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  • Stakeholders seek review of Victims of Gunshot, Accidents Act 2017

    Stakeholders seek review of Victims of Gunshot, Accidents Act 2017

    The Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot and Accidents Act 2017 is to be reviewed to accommodate areas not covered before now.

    This is coming on the heels of the continued refusal of doctors and hospitals to treat gunshot victims without police report, and  because families don’t usually pick up the bills of such victims.

    The Executive Director, Crime Victims Foundation of Nigeria      (CRIVIFON), Mrs. Gloria Egbuji, made this known in her address at the 25th anniversary of the foundation held last Thursday at the Police Officers Mess, Sobo Arobiodu Street, GRA, Ikeja.

    Read Also: Curbing rivalry among law enforcement agencies

    Mrs. Egbuji said she would be getting in contact with the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who pushed the bill in 2017 in the Senate, for fresh push for the amendments before the 10th Senate to accommodate the observed inadequacies.

    She said the 9th Senate in October, 2021, commenced the move to end the flagrant disregard for human lives by medical doctors. It considered and passed the bill for second reading.

    She said  the bill is seeking to amend the “Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot and Accidents Act 2017” to enforce treatment for gunshot injury without police report.

    She said the bill which was sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu seeks, among others, to establish the Medical Emergency Assistance Fund to cover the treatment of victims of gunshot, knife wounds and other life-threatening emergencies.

    She regretted that the exercise could not be completed by the 9th Senate before it wound up.

    Mrs. Egbuji expressed joy that former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, was the first to key into the law and domesticated the Gun Shot Victims Act through the state’s legislative organ.

    She said Lagos State followed suit on September 22, 2022  with its “The Lagos Victims Witness Protection Law” which includes provision of assistance and protection to victims and witnesses who face intimidation because  they have vital information that help protect cases.

    The CRIVIFON executive director gave historical account of how the campaign to protect gunshot victims started in 1998, named all the stakeholders, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that keyed into it until it was tabled before the Senate by Sen. Oluremi Tinubu and subsequent assent to the bill by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

    She said CRIVIFON and its strategic partners in the days ahead, would engage the police personnel in more awareness creation since their personnel form major part of the violators of the law.

    A participant, Ola Ayeni, narrated how his elder brother Ebenezer, a promising gospel singer, died of gunshot injury as they took him from one hospital to another to save his life, after being shot by armed burglars who invaded their Ibadan residence.

    Chairman of the event, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, promised to surport all efforts of the group to amend the Act to protect lives of gunshot victims.

    Ubah, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA), Hon. Ifeanyi Nwankwo, described the proposed amendment to the Act as a life saving project.

    He described the story of Ayeni as pathetic and an incident that could happen to anybody.

    “I have seen it happen on Lagos highways, Benin highways and other places. People lose their lives when they are not supposed to when we have all the resources to save lives around them.”

    He lamented that the system has become awkward and obsolete and lost touch with modernity and such things should not be allowed to happen again by our medical personnel.

    “Even when armed robbers are brought in with gunshot wounds, it is better he is alive to tell his story, charged to court and serve his terms of imprisonment,” he said.

    Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr. Jide Martins, in his remarks said it was appalling to see people taking pictures and recordings when they should be assisting victims of gunshot and accidents.

    Pointing out that saving lives is more important to the state than getting police reports, he urged doctors and private hospitals to treat victims first and after get across to the police to file reports.

    Dr Martins said since the primary responsibility of medical personnel is to save life first , he urged stakeholders to take up the task of educating them of the provisions of the state’s law as it relates to gunshot and accidents’ victims.

    Both Dr. Martins and Dr. Adegbenga Ademolu disclosed that in Lagos State owned hospitals, gunshot and accident victims have access to free medical treatment under the law.

    Ademolu, who represented the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof. Fabanwo, cited how the hospital treated about 102 victims of the March 9, 2023 BRT bus that collided with a train at PWD rail crossing to support his views.

    “LASUTH, in the spirit of treating accident victims first, was able to handle all of them. Though we do not have enough surgical staff and beds, we created temporary emergency place for them on helipad, annexed medical staff from other departments, did the x-rays and prevented avoidable deaths.”

