The Lagos State Government on Thursday began the issuance of  new licences to operators of taxis and cabs in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the licences, targeting no fewer than 14,000 registered  operators, are being issued under the state’s new transport policy.

Apart from conferring on operators the right to operate unhindered, the licence can also be used to take loans from the bank.

The document, which is transferable and sellable, has a flat value of N100,000 but was being issued free of charge.

Presenting the licences to operators in Ikeja, Gov. Babatunde Fashola said the taxi licensing  system was concieved out of the need to properly regulate the taxi business and attend to serious safety issues.

He said that cases of criminals using cabs to perpetrate serious crimes were rampant in recent times and the new licences were a step to check the problem.

Fashola said the licences, apart restoring order to taxi operations, would also provide economic support to operators as the document could be sold or used to obtain loans from the banks.

“We need to be clear why we are issuing these licences. In many parts of the world where I have been, one of the safest places where you can find women, adults and children is the taxis.

“Once you enter a taxi in those parts of the world, you are safe. The reason is very simple: In all those places, those who run taxis are known people; they are professionals, they have identity, they cannot disappear.

“So if you are looking for a child and they say he entered taxi A or B, they will find the child because they know the driver, because they have the data of all operators.

” So, at this time of national and global security challenges, we cannot afford to be left behind, so we are issuing the licences not just for business, the most important part of it is safety.

“What this means is that if you enter a licenced taxi in the state, just know that you are safe and it also means patronising unregistered cabs means putting one’s safety in jeopardy, ” he said.

Fashola said the licences were necessarily carrying the pictures, names and addresses of holders for security considerations.

He said that the fingerprints of all  carriers embossed on the licences were verifiable on the state’s database and were also means to respond to security issues.

The governor said the new taxi licensing system was to further boost the status of Lagos as an emerging model megacity where cabs run efficiently with minimal security concerns.

Highlighting the economic benefits of the new taxi policy system, the governor said the system sought to professionalise the business and make it more rewarding for operators.

He explained that the new licence could be used as collateral to obtain loans from the banks and negotiate vehicle prices.

The governor said that the new licence could be sold by holders for a good sum in the future as it would work as a document with an appreciating value.

He said the document was transferable as it could be inherited and used by the holders’ children.

Fashola, however, said operators whose vehicles were not older than 12 years old and were in good condition were being issued the document

The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, on his part, said the licences were devised to revolutionise taxi business in the state.

Opeifa said the benefits of the licences were numerous to the state, the operators and the general public.

The commissioner said that the licencing meant more organisation, more confidence in the taxi system as well as better business for operators.

He explained that the document would not be issued three years after 2015, and that the essence was to create more value for the document.

“Under the new taxi policy, taxis are now allowed to carry adverts and they could wait at bus stops to take passengers unhindered,” he said.

He urged operators to tap the potential of the new taxi policy and licensing system to improve their businesses.

The President, Lagos State Taxi Driver/Cabs Operators Association, Mr Tajudeen Adetoro, thanked the government for the licensing initiative.

He, however, urged the government to do its best to ensure that the promise that the licence would improve their busineses was fulfilled.

The News Agency of  Nigeria (NAN) reports that new road signs designed by the state to ban horning in libraries ,hospitals and areas close to important government buildings, were also unveiled at the occasion.

The Society for Family Health says more than 3.2 million Nigerians are still living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Mr Bright Ekweremadu, the Managing Director of the society, said this on Thursday in Abuja at a forum to mark the end of Enhancing Nigeria’s Response (ENR) to HIV and AIDS programme.

He solicited realistic programmes to fight the virus, insisting that with the prevalent rate, much had to be done to tackle the menace.

“There have been tremendous improvements in addressing and halting the HIV and AIDS burden in Nigeria, there is still a lot to be done especially in regard to expanding access to services,’’ he said.

According to Ekweremadu, the ENR is one of Nigeria’s largest HIV/AIDS grants.

“ENR was funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to promote sexual reproductive health and HIV reduction in Nigeria.

“Its goal was to also contribute to reducing the spread of HIV epidemic and mitigating the impact of AIDS in Nigeria”, he added.

He said the ENR programme was a six year programme inaugurated in 2009 with a focus on eight high prevalence states.

He said the programme set to improve access to effective HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support information and services for people most vulnerable to infection.

Ekweremadu thanked the DFID for funding the programme and the long standing support and partnership.

In a remark, the representative of DFID, Dr Kemi Williams, said that Nigeria had the second highest prevalent rate of HIV, calling for concerted effort to check the scourge.

She said that through the ENR, “comprehensive HIV knowledge increased from 45 per cent for males and 38 per cent for females by 2014.’’

She noted that 1.2 billion male condoms and 4 million female condoms were distributed in the six years of the programme.

“These condoms with the associated health promotion and increased use prevented an estimated 109, 364 new HIV infections,’’ she said.

