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  • Fayemi orders probe into killing of FUOYE students

    Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state has called on the state police Commissioner, Mr Amba Asuquo, to expose those behind the killing of two students of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) during a protest.

    Fayemi, who made the call in a broadcast on Monday, said a Judicial Panel of Inquiry would be constituted to probe the incident, as demanded by student union bodies.

    He said the state government would compensensate families of the dead as well as foot the bills of those injured.

    The governor also lauded the exoneration of his wife, Bisi, from cause of the deaths.

    He said it was wrong for anyone to terminate the lives of students holding a lawful protest over poor electricity supply to their campus.

    “I have in the last few days agonised over the incident that took place at FUOYE on Tuesday, Sept 10, 2019

    “Until the multiple investigations already set up are completed, I am necessarily constrained from talking about the details of what transpired

    “I, however, do not need to be constrained about the emotions a tragedy like this evokes

    “Any death is a tragedy. Any shooting arising from legitimate protests diminishes our fledgling democratic dispensation and calls to question, our commitment to fundamental human rights

    “Having heard from all parties to the incident, it is pertinent that I now personally convey my deeply felt sorrow for the loss of two promising young lives and for those who suffered injuries

    “Our government prides itself on its strict adherence to the rule of law. The right of citizens to protest on any issue relating to governmental actions or inactions is a fundamental component of our good governance agenda

    Read Also: Nobody should blackmail Fayemi’s wife over FUOYE killings – NANS

    “We could not therefore under any circumstances, have directed that deadly force be used on any of our citizens freely expressing their right to protest

    “Even before the conclusion of the investigations into this matter, we have taken a number of steps; a high level government delegation has visited the families of the deceased

    “This will not be a one-off intervention. We will stand firmly with, and support the families at this time. Those persons with varying degrees of injuries will also be given support whilst their hospital expenses will be defrayed by government

    “I have directed the State Commissioner of Police to urgently commence an investigation into the circumstances that led to the unfortunate shooting incident with a view to identifying possible culprits within and outside the Force

    “Taken together with the ongoing investigation by the University management, we will consider the need for an independent panel of inquiry, if necessary once these fact finding investigations are concluded,” he said.

    The governor said he had suggested to police authorities to explore the use of non-lethal rubber bullets in managing public protests, vowing that the Nigerian Governors Forum would take this up at the highest level.

    “I note the initial public statement by the University authorities and its Students Union body. We welcome the conclusion that neither the wife of the Governor nor any Government official directed the shootings

    “Indeed it is obvious that the wife of the Governor and those on her entourage are victims of this unfortunate incident.

    “The issue that led to the protest has been the subject of intense disagreement and negotiations with BEDC since I became Governor

    “Only last week, my Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities was still in Benin to see BEDC management on the matter of inadequate and inconsistent supply of electricity in Ekiti State

    “Though Governors do not have any control over privatised power distribution companies, the four Governors from the states covered by the Benin DISCO have consistently expressed dissatisfaction with the services of BEDC and taken the matter up with the Vice President who chairs the Privatisation Council

    “In addition to this, I have been talking to the Rural Electrification Agency about including FUOYE in the next round of their University Electrification Project,” the governor said.

    He appealed for calm and caution as government awaited the reports of the various investigations, saying no persons or group should attempt to use the tragic incident to destabilise the peace and progress of the state.

  • Ogun tops list of South African returnees

    Ogun State has the highest number of the 187 returnees evacuated from South Africa last week.

    The Federal Government did a profile of the recent victims of xenophobic attacks in South Africa who had willingly accepted to return to the country.

    The profile showed that the first batch of the 187 returnees are from 16 states of the federation.

    Chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, appealed to state governments to support then returnees.

    Already, letters of appeal have been sent to the states to solicit for their interventions.

    Bank of Industry (BOI) and some telecommunication companies have also provided some support.

    NIDCOM boss who gave an update on the returnees at a press conference on Tuesday said that among the returnees were over 30 children and a widow who has four children.

    She also revealed that from the profiling, Ogun State has the highest number of 30, followed by Imo State with 28 while Kogi and Benue have the least number of one each.

    The states of returnees are – Abia – 7, Anambra 13, Benue 1, Delta 15, Ebonyi 2, Edo 13, Ekiti 6 and Enugu 7.

    Others are Imo 28, Kogi 1, Kwara 3, Lagos 7, Ogun 30, Osun 6, Ondo 6 and Oyo 23.

    She said that her commission was already communicating with every state listed.

    She added that information had already been sent to the states but they will take the final decision.

    According to her, the widow with four children is from Ondo State.

