The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Court upholds Sowore’s, Fabiyi’s suspension as AAC’s Chairman, Secretary

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has upheld the suspension of Omoyele Sowore and Malcom Fabiyi as the  National Chairman and Deputy National Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC).

    In a judgment Friday, Justice Inyang Ekwo equally upheld the appointment of Dr. Leonard Nzewa as the party’s acting National Chairman.

    Justice Ekwo granted all the reliefs sought in the suit filed by Nzewa, among which was for the court to affirm the decision of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to suspend Sowore and Fabiyi for six months at its meeting held on March 27, 2019.

    Sowore, who is the publisher of online news platform, Saharareporters, was the party’s presidential candidate in the February 23, 2019 election.

    The party’s NEC suspended him, Fabiyi and some others for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities.

    Justice Ekwo dismissed the objection filed by Sowore and Fabiyi against the suit on the grounds that they failed to personally depose to the counter-affidavit filed against the suit.

    Read Also: AAC suspends Sowore, nine others for alleged infractions

    The judge held that the deposition made on their behalf by Dr. John Adeoye would not be considered because Adeoye was not a party to the suit.

    He noted that it was an elementary principle of law that it was only a party to a case that could depose to an affidavit evidence in defence of his or her case.

    Justice Ekwo said the reasons given by Sowore and Fabiyi for being unable to depose to the affidavit,was untenable.

    On Adeoye’s deposition to the effect that  Sowore and Fabiyi were unable to depose to the counter-affidavit personally because they were outside the country when the suit was filed, he said such an excuse did not portray them to be serious in defending the case.

    The judge noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to file any defence in the case.

    The judge ruled: “It is my opinion that Dr. John Adeoye is not a party in this case and cannot give evidence. I find that the evidence of Dr. John Adeoye goes to nought.

    “Anybody who does not take a suit instituted against him seriously must prepare to bear the brunt of his carelessness.

    “I find that the evidence of the plaintiff has not been challenged or controverted. I thereby ascribe probative value to it.

    “On the whole, the case ought to succeed, and I so hold.”

  • Insecurity: Buhari urges migrants to submit themselves to e-registration 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday urged migrants to, within six months, submit themselves to e-registration at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja.

    Buhari said the government had the right to know each migrant, adding that the registration process would further enhance the internal security of the country.

    The President, who was represented at the official commissioning of the Migrant e-Registration Centre and Passport Data Processing Centre by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said the government is serious over the development and that migrants should take advantage of the six months amnesty period to avoid penalty.

    Buhari said the Passport Application Processing Centre will provide improved issuance of passports and eliminate touting as well as corruption in line with government’s policy on ease of doing business.

    He vowed to support Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that have programes and projects that will add value to governance and enhance national security.

    The president assured the international community of its commitment to promoting the fundamental human rights of migrants.

    He said: “I am delighted to witness this occasion of the commissioning of the Migrant e-Registration and Passport Application Processing Centre established by the Nigeria Immigration Service. These centres are significant to our drive for robust internal security and national development.

    Read Also: Buhari approves promotion of 10 ACGs to DCGs

    “Today’s event reflects government’s deliberate commitment to harnessing accurate data of its citizens and statistics of migrants, especially those who wish to stay beyond 90 days within the shores of Nigeria.

    “While the Migrant e-Registration Centre will collate and store data of non-Nigerians within our shore, the Passport Application Processing Centre on the other hand will provide improved issuance of passports.

    “The Migrant e-Registration Centre will flag off the e-registration of all migrants in Nigeria to aid internal monitoring and integration. I, therefore, wish to assure the international community that we are committed to promoting the fundamental human rights of migrants. However, we have the responsibility to know who lives among us and what he does.

    “It is on this note, therefore, that I am declaring a six-month amnesty period for irregular migrants already in the country to submit themselves to the Nigeria Immigration Service for the purpose of this registration which will be carried out without any payment or penalties.

