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  • Breaking: Supreme Court strikes out appeal by sacked Kwara APC exco

    The Supreme Court has struck out an appeal by members of the sacked executive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, led by Ishola Balogun Fulani.

    A five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, held in a unanimous ruling on Wednesday, that the appeal was without merit.

    Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, in the lead ruling, noted that the appeal, being on an interlocutory decision of a High Court in Ilorin, the record ought to be complied and transmitted within 14 days, as required under Order 7 of the Supreme Court’s Rules.

    Read Also: Court orders Nigeria Immigration Service to pay ex-staff N9.7M in 60 days

    Justice Ariwoola held that the appellants, having failed to comply with the court’s rules. when they transmitted the record of appeal outside the 14-day period, the appeal becomes incompetent.

    Details shortly..

  • Why Nigerian Army holds annual training, by GOC

    The 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan has flagged off the 2019 edition of its annual competition in Akure, the Ondo state capital for its personnel in the rank of corporal and below.

    The four day-competition, which drew 55 participants each from five army formations in the Southwest Zone, is being hosted by the 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment, Akure.

    The participating Army formations are 2 Div. Nigerian Army Garrison, Ibadan, HQ 4 Brigade Benin; 32 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army, Akure; 22 Armoured Brigade, Ilorin and 42 Engineer Brigade, Ibadan.

    The events for the competition include physical fitness, obstacle crossing, combat, swimming and parade.

    The GOC, 2 Division, Gen Okwudili Azinta said the event was organised in line with the Nigerian Army forecast of event and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) training directives for 2019.

    Azinta was represented by Brig Gen. Koko Akamba Isoni, Chief of staff at 2 Div. Nigerian Army, Ibadan.

    He explained that the goal of the competition was to improve leadership traits, organisational ability, use of initiative and to promote espirit-de-corps by personnel in that category.

    “It is also intended to prepare them physically and mentally to contend with the contemporary security challenges confronting the nation.

    According to him, “In view of this, relevant events geared toward enabling the participants to imbibe the goals of the competition were carefully selected,” he said.

    Read Also: Yobe attack: terrorists killed, weapons recovered, says Army

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who was the special guest of honour lauded the Nigerian Army for its efforts in training its personnel to be able to discharge their task of securing the territorial integrity of the nation more effectively.

    Akeredolu represented by his Chief of Staff, Olugbenga Ale described training as the bedrock of any organisation.

    He said ”When soldiers are well trained, their performance in maintaining peace and unity of the nation is guaranteed. On our part, the government of Ondo State will continue to support the military in its activities to ensure success”.

  • Yobe attack: terrorists killed, weapons recovered, says Army

    Several insurgents were killed and weapons recovered in an attempted attack on Damaturu, Yobe State capital during an encounter between troops and terrorists, Army has said.

    Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations Sector 2 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Mr. Njoka Irabor, who confirmed the attack in a statement said, several insurgents were killed and many items recovered from them including two gun trucks, rifles, Anti Aircraft guns among others.

    Lt. Irabor who described the operation as successful noted that the superior firepower of the land troops, with support of the Air Component of Operation Lafiya Dole overpowered the terrorists who suffered heavy casualty.

    His statement reads;
    “Following credible information of planned efforts by Boko Haram terrorists to attack Damaturu, troops of Sector 2, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, successfully laid an ambush which led to the extermination of many Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs), that attempted to attack Damaturu, Yobe State at about 5:15 pm, today Tuesday the 9th of April 2019.

    “The vigilant troops effectively ambushed the criminals few metres ahead of Maisandari community at the outskirts of the city of Damaturu.

    Read Also: Boko Haram insurgents attack Damaturu

    “The terrorists were overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the gallant troops and the well-coordinated air support, from the Air Component of Operation LAFIYA DOLE.

    “Consequently, many terrorists met their Waterloo, some were also wounded and the following items/equipment were recovered;
    a. 2 x Gun Trucks
    b. 2x Anti Aircraft Guns
    c. 1 x 60 Millimetre Mortar
    d. 4 x AK 47 Rifles
    e. 1x General Purpose Machine Gun
    f. 1,245 Rounds of 7.62 mm (NATO)

    “Troops have embarked on hot pursuit of the fleeing terrorists, mop up/combing of the general area is ongoing.

    “Further details and possible recoveries would be provided on completion of the mop up operations”.

  • Edo debunks fake recruitment exercise

    The Edo State Government has debunked an advertisement of a purported recruitment exercise by Edo State Civil Service Commission, noting that the information was fake and the handiwork of unscrupulous elements out to defraud hardworking Nigerians.

