The processing policy is in line with NASENI’s drive to encourage the processing of Strategic Solid Minerals and particularly to ensure that batteries are produced locally for both electric vehicles as well as other energy storage applications.

This was disclosed when the governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, paid a courtesy visit to Dr. Bashir Gwandu, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja at the weekend.

Nasarawa State is one of the states acknowledged to have potentially the largest deposits of lithium in Nigeria.

Recently NASENI has made headlines on its efforts to encourage investors and Nigerian lithium off-takers from around the world to come and partner with it to process various combinations of lithium into batteries locally. This will include lithium processing from mineral crushing and extraction all the way to final products that can be used both locally and also export to other countries.

Some companies from China have already started visiting NASENI as a response to the call.

Dr. Gwandu disclosed that NASENI would partner with other government agencies such as Rural Electricity Agency, REA, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, and other investing institutions on this effort.

He said he was pleased that the Nasarawa state governor was coming to collaborate with NASENI in that regard.

A number of companies have indicated interest in investing in Nasarawa State to process lithium in various quantities ranging from 1,000-3,000 tonnes per day.

So far, almost 6,000 tonnes per day are projected to be processed daily in Nasarawa alone.

On his part, Governor Sule said the companies had already indicated interest to process the 6,000 tonnes per day in Nasarawa state, adding that other states such as Kebbi, Kwara, etc., might also attract such kind of companies and investments.

He said there was need for proper coordination, and for all hands to be on deck to ensure that Nigeria took its place by being recognized as one of the largest lithium producers in the world.

The governor added that there was something happening that was akin to Gold Rush which he termed ‘Lithium Rush” happening in his state.

He said that was because lithium price in the world market had jumped from $6,000 per metric tonnes to $78,000 per metric tonnes.

“Nasarawa State has a large quantum of lithium and hence the need to have a better working synergy with NASENI for purposeful exploration, extraction and processing.”

According to Engr. Sule, NASENI was considering the number of projects that were adding value to the economy of his state, urging that the NASENI Solar in Gora might be used as lithium processing and battery production plant considering its proximity to the raw materials and also the proximity to the NASENI Solid Minerals institute which is also located in Nasarawa town in the same state.

While promising to give the agency necessary support, he called for more collaborations with the state as it plans a second economic summit that would be tagged “Lithium Rush Summit.”

The EVC stated that during recent visit to Nasarawa he had encouraged the institute to allow the use of its machines by the local communities and small companies for efficient utilization and capacity building and for economic development.

The governor who stated that he heard that the Agency was planning on building an airport, urged it to utilise the state’s cargo airport for evacuation of its products.

While responding further to Governor Sule, Dr. Gwandu disclosed that NASENI did not have any plan to build an airport but was working on establishing an MRO/ARO as part of our efforts to develop capacity for both maintenance and eventual aircrafts parts production to service aerospace industry which was likely to be sited in Abuja in view of its location and electricity supply.

He promised that NASENI would actively participate in any conference by the state with regard to lithium.

He said NASENI institutes had industrial machineries and other equipment and workforce that were readily available to lead Nigeria to industrialize and achieve a diversified economy but doing that required huge funds outlay to fulfil the agency’s mandate.

He requested the governor to be one of the ambassadors of NASENI in NGF.

He said NGF held key to the release of NASENI’s held up funds.

Moreover, he said the governors support was key to enabling the agency carry out its works in the areas of science, technology and innovation, STI, geared towards the industrial development at the states.

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The chairman of the community, Mr Ifeanyi Alamaujo, who led others during the protest to Mararaba Area Office of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, said, “We marched to AEDC Mararaba area office because we are paying for electricity but we don’t get service.

“Sometimes, we get supply for only ten minutes.

“We came here to discuss with the management to know why we don’t get power supply. It has been five years. It is too much.”

Receiving the protesters, the AEDC Area Manager of Mararaba area office, Mr Aluko Temidayo, assured them that the company would do the needful.

“Like I promised, we will do the needful to make everyone happy. We cannot be 100 per cent perfect because of our system. We will do something that at the end of the day, you will see changes.

“The stage we are in now is a general problem. It is not your community alone but we will do our best to make our customers happy.

“If our customers are not happy, we too are not happy too because you pay our salaries. Please, bear with us,” he pleaded.

Also speaking, Mrs Comfort Raphael, one of the protesters who is also a nurse appreciated the manager for receiving them.

“We the women of Wazobia Community came out today because we are not happy.  We trust the AEDC area manager’s promise.

“We will come back here again if things do not improve,” Raphael said.

An elder of the community, Mr John Otitoaja, appealed to Temidayo to move the community from the 11 KVA to 33KVA to enhance steady power supply to the community.

Source: NAN

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Adamu, who spoke emphatically at the town hall meeting Thursday in Lafia between the APC candidate and stakeholders in the mining sector, said he was merely echoing President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement.

