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  • UTME: 50 arrested for impersonation

    Fifty professional examination writers who sit for candidates in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination have been arrested, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, has revealed.

    The board said the impostors were arrested nationwide following its intelligence gathering mechanism.

    JAMB’s Spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in the agency’s weekly bulletin.

    Benjamin identified some of the professional examination writers as Master’s degree holders, postgraduate and undergraduate students of various tertiary institutions in the country.

    He said the professional writers connived with owners and operators of its Computer Based Test Centres (CBT) to carry out the crime by engaging in multiple registrations where the fingerprints of the main candidates are captured side by side with that of the impostors.

    “The board has uncovered a group of professional examination writers who take the exams for prospective candidates for a fee.

    “As a result of intelligence gathering, over 50 of such writers have been arrested across the country.

    “The modus operandi of these UTME syndicates was confirmed when one of the kingpins was apprehended recently,” the bulletin said.

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    He said the culprit confessed to have done multiple registrations of his biometric along with several other candidates with the intention of sitting for them and collecting huge sums of money from the candidates.

    “This Development is the fundamental reason for the decision of the board to revalidate all biometrics of candidates that have taken the board’s examination in recent times.

    “This timely action would enable the board to not only fish out and dismantle these registration cartels and racketeers but also bring them to book along with their collaborators,” the bulletin said.

    Also, Fabian said 1, 236, 316 candidates out of the 1.8 million registered has so far taken the examination.

    “A total of 1,886,238 UTME candidates are expected to sit nationwide. And, 1,236,316 candidates have so far taken their examination,” it added.

  • Police officers to Buhari, Senate: investigate IPPIS over salaries

    Police inspectors and rank and file under the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Senate and the Inspector General of Police to investigate the consistency in the payment of their salaries.

    The officers specifically queried the activities of the Integrated Personnel, Payroll and Information System, IPPIS, saying they suspect fraud.

    According to the officers who pleaded anonymity, they have been suffering underpayment of their regular salary every month since 2018 when payment of police Salaries and allowances was moved from Mechanized Salary Section (MSS) to the IPPIS, an agency under the Federal Ministry of Finance.

    One of them further lamented that all their efforts to get the anomaly corrected had been futile especially as nobody has given them any reason over the issue.

    He said, “We made complaints at the MSS Uyo and the officers there blamed the IPPIS saying problem is from the IPPIS. And when some of us suffered and travelled to IPPIS office in Abuja they were referred back to the MSS in Uyo and blamed the MSS for the short payments and non-payment in some months.

    “Since IPPIS took over payment of our salary in March 2018 discrepancies in our salaries has become a nightmare. Our monthly salary is no longer a fixed amount such that policemen in the same grade level received different amount of money.

    “Some inspectors on same grade level 10 now receive N50, 000, N60, 000, some N40, 000. And we also have situations where constables are receiving N250, 000 monthly salary, while sergeants, inspectors are paid N10, 000, N32, 000, and even N9, 000 as monthly salary.

    ”We demand to know why officers in the same grade level are paid different as salary, and why the amount paid each monthly is not consistent.

    “The situation is that we no longer know what our salary is per month as IPPIS pays whatever amount they deem fit for each month. Some people lose up to N60, 000, each month from what they have been receiving before IPPIS took over our salary payment.

    Read Also: Northern CAN backs leader’s visit to Buhari

    “We are therefore appealing to the president, the Inspector General of Police IGP to as a matter of great importance institute a high powered investigative panel to unravel this endemic corruption. IPPIS activities as it relates to payment of police Salaries should be investigated from February 2018 till date”

    Another affected police officer said that they have found out recently that their colleagues with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC have been paid refund from the short payment after going to IPPIS office in Abuja to threaten them.

    “In fact we gathered that few of our colleagues that have corrected their own short payment did so by visiting IPPIS through back door. That is why we are calling on the IGP, Chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs, to set up a fact finding team to go across the command and hear the agony of the men before we embark on protest to expose IPPIS and they fraud they have been committing.

    “Even the implementation of the new salary package approved by President Buhari for the Nigeria Police Force December 2018 is another source of concern as the fraud by IPPIS continues. It is unfortunate because this is only a mockery of the President’s fight against corruption”

  • Furniture maker arraigned for illegal possession of firearm

    A furniture maker Olalekan Sanni, 27, was Monday arraigned before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for unlawful possession of firearm.