    “This administration has approved a comprehensive passport reform aimed at enhancing the country’s identity management, among other things. Accordingly, in line with our administration’s commitment to the Local Content Act, I have directed that the production of passports be domesticated in Nigeria to build capacity of indigenous firms and enable seamless service delivery. This must be done with care so that the process is not interrupted.”

    Buhari said further : “I am happy to note the progress being made in the successful integration of data between the Nigeria Immigration Service and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), particularly as it was done in the spirit of achieving one data for each Nigerian. This integration of data, we hope, will be achieved in the registration of migrants. Other Ministries, Departments and Agencies are therefore enjoined to emulate this effective collaboration as a way forward towards nation building.

    “I am enjoining all migrants staying in Nigeria whether regularly or otherwise to take advantage of the amnesty window to register with the Nigeria Immigration Service. While urging Nigerians to embrace the new passport reforms, I task the Nigeria Immigration Service to replicate the Passport Application Processing Centres nationwide so as to entrench transparency and elimination of corruption in the system.”

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Barrister Georgina Ehuriah, described the service as a major stakeholder in the Federal Government’s policy of ease of doing business that has liberalised the process and service delivery to encourage genuine businesses to thrive and investors to be wooed into the country.

    She said the e-registration will enhance national security and will assist in building capacity to identify foreigners.

    The Comptroller General of NIS, Muhammad Babandede, said there is the need to have good documentation of all foreigners in Nigeria.

    Babandede warned officers not to charge any fee from anyone during that e-registration.

  • Ministry, ICT stakeholders to partner on curbing technology importation

    In line with consolidating Nigeria’s position on the global internet governance forum, groups, IT experts, relevant stakeholders in the communication ministry and ICT related sectors on Thursday advocated for advancement in the digital future of Nigeria.

    The Nigeria Internet Governance Forum 2019 which was centered on policy dialogue on issues of internet governance held at Muson Center, Lagos and had different IT experts in attendance with the theme as ‘Enabling digital commonwealth for development’.

    The Ministry of Communication has disclosed that ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the government would partner with stakeholders in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector to curb the loss of billions of naira to importation of technology by ensuring digital inclusion for local internet initiative.

    The permanent secretary, Ministry of Communications, Istifanus Musa Mik Fuktur, represented by the director of ICT at the ministry, Moni Udoh, while speaking at the event disclosed that the ministry in conjunction with other parastatals especially the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) was set to curb billions of naira loss to technology importation.

    Read Also: Technology and Africa’s transformation

    She stated that the target was to ensure digital inclusion for local internet initiative through education by discussing ways the internet can be used to address the development in achieving the SDGs.

    Also speaking at the event, the executive chairman of Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Danbatta, represented by Engr. Chidi Diugwu, stated that the Internet Governance Forum was established in July 2006 for policy dialogue on issues and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.

    At the panelist workshop session, information Technology (IT) experts urged internet users to be mindful of what they post online so as to ensure their safety.

    The experts deliberated on “Cybersecurity and Trust: Enabling People-centered Data Protection and Privacy Regulations” during the workshop session.

    Dr Dimie Wariowei, the Director, Cybersecurity of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said that what one uploaded online could be used for criminal acts.

    Wariowei said that people were no

    w using digital means to transact businesses, accessing banking activities through the phones every day.

    He said that there were a lot of challenges associated with such actions, hence, users had to be careful.

    Mr Emmanuel Edet from the Federal Ministry of Justice said that personal data protection was key to being safe online.

    Edet said that there were different laws in Nigeria that protected people’s data, hence, should be leveraged on.

    He said that personal data should be protected so that they would not be misused by others.

  • Gunmen attack UI female hostel

    Tragedy struck at a female hostel in University of Ibadan as unknown gunmen on Friday morning attacked Obafemi Awolowo Hall carting away valuables.

    The invasion of the female hostel was said to have occurred around 1:30 a.m.by armed men numbering about 10.

    They were said to have made away with the students’ phones, laptops, cash and other valuables.

