NEMA Issues Flood Alert, Says Ekiti, Ondo, Osun and 25 other States On Danger List

Mr Afolayan said 28 states and 102 local government areas in the country risked being flooded any moment from now due to the impending heavy rainfall in the country.

The National Emergency Management Agency has asked Nigerians to prepare for an imminent flood between the month of August and October this year. 

Director, Operations of NEMA in charge of Ekiti, Ondo and Osun states, Mr Olusegun Afolayan, gave the warning on Friday in Akure. 

Mr Afolayan said 28 states and 102 local government areas in the country risked being flooded any moment from now due to the impending heavy rainfall in the country. 

According to him, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had earlier in February alerted Nigerians to an impending heavy rainfall due to climate change that will lead to flooding.

He said the agency had started sensitising residents ahead of the impending danger, most especially on how to get prepared and channel their waste properly. 

He said, "And if flooding happens, it will lead to loss of lives and properties and we have to forewarn communities that may be affected.

“Those that built on the flood plains should move away in other to avoid the imminent flood disaster that is likely to happen between the month of August and October.

“Flooding is not always caused by heavy downpour alone, but when dams were opened too, it always leads to flooding.

“About 28 states and 102 local governments have been earmarked for this possible flooding."

WAEC: Students, parents, teachers and school administrators fear mass failure, demand extension

The Federal Government recently announced that students in exam classes across secondary schools in the country would resume on August 4, 2020, to prepare for their final examinations, which begins August 17.

The schools were asked to make adequate preparations in adherence to the stipulated COVID-19 protocols to safeguard staff and students.

These include fumigation of schools, provision of the clinic, mandatory temperature check, wearing of face mask by staff and students and the observance of social distancing, in addition to handwashing and use of hand sanitizers.

Although many expressed excitement at the news of schools reopening, saying it was long overdue, others expressed fear that the two weeks given was too short for students who have stayed over five months at home without any formal classroom teaching to prepare for exams.

Most state governments gave approval for resumption on August 10, leaving the students and teachers with just one week to prepare for the exams.

Students of New Era Girls Senior Secondary School, Surulere in class

However, students, teachers, parents and school managements spoke on their level of preparedness argued that the timeframe was short and expressed fear of mass failure.

A student of the Government Secondary School Karu, Felix, said he was not ready for the exams considering that he has not had enough time to read.

“When the lockdown started, I was reading and later when shops were opened, I had to go to my aunt’s shop daily. I am always tired and unable to read by the time we get back home,” he said.

Felix also noted that he couldn’t partake in any online class as he doesn’t own an Android phone.

Chairman/Chief Learning Officer of the Voyage International School Abuja, Yussuff Oriyomi, who also lamented the two weeks period for preparation, said, it was unfair as many students were engrossed in mundane things and hardly had time to read. He, however, noted that all safety protocols were in place for the exit clauses.

Meanwhile, most of the government-owned secondary schools did not adhere to the safety protocols. At the Junior Secondary School Phase 3 Kubwa, a source said the school only started enforcing the wearing face masks on Wednesday and on Thursday a bucket of water and soap was provided at the gate, the temperature reading only started on Friday. Teachers there, however, refused to speak on the issue because they were not authorized to do so.

As at Thursday morning, a parent in Wuse Abuja also told Daily Trust Saturday that at a government-owned secondary school which shares a fence with her compound, there were no safety measures in place.

In Anambra, there is low compliance

In the Anambra State, it was observed that most of the schools did not have an infrared thermometer and nobody was testing for the temperature at the gate.

However, most of the schools had provision for washing of hands, although it was not fully observed.

A student, Chinelo Obiora, while speaking to our correspondent, said most of them weren’t expecting good grades considering the long stay at home without lessons. She noted that for those of them in boarding school, the adherence to social distancing wouldn’t be a problem since they were few in number.

No PPE in some Osun schools, disability school to miss WAEC

Our correspondent in Osun, who monitored the resumption of schools, visited some schools in Osogbo and gathered that WAEC exams would not take place in the school for the disabled.

It was gathered that 40 students were qualified for the exam but only 20 paid and the minimum number of candidates that WAEC can register for a school is 25.

A teacher said: “Many of our brilliant students could not register for WAEC because their parents didn’t get the money due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some brought their money late.”

In some of the boarding schools, the hostels have been fumigated but students were not sighted there.

A government official, who said they were not authorized to speak to the press, said they may not use boarding facilities as students will be coming for the exam from home daily.

In the schools visited, PPEs were not provided by schools, but the students and teachers used face masks.

Fear of mass failure in Katsina, Kano

Though students are yet to resume, their resumption is, however, viewed with mixed feelings by parents, teachers and students as well.

A teacher who pleaded anonymity noted that just a week to prepare final year students is greatly inadequate, saying that the teachers can only do their best within the limited time.

He said although the circular for reopening was out the PPEs were not available yet.

