Ogun State Government has announced Monday, 21 September, 2020 for the reopening of schools in the state for the first term of 2020/2021 session in addition to the earlier resumption of students in SS3 who are currently writing the West African School Certificate Examination.
In a Press Statement issued in Abeokuta by Kunle Somorin, his Chief Press Secretary, Governor Dapo Abiodun announced that this second phase of the reopening of schools is extended to all classes in primary and secondary schools, Technical and Vocational Colleges, and Tertiary Institutions. However, as part of the efforts to meet the COVID-19 guidelines for school operations, the schools hours are staggered as follows for public schools.
• Primary 1 to primary 38.00am to 11.00am
• Primary 4 to Primary 612.00noon to 3.00pm
• JSS 1 to JSS38.00am to 11.00am
• SS1 to SS312.00noon to 3.00pm
• Technical and Vocational will operate their normal school hours of 8.00am to 2.00pm
Early Child Care Development and Education classes i.e 3-5 years of age will not be resuming in public schools until the next phase of schools’ reopening.
• Private schools are also expected to take necessary measures to meet the COVID-19 protocols for physical distancing, among other requirements.
• Tertiary institutions are allowed to commence reopening from 21 September, 2020 as may be determined by their respective Management.
It should be noted that the government had earlier announced that all students had been given automatic promotion to the next class, including automatic placement for primary 6 students in public primary schools into JSS1 of public secondary schools.
However, primary 6 students desirous of placement into the State-owned Boarding Schools will sit for the Common Entrance Examination on Saturday, 12 September, 2020.
The hitherto JSS3 students who have now been promoted to SS1 will write their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in October, 2020.
The Statement emphasised that the COVID-19 guidelines earlier issued for reopening of schools are still in effect and include:
• Provision of Sick bays / Isolation rooms in schools.
• Training and designation of some teachers as first line responders
• Use of face masks
• Regular check of body temperature with infrared thermometers
• Provision of adequate hand washing facilities and alcohol-based sanitisers for students and teachers;
• Maintaining of physical distancing of 2 metres
• Decontamination of schools prior to resumption;
• Suspension of general assembly.
“Our approach to COVID-19 pandemic management has been deliberate, methodical, focused, inclusive and carefullybalanced between life and livelihood and this has manifested in the steps we have adopted to the reopening of schools, ensuring safety of our children whilst minimising disruption in their education. The guidelines are applicable to all schools in the state whether private or public.
I have directed the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to provide all public schools with the required items to meet the guidelines and private school owners are enjoined to do same.
I chargeour students to take full benefits of the reopening of the schools for their education advancement and wish them a very fulfilling 2020/2021 academic year”, the Governor said.
The pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, on Monday canvassed legal action by the citizenry against the recent increases in fuel price and electricity tariff by the federal government.
The group, in an on-line meeting of its national caucus presided over by its Leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, while condemning the reintroduction of the rejected National Waterway Bill in the House of Representatives also reiterated its stand on the proper restructuring of the Nigerian nation.
It advised the citizenry to seek legal and peaceful means to resist the hike, saying: “To ask Nigerians to pay more for these facilities is wicked and inhumane. We, therefore, call on the people to use all constitutional and peaceful means to resist and reject the hikes.”
On the revived National Water Resources Bill, Afenifere submitted that a dangerous agenda is being pursued by the Executive in wanting to subvert the Land Use Act in the constitution that vests lands in the states in the governors.
The group, in canvassing for the bill to be jettisoned stated that: “The Bill is so dangerous as it seeks to convert waterways to RUGA facilities for the federal government. The Bill seeks to give 18 kilometres after River Banks to federal government when in a state like Lagos you hardly can go beyond a kilometre of any river before meeting residential buildings.
“We ask that the Bill be dropped immediately except there is an agenda to divide the country being pursued frenetically.”
Afenifere also reviewed the latest invitation for memoranda by the Senate for Constitution Review and observed that the exercise has become a ritual every four years without tangible progress.