    The Director of the Public Communication of the institution, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo, who confirmed the unfortunate incident, said two students were injured but were later rushed to the University’s health center for treatment.

    Read Also; Court strikes out suit challenging appointment of Tanko as CJN

    Oladejo further disclosed that Campus Security Service coupled with combined efforts of the policemen from Bodija, Sango and Ojoo and Operation Burst rushed to the scene of the incident but the thieves had escaped.

    Students of the hostel revealed the local security personnel of the institution guarding the hostel were overpowered and praying while the robbery was ongoing.

    Some students, who recounted their ordeals, attributed the attack to the lackadaisical attitude of the school management to the security of the students whose hostel is in a ‘porous part of the school’.

  • Reps urge Fed Govt to prepare extra budget for Benue roads

    The House of Representatives has expressed sadness over the death of 50 persons, following the explosion of a fuel tanker in Gwer East Local Government of Benue State.

    The lawmakers urged the Federal Government to prepare a supplementary budget to fund work on the Makurdi-Naka-Adoka-Ankpa road.

    In addition, the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing was also urged to make provision in the 2020 budget estimates for the continuation/completion of rehabilitation of the road and for the rehabilitation of the Makurdi-Aliade-Otukpo-9th Mile road.

    Read Also: Reps urge Fed Govt to incorporate June 12 struggle into History curriculum

    The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing was also told to immediately embark on the emergency rehabilitation of all trunk A roads across the country.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), industry operators and related regulatory authorities were also asked to provide relief materials and medical treatment for the victims and other affected members of the community.

    The House is to constitute an ad-hoc committee to investigate the cause of the incident with a view to proffering solutions and preventing recurrence in other parts of the country.

    The committee was asked to report back within two weeks for further legislative action.

  • Ex-governor’s son in governorship race

    Abubakar Ibrahim, son of a former Kogi State Governor, Ibrahim Idris, will be challenging Governor Yahaya Bello, who is seeking re-election in the November 16 Kogi governorship election.

    Bello is seeking the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ibrahim is chasing the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The two contenders had obtained their nomination documents at the Abuja national headquarters of their parties yesterday.

    After collecting his forms, Bello had declared that those accusing him of non-performance had not visited Kogi State.

    Ibrahim, however, countered the governor, saying that Bello has become a huge liability to the people in the three and half years of his administration.

    Read Also: More PDP aspirants join Bayelsa, Kogi governorship race

    Ibrahim, who said the governor’s record of poor performance is unprecedented in the country, declared that this informed his decision to challenge Bello at the poll.

    Also at the PDP secretariat was Senator Diri Douye, who obtained his nomination papers for the Bayelsa State governorship election, which is also slated for November 16.

    Addressing reporters after picking his nomination  forms, Duoye, unlike his Kogi State counterpart, said his mission was to improve on the achievements of the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson.

    His address centred mainly on what he described as the remarkable programmes and achievements of the Bayelsa governor.

    “We want to deepen the service that Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has given to the people of Bayelsa in terms of health, in terms of education, in terms of security, in terms of infrastructure and in all spheres of human endeavours.”

  • Bello: those accusing me of failure don’t visit Kogi

    Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on Wednesday became the first aspirant to pick the governorship nomination and expression of interest form to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary.

    He, however, said those accusing him of non-performance do not visit Kogi State.

    Bello also said his accusers will be shocked when President Muhammadu Buhari comes to commission a number of projects in the state within the next few weeks.

    Speaking with reporters after collecting his nomination form at the APC secretariat, Bello said those accusing him of not delivering on his campaign promises were those who never visit the state.

    Bello said his developmental projects are quite visible for the people of the state to see, saying “my developmental footprints can be felt, seen, touched and smelt by all”.

    The governor also dismissed the position of 20 APC aspirants in the state who claimed that the party has been factionalised.

    According to him, the APC under him remained one.

    Bello said it was criminal for anyone to have gone to court to depose to an affidavit to continue a case that had been withdrawn by the former party chairman.

