Senator Akpabio Rushed to National Hospital as he Escapes Death in Car Accident

 Senator Akpabio Rushed to Abuja National Hospital as he Escapes Death in Car Accident

Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State who is also the Senate Minority Leader,  Godswill Akpabio, escaped death today when he was involved in a ghastly auto accident on his way to Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport for an international flight.

His vehicle, according to source, ran into a convoy carrying foreign envoy whose identity has not been determined yet.

It was gathered that the crash took place when one of the drivers opted to beat the traffic light. It was not clear whether it was Akpabio's driver or the driver of the Ambassador's pilot car that beat the traffic light which resulted in the accident.
Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) personnel who pleaded for anonymity said whereas occupants of the ambassador's vehicles and Akpabio's driver did not sustain any injury, the senator suffered a degree of injuries in the chest region.

The road safety officer who was at the scene of the accident which happened at about 7:25 a.m. near Bolingo Hotel, along the Abuja Airport Road in the Central Business District, said Akpabio was immediately rushed to the National Hospital for an intensive care.

One of the senator's aides at the National Hospital, said Akpabio was on his way out of the country to visit his wife and children when the crash occurred.
The Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, who was one of the early callers at the hospital, told pressmen that medical personnel at the hospital had informed her that the Akpabio was in a stable condition.
But the governor of Akwa Ibom State,  Udom Emmanuel, who was in the hospital to see his predecessor, failed to speak with the media when he arrived at the hospital at about 12:10p.m.
However, the Chief Information Officer of the National Hospital, Rabiah Labaran, told journalists in her office that Akpabio was brought to the hospital by some FRSC officers who rescued him from the scene of the accident.
Labaran said: "He (Akpabio) was brought in this morning after he had a car crash as I learnt. He was brought in from the Bolingo Hotel junction where a vehicle crashed into his own vehicle from behind.
"Lucky enough, when they brought him after the preliminary check–up, it was found out that he did not have any serious injury. He was talking when he was brought in and they gave him the necessary attention at the trauma unit.
"I learnt that as at this afternoon, (12:30pm), he was taken to the private wing of the hospital for proper care but there was no serious injury, though it has not been disclosed what kind of injury.
"It is something he can come over in a few days. He is currently recuperating. He was with his driver but the driver did not sustain injury."

BREAKING NEWS: Buhari Appoints SGF, Customs, Immigration CGs

President Muhammadu Buhari today approved the appointments of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SFG), Chief of Staff, Customs and Immigration Comptroller-General as well as some aides.

According to the Presidential Adviser on Media, Femi Adesina, the appointments are as follows: Engr. Babachir David Lawal – Secretary to the Government of the Federation

Alhaji Abba Kyari – Chief of Staff to the President

Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd.) – Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service

Mr. Kure Martin Abeshi – Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service

Senator Ita S.J. Enang – SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate)

Hon. Suleiman A. Kawu – SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives)

The appointments are with effect from today, August 27, 2015.

Engr. Lawal, the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation hails from Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State. He graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 with a Bachelor of Engineering Degree and worked with the Delta Steel Company, Aladja, Nigerian External Telecommunications Limited and Data Sciences Limited before establishing his own ICT and Telecommunications consulting firm in 1990. He is also a member of the Nigeria Computer Society, the Nigeria Society of Engineers and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.

Alhaji Abba Kyari, the new Chief of Staff to the President holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Cambridge and the University of Warwick in Law and Sociology. He has worked with the New Nigeria Development Company, New Africa Holdings, African International Bank, United Bank for Africa, Unilever, and Mobil in various capacities over the years.

The new Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Ali holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Criminology. He was military administrator of Kaduna State from 1996 to 1998.

The new Comptroller- General of Immigration, Mr. Abeshi hails from Nasarawa State. He joined the Nigerian Immigration Service in 1989 as an Assistant Comptroller. His educational qualifications include a Masters Degree in Public Administration.

Arik Cabin Crew Arrested in London by UK Border Force over Drugs

Arik Cabin Crew Arrested in London by UK Border Force over Drugs

Arik Air has stated that a member of the airline’s cabin crew, Chika Egwu Udensi, was yesterday night arrested at Heathrow Airport London by the UK Border Force in connection with alleged possession of substance suspected to be drug.

The airline, Nigeria’s major carrier, said it was presently carrying out its private investigation to determine how the cabin crew member came about the suspected banned substance.

“Arik Air will also be cooperating fully with the UK authorities and other appropriate agencies in their investigations. The airline again reaffirms its commitment to the fight against drug and illicit substances trafficking and will not tolerate the use of any of its aircraft or crew for the courier of banned items and substances,” the spokesman of the airline Adebanji Ola said in statement. 

Ola said Arik Air carries out very stringent checks on all members of staff and its passengers ahead of all flights and that the airline would continue to focus its attention on measures to prevent the possibility of any future similar incidents.

According to him, “The airline is a responsible Nigerian company always seeking to maintain and uphold the integrity and proud reputation of the nation.”

In the interim, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) today stated that it would sanction the airline for the arrest of Udensi in London.

The agency in a statement signed by its spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the CEO of the agency; Ahmadu Giade, has ordered investigation into the operations of Arik Air following the arrest of one Udensi, with 20kg of substances that tested positive for cocaine at Heathrow Airport, London.

European Union Bans Exports from Nigeria

European Union Bans Exports from Nigeria

The recent decision to put embargo on selected food crops and fish products from Nigeria by the European Union (EU) has been described as a bad omen for the country.

The Benue State Coordinator of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr. Nanakaan Saave, who disclosed today in Makurdi, the state capital, at a one day sensitisation and workshop for farmers, agrochemical dealers and stakeholders on the ‘Safe and Responsible Use of Disposal of Pesticides, organised by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP).

He said the ban on the products by the EU was as a result of the wrongful application of pesticides and other agrochemical substances on the exports from Nigeria.

Saave said: "We got an alert about four weeks ago from the EU of their decision to ban the importation of beans, dried fish, melon and other agricultural products from Nigeria due to the high residue of chemicals in the products.

 "There decision was premised on the fact the high degree of chemicals in the affected farm products have made them unsafe for human consumption.

 "On our part as a Council, we had earlier identified these issues and accordingly sounded an early warning to farmers to strictly abide by the best practices in the application of chemicals on our farm products and we will continue to educate and train our farmers accordingly."We are not lying low on the issue because it will certainly affect the volume of export from our country and the inflow of foreign exchange into Nigeria."

In his speech, the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, who was represented by the Deputy Director Agrochemicals, Sikiru Olowo, explained that the exporters of banned products sidetracked the agency and failed to subject their products to NAFDAC screening at the ports.

According to him, "The exporters of the affected products failed to pass through NAFDAC screening at the laboratories which we have at the ports and which are also supported by the EU and other western countries."

"We will however continue to educate and train our farmers on the need to do the needful so as to avoid further clampdown on farm products from our country."