Aircraft Collides with Truck At Lagos Airport

A Kano-bound IRS Airlines plane departing the Lagos airport on Wednesday morning collided with an abandoned truck beside the taxiway, forcing the pilot to cancel the flight.

The wing of the Fokker-100 aircraft, it was learnt, collided with the truck which fell into a drainage on Tuesday.

World’s first sex school opens in Vienna

Vienna, Austria is the new home to the World’s first international applied sex school, which claims to teach its students how to become better lovers.

‘Oral sex may cause head, neck cancers’

Medical professionals have noted a worrisome uptick in the incidence of certain head and neck cancers.  In recent medical research, conducted in the US, experts have even linked the trend to the rise in the popularity of fellatio and cunnilingus, oral sex, over the past few decades.

Court orders hospital to pay unlawfully dismissed HIV positive staff N7 million

In what appears as the first case on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to be judicially determined in Nigeria, a Lagos State High Court has awarded the sum of N7 million in favour of an HIV-infected woman, Mrs. Georgina Ahamefule, against a Lagos-based hospital, Imperial Medical Centre (IMC) and its Chief Medical Director, Dr. Alex Molokwu.

The judgment is coming 12 years after it was first filed on behalf of Mrs. Ahamefule by a non-governmental organisation, Social Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC).

Traffic law: Lagos destroys 3,000 seized okadas

Seized okadas being destroyed

The Lagos State Government has commenced the process of crushing 3, 000 motorcycles, popularly called okada, impounded from their owners for violating traffic law.

Officials of the state Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit on Tuesday dismantled the okadas at the task force yard in Alausa.

Court dismisses Daniel’s suit against EFCC

*Gbenga Daniel

An Abuja High Court on Wednesday dismissed a suit filed by former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, demanding N200 million compensation for the alleged violation of his fundamental human rights.

Dismissing the suit, Justice Folasade Ojo held that the EFCC acted within the limits of its statutory powers, when it arrested and detained the former governor.

Ojo held that Section 6 of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004 confers on the commission the powers to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes.

‘545 women die annually during child birth in Nigeria’

At least 545 women die during child birth annually in Nigeria, a research carried out by the BBC Media Action has revealed.

The National Coordinator of BBC Media Action, an NGO, Mr. Yusuf Gusau, made the disclosure on Tuesday in Gusau at a workshop organised for media practitioners and some selected NGOs and health providers on the use of contraceptives and importance of child spacing.

10 Sentenced for Hanging on a Moving Train in Lagos

The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja yesterday sentenced 10 people to 10 hours of community service each for hanging on coaches of the Mass Transit Train Service.

The Magistrate, Mrs. I. O Omotosho said in her judgment that the community service would be determined by the Lagos State Community Services Department. She also said she was lenient with the convicts because they had spent one week in custody since their arrest at Ikeja Train Station on October 3.

“I hope that this will serve as a deterrent to others,” she said.

Mother of murdered Port Harcourt student cries for help

One of the parents of the students murdered by a vigilante group at Omuokiri Village in Aluu Community of Rivers State has petitioned the Senate  President David Mark.

Mrs. Chinwe Biringa, mother of the killed Mr. Chiadika Biringa, a second year student of Theater Arts at the University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT in the petition to the Senate President and dated 9th October, 2012 was titled ‘’Petition: Gruesome murder of my son at Aluu, University of Port Harcourt host community.’’

AirNigeria CEO, Kinfe Kahssaye Resigns at last

Kinfe Kahssaye, the Chief Executive Officer of AirNigeria, has resigned from the troubled airline.

It was learnt that Mr. Kahssaye finally decided to step down yesterday after discovering that the airline was unlikely to return to business.

Air Nigeria has been dogged by huge debts owed to commercial banks by its owner, Jimoh Ibrahim.

Mr. Ibrahim, a businessman with a reputation for taking over well-known businesses and then running them aground, has been unable to meet his airline’s obligations to service providers in Nigeria and around the world.

