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  • Edo Environment Commissioner Resigns

    The Edo State Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Dame Omua Oni-Okpako, on Friday resigned as a member of the state executive council.

    Oni-Okpako’s resignation came about one month after her Information and Orientation counterpart, Paul Ohonbamu, quit Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration.

    She also confirmed her exit from the government in a chat with journalists in Edo State.

    “I resigned my position as Environment Commissioner earlier today,” Oni-Okpako said.

    Several key members of the Obaseki administration had resigned from the government in the last few months.

    The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Taiwo Akerele, resigned from the position in April over policy inconsistency.

    The resignations may not be unconnected with the political realignment taking place since the governor’s defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

  • Quadri To Defend African Senior Championship Title In 2021 As Event Postponed

    Nigerian table tennis superstar and reigning men’s African champion, Aruna Quadri will have to wait a little longer to defend his title on the continent.

    Quadri was to defend the title he won in 2018, in October this year in Cameroon, but the event will no longer hold as planned.

    This is following the posponement of the 2020 African Senior Championships by the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF).

    The continental body have officially confirmed the postponement of this year’s edition of the event which serves as the continental qualification for the World Championship.

    In a statement signed by the ATTF President, Khaled El-Salhy, the postponement became necessary owing to the COVID-19 pandemic which has halted sporting activities globally.

    “I wish to inform all table tennis friends and colleagues in your country, the importance of a safe and healthy lifestyle in the current circumstances due to the Covid-19 Pandemic,” he said.

    “On Thursday 2nd July 2020, the ATTF Executive Committee had an online meeting to discuss the case for the ATTF Calendar of 2020 which had been suspended earlier until further notice.

    “We are closely monitoring the global and continental situation day-by-day to come back to you with the following decision.

    “We acknowledge the continuation and expansion of the pandemic in the whole world and consequently in Africa, as there is no guaranteed medicine or vaccine available.

    “Even normal international travel will not be possible till the end of 2020, thus it has been decided to postpone our following planned events:

    – 2020 ITTF-Africa Youth, Juniors & Cadet Championships to be held in Madagascar

    – 2020 ITTF-Africa Senior Championships & WTTC Qualification to be held in Cameroon next year 2021.

    “Exact new dates for both events to be announced soon after checking the 2021 ITTF Calendar to ensure no conflict with other world sanctioned international events to provide better planning to your top players and national teams.” Khaled El-Salhy added.

    The first event was intially billed for Madagascar in April, with the second in Cameroon in October.

    Nigeria and Egypt are the defending champions in the team events while Quadri of Nigeria and Dina Meshref are the singles champions of the ITTF-Africa Senior Championships having emerged winners at the 2018 edition held in Mauritius.

  • EFCC Arrests Fake DSS Officer For Theft Of Foreigner’s Hand Bag At Event Attended By Buhari

    Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a 32-year-old Boniface Oburuku for theft of a hand bag belonging to an international guest from the Republic of Mauritius.

    The bag contained her two Samsung mobile phones, an international passport, United States Dollars, Nigerian and Mauritian currencies.

    A statement by Dele Oyewale, acting head, media publicity on Wednesday said Oburuku committed the crime on June 11, 2019 at an event organised by the EFCC to mark the year’s National Democracy Day and Anti-Corruption Summit at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

    Some of the guests in attendance at the event included President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian security chiefs, respected citizens and global leaders.

    “For over one year, the suspect has been on the commission’s watch list and was eventually arrested in Lagos few days ago,” Oyewale said.

    On how the suspect was tracked down, he quoted the team leader, Counter- Terrorism and General Investigations Unit of the EFCC, as saying that the operatives swung into action through an intelligence on the suspect all over the country, which showed that he was constantly on the move.

    “From Mpape area of the FCT to Jabi and later to Gwagwalada, all in the FCT. He finally settled in Lagos where he was arrested.

    “Investigations also revealed that, to breach security at the day’s event, Oburuku dressed smartly in a black suit and claimed to be of the Department of State Security (DSS) and was allowed access into the venue by security agents on duty without presentation of an invite,” the statement noted.

    While confessing to the crime, Oburuku apologised to President Buhari, the EFCC and his Mauritian victim.

    He called on others into fraudulent and criminal activities to turn a new leaf.

    Oyewale said the commission would soon charge him to court.