A parent, Bashir Muhammed, said rushing to open schools just for WAEC exam is not good, adding that “since NECO is another option for admission, we can use it to plan appropriately because rushing the students is a massive failure waiting to happen.”

Our reporter gathered that an emergency meeting by education ministry officials was ongoing at the time of filing this report on strategies regarding the provision of PPEs and other guidelines by the government.

Fumigation of schools was ongoing when our correspondent visited some schools on Friday and provisions had been made for emergency isolation facilities in the schools.

The Examination Officer at GGSS Shekara, Malam Bala Ali, said because of the timeframe, they would only identify key areas that would most likely come out in the exams for revision.

A parent and academician, Dr Rukayya Yusuf Aliyu, was however pessimistic about the fate of the students in the examination due to the short time frame for adequate preparation.

She said the students had been home for too long and were supposed to be given adequate time to prepare for the exams, adding that the short time given by the government for resumption is an invitation for exam malpractices.

Aisha Abubakar, an SS3 student, though happy at the news of resumption for exit classes, fears that there could be a mass failure in the exams.

“My greatest fear now is having spent months at home due to COVID-19, many students, including me, must have forgotten what we were taught in school. I just don’t know how we will cope,” said Aisha.

For Sadiq Hassan, the story is not different as he has already written his JAMB UTME exam and acquired the minimum cut off marks, but waiting to write WAEC.

He said, “To be sincere, I have not been studying all this while. I just pray not to be disappointed by this SSCE because that will translate to an additional one year at home.”

Niger, Rivers students want exam date shifted

Schools in Niger State, according to the State Ministry of education, will resume on Monday.

A principal with the Special Trophy International School Maikunkele, Mr John Samuel, said the school is prepared and ready for resumption but sceptical about the examination.

He said their students are very much prepared for resumption but complained that they may not be able to cope with the examination because of the short time to prepare for it.

Samuel, who noted that all safety protocol requirements were in place, said some of the students have been asking that WAEC should shift the examination for a few more weeks to enable them to prepare well.

A student, Issah Isaac, lamented that the short time left to prepare for the examination that is just a few days away, saying, they needed at least a month to prepare for the examination.

In Rivers State, some students and parents who were happy that schools have resumed urged government to extend the exam period to enable them to prepare well for the exams.

A parent in Oyigbo, Mrs Josephine Chukwu, said the time frame for the exam period is too short for students to prepare for the exam and called for more time.

However, Praise Tochi Oforji, SSS 3 student of Glory Field Academy Oyigbo, said she had been studying since the lockdown and is eager to write the exam.

She said though the time frame given by government may not be enough to cover the syllabus but pointed out that most students like her are willing and very anxious to write their final exams.

Principals of public schools in Taraba said they are ready for the WAEC examination, however, a visit to some schools in Jalingo showed that many of them had nothing in place. Many public schools have no thermometer, water, soap and hand sanitiser.

Principals of some of these public schools who spoke with our reporter on condition of anonymity said they were expecting face masks, hand sanitizers among other items from the state ministry of education.

No directive to open schools in Imo

In Imo, only a few schools, especially faith-based institutions, opened their doors to graduating students as ordered by the Federal Government.

The state government had announced that no school should reopen until it says so.

The principal of the junior section of Owerri Girls Secondary School, Sister Claire Marie, told our correspondent that the school has to abide by the state government’s directive on the resumption of schools.

An SSS3 student, Miss Anne Benedict, said she was happy to be back to school and complete her secondary education as she was bored at home.

According to her, aside from paying boarding fee of N30, 000, they had earlier paid their second and third term school fees.

In most of the schools visited, clear guidelines on the COVID-19 protocols were in place at the gates while some were fumigating the schools in anticipation of the resumption of academic activities.

Kwara students worry over time

A teacher at the Government Girls College Ilorin, Abidoye Joseph, said: “We have put in place all necessary safety protocols to protect students and teachers from the pandemic. For the exams, I can tell you that we are fully prepared and ready.”

One of the candidates at the C&S College Sabo-Oke in Ilorin, Toyin Aboyade, said: “The time we have to prepare for the exam is short. We have stayed at home for about five months. We need time to get prepared for the exam, but unfortunately, it’s not so. Well, with the arrangement put in place by the school authority, I think we are safe.”

Enugu students can cope with online learning

In Enugu, a teacher at the Federal Government College Enugu said the students will be able to cope with their exams as many of them participated in the online class organized by the school.

Also, the principal of Idaw River Girls Secondary School, Lady Carol Omeje, said with fumigation of the school premises and provision of hand sanitizers, running water, detergent, buckets, etc., the school was ready for resumption.

A parent, Mrs Ann Nwachukwu, whose daughter is preparing to take WAEC, expressed confidence in her daughter’s readiness, saying, “She and a few of her classmates have been doing online learning.”