*Kahssaye

A source at the grounded airline told SaharaReporters that Mr. Ibrahim’s inability to provide funds to get the last two planes in the airline’s fleet airworthy led to Mr. Kahssaye’s decision to resign his appointment yesterday.

Mr. Kahssaye recently returned from trips to the US and the UK. A source disclosed that the overseas trips were a desperate attempt to revive the comatose AirNigeria. “He found out during the trips that the dream of saving the airline is a hopeless one,” said our source.

The virtual collapse of the airline adds to the business woes of its owner, Mr. Ibrahim. The shady businessman is also embroiled in a public and legal feud with the original directors and founders of Newswatch, Nigeria’s premier news magazine.

*Jimoh Ibrahim

After acquiring controlling stakes in the magazine, Mr. Ibrahim made a bizarre decision to shut it down. The original founders, including the magazine’s CEO Ray Ekpu, accused Mr. Ibrahim of fraud, asserting that he had not paid the agreed sum for his majority stake in the weekly publication. The Newswatch case is right now in court.

Recently, Mr. Ibrahim unilaterally fired majority of workers at the airline with due process, the workers in turn embarked on street protests to push back against the businessman.

SaharaReporters learnt today that Mr. Ibrahim’s workers at his Abuja NICON Luxury Hotels are gearing up for a protest tomorrow in Abuja over poor conditions of service and non-payments of wages.

Mr. Kinfe is owed five months of unpaid wages according to insiders knowledgeable about his resignation.

Cross River legislators march through Calabar streets in protest against FG stance on ICJ judgment on Bakassi.

Following the decision of the Federal Government not to appeal the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the ceding of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, Cross River legislators have marched through Calabar streets protesting what they called the federal government’s attitude to their loss of heritage.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had last night declared that it will not appeal the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the ceding of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon.

The government had said the case will be diplomatically damaging.

The decision not to appeal the case was communicated in a statement by Attorney General of the Federation Mohammed Adoke.

The nation’s number one law officer said after consultations locally and with an international firm, he decided not to explore the window of appeal because “an application for a review is virtually bound to fail.”

Besides, a failed application for review by Nigeria “will be diplomatically damaging to Nigeria”.

The government’s position reflects The Nation’s exclusive story last Friday that the government had decided not to appeal the ruling. It was a day that many newspapers reported that government had decided to appeal the judgement.

Government said yesterday that it did not have any new evidence to enable it successfully challenge the judgment.

The full text of the Attorney general’s statement is as follows:

“It will be recalled that on 10th October 2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered judgment in Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria, which covers about 2000 kilometres extending from Lake Chad to the Sea. It will also be recalled that before the judgment was delivered, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR of Nigeria and President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon gave their respective undertaking to the international community to abide by the judgment of the Court.

“The commitment and undertakings given by both Heads of Government were confirmed by the establishment of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC) pursuant to the Joint Communiqué adopted at a Summit Meeting on 15 November 2002 in Geneva. The CNMC is composed of the representatives of Cameroon, Nigeria and the United Nations and is chaired by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for West Africa.

“The CNMC has held 29 Sessions since its inception and has peacefully, amicably and successfully:

(a) brought Cameroon and Nigeria back to negotiation table;

(b) supervised the handing over of 33 ceded villages to Cameroon and 1 to Nigeria in December, 2003 and received 3 settlements and territory in Adamawa and Borno States Sectors from Cameroon in 2004;

(c) initiated the Enugu-Abakiliki-Mamfe-Mutengene Road project as part of the confidence building measures between the two countries;

(d) supervised peaceful withdrawal of Civil Administration, Military and Police Forces and transfer of authority in the Bakassi Peninsula by Nigeria to Cameroon in 2008 in line with the modalities contained in the Greentree Agreement signed by Cameroon and Nigeria in 2006 which the United Nations, Germany, USA, France, UK and Northern Ireland witnessed; and

(e) commenced the emplacement of boundary beacons/pillars along the land boundary and initiated final mapping of the whole stretch of the boundary. It is instructive to note that about 1800 kilometres of the boundary have so far been assessed for Pillar Emplacement leaving only about 220 km to complete the assessment of the entire boundary.