    He stressed that all the treatment of the victims were done free, adding that the CMD ordered all prescriptions to be given to the victims free.

  • Review

    Domestic violence or abuse is an epidemic all over the world. Anyone can be affected regardless of age, gender or race. And whether physical or psychological, most victims tend to be women. Yet, the problem is often overlooked or denied.

    Heaven’s Hell is a tragedy which helps to liberate people and inspire someone to get out of a bad relationship. The film, based on true story, tells a story of two best friends and their husbands. On the surface, their relationship seems unbreakable, filled with undiluted love and care but beneath is deceit, betrayal, darkness and death.

    Fabian Adeoye (Edward) suffers violence trauma in his childhood. When he becomes an adult, he tends to bring out this abuse in his marital life. He finds beating a natural thing to do. This led to the death of his first wife abroad. He returns to Nigeria with a different name and marries Nse Ikpe Etim (Alice). Their relationship is healthy until their wedding night when a twisted fate begins for Alice. Who would have known that Edward is just a monster in human apparel?

    A marriage relationship between Bimbo Akintola (Tsola), Alice’s best friend and Chet Anekwe (Jeff), which seemed perfect also crashed as a result of Damilola Adegbite (Janet) promise to Tsola.

    I am highly impressed with the actors for playing their roles well, especially Nse Ikpe Etim and Bimbo Akintola. They stood with each other through thick and thin as it is expected of good friendship. Well, I’ve known them to always put on a good performance. Also, the violence scene where Nse stabs Fabian and the firing squad felt so real that it keeps the viewers’ eyes glued to the action. And for the downsides, the movie subtitle wasn’t good enough as some words were misspelt.

    It is educational morally as it seeks to discourage domestic violence in the society. I must say a big kudos to the producer of this movie for it opens up a conversation to the viewers and teaches morals. And unlike some movies with flat storylines, ‘Heaven’s Hell’ is full of suspense and tension.

  • Southeast APC wants review of NASS positions zoning

    •Says Igbo deserve more rewards
    •Kalu calls for sanctions against leaders indicted for anti-party activities

    Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southeast yesterday told the leadership of the party that the zone deserves more rewards than the APC’s subsisting zoning of principal offices in the 9th National Assembly is offering.

    They asked that the present arrangement be reviewed in a more equitable manner that would accord more deserving positions to the Southeast.

    The APC Southeast leaders in a communiqué at the end of a  meeting in Enugu urged the national leadership of the party to draw strength from the need “to utilize the zoning of principal offices in the 9th National Assembly to further deepen and strengthen the electoral appeal of the party, especially in parts of the country where it may be considered as weak.”

    A former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, speaking at the meeting, called for sanctions against APC leaders from the zone who allegedly negotiated 25% for President Muhammadu Buhari from the Southeast in the last presidential election.

    In the communiqué read by APC national vice chairman, Southeast, Emma Eneukwu, the party stakeholders said that since democracy is a dynamic process, the party should remain a truly national political party with broad based support in all parts of the country, the Southeast inclusive.

    The stakeholders deplored in strong terms, what they called “the undue interference and unwholesome meddlesomeness by forces by forces from outside the zone in the affairs of the Southeast of our great party aimed at factionalising and destabilizing the party in the zone.”

    Present at the meeting were Science and Technology Minister Ogbonnaya Onu; Labour and Employment Minister  Chris Ngige; Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu; Nkeiru Onyejeocha and Chile Okafor both aspirants to the Speakership of the House of Representatives.

    Others include Senator Chris Adighije, Dr. Orji Kalu, Chief Uche Ogah, General J. O. J. Okoloagu (rtd), Dr Emeka Worgu, and a host of others.

    The stakeholders at the end set up a contact (lobby) committee to reach out to other zones of the country with regards to their demand.

    The committee is headed by Dr Ogbonnaya Onu with Dr. Ngige, Geoffrey Onyeama, Azubuike Udah, Senator Chris Nwankwo, Mrs Ugo Okoye and Austin Chukwukere as members

    A reconciliation committee was also set up to be headed by Emeka Worgu while Sunny Onyeukwu would serve as secretary.