Bauchi students pay N700 fee before the entrance

In Bauchi, private schools have resumed and are preparing for the examination, having provided the safety requirements, while public schools will resume on Monday by which time the state ministry of education is expected to fumigate all public schools.

The state’s commissioner of education, Dr Aliyu Usman Tilde, who disclosed this on Tuesday, said the fumigation exercise which will last two days, would be carried out by the Bauchi State Environmental Sanitation Agency (BASEPA).

Meanwhile, a communiqué at the end of Education Stakeholders’ meeting for reopening of schools for existing students held last Wednesday, said all public-school students must pay the approved school fees of N700 before they are allowed to write the examination.

A student of Government Day Comprehensive Secondary School Saadu Zungur, Rukayya Yusuf, said “I am happy that the examination will hold, but I have developed a phobia for the examination. I read a lot and I attended extra classes for over three months. I pray fervently to succeed in the exams.”

In Kaduna State, State Commissioner for Education, Shehu Usman Muhammad, said schools will reopen on Monday for only SS3 students.

According to him, to make the school environment safe and conducive for academic activity, “the state government is doing everything possible to decontaminate, disinfect public schools including higher institutions, and provide handwashing facilities.

Daily Trust Saturday spoke with the State Chairman of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) Alhaji Jafaru Yusuf Ra’oji, who said their members in the state are completely ready to reopen schools.

An SS3 student of Command Secondary School, Abubakar Ahmed Musa, said: “I’m ready for the examination. My classmates and I have been taking lessons through Whatsapp in preparations for the examination.”

Lagos students 70 per cent ready

Our reporter who monitored resumption at Agidingbi Senior Grammar School, Oduduwa Senior Secondary School along Ladipo Road, Mushin and Ikosi Senior High School, among others, observed that the schools made provision for all the safety protocols.

A staff of Agidingbi Senior Grammar School said the school had since begun to use the revision timetable designed to help the students prepare for their exams.

An SS3 student at the Agidingbi Senior Grammar School, Eze Blessing, expressed happiness over school resumption, saying it will help her prepare better for her examination.

“At the moment, I am about 70 per cent prepared for the WASSCE but with the resumption, I will do better because there is power in collaboration and learning under a tutor amidst colleagues,” she said.

Another student of Ikosi Senior High school who gave her name as Favour said she was about 80 per cent ready for her exam, adding that the two-weeks revision in the school will further boost her preparation level.

In Plateau State, our correspondent visited some public and private schools to ascertain the level of readiness of students and teachers for the WAEC.

An SS3 student of TCNN Secondary School Bukuru Jos, Favour Achor, said she was ready for the examination and in high spirit because during the lockdown she was studying.

Another SS3 student of Kings Secondary School Dadin Kowa, Mirad Praise Pam, said he was ready because he has been taking lessons at home all along.

Government Model Secondary School in Pankshin Local Government Area and found the SS3 students cleaning the classes and dormitories while the teachers were in the staff room working on their lesson plan.

In Kebbi State, Nagari Science College and Government Girls Unity College in Birnin Kebbi all complied with the COVID-19 safety guidelines.

A student of Government Girls Unity College, Maryam Mohammed Lawal, said they were given face masks, provided with washing hand points and social distancing has strictly complied within both their classes and hostels.

Source: Daily Trust 

CSOs ask FG to end #RevolutionNow protests

Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore

A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has asked the federal government to initiative well-calculated and stringent measures to put a permanent end to #RevolutionNow protests in the country.

Members of the #RevolutionNow group led by the convener who is an opposition politician, Omoyele  Sowore, had launched a protest in some states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) two days ago, where many of its members were arrested by security operatives.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the convener of the Civil Society Groups for Peace, Justice and Development (CSGPJD), Comrade Yusuf Yahuza, said the activities of #RevolutionNow group were causing anarchy in the country, complicating issues for the government and derailing governance.

“How can you revolt against the government to create a government inside a sovereign government? We wish to condemn it in its entirety and call for more decisive action across the board to stem the tide and put an end to such evil.

“We wish to make Nigerians, especially the DSS, police and other security agencies including the judiciary to note that there is a challenge which needs to be nipped in the bud before it affects the whole system.

“How will individuals taken to court on the same issue disobey flagrantly the court to organise individuals and stage a protest? Is this not contempt of court proceedings? Are the individuals in question now above the law? Justice must be served decisively against such individuals to prevent a reoccurrence of such in the future,” he said

Boko Haram reintegration by FG: A good step, difficult to embrace

It’s on record that the military had in 2016 launched Operation Safe Corridor, an initiative mainly for the deradicalisation and rehabilitation of ex-Boko Haram members. It was said that the aim of the operation is to reintegrate repentant Boko Haram members into society.

Following the launch of the operation, it was gathered that many insurgents surrendered themselves to security operatives as repentant Boko Haram members seeking rehabilitation and reintegration.

It’s also obvious that many people didn’t support the idea of reintegrating the terrorists back into the community as a result of their barbaric acts.

