The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

  • Yoruba group decries marginalization in FCT

    THE Yoruba were pivotal to the founding and development of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and must strive to remain relevant to the social-economic and political developments in the territory, the President of the foremost Yoruba association in Abuja, Club Twelve 88 Abuja, Emmanuel Odebode  has said.

    Speaking at the inauguration of club’s new executive council and the launch of a N10 million appeal fund, he said Yoruba contributed to the development of the city.

    Odebode, who spoke to reporters at the event recalled that the late Justice Akinola Aguda was the chairman of the committee that recommended the movement of the nation’s capital to Abuja from Lagos while the late Mr. Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun, another Yoruba man was the pioneer FCT Minister from 1976-79.

    Also, the renowned geographer, Professor Akin Mabogunje, he added, was on the frontline of the experts who did the spadework for the setting out of the city.

    Other prominent Yoruba men such as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Lt Gen Oladipo Diya (rtd) and many others including the sitting Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo hold or have held prime political offices in the city.

    Founded in 1988 by 12 friends, the club is to foster genuine friendship among members, promote the political advancement of the Yoruba in the territory as well as embark on humanitarian and community development projects.

    Over the past 31 years, the club has made donations to some hospitals in Abuja, presented cash and materials to orphanages, reactivated boreholes in the Durumi Internally Displace Persons Camp as well as funded the surgical facial reconstruction of three cleft palate children patients in November 2017.

     

     

     

  • Doctors’ underemployment

    THE headline was more than a little misleading. Newspapers wrote that 40 percent of Nigerian doctors are jobless. And they attributed it to the president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Francis Faduyile, though represented by the chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) branch of the association.

    Here is the quote. “Many of them are employed by private hospitals that are not even paying them enough because of the economy. We don’t have enough doctors and the ones we have are not being utilised,” said the NMA president.

    According to news reports, he noted after their national youth service, they do not clinch a job until a year or two. This follows former health minister Chris Ngige’s assertion that Nigeria had more than enough doctors and that he was not bothered by what has been characterised as waves of brain drain of the medical profession.

    Ngige did not say they were all employed. But what the NMA president seems to have pointed out is that they are underpaid and that the major problem is not so much that 40 percent of them are underemployed as that they are underpaid.

    But the NMA president said though the doctors are not enjoying full employment, they are not enough. That is where he contrasts with the former minister. Describing Ngige’s assertion as unfortunate, he referred to an important statistic. “The World Health Organisation stated that, for optimal healthcare to be achieved, we need doctor/patient ratio of one to 600. In Nigeria, we have 40,000 doctors taking care of 200 million people.”

    One of the major statistics that has not been documented is how many doctors go to the rural areas. The majority of Nigerian patients do not live in the major or medium-size cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna, Enugu or Warri. They abound in the villages and hamlets.

    It is not common for a doctor, after spending close to a decade studying, to abandon the opportunities the urban scent gives and decide to work in a hamlet clinic, where there are probably no modern drugs, equipment, or even the seduction of prosperity because they would have no power, no pipe-borne water, no good roads and other infrastructural allures of the city.

    Only a few humanitarian, selfless souls would opt for a rural redoubt many hours outside Damaturu. In the western countries, it is often the case. But they have an answer. Doctors are lured with special remunerations, far more attractive than they earn in the cities. Most of the doctors who fall for this are usually foreigners from Asia and Africa, including Nigerians referred to in the Ngige assertion.

    So, the issue is not a medical one alone. It is a challenge of development. We cannot churn out doctors without opportunities. Yet, the irony is jarring that we have many Nigerians dying daily of preventable diseases and ailments. Such problems could easily be treated if a doctor was around just to diagnose and prescribe a little and accessible solution.

    Part of the problem is that our people have given up on modern medicine, and they now seek traditional alternatives, a practiced chockfull of superstition and quackery. Medical doctors in a village may find themselves competing with a man swaddled in frowzy garments and making concoctions whose efficacy derives from the psychology of desperate optimism by patients who neither know nor trust any other world.

    Budgets after budgets, federal and states, stress rural clinics. Progress is tardy, if any. So doctors will continue to be underemployed in the cities when they can extend the power of their Hippocratic oaths to the emergencies in rural areas.

  • Police arraign 38 sect members

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command on Thursday arraigned 38 members of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky’s Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) in an Abuja court.

    Twenty-eight of them were arraigned in a Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 6 while 10 others were arraigned in Magistrates Court in Wuse Zone 2.

    Twenty-eight of the accused were granted bail with conditions by Magistrate Ahmed Ndajiw and Magistrate Mohammed Ibrahim at Wuse Zone 6 Court.