Also speaking, Prof. John Idoko, Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, said with the end of the ENR programme, there was the need for government to internally fund HIV projects in the country.

“Government at the centre and state level are improving the resources for tackling HIV and AIDS,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ENR programme was implemented by a consortium comprising Society for Family Health, ActionAid Nigeria, BBC Media Action, Population Council and Crown Agents.

An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday in Lagos  discharged and acquitted an APC chieftain,  Dr Tola Kasali,63,  and two others over alleged murder and possession of  firearms.

The magistrate, Mr  E. O. Ogunkanmi, made the pronouncement after he had read an advice  from the office of the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The two other accused are Mr Folami Musiliu, 65, a Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government and Mr Tobun Abiodun Lukman, 35, the  Chief Security Officer to one of the APC chieftains in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kasali was a former Commissioner for Special Duties  and former governorship aspirant on the platform of  the APC  in  Lagos State.

Kasali and the two other persons were first arraigned on Nov.  11, 2014, on charges bordering on conspiracy, attempted murder, murder and illegal possession of fire arms.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, Mr Jonathan Ogunsanya, the prosecutor and  a Senior State Counsel in  the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, informed the court of an advice signed by the DPP, Mrs  E. I. Alakija, and urged the court to effect this.

Ogunkanmi  read out a part of the advice  dated March 31 and  recommending the discharge of  the first, second and third defendants  as no case was preferred against them.

“The first to third defendants are hereby discharged  and the case is hereby struck out, ” he said.

After reading out the DPP’s advice,  Ogunkanmi pronounced the three defendants discharged and acquitted.

Mr. Kunle Odufayo, the counsel to Kasali,  said that there was nothing special about the case, adding that the DPP’s  advice equally confirmed his client’s  position and innocence.

Odufayo said that with the outcome of the case, the judiciary had further demonstrated that it remained the last hope of the common man.

He said that since the law did not allow for self help, everyone had to ventilate his or her rights.

At the last adjourned date, the DPP had ordered the police to conduct further investigations into the alleged murder charges leveled against the three persons.

An advice dated Dec. 9, 2014, and signed by the Lagos State DPP,  Mrs  Olabisi Ogungbesan, had compelled the police to conduct thorough investigation  into the matter.

The letter said that the evidence in the case file could not sustain the charges leveled against the three accused persons.

NAN reports that the men were alleged to have conspired among themselves  and with some others now at large  to have shot and killed one Musiliu Ogboye Lamidi  on Nov. 9, 2014, at Akodo in  Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of the state during the collection of Permanent Voters Cards.

They were also alleged to have been in possession of a pump action Avar Magnum gun with registration No 6381, without appropriate authority.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 211, 231, 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and Section 27 (b)(1) of the Fire Arm Act. Cap 28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2011.

The court did not take the plea of the accused persons, although Magistrate Olatunbosun Abolarinwa,  who was holding brief for Ogunkanmi,  granted them bail on self recognition.

The counsel to Kasali had urged the court to admit the accused persons to  bail due to their social status.

When the accused persons were charged before the court, the then prosecutor, Mr  Femi Adamson, a Senior State Counsel and  now a judge, had informed the court that the matter should be referred to the DPP  for legal advice.

Adamson also advised the court prosecutor to verify the addresses of the accused persons.

The Director General (DG), of the National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA) Alhaji Mohammed Sani- Sidi has assured Vice President Namadi
Sambo that he would use his resources and position to reclaimed
Kachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency in court.

The All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate Jagaba Adams Jagaba won
the Kachia/ Kagarko Federal Constituency while John Audu Kwaturu and
Nuhu Goro won the Kaduna State house of Assembly in Kachia and Kagarko
respectively.

Sani-Sidi had earlier used thugs to disrupt elections at the APC
strong holds when he realized APC was winning which led to the
cancellation of election results in those areas by INEC.

With the failure of all the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates
in the presidential, governorship, the state and the federal house of
representative seats where Sani-Sidi is said to have come from, it was
gathered, he has vowed to use his position, resources and influence to
ensure that the courts reclaimed the seats for the PDP.

“We have gathered reliably that during a meeting of stakeholders of
PDP, the DG of NEMA, Mohammed Sani-Sidi, promised Vice President
Mohammed Namadi Sambo that he should not worry that he would used his
position to ensure that all the election won by APC in Kachia/Kagarko
Federal Constituency are upturned and declared the PDP candidates
winners,” Umar Garba said.

It was further gathered that in order to keep to his promise, the NEMA
DG has disbursed millions of Naira to the PDP candidates that lost and
hired a senior lawyer close to Vice President Namadi Sambo to pursue
the state and the house of representative cases in court.