Boko Haram means “Western education is forbidden” in Hausa.  In 2009, Boko Haram carried out spates of attacks on police stations and other government buildings in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state. Since the insurgency started in 2009, Boko Haram has killed tens of thousands and displaced 2.3 million from their homes and was at one time the world’s deadliest terror group according to the Global Terrorism Index.

The rehabilitation and reintegration process by the federal government is indeed commendable because a reintegration program will prevent insurgent(s) or incarcerated persons from committing another crime by helping that person secure a good job. It’ll also encourage other members to repent but the questions here are; can the society embrace them? Will the repentant members resist the discriminations and stigmatization that will be meted against them?

It was gathered that one of the reintegrated members recently released went back to his community with some papers believed to be government clearance paper but unfortunately, the reaction of the people of that community was, as expected. Total rejection and condemnation of the authorities who released him back into the community. This followed a video that went viral of the gruesome murder of the humanitarian aid workers that were released by Boko Haram and sadly, one of those killed was from the same area where a repentant member is expected to be reintegrated, community members, however, expressed total dissatisfaction.

While gathering people’s opinion, many suggested that “instead of the government to rehabilitate and reintegrate the insurgents, why not the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who were affected by the activities of the terrorist?” While other observers maintain  that “Those who kill by the sword need to be given the same treatment.” They posited that it was a terrible idea in the first place because it’s not a good initiative because of its baseless and unfounded foundation. This is because hundreds of IDPs with cognate experience need re-training and skilful orientations, which at a turn will be beneficial to the society and to the government at large.

Never will a killer, rapist, and abductor who has left terrible memories be welcomed back into society. Anyone who is sentimental on this issue is far from the truth. Imagine you had your children murdered, your wife raped and killed. The culprits are arrested and the government tells you he is now repentant, while you are still at an IDP camp, your family disorganised, struggling for food and the government then feeds, clothes and educates the culprits and also give him money to start a business to come and be your neighbour”.

Though, it’s obvious that whoever repents means he/she feel or express sincere regret or remorse about wrongdoing or sin committed and that is why it’s good for the society to embrace all and sundry by forgiving and forgetting what they have done in order to ensure lasting peace in the country.

Why I have my eyes on NETFLIX – Sheshe the CEO of Sheshe Movies and J.S Inuwa investment.

Mustapha Ahmad, popularly known in Kannywood as Alhaji Sheshe, is the CEO of Sheshe Movies and J.S Inuwa investment.

He has produced more than 15 movies including ‘Ta Faru Ta Kare’, ‘Matata Ce Sheda’, ‘Kazamin Shiri’, ‘Taqaddama’, ‘Sarauniya’, ‘Rumana’, ‘Danbala’, and ‘Hikima’. In this interview, he talks about why he has his eyes on NETFLIX, being a producer in the industry, and more. Excerpts:

Weekend Magazine: How did you get into the movie-making business?

Alhaji Sheshe: I have been interested in the industry from childhood. There were times when I visited movie locations during break time while I was in secondary school. It was in 2010 that I was first featured in a movie as a child. Later, I figured that as a business-oriented individual, there are a lot of opportunities in film making and since I have the passion, I ventured into it. To God be the glory, I have successfully produced more than 15 Hausa movies, most of which are hits.

WM: What are you currently working on?

Sheshe: I’m currently working on a movie that we hope will break the jinx and become the first Hausa movie that will be enlisted in the NETFLIX movie schedule. We have prepared for it and have spent millions of naira in its production. It’s a story on social vices and its negative effect on the society in general, and as such we have decided to give it all that it takes to attain the international standard that will make it acceptable.

WM: Did you face any form of resistance from your family when you decided to venture into film making?

Sheshe: Not at all. What people need to understand is that in everything one does, there is the good, the bad and the ugly side of it. Looking at the bad side of it doesn’t mean it is totally bad and the other way round. To be successful in our lives we need to respect our religious and traditional provisions. I have a duty to protect my family name and my religion as well as my tradition and these are what gives me guidance in what I do as a producer.

WM: Why do you wish to make a movie that would draw the attention of NETFLIX?

Sheshe: The world is dynamic and things have changed dramatically. For us to keep afloat in the business, we need to adopt innovations. As a producer, I have taken the new trend as a challenge for Kannywood. It is up to us to keep up with the trend or fade out of business.

It is no longer an insinuation that the traditional movie-making process is becoming obsolete and fans are shifting away from it. There is also the issue of piracy. That was why we decided to get the international standard guidelines, study it and begin an attempt to key-in and make the needed difference. We are, however, optimistic that our new movie will meet that international standard and bring fortune to the industry.

WM: Do you think the industry is willing to accept the new trend?

Sheshe: Yes, it is. Going by what is happening, you will find out that there is a remarkable change in its operational pattern as many are now into TV series productions instead of the traditional movie production that entails CD production as well as cinema engagements. If the general public accepts the new trend then that will gradually become every producer’s direction in the industry.