    Ten, according to the magistrates in Wuse Zone 2, would be kept in a good facility outside police cell.

    The police said two of the 40 suspects arrested for Tuesday’s violent protest were freed during investigation.

    Their arraignment followed the arrest of the members during Tuesday’s violent protest and forceful invasion of the National Assembly.

    The sect members’ invasion left nine policemen injured and several vehicles destroyed.

    The first information report was read in English and interpreted in Hausa language to the defendants at Court 13 of the Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 2.

    They were charged with the following offences: criminal conspiracy, mischief, unlawful assembly, obstruction of public servant in the discharge of duty, rioting armed with deadly weapons, causing grievous hurt, disturbance of public peace, assault or criminal force to determine public servant from discharge of his duty contrary to sections 97, 326, 149, 107, 243, 113 and 264 of the Penal Code.

    Read Also: Relief as police conquer Imo horror forest

    The report reads: “That on July 9, 2019 at 1300 hours (1 p.m), a team of policemen, led by Divisional Police Officer (DPO) National Assembly police station, Umar Sabo Abdullahi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), while performing their official duty, came across you and others at large who formed a common intention and were behaving in a riotous manner and in possession of dangerous weapons.

    “The DPO, in performing his lawful duty, ordered you to disperse but you forced yourselves into the National Assembly, burnt and destroyed many vehicles. You equally snatched a gun from Inspector Ahmed Sani and caused grievous hurt on the following police officers: Umar Sabo Abdullahi, a Superintendent of Police (SP); Ahmed Sani as well as Mohammed Sarki and Joseph Abutu, both Corporals.

    “You also destroyed the police post at the National Assembly and shot at two police pfficers who are now lying critically ill at the hospital. You thereby committed the above offences.”

    The 10 defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The defence counsel, I. A. Ishaq, urged the court to grant them bail and discharge and acquit the accused on the ground that they denied the allegations.

    He said: “All the defendants denied allegation and in view of their denial, we humbly apply for their bail. We also urge the court to discharge and acquit them on the ground that they are minors and students from various schools.

    “Nine of the 10 defendants are minors and students. The adult among them is 51 years old.”

  • Judge, who ordered Diezani’s arrest dies

    A judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),  Justice Valentine Ashi, who ordered security agencies to arrest and produce former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison Madueke within 72 hours, has died.

    The Nation learnt the Justice Ashi, who sits in Apo, died on Thursday in an Abuja hospital from a yet to be disclosed ailment.

    Authorities of the FCT High Court also confirmed the development, but assured a formal statement will be issued on Monday, with the approval of the Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello.

    “Some members the late Justice Ashi’s family have visited the court’s management to inform the court about the unfortunate incident.

    “I can confirm that they said he died on Thursday in the course of an illness. But, the court will issue a formal statement on Monday, a senior official of the court said.

    A lawyer, Gilbert Ateh, who said he appeared before the judge last Monday, said he looked sick, and had lost weight.

    On December 4, 2018, Justice Ashi, upon an ex-parte motion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), ordered the agency, Nigerian Police Force (NPF), the Department of State Services (DSSS)  and all other security agencies to arrest Diezani  within 72 hours.

    The EFCC said it investigated the former minister with a businessman and Chairman, Atlantic Energy Drilling Company, Jide Omokore in relation to a petition by a group, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), dated October 2, 2013, which contained allegations of money laundering and official corruption.

    Read Also: I had no dealings with Diezani, says Belgore

    EFCC added that its investigation showed that Diezani, as supervising minister of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, allegedly engaged in illicit and monumental fraudulent dealings in oil transactions, which she entered into on behalf of the Federal Government.

    In December 2014, Justice Ashi granted an injunction, restraining former President Olusegun Obasanjo from publishing his autobiography, “My Watch.”

    He later lifted the interim injunction following further presentations by the former president’s lawyer.

    Justice Ashi’s profile,as contained on the court’s website shows that he hailed from Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State.

    His date of birth and age were not reflected. The deceased was called to Bar in 1987.

    He became a lecturer at the Nigerian Law School (NLS) in 2001 until his appointed as a judge of the High Court of the FCT in 2010.

    While sitting at the FCT High Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja,Justice Ashi, on December 7, 2014, gave the interim injunction former President Obasanjo from proceeding with his planned publication of the book, “My watch.”