    Sanni, of no fixed address is facing a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful possession of firearm before Chief Magistrate, Mrs M. I. Dan-Oni.

    Read Also: Man arraigned for ‘stealing’ shoes

    Prosecuting Inspector (Insp.) Victor Eruada, told the court that Sanni committed the offences on March 20, at 1:30 p.m. at Olateju, Alaka in Mushin, Lagos.

    He was alleged to have committed the offence with others still at large,

    Eruada alleged that the defendant was caught by the police with an unlicensed locally-made single barrel pistol and three cartridges.

    He said that the defendant could not give satisfactory explanation when asked how he came about the gun.

    Sanni however denied the charge.

    Chief Magistrate, Mrs Dan-Oni, granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    She adjourned the case till April 30.

  • National Assembly may pass 2019 budget Wednesday

    The National Assembly is scheduled to pass the 2019 budget on Wednesday, it has been learnt.

    Findings showed the Appropriation Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives have been working round the clock to ensure the budget reports are submitted to the two chambers on Wednesday.

    It was also learnt that the two chambers planned to submit the same budget report to avoid any form of harmonisation that will further delay the passage of the budget.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had on Tuesday April 9th given the sub-committees the Wednesday deadline to submit their budget reports to the Appropriations Committee.

    Saraki also mandated the Appropriation Committee to submit its budget report on Thursday, April 11 for consideration and possible passage on Tuesday, April 16.

    He warned the Appropriations Committee may be forced to use Executive submissions if the sub-committees failed to submit their reports to the Appropriations Committee by Wednesday.

    Read Also: Ninth National Assembly and budget cycle

    The Senate President noted that out of 61 committees, only 24 committees submitted their reports.

    Curiously, the budget item was not listed on Senate Order Paper on Thursday, April 11.

    A competent source told our reporter on Tuesday that “the Appropriation Committee is already putting finishing touches to its budget report for submission to the Senate in plenary on Wednesday.”

    The source added “barring any hiccup, the 2019 budget will be passed the same day.”

     

  • JAMB registrar knocks private varsities for aiding corruption

    Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede has lambasted some private universities in the country for aiding academic corruption and decadence.

    He accused some private university operators for going against many laws guiding university operations in the country.

    Oloyede spoke in Abuja on Monday at the opening ceremony of a two-day summit on Nigerian private universities with the theme: “Private University Education Delivery in Nigeria; challenges and opportunities” organised by the National Universities Commission.

    He explained that the purpose of opening up the university space by the Federal Government to private operators seems to be defeated because of some of the sharp practices operators of private universities undertake.

    He said: “Government opened up the space few years ago for private operators to come complement government effort in providing university education to Nigerians, but it seems like the aim is gradually being defeated.

    “When you visit some private universities, you will be ashamed for Nigeria. From the structures, you will know that something is wrong.

    Read Also: System failure disrupts JAMB UTME in Kaduna

    “If you take a deeper look, you will discover more decadence and rot in their operations. Some of the proprietors choose to run the universities like a family business and it ought not to be so.”

    The JAMB registrar explained that only Vice Chancellors are recognised by law as being in charge of day-to-day running of the university.

    According to him, every other person with ceremonial titles plays supportive roles.

    “If I were to be university proprietor, I will prefer to take the position of Chairman of the Council because of the control power attached to that office,” he added.

    NUC’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, said the commission was currently processing about 303 new applications for the establishment of new private universities.

    He said 208 out of the 303 applications are on step three in the processing of their applications, while 63 applicants representing 20.79 percent of the total applicants, were on step six having only submitted their completed application forms and strategic documents and are waiting first verification visit.

    He added that 30 applicants, representing 9.9 percent were on step eight and have had first verification visit conducted to their proposed university campuses.

    The Minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said the running of a private university was a serious business which required greater discipline.

    Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Sonny Echono, the minister urged private universities to address the major challenges militating against their operation, which he identified as staffing, poor or non-implementation of university governance arrangement, excessive proprietor influence, inadequate funding among others.

  • Court rejects certificate forgery suit against Bindow

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a suit in which Adamawa State Governor; Mohammed Jibrilla   Bindow was accused of parading forged certificates.