WM: Do you think TV shows is the answer?

Sheshe: Actually, I don’t think so. I believe there is a need for the industry to look inward and come up with ways of improving production in terms of quality of our stories, equipment as well as the use of the professional crew. To me, this will not in any way affect the new trend. It will be an added advantage as all categories of producers will be able to operate on a fair playing ground that can accommodate what they have to offer to the public

Buhari signs amended Companies and Allied Matters Bill

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, assented to the Companies and Allied Matters Bill, 2020 recently passed by the National Assembly.

A presidential aide, Femi Adesina, in a statement, said President Buhari’s action on the important piece of legislation had repealed and replaced the extant Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

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Adesina said the amended law had introduced several corporate legal innovations geared toward enhancing ease of doing business in the country after 30 years.

The innovations, according to the statement, include: “Filing fee reductions and other reforms to make it easier and cheaper for small and medium-sized enterprises to register and reform their businesses in Nigeria.

It also included: “Allowing corporate promoters of companies to establish private companies with a single member or shareholder, and creating limited liability partnerships and limited partnerships to give investors and business people alternative forms of carrying out their business in an efficient and flexible way.”

In addition, Adesina said the new law allowed: “Innovating processes and procedures to ease the operations of companies, such as introducing Statements of Compliance; replacing ‘authorized share capital’ with minimum share capital to reduce costs of incorporating companies; and providing for electronic filing, electronic share transfers, e-meetings as well as remote general meetings for private companies in response to the disruptions to close contact physical meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic;

“Requiring the disclosure of persons with significant control of companies in a register of beneficial owners to enhance corporate accountability and transparency; and

“Enhancing the minority shareholder protection and engagement; introducing enhanced business rescue reforms for insolvent companies; and permitting the merger of Incorporated Trustees for associations that share similar aims and objectives.”

Ooni of Ife appoints Shagari’s grandson, Bala

Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty (H.I.M) Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II acknowledges greetings from Bello Bala Shagari

The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty (H.I.M) Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has appointed Bello Bala Shagari as the Managing Director of Royal African Young Leadership Forum (RAYLF-AFRICA).

This was contained in an appointment letter to Bello Bala Shagari, which was signed by Dr. Ayobami O. Oyedare (PhD), Chief Executive Officer, Global Outreach of His Imperial Majesty of Ife.

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Until his appointment, Bala was the former president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).

Bala is a grandson of Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari GCFR, first democratically elected President of Nigeria, after the transfer of power by military head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979 giving rise to the Second Nigerian Republic.

The letter reads in part: ”His Imperial Majesty (H.I.M) admires your well-defined, dynamic, matchless, intellectual and rich historical campaigns for the reconstruction and transformational leadership in Africa through the precious knowledge and unbreakable ambition of its young populations.

”Following our philosophical alignment on the ethos and culture of the Royal African Young Leadership Forum (RAYLF), the mutual thoughts that we shared, and the need to redefine the culture of governance, leadership, entrepreneurial inventiveness and innovative ingenuity of Africa’s brilliant young populations which has been one of the core mission of the Throne of Oduduwa, the Stool of His Imperial Majesty (H.I.M), Ooni of Ife.

”I hereby write to officially confirm your appointment as the Managing Director for Africa-The Royal African Young Leadership Forum (RAYLF).”

His appointment takes effect from the 1st of September 2020 and it subjects to review after two years of operation.

”As the Progenitor of Oduduwa, His Imperial Majesty (H.I.M), Ooni of Ife, who is the co-chair, the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, NCTRN and the spiritual leader to over 500 million Yoruba subjects globally has been working assiduously with strategic stakeholders and excellent partners towards rebuilding, repositioning and unleashing the assets and fascinating narratives of young populations of Africa.”

“Africa young populations remain the major catalysts in boosting the whole of continent economic growth.”

”Africa is regarded as the next economic frontier in globalization and the sheer size, young population explosion, innovation development, sophisticated creative culture and the continent diversity distinctiveness are true potentials that are attracting global attention into the continent.

”Well renowned global institutions statistics posit that almost 60% of Africa’s population in 2019 is under the age of 25, making Africa the world’s youngest continent.

“According to the UN’s demographic projections, the reality of Africa rapid population expansion is expected to reach 2.8 billion by 2060 with 65% of these counted as young, energetic and innovative driven demography.”

COVID-19: Nigeria approves return of sports

The minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the return of non-combat sports after sporting activities were suspended as a result of COVID-19 pandemic in March.

It also approved the use of recreational parks for supervised physical exercise only.

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It emphasised recreational parks are not to be used for social interaction purposes, asking those unable to enforce this to remain closed.

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, disclosed these during its briefing in Abuja.

“For recreational parks/communal sports, restrictions are removed on outdoor communal non-contact sports and the use of recreational parks for supervised physical exercise, not for social interactions.