“It would be sad if the country is being taken through another motion without movement in the midst of its constitutional disorder. We therefore recommend the reports of the 2014 National Conference and other profound positions on restructuring as a basis of a meaningful new constitutional order for Nigeria. The mainly pro-federal reports have enough provisions to take Nigeria out of its present crisis,” it said.
The group reiterated its opposition to the suggestion by the federal government that the South-west security outfit, Amotekun, be under the control of the Inspector-General of Police (IG).
“We fully back our governors that being a product of law by federating units, the outfit should be independent and not be muzzled under the failure of single police that necessitated it in the first place. Seeking to take Amotekun over negates the untruth by the FG that it has commenced restructuring,” it said.
Afenifere also congratulated Mr Akinwumi Adesina, on his re-election as President of African Development Bank (AfDB), saying: “We are happy that his integrity took him through the fire of challenge and he was not burnt.”
Former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, has dismissed reports that he was being under investigation by the United States Department of Justice, US DOJ for allegedly laundering $8 million sometime in the past for some officials of the Amnesty programme.
Nwuche who noted that he has not been and would not be involved in any money laundering scheme in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world described such allegations as malicious, false, and designed to smear campaign to blackmail him and tarnish his image.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Lawyer, Godswill Mrakpor of West Point Chambers, Nwuche has asked THE WILL to apologise to him following the publication and failure to do that, he will not hesitate to drag the Company to court and seek redress.
He has also alleged that some highly placed Politicians from South-South were after him and sponsoring the publications against him, with a view to blackmailing and bringing him down.
Meanwhile, Nwuche’s media aide, MacLean Ezebesor, has alleged that the same highly placed politicians in the south-south who have been after Nwuche, since 2015 are the sponsors of these publications, and they will soon be forced to unveil the masquerades, who instead of using their offices for the development of the Niger Delta are using same to blackmail, intimidate and pull down prominent Niger Delta people.
Urging them to emulate leaders from other climes who use their offices to uplift their people and regions, and not for denigration, set up, and blackmail of other leaders, in their quest to be the only ones to be reckoned with, said, “People know these leaders and their records in public office, and if anybody should be investigated by any agencies, they should be the ones.”
Recall that THEWILL had reported that the US DOJ has been investigating Prince Chibudom Nwuche, who allegedly laundered at least $8m from the Amnesty programme and other individuals.
Nwuche’s Lawyer’s letter read, “Our attention has been drawn to false allegations circulating in the social media, which originated from an online publication THEWILL on September 6, 2020, falsely alleging that our client, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is under investigation by the US DOJ for allegedly laundering $8 million sometime in the past for some officials of the Amnesty programme.
“We would like to inform the public that these allegations are entirely false and are obviously sponsored by some political interests as part of their unfolding 2023 agenda. Hon. Nwuche has not been and would not be involved in any money laundering scheme in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world, and is not under any sort of investigation by foreign agencies.
“These false allegations are a smear campaign by THEWILL Nigeria and their known sponsors in an attempt to damage or call into question the reputation of Hon. Nwuche by propounding negative propaganda which are false. As a political figure and a businessman, Hon. Nwuche has conducted himself in an exemplary manner worthy of commendation since 1999 to date. His tenure as Deputy Speaker, House of Reps ended without blemish.
“We hereby call on THEWILL Nigeria to immediately withdraw this false story and issue a public apology to Hon. Nwuche. If they do not comply with this and cease all related statements and publications, a libel lawsuit for substantial damages will be commenced against them.”
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has announced that there would be no public gathering to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the creation of the State on September 23, 2020.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, and State and Chairman COVID-19 Management Committee, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem.
Ekuwem in the statement entitled, “September 23rd, 2020: No Public Celebrations of Akwa Ibom at 33”, explained that the governor’s directive was in continuation of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that the directive was in response to the difficulty that could be experienced in enforcing compliance with the guidelines and protocols during the state-wide event.
Ekuwem stated, “In continuation of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has approved that there should be no public gatherings to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the creation of our dear Akwa Ibom State on 23 September 2020.