“Except God, President Buhari is the highest authority in Nigeria today. Buhari has said it and it shall come to pass,” Adamu stated.

Urging Tinubu to stand and the audience to also join him, Adamu declared Asíwájú would be the next president.

He urged voters not only in Nasarawa, but also in the adjoining states to vote massively for the party and its candidate.

He urged Tinubu to get ready for the task to shoulder the demands of leading Nigeria.

READ ALSO: We won Kano for Abiola in 1993, we’ll win it for Tinubu –Doguwa

His statement drew wild applause for minutes  in the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Lafia.

The hall which had Governors Simon Lalong; Babagana Zulum and Aminu Masari; speaker of the House of Representatives in attendance, was rent with the shouts of Jagaban of Nigeria.

Adamu later prayed for God’s victory for the party so that APC would hand over to APC next year May.

Host governor, Sule, similarly envisioned an Asíwájú victory and called him several times in his speech as ‘Nigeria’s next President’.

Sule gave a comprehensive overview of the mineral deposits in the state, including marble, lithium, barite and others.

Tinubu in his response promised that help was on the way to industrialise the state for prosperity.

Senator Tanko Al-Makura, a former governor of the state, who also welcomed Tinubu, later presented a crafted gift to Asíwájú in appreciation of being a media friendly politician.

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The president made the declaration during a courtesy visit to the palace of Emir of Lafia, retired Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad 1.

The president is on a two-day visit to Nasarawa State.

Giving the assurance that he had no intention of staying beyond the constitutionally stipulated time in office, Buhari said he looked forward to a time when he would be referred to as former president.

His words:  ”I have seen former governors here and I am looking forward to also becoming a former president.”

He warned that leaders who took the oath of office, swearing with the Holy Book, must be careful not to abuse the trust of leadership placed on them by the people and God.

”The traditional ruler is on a terminal appointment. Constitutionally, we (elected public office holders) are not. I cannot go beyond two terms and I have sworn by the Holy Quran that I will uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

”Politics apart, whenever we are made to swear by the Holy Quran, we have to be very careful. We must make sure that we do not abuse the trust God has given us as leaders,” he said.

President Buhari thanked the people of Nasarawa State for a rousing welcome, expressing delight that the North-Central State was wearing a new look since his last visit in 2019.

He congratulated the immediate past governor and Senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District,   Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and the incumbent, Governor Abdullahi Sule, for the laudable initiatives and accomplishments in the state.

Welcoming the president to the over 200-year old palace, the Emir of Lafia thanked him for ending the problem of insufficient power to Nasarawa State with the provision of 330kVA sub-station.

The Emir, who is also the Chairman, Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, told the president that the provision of the electricity plant ”has taken out 80 per cent of our problem.”

”Our people have never had it so good. Our people are back to their normal life as entrepreneurs, ” he said, adding that the federal government projects that were ”standing as ghosts” in the state in the past have now become a reality.

The retired jurist listed the newly inaugurated CBN Building in Lafia, the federal secretariat, UBEC Smart School and completed Ecological projects, just to mention but a few.

On arrival in the capital for his two-day state visit to Nasarawa, President Buhari inaugurated the Lafia Airport, Vocational and Skills Acquisition Centre, Modern Bus Terminal and the Shinge-Barkini Abdullahi-Kilema road, executed by the state government.

He also inaugurated CBN Lafia branch building and a 330kva Akurba Transmission Substation executed by the Federal Government through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, to boost power supply in the state and its environs.

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The announcement of their release is contained in a statement signed by Abubakar Ibrahim, Head, Information and Public Relations Unit of the institution and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Lafia.

According to the university’s spokesperson, the students were released at the late hours of January 15.

He added that, Prof. Shehu Abdul-Rahman, the Vice-Chancellor of the university expressed gratitude to the state government and the public for their contributions, prayers and support during the trying moment.

He further said that the VC expressed appreciation to the security agencies for their timely interventions that led to the quick and safe return of the students.

Consequent upon their release, it was disclosed, the students had undergone medical checks and they were all found to be in good conditions to immediately resume their studies.

The V-C of FULafia called on the students to remain calm and go about their normal activities on both campuses of the university.

He therefore assured the parents, students and the public of the institution’s commitment to make lives and property safe in and around the campuses.

Source: NAN

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President Buhari said the sympathies of the entire nation were with the affected families.

“I assure the people with all seriousness and sensitivity that this administration is doing its best to safeguard the security of people and will leave no stone unturned in fishing out the perpetrators of this senseless and barbaric incident, and bring them to justice,” he said.

He also expressed condolences to the government and people of the state.

The president expressed satisfaction with the immediate response of the state government to the incident.

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INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Tuesday at INEC’s office in Karu local government area, Nasarawa State, while visiting some of the proposed centres and existing polling units in the FCT and Nasarawa State.

The chairman said that the purpose of the verification exercise was to ensure that the right thing was done in the conversion of the voting points to polling units.

