Nigerian Military Conducts Airstrikes On Illegal Refineries In Rivers State Communities

 

The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has said that its Operation Water Delta Safe Air strikes have destroyed illegal Refining Site (IRS) with equipment and reservoirs loaded with illegal products at Yellow Island near Bonny Island in Rivers State.

It was learnt that the air strikes also destroyed no fewer than two Cotonou boats sighted at Arugbana near Okrika in the state.

This was contained in statement signed by the Air Force Spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, on Wednesday noting that flights over Cawthorne Channel, Bille, Dariama, Okrika, Bonny Island and Idama revealed a retinue of destroyed and abandoned IRS, hitherto destroyed by the Air Component.

The statement read in part, "Air strikes against economic saboteurs and oil thieves continued unabated in South-south Nigeria as aircraft of the Nigerian Air Force under Operation Delta Safe, on 28 November 2023, destroyed 2 Cotonou boats sighted at Arugbana near Okrika in Rivers State.

"On the same day, the aircraft also destroyed an active Illegal Refining Site (IRS) with equipment and reservoirs loaded with illegal products at Yellow Island near Bonny Island in Rivers State.

"Similar strikes were also conducted on 27 November 2023 at a location Southeast of Abisse in Rivers state. At the location, an active IRS was sighted concealed with reservoirs and a storage tank suspected to contain illegally refined products.

"The reservoirs and storage tanks were then engaged and destroyed. Another location Northwest of Omama was also struck as it was observed to be containing items suspected to contain stolen crude oil in objects tied in sacks.

"Subsequent reconnaissance flights over Cawthorne Channel, Bille, Dariama, Okrika, Bonny Island and Idama revealed a retinue of destroyed and abandoned IRS, hitherto destroyed by the Air Component. These sites remain inactive, an indication that the measures being employed may be yielding the expected outcome.

"Either way, the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe will continue to carry out its assigned duties until the activities of these saboteurs are completely halted or reduced to the barest minimum," the statement added.

Source: Sahara Reporters 

Knocks as church invites Pasuma, Portable to praise night

 

A branch of the Celestial Church of Christ in Lagos State has come under fire for inviting Fuji singer, Pasuma, and street-hop artiste, Portable, to its praise night event.

The flyer for the event was posted on the church’s Facebook page on Wednesday, and netizens took to the comment section to slam the church for inviting secular artistes to its event.

A Facebook user, Bolanle Bamidele Adewuyi, wrote, “This is disheartening… Is this what you turn the Church of God to? It’s hilarious.”

Another commenter, Festus Olanrewaji Ojo wrote, “This is a shame! Shame and a very big shame.”

“This is totally nonsense,” BU KO LA commented.

Ayo Ife wrote, “The artists are not complete yet Una for kuku add Naira Marley. So that the soul winning can be complete!”

Edafe Oghenebrume said, “This is a sacrilege in the Celestial Church of Christ. It is disheartening, pathetic, shameful and disgraceful. I wonder about the spiritual orientation of your Shepherd-In-Charge and the congregation.”

Becky Wunmi Hassan Ayoade added, “There is nothing they will not turn celestial church to.”

However, some netizens noted that they would be present for the event.

Abike Ade said, “I will surely be there.”

Another Facebook user, Abike Garment, wrote, “I must be there make I come dance away my sorrow.”

Source: Punch Newspapers 

Old, new naira notes remain legal tender till further notice — Supreme Court

 

The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, ruled that the old Naira denominations of N200, N500 and N1,000 notes continue to co-exist with the new notes till further notice.

The court maintained that the old and new notes should remain as legal tender beyond December 31 until the Federal Government puts a process in place for their replacement or redesign after due consultation with relevant stakeholders.

The apex court had, on March 3, restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria from giving effect to the deadline on the use of old notes.

However, the CBN, on November 14, extended the validity of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes indefinitely.

The PUNCH reports that the CBN introduced the redesigned  N200, N500 and N1.000 denominations in October 2022 and certain deadlines were set for the old design of these denominations to cease as legal tenders.

Meanwhile, the CBN, on Wednesday, directed all its branches to continue to issue and accept all denominations of Nigerian banknotes, old and re-designed, to and from deposit money banks.

The directive is contained in a statement signed by the apex bank’s acting Director, Corporate Communications, Sidi Hakama.

She stated, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Supreme Court ordered that the old versions of the N200, N500 and N1,000 shall continue to be legal tender, alongside the re-designed versions.