“Sani-Sidi was a Personal Assistant to Nenadi Usman when she was
finance Minister. And when Vice President Namadi Sambo was contesting
for governorship election in Kaduna State, he went to the Ministry for
some payment because he was a contractor then and Sani-Sadi gave him
financial contribution.

“When Namadi Sambo won the election as governor, he gave Sani-Sidi
commissioner of works. He was also overseeing the Ministry of health.
When late Yakowa became governor, he made Sani-Sidi the commissioner
of special duties because he was not experienced.

“Sadi-Sidi rejected the offer, but Sambo, as Vice President, single
handedly appointed him as DG NEMA since he will be answerable to the
office of the Vice President. He had no experience in disaster
management but the aim was to “siphoned” money for their personal use
in the name of relief assistance.

“Sani-Sidi’s term has been renewed. He worked hard with Nenadi to
force good people like Jagaba out of the PDP. Now that they have lost
out in the elections both at the state and at the federal levels, he
has vowed to reclaim Jagaba’s seat for one Akuso who contested with
him. We want the world to know about the dubious plans of Sani-Sidi
who thinks it’s going to be business as usual under the Buhari’s
government,” Garba said.

Sani-Sani’s assurance to Vice President Namadi Sambo that PDP would
reclaimed constituencies clearly won by the APC candidates confirmed
an audio clip in circulation and obtained by our reporter which one
Abdulrahman Jere, a commissioner in governor Yero’s cabinet that got
Sani-Sadi’s knot, vowed Jagaba must be killed politically.

In the audio, Abdulrahman Jere, a close confidant of Sani-Sidi in the
Jere politics, vowed that they can’t afford to allowed Jagaba in the
National Assembly.

International media had reported that the Presidency had backed Mr.
Akuso heavily in the election, but Mr. Jagaba, a member of the APC,
won.

INEC officials had told some journalists that several associates of
Vice President Sambo, led by the DG NEMA and Governor Mukhtar Ramalan
Yero, had made futile efforts to stop the electoral body from
announcing the victory of Mr. Jagaba.

When contacted by a text message, Sani-Sadi forwarded same to one
Ahmed Maiyaki, the Director General to the out-going Kaduna State
governor on Media and Publicity. Ahmed Maiyaki pleaded for the story
not to be published but could not give further details.

Mohammed Aman-Jemal, President, Muslim Affairs Supreme Council, Ethiopia, and hundreds of grieving relatives have condemned the beheading of two Ethiopians by Islamic State militants in Libya.

Aman-Jemal said on Wednesday in Addis Ababa that slayings committed by the terrorists in Libya are a shocking deed that stands contrary to the teachings of the Holy Koran.

The Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Tadros Adhanom, said there were Ethiopians among the traffickers that set desperate migrants on dangerous journeys towards Europe.

“You traffickers have blood in your hands,” he said.

“Haven’t you had enough, don’t you have feelings for your fellow brothers and sisters,’’ he added.

Ethiopia’s House of Representatives also opened an emergency session with a minute’s silence, before voting to observe three days of national mourning and fly the Ethiopian flag at half mast from Wednesday.

Some lawmakers cited Islamic verses preaching tolerance and highlighted the centuries-long tradition of religious co-existence in a country.

They said the relationship between Ethiopia’s Christians and Muslims had long been relatively peaceful, but now becoming wary of the rising tide of radical Islam in the country.

The followers of both faiths recall a period in the 7th century when, according to tradition, groups of the Prophet Mohammad’s first followers, including his wife, fled persecution.

These groups found refuge in the Christian Axumite Empire, in the north of modern-day Ethiopia.

Abune Mathias, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, called on all compatriots to maintain Ethiopia’s ancient tradition of unity, love and compassion.

Hundreds of grieving relatives gathered outside the homes of two Ethiopians, who were among dozens shown being shot and beheaded in a video purportedly made by Islamic State militants in Libya.

Ahaza Kasaye, mother of Eyasu Yekuno-Amlak, one of the victims, said only two of the 30 Ethiopian Christian prisoners displayed being killed in two groups by masked jihadists, in a video released over the weekend had been identified by name.

She said the pair was close friends who grew up as neighbours in the impoverished Cherkos District of the capital Addis Ababa.

“My son is gone, I cannot bear it because I am burning,’’ she said.

Kasaye said it was Eyasu’s dreadlocks that enabled his family and friends to quickly recognise him in a group of prisoners.

He said the group of prisoners were seen in the video trudging along a beach in orange jump suits before their captors beheaded them as they knelt on the ground.

Though the bodies of the prisoners had not been returned or recovered, mourners erected a tent and a priest delivered a sermon.

Wailing mourners held aloft pictures of both victims as dozens of others young men, who were both neighbours and friends of the two men briefly took to the streets.

They demonstrated in Addis Ababa’s main square before being dispersed by police.

Meanwhile, friends of Eyasu and Balcha said both did not have jobs and that they had been in Libya for two months before being killed by Islamic State.