    In a statement by Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, the government urged the public to disregard the information, as the state government was currently not recruiting.

    Read Also: Edo to demolish illegal structures on moats, river banks, others

    According to him: “The state government’s attention has been the drawn to a recruitment advertisement purportedly put out by the state government. I want to clarify that the Civil Service Commission is currently not recruiting. Members of the public are advised to disregard the message.”

    He called on members of the public be wary of the antics of those peddling the advertisement as they are out to defraud hardworking Nigerians.

  • Osinbajo expresses confidence in NDIC new board

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed confidence in the ability of the new Board and Management of the NDIC led by Mrs. Ronke Sokefun whom he described as an experienced lawyer and Umaru Ibrahim an experienced technocrat to steer the Corporation in the right direction.

    According to a statement by the Head of Communications and Public Affairs Department, Mohammed Kudu Ibrahim, Osinbajo made the comment during the courtesy visit by the Board and Management of the Corporation on Friday the 5th of April 2019, in his office at the State House, Aso Rock, Abuja.

    While congratulating the Chairman and other members of the Board for their appointment, Osinbajo also commended the Management of the Corporation for prioritizing the interests of Nigerian depositors in its choice of the Bridge Bank option for the resolution of many banks in liquidation.

    The Vice President, however, noted that a lot still needs to be done in the area of sanitizing the banking system.

    “He also stressed the need for fresh ideas to produce a more resilient structure involving the NDIC and other relevant stakeholders to address the issue of Non-performing loans in the industry and warned that the federal government was not prepared to repeat the mistakes of the past.

    Read Also: Osinbajo, Falana, charge journalists on professional ethics

    “On the issue of financial inclusion, the Vice President remarked that it was desirous for millions of poor Nigerians to be empowered through the extension of credit and urged for a sustainable framework to achieve the objectives set by the regulators.

    “He lamented that the current structure for the operation of Micro-Finance Banks (MFBs) had failed to achieve the desired goals and called for concerted efforts of the relevant institutions including CBN and NDIC to come up with a framework that would facilitate the funding of federal government social intervention programs such as the N-Power, Trader-Money, and Market-Money so as to alleviate the suffering of millions of Nigerians,” the statement said.

    It further added that: “Earlier, the Chairman of the Board of the Corporation had thanked the Vice President for his warm reception and recalled that the NDIC as a critical player in the Nigerian financial safety-net, had achieved remarkable success in the execution of its primary mandates of effective supervision of the insured banks, timely payment of insured deposits and the implementation of a robust and efficient failure resolution regime.

    “The Chairman concluded her remarks by drawing the attention of the Vice-President to the NDIC Amendment Bill currently pending before the Senate and solicited for his assistance in ensuring a quick passage of the Bill before the expiry of the present legislative session.

    “In his remarks, the MD/CEO of the Corporation, Umaru Ibrahim, FCIB mni, joined the Chairman in seeking for the assistance of the Vice President towards the speedy passage the Bill to amend the NDIC Act pending at the Senate to strengthen the capacity of the Corporation effectively supervise insured financial institutions for a safe and sound banking system in the country.

    “Commenting further on the activities of the Corporation, the NDIC boss informed the Vice President that the NDIC undertakes periodic examination of banks in collaboration with the CBN and issues reports with far reaching recommendations to the Boards of banks for compliance to ensure the safety, soundness and stability of the Nigerian banking system.”

  • ‘Aisha Buhari didn’t order sack of presidential amnesty office staff’

    The Presidential Amnesty Office has denied a report alleging the involvement of the President’s wife, Mrs Aisha Buhari in the sack of staff members of the office.

    Mr Murphy Ganagana, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Prof. Charles Dokubo, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, described the report as a “fairy tale’’ which was concocted out of mischief.

    According to online report published by Pointblanknews, Mrs Buhari gave the coordinator of PAP a directive to sack the affected workers for allegedly leaking documents of an alleged contract scam.

    Ganagana said the report further alleged that Dokubo had told some unnamed senior officials of the Amnesty Programme that he got a directive from Buhari to sack some staff members.

    According to him, the Office of the President’s wife does not interfere in the affairs of PAP and has at no time requested or directed Prof. Dokubo to sack any staff member of the Amnesty Office.
    Ganagana said that contrary to the report, no official of PAP was sacked for any reason whatsoever, and there was no contract scam at the Amnesty Office.