“This directive is in response to the difficulty that can be experienced in enforcing compliance with AKSG/NCDC/WHO COVID-19 guidelines and protocols during big state-wide celebrations.
“This decision is taken in the interest of public health and safety of the citizens of Akwa Ibom state. The health, lives, and wellbeing of Akwa Ibomites must be prioritised over any celebrations.
“The Governor however invites all citizens to deeply reflect on the historical struggle for the creation of our state and apply themselves to worthy causes that will continue to positively transform and uplift the name of our state.
President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to leaders of the Economic Community of West African States not to elongate their tenure in office beyond constitutional limits.
Making the call while presenting Nigeria’s General Statement at the 57th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Niamey, Niger Republic on Monday, the President urged his colleagues to respect constitutional provisions and ensure free and fair elections.
According to him, it is “important that as leaders of our individual Member-States of ECOWAS, we need to adhere to the constitutional provisions of our countries, particularly on term limits. This is one area that generates crisis and political tension in our sub-region.
“As it is, the challenges facing the sub-region are enormous; from socio-economic matters to security issues, the ECOWAS sub-region cannot therefore afford another political crisis, in the guise of tenure elongation. I urge us all to resist the temptation of seeking to perpetuate ourselves in power beyond the constitutional provisions.
“I commend those in our midst that have resisted such temptations, for they will be deemed exceptional role models in their respective countries and the sub-region as a whole.
“Related to this call for restraint is the need to guarantee free, fair and credible elections. This must be the bedrock for democracy to be sustained in our sub-region, just as the need for adherence to the rule of law.”
On the political situation in Mali, President Buhari said it is of serious concern to ECOWAS.
He commended President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic and outgoing Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and the Leadership of the ECOWAS Commission as well as the Chief Mediator, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, “for effectively demonstrating commitment in handling the political situation in that country.”
He declared: “Nigeria remains resolutely committed to ECOWAS decision for a civilian-led Transition Government not exceeding 12 months. This is important because of the circumstances surrounding Mali where violent non-state actors and other negative tendencies reside and who can take advantage of the unstable political situation to overrun the country, thereby plunging it into greater danger that will affect the political stability of the whole sub-region.
“While Nigeria understands the current political realities in Mali, the sub-region’s commitment to the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, must never be compromised.
“An early return to democratic governance which is transparent and civilian-led, will commend itself for Nigeria’s support for progressive relaxation of sanctions against Mali.”
On security, the Nigerian leader noted: “Terrorism continues to be the greatest security threat in our sub-region, complicating other national security challenges. As a sub-region, we need to collaborate more by working hand in hand with each other, to combat the root causes of the different security-related manifestations in our countries.
“Nigeria is concerned with the rapidity at which terrorist groups in the Sahel and West Africa are working together against all of us.
“We must urgently review these ugly developments to guarantee the safety and survival of our sub-region.
“Our national security apparatus and the relevant Units of ECOWAS must urgently be seized with these unfolding events across our sub-region and act decisively on the emergence of early warning signs.”
Dwelling on the long-standing single currency issue for the sub-region, the President said: “Nigeria remains committed to the implementation of the action plan towards the actualization of the monetary union and single currency programme of ECOWAS.”
He called on “Member States to show support to the resolution of the Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS on this matter.”
Cognisant of the “likelihood that many ECOWAS member states may not meet the convergence criteria over the next few years due to the impact of COVID-19 on economies and which as a consequence will affect the take-off date of the single currency, Buhari said: “Notwithstanding this envisaged delay, we must remain collectively focused and resolute in working to achieve the objectives of the ECOWAS monetary union as a project for the sub-region.”
Insisting that “the premature adoption of the “ECO” has unnecessarily heightened disaffection and mistrust among members of the emerging monetary union, President Buhari encouraged “UEMOA (French acronym for the West African Economic and Monetary Union) to return to the roadmap on the common currency in the sub-region.”
He also urged all stakeholders to “bear in mind that those economic convergence criteria must be based on sound and sustainable macroeconomic fundamentals.”