“For recreational parks that are unable to enforce this, we expected them to remain closed.

“For outdoor non-contact sports, this includes lawn tennis, table tennis, squash, badminton, cycling, athletics, golf, polo, para-athletics, cricket and other non-contact outdoor communal activities, in the event that people are not certain, please contact the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports for further guidance,” he said.

Some other non-contact sports are cricket, tennis, badminton, golf, bowling, bowls, swimming, diving, gymnastics, sprinting, running.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the return of non contact sports.

“On behalf of Sports loving Nigerians, I wish to thank President Buhari, through the PTF on COVID-19 for approving the return of non-contact sports in the country.

“All non-contact sports listed must obey the COVID-19 Sports Protocol,” he said in a tweet on his Twitter handle.

COVID-19: Five to get death sentence for obstructing mobile court

The Suspect

A Magistrate Court, sitting in Chediya, GRA, Zaria, has declared that five persons arraigned before it may get a death sentence or life imprisonment for obstructing the sitting of a mobile court enforcing the COVID-19 movement restriction.

According to the Magistrate, Mustapha Dahiru Isah, his court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, but the offence was an attempt to commit homicide, which penalty was “life sentence or the death penalty.”

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The court, therefore, ordered the remand of the suspects, Alhaji Bello, Ibrahim Adamu, Sadam A. Mohammed, Basiru Abdullahi and Habibu Bello, in the Nigerian Correctional Service facility pending an advice from the Kaduna State Ministry of Justice on the next line of action and adjourned the matter to September 19, 2020.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Abdullahi Rilwanu, on behalf of the state commissioner of police, said on 31st of May, 2020, Lamido Abubakar Esq, Magistrate of the mobile court, reported to the Area Command Office of the Nigeria Police in Zaria that the suspects, all of Maraban Gwanda, Sabon Gari, Zaria, had chased him away as the Magistrate of the mobile court stationed in the area.

Inspector Rilwanu also told the court that Magistrate Abubakar told the police that the suspects had attacked him and his auxiliary staff with clubs where he sustained injuries on his finger and leg.

The suspects, according to the prosecutor, also damaged parts of the Hilux bus attached to the court, saying that the acts were a criminal conspiracy, attempt to commit homicide, causing hurt, and obstruction of public servants from performing legitimate duties.

The offenses, according to him, contravened sections 59, 222, 199, 228 and 317 of the penal code of the Kaduna State laws 2017 as amended.

‘Suspects randomly picked’

Some relatives of the suspects, seen at the court premises by our correspondent, however said that their brothers were “randomly picked without any investigation.”

They said, on condition of anonymity, that the fracas happened when hundreds of motorists protested the death of a 70-year-old driver as members of vigilante attached to the court arrested him and attempted to arraign the deceased before the mobile court.

“So, our relatives were just picked because their houses were close to where the mobile court was stationed.

“Actually, those that chased away the Magistrate of the mobile court were motorists plying the Zaria-Kano express road, as their colleague died in the hands of the vigilantes attached to the court.

“They are doing this to us because we are villagers and we have nobody to stand by us.

“Allah is fully around.

“We are appealing to all well-meaning Nigerians to intervene for our relatives to have justice,” one of them said.

A Senate report has revealed how top management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) paid themselves N85.6 million to attend a graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom at a time Nigeria was on lockdown and airports shut.

Daniel Pondei, Acting Managing Director of NDDC.

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A Senate report has revealed how top management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) paid themselves N85.6 million to attend a graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom at a time Nigeria was on lockdown and airports shut.

The report shows that approval for the funds was made in April – at the time when countries were on lockdown and flight activities suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money was shared in April for a supposed trip in June, none of the officials travelled for the trip and none of them had returned the money as of July when the Senate investigated the matter, the lawmakers said.

This is one of the many revelations that emerged from the National Assembly’s investigation into spending by the NDDC, which has generated mixed reactions among Nigerians.

The Senate had, on May 5, set up a seven-member ad-hoc committee to probe the “financial recklessness” of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC. The committee was particularly asked to probe the IMC for allegedly squandering N40 billion in three months.

In the same vein, the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta commenced an investigative hearing on the alleged mismanagement of N81.5 billion between January and July by the commission.

There were accusations and counter-accusations from the investigative hearings conducted by the Senate and House committees in July, between some lawmakers and members of the NDDC, amid startling discoveries.

Besides how lawmakers allegedly ‘hijacked‘ NDDC projects and how the commission spent N1.3 billion for staff as ‘COVID-19 relief funds’, another revelation is how the NDDC spent a total of N85.6 million on the graduation ceremony in the UK.

This was contained in the report of the Senate ad-hoc committee. The Senate had on July 23 considered the report that exposed the ‘reckless’ and ‘budgetless’ spending by the IMC.

Top among the beneficiaries are the Managing Director, Daniel Pondei, the acting deputy director, projects, Cairo Ojougboh, another director, Luke Ibanga, and a Seledi Wakama who got the lion share of the fund.

