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Delta Govt Signs Agreement With Jayta On Agro-Industrial Park

As part of its commitment to boosting the agricultural value chain, Delta State Government has signed Factory Plots Lease Agreement with Jayta Petroleum & Commodities Nig. Limited
The signing of the lease agreement which took place in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) to the Governor was coordinated by the Chairman of the Delta State Agro-Industrial Park (DAIP) Implementation Committee and the Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer, Prof Eric Eboh.
In his remark, Prof Eboh, reiterated the state government’s commitment to the speedy completion of the project, adding that one of its critical components is the dedicated factory plots to be managed by a Private Agro-Investor, Jayta Petroleum & Commodities Nig. Limited.
According to him, “Under the Land Lease Agreement, Jayta Petroleum & Commodities Nigeria Limited is allotted factory plot area of 7.2 hectares for the building, establishment and operation of integrated oil palm factory complex comprising three components namely palm oil mill, palm kernel crushing plant and effluent treatment system.”
He explained that the allotment of factory plots to Jayta Petroleum & Commodities Limited was approved by the State Executive Council upon recommendation by the DAIP Project Implementation Committee after rigorous due diligence and scrutiny.
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He gave the terms and conditions of operation for the allotment to include payment of the minimum deposit fee as commitment to implementing the agreement, commencement of the construction of the factory complex within 6 months of signing the agreement, completion of the construction of the factory, establishment, and commencement of factory operations within 24 months from signing the agreement.
On his part, Dr. Kingsley Emu, Chief Economy Adviser To the governor
pointed out that DAIP is one of the cardinal projects focused on job creation under public private partnership (PPP) to enhance job and wealth creation in the state, describing it as one of the best models in the country.
“This is done in such a way to make businesses to aggregate themselves in the park. We hope you work and adhere strictly to the timelines and rules as spelt out in the agreement. Looking at your pedigree, we pray that your entry will attract many more businesses,” he stated. (Sic)
Responding, the Managing Director of Jayta Petroleum & Commodities Nig. Ltd, Mr. Emmanuel Onyeweli Akuba, expressed optimism that his company will put in their best to help the State Government realize its aims of setting up the project.
“Agricultural value chain as it affects the DAIP is an untapped window. This is not agriculture at a subsistence level. This is agriculture on a commercial level. We are adding value. As we complete this process on behalf of our management, we are moving to site,” he remarked.
Among those who witnessed the signing of the agreement were the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon Isaiah Bozimor Esq; representative of the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Ben Agama; representative of the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Mr. Emmanuel Ovuzourie; representative of the Director-General of Delta State Investments Development Agency, Mr. Fred Onojeta; DAIP Project Consultant – Contemporary Design Associates, Arch Kester Ifeadi; Head of Operations of Jayta Petroleum & Commodities Nig. Ltd, Mr. Ken Kushi and the Executive Assistant, Dr. Solomon Okowa.
The highpoints of the event were the signing of the agreement and the exchange of the signed document between the Chairman, DAIP Implementation Committee, Prof Eric Eboh and the MD, Jayta Petroleum & Commodities Nig, Ltd, Mr. Emmanuel Onyenweli Akuba.
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VIDEO: Why I’ve Never Tried Convincing My Christian Wife To Convert To Islam — Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained why he has never attempted to convince his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, to convert to Islam, stressing his belief in love, religious freedom, and mutual respect among people of different faiths.
Speaking on Saturday at the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwada, Tinubu said his marriage to a Christian pastor has never created any conflict in their home.
The president, who arrived in Jos, Plateau State around 2 p.m. for the ceremony at the COCIN headquarters church, said he inherited Islam from his family and has always upheld the principle of freedom of religion.
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He noted that both he and the First Lady serve the same God and would ultimately be answerable to Him, adding that what matters most are people’s deeds, character, and love for others.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to embrace tolerance and peaceful coexistence, emphasising that hate should never have a place in the country.
He also prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Lydia Yilwada and asked God to grant comfort and blessings to those she left behind.
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He said, “Hate is not an option for us. Love is what you preach, that we should love one another.
“Nobody, nobody determines what God has ordained. God’s ordained action and his promises are what matter. I inherited Islam from my family. I didn’t change. But my wife is a pastor. She prays for me.
“No conflict. And I never did at any single time try to convince her or convert her. I believe in the freedom of religion.
“We are praying to the same God. We are answerable to the same almighty God. We will answer to him. We will account to him. Our deeds, our character, our love for our fellow beings are what are important.
“May the almighty accept the soul of Lydia and give all that she left behind blessings and glory, so we say, may her soul rest in peace.”
News
UK Police Quiz Six After Fatal Synagogue Attack