“The Greentree Agreement was also signed by H. E. Paul Biya, and President President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, on 12 June, 2006, in Long Island, Greentree, New York, USA; reaffirming their willingness to peacefully implement the judgment of the ICJ. The Agreement contains the modalities for withdrawal and transfer of authority in the Bakassi Peninsula by Nigeria to Cameroon in pursuance of the ICJ Judgment.The Follow-Up Committee comprising representatives of Nigeria and Cameroon wasestablished to monitor the implementation of the Agreement and settle any dispute regarding the interpretation and implementation of the Agreement. Nigeria handed over the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon in 2008.

“The Statute of the International Court of Justice provides that the Judgment of the Court is final and without appeal. However, following the resolutions of both Houses of the National Assembly calling on the Executive to take steps to apply for a review of the judgment, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan called a Stakeholders meeting comprising the leadership of the National Assembly, the Governors of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, the Members of the National Assembly from both States, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director General, National Boundary Commission to review the situation.

“The Stakeholders Meeting after due deliberations constituted a Committee comprising the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director General, National Boundary Commission and Members of the National Assembly namely: Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, Dr. Ali Ahmed and Nnena Ukaje to examine the issues in contention and available options for Nigeria including, but not limited to the application for review of the ICJ Judgment, appropriate political and diplomatic solutions.

“Although the judgment of the ICJ is final and not subject to appeal, the ICJ Statute provides for circumstances under which its judgment can be reviewed. The relevant provisions are:

(a) Article 61 (1) which provides that the Court can review its judgment upon the discovery of some fact of such a nature as to be a decisive factor, which fact was, when the judgment was given, unknown to the court and also to the party claiming revision, always provided that such ignorance was due not to negligence;

(b) Article 61 (4) which stipulates that application for revision must be made at least within six months of the discovery of the new fact, and

(c) Article 61(5), which provide that no application for revision may be made after the lapse of 10 years from the date of the judgment.

“The implication of the above provisions of the ICJ Statute is that a case for revision of the judgment of the court can only be successful if:

(a) the application for revision is based on the discovery of a new fact;

(b) the fact must have existed prior to the delivery of the judgment;

(c) the newly discovered fact must be of a decisive nature; and

(d) the party seeking revision (Nigeria) and the Court, must not have known of the fact at the time of the delivery of the judgment.

“The Committee proceeded to examine the case for revision against the requirements of Article 61 of the ICJ Statute and was constrained to observe from the oral presentations made to it by the proponents of the revision that the strict requirements of Article 61 could not be satisfied. This is because theirpresentation was unable to show that Nigeria has discovereda decisive fact that was unknown to her before the ICJ judgment, which is capable of swaying the Court to decide in its favour.This is more so as most of the issues canvassed in support of the case for a revision of the ICJ judgment had been canvassed and pronounced upon by the ICJ in its 2002 judgment.

“The Federal Government also retained a firm of international legal practitioners to advise on the merits and demerits of the case for revision. The firm after considering all the materials that were placed at its disposal against the requirements of Article 61 of the ICJ Statute came to the reasoned conclusion that “an application for a review is virtually bound to fail” and that “a failed application will be diplomatically damaging to Nigeria”.

11. In view of the foregoing, the Federal Government is of the informed view that with less than two days to the period when the revision will be statute barred (October 9, 2012), it would be impossible for Nigeria to satisfy the requirements of Articles 61(1) -(5) of the ICJ Statute.Government has therefore decided that it will not be in the national interest to apply for revision of the 2002 ICJ Judgment in respect of the Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria.