    “The report on Pointblanknews is standing truth on its head; its claim that Prof. Dokubo was tongue-lashed by senior officials of the presidency who queried him over leaked deals is a wicked lie that could only emanate from the devil.

    “Prof. Dokubo was neither invited nor queried by the presidency over leaked deals or documents and he did not get any directive to sack any staff member of the Amnesty Office.

    “The latest missile fired at Prof. Dokubo and the Amnesty Programme by Pointblanknews is in reaction to a recent failed attempt which crumbled and missed its target following a lucid presentation of facts on the alleged N3.2billion contract scam by the Amnesty Office to members of the public.

    Read Also: Buhari committed to ending criminality, banditry – IGP

    “ This has no doubt punctured the credibility of Pointblanknews, and like a wounded lion, it is splashing muddied water at Prof. Dokubo to smear him.

    “We wish to reiterate that there is no contract scam in the Amnesty Programme and no kobo was paid to the two companies as alleged by Pointblanknews, just as no staff (member) has been sacked either on a directive by the First Lady or for any other reason whatsoever.

    He, however, said it should be emphasised that as a public agency, officials of PAP engaged either as consultants or civil servants were subject to Public Service Rules 030302 to 030306 relating to disciplinary procedures for misconduct.

    “To this end, six staff (members) of the Amnesty Office comprising four consultants and two civil servants were recently suspended from duty for breaching provisions of the Public Services Rules.

    “They are expected to appear before a legally constituted panel in accordance with statutory procedure.

    “While a Panel of Inquiry is yet to be constituted, Pointblanknews again, celebrated its ‘exclusive report’ on Prof. Dokubo and the Amnesty Programme, alleging that some staff of the agency had been sacked on the request of the First Lady.

    “This is no doubt a disservice to the noble journalism profession, and the height of blackmail.’’
    Ganagana said the president’s wife is an embodiment of discipline, high moral standards, forthrightness and compassion.

    According to him, she is a beacon of hope to womanhood, pillar of encouragement and support whose modest contributions to national progress should be appreciated.

    NAN

  • Police confirm killing of 21, rustling of 50 cows in Kajuru

    The Kaduna State Police Command on Monday confirmed the Killing of 21 persons and rustling of 50 cows in an attack by gunmen in Banono and Anguwan Aku villages in Kajuru Local Government Area in Kaduna State.

    The Command Public Relations officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, gave the confirmation in a statement issued in Kaduna.
    Sabo said the said incident happened on April 8, at about 0930Hours.

    “We received a distress call that a group of armed men in large number on motor bikes entered Banono and Anguwan Aku both are remote neighbouring villages in Kufana district of Kajuru LGA.

    “The attackers started shooting sporadically attacking the villagers and in the process shot and killed twenty one persons, injured three others and destroyed ten 10 houses.

    ” The bandits also rustled about fifty 50 cows,” he said.

    Sabo disclosed that a combined teams of Police Mobile Force personnel, conventional Police, Army and the local Vigilante were promptly mobilised to the area.

    He said they repelled the attack and evacuated both the dead and the injured to hospital.

    Read Also: Police identify those behind Rivers cult killings

    According to him, while efforts are on to apprend the fleeing criminals, reinforcement of more Police Operatives have been drafted to the area for intensive combing and patrol with a view to forestall further breakdown of law and order/reprisal and arrest the perpetrators.

    Sabo said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmad Abdurrahman is saddened by this attack and has reiterated the Command’s commitment to apprehend the culprits.

    “He sincerely condoled the affected families on the irreparable losses.

    “The Command appeals to members of the public to continue to assist the Police with useful information that could help in addressing these challenges and for the possible arrest of these criminals.” Sabo said.

  • Senate passes Police Trust Fund bill

    The Senate on Tuesday passed the Nigerian Police Trust Fund Bill

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had last week promised the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, that the Senate would fast-track its work on both the Police Trust Fund Bill and the Police Reform Bill.

    Saraki in his remarks after the passage of the Bill, which has also been passed by the House of Representatives, noted that “by passing this Bill, we will be creating big strides towards providing and improving security and the policing in our country.”

    He added, “One of the major concerns has always been the issue of funding of the Police. We believe that this bill will provide the funding needed for training and recruitment.

    “I am confident that by the time we lay the report on the Police Reform Bill, we would have gone a long way in moving the police in the right direction.

    Read Also: My visit to Osinbajo not on Senate President, says Ndume

    “It is our view that once we have these Police Bills as laws, we will relieve the burden on the military, so that it can focus on its Constitutional responsibility.”