“Accordingly, in line with Section 20(5) of the CBN Act 2007, all banknotes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), will continue to remain legal tender, indefinitely.

“Members of the public are enjoined to continue to accept all Naira banknotes (old or redesigned) for their day-to-day transactions and handle these banknotes with the utmost care, to safeguard and protect the lifecycle of the banknotes

“The CBN further urged Nigerians to embrace alternative modes of payment, e-channels in order to reduce pressure on the use of physical cash.”

Niger PDP : We are Not Moved By the Defection of Ibeto, Others to APC

 

The Niger State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met for the first time in Minna  on Thursday  after the 2023 general elections where it resolved that the defection of the former Deputy Governor of the state Alhaji Ahmed Musa Ibeto and a former House of Representatives member Ibrahim Ebbo to the APC “is a non issue.”

Chairman of the party, Mr Tanko Beji, in a statement described the defectors  “political nomads” who have no electoral value.

Beji, who spoke to newsmen after the meeting that lasted over  three  hours, said the former PDP big wigs have no bus stop as they have moved several times from the PDP to the APC and vice versa adding that “people no longer want to remain in the same party with them.”

According to him, immediately Ibeto left for the APC not less than 10 members of the APC defected to the PDP from his (Ibeto)Magama Local Government Area, adding that they will be unveiled soon he said.

“ We lost three , but more than 10 came in because some people have vowed that, they can’t stay in the same party  with him even at Magama where he hails from, that is the beauty of party politics,” Beji said.

He said the meeting x-rayed  the performance of the party in the election and gave itself a pass mark for winning six  House of Assembly and four National Assembly including a senatorial seats despite being in the opposition since 2019.

“We had a good outing bearing  in mind that we had  a disastrous outing in the 2019 election”

Beji disclosed that an expanded State Working Committee meeting of the party made up of three members out of which one must be a woman from each of the 25 local government areas of the state has been fixed for next Thursday.

The meeting he said will review the party’s activities plan for the future and also examine the various court cases that involved the party after the general election.

He said the meeting will also review some committees report and look at some white papers of reports already submitted to the State Executive and plan reception for those that recently joined the party.

Source: This Day

Police arrest politician, others over N607m scam

 

Nigeria police authorities have disclosed that a major breakthrough has been recorded in the cybercrime perpetrated against Patricia Technologies to the tune of N607 million, following the arrest of one Wilfred Bonse and three other suspects.

The case revolves around criminal conspiracy, unauthorised computer, network data modification, and the illicit diversion of over N200 million.
Patricia Technologies had earlier petitioned the Inspector General of Police to report the alleged breach of its crypto-currency trading platform, Patricia in 2022.

The incident resulted in loss of funds belonging to depositors and led to the suspension of the platform to curtail further compromise of depositors’ funds.

According to the Nigeria Police PRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, during a briefing in Abuja on Friday, the ensuing investigation revealed a far-reaching criminal conspiracy involving the unauthorised modification of computer systems, network data, and the unlawful diversion of funds totaling over N607 million belonging to the petitioner.

Source: Nigeria Guardian

METROCouple whose wedding was cancelled over pregnancy weds in another church

 

Friends and family members of a man whose wedding was cancelled in Aba, Abia State by his church, have praised his courage for going ahead with the wedding, in another church.

The man, Mr Israel Kennedy, was to wed his wife, former Miss Rose, in an Assemblies of God Church at 158 Ikot Ekpene road in Aba, but the wedding was cancelled because the wife-to-be was discovered to be pregnant, by the church, a few hours to the wedding.

This made the board of the church to cancel the wedding in accordance with the laws establishing the church which totally forbids pregnancy before marriage.

Friends and family members of a man whose wedding was cancelled in Aba, Abia State by his church, have praised his courage for going ahead with the wedding, in another church.

The man, Mr Israel Kennedy, was to wed his wife, former Miss Rose, in an Assemblies of God Church at 158 Ikot Ekpene road in Aba, but the wedding was cancelled because the wife-to-be was discovered to be pregnant, by the church, a few hours to the wedding.

This made the board of the church to cancel the wedding in accordance with the laws establishing the church which totally forbids pregnancy before marriage.

Israel Kennedy and his lover were also suspended and fined by the church for defaulting in the church’s law.

The cancellation left the couple and their guests disappointed as they had already spent a huge amount of money to prepare for the wedding and reception.

But supported by his friends, family members and his in-laws, Mr Kennedy and his wife got a new church in the Enyimba city where they were joined together as husband and wife.