    Alex Izinyon (SAN), who argued the application, in relation to which Justice Ashi made the order, had complained that Obsanjo, in the book,portrayed his client, Buruji Kashamu, in bad light

  • Pastor bags seven-year jail term for raping minor

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has sentenced a pastor and founder of Mountain Movers Ministry International, Nyanya, Abuja, Pastor Basil Princewill, to seven years jail term after his conviction for raping a 14-year-old girl.

    Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, in a judgment on Tuesday convicted Princewill on two of the four counts contained in the charge on which he was tried.

    Justice Baba Yusuf regretted that the defendant was cleric, who the society looked up to as next to God

    The judge said as regrettable that a person who called himself a man of God was involved in such shameful, disgraceful and satanic act,

    Justice Baba Yusuf said he took into consideration the fate of a young girl and the society in reaching his decision$

    The judge was of the view that it was incumbent on the court to deter others with such evil mind from engaging in such acts.

    He added: “It is even worrisome when the person involved is a man of God who we should look up to as next to God. Those who serve in the Lord’s vineyard are expected to be an example to the society.

    “We have a duty to send signal that this attitude should not be tolerated. It is regrettable that the person who called himself man of God will be involved in such shameful disgraceful and satanic act.

    Justice Baba Yusuf noted that by his conduct, Princewill deserved  to be kept away from the public, adding that, “he would face the prison walls like a monastery so that when he comes out, he would have been born again.

    “I believe the evidence of the PW2 (victim ) to be true and the PW1 (her mother) told the story in the same way the victim told the court too.

    “The evidence of the accused was inconsistent and confusing also and the direct evidence given by the victim to her mother narrated the ordeal the victim went through in the hands of the accused.”

    The judge added that  out of the four-count charge preferred against the defendant by the prosecution, the defendant is convicted on count one, which is rape and count three which is abettment to cause abortion.

    He held that though the convict denied raping the victim, his (Princewill’s) evidence contradicted itself, which informed why he should be convicted on the allegation of rape.

    The judge discharged defendant on the offences of impersonation and attempt to cause miscarriage, which the judge said the prosecution failed prove the ingredients.

    He said, because the convict was a first offender he “is sentenced  to seven years for the offence of rape and five years for the offence of abettment which will run concurrently.”

    Read Also: Man accuses Pastor of breaking his marriage

    Princewill, who looked pensive all through the proceedings on Tuesday, was araigned in June, 2012 by the police a four-count charge bordering on rape, impersonation and attempt to cause abortion and abetting miscarriage.

    He was said to have forcefully had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl, Favour Iwoha, between July 27 and December 31, 2011 at Mountain Movers Ministry International and his house at Nyanya, Abuja, without her consent and impregnated her.

    He was said to have subsequently given her drugs with a view to aborting the pregnancy.

    The prosecution said Princewill, on or about January, 2012,  attempted to cause miscarriage on the minor when he gave her drugs to take and abort the pregnancy, which caused her to bleed

    The offence, according to prosecution, is contrary to Sections 282, 179, 95 and 85 of Penal Code.

    In the course of trial, the prosecution called four witnesses. It closed its case on December 9, 2016.

    The defendant closed his case on May 24, 2017 having testified for himself without calling any one.

    After the judge pronounced Princewill guilty and convicted him, his lawyer, Kekere Akpe, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy,and that the convict was a first-time offender as well as a family man.

    Prosecution lawyer, Simon Lough, urged the court to impose a sentence on the convict to serve as a deterrent for others.

  • Police arrest nine ‘one chance’ suspects, others in FCT

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested nine suspects for their alleged involvement in “one chance operation” in various parts of the territory.

    Some of the suspects reportedly disguised as stranded foreign nationals to lure their victims into their act.

    A statement yesterday by police spokesman Anjuguri Manzah, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), gave details of how the suspects were arrested.

    It reads: “In furtherance with the current operation by the FCT Police Command to curb the menace of ‘one chance’ robbery/419 in the Federal Capital Territory, on May 31, at 0930 hours (9.30 a.m), operatives of the command’s Anti-One Chance Unit, following a tip-off, arrested Osita Chukwuemeka Orotu (M), 28, a notorious one chance robber, at his hideout in Angwan Cement, Kado.

    “Until his arrest, the suspect was on the command’s watch list for his nefarious activities. Effort is being intensified to arrest his cohorts.

    “Similarly, on June 13, at 1400hours (2 p.m), detectives, who were acting on a complaint, arrested two notorious fraudsters (419ners) – Uche Ugbabor and Emeka Okafor – at their hideout in Shagari Quarters, Deidei.

    “The suspects, who posed as stranded foreign nationals to lure and defraud their victims, belong to a notorious 419 gang that has been terrorising unsuspecting persons around Kubwa/Deidei axis.”