  • Lawyer seeks review, enforcement of tax laws

    The Managing Solicitor of TRIAX Solicitors, Moses Oruaze Dickson, has called for the review of the legislative framework for tax and taxation in the country.

    Dickson spoke at the annual 20th tax conference with the theme: Institutionalising a Tax-Paying Culture, at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    The lawyer recalled that the last time there was any legislative review of the nation’s tax laws was in 1976.

    He said this makes the tax laws to be obsolete for a progressive society like Nigeria.

    Dickson noted that even though Nigeria is not a tax haven, it is easy to do business in the country without paying tax, as required.

    The lawyer said while businesses operating in Nigeria are willing to pay taxes to protect their reputation, the loopholes in the tax laws create opportunities for such companies to evade taxes without being penalised.

    Oruaze also emphasised that if solid legislations are put in place and enforced, they will impact on the tax-paying culture of Nigerians and companies operating within its territory.

     

  •  Senate to review Prisons Act

    The Nigerian Prisons Service Act of 2004 will soon be reviewed, Senate Committee for the Interior Chairman, Senator Andy Uba, has said.

    He disclosed this at the opening of a two-day retreat for members of the committee and some prisons stakeholders held at Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

    The event was provided with technical support by the NPS, Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) and the British Council.

    Uba said his committee had so far received four bills seeking reformation in the prison system, and that the retreat was intended to review and harmonise the bills and at the end of the exercise to present to the Senate one single bill.

    Although Senator Uba was certain of “a robust, all inclusive  document that will chart a new legal framework to achieving the prison reforms we crave for”, indications are rife that the Nigerian Prisons Service may have its name changed to ‘Nigerian Correctional Service’ as obtained in some countries in Europe.

    He said the proposed bills, while incorporating an articulate youthful offender programmes into prison reforms, also seek an upgrade on deplorable facilities, decongestion of over populated facilities, biometric record keeping and improvement in health and general welfare of the inmates.

    He said another of the bills exclusively targets female inmates and highlighted the importance of the care for pregnant inmates, nursing mothers and care for their babies.

    He commended initiators of the bills including Senators Oluremi Tinubu, Sha’aba Lafiagi, Babajide Omoworare and Gershom Bassey for their intellectual efforts.

    Executive Director, (PRAWA), Dr Mrs Uju Agomoh, in her address said the amendment being proposed to change name of NPS to reflect the word ‘Correctional’ was to give the service a face of humanity and ensure compliance with international standards.

    Agomo said one fundamental provision in the proposed change of name of NPS was to ensure that the service is corrections focused in the future and to enhance corrections introduced in the proposed bill.

    She was convinced that a Nigerian Correctional Service will have provision for Custodial services for lesser offenders and non-Custodial services for bigger offences.

    She admitted that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 provided only for non-Custodial services.

    She lamented that it is shameful that the country in the present age keep inmates with lesser offenders, like theft of food in prison.

    Agomo further disclosed that the proposed bill made provisions for women and nursing mothers to be kept in facilities seperate and far from male inmates and for security for their safety in times of riots.

    Deputy Controller General of Prisons, Operations, MBE Shenfe, who stood in for the Controller General of Prisons, Ahmed Ja’afaru admitted that the existing law of NPS is old and no longer in tune with global philosophy of punishment.

    He expressed excitement with the work of the Senate committee and conviction that the outcome of the retreat will engender a bill that will give the NPS a new sense of direction.

    Lagos state Controller of Prisons, Tunde Ladipo in a remark recalled past futile attempts to review the Prisons Act after that of 2004.

    Ladipo was elated particularly the proposed bill will not only address punishments but also non custodial sentences for lesser offenders.

    Other committee members at the venue of the retreat include Senators Fatima Raji-Rasaki, Mao Ohuabunwa, Chukwuka Utazi, Danjuma Laah, Clifford A. Ordia, Shu’abu Isa Law, Foster Ogola, Ibrahim Kurfi and Andrew Uchendu.

  • Oluwo urges Fed Govt to review unfair policies

    The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, has urged the Federal Government to review policies working against Nigeria’s unity.

    The first-class monarch said government policies emphasising citizens’ states of origin, restriction of political aspirations to Nigerians’ immediate environment and many others should be discouraged.

