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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Federal Government has inaugurated the gender equality and women empowerment campaign, tagged “HeForShe campaign’’, in Abuja. Inaugurating the campaign on Tuesday, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Sen. Aisha Alhassan, said it was designed to secure the commitment of one billion men across the globe. “Out of the signatories to the campaign in the country, we anticipate that half will take the initial step of making a simple pledge for gender equality. “We also project that another quarter will pledge and be inspired to engage more fully, taking a second step to donate towards, advocate for, and sensitise themselves and other gender equality issues,’’ the minister said. She said the final and last quarter would deepen their engagement by pledging and following through on major actions that substantially contribute to social change. Alhassan said the campaign was not to seek equality with men from the religious aspect but to give women o...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J France ordered heightened security at sports and cultural events on Tuesday and President Emmanuel Macron said he would set up a new counter-terrorism coordinating body after a suicide bomber killed 22 people at a British concert hall. Macron and senior ministers walked to the British Embassy in Paris to sign the condolence book and affirm their solidarity with Britain after the Manchester attack, which had echoes of November 2015 Islamist attacks on the Bataclan concert hall and other parts of Paris that killed 130 people. “Our terrorist enemies have struck again,” Macron wrote in the condolence book. “We are more united and determined than ever in facing them.” Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the government had given instructions to organizers of sporting and cultural events in France to strengthen security measures following the Manchester attack, which has been claimed by Islamic State. Paris police chief Michel Delpuech said he had ordered a stepped...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Four illegal miners arrested inside the premises of the College of Education, Minna, have been jailed nine months each, by a Minna Chief Magistrate’s Court. The suspects – Mohammed Sani, Tanko Bala, Dahiru Idris and Sani Idris – were arraigned over alleged trespass and illegal mining, contrary to section 1 (8) b of the miscellaneous act 2004 laws of the Federation of Nigeria. Mr Philip Ayuba, Commandant of the Niger Sector of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who arraigned the suspects, said that they were arrested on April 21, while committing the offence in the college. “The illegal miners were arrested after several warnings resulting from complaints by the college authorities. “The school had said that the miners were degrading its land. “The school also alleged that the illegal miners had constituted a security threat to the students,” he told the court. Ayuba further told the court that the law stipulated nine months imprisonment or...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Anambra Police Command said it prosecuted 80 people for cultism related crimes between January and April. CSP Christopher Bassey, Commander of the Special Anti-Cultism Squad (SPACS) told newsmen in Onitsha on Sunday that all the command has also secured 80 convictions. Bassey said that the convicted cultists terrorised Obosi, Nkpor, Ogidi, Awada and Onitsha communities, adding that many suspects were set free after being counseled. “We are able to send about 80 notorious cultists to prison by the help of the courts while scores were counseled and released. “I think parents should monitor the company their children keep because investigations showed that those arrested were influenced by suspected criminals, who provide them with hard drugs, guns and money,” he said. Basey advised youths to shun cultism, warning that the police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute anyone involved in the act. According to him, we will not spare anyone because the hard...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have begun gradual withdrawal of its members from oil and gas installations belonging to Mobil in the country. The Chairman of PENGASSAN, Lagos Zone, Mr Abel Agarin said this while picketing ExxonMobil on Thursday in Lagos. The members of PENGASSAN on Wednesday began a three-day warning strike to protest the refusal of ExxonMobil management to honour an industrial relations agreement. The agreement was reached during a tripartite meeting with the senior staff union and the Ministry of Labour and Productivity in December 2016. “PENGASSAN members have begun gradual withdrawal from oil and gas installations belonging to Mobil in Nigeria. “Members in the loading bay at Best Operations Platform (BOP), where crude oil is being loaded have been withdrawn, while those in Erha and Ushan FPSO will join by midnight today. “Those in the Bonny River Terminal will also join by midnight. “The withdr...