    Read Also: Police discover kidnappers hideout in Minna

    The statement added: “In another operation, on June 15, police operatives from the Anti-One Chance Unit, who were acting on a tip-off, carried out a raid at some notorious 419/one chance robbery meeting points at Ungwan Shehu and Ungwan Cement in Karimo.

    “The raid led to the arrest of Uche Johnson Eze (M) 38; Ekechukwu Eze (M), 27; Solomon Ifeanyi (M), 31 and Onome Emele (M), 33, all of Ungwan Shehu, Karimo, and Sunday Agbom (M), 32, of Giri, Gwagwalada.

    “Also, arrested is John Idehi (M), 48, a member of the one chance/419 syndicate, who posed as a native doctor (babalawo) and custodian of the concoctions purportedly used for doubling money for their unsuspecting victims.”

    Items recovered from the suspects include one black KIA car with registration number (Abuja) ABC569HA, used for their operation.

    Manzah said the suspects will be arraigned in court when investigations intom their cases are concluded.

    The spokesman added that the raid on one chance robbers/fraudsters’ (419) hideouts would continue.

    The command urged the public to be security-conscious, vigilant and avoid using unpainted taxis.

     

  • Court rejects payment vouchers in Babachir, others’ N544m fraud trial

    The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has rejected payment vouchers tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the trial of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and two others.

    The former SGF and his brother, Hamidu David Lawal, a director of Rholavision Engineering Limited; an employee of the company, Sulaiman Abubakar and the Managing Director of Josmon Technologies Limited, Apeh John are facing a 10-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud brought before the court by the anti-corruption commission.

    Two companies, Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited are being prosecuted alongside the four other defendants.

    Read also: EFCC fails to open trial in case against ex-SGF, Babachir Lawal, others

    EFCC accused the former SGF of benefiting illegally from the approval of N544,119,925.36 for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation.

    The anti-graft agency alleged that Lawal being the SGF and Hamidu Lawal, director of Rholavision Engineering Limited and Abubakar, staff about March 7, 2016 at Abuja conspired to commit the offences.

    Justice Jude Okeke, in a ruling yesterday, admitted some of the vital documents tendered on May 23, 2019 by the prosecution, through its first witness, Hamza Adamu.

    In the ruling, Justice Okeke, said that though the prosecution had insisted that the documents it tendered were single documents, it was for the court to examine the documents to know whether they were admissible or not.

    The judge said the documents tendered by the prosecution were original voucher payments attached with other documents, including original and uncertified documents.

    He said: “I have examined the bundle of the documents and it consisted of original documents with attachments of uncertified ones, a total of 17 documents.

    “The documents are bearing different dates. Besides this, it is also numbered as different exhibits. The mere fact that there are stapled together does not make them one document.”

    Justice Okeke adjourned the case till today for the continuation of trial.

  • Disaster averted in FCT School as storm destroys buildings

    Tales of the devastation of last Thursday’s heavy downpour in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which has left behind devastating effects on residents is yet to be over.

    Following the heavy rain, human disaster was averted in Government Secondary School (GSS), Bwari, a co-educational boarding facility in the FCT.

    Speaking on the incident, the principal of the school said: “Students of GSS Bwari were on Sallah break. That was just the saving grace, but I am grateful that no life was lost as students were not in the hostel when the rain and the devastating wind occurred.”

    Read Also: Atiku will be a disaster as President, says BMO

    The Thursday’s downpour which started in parts of Abuja very early in the morning lasted for several hours.

    When our correspondent visited the school, roofs of about three hostels were completely blown off, the wreckage of the hostels were yet to be evacuated, wet mattresses were brought out so they can dry before the students resume.

    The school had no electricity supply at the time of the visit to avert accident as electricity poles were broken with naked wires lying on the ground.

    Chairman, FCT Education Board, Yahaya Mohammed, in the company of Chief Suuy Monedafe and members of FCT Education Board were on ground for an on-the-spot assessment.

    Mohammed said they have witnessed the situation, which he described as an emergency situation and that they would do all within their capacity to remedy the sad development.

    Principal of the school, Mrs. Favour Edem, who conducted the board chairman and journalists round the school to see the devastation, thanked God that students were not in the hostel as they were at home for Sallah celebrations.

    Students are expected to return from Sallah break in a matter of days.

     

  • Police arrest six suspected illegal money traders in Abuja

    Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Police Command have arrested six suspects for illegally trading in different naira denominations.