“Government is however concerned about the plight of Nigerians living in the Bakassi Peninsula and the allegations of human rights abuses being perpetrated against Nigerians in the Peninsula and is determined to engage Cameroon within the framework of the existing implementation mechanisms agreed to by Nigeria and Cameroon in order to protect the rights and livelihoods of Nigerians living in the Peninsula. Nigeria will also not relent in seeking appropriate remedies provided by international law such as the invocation of the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ; Petitioning the United Nations Human Rights Council and good offices of the United Nations Secretary General which has played pivotal role in ensuring the peaceful demarcation and delimitation of the boundary between the two countries and other confidence building measures and calls on the United Nations to continue to provide assistance to the affected populations.

“Finally the Federal Government wishes to assure all Nigerians especially the people living in the Bakassi Peninsula of its determination to explore all avenues necessary to protect their interests including but not limited to negotiations aimed at buying back the territory, if feasible, the convening of bilateral meeting of the Heads of State and Government to ensure protection and development of the affected population. In the meantime, we call on all well meaning Nigerians in the Bakassi peninsula to be law abiding and to allow the various initiatives being undertaken by the Federal Government to bear fruitful results.”

Woman arraigned for ‘bathing her friend with pepper’

A 27-year-old woman, Patience Edet, has been charged before an Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court with allegedly bathing her friend, Rose Agali, 26, with pepper.

The accused is facing a two count-charge of assault and breach of peace, punishable under Section 171 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

Prosecuting Corporal Oladejo Balogun told the court that the offence was committed at 11, Olowu Street, Egan, a Lagos suburb.

Trouble started after Patience allegedly asked Rose to leave her lover, Emmey, without success.

The accused, who blamed the complainant for her failed relationship, told the court that she warned Rose to  allow Emmey come back to her. Rose, Patience added, refused, insisting that she also loves him.

Patience alleged that Rose told her that Emmey  who approached her and as such she could not let him go.

Angry at her friend’s response, the accused allegedly blended pepper, mixed it with water and poured the substance on Rose’ face and body.

After bathing her with the substance, Patience allegedly beat her up. The complainant was injured and rushed to a hospital.

Rose who told the court that she went out that fateful day, said she did not know Patience had ground pepper and was waiting for her return.

She said she was shocked when the substance was poured on her by the accused who also beat her up, knocking off one of her teeth.

The accused pleaded not guilty and was granted N50,000 bail, with one surety in the like sum by Magistrate M.B. Folami, who adjourned the matter till November 14.

Robbers kill ASP in Lagos, as police parades 130 hoodlums

An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and an Inspector fell yesterday under robbers’ bullets in new Oko-Oba, Agege, a Lagos suburb. The Police Command claimed last night that two robbers were also killed.

The officers reportedly displayed rare bravery as they engaged the robbers despite their superior firepower.

It was gathered that four policemen were on patrol around 2am when they sighted; a Hilux pick-up and two Toyota Sienna buses which they mistook for their Area Commander’s.

Police sources said they parked as a mark of honour for their presumed boss, only to be at from the vehicles.

The ASP and the Inspector, who were said to have taken cover behind the patrol van, returned fire.

Source said the robbers hit the ASP in the leg and he fell down and the robbers riddled his body with bullets.

The Inspector was also gunned down; the others, a Sergeant and a Corporal, escaped.

The Nation learnt that a reinforcement arrived at the scene after the robbers had fled.

Another version of the incident said the patrol team was on its way to respond to a distress call when the bandits, who were in three vehicles, opened fire on them at Paying Junction near Olaniyi street.

Police spokesperson Ngozi Braide confirmed the death of the police officers, adding that two of the robbers were also killed. The command has arrested 130 suspected members of a robbery syndicate known as “One Million Boys.”

A few weeks ago, residents of Ajegunle sent a distress call to the Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, on the gang, which they claimed has been terrorising the suburb.

The suspects were brought into the Command Headquarters in a Black Maria and two commercial vehicles.

Weapons recovered from them included five live ammunition, two double barrel guns, and 10 machetes.

Parading the suspects, Manko said their arrest was the fulfillment of his promise to get them.