    The plaintiff, Mahmood Ahmed had, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1377/2018 alleged, among others, that the governor supplied false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Form CF 001 he submitted to INEC.

    Ahmed said Bindow claimed to have sat for the West African Examination Council (WAEC), in June, 1983 and possesses General Certificate of Education (GCE) issued by the examination body.

    The plaintiff accused the governor of falsely declaring his educational qualification and date of birth for the purpose of nomination/election into the office of Governor of Adamawa State for the 2019 general elections.

    He prayed the court to disqualify Bindow from participating in the 2019 Adamawa governorship election.

    In a judgment on Monday, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the suit has become a mere academic exercise.

    Justice Ekwo upheld the argument in the governor’s objection, to the effect that election had taken place and that he lost.

    The judge held that by virtue of Section 285(13) of the 1999, Constitution, (4th Alteration Act 2017), the suit has become an academic exercise. He subsequently declined jurisdiction.

    Read Also: Appeal court sacks Edo APC Rep candidate

    Justice Ekwo noted that governorship election in Adamawa State, “the subject-matter of the suit and which election the plaintiff sought to have the 1st defendant disqualified from contesting took place on March 2019.

    “From the above circumstances, it would amount to a vain exercise for this court to exercise the jurisdiction to hear and determine this case, as none of the reliefs claimed can reasonably be granted.

    “I consequently declined jurisdiction to try this suit, the same having become an academic exercise by virtue of section 285(13) of the 1999 constitution (4the Alteration 2019).

    “I make an order striking out this suit. The preliminary objection succeeds and I will not go into the substantive matter,” the judge said.

     

     

  • Appeal court sacks Edo APC Rep candidate

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City has sacked Comrade Peter Akpatason as the All Progressives Congress candidate for Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency.

    It declared the Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Kabiru Adjoto as the candidate of the party for Akoko-Edo federal constituency.

    The appellate court also nullified the APC National Assembly Primaries election appeals committee headed by former governor of Edo State, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor.

    Delivering judgment on the appeal filed by Speaker Adjoto, Justice Moore Abraham-Adumein said that the trial court ought to have heard the case brought before it since it is its duty to do so.

    Justice Moore held the Prof. Osunbor led committee was not properly constituted because the committee contravenes Article 21 B of the APC guidelines party of which says “no member of the five member appeals committee shall be from the state of assignment”.

    Moore noted referring the case back to the trial court would have been statute bared but that haven considered the evidences before the lower court which it did not consider, Adjoto won the primary election as the returning officer during the election Hon Sufiyanu Igbafe declared that Adjoto scored 7,034 votes as against his opponent, Honourable Peter Akpatason who scored 5,606 votes.

    Read Also: Court frees Ozubulu massacre suspects

    According to him: “The trial court for reasons best known to it failed or neglected to make any pronouncement on the real issue before it

    “This appeal is hereby unanimously allowed and the prayers sought by the appellant in the trial court are hereby granted and the sum of N300, 000 is hereby awarded as cost against the 1st and 2nd respondents”.

    He said his two colleagues, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, who is the presiding Justice and Justice Tunde Efotoye agreed with the judgment.

    Lawyer to Akpatason, Omoh-Ige Adebayo said they would contest the judgment at the Supreme Court while an elated Adjoto said: “The judiciary is not only the last hope of the common man but also of the big man” and promised to give more representation to his people more than he has given in the state House of Assembly.

  • Herdsmen kill two, injure three in Ekiti

    Tension brew in Iyemero community in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Monday as suspected herdsmen allegedly attacked the community.

    The suspected herdsmen at the wee hour of Monday attacked Eda, one of the communities under Iyemero town.

    The gory incident has claimed two lives and three others were inflicted with various degrees of injury.

    Sources identified one of the dead as Mr Danjuma Ali, a Muslim farmer while the identity of the second person whose bodies had been deposited in the morgue of the General hospital, Ikole Ekiti is still undisclosed as at the time of filing this report.

    Those undergoing medicare  at the emergency  section of the Federal Teaching Hospital(FETHI), Ido Ekiti include: Mrs Jennifer Akoko , Mr Joseph Achebe and one other victim.

    The source said: “It  has happened  again  today, it has been a recurrent killing. Some herders called  Bororo stormed the farmstead and  shot these innocent people.

