Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Police detonate 963 IED and arrest 108 in Kano, Nigeria

Kano State Police Command Tuesday said it had detonated 963 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) of different calibre, as well as arrested 108 suspected criminals at different locations in the last eight months in the state.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, said: "From August 1, 2012, the command was able to detonate a bomb at Federal College of Education (FCE) Kano, 10 undetonated explosives at Rijiyar Zaki along Jambulo Estate and four IEDs recovered and detonated at the same Rijiyar Zaki, on August 6, including another one at BUK."

Idris said out of the 963 bombs detonated, two were suicide prime car bombs, adding that all the IEDs were successfully detonated since January 20 to date and that the detonated bombs did not cause any injury or damage.

Addressing journalists yesterday at the Officers Mess, the police commissioner disclosed that items recovered within the two weeks include, 26 IEDs, 10 rounds of ammunition, two pistols, pump action guns, one air rifle and nine double barrels.

Idris said other items were three AK 47 riffles, 226 cartridges, 12 knives, 11 stolen vehicles and 45 rounds of ammunition, stressing that the command was ready to discharge its role in ensuring the protection of lives and property.

"We are always combat ready in the state and we are always appealing to the public to report any suspicious persons or movement to the nearest security outfit for proper action," he said.

The commissioner also explained that 108 persons suspected to be criminals were arrested at different hideouts in the state, while 92 of them were charged to court for different offences ranging from being in possession of Indian hemp, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

He said the command in collaboration with other security agencies had concluded plans to ensure a successful E-id- Fitri celebration in the state, assuring residents that the command was combat ready to forstall the breakdown of law and order during the celebration.






According to World Bank - 80% of businesses in Nigeria bribe government officials

The report of a World Bank study conducted in 26 states in Nigeria has indicated that about 80 per cent of businesses in the country paid bribes to government officials in 2011 to stay in business.

World Bank's 2011 report on 2011 investment climate in Nigeria said one-third of micro-enterprises agreed that "informal payments/gifts to government officials" were common occurrences, suggesting that registered firms deal more with such requests for bribes.

Only 20 per cent of micro-enterprise firms reported to have had foreknowledge of the amount of money required to "get things done," a situation that means the informal payments are sudden and unplanned for.

The report further stated that these informal payments/gifts represented approximately 1.2 per cent of annual sales for all micro-enterprises. It added that micro-enterprises dealing in government contracts were expected to pay approximately 4.3 per cent of the value of contracts that they were hoping to secure.

Manufactured goods attracted larger bribes (6.7 per cent) than those for small services (3.9 per cent). However, firms in the formal sector obviously spent more on corruption, as 47 per cent of formal firms claimed that informal gifts/payments were commonplace in comparison to 33 per cent for micro-enterprises.

The report also stated that micro-enterprises have a greater mistrust of institutions than formal firms; that 63 per cent of formal sector firms and 72 per cent of micro-enterprises reported that the application of laws was not consistent and predictable; and that 41 per cent of formal firms and 20 per cent of micro-enterprises reported that they had advance knowledge of informal payments/gifts.

Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi and Kwara states are some of the states where the study was conducted. The other states are Nassarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Video - The fastest growing sport in Nigeria



Taekwondo instructor Master Ferguson Oluigbo tells Vladimir Duthiers about Nigeria's growing interest in martial arts.

Monday, August 13, 2012

62 percent of students fail 2012 WAEC exam

Only 649,156 candidates, representing 38.81 per cent of those who sat for the May/June 2012 Senior Secondary School Certificate examination, obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

According to details of the results released yesterday by the West Africa Examination Council, this represents an eight per cent improvement when compared with that of 2011 May/June results, which had a pass level of 30.91 per cent.

The Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, Iyi Uwadiae, at a press briefing at the council's office in Yaba, Lagos, stated that 1,695,8788 candidates registered for the examination out of which 1,672,224 candidates, consisting of 923,974 male and 748,250 female candidates, sat for the examination.

"Out of the total number of candidates, 1,545,004 candidates, representing 90.10 per cent, have their results fully released, while 1,545,004 candidates, representing 8.90 per cent, have their results fully released while 150,874 candidates, representing 8.90 per cent, have a few of their subjects still being processed," Uwadiae said

The full results will be available on the WAEC website from Saturday, he said.

The examination body also stated that 112,000 candidates' results, representing 6.70 per cent, are being withheld in connection with various cases of examination malpractices.

He said candidates would be able to check the details of their performance on the council's results website: www.waecdirect.org within the next 48 hours.


Video - Nigerian Olympian rejects drug allegations



Chioma Ajunwa Opara on rebuilding her career after failing a drug test and the need for better sports doctors in Nigeria.