    The Police Trust Fund Bill aims to provide a legal framework for the management and control of the special intervention funds established under the Act for the training of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.

    The Trust Fund will also be utilised to enhance the skills of the personnel of the Police, in order to ensure their efficiency, overall performance, and constant improvement while they perform their duties.

    In addition to this, the Trust Fund will be used to ensure that the Nigeria Police Force has the necessary operational equipment, instructional materials, police stations and living quarters.

    The Bill will now be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

     

  • Police tear-gas INEC Ad-hoc staff protesting nonpayment of election allowances

    Police in Enugu on Tuesday used tear gas on some INEC ad-hoc staff at the just concluded general elections who protested the non-payment of their allowances in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who was at the scene, reports that the tear gas affected passersby, school children and motorists who ran helter-skelter for their lives.

    NAN reports that the protesters comprising corps members, students and workers besieged the INEC headquarters in the state and blocked entrance and exit to the building.

    Mr Tony Ani, a 42-year-old man, who served as an Assistant Presiding Officer (APO 3) lamented the nonpayment of allowances for both the Presidential and Governorship elections including the inhumane treatment meted out to them.

    “You can imagine me at this my age coming here for the past three weeks over this issue of nonpayment.

    “I worked at Akama Primary School, Ezeagu Local Government during the Presidential and Primary elections and we were told to fill attendance and payment details.

    “Ever since we have not received payment and they will always tell us to write our names and account number just to pacify us, but as soon as we leave, they will trash it,” he said.

    A Corps member, Miss Chioma Emmanuel, who worked at Igbo-etiti, said she had not been paid any of the allowances including training allowance since the elections ended in the state.

    She noted that the idea of the protest was formed when a WhatsApp page was created for those yet to receive allowance.

    In the same vein, a student of Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) who claimed anonymity for fear of being disciplined by the school authority, berated INEC for treating the issue of allowance with levity.

    “The painful thing was that after failing to adequately make provision for accommodation, they still refused to pay us.

    “This money is what I hope to buy study materials and augment for my upkeep,” he said.

    Reacting, the INEC REC in Enugu State, Dr. Emeka Ononamadu described the protesters as `impostors’ sponsored to pressurize INEC into paying those that did not work.

    Read Also: UTME: Police warn students against malpractice

    Ononamadu, who refused to address the protesters, told journalists that those protesting were in the third category of payment.

    “One thing you need to know is that there are three sets of people we are dealing with now.

    “There are the corps members, those posted but did not work and those who were not posted but made the list because their names were subverted with that of others.

    “Those protesting are those students who are not corps members and who were not posted by INEC but bribed their way through and ended up working as Presiding Officers and APO 1.

    “Most of the protesters are in the third category of people and if you see any corps member among them, then it is either the fault of their Local Government Inspectors or head of mobilization because they are the ones we are

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  • Buhari condemns latest violence in Kaduna

    President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the recent violence in Kaduna State, which led to the death of 20 members of the Adara community.

    These unfortunate deaths are the latest incident between the Adara and Fulani peoples in the state, who have a long history of mistrust between them.

    The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also condemned the resurgence of cultist killings in Rivers State and ordered for increased community and law enforcement action against its escalation.

    He appealed for peace and decries the on-going culture of ‘an eye for an eye’ that has fuelled a number of attacks and reprisal attacks, with the two communities at different times, suffering casualties in Kajuru and Kachia local governments in Kaduna States.

    The President also appealed to indigenes of Kaduna and other Nigerians to refrain from comments in the traditional and social media, especially by people who have little knowledge of the history of the longstanding conflict.

    Such comments, he noted, can fuel further conflict in the area and between the two groups.

    Read Also: ASUP to Buhari: sign Polytechnic act into law

    Buhari made a special appeal to traditional and religious leaders to be cautious with their comments on the conflict, insisting that whatever words they share publicly should not be inflammatory but be inspired by an interest in peace.

    The President condoled with those who lost loved ones in the attacks: “The entire nation grieves with you. The Nigerian army and police are already in the area to ensure that peace and security are restored.”

    In response to reports of the resurgence of cultism leading to loss of lives in Rivers State, President Buhari called on law enforcement agencies to intensify their efforts to end the menace before it further escalates.

    The President urged quick and effective intervention by community and civic leaders in support of law enforcement efforts, in all such areas bedeviled by cultist attacks and inter-communal violence.