The new church (name withheld) agreed to wed the man and his wife based on its own constitution.

The church weds such couples once the traditional marriage rites have been completely performed.

According to a friend of the couple, Uche Simeon, “the man and his wife are now happy that they have become husband and wife.

“The embarrassment of last Sunday has been wiped away and they are not even bothered about any more sanctions from their original church.”

Controversy trails demolition of structures in Lagos

 

Controversy has continued to trail the demolition of illegal structures in Lagos State.

There has been outcry by affected residents as the government undertakes what it called a move to restore sanity.

The Lagos State government had pointed out that the affected structures were being demolished because they contravened the state’s laws.

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources in the state, Tokunbo Wahab, had said more properties would be pulled down for contravening the drainage law.

Transparency in the demolition of properties

Structures in areas like Lekki, Alaba Market, Ajao Estate, Abule Egba, Ladipo Market, among others have been pulled down.

Some affected residents in video clips online had accused the Lagos State government of not giving them enough time before pulling down the structures.

In a clip, an affected resident, who claimed to have paid N1.7 million for a property located in Mainland, Lagos State, said authorities only gave them two hours to move out of the property before demolition.

But, the state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the government would not be selective in applying the law in the ongoing series of demolition of illegal structures at Lekki Phase II and environs.

Wahab assured that the state government was committed to ensuring that justice and fairness were served to all equally.

He also insisted that an ultimatum was issued to owners of structures who violated the state’s laws.

According to him, a seven-day contravention notice is issued to owners of buildings “lying within the seven metres drainage setback on Orchid Rd, Agungi, Ajiran, Conservation Road, Osapa, Oral Estate II, all along the Ikota River” due to drainage problems.

On the demolition in Alaba International Market, the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, General Manager, Gbolahan Oki, said the affected buildings had been marked for demolition since 2016.

“The marked inscriptions from LASBCA seen on different parts of the buildings that were looking physically distressed had vacation notices as far back as 2016, 2020, 2022, and several others issued to this year, 2023,” Oki said.

The government has also challenged the claimants to come up with any document showing that their structures received requisite approvals before they embarked on construction.

But commenting on the development, the Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, pro-Biafra agitator, Aloy Ejimakor, insisted that the Lagos State government is not transparent in its demolition exercise.

Ejimakor alleged that the demolition was unconstitutional and violated the Land Use Act.

Speaking with DAILY POST, Ejimakor said: “Lagos State government is neither transparent nor even-handed in the demolition exercise. The demolition is also potentially unconstitutional because of its disparate impact on Igbo property owners.

“And it is a gross violation of the Land Use Act in each case that it affects those with valid title documents, especially statutory Certificates of Occupancy issued by the State government.”

There have also been claims that the demolition was targeted against the Igbo residing in Lagos.

Ejimakor stressed that the demolition was notoriously discriminatory and unjust against the Igbos.

He said: “The relentless demolition in Lagos is so notoriously discriminatory & unjust, such that it will surely trouble Lagos State with countless scorched-earth litigations.

“For now, it has done so much to add to the systemic injustices that make it very tough for Ndigbo to be Nigerians.”

Corroborating Ejimakor’s claim, a former Super Eagles player, Emmanuel Emenike, accused the Lagos State government of being against the Igbos.

Frowning at the demolition in the state, Emenike said: “The sadness is too much after getting approval from the same Lagos State Government. This is pure wickedness. Igbos are in trouble.”

Agitations for Igbos to relocate their businesses to Southeast

Meanwhile, apex Igbo group, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged the Igbo to relocate their businesses to the Southeast.

Factional Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro told DAILY POST that: “Since there are no more lands in Lagos State, they should relocate their business headquarters to the Southeast.

“When you have your headquarters at home, and demolition hits your branch, it won’t affect your business much; it won’t destroy you.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo encourages Igbos to seize this moment as an opportunity to reassess their investments and consider relocating them to the Eastern region.”

However, Ejimakor said the call for Igbos to relocate their businesses back to the Southeast is a double-edged sword.

He said the call was a plot by some irredentists to run Igbos out of Lagos and also validated the quest for Biafra.

“The clamour for Ndigbo to relocate their businesses to Southeast is a double-edged sword.

“On the one hand, it will fulfil the dark desires of the irredentists that desire to run Ndigbo out of Lagos or otherwise traduce them in Nigeria.

“On the other hand, it will be an affirmative signal to Ndigbo that they are not wanted in Nigeria, which further validates the quest for Biafra,” he said.