    Ondo State government, she said. is already trying to ensure the children are back in school.

    The NIDCOM chair said the states are expected to have their representatives on ground to receive their indigenes.

    She said: “We have profiled them according to their states and we expect the governors to take responsibility for their citizens that have returned.

    “I am going to stress one thing, those who returned are not criminals. In fact they are very hardworking Nigerians and have lost everything they have ever worked for in South Africa.

    “So their only crime is being black and being Nigerian. We had father’s separated from their children, we have a widow with four children who just had to come back home. They are already offers for scholarships for her children.”

    The NIDCOM CEO said those that return already for SIM card and air time that will last about two months and some money for transportation.

    According to Dabiri-Erewa , the returnees are already being profiled to get soft loans from the Bank of Industry (BOI).

    “As I speak with you now the bank of industry has their contacts and will be calling them to come for the soft loans. Those are the immediate plans for them. But as they settled in we are going to profile them and do a need assessment because somebody might want to trade and you are saying go and do hairdressing. There is also a number for just the returnees to reach the bank of industry.

    Dabiri-Erewa added that a lot of people have also offered counseling, entrepreneurship training which the commission was compiling and the returnees will also be contacted and link up with these offers.

    She commended President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the instructions that Nigerians should be evacuated from South Africa, the minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama for showing leadership and the chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema for immediately offering to evacuate the volunteer returnees, the Nigerian Consul General in South Africa who opened his doors for the returnees to sleep and later got them a hotel and treated them good, Airtel for the phones and airtime, MTN for supporting the returnees with airtime, data among others.

    She called on other Nigerians and corporate bodies to follow suit.”

    Dabiri-Erewa said another set of 319 are expected back Tuesday evening and will be warmly welcome as directed by President Buhari.

    She said the list containing details of the returnees will be forwarded to the various states to ensure proper reintegration.

    She added: “This is the time to show ourselves love and unity, it doesn’t matter what part of Nigeria you come from, we are one united Nigeria and the love and unity, the sense of togetherness was very prominent in this case, where we were being externally attacked.”

    Dabiri-Erewa assured that any Nigerian anywhere in the world, the government under President Buhari is determined that you will be protected.

    “Any Nigerian anywhere in the world be hardworking, be law abiding and whether you are abroad or home be rest assured that government protection and welfare is guaranteed anywhere in the world.”

    On the issue of compensation, she said it was a policy issue that will be decided by the minister of foreign affairs.

  • Court dissolves 10-year marriage over threat to life

    A Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, on Monday dissolved a 10-year marriage between Kamardeen Babatunde and his wife, Iyabo, over threat to life and stealing.

    The Court’s President, Chief Ademola Odunade, in his judgment, held that since there was no more love lost between the couple, dissolution of the marriage remained the only available option left for the court.

    He however, awarded custody of the only child of the marriage to Babatunde and advised them to maintain peace wherever they came across each other.

    Earlier, Babatunde had filed for divorce, saying he was no longer interested in continuing with the marriage.

    He alleged that his wife was looking for every available opportunity to kill him.

    Babatunde had tendered before the court, the knife with which his wife allegedly wanted to stab him with, before he overpowered her.

    “My 10 years of marriage to Iyabo has been miserable due to countless troubles and lack of rest of mind I have suffered in the relationship.

    “If she is not fighting with me over minor issues, Iyabo would be threatening to inflict injuries on me.

    “At the climax of the crisis, Iyabo woke me up recently in the night and showed me a knife that she was ready to stab me to death for not allowing her to have her ways in the house.

    “However, I stylishly averted the tragedy by calming her down and collecting the knife from her,’’ he said.

    According to him, she also put poison in the drinking water at home but there was no casualty because no one took the water.

    “Iyabo regularly steals my money from the safe in the living room,” Babatunde said.

    The defendant, who did not contest the application for dissolution of their marriage, however, denied Babatunde’s allegations.

    Iyabo, a Fashion Designer, told the court that her husband was a drunk “and misbehaves anytime he is under the influence of alcohol’’.

  • Xenophobia: Ramaphosa apologies to Buhari

    South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday apologised to President Muhammadu Buhari over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

    Many Nigerians had lost their lives and properties due to the increasing xenophobic attacks in the country.

    Two Special envoys from South Africa delivered Ramaphosa’s message to Buhari during a closed door meeting in Aso Rock.

    One of the special envoy, Jeff Radebe briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.

  • EFCC nabs bank employee for allegedly stealing N137M

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, has arrested one Kehinde Olumide Agbabiaka, a sales agent of Fidelity Bank Plc.

