Road safety: 1,500 Dangote cement truck drivers undergo screening exercise - ITREALMS

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Over 1,500 Dangote Cement truck drivers have undergone intensive screening exercises to ascertain their mental, psychological and physical fitness for safe driving.

Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Arvind Pathak disclosed this to journalists after his presentation at the 2025 Annual Drivers Retreat held at Ilaro, Ogun state.

INEC releases locations for nationwide CVR exercise - ITREALMS

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the locations of registration centres for the Nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, reports ITREALMS.

According to the Commission in a press statement available to ITREALMS today, Thursday and endorsed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee at INEC, Sam Olumekun, the CVR will resume on August 18, 2025, with online pre-registration, while in-person registration will commence on August 25, 2025.

AFRINIC Election annulled over irregularities, sets Sept. 30 for new exercise - ITREALMS

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The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) has confirmed the annulment of its last election due to alleged irregularities, reports ITREALMS.

A public statement to members available to ITREALMS, AFRINIC also announced new elections to take place by September 30, 2025, following the annulment of the June 2025 elections.

11th kidney transplant: FMC Umuahia completes exercise successfully - ITREALMS

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The Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia, has successfully completed its 11th kidney transplant in the south-eastern State of Abia, reports ITREALMS.

This is coming a few days after the former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, were found guilty of organ trafficking in the United Kingdom (UK) and sent to prison, while awaiting sentence on May 5.

ECOWAS on 2023 elections: Nigeria must conduct peaceful exercise - ITREALMS

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has warned that Nigeria cannot afford not to conduct peaceful and credible elections in 2023 as a lot is at stake even within the sub-region should the country fail.

This is even as the Independent National Electoral Commission, hailed the Commission over its dialogue with leaders of political parties towards peaceful 2023 general elections, describing it as very commendable.

INEC suspends CVR exercise in Ihitte-Uboma over killing of staff+video, viewer discretion - ITREALMS

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For the killing of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff in its location, the Commission has suspended the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Ihitte-Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State, reports ITREALMS.

The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee at INEC, Festus Okoye Esq, in a press statement available to ITREALMS on Thursday evening said that sequel to a report by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Emeka Ezeonu, to the effect that “today, 14th of April 2022, Mr. Nwokorie Anthony, a staff of the Imo State office of the Commission involved in the ongoing CVR exercise, was shot dead by unknown gunmen at Nkwo Ihitte (PU 004) in Amakohia Ward (RA 02) of Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area.”

2018 recruitment: FRSC summons applicants for exercise - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has summoned all applicants for recruitment into the different cadres to check their emails for updated information on the fitness exercise, slated for Monday 24, through Saturday, 29th September, 2018, reports ITREALMS.
 
The Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, told ITREALMS that applicants who do not receive any information through their emails before the date of the exercise are by this notice advised to report to the screening centres chosen in their application forms with the printed summary data page.
 
"In addition, all applicants, irrespective of Cadre applied for, are to come along with the following: originals of their credentials (for sighting), 2 sets of photocopies of credentials, medical certificate of fitness, and 2 passport sized photographs," he said.
 
Further, he said, applicants are to also note, for the avoidance of doubt, that they are to appear in white shorts, white round neck T-shirt, canvass and socks for the screening and physical fitness exercise.
 
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Python Dance II: Ohaneze Ndigbo wants exercise called off, says its provocative invasion

ITRealms:

The Ohaneze Ndigbo has decried the deployment of Python Dance II exercise to the South Eastern states by the Nigerian Army, describing it as a provocative invasion of a quiet homestead as well as continued policy of intimidation by the current government, reports ITRealms.

Reacting to the deployment by the Nigerian Army, Ohaneze Ndigbo through its President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, noted that there are crimes of monstrous proportions occurring in other parts of Nigeria, which the Army refused to deploy troops to those regions.

ITRealms recalls that on the 8th of September 2017, Major General D D Ahmadu, Chief Of Training And Operations of the Nigerian Army announced an exercise called Operation  Python Dance II which he said was going to take place in the five South Eastern States to address "rampancy of assassinations, attack on security personnel, theft of weapons, violent agitations, armed banditry and kidnapping."

Ohaneze pointed out that operation Python Dance 1 has been on for quite a while in the South East. Whilst Operation Python Dance 1 lasted major roads, entries and exits of important cities in the South East had zigzag check points supervised by members of the Nigerian Army.