    Dressed in Igbo garment during installation of the first Asiwaju (leader) of the Igbo Assembly in Iwo, Emeka Martins Odumegwu, at the palace square, the Oluwo said peace and unity were major ingredients for building a virile and formidable nation in Africa.

    Oba Akanbi said his unifying efforts and several discussions with his northern, Southsouth and southeastern colleagues were designed to ensure oneness in Nigeria.

    According to him, emphasis on ethnicity has done the nation much damage.

    He said: “The palace is a rallying point and a haven for every Nigerian. It does not recognise political, religious, ethnic and economic bias. Everyone, irrespective of their location, should be able to approach any palace and make his request. The palace belongs to all Nigerians, not a certain ethnic class.

    “The traditional stereotype attached to the palace must be addressed. We owe it a duty to establish the purity of our respective palaces. Doing this will convince the populace that the palace has spiritual values.

    “Unlike the mosques and churches, where Muslims and Christians have exclusive access to, the palaces should accommodate everyone – whether you are Muslims or Christians, Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo. As fathers to the nation, we are left with no alternative than to make our palaces accessible to all Nigerians and be prompt at bringing intervention to issues affecting their wellbeing.”

  • Review tariff on alcohol, tobacco, union urges govt

    • Says 2,000 jobs lost in two years

    The Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) has urged the Federal Government to re-evaluate the recommendation to raise tariff on alcohol and tobacco to prevent job losses.

    FOBTOB General Secretary Mr Iji Solomon made the call when he spoke to reporters.

    Finance Minister Mrs Kemi Adeosun had recommended an increased tariff on alcohol and tobacco because of their health implications and to raise revenue.

    According to Solomon, the recommendation to raise tariff on the products could affect their manufacturers and lead to redundancy.

    “There is no doubt that the minister proposed the increase based on ECOWAS Common External Tariff, but it should not be at the detriment of local manufacturers or the economy,” he said.

    The union’s scribe said the price disparity for each of the products by the minister was not understandable but that any increase would impact on the workforce.

    He said the “Ad valorem” tariff (Value Tax) was a normal tariff on products in the industry but it could increase the unit tax of tobacco.

    According to Solomon,  about 2,000 workers have lost their jobs in the last two years because of the closure of companies and economic indices.

    He said the only tobacco company in Nigeria needed incentives while distilleries should be encouraged to employ more workers rather than sack them.

    “Many distilleries closed business because they can no longer access foreign raw materials for  production. Only a few are working and any increase will lead to redundancy.

    “Since the distiller companies use local materials, increase in tariff can lead to their collapse. Secondly, with an increased tariff, the distillers will be unable to compete with imported ones,” he said.

    Solomon urged the government to collaborate with industry stakeholders such as Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on the issue.

  • Fed Govt will review PSC plans to stem losses, says Kachikwu

    Fed Govt will review PSC plans to stem losses, says Kachikwu

    The Minister of State for Petroleum resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has warned oil companies against bogus projects that do not add value to the economy.

    The minister said the Federal Government would review the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) arrangement of oil production because the nation had lost huge revenue under the current arrangement.

    Kachikwu, who was accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote and Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company, among others, spoke during his visit to Total’s Egina floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) at the SHI-MCI Ladol shipyard in Lagos.

    The FPSO berthed there so that integration of six modules of the vessel’s topside fabricated in Nigeria would be carried out.

    Kachikwu said: “When I joined the current administration, price of oil was very low but we began to move the mantra and OPEC was able to curb production. I’m happy today that the efforts have yielded substantial results and the figures have gone from low $20s to very high $60s and hit 70, hopefully we can get back there. What that does is that companies that invested and took the risk like Total did, and continued the trend during that period, this is the time to hopefully reap from that. Oil is never going to be $100 a barrel again except there is a huge calamity in the any major part of the world. So, we are likely going to stay in the frame of $60 to $70 per barrel.

    “But even at, it is huge movement coming from where we were. But what this means, is that Nigeria will begin to look at its priorities differently. We will begin to look at what is the next value for the country in these huge projects. We are not as a country very impressed with a lot of the PSCs that we have put together. We lose a lot of money in the process. We will like to see a lot of movement in those areas.