Their arrest, he said, followed a raid of night clubs, a hotel, and Boundary in Ajegunle. He said a bag of weed suspected to be Indian hemp, one pistol, and a gun accessory were recovered. Manko assured the residents that the police would not relent until all the hoodlums are flushed out.

Some of the suspects claimed the “real armed robbers” ran away during the raid, denying that they are not members of the notorious gang.

A suspect, Onyekachi Amaechi, said the gun recovered from his compound belongs to a gang member he identified as Sanni. He said Sanni kept the gun there while on the run. According to him, residents that do not have “reasonable amount” risk torture, maiming, and raping by the gang.

Emmanuel Monday, 17, and Jude Ifegun 18, both residents of Ladiga Street, denied being members of the gang. They claimed they were arrested because they kept late night.

250 NYSC members refuse re-posting out of flooded areas

To some 250 NYSC members currently serving in areas currently submerged by flood in Anambra State, under the sun or in the rain even inside flood, they are ready to serve their fatherland.

In a rare show of patriotism, they have refused re-posting out of areas currently submerged by flood in the state.

The state NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Inyang Bassey Ekpe, said: "I have never seen such patriotism in my life."

The corps members had been evacuated to a refugee camp but opted to stay with the people until the flood receded, stressing that the people were good to them such that they could not leave the villagers now. 

How would you describe these corpers show of love to their fatherland? Awesome, you will say.

Chidi Mokeme returns as Guilder Ultimate Search anchor

One of Nollywood’s talented actor Chidi Mokeme returns to the stage as the anchor of the popular Television reality show – Guilder Ultimate Search.

The decision to bring back the first anchor of the show after nine years was announced at a selection party held at the Eko Hotel and Suits, also revealing the 12 finalists.

The finalists are Female: Kofya Brown, Bornford Patience, Ayo Ojueromi, Uzor Osimkpa, Udodi Onyinyechukwu, and Ezeh Priscillia.

Others are: Male: Ujam Emmanuel, Nuhu Haruna, Ogbuefi Michael, Ifet Iniobong, Ojezele Paschal and Adah James.

This year, over 30,000 young and agile Nigerians registered to participate for the search. They all went through several physical and mental exercises at locations in Owerri, Benin, Makurdi and Lagos. Out of these, 30 contestants were selected and invited to Lagos for the final selection process.

Last night, 12 were selected to proceed to the Usaka Forest in Obot Akara Local Government area of Akwa Ibom State, where this year’s edition of Gulder Ultimate Search will hold.

The reality show has been in existence for 9 years and this year the GUS 9 winner will walk away with a cash prize of N9 million, N500,000 wardrobe allowance and a brand new SUV worth N10 million.

Police Arrest 11 Mubi Poly Students In Uyo

Eleven students of Akwa Ibom origin studying at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi in Adamawa were arrested on Monday at Government House, Uyo by men of the the state police command.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students numbering more 50 had gathered at the entrance of Government House with placards.

They wanted to draw the attention of the state governor to the plight of their colleagues in Adamawa, following last week's mayhem at Mubi Polytechnic.

Some of the placards they carried read: ``Our Dear Gov. Godswill Akpabio come to our aid. Akwa Ibom Govt. provide us with admission, Please send rescue team to bring our students, We can’t go back to Mubi''.

The Government House security operatives in attempt to disperse the students used tear gas on them, bruised some with whips and arrested 11 of them while the rest run away for dear lives.

Narrating their ordeal to NAN, the Secretary General of National Association of Akwa Ibom Students (NAAKIS), Mubi chapter, Mr Ibetedem Inyang, lamented that the security operatives in Government House had inflicted injuries on his members.

Inyang, who is an HND 2 student of Mechanic Engineering at Mubi Polytechnic, said that they were not riotous when they approached the entrance of Government House.

The students scribe said that they gathered there with intention of reporting their ugly experiences to the state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, who is known for his large heart.

``We have lost all our property, we are only lucky that no student from Akwa Ibom died, only one or two sustained injuries.