Source: Daily Post

NEWSDiezani Madueke excelled in corruption, set records nobody has broken – Danjuma

 

Former Chief of Army Staff, Theophilus Danjuma, has alleged that ex-Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke excelled in corruption.

Danjuma said Alison-Madueke was the only Nigerian woman he knew that excelled in corruption.

He spoke while inaugurating the Goodwill Medical Centre (GMC) at Umuchigbo, Iji Nike in Enugu East Local Government Area, on Tuesday.

According to the former Army Chief, Diezani set a record that was yet to be beaten by anybody.

He said, “I used to say that if you want anything properly done and delivered on time without any excuses, give the job to a woman, until we had a female minister of petroleum.

“That woman excelled in corruption. She set a record that is yet to be beaten by anybody.

“So, I was in the process of reviewing my statement when I met one lady, Prof. Uche Amazigo. Uche and I have come a very long way.

“My first encounter with Uche was around mid-October 2010 when she was accompanied by Mrs. Franca Ilamiji, another Igbo woman.”

Automation of passport application 99% done, to go live next week – Minister

 The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said automation of passport applications is 99% complete and expected to go live next week.

Tunji-Ojo disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday.

He said, “Automation of passport applications is 99 percent done. We’ve done the testing, and we should be going live in the next week or thereabouts.

“That will ensure that all Nigeria need to do in an immigration centre—a passport centre—is just biometrics, just to take your fingerprints. All other things are going to be in the comfort of your home, including uploading your passport picture and your supporting documents, just like your visa,” he added. 

Recall that the minister had vowed that reforms were underway to simplify the passport application process, with the possibility of Nigerians being able to begin submitting online applications as early as December.

Tunji-Ojo had said one of the reforms the ministry was implementing in passport management is to put an end to the “chaotic” passport application process.

His words: “For me personally, I have said this to service providers; I said it today, I said it yesterday, and I have always told them, ‘You need to make life easy for people. We cannot, as a government and as a service, make things more difficult than they ought to be,’” he said.

“Part of the reforms that we are putting in place now, starting from December, is that even when you want to enrol for your passport, you fill your forms online, you do your payments online, and everything.”

The minister assured that the ministry would employ all avenues to reduce Nigerians’ frustration in the application process.

According to him, only a biometric capture needs to be done in person, explaining that all necessary details can be submitted via a Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) portal.

“You do not need to go to the passport office to have your picture captured. People apply for American visas, people apply for UK visas, and people apply all over the world. Your passport with the required specifications as directed by the NIS will be uploaded on the platform.

“You upload your passport online, you upload your supporting documents online, so when you go to the immigration office, you spend just like five minutes just to have your biometric captured; that’s all,” he said.

Tunji-Ojo stressed that the days of drawn-out enrolment procedures are long gone and unacceptable, adding that it is Nigerians’ right to experience a smooth procedure.

“The era of people sacrificing a whole day just because they want to go to a passport office for enrolment is over; it is unacceptable. You cannot inconvenience people based on their rights; it is the right of the people to have a seamless experience,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister announced that 204,322 international passports are now ready for collection out of the backlog of over 300,000 he met upon assumption of office.

He also disclosed that only 99,901 had been collected out of the amount ready for collection.

Source: Vanguard

Man stabs guard to death during argument in Lagos

 

A 25-year-old security guard, identified simply as Solomon, has lost his life after being stabbed to death at Langbasa in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident occurred on Sunday evening.

It was gathered that the deceased left his duty post and stepped out to discuss with some friends on the street where he lived.

The discussion had barely lasted close to an hour when an argument broke out between him and one 20-year-old Muhammed.

The argument later degenerated into a fight between the two. Agitated by the development, Muhammed was said to have left the spot, headed for a sharp object and returned to stab Solomon in the chest.

A resident in the area who craved anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the incident said the attack on Solomon left him bleeding.

He said, “Solomon and Muhammed were both friends. While Solomon was a security guard, Muhammed is an errand boy living in the next compound where Solomon carried out his duty. We were told that the discussion was not the first of its kind. They often discussed and argued and later resolved the matter within themselves. But the moment they started to argue that evening, it appeared usual and no one knew it would get to that level.

“When Muhammed went to pick up the sharp object, Solomon did not take him seriously until he moved closer and stabbed him in the chest. Solomon fell immediately and started bleeding. The moment some of the friends present at the spot saw what happened, they took to their heels.”

The resident further disclosed that the late Solomon after bleeding for a while on the spot later became unconscious. He added that he was later rushed to the hospital.

