Airwaves Watch

No survivors in Ethiopia plane crash that has 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, 6 Egyptians, 9 Ethiopians, 7 French, 8 Americans and 7 Britons among the 157 dead in the crash. Kenyan government dispatches team to Addis Ababa led by Transport PS Koimett. None of the 157 people on board an Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed on Sunday morning en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi have survived, the airline said. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam \”deeply regrets the fatal accident,\” the airline said on its Twitter account. The group CEO, who had travelled to the scene of the crash, expressed his \”profound sympathy and condolences\” to the families of all victims, the statement read. 263 Views

The the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai, today, Saturday 26th January 2019, commissioned the newly established Nigerian Army Vehicles Manufacturing Company (NAVMC) and the take off of the production of the prototype of the light and heavy infantry vehicles at Rigachikun, Kaduna State. The event also featured facility tour of Nigerian Army Vehicles Manufacturing Company production line, Which include NAC-V production line, B vehicles assembly plant, Fitter machine plant, Engine overhaul shop, Engine testing bay, Fabrication, Painting and Spray shop as well as Foundary and Metal Smith shop. The COAS also commissioned some refurbished A and B vehicles and other equipment resuscitated by the NAVMC. Present at the historic occasion were Honourable Yusuf Zailani, Majority leader, Kaduna State House of Assembly, the Chairman, North East Development Commission and former Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Major General PC Tarfa (rtd), the current Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, Principal Staff Officers from Defence and Army Headquarters, Corps Commanders and Commandants of the various Nigerian Army training institutions and the representative of the Emir of Zazzau and other dignitaries, as well as officers and soldiers, community leaders and members of Rigachikun community. In fact, the visibly elated members of the host community, instantly decided to crown the Chief of Army Staff as the Garkuwan Rigachikun. 403 Views

Candidate of the ACPN in next month’s election says she is withdrawing from race to form a coalition to fight the dominance of APC and PDP. In her statement, Ezekwesili said, “Over the past three months, I have been in private extended talks with other candidates to make a coalition possible that would allow Nigerians to exercise choice without feeling helplessly saddled with the #APCPDP . In doing so, I have not hesitated to offer my willingness to step down my candidacy in order to facilitate the emergence of a strong and viable alternative behind which Nigerians can line up in our collective search for a new beginning. My commitment in this regard has been consistent and in consonance with my agreement, at the request of then aspirants under PACT in 2018, to supervise their internal selection process as an outside observer passionate about building this alternative force. Despite disagreements within the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria on these and other issues, I have decided that it is now necessary to show by action and example my determination on this issue by stepping down my candidacy and focusing on building the coalition once and for all. 273 Views

Concerted efforts by the Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and security agencies to combat the menace of oil theft and pipeline vandalism received a major boost with the capture of Mr. Shuaibu Ogunmola, an alleged notorious oil pipeline kingpin,whose illegal activities through the years, led to loss of millions of litres of products along the Lagos Atlas Cove strip in the strategic System 2B pipeline network. In a release today in Abuja, NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said Shuaibu was captured recently at his luxury hotel in Ilashe community, along the Badagry Creek by officers and men of Operation AWATSE, a Joint Military Task Force on oil theft and pipeline vandalism anchored by the Western Naval Command, Apapa, Lagos. The corporation explained that investigations thus far revealed that Shuaibu had operated a thriving oil theft racket for decades, hacking pipelines in some island communities in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State along the System 2B network right- of- way. Providing details on the mode of operation of the Shuaibu-led syndicate, NNPC said the gang executed their illegal trade by digging boles metres away from the corporation’s products pipeline, which essentially serve as storage tanks for products directly siphoned from the lines at a hack point. These holes which are cast in drums receive products simultaneously from the labyrinth of pipelines connected to the trunk line directly linked to the ruptured NNPC line. The products so harvested are later scoped or transferred into jerrycans and drums and are sold to ready buyers who usually throng the beachside. From that point, the NNPC spokesperson stated, the products were shipped to Coutonou which has a firmly established market for smuggled Nigerian fuel. Commenting on the significance of the arrest of the notorious oil theft kingpin, Rear Admiral Obed Ngalabak, Flag Officer Commanding the Western Naval Command, who also doubles as the Commander of Operation AWATSE, said the feat was the beginning of a well mapped out strategy to halt the menace of pipeline vandals across the zone. He explained that Shuaibu was the ultimate godfather of oil thieves in Ilashe and adjoining settlements where he consigned portions of his territory and offered operating rights to other thieves to operate and bring in returns at agreed rates and terms. Rear Admiral Ngalabak said investigation revealed that the Ilashe pipeline axis have been divided into three ‘oil fields’ by the criminals under the operating titles of Shuaibu Point, Dele Point and Bashiru Point. He assured that in the days ahead the culprit would be handed over to the appropriate authority for prosecution while efforts are in place to ensure prompt arrest of other members of the syndicate. Sam Otoboeze, General Manager in charge of the Group Security Department of the NNPC in his response, described the capture of Ogunmola as a victory in the fight against the nefarious activities of pipeline marauders. He said with the feat, criminals in the dirty business would now know that the game has come to an end. Otoboeze thanked the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, for providing the much-needed support to the NNPC security team and the military in the last three years, enabling the corporation to sustain the tempo of the fight against the unrepentant oil thieves. 215 Views