``We are 400 students and 20 staff members from Akwa Ibom at Mubi Polytechnic,” Inyang said.

When NAN contacted the Uyo Area Commander of the State Police Command, ACP Patrick Garba, whose jurisdiction the incident took place, he claimed that he was not aware of the incident.

``No person came to brief me, I am taken aback. I was representing the Commissioner of Police at a church service to mark the opening of the 2012/2013 legal year of the state judiciary,” Garba said.

He, however, made inquiries and confirmed that 11 students were detained at A Division of his command.

The area commander said that his men had to disperse the students to prevent the gathering from becoming riotous and that the 11 arrested were those that resisted the police order.

``Now that the coast is free, I have ordered that they be released,'' Garba said.

No Nigerian Varsity In Top 400 List – Report

The latest ranking of world universities released by the Times Higher Education (THE) for 2012-2013 has indicated that no Nigerian university made the list of the best 400 in the world.

A report released by THE at the weekend suggests that no public or private University in Nigeria is included in the latest ranking by the London-based  weekly magazine,  acclaimed to be the United Kingdom’s leading higher education news publication.

According to the report, the top four universities in Africa all came from South Africa, with the University of Cape Town which ranks 113 in the world with 55.8 as number one on the continent. The universities of Witwatersrand, Stellenbosch and Kwazulu-Natal, all in South Africa, came second, third and fourth with 226, 251 and 351 overall scores respectively.

According to THE, California Institute of Technology, United States, with overall score of 95.5, University of Oxford, United Kingdom and Stanford University in United States came first, second and third in the world.

American universities dominate the Times Higher Education global rankings for 2012-13, occupying seven of the top 10 spots, but Asian institutions are on the rise as reflected in the report.

The ranking shows the California Institute of Technology retained number one position, but Harvard University dropped to four - it was equal second with Stanford University last year - and the University of Oxford and Stanford shared second place.

The top 10 group is largely stable, including, as it did last year, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Chicago.

The THE report said it employed 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons, which are trusted by students, academics, university leaders, industry and governments.

It said the methodology for the 2012-13 World University Rankings is identical to that used for the 2011-12 tables, offering a year-on-year comparison based on true performance rather than methodological change.

“Our 13 performance indicators are grouped into five areas: teaching -- the learning environment (worth 30 per cent of the overall ranking score); research --volume, income and reputation (worth 30 per cent); citations -- research influence (worth 30 per cent); industry income -- innovation (worth 2.5 per cent);  international outlook -- staff, students and research (worth 7.5 per  cent).

Jonathan Decorates New CDS, Service Chiefs, Asks Them To Tackle Security Challenges

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in Abuja tasked the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS),  Adm. Ola Ibrahim and the three service chiefs on national security and rising incidences of crude oil theft.

The president set the task when he decorated the CDS, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Dele Ezeoba and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, with their new ranks.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, who retained his position and rank in the new appointments made by the president on Oct. 4, was not decorated.

``I will like to use this forum to specially charge you to rise to the remaining security challenges confronting our nation today, most specifically the Chief of Naval Staff along with his officers and men have onerous responsibility of scaling security in our territorial waters.

``The unacceptable rising incidences of crude oil theft must be tackled frontally.

``Given the direct adverse implication of the activities of crude oil thieves on our national economy, I expect the chief of naval staff and the other service chiefs to immediately go to work to urgently bring the issue of crude oil theft to an end.’’

President Jonathan noted that the appointment of the new officers was based on the attributes of ``patriotism, professionalism, excellence, loyalty, dedication, courage and unwavering faith in Nigeria’’.

He said the service chiefs were taking up the command of the armed forces at a critical time when the nation faced security challenges.

...........Addresses The Nation, Tuesday

President Goodluck Jonathan is to address the nation on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 7a.m., the Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati said in Abuja on Monday.

Abati did not give further details, but advised radio and television stations to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria for the broadcast.

However, on Oct. 1, the president addressed the nation in commemoration of the country’s 52nd anniversary.