    “Another issue is rationing of production. I have done everything I can to make you people (oil firms) produce under OPEC and played all kinds of jingles around it but at some points you catch up with me. But as you begin to ration those numbers, we will begin to pay more emphasis on where we make more money that is fair. As you look at your numbers and the terms under which you want to develop these fields, please spend a good amount of time in checking the bottomline and what goes to federation account.

    “There is no need building a huge $70 billion facility without commensurate value addition. Those kinds of things wouldn’t happen anymore. So the terms will change and basis on which you will proceed will change, but Nigeria will continue to be a prolific economic return model for any country in the world in terms of oil production and we will improve our speed and the terms and make sure the oil companies get away from here with a huge amount of reward. We will make sure that the local content will continue to build the service and it is one of agencies I’m proud of.”

    He praised Total and partners for a job well done. “Six modules were fabricated in Nigeria by Nigerians. It was a fantastic piece of work. It serves as a very unique benchmark. So congratulations Total not just for the feat and this piece of engineering but for the psychological boost and urgency it puts into anybody who looks at this,” he added.

  • Lawyer seeks review of security chiefs’ appointments

    A lawyer, Francis Moneke, has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to order President Muhammadu Buhari to review the alleged lopsided appointment of security chiefs.

    Through the Human Rights and Empowerment Project (HREP), he sued the President for allegedly not complying with the federal character principle in the appointment of heads of strategic security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

    The plaintiff is praying the court to hold that the pattern of the appointments do not reflect the country’s diversity.

    He urged the court to declare that in making appointments into key security and law enforcement positions, the President is obligated to comply with the Constitution by ensuring that as far as possible, all geo-political zones are represented and that no region is patently discriminated against.

    Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN) is the other defendant.

    The plaintiff’s counsel Mr Ikenna Okoli alleged that Buhari’s appointments “clearly show favouritism and nepotism on the part of the first respondent in favour of the people from the Northern part of the country where he comes from”.

    The plaintiff is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining President Buhari or his agents from further acts of discrimination against the entire Southeast geo-political zone in subsequent appointments into security and law enforcement offices and positions.

    He sought an order compelling the President to forthwith change the current skewed structure of top federal security and law enforcement appointees by appointing some candidates from the Southeast into such positions.

    It urged the court to hold that Buhari “has consistently appointed almost entirely only persons from the Northern part of the country into key and top security, intelligence and law enforcement offices and positions in Nigeria and systematically excluded the applicant and other qualified persons from the Southern part.”

    Moneke said the situation shows that anyone from the South, including him, is at a disadvantage with regards to getting any top appointment in any security agency simply for not being a Northerner.

  • ‘Ibadan chieftaincy law review for elevation of metropolis’

    ‘Ibadan chieftaincy law review for elevation of metropolis’

    The Oyo State government has said its motive for reviewing the 1957 Declaration on Olubadan Chieftaincy Laws is to balance history and promote peace and hierarchy in chieftaincy institution.

    Though the State High Court recently declared the review as unconstitutional, the government, which has approached a higher court to upturn the judgment, said it remained resolute at ensuring that Ibadan occupies its rightful position in Nigeria.

    The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olusegun Abimbola, told reporters in Ibadan, the state capital, that the elevation of the status of the ancient city is key to the government.

    He said it was not an oversight on the part of the government that the promotion done in the review exercise covered both the Olubadan high chiefs and the baales, adding that the whole exercise was predicated on the elevation and development of Ibadan.

    Abimbola said: “These are the issues that have been on the ground for long, and we need to recognise some of the issues at hand. When change begins, there is always some measure of resistance. Let’s look at it this way: the baales of the towns that infringe Ibadan are subject of Ibadan in the justice of claims they make to the commission of enquiry. They were titled to become crown-wearing obas.

    “Indeed, in several part of the state, like Ibarapa and Ogbomoso, there were similar situations in which the government had elevated some traditional rulers to crown-wearing obas.

    “Now, when a bale, who is a crown-wearing oba sits as a member of a traditional council headed by one of the high chiefs, who is not an oba, can you see the aberration that will be created? That means someone who is an oba has been put under a high chief. You can see that it is a way of balancing history.”