Noting that some key unresolved issues still remained such as delinking the CFA franc of the UEMOA from the Euro; whether the UEMOA countries join as a bloc or individual countries; design of the exchange rate mechanism; Stabilization Fund; policy harmonization and exit strategy and reserve pooling among others, the Nigerian President called on his colleagues to provide “African solutions to African problems.”
According to him: “Foreign interference and so-called advice may not be in our best sub-regional interest,” as he stressed the “need for UEMOA to return to the agreed roadmap of the ECOWAS Single Currency by complying with the established framework under the roadmap and cooperate with other member countries in achieving the objectives of the programme.”
Observing that the Summit was holding “under a very complex health pandemic, whose impact on the global health and economy has so far been devastating,” President Buhari said: “Like the rest of the world, our sub-region is witnessing economic downturn with negative growth that is headed towards deep recession and the outlook continues to be uncertain.”
He, therefore, charged his colleagues on the “need to continue to work in concert with each other on several fronts to ease the negative effects of the pandemic,” adding: “We need to demonstrate our collective resolve to harness the opportunities that come with COVID-19, despite its overwhelming negative impact on lives and livelihoods.”
The Nigerian President, who is the ECOWAS Champion charged with mobilising and coordinating the efforts against the pandemic, admitted that the “outlook for our sub-region with COVID-19 hovering over us is gloomy indeed.”
He, however, expressed confidence that “where there are challenges, opportunities are also available to be seized upon through greater collaboration with each other.
“We must pool our resources together in unity to save our generation and generations to come from multiple challenges, including COVID-19 and related health issues.
“We need to redouble our efforts in preparing our national economies to withstand impending shocks against prospective multi-sector challenges that await us in the sub-region.”
Acknowledging that it is no easy task, President Buhari appealed to fellow leaders to “embrace our collective vision for the future with greater determination and innovative thinking and creativity.”
The Nigerian police on Monday said that the arrest of two Nigerians involved in an alleged attempt to defraud a German company, will help to improve its relations with Europe’s richest country.
“This will actually help in strengthening our relationship with Germany,” police spokesman, Frank Mba, said.
“Rather than having a negative impact, it will have a very positive impact. The German people, the German government and the German business community must have been encouraged by the timeliness of our action, the fact that detectives from Nigeria and Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB) based here in Abuja, have got the capacity to actually wade into this kind of case and uncover the crime and try to bring the criminals to book. It shows that even if Germans are making investments in Nigeria, they can be assured that their investments are protected and we’ve got the capacity to tackle any unforeseen circumstances that may arise”, he added.
Mba however emphasised that “there are criminals all over the world. Remember that even in this case, there are also accomplices who are not Nigerians, who are Dutch citizens, working with their Nigerian counterparts.”
The police had on Sunday announced the arrest of Babatunde Adesanya and Akinpelu Hassan Abass who are alleged to be members of a sophisticated transnational criminal network.
The men were allegedly part of a COVID-19 procurement operation that tried to defraud the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia of about €14.7 million.
A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, on Monday declined to hear an application seeking to discharge a Mareva injunction barring South African retail company, Shoprite Checkers (PTY) Ltd, from transferring its assets.
The vacation judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, said that the case was not urgent enough to be heard during the court’s ongoing vacation.
Newsmen report that Shoprite’s counsel, Mrs Funke Adekoya (SAN), had on Sept. 1 approached the vacation judge with an application, seeking to set aside the Mareva injunction.
Newsmen also reports that Mareva is a type of interlocutory relief designed to freeze the assets of a defendant, in appropriate circumstances, pending the determination of a plaintiff’s claim.
On July 14, Justice Mohammed Liman of the same court made the Mareva injunction in favour of a Nigerian firm, A.I.C. Ltd, which, in 2018, secured a $10 million judgment against Shoprite in a breach of contract lawsuit.
A.I.C. Ltd had obtained the Mareva injunction against the backdrop of Shoprite’s announcement to pull out of Nigeria.
Justice Liman had made the injunction restraining Shoprite from transferring, assigning, charging, disposing of its trademark, franchise and intellectual property in a manner that will alter, dissipate or remove non-cash assets and other assets, including but not limited to trade receivables, trade payables and payment for the purchase of merchandise from within the jurisdiction of the court.
