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Edo Senator Trains, Empwers Over 200 Constituents, Protest Greets Venue

Published

4 years ago

November 29, 2021

Editor

In a bid to empowering his constituents and making them self-reliance, member representing Edo South Senatorial District at the Red Chamber, Abuja, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, on Monday organised training for over two hundred graduates and unemployed in the constituency.

The training was sponsored by Cross River Basin Development Authority and facilitated by the Senator.

But venue of the training was, however, greeted with protest by some constituents who complained of being schemed out of the training.

Some of the constituents who were locked out of the venue told INFO DAILY that they had the invite for the training and arrived there but unfortunately they were told their names were not in the list.

A woman who was among the people locked out and was complaining but pleaded anonymity when INFO DAILY asked her what really happened, said “As you can see, we are not allowed in. They told us our names could not be found in the list with them so they did not allow us. I received SMS that I should come for the training but unfortunately I am not allowed.”

Another male who came for the training but would not want his name in print laments, “This is my second time of trying to benefit from the training but unfortunately I am being denied again. They said there is another one coming up two weeks from now, but how sure I am that I am going to be allowed. I have the SMS on my phone that I should come for the training, but now they are saying something else.”

However, responding to question on why some persons are denied access to venue of the training, legislative aide to Senator Matthew Urhoghide, Pet Eghobamien, said the experience over time is that some persons invited via SMS from their office do forward such SMS to their friends disguising as if they were invited originally.

He said, “Experience over time is that when we invite people to come for training like this via SMS, they do forward such SMS to their friends to attend too. But when they come, we do discover that the SMS was not from us but forwarded by someone else.”

Starter pack for those that would be trained on hair making and barbing

He continues, “But immediately I finish talking to you, I am going out to meet them. We are going to sort that out. What we will do is, those we invited but are not here, we are going to replace them with some of the persons outside. Everything would be sorted out,” he assured.

Speaking further on the training, the Legislative Aide to the Senator said the training is a regular one organised by the Senator, adding that a total of 220 persons were penned down to benefit from the training.

Eghobamien, who said over 7,000 persons had so far benefited from the training since it inception, noted that, for this particular training, 200 persons would be trained on fabrication with N50,000 take home while the 22 persons to be trained on hair making would be given all the equipment needed to start a hair making shop.

He said, “As of today, we have trained 7,000 people. He doesn’t just train them, he empowers them. He does it yearly and there is another one coming before Christmas which will close the year and then we will resume the following year. He has promised and he is fulfilling.

“There are different classes. For the metal works, we have 200 persons to be trained. For barbing and hair making, and fashion, we have 22 persons. For those that will be trained on metal works and local fabrication, they will go home with N50,000.

“We are not giving the other ones money but we have given them full complement of what they need to start their businesses. For barbers, we gave them everything, including generator sets to start. All they need is get a shop and start the business.”

INFO DAILY reports that they were trained on metal works and hair making with a starter pack for those in hair making for those on hair making.

Related Topics:Matthew Urhoghide Protest

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Aircraft Crashes In Owerri With Four Persons Onboard

Published

2 days ago

December 17, 2025

Editor

Photo: File copy

A Cessna 172 aircraft with registration number 5N-ASR, operated by Skypower Express, has crashed at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.

The aircraft had departed Kaduna International Airport en route to Port Harcourt International Airport before diverting to Owerri after the crew declared an emergency.

The crash occurred at about 8:00 pm on the airport premises, with four passengers and crew members onboard.

Confirming the incident, the Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, said the agency had been notified of the crash.

According to the NSIB, the aircraft crashed on the approach area of Runway 17, but no fatalities have been recorded so far.

The statement said: “Following the occurrence, airport emergency services were successfully activated and arrived on site promptly. Reports indicate that there was no post-crash fire, and the runway remains active for flight operations, with other aircraft taking off safely after the incident.

“Efforts are currently underway to coordinate the recovery and evacuation of the distressed aircraft from the crash site to allow for a detailed wreckage examination.”

The NSIB said it has officially activated its investigation protocols in line with its statutory mandate

The Director-General of NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., sympathised with the management of Skypower Express over the incident and expressed relief that no lives were lost.

Badeh Jr. added that the Bureau’s investigation team is already coordinating with relevant authorities to secure the crash site and commence a detailed investigation into the cause of the accident.

Two days ago, 11 persons narrowly escaped death as a private jet crash-landed at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Sunday morning.

The occupants, including passengers and cabin crew, were safely evacuated amid an intense atmosphere, eyewitnesses told The Guardian.

The private jet, owned by Flybird Aviation, crash-landed at about 9:30 a.m. while approaching Kano Airport en route to Abuja.

The incident attracted urgent attention, with emergency staff and other stakeholders converging at the runway to render rescue operations.

The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is yet to release an official statement on the incident. Unofficial sources disclosed that the passengers have been taken to an unknown destination.