    “They came around 1am and were there till dawn. Our farmers  are all afraid to go their farmsteads. They all rushed to the palace of  Oba Ebenezer Agboola Ogungbemi,  the Olu of Iyemero Ekiti to take refuge.

    “We are mourning today at Iyemero, we are not happy about this incident and the government must do something about it”, the source said.

    The Olu of Iyemero, Oba Ogungbemi and  Olu-In-Council, restated their calls for establishment of a police station in the town to curb the attackers.

    The monarch, who spoke through the palace spokesman, Chief Ariyo Abejide, said there was urgent need for the teeming population of farmers in this farmstead to be protected and secured by the security agencies from another seemingly and imminent attacks and onslaught from the marauders.

    Read Also: How to fund education, by ex-Ekiti Deputy Governor

    “These Fulani herders stormed the community through the border of Iyemero at Eruku in kwara state. This makes Iyemero  a porous exit and entrant, which portend dangers and insecurity to the community, ikole local government and the state in general”.

    Oba Ogungbemi urged the residents to be peaceful and  called  for immediate intervention of the state government in this regard.

    Also, the head of security and community  vigilante group,  Chief Jimoh Eshikin called  on the state government to empower the village hunters ,  in order to assist the security agents in effective Security surveillance  and patrol.

    When called for confirmation, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said he has not been briefed about the matter.

  • Former Brazilian football chief, Marin banned for life

    Jose Maria Marin, the former president of the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF), has been banned from the game for life, the world governing body, FIFA said on Monday.

    The 86-year-old Marin was sentenced to four years in prison by a New York court in August 2018 on corruption charges.

    The sport’s governing body said its adjudicatory chamber had found Marin guilty of bribery relating to various schemes from 2012 to 2015.

    FIFA’s ethics committee said in a statement that Marin had participated in various bribery schemes.

    “Judges banned him for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level,’’ FIFA statement said.

    FIFA also imposed a 1 million Swiss franc ($1 million) fine against Marin, once one of the most powerful figures in world football.

    Following his May 2015 arrest at a luxury hotel in Zurich, Marin spent five months in a prison in Switzerland before being extradited to the U.S.

    Read Also: Brazilian president sends message of support to Super Eagles

    He posted bail of $15 million and spent two years living in luxury at Trump Tower, the Fifth Avenue skyscraper best known for housing the penthouse and company headquarters of the U.S. president.

    However, his life of excess dramatically came to a halt at his sentencing in August, when he broke down in tears over the “nightmare” his family had endured.

    NAN

  • Wike pledges to tackle cult-related killings

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has reiterated his commitments to fight cultists  and  cult-related activities, killings in parts of the state.

    Wike spoke when members of the state Traditional Rulers’ Council paid him a congratulatory visit at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Monday.

    He vowed his administration’s readiness to fight the hydra-headed monster to stand-still, appealing for the supports of the natural Rulers.

    Wike said: “We will not allow these cultists who want to paint the state black continue to cause mayhem.

    “We will take the fight to them. Enough is enough.  These people cannot continue  to kill our people “.

    He disclosed that he has already met with the State Security Council on the matter;  and modalities have been worked out on how to rid the state of cult-related killings.

    He urged the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers to support the State Government in the fight against cultism, saying that prompt information will be useful in tracking down the criminal elements.

    Governor Wike stated that he will jealously guard the interest of Rivers State and ensure further development of the State.

    Read Also: Southwest Ohanaeze greets Wike

    “I am a total unrepentant Rivers Man. I will continue to jealously guard the interest of the state”, he said.

    Governor Wike thanked the Traditional Rulers for the solidarity visit,  but regretted that some of them were involved in party politics,  despite  his advice that they should stay off the political terrain.

    Earlier, the Chairman of the Council who is also the Amayanabo of Opobo, in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of the state, HRM.  King Douglas Dandeson Jaja said they were in the Government House to congratulate Governor Wike for a well deserved victory.

    He thanked Wike for extending the olive branch of peace to his opponents and urged the opponents to accept the governor’s offer.

    He lauded Rivers women for the wonderful role they played to defend votes across  the state, especially  standing firm to resist  the invasion  of Collation Centres by the Nigerian Army .

    In his royal blessings, King Jaja prayed God  to always grant Governor Wike the capacity  to lead the state in the right direction.