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  • Court orders service of processes on Magu over detention of lawyer, ex-Senator

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo, Abuja has ordered substituted service of processes be effected on the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu over a contempt proceedings initiated by a lawyer, Monday Ubani and former Christopher Enai.

    Ubani, a former national officer of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and Enai, an ex-senator from Bayelsa State were said to have been detained by the EFCC since March19 this year when they honoured the commission’s invitation.

    Ubani and Enai are  ‘standing surety’ for Mrs. Ngozi Olejeme, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), who the commission is investigating for alleged corruption.

    On March 26, upon listening to Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who argued a motion ex-parte, seeking the release of Ubani and Enai, Justice Sylvanus Oriji Oriji ordered the EFCC to either charge Ubani and Enai to court or release them on bail on or before March 28.

    After March 28, and on realising that the EFCC failed to obey the court’s order, Ozekhome returned to court to seek the issuance of Form 48 (notice of consequences of disobedience of court’s order) and Form 49, seeking the committal of the EFCC Chairman to prison for allegedly disobeying an order of court.

    Read Also: Why we didn’t confirm Magu, by Saraki

    Ozekhome on Tuesday told the court of the difficulty encountered in serving the court processes.

    He said the court’s bailiff, Ishaya Markus, was denied access to Magu by the armed security personnel at his office at the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja. He said the operatives told the bailiff that he could only see Magu on invitation.

    Ozekhome then urged the court to order that the Forms 48 and 49 be either served on any officer at the mail registry of the Chairman of the EFCC, Legal Department at EFCC headquarters or by pasting same at the gate of the EFCC headquarters.

    In a ruling yesterday, Justice Oriji  held that the court has the power to make an order for substituted service of court processes where it appears that prompt service cannot be conveniently effected.

    The judge, in granting Ozekhome’s prayer for the service of the Forms 48 and 49 on Magu through substituted means, said “In exercise of the power of the court under Order 7 Rule 11, I grant this motion.”.

  • Ahmed: we’re bequeathing legacy of peace, service in Kwara

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Tuesday said his administration is bequeathing a legacy of service, peace and good governance to the incoming administration.

    He added that his administration is leaving the state better than he met it.

    Ahmed said challenges facing the nation’s economy affected his eight years administration.

    The governor spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, during inauguration of a 24-member transition implementation committee on hand-over of power to a newly elected government.

    Read Also: Ahmed sets up 24-member transition panel

    “As you are aware, most of the eight years of our administration were marked by challenges in the national economy. Nevertheless, we leveraged our resourcefulness to modestly fulfil our pledge to uplift our people and our state while laying a solid foundation for its current and future sustenance.

    “Indeed, I make bold to state that we are leaving Kwara State better than we met it as we are bequeathing to it a legacy of service, peace and good governance,”  he said.

    The governor said the exercise is aimed at assisting the incoming government to settle down for governance quickly, imploring residents to extend similar hands of cooperation and support given to his administration to the incoming government “so that Kwara can continue to toe the path of development and progress”.

    The terms of reference of the TIC, he said, include: putting in place all necessary machinery for the smooth take-off of the in-coming administration; ensuring full liaison with all officially assigned representatives of the incoming administration for the appropriate briefing on the activities of Government towards providing a solid footing for the new government; any other matter the committee may find worthy for the effective discharge of its mandate.

    Ahmed urged members of the committee to bring to bear qualities that recommended their appointment in the discharge of their responsibilities.

    He added: “While I am confident that you will perform creditably, I therefore implore you to justify the confidence reposed in you by government and the good people of Kwara State.”

  • 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.”

  • I’ll reclaim my mandate – Mohammed Sani Musa

    The Senator-elect for Niger East Senatorial district, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Musa has declared that he will reclaim his mandate at the Supreme Court after the Appeal Court judgment upheld the Appeal filed by Senator David Umaru against his nomination by the APC in the National Assembly elections.

    He expressed his readiness to see the case to a logical conclusion at the Supreme Court.

    The Appeal Court on Monday ruled that Senator David Umaru is the Senatorial candidate of the APC and should be recognised as such.

    In a press statement, Musa said that his mandate cannot be stolen because he polled the highest valid votes castes during the APC primaries held in the state.

    Read Also: Kalu denies nominating brother, cousin for minister

    He declared that the appeal court ruling cannot stand stating that it is an aberration of what justice entails.

    ”The appeal court ruling today cannot stand; it is a miscarriage of justice and a complete aberration to what justice entails.

    “I have no doubt in my mind that the apex court in the land will right the wrong temporarily done to my mandate by the lower court”, the senator-elect said.

  • UPDATED: 14 doctors on trial for alleged misconducts

    The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has arraigned fourteen medical doctors for various allegations of misconduct.

    Fourteen medical doctors are facing trials at the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal. The Tribunal has equal jurisdictions with the regular High Court.

    The doctors are facing charges of alleged professional misconduct.

    It is the first session of the tribunal.

    The MDCN is the regulatory body of all medical and alternative medicine practitioners in the country, with mandate to discipline any erring practitioners whose actions or in-actions fall short of the medical professional ethics.

    Read Also: Health workers to Buhari: Don’t appoint only doctors as Ministers of Health

    The doctors took turn to take their pleads in the first session of the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal under the new Board of the MDCN.

    Hearing on the various misconducts will commence fully Tuesday.

    There are nine doctors standing trial from the Asaba Medical Centre, Delta state. The doctors are: Sunday Abiodun Ogafe Ojenuwah, Godwin Chukwuma Maduakor, Oyefara Babatunde, Okoye Pascal Nnamdi, Anunnobi Chijioke Ralu, Adigba Ese Onodjohwoyovwe, Ogwu Robinson Onyekachukwu, Dr. Henry, Okoye Chukwuka and Iyiola Akeem Adewale.

    They are to defend themselves on charges of grouse conduct of negligence in the management of a pregnant patient, Mrs. Rita Uche Ogbuego. They all pleaded not guilty when the case charge was read to them individually.

    The attempt by the prosecuting counsel to lump up the case as one rather than individual cases was however objected to by the counsel to