The judge also mandated the second respondent, Retail Supermarket Nigeria Ltd, to disclose its audited financial statements for the years ended 2018 and 2019, to enable the judgment creditor/applicant determine the judgment debtor’s/respondent’s funds in its custody and in order to preserve same in satisfaction of the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/L/288/2018.
NAN reports that the $10 million judgment was in 2018 entered in favour of A.I.C. Ltd against Shoprite by Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.
Displeased with the judgment, Shoprite had gone on appeal but it equally lost and it has now gone to the Supreme Court.
The Federal Government, appealed to the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, to suspend its ongoing industrial action, as the government has already addressed six out of the eight demands listed by the Association.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, stated this in his office in Abuja.
Senator Ngige asked NARD to respect the country’s laws and suspend its industrial action, reminding it that “by Labour Laws and ILO Conventions, when issues are being conciliated, all parties are enjoined not to employ arm-twisting methods to intimidate or foist a state of helplessness on the other party; in this case, your employers, the Federal Ministry of Health.”
In a statement signed by Charles Akpan, Deputy Director/Head, Press and Public Relations, the Minister said with such a high percentage of the Association’s demands already addressed, coupled with the existence of a pending case in the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, instituted by two Civil Society groups against NARD, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Ministers of Health, and Labour and Employment, NARD had no reason to embark on industrial action.
He stated that the groups, Citizens Advocacy for Social Rights (CASER) and Association of Women in Trading and Agriculture (AWITA), had asked for an interlocutory injunction against further strike actions by NARD, adding that all parties had already appeared and exchanged court processes.
The Minister noted that in spite of lean resources occasioned by the effect of COVID-19 on oil output, the Federal Government has already spent N20 billion on the Special Hazard and Inducement Allowances for Medical and Health Workers for April, May and June 2020, with a few outstanding payments to some health workers for June 2020.
Ngige also stated that the Federal Government has expended N9.3billion as premium for Group Life Insurance for Medical and Health workers, as well as for all Civil and Public servants in Federal organisations that are Treasury funded, to run from March 2020 to March 2021.
The Minister also disclosed that the Federal Government appropriated the sum of N4 billion in the Special Intervention COVID-19 N500 billion 2020 Appropriation for funding of Medical Residency Training and intended to do same in the ongoing 2021 Budget. He further stated that N4 billion has been processed for payment.
Ngige pointed out that the matter between NARD and the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital has been resolved, while the resolution of the issue of State Governments not addressing the consequential adjustment to the new minimum wage, and low patronage of Residency programme were ongoing.
The Minister has therefore reconvened the ongoing conciliation meeting between NARD and Federal Ministries of Health, and Finance, Budget and National Planning to be held on Wednesday at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Lagos State House of Assembly has passed its Legislative Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in respect to the full financial autonomy granted to the State Legislature in the country by the presidency.
It would be recalled that the House constituted a 7-Man Ad Hoc Committee mandated by the House to consider the Bill to reflect the latest development on the autonomy.
The Legislation approved overwhelmingly by the House is to enact amongst others; the composition of the commission to compromise of a chairman, and four other members who shall in the opinion of the Speaker be persons of unquestionable integrity and shall represent the five divisions of the State; the tenures of the chairman and members of the commission which shall hold office for a term of five years and may be re-appointed for a further term of five years only; and the establishment of five deputy clerks.
Hon. Rotimi Olowo, who indicated that the Bill is a welcome idea, commended the efforts of the Committee for its timely completion of the recommendations, as each level will progress in their cadres and the House Service Commission will enjoy full autonomy and independence.
Other Members also commended the Committee for the recommendations proposed and aligned their support to the passing of the Bill.
In another development, the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform (Amendment) Bill, 2020 scaled through its second reading at the Plenary.
Hon. Adewale Temitope stated that the Bill needs an amendment as it is about the Transport Sector in Lagos State.