He said, “It took a while before Solomon was taken to the hospital because most of them had run away, including Muhammed who stabbed him. It took the intervention of some Good Samaritans who rushed to the scene and alerted Solomon’s employer before he was rushed to the hospital. On getting there, the doctors attended to him and later confirmed him Dead on Arrival.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.

He said, “Yes, it happened. The suspect has been arrested and taken into custody. The corpse has been deposited in the hospital mortuary while an investigation is ongoing.”

Japa: Five LUTH wards shut, beds empty, say Reps

 

The House of Representatives Committee on Health has revealed that not less than five wards with about 150 beds, have been closed down at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba due to a shortage of health workers.

The chairman of the committee, Dr. Amos Magaji explained that the five wards had to be shut because there were no health workers to operate them despite the large number of patients received at the institutions on a daily basis.

While lamenting that the institution was under threat as a result of brain drain, the health committee chairman stated that many health workers in LUTH, especially nurses and doctors, had left the teaching hospital in search of greener pastures.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after an oversight visit to the teaching hospital, Magaji noted that the alarming rate of migration of health workers was becoming a national embarrassment to the country.

He, however, said that steps were being taken to halt the massive exodus of health professionals abroad.

“We saw significant problems here. Right now, there are about five wards in LUTH, totalling about 150 beds that have been shut down because there are no nurses and doctors to work in those wards. And these are a result of the ‘japa’ syndrome we are having.

“As a committee, we will work together with the Federal Government and also with the teaching hospital to find a way out of these national embarrassments that have befallen this country.

“It’s not something that can be fixed in one day, but nevertheless, we are going to be approaching it piecemeal. We are going to do what we can do immediately and what we can do long-term approach to it.

“So, by the grace of God, some of the issues of the ‘japa’, we are actually looking at how to solve this problem, starting even from the enrolment in universities, and then how house officers are employed, and then of course, the residency programme.”

While admitting that many health professionals in the country work under stringent conditions, the health committee chairman further stressed, “We will also look at issues of funding. We are also looking at issues of infrastructure, because the truth is that, many health workers in Nigeria are working under stringent conditions.

“They have sacrificed so much for Nigerians to be healthy, for us to get proper health care. Our hands are on deck, and then that was the reason why if you were here earlier, you discovered that some of the key questions and some of the key things we attended here were things that have to do with delivering affordable and accessible health care to Nigerians.”

In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, urged corporate individuals and Nigerians to partner with the institution in delivering quality health care to the people.

The CMD noted that the hospital would continue to strive for public-private partnerships in cancer management, radio diagnosis, lab services, several ophthalmology services, and several dental services.

He maintained that partnership with the other stakeholders would go a long way in solving some of the major challenges the health sector was being faced with.

Source: Punch Newspapers

A’Court Affirms Fubara’s Victory As Rivers Gov, Dismisses Cole, Ekwu, Itubo, Briggs’ Suit

 

The State and National Assembly Appeal Court sitting in Lagos has affirmed the election of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State in the March 18 governorship election.

The Appeal Court, in a unanimous decision, dismissed four separate appeals filed by Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Beatrice Itubo of Labour Party (LP), Innocent Ekwu of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), and Lulu Briggs Dumo of Accord Party respectively.

Justice Olabode Adegbehingbe, in his lead judgment, held that all the appellants failed to prove the allegation of non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

The court however faulted the tribunal for dismissing Cole’s appeal on the ground that APC that sponsored him had withdrawn its petition against Governor Fubara’s victory.

The court held that the fact that APC withdrew its petition against Fubara’s victory does not prevent its candidate, Cole, from pursuing his appeal.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared PDP’s Fubara as the winner of the March 18 governorship election.

Fubara polled 302,614 votes to defeat his closet rival, Cole of the APC, who scored 95,274 votes, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Senator Magnus Abe, and Itubo came a distant third and fourth with 46,981 and 22,224 votes respectively.

Not satisfied with the declaration of Fubara as the winner of the election, the LP, APC and Ekwu filed petitions before the tribunal challenging the result.

In its judgment, the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal  dismissed the petition of Cole of the APC partly on the ground that the APC that sponsored him (Cole) had withdrawn the petition against Fubara’s victory.

The tribunal equally dismissed the petitions filed by the governorship candidate of the LP in Rivers State, Beatrice Itubo and that of Innocent Ekwu and the APM for lacking in merit.

It held that Ekwu lacked the locus standi to institute the petition as he didn’t contest the Rivers State governorship election.