Six people arrested on suspicion of “terrorism”-linked offences after a fatal car-ramming and knife attack on a UK synagogue remained in police custody on Saturday, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged people not to take part in pro-Palestinian protests.
Two people were killed and three others seriously wounded in Thursday’s attack in northwestern Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
Police shot dead the assailant, Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old UK citizen of Syrian descent, within minutes of the alarm being raised.
Three men and three women are in custody.
The attack has heightened fear among Britain’s Jewish community.
Police said they were patrolling places of worship across the city “with a particular focus on providing a high-visibility presence within our Jewish communities”.
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The attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in north Manchester was one of the worst antisemitic incidents in Europe since the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel led by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive on the Gaza Strip has killed at least 66,288 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in the occupied territory that the United Nations considers reliable.
The Gaza conflict has inflamed passions in Britain, with frequent pro-Palestinian rallies in cities that some critics allege have stoked antisemitism.
A “global movement for Gaza UK” protest went ahead in London late on Thursday, with police making 40 arrests.
London’s Metropolitan Police asked organisers delay another planned demonstration backing the banned Palestine Action group later on Saturday.
However, organisers Defend Our Juries rejected the calls.
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A spokesman said the group “stood in solidarity” with the Jewish community over the attack.
– Accidental shooting –
Starmer urged protesters not to join the pro-Palestinian rally.
“I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews. This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain,” he said on X.
During the attack, Shamie was seen “with a big knife, banging his knife into the glass, trying to get through”, synagogue chairman of trustees Alan Levy, who helped barricade the doors, told ITV News.
“The heroes of the congregation who saw what was happening then came to the doors because he was trying to break the doors down to get in,” he added.
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A UK police watchdog, meanwhile, said it would look at the police shooting of Shamie.
The probe would also look at the shooting of a second victim who suffered a fatal gunshot and a third person who was shot but survived.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said there was no evidence anyone other than police used firearms at the scene.
“Our independent investigation will look at the circumstances surrounding the fatal police shooting of Jihad Al-Shamie,” it said in a statement.
“A post mortem has today (Friday) concluded another man who died at the scene suffered a fatal gunshot wound.”
IOPC investigations are standard practice in situations where the use of force by police may have resulted in the death of a member of the public.
News
Edo Inaugurates Committee On Drug Abuse, Healthy Living

Edo State Government has inaugurated Drug Control Committee for the state and local governments, aimed at curbing the menace of drug abuse in the state.
Inaugurating the committee, Governor Monday Okpehbolo said the committee was not only saddled with the responsibility of curbing the menace of illicit substances, but to promote healthier living across communities in the state.
Represented by his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Okpebholo described the initiative as “a vital step in our unwavering commitment to stopping the menace of drug trafficking and substance use among youths.”
The governor, who bemoaned the rising tide of drug dependency and its impact on society, pointed out that the committee’s creation aligns with the national drug master plan and represents a bold stride toward protecting Edo future generations.
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On his part, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, represented by ACGN, Fidelis Cocodia, Zonal Commander, Zone 13, emphasised grassroots interventions, awareness campaigns, and support systems as the backbone of the fight against drug abuse.
Edo State commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju disclosed that while national drug use prevalence stands at 14.4 percent, Edo state surpasses the average at 15 percent.
He noted that the state is one of the hardest-hit states in the country, warning that the trend has fueled crime and heightened youth vulnerability.
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The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole pledged to make Edo a model in drug control through rehabilitation, youth enlightenment, and second-chance opportunities for recovering addicts.
Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edo State, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, described drug abuse as a pandemic, noting that “you hardly see a crime without drugs being involved.”
She added that women’s empathy and influence must be harnessed in the campaign against drug abuse.
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