    Read Also: APC to hold Kogi, Bayelsa primaries August 29

    “Hadi Ametuo was the leader of his own group. I don’t want to call it a faction because there were never factions in Kogi APC. But, his own group felt aggrieved that they were never carried along in the scheme of things. For us as a party to go into the elections and win overwhelmingly, we have to bring everybody on board.

    “The issue of Kogi State APC being in court has been withdrawn. Anybody that is parading himself to say that there is a case in court, I will rather advise such person not to tow the path of criminality because you cannot depose to an affidavit in the absence of the right person, who is supposed to do so. Kogi State is not known for criminality. APC is not known for criminality.”

    Bello advised those who are aggrieved with him to close ranks and join him to deliver the state to the APC during the governorship elections.

    He said; “When you talk of anybody accusing me of not delivering on our mandate or dividends of democracy to the people of Kogi State, they are probably those who are living outside Kogi State. If they are actually living in Kogi State, if they cannot see it, they will feel it, because if I start to list all that I have achieved in Kogi State, I do not think 24 hours will be enough for me. But I can say it that Kogi State used to be a haven for criminality, kidnapping, armed robbery, thuggery and the rest – these things are becoming things of the past. That is number one.

    “Number two, if you talk of infrastructure, it litters everywhere across the three senatorial districts. In weeks ahead, Mr. President will be in Kogi State to commission projects. Again, one other very important achievement is the unity that you see today. The issue of marginalisation has become a thing of the past because we are running an all-inclusive government. Any person that is parading that we did nothing, that person is a diaspora person.”

    The former APC chairman, whose faction went to court to challenge the emergence of the present leadership, Ametuo, faulted other aspirants who had kicked against the use of the indirect method of primaries, accusing them of impersonation.

    Ametuo said he had personally deposed to an affidavit and instituted a case against the governor’s recognised Alhaji Abdullahi Bello-led Kogi State APC, adding that he has withdrawn the case from court to allow for a landslide victory for the party in the coming elections.

  • Bandits ambush policemen in Katsina

    Bandits on Wednesday ambushed men of the “Operation Puff Adder” in Kankara Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.

    The bandits killed a policeman in the team, which was responding to a distress call from one of the villages under attack.

    Four policemen were injured by the assailants before they fled into the forest.

    Commissioner for Police Sanusi Buba spoke parading arrested bandits, kidnappers and cattle rustlers at the state headquarters.

    He said the bandits, who ambushed the police were about 300 and they rode on no fewer than 200 motorcycles.

    He appealed to residents to assist the police with actionable intelligence reports that would enable them to rid the state of any form of criminality.

    CP Buba announced that his command busted the operations of notorious syndicate of cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery suspects.

    Read Also: Troops neutralise 30 bandits in Zamfara communities

    He added that his men recovered various arms and ammunition as well as logistics and food items.

    The Commissioner for Police said another team, which was led by Batsari Divisional Police Officer (DPO), succeeded in smashing a notorious syndicate of cattle rustlers, armed robbers and kidnappers terrorising Batsari and Safana LGAs.

    ‘’Nemesis caught up with members of the syndicate and they were subdued and arrested inside the house of one notorious bandit, “Dogo Bello (now at large) , who is strongly suspected to have kidnapped the Ward Head of Garin Labo.”

    Some of the arrested suspects that were paraded include Mu’azu Amadu , 60; Suleman Amadu, 65; Abu Bello, 60; Abubakar Lawal, alias “Maigoro”, 35 – all of Sinji village, Batsari LGA.

    The police boss added that the command succeeded in arresting members of a notorious syndicate of kidnapping and armed robbery suspects at Kampanin Daudawa village in Faskari LGA.

    According to him, the bandits met their waterloo, when they attacked the house of Hassan Rabo of Kamfanin Daudawa village, robbing him of his motorcycle and other valuables after inflicting injuries on him.

    Those arrested include Rabi’u Muhammed, 30 of Unguwar Daji, Minna, Niger State; Aminu Ahmed, 22; Ibrahim Mu’azu, 20; Danlami Bala, 25; and Ibrahim Mohammed, 23.