Dissatisfied, the appellants approached the Appeal Court and urged the court to set aside the judgment of the lower tribunal and allow their appeals.

Delivering judgment on Cole’s appeal, Justice Adegbehingbe held that APC and its candidate, Cole, did not file a joint appeal, adding that a political party cannot compel its candidate to file an appeal neither could a candidate compel a political party to do the same.

He held that the tribunal was in error when it dismissed Cole’s petition on the ground that APC that sponsored him had withdrawn its petition against Fubara’s victory, adding that the decision of the tribunal was perverse and a miscarriage of justice.

However, Justice Adegbehingbe resolved the remaining issues two, three, four and five against the appellant and held that the lower tribunal was right when it dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.

On the admission of some documents by the lower tribunal, the court held that the APC candidate did not demonstrate to the court what he suffered and how the wrongful admission of some documents affected the decision of the lower tribunal.

Consequently, the court held that the appeal lacked merit and dismissed it accordingly.

The court also dismissed the appeals filed by LP’s candidate, Itubo, that of Ekwu of the APM and that of Lulu Briggs Dumo of Accord Party for lacking in merit.

The court held that the allegations of substantial non-compliance with the electoral law in the conduct of the elections were not sufficiently proven by the appellants in their case.

Conclusively, the appellate court upheld the judgment of the lower tribunal and affirmed the election of Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the March 18 governorship election.

Bago urges NYSC members to become job creators

 

Niger state governor, Mohammed Umar Bago has charged members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) to become employers of labour before the end of their service year.

According to the governor, learning skills would make the corps members self-reliant and self-sufficient, urging them to make themselves available for the skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development training given to corps members during orientation.

He said: “Participate actively in all camp activities, especially the NYSC skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development training. We all know that learning a skill is beneficial to individuals and also society in the long run. As Corps members, you have automatically before agents of change and it is my ardent hope that you will lift the country to enviable heights.”

The governor stated that the NYSC has proven to be one of the instruments to address the increase in moral decadence in the country.

In her address, the Niger state NYSC coordinator, Mrs Olayinka Alidat, also encouraged the corps members to avail themselves of the golden opportunity to choose from any skill areas in the camp which is available to them for free.

Source: The Nation

Godwin Emefiele to remain in prison over failure to meet N300m bail

 

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele will remain in prison after failing to meet the hefty N300 million bails set by the court.

Despite attempts by his legal team, the former CBN governor, who was recently arrested for allegedly breaking Nigerian procurement laws, has not been released. 

Emefiele’s extraordinarily strict bail requirements has proven to be a significant barrier to his release.

The decision to keep Emefiele incarcerated has sparked debate on the justice system’s impartiality as well as the seriousness of the accusations brought against him. 

Emefiele’s supporters contend that the bail sum is excessive and could be an attempt to weaken his financial standing.

However, others opposed to Emefiele contend that the charges are severe enough to warrant punitive legal measures. 

The severity of the charges against the Emefiele is demonstrated by the court’s decision to uphold the high bond requirement.

Legal experts anticipate that Emefiele’s legal team will intensify their efforts to secure a more reasonable bail amount, citing the potential negative consequences of his prolonged incarceration on the nation’s economic well-being.

Source: The Nation

Kano verdict: Compromised judiciary dangerous – Bode George

 

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, has condemned the decision of judges upturning the election victory of politicians.

George was reacting to the controversy surrounding the Appeal Court verdict in Kano State.

Recall that the appellate court had nullified the election of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, while declaring Gawuna winner of the governorship election in the state.

But confusion broke out when the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the judgement showed that the Appeal Court affirmed Yusuf as Kano governor.

However, the Appeal Court had attributed the discrepancy to clerical error.

Reacting, George said it was worrisome that Nigerians no longer trust the judiciary.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos on Monday, the PDP chieftain said: “This system is worrisome because if the people don’t believe in the third arm of government anymore, anarchy looms.

“Obviously, the unholy alliances between some politicians and judges are dangerous to our democracy. Millions of people will come out on the day of the election, queue, collect ballot papers, and cast their votes for their preferred candidates, results will be announced, and everybody will jubilate only for three, five, or seven judges to upturn the popular will of the people.

“The best the judiciary must do in political cases is to adjudicate, and where there are discrepancies, order a rerun without giving victory to party A or B.

“It is wrong to remove the power of the electorate to elect political leaders and for the judiciary to tell us who the winners are. This is not good for Nigeria. This is not good for our electoral system. A compromised judiciary is dangerous.”

Daily Post