The report

According to the document, the NDDC account shows a one-off travel expenditure with the description tagged “Delegate to attend graduation ceremony of NDDC scholars in the United Kingdom in June 2020”.

The total cost of this trip was N85.6 million, covering 14 staff to travel to the United Kingdom. And the travellers include Messrs Pondei, Ojougboh and lbanga.

The report listed 14 beneficiaries paid different amounts for the ‘graduation.’ They are:

Saledi Wakama (N33.3 million), Messrs Pondei, Ojougboh and Bassey Etang who got N4.6 million each, Mr Ibanga (N3.5 million), Nimite Ateki and Allwell Hanachor, who got N3.2 million each.

Others are, Chinyere Madume (N3 million) and Marg Consultant (2.9 million). While Irene Okezie, Clara Braide, Bestman Nnwoka, Omoren Usenobong and Kubiat Bassey were paid N2.9 million each.

Two other beneficiaries were also listed in the overseas travel expenditure but for different purposes.

They are Ekpebu Lawrence who was paid N4.6 million for “participation at International Labour and Employment Relations Association in South Korea 2018” and Abgenglasede Nosa paid N3.6 million for attending “2019 Association of Certified Fraud in Texas 2019.”

The report said these payments demonstrate a form of internal control failure in the NDDC, especially with the management‘s choice to subject such transactions as cash payments to Individual staff. And that the corporate affairs department in collaboration with the Human Resource Department should have been responsible for direct payments for visas to the relevant embassies and airlines as direct cash payment to staff could be abused.

“It is also curious that these payments were made on the 17 April, 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown for a June 2020 trip. Obviously, monies had been paid to the 14 staff involved. There was no evidence that these trips took place as Nigeria and the United Kingdom were on lockdown during this period with all international flights and consular services by the UK High Commission suspended.

“The EIMC team explained that the trip was planned to take place In June and September without any consideration for the Covid-19 pandemic, therefore an early disbursement of fund (CovId-19 was already here in April!) was made to enable staff make timely visa arrangements,” part of the report read.

The committee however said since the trip “is no longer going to hold, everyone paid must refund the monies paid to them for the trip.”

This comes at a time many Nigerian students under the NDDC scholarship are stranded abroad because of the lack of funding from the commission.

The commission paid “scholarship grants” to Mr Pondei and other top officials rather than to the suffering students.

In May, the students wrote to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, complaining that life for them abroad has been compounded by the coronavirus pandemic which has prevented them from even engaging in menial jobs for survival.

President Muhammadu Buhari has, however, directed the NDDC to pay the fees and stipends of scholars of the commission who are facing hardships abroad.

Since the revelations emerged, individuals and civic groups have called for the prosecution of guilty NDDC officials as well as sanction of lawmakers who are complicit in the NDDC scandal.

Ogun State command reveal that members of various unlawful cult groups are planning to mark what they called “8/8”; being August 8, 2020.

Ogun police raise the alarm over planned cult attacks

The Ogun State Police Command has raised the alarm over plans by cultists to unleash terror on the people in the state.

The police said the command got intelligence reports that some cult groups were planning to cause chaos during their annual celebration tagged ‘8/8’, being August 8, 2020, on Saturday, today.

The police, in a statement by its spokesperson in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, hinted that the celebration might result in killings and destruction of property across the state.

The statement warned members of cult groups to desist from any form of violence in the state. The command further advised operators of hotels in the state not to allow any cult groups to use their facilities for any cult-related gathering.

It insisted that anybody arrested for any cult-related activity would face the full weight of the law.

The statement read in part, “Intelligence reports at the disposal of the Ogun State command reveal that members of various unlawful cult groups are planning to mark what they called “8/8”; being August 8, 2020.

“In view of this, the command wishes to warn those having such a devilish plan to have a rethink and retrace their steps as such move will be met with strong resistance from security agencies.

“To this end, all the command’s tactical squads namely SARS, Anti-cultism, Anti-kidnapping as well as all the DPOs and Area Commanders have been put on red alert to nip in the bud any act capable of undermining the security of the state.

“The full weight of the law will descend on any member of any unlawful societies who intends to use public place to perpetrate evil, as the command will not fold its hands while some misguided and unscrupulous elements attempt to make life difficult for law-abiding citizens of the state.

“The command is therefore using this medium to appeal to parents and guardians to warn their wards to steer clear of any unlawful gathering or society on or before and after the said date to prevent had-I-known situation.’’

The command assured members of the public to go about their lawful business without fear of harassment, intimidation and molestation. It noted that it had rolled out all in its arsenal to deal decisively with anybody trying to breach the peace in the state.

Government agencies need to stop extorting businesses — Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says it is important for government agencies to reduce the harassment and extortion of businesses in order for the country to improve on the ease of doing business ranking.