“It involves the first agenda of Mr Governor which is Transport. The Law seeks to address some areas affecting the transportation system and regulations in the State. It is therefore important that the House seeks the amendment of the Bill to further strengthen the sector.” He said.
Giving his ruling, The Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa, mandated the Bill to the House Committee on Transportation to look into the sections to be amended and report its findings to the House in two weeks.
Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state has expressed the readiness of his administration to remain compliant with the federal government’s diversification of the national economy against overdependence on petroleum products.
Masari made this assertion when he received a federal Commissioner of Revenue mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal commission, Professor Isah Mohammed who paid him a courtesy call at the Government house, Katsina on Monday.
The Governor recalled that in 2014, prior to the general elections and after assumption into office he had cause to inform people of Katsina state then that overdependence on the federation account would not help the state.
He recounted the history of old Katsina province under the Northern Nigerian government and the performance of the native authority that supported the police, judiciary and educational institutions with agricultural produce.
“The native authority was then paying wages to staff and as well contributing it’s qouta to Northern Nigerian government. The native authority was also providing infrastructure, thereby even competing then with Kwara province in the region”.
“If katsina could perform such a feat with agricultural produce, diversification would pave way for revenue to be obtain to stop depending on the federation account”, he posited.
He contended that even the civil war was financed through agricultural produce then, stressing that the boom in oil prevented the growth of agricultural produce in the region.
With politics, he said politicians abolished the payment of taxation and even those who abolished taxes are now regretting, adding that, the psychological negative effects of abolishing taxation made people to view payment of taxes in whatever form as oppressive.
“With that, it took away the sense of responsibility and sense of ownership from the people, because in the federation account, the states were receiving huge amounts then”, he added.
“In 1987 when Katsina state was created, the population was not more than 3.7 million people against the over 7 to 8 million people presently occupying the same land space thereby competing to co-habitate with domestic and wildlife”.
The Governor recalled that at inception, the APC administration organized an economic summit to attract investors in agriculture, saying that Dangote and BUA were allocated with lands as a follow-up to the summit.
He said Songhai farm was leased to Dangote while BUA was allocated a land to establish a textile factory in the state.
The Governor assured that the state government had continued to put structures to widen the revenue base of the state.
He however lamented that the twin problems of insecurity and Covid-19 had slowed down the state from enhancing it’s revenue base.
Earlier, the federal Commissioner, Professor Isah Mohammed who is a one time vice chancellor of universities of Calabar and Abuja told Governor Masari that they were in Katsina for a stakeholders meeting in support of the Assessment tour of Economic Diversification projects and programmes initiated by the Revenue mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal commission.
Professor Isah Mohammed recalled that over the years, many states, including the federal government have grown to become highly dependent on revenue from one source, which is oil and gas.
The Kano Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned one Kolapo Oduwole before Justice Musa Danladi of the Katsina State High Court on a six-count charge of forgery and fraud in the sum of N80,000,000( Eighty Million Naira only).
Oduwole, a staff of a bank (name withheld), allegedly forged signatures of Relationship Manager of the Bank on three fixed deposits certificates and presented same to some customers and subsequently got the customers to fix their money in fixed deposit accounts controlled only by him.
It was further alleged that, after the money was fixed, the defendant transferred it into various accounts to conduct his personal businesses.
One of the charges read that “You Kolapo Oduwole on the 3rd March, 2020 at Katsina, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court forged a certain document to wit: Re: Investment of (N80,000,000) Eighty Million Naira Only with intent to cause damage to one Abubakar Mohammed by making him to believe that you had placed the money in a fixed deposit with the bank and you thereby committed an offense contrary to section 340 and punishable under section 341 of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State 2019. The accused person pleaded not guilty to the six- count charge.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Aisha Tahar Habib requested the court for a trial date and that the defendant be remanded in the Commission’s custody as he is still under investigation.
Defence counsel, M.M Rimaye, did not object to the prosecution’s application.
Justice Danladi adjourned the matter till October 12, 2020 for commencement of trial and remanded the accused person in EFCC’s custody.
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country.