    His arrest was sequel to a petition jointly penned by the bank’s Regional Security Officer and the Cluster Control and Compliance Manager, in which it was alleged that the suspect suppressed, diverted and stole a total sum of N137,000,000 (One Hundred and Thirty-Seven Million Naira) from personal and corporate accounts of a customer in Ibadan.

    Filed on August 20, 2019, the petition alleged that Agbabiaka committed the offence between January 2017 and July 2019.

    The suspect, who was the account officer attached to the customer, was said to be visiting the business premises of the victim weekly to collect cash with the understanding that he would remit same to his accounts domiciled in the bank’s Challenge, Ibadan branch.

    But, instead of depositing the money, Agbabiaka was said to have at different times remitted only a portion and on many occasions diverted the whole sum to personal use.

    Read Also: Police arrest ‘fake’ EFCC official in Lagos

    In order to cover its criminal acts, the suspect, according to the petition, would rather issue fictitious bank slips to deceive the customer that he truly deposited the sums.

    This continued until the customer reviewed the statement of his account and reconciled same with the cash collection register. It was then they discovered Agbabiaka’s fraudulent deeds, prompting the bank to put up the petition.

    So far, the EFCC investigators have established a prima facie case of diversion and stealing against the suspect.

    Further investigations also revealed that he had used the suppressed sums to build houses, purchase cars, invest in fixed deposits and insurance policies. He also gave part of the loot to people as friendly loans.

    Some of the items have been recovered and registered as exhibits while the suspect is said to be awaiting been charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

  • You’re destroying PDP in Adamawa , Sen Abbo tells Fintiri

    Senator Ishaku Abbo (PDP Adamawa North) has accused the state governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, of a domineering attitude against the PDP, and rejecting recommendations of an appeal committee constituted by the party to address complaints of aspirants recently screened out of contention for council elections scheduled for November in the state.

    Against this, however, the PDP has kicked back, saying the recommendations Abbo accuses Fintiri of rejecting had not even been submitted to the party.

    In a face book posting, Abbo said of Governor Fintiri: “He ordered the screening committee to disqualify candidates he felt are close to me after findings indicated that his candidates will lose even if he transferred the CBN to those LGAs.

    “Gov. Fintiri did that to pave way for his anointed candidates to contest the election. The party under the leadership of Gov. Fintiri in Adamawa State is heading for self-destruction unless he reverses some of his unpopular decisions and ceases to be a dictator.”

    According to him, the PDP screening appeal committee did a good work, sent its report to the party, but the governor overruled the recommendations of the party based on the screening committee’s report.

    Insisting that his interests had been undermined, Abbo vowed, “We will never listen to nor be part of any fake reconciliation after we are cheated.”

    The state chairman of the PDP, Tahir Shehu, who spoke on the allegations on Monday evening, said the allegations did not arise as far as he knew.

    “When you set up a committee, it is to you it makes its report, but we have not received the report as I speak to you. So, I don’t know the recommendations you are talking about,” he told our correspondent.

    The spokesman of the governor, Solomon Kumangar, said the governor is a true party man earnestly working to build the party and would do nothing to undermine it.

  • Minister gives NCC uptill Sep 26 to rectify improperly registered SIM cards 

    The Minister of Communications, Dr Ibrahim Isa Pantami on Monday gave the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) till September 26 to rectify all improperly registered SIM cards in the country.

    Dr Pantami who received the Management Team of the Commission in his office in Abuja, however, commended the NCC for its ability to reduce the number of improperly registered SIM cards from 9.2 million to 2.42 million within one week.

    He told the team led by its Chairman Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye that it had become necessary to ensure that not a single SIM card is being used in the country without proper registration considering the security implications and the challenges facing the country.

    Pantami said ” Based on the report I received today from the NCC, within the period I issued a statement on improperly registered SIM and now, they were able to reduce the number significantly.

    “Within this period, they were able to rectify at least over 6. 775 million lines with incomplete registration of SIM cards. So the total number of incomplete registration of SIM cards as it is today based on the report I received is 2.42 million. So the reduction within this period is about 73. 2 percent.

    “This is a significant achievement from 9.2 million we are back to 2.4 million. Within this period 6.775 million have been rectified and this highly commendable. I want to use this opportunity to commend the Management and the Board of NCC as well as the entire Ministry for the supervision.

    Read Also: Dealing in unregistered SIM cards worries NCC

    This is highly commendable. Please maintain the tempo. However, the next line of directive both with the support of the Board is that we want to make sure that by 26 September 2019, based on the report I received today, we don’t want a single incomplete registration of SIM in Nigeria.