    The suspects are: Auwal Yunusa, 22; Mohammed Auwal, 20; Yusuf Shuaibu, 31; Suleiman Saidu, 38; Usman Ibrahim, 24; and Mohammed Salisu; 24.

    Their arrest on Friday followed a joint raid carried out  in Dei-Dei area of Abuja, by the Central Bank of Nigeria Enforcement Committee on the Abuse of the Naira, the FCT Police Command and Department of State Security Services.

    The Police recovered from them N1,948, 060 in 200, N50, N20, N10 and N5 denominations.

    The police in a statement said: “ On 31st May, 2019 at about 1030hrs, the police carried out joint raid at Dei-Dei under bridge where six persons were arrested for illegal Trading and Hawking of Nigeria Currency contrary to Sections 20 and 21 of the CBN Act, 2007.

    Read Also: Police arrest man with short gun at Abiodun’s inauguration

    “The raid is part of the renewed effort of the Committee to enforce of the provisions of the aforementioned Sections of the Act, which prescribes the offence of selling, buying, spraying and squeezing of the Naira for which, six months imprisonment or an option of N50, 000 fine or both are prescribed as penalty upon conviction.

    “Consequent upon the raid which recorded huge success, the total sum of N1, 948,060 was recovered from the six suspects arrested and others at large at Dei-Dei under bridge.”

    The Police said added that the suspects and exhibits had been transferred to the Command Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

    It also disclosed that the case will be charged to court upon completion of investigation.

     

  • Alleged N47m fraud: Court remands three JAMB officials in EFCC custody

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has ordered that three officials of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged complicity in the theft of their employer’s funds estimated at N47.18 million.

    The officials are the State Coordinator, JAMB Zonal Office, Plateau State, Yakubu Jekada; the State Coordinator of JAMB office, Benue State, Samuel Sale Umoru and a clerical officer in the Benue State office in Makurdi, Mrs. Philomina Chieshe.

    Justice Peter Afen gave the order for the defendants’ remand shortly after they were arraigned on two separate charges of eight and four counts filed by the EFCC.

    They pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

    Jekada was arraigned on a four-count charge in which he was accused of misappropriating N11, 189,000.00, while Umoru and Chieshe were arraigned on an eight-count charge in which they were accused of misappropriating N36 million, which Mrs. Chieshe was said to have claimed was swallowed by a snake.

    Justice Afen adjourned to Monday for argument of the defendants’ bail application and the hearing of another charge also filed by the EFCC.

    The charge against Yakubu, marked: CR/339/19, reads:

    *That you Yakubu Jekada between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) zonal office, Plateau State and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit; 11,189 units of e-facility cards of JAMB committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said properties when you disposed of the cards without duly rendering accounts of the disposals to JAMB and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law.

    *That you Yakubu Jekada between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja and Plateau State, within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) zonal Office, Plateau State, dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N11, 189,000.00 belonging to JAMB, an agency of the federal government of Nigeria and you hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.

    Read Also: BREAKING: JAMB releases 4,536 withheld UTME results

    *That you, Yakubu Jekada between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja and Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)zonal Office, Lokoja in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit; N11,189,000 million, being proceeds realised from the sales of e- facility cards belonging to JAMB, committed criminal breach of trust by dishonestly using the said funds, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law.

    *That you Yakubu Jekada, between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja and Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)zonal Office, Plateau State used your position to confer unfair advantage to yourself by converting to your own use the sum of N11,189,000.00 being proceeds from the sale of e-facility cards of JAMB and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other related offences Act.2000.

    In the charge against Umoru and Mrs. Chieshe, the lady was said to have, under further interrogations in June 2016, claimed that a total sum of N36.5m, being value of the shortfall of unremitted e-JAMB cards, “disappeared as a result of manipulation from the Kingdom of Darkness.”

    The EFCC said Mrs. Chieshe “offered such unbelievable explanation, knowing same to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under section 139(a) of the Penal Code Law.”

    The two defendants were said to have in 2015, offered N48,500 bribe to an auditor, Mr. Ibrahim Oba, who was sent to Benue from Abuja office of the organisation to vet the accounts.

    They were said to have committed criminal breach of trust with respect to 410 units of Change of Course Cards of JAMB, as well as failed to remit proceeds from the sales of e-facility cards belonging to the examination body.

    The defendants allegedly committed the fraud that was blamed on ‘the mysterious snake’, between August 2014 and July 2016. The prosecution maintained that their action was contrary to sections 97(2), 308, 315 and 139 of the Penal Code Law, likewise section 17(1) (c) of the of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000.