Abubakar made the commitment in Gombe on Monday, at the ground breaking ceremony of 203 Combat Reconnaissance Group of the NAF, Sanni Abacha International Airport, Gombe.
According to hm, the newly established group is strategically located in Gombe State to enable NAF to carry out its responsibilities more effectively, especially in the North-East.
He said the group was also expected to add more value to organisational operations in the fight against insurgency and other security challenges in the zone and the country at large.
“The group also marks another milestone in the service efforts to mark its presence in the critical parts of the zone.
“Upon my assumption of duty in 2015, I charted a new course for the service with the vision to reposition NAF into a highly professional discipline for capacity building initiatives for effective, efficient deployment of firepower.
“We also expanded the service by creating two new additional commands, one of which is the operational command with headquarters in Bauchi, as well as several others,” he said.
Abubakar added that all the efforts were geared toward securing the country as well as bringing security closer to the people.
“We also created some quick response groups/units also to bring security closer to the people.
“Some of these groups/units are located in Gembu in Taraba, Zamfara, Agatu in Benue; Plateau, Nasarawa and Katsina State, in response to the security challenges in the various areas,” he said.
Also, the Special Guest of Honour, Gov. Abubakar Yahaya of Gombe state, commended NAF for establishing the group in the state.
Yahaya said NAF had been in the front line in the fight against insurgency and other security threats plaguing the country, especially in the North-East.
“I have no doubt that the group will go a long way in tackling insecirity and othe security threats plaguing the state.
“The establishment of the group will also foster civil/military relations in the state. The people of Gombe state will no longer live in perpetual fear of the insurgents,” he said.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday night declared all the eleven aspirants in the Imo North Senatorial District were cleared to contest the primary.
Its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, who spoke with newsmen on telephone, said all the aspirants for Imo North Senatorial district were cleared by the Screening Appeal Committee.
He confirmed all of them were eligible for the primary, which held last Thursday.
“The truth of the matter is that all the 11 aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket in Imo North Senatorial district were cleared by the Screening Appeal Committee.
“It was on the strength of the decision of the appeal panel that informed the statement the party issued on the 1st of September, 2020 clearing all aspirants to contest the primary,” Nabena stated.
In the September 1 statement, the party spokesman said: “Ahead of the October 31 concurrent legislative by-elections scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC) Screening Committees have cleared all aspirants who purchased expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the Party’s Primary Election scheduled for Thursday 3rd, September, 2020.”
He listed the cleared aspirants for the September 3 primary in Imo North Senatorial district as: 1. Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume, Hon. Mathew Omegara, Achonu Athanasius Nneji, Uchendu Maric Chijioke, Ibezim Chukwuma Frank and Uwajumogu Edith Chidinma.
Association of filling station owners in Rivers State have vowed to shun Tuesday’s organised labour strike in the state.
Chairman, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Francis Dimkpa, stated this in Port Harcourt on Monday following stakeholders’ meeting.
Dimkpa, urged all filling stations in the state to remain opened and attend to their customers.
He said, “The leadership of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria is not unaware of the news making the rounds concerning the proposed strike action by some labour organisations in Rivers State.
“For now, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria is not joining the strike action proposed for Rivers State, hence all filling stations are directed to remain open to attend to their customers and motorists.
The Chairman, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, said its decision followed the association’s executive meeting held in respect of the pending litigation concerning the planned strike.
“My executives have always believed in constructive engagement and have resolved to continue to engage relevant agencies as well as the government in this direction.
“We are also aware of the pending litigation concerning this issue, we shall continue to engage up to any level to ensure that our members do not in any way breach the law of the land.”
You may know that the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, and the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaus Adangor, had both disclosed that a National Industrial Court sitting in Lagos had stopped the Trade Union Congress and the Nigerian Labour Congress from engaging in industrial action in Rivers on Tuesday, pending the determination of a suit filed against the unions by the state government.
But the national and state leadership of labour had dismissed the court order, saying workers’ protest must go on as planned in the state, as the President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba in a statement, warned Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike against letting any harm befall any worker during the state protest.