    “By 26 September 2019 we don’t want a single incomplete SIM, meaning that the remaining 2.4 million lines should be rectified before then. We want the management to immediately inform the Telecom companies.

    ” After 26th of September when a crime is committed and SIM is being used, we only need the number of that SIM and convey it to the regulator, within an hour we want to get the details of the person who committed that crime.

    “Even if that cannot stop people from committing crimes, what we are interested in is to know the identity of the person who commits the crime. If we can do that I think a lot can be achieved. At least the identity can be presented to security agencies and they will be able to act”.

    Dr Pantami who said the security challenges facing the country has a lot to do with unregistered or improperly registered SIM cards, assured that the present administration would leave no stone unturned to improve on the welfare of the people especially in the areas of security.

    He said the Board members who took their oath of office as administered by the Minister should not do anything that would jeopardize the confidence and trust repose on them by the President who appointed them.

    The Chairman of the Board, Senator Durajaiye who congratulated the Minister on his appointment assured that the NCC and its Board would continue to live up to the expectations of Nigeria and that of President Muhammadu Buhari.

  • We shall uphold rule of law – Abiodun

    Governor Dapo Abiodun on Monday assured that his administration would uphold the rule of law, work for justice and cooperate with other arms of government in moving the state forward.

    Abiodun also assured the new state judiciary Complex located along Kobape Road, Abeokuta, would soon be completed.

    The Governor who gave the assurance at the Cathedral of St Peter, Ake, Abeokuta during a special church service to mark the 2019 Legal Year, said the judiciary has been a pillar for the survival of democratic principles and preservation of the people’s right – which is the essence of government.

    He said  government would protect the rights of the people of the state as well as upholds the principles of the rule of law, provide a just, free and egalitarian society which guarantees continued development and abundant life for the people, irrespective of their gender, geographical location, economic, political or religious affiliations

    He noted that the new legal year was another opportunity to reaffirm individual and collective commitment to the course of justice and improvement on the administration of justice in Ogun state.

    “I assure all members of the Bar and Bench that we will be according the completion of the Judiciary Complex and its furnishing the necessary attention within available means so that we move the judiciary to its permanent location soonest.

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    “The administration of justice will also benefit from our administration’s wave of effective and efficient adoption of Information and Communication Technology to ease the cumbersome tasks of the judges and significantly improve the administration of Justice.

    “The commencement of the new legal year offers us all yet another opportunity to reaffirm our individual and collective commitment to the cause of justice and the improvement of the system of administration of justice in our dear State.

    “In every democracy, and without prejudice to the other arms of government, the Judiciary has been a pillar for the survival of democratic principles and preserving the rights of the people, who are the sole essence of government.

    “We saw clear examples of that both on Thursday, 12th September, 2019 and Saturday, 14th September, 2019 at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and State Election PetitionTribunal, respectively.

    “The maintenance of law and order and the administration of justice are inextricably tied together since both are key requirements for assuring the health of the body polity and for the attainment of the good society.

    “Throughout the ages, scholars, as well as spiritual and temporal authorities, have recognised a critical symbiosis between efficient and effective administration of law, and justice.

    ” One point on which they all converge is that law must be an instrument for the attainment of justice. To that extent, law should not be seen as an end in itself but as a means to an end that end being justice, fairness and equity.

    “We will all recall that at the Inauguration of our Administration…, I made a solemn promise to the entire good people of our dear State that we will be fair, just, equitable, inclusive and we will always obey the rule of law.

    “Towards the successful implementation of our Building our Future Together” Agenda, we appreciate the place of the Judiciary. And, if we will be successful in giving Ogun State a focused and qualitative governance and create the enabling environment for Public-Private Sector Partnership, which is fundamental to the creation of an enduring economic development and individual prosperity of the people of Ogun, it also means that we must ensure a viable system of law and justice which guarantees individual rights and assures our Development Partners of the sanctity of our pact with them.

    “Let me say that I have no iota of doubt in mind of the individual and collective capability of Members of the Judiciary of our dear State in carrying out their constitutional duties.

    “As a State, we are blessed with an array of the finest minds in different professional fields. In fact, we have also at different times exported our expertise to different nations and served in various capacities at the global level.

    The Law profession is not an exemption. This is the home State of late Ademola Adetokunbo, the first indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria; late Rotimi Williams SAN; late Chief Godwin Olusegun Kolawole Ajayi SAN; H.E. Prince Bola Ajibola SAN, who was a Judge of the International Court of Justice; and, many others.

    “As members of the Bench and Bar, you inherit from all these great men and women of reputable legal practice and jurists of Ogun State origin, a tradition of eminence which you must sustain.