Several aircraft incidents have occurred at Kano Airport, with several lives lost.

The last incident occurred in May 2002, when an EAS Airline aircraft departed the runway at Aminu Kano International Airport at 1:29 p.m. local time en route to Lagos.

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Musk Breaks Record As First Person Worth Over $600 Billion

Published

2 days ago

December 16, 2025

Editor

Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI, has reached a new personal wealth milestone, surpassing a net worth of $600 billion, driven primarily by a recent valuation increase of SpaceX.

The development makes Musk the first individual in history to exceed the US$600 billion threshold.

According to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, Musk’s net worth stood at approximately $638 billion as of 15 December 2025, with the increase largely attributed to SpaceX, which was recently valued at around $800 billion following an insider share sale.

The privately held aerospace company, based in Starbase, Texas, is now considered the most valuable private firm globally, significantly boosting Musk’s personal holdings.

Musk’s stake in Tesla, estimated at roughly 12 per cent, is valued at nearly $200 billion, while his majority ownership of xAI Holdings is estimated at $60 billion.

Collectively, these assets place him on track to potentially approach US$700 billion, widening the gap between him and the world’s second-richest individual, former Google CEO Larry Page, valued at $265 billion.

The SpaceX valuation comes ahead of a projected public listing in 2026, which could see the company valued at approximately $1.5 trillion.

“Other shareholder meetings are snooze-fests but ours are bangers. Look at this. This is sick,” Musk said in November during Tesla’s shareholder meeting, referring to a performance-linked pay package approved by investors.

He added, “I super appreciate it.” The package, potentially worth up to US$1 trillion in stock, is tied to market-capitalisation and operational milestones over the next decade.

SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network has also contributed to investor confidence. The company continues to expand high-speed internet access to underserved regions worldwide.

Chad Gibbs, Vice President of Starlink Operations, stated that the satellite technology “bypasses the need to build massive amounts of infrastructure,” allowing broader and faster connectivity.

Musk’s ascent in personal wealth follows years of strategic risk-taking and long-term planning, with Tesla’s focus on electric vehicles, battery technology, and autonomous systems laying the foundation for his financial growth.

Analysts note that the combination of SpaceX’s soaring valuation, Tesla’s long-term incentives, and Musk’s diverse portfolio underpins his current status as the world’s wealthiest individual.

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South Korea, Japan Protest China, Russia Aircraft Incursions

Published

1 week ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

South Korea and Japan reacted furiously on Wednesday after Chinese and Russian military aircraft conducted joint patrols around the two countries, with both Seoul and Tokyo scrambling jets.

South Korea said it had protested with representatives of China and Russia, while Japan said it had conveyed its “serious concerns” over national security.

According to Tokyo, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers on Tuesday flew from the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, then conducted a joint flight around the country.

The incident comes as Japan is locked in a dispute with China over comments Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made about Taiwan.

The bombers’ joint flights were “clearly intended as a show of force against our nation, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi wrote on X Wednesday.

Top government spokesman Minoru Kihara said that Tokyo had “conveyed to both China and Russia our serious concerns over our national security through diplomatic channels”.

Seoul said Tuesday the Russian and Chinese warplanes entered its air defence zone and that a complaint had been lodged with the defence attaches of both countries in the South Korean capital.

“Our military will continue to respond actively to the activities of neighbouring countries’ aircraft within the KADIZ in compliance with international law,” said Lee Kwang-suk, director general of the International Policy Bureau at Seoul’s defence ministry, referring to the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone.

South Korea also said it deployed “fighter jets to take tactical measures in preparation for any contingencies” in response to the Chinese and Russian incursion into the KADIZ.

The planes were spotted before they entered the air defence identification zone, defined as a broader area in which countries police aircraft for security reasons but which does not constitute their airspace.

Japan’s defence ministry also scrambled fighter jets to intercept the warplanes.

Beijing later Tuesday confirmed it had organised drills with Russia’s military according to “annual cooperation plans”.

Moscow also described it as a routine exercise, saying it lasted eight hours and that some foreign fighter jets followed the Russian and Chinese aircraft.

Since 2019, China and Russia have regularly flown military aircraft into South Korea’s air defence zone without prior notice, citing joint exercises.

In November last year, Seoul scrambled jets as five Chinese and six Russian military planes flew through its air defence zone.

Similar incidents occurred in June and December 2023, and in May and November 2022.

Meanwhile, Tokyo said Monday it had scrambled jets in response to repeated takeoff and landing exercises involving fighter jets and military helicopters from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier as it cruised in international waters near Japan.

It also summoned Beijing’s ambassador after military aircraft from the Liaoning locked radar onto Japanese jets, the latest incident in the row ignited by Takaichi’s comments backing Taiwan.

Takaichi suggested last month that Japan would intervene militarily in any Chinese attack on the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out seizing by force.

AFP