it on the skin, initially, it burns, but after a while, the person does not feel the pain again,“ he said. According to Oguniyi, red pepper extract is safe for most people, although it is not supposed to be applied directly on open wounds or irritated areas. He said that various types of mild and moderate pains could be controlled with red pepper extracts as an al...

More than 4,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Keffi and Kokona local government areas of Nasarawa State. A correspondent report that the defectors were formally received into the PDP fold at Keffi and Garaku, the headquarters of Keffi and Kokona local government areas, respectively by the state’s Chairman of the party, Mr Yunana Iliya. Speaking while receiving the defectors, Iliya commended their decision to join the PDP and urged members of other political parties in the state to also join the party. He commended their courage of the defectors and urged party loyalists to embrace the new entrants. The PDP state chairman assured that the party would continue to initiate programmes aimed at bringing development to the people. Iliya appealed to the electorate to vote for PDP candidates in the upcoming local government elections in the state as as well as in subsequent elections. He said that, if elected, th...

The seven aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party have announced their decision to merge with the All Progressives Congress. The governors, at the meeting they had with the leadership of the APC in Abuja on Tuesday, said their decision was aimed at rescuing the country. A former Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, announced the decision after the meeting, which was held at Kano Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. Among the governors at the meeting were that of Rivers (Rotimi Amaechi), Kano(Rabiu Kwankwanso), Adamawa(Murtala Nyako), Kwara(Badulfatah Ahmed) and Niger(Dr. Babangida Aliyu). The governors of Jigawa and Sokoto states, Sule Lamido and Aliyu Wamakko respectively were absent. Baraje said the governors were part of the decision. Some leaders of the APC like its Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and a former Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), were in attendance. ...

After a hectic six months of battling Islamic insurgents under a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, President Goodluck Jonathan came back to the National Assembly early in November 2013, to ask for a six-month extension to enable the armed forces complete the job. The Senate gave its express approval, even though a few of its members from the troubled zone grumbled. The House of Representatives was not so expeditious. It summoned the Service Chiefs on November 20, 2013 to explain in greater details before also granting the President’s request. The Service Chiefs made it clear that more military resources were needed to establish the level of stability in the areas before the emergency rule could be called off, warning that this might go on for a much longer period than expected. We are aware of the displeasure that citizens from those areas have expressed over the extension, particularly given the challenges it imposes on their economic and social activities. T...

Thabo Mbeki FORMER South African President, Thabo Mbeki’s contention that ordinary Nigerians deserve as much blame as the politicians for the leadership failure in the country provides a valid platform for the re-evaluation of citizens’ role in governance in Nigeria. According to the man who took over the mantle of leadership from the great Nelson Mandela, it is only the citizens themselves that can put a stop to bad leadership. We agree. Democracy’s efficacy and legitimacy are predicated on an informed citizenry; without active and knowledgeable citizens, democratic representation remains empty; without vigilant, informed citizens, there is no check on potential tyranny. Mbeki’s position quickly brings to mind the statement credited to a French historian and political thinker, Alexis de Tocqueville, that “in a democracy, the people get the government they deserve.” Given his background as an activist and freedom fighter, whose struggles helped to bring down the obnoxious aparth...

AON boss Worried by the unending crisis in the  aviation sector, President, Chartered Institute of  Aviation of Nigeria,  and Chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria  Dr, Steve Mahonwu, says  air safety could only be ensured through improvement in  equipment and facilities at the airports . Mahonwu, who spoke at the 23rd convocation/ matriculation ceremony of the Institute Of Transport and Management Technology and official opening of International Training Centre of the institute, noted that aviation is a dynamic business and urged the country to imbibe the culture of training and retraining to promote aviation dynamics. He explained that the opening of the of the  institute’s International Training Centre  marks a new dimension in the  transport sector as technology was being enhanced through training and retraining, adding that  aviation safety is a continuous  phenomenon . The former  Transport and Aviation Minister,L...