“They turned out to be toll gates used in extorting money under gun point  from helpless motorists. Our people were shamelessly intimidated and harassed at these check points. Operation Python Dance 1 procured no arrests of criminals that were prosecuted for any of the criminal activities that Operation Python Dance II is supposed to address.

“Instead it witnessed reckless and indiscriminate murder of self-determination agitators in Asaba, Aba, Nkpor and Port Harcourt numbering up to 191 by the estimates of Transparency International and shattered public confidence of South Easterners in the Nigerian Army and Police,” he observed.

Ohaneze also observed that operation Python Dance II launched for the five South Eastern states whose crime rates by Police statistics are not the highest in the country, turned out to focus on a tiny suburban road leading to the home of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB Leader. 

A few nights ago, he said, that road was visited by a combined team of Police and Military personnel with Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and armed personnel. Video posts from IPOB and the Nigerian Army did not indicate any act of disobedience before the invasion of this suburban environment. Contradictory versions of the encounter in this location came from both the Military/Police and IPOB . Sparodic shots were fired at innocent civilians who had no firearms.

“Stones and bottles were pelted at the APC and military personnel. Which of the attacks preceded the other is not clear, but one was clearly disproportionate to the other and violated rules of military engagement in situations of this nature,” he said. 

Pointing out that crimes of monstrous proportions occurring in other parts of Nigeria include ravaging killings by Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt, Secret cult killings in Lagos and the South West, bunkering and armed resistance in the Delta, wanton kidnappings and killing of military personnel in Kaduna State and environs as well as Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.  

“The Nigerian Army has never embarked on Operation Python Dance in any of the other five geopolitical zones on account of these incidences. Innocent civilians living in these other parts of Nigeria have not witnessed the type of invasion Umuahia witnessed a few nights ago,” Ohaneze condemned. 

“Ohaneze Ndigbo is left with no alternative than to conclude that this is a containment policy aimed at the South East to intimidate our people from freely expressing their anger and angst at their marginalization and treatment as second class citizens. In a democracy the level of disenchantment expressed by the people of the South East of Nigeria ought to have provoked a serious dialogue between our people and the Federal Executive and the Legislature.  History teaches us that the continous use of force to silence dissent and free speech will only accelerate the growth of dissent and dissatisfaction. Fundamental Rights of freedom of expression are critical for a successful democracy,” Nwodo said.

Ohaneze Ndigbo therefore call on the Federal Government to call off this phoney Operation Python Dance II.

“Nigeria at this moment does not need such deliberate and proactive escalation of tensions and crisis. There are more civilised and established practices to resolve our democratic and security challenges,” Ohaneze Ndigbo said.

Nweke Ozo Nweke/GEE

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LG Election:: Lagos restricts Saturday movement, urges peaceful exercise

ITRealms:

The Lagos State Government has proclaimed restriction of vehicular movement in the State on Saturday July 22, 2017 in view of the elections holding across the 20 Local Government and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) across the State, reports ITRealms.

The State's Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, to ITRealms in a press statement that the restriction of movement across the State will be enforced between 8am and 2pm on Saturday July 22, to allow for a smooth conduct of the polls and unhindered participation.

He also said, the State is known for peaceful conduct of elections, and as such, urged residents to be peaceful and orderly on Saturday to cast their votes in their respective wards for Chairmen and councilors who are expected to drive development at the third tier of government.

Ayorinde explained that as the election would bring on board a new set of public officers for the next four years at the local government level, the restriction will allow the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) and the security agencies to distribute electoral materials in good time and ensure the sanctity of free and fair electoral process.

"The police and other security agencies are ready to ensure that the electioneering campaign and the voting on Saturday are conducted smoothly without public disturbance. Every political party, candidates and their supporters and the general public are hereby assured of safety throughout the period of voting and collation.

“However, the government solicits the cooperation of voters and the general public by obeying the restriction order and the general electoral rules in order to ensure a peaceful conduct before, during and after the elections," Ayorinde said.

The release also quoted Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as urging Lagosians to perform their civic obligations by trooping out with their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) "to once again demonstrate their belief in the tenets of participatory democracy and the importance of development at the local government level."

Ayo Midele/GEE

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