    “We are Ogun State. And, considering the sterling qualities of the leadership of Ogun State Judiciary under the capable hands of the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice (Mrs) Mosunmola Arinola Dipeolu, one could be rest assured that Ogun State is on the right tracks of continued development.”

    “I urge you to return to your respective benches with renewed energy and vigour that comes from what must have been a very restful break. It is also important that as you go into the new Legal Year, that, as befits your sensitive position, you must strive always to live above board and to rekindle the faith of our people in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.

    “You should use the opportunity of this new beginning to ensure a more noble service to the bench, to our dear State and to humanity. In this new legal year, your credo should be as contained in the Magna Carta, that great and timeless document that forms the basis of English constitutional liberties, To none will we sell, to none deny or delay, right or justice.

    “As an Administration, we are irrevocably committed to providing a just, free and egalitarian society which guarantees a continued development of our dear State and a more abundant life for all our people and all those who have made our dear State their home irrespective of gender, geographical location, economic stratification, political or religious affiliation. As part of our commitment, we will continue to provide a conducive atmosphere for the rule of law and cooperate with the other arms of Government within the constitutional permission of our Separation of Powers between the three arms of Government in our democratic system.”

  • Plateau to close IDP camps by year end, says Lalong

    Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, Monday assured that all the IDP camps in this state will be vacated by the end of the year.

    The governor said that his administration decided to handle the issue of IDPs in three phases and so far, the first two phases have been concluded.

    He said that he is working on the third and final phase of total resettlement.

    Lalong noted that his administration started by considering the security of the displaced persons who may be frightened of returning to the place that they were first displaced.

    He said that he is working fervently to return peace and security to communities in the state.

    The Governor spoke in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen.

    He said, “I set up a road map since last year and appointed a committee to quickly see to the return of all IDPs to their various communities, we started in phases, we did phase one and two.

    “For those whose houses where not totally destroyed we handled it and asked them to return, that reduced a lot of the population in the camps, for the second phase many of them requested to rebuild themselves and brought a budget for the purchase of materials, we provided for them and some went back and rebuilt.

    Read Also: National Industrial Court set to open Benin Division

    “The most important thing in situations like this is to first of all consider their security, it is not easy for one who has seen what they did to rush back which is what we are trying to handle, we are in the process of providing a mobile police unit in some areas, I am in touch with the Inspection General of Police and very soon it will kick off.

    “Some of you saw me when we were trying to address the security situation and addressed the national livestock policy, the policy is inclusive of security and how to help those fighting. I have assured them at my state that by the end of this year that is my hope that nobody will be in IDP camp in Plateau state.”

    Dame Tallen urged the governor to be the first to take the issue of gender equality seriously by appointing more female commissioners and special advisers.

    Her words, “We will work together as a team to take Plateau to the next level, I want to commend your good works in the Plateau particularly in the area of security which is top in the federal agenda, you have done well in ensuring peace on the Plateau.

    “Your state is doing well in the area of the girl child education but we are pleading with you to do more because educating the girl child solves a lot of problems, I plead with you to take the issue of gender equality seriously, I appeal to you to be the leading state in the appointment large number of females as commissioners and special advisers so that I can boast and tell the other governors that my state is leading.”

  • Fire razes 15 shops in Edo

    About 15 shops located along Lagos Street opposite the Oba Market, Benin-City, Edo state were on Monday morning razed by fire.

    Goods worth millions of naira were lost in the fire.

    It was gathered that the building was renovated about four months ago.

    The fire, it was gathered, started at about 12 midnight from one of the shops where they sell pure water, take away packs and other provisions as a result of high power voltage.

    A source said the fire started from a fridge in one of the shops.

    One of the victims, Mrs. Tawa Shittu said her two daughters in-law goods were burnt in the inferno.

    “They called me in the midnight that there was fire here but I couldn’t come here till 5am this morning and we met everything burnt to ashes. We were told the fire started from the back of the building.

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    “I have been selling here for a very long time but recently, they said they needed to renovate the place, I just came to re-open my shop about a month ago.”

    Another trader, Risi said she could not salvage anything from her shop.

    “We have a chemical seller whose warehouse is also here, there is a rubber shop, wheelbarrow shop and fairly used zincs then there is baby care shop worth millions of naira goods, two shops trade on cooked food, soft drinks, two deep freezers, and assorted drinks, all got burnt.

    “The other shop has two deep freezers, one standing giant fridges, pepper soup spices, micro-wave, take-away packs and the money the owner just collected to take to the market including the yearly contribution which she just collected. She could not recover anything. The other one is baby shop running into millions of naira; nothing could be recovered including the generator.”