“All the National Commissioners are out, visiting the states of the federation to verify the work of converting the voting points to polling units.

“So, we decided from the headquarters to visit some of the polling units and voting points in the FCT and also in Karu local government, Nasarawa State.

“You will recall that as part of our engagement with stakeholders, we showed images of one of the congested polling units in the country from Karu, in Nasarawa State.

“So, I have to verify that the right thing is being done in converting those voting points to polling units and relocating them in line with the Commission’s guidelines.

“So far, it is work in progress. At the end of the exercise, we will address the media,” he said.

The INEC chairman said he had been informed that 395 voting points were being converted to polling units in Karu local government area.

Yakubu said that with the conversion of voting points to polling units, there would be expanded access to polling units for voters, while congestion of polling units would be eliminated in future elections.

“What we have done basically, is to build on what we did in 2019. Recall that we are converting the voting points used for the 2019 elections into autonomous polling units and relocating them.

“This is going to be a continuous process. One exercise will not solve the problem.

“But we hope we have established the mechanism that going forward, the commission will be adjusting the number of polling units as the number of registered voters increases,” he said.

He gave assurance that the Continuous Voters Registration exercise would commence on June 28 after the conversion of the polling units.

Yakubu added that voters would be given the opportunity to choose the location they wished to be their new polling units.

He urged stakeholders and community leaders to support the commission and sensitise the people on the ongoing exercise for the conversion of polling units.

Some of the centres visited by the INEC chairman included, PU001 located at Minister’s Gate, Life Camp; Government Secondary School – Life Camp which also served as a collation centre, Apo Legislative Quarters, and Zone-D entrance gate Apo, in the FCT.

INEC Electoral Officer, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Mrs Falimatu Bakare, explained the work done so far at the minister’s gate, Life Camp, saying that before now, the PU had one polling unit and six voting points.

Bakare said that four of the voting points had been moved to other public and open spaces, including Stella Maris School, Paradise Caffee Garden, and others, for easy access by voters in the area.

Also conducting the chairman’s team to the visited locations in Nasarawa, INEC electoral officer in Karu local government, Mr Idris Maikazua, said the voting points were moved out to public places to accommodate areas located far from the existing polling units.

The areas, according to him, included Aso, Karu e-library, Karu abattoir, City College of Education, Ruga Market, Mararaba International Market and other public and open spaces.

Yakubu and his team visited the commission’s office in Mararaba, Karu local government office and Karu International Market in Nasarawa State.

Also speaking with newsmen, National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, said that the visit was to ensure the integrity of the fieldwork carried out by the officers of the commission on the conversion exercise.

Haruna said that at the end of the verification exercise, INEC would hold a stakeholders’ meeting to inform them of what the commission had done, as well as to get their inputs.

He said that the process of the PUs conversion was being done in three stages starting with the fieldwork, which was undertaken by INEC electoral officers.

“The next stage is a verification and that is what we have embarked on from Monday, which was a public holiday, from May 3 to May 7 and from May 8, we will hold a stakeholders’ meeting,” he said.

He added that when that was concluded the CVR would commence by June 28.

Source: NAN

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A statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Ramhan Nansel, in Lafia said the bandits also killed the MACBAN chairman of Toto local government area, Muhammed Umar, during the attack.

According to the PPRO, the assailants attacked the MACBAN leaders on Friday at about 7:30 p.m., in Garaku Market, Kokona local governent area.

He said upon receipt of information on the attack, the Commissioner of Police, Bola Longe, swiftly deployed Operation Puff Adder II personnel to the scene where the two corpses were recovered and taken to the hospital for postmortem.

Nansel said the CP commiserated with the families of the deceased, assuring that the command would do all within its powers to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.

He, therefore, called on members of the public to volunteer useful information that would lead to the arrest of those behind the death of the Miyetti Allah chieftains.

He gave assurance that such information would be treated with utmost confidentiality.

Source: NAN

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He was identified as Muhammad Usman and said to be a notorious kidnapper.

Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, made this known in a speech in the state capital, Lafia, on Tuesday.

He added that the suspect who had confessed to committing the crime was arrested at Assakio Village, Lafia East Development Area of Nasarawa State.

Said the governor: “I was informed that Muhammad Usman, also known as Baffa Nura, a notorious kidnapper in Nasarawa State, has been arrested and he has confessed that he was the killer.

“He was arrested in Assakio, exactly where we thought we were going to get him, and we were able to get him.

“Mister Commissioner Sir, our security personnel, I want to thank you for the good work you have continued to do.”

Recall that Shekwo was kidnapped on November 21 and his body found a day after.

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Shekwo was abducted at his residence at about 11.00 p.m.

His death was confirmed on Sunday by the spokesman of the police in Nasarawa State, Raman Nansel.

His remains were said to have been deposited at the morgue for post mortem.

Earlier in the day, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Bola Longe, disclosed that operatives had been deployed to comb the various forests and flashpoints in the state to ensure his rescue.

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