    He said: “One locally made Dane gun and two machetes were recovered from them.”

  • States got N3.9tr revenue last year, says NEITI

    The 36 states got N3.95 trillion as revenues last year, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Quarterly Review showed on Wednesday.

    It, however, claimed none of the states could fund their budget from their total revenues for the year.

    The gap between total revenues and budgets ranged between N28 billion in Enugu and N1.2 trillion in Cross River, the agency said.

    The total revenues to the states came from disbursements from the Federation Accounts and Allocation Committee (FAAC) and receipts from internally generated revenues (IGR).

    A statement from the NEITI on the breakdown of the figures showed that N2.849 trillion was from FAAC allocations while N1.103 trillion was states’ IGR.

    In the report titled: “Insights from States’ 2018 Total Revenue Profiles’, NEITI  looked at revenues to the states against their IGR, FAAC receipts and the implications on their budgets for the year under review.

    “While total FAAC allocations were N2.849 trillion, total deductions were N355.761, indicating that a total of N2.494 trillion represented actual net FAAC disbursements to the states.

    “In 2018, after deductions, the combined total net revenue of all states was N3.597 trillion,” the NEITI said.

    The deductions, it explained, were because of external and domestic debts, including standing orders hanging on the neck of the affected states.

    Read Also: FG targets $150 billion non-oil revenue

    The analysis conducted using data obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Fiscal Disbursement Unit of NEITI showed that Lagos State had the highest revenue of N501 billion. Osun had the lowest with N33 billion.

    This showed that Lagos revenue was higher than that of Osun by 1,518 per cent.

    The report did a comparative analysis of revenues by the six geo-political zones, which showed that the Southsouth zone had the highest revenue of N1.102 trillion. It was followed by the Southwest with N887.8billion. The Northwest and Northcentral had the third and fourth highest revenues of N546.5 billion and N378.7 billion. The Northeast and Southeast had N351.5billion and N340.1 billion apiece.

    The review said the revenue for Southsouth (N1.10 trillion) exceeded the combined revenues for the Northcentral, Northeast and Southeast, which is N1.07 trillion.

    Similarly, the total revenue of Lagos  (N501.2 billion) exceeded total revenue of each of three zones: Northcentral (N378.7 billion), Northeast (N351.5 billion), and Southeast (N340.1 billion).

    On IGR, the NEITI review explained: “Only four states had IGR above N50 billion, including Delta, Lagos, Ogun and Rivers states.

    On the other hand, 13 states had IGR below N10 billion, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.

    “In addition, 11 states had IGR between N10 billion and N20 billion: Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Imo, Kogi, Niger, Osun, Plateau, and Sokoto states.

    Eight states had IGR between N20 billion and N50 billion: Akwa Ibom, Edo, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Ondo and Oyo.”

  • Abdulrazaq releases N350m for completion of state secretariat

    Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved the release of N350 million for the completion of the new state secretariat complex in Ilorin.

    AbdulRazaq approved the fund after securing a discount of N50 million from the contractors who were being owed N515 million out of the N1.38 billion total contract sums.

    The contract was awarded by the administration of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

    Chief Press Secretary to Abdulrazaq Rafiu Ajakaye said: “Governor AbdulRazaq felt a need to urgently complete the project for the use of civil servants, even as he pushed for a heavy discount from the contractors.

    Read Also: Everything is messed up in Kwara – Gov AbdulRazaq

    “As a result, the governor has approved the release of N350 million with which the contractors will finish the work. They will receive N81 million after the work is satisfactorily done. That would leave them with the (third payment) retention fee of N34 million after six months.”

    The statement said the governor is alarmed that some of the state’s civil servants are still in rented accommodation, 52 years after Kwara was created.

    Project’s lead consultant Makanjuola Kayode said the four-block secretariat complex will be ready by August 30.

    Each of the blocks has 76 office spaces.

    Makanjuola hailed the governor for approving prompt completion of the project.