Osinbajo said this on Friday at the virtual edition of the Presidential Policy Dialogue hosted by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said the government aimed to continue to improve on the national ranking in the World Bank Doing Business Index Ranking to below 100 in the coming years.

Osinbajo called on private sector to lead the charge for Nigeria’s economic growth and development by keying into the Economic Sustainability Plan of the Federal Government.

He said the priority of the Federal Government in response to the economic challenges caused by COVID-19 was to ward off recession using a mixture of stimulus measures to support local businesses, retain and create jobs and ameliorate the circumstances of the most vulnerable.

The vice president said though the stimulus package was just about 1.5 per cent of the GDP, it was the best the government could do given existing realities in the economy.

He said, “I take this opportunity to encourage the private sector to be proactive in leading the charge against recession and poverty in our country.

“The Federal Government is not under any illusion that it can do this on its own.”

“The opportunities that now exist in the short-term in agriculture, infrastructural development, housing construction, in renewable energy, digital technology development, mining, financial inclusion, healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturing call for the private sector to take the bull by the horn and make them a reality.

“The government developed the Economic Sustainability Plan with a stimulus package of N2.3tn to give fillip to the economy across various sectors. Based on the assumption of the price of crude averaging out at $30 per barrel throughout the year, we anticipate an economic growth of about -0.59% in 2020.”

According to him, the ESP was designed to boost production, prevent business collapse, and provide liquidity.

He added that it would promote the use of labour-intensive methods and direct labour interventions in key areas like agriculture, light manufacturing, housing construction and facility maintenance while increasing infrastructural investment in roads, bridges, solar power, and communications technologies.

“It is intended to do all this while extending protection to the poor and other vulnerable groups in our society,” Osinbajo added.

In his remarks, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, said the current focus of the Federal Government in the manufacturing sector  was on prioritising local production, especially in the importation of machinery that utilise local materials.

The LCCI President, Mrs Toki Mabogunje, commended the Federal Government for the management of the economy, adding that members of the chamber and the entire private sector players were willing to collaborate with the government.

Our Lagos, Ogun churches will not reopen –MFM

The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries has said it will not reopen its churches in Lagos and Ogun states, despite the federal and state governments allowing for worship centres to reopen.

The ministry, in a statement by the Chairman, MFM Media Committee, Pastor Oladele Bank-Olemoh, on Friday, noted that the church would not reopen in the two states until the tentative date of September 13, 2020.

Bank-Olemoh said, “The leadership of this ministry is aware that the governments of Lagos and Ogun states had announced that churches could resume worship in their physical church buildings as from August 9 and 16, 2020, respectively.

“However, the leadership of MFM hereby states as follows: MFM will not reopen all her regions, zones, branches and facilities in Lagos and Ogun states for now. This period would be utilised to put in place all the necessary COVID-19 preventive and safety protocols as stipulated by the Federal Government, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and state governments.”

Why FG raised hate speech fine to N5m – Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has given reasons why the Federal Government increased the fine for hate speech from N500,000 to N5 million in the amended National Broadcasting Code.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the explanation on Friday when he featured on a TVC live programme, “This Morning”.

He explained that the increment was to deter people deliberately violating the provision “to destabilise the country”.

“What motivated the amendment was that when the fine was N500,000, we saw the provision being violated at will because the amount was very easy to pay,” he said.

Mohammed while unveiling the reviewed Nigeria Broadcasting Code earlier on Tuesday in Lagos disclosed that the fine for hate speech had been increased to N5million.

He explained that the amendments were necessitated by a presidential directive for an inquiry into the regulatory role of the National Broadcasting Commission and the conduct of broadcast stations before, during, and after the elections.

The minister lamented that “some desperate people” were asking broadcast stations to air hate speeches with an indemnity that they would bear the cost of the fine if the stations were sanctioned.

Nigerian Bar Association, senior lawyers and human rights groups on Tuesday took a swipe at the Federal Government for raising the fine for hate speech from N500,000 to N5m.

The NBA and others, in separate interviews, said the hike was an attempt to stifle the media and kill free speech through an unconstitutional means.

But the minister reminded those attacking the government that hate speech destroyed many countries, citing Rwanda as an example.

He recalled that Rwandan lost 800,000 lives to hate speech while Bosnia and Cambodia equally lost thousands of lives to the menace.

Mohammed said that Nigeria is not the only country to impose sanctions on hate speech, adding that some nations have more stringent provisions.

“Chad has today slowed down the speed of its internet service to slow down the growth of hate speech.

“Iceland has a provision in its penal code against hate speech and the punishment is up to five years in jail.

“The sanction in Norway is up to two years imprisonment while South Africa separated hate speech from the protection their citizens can get from the constitution,” NAN quoted the minister as saying.

The minister said that hate speech is not new but social media and its wildfire capacity to spread information made it to be more problematic.

He, therefore, reiterated the resolve of the government to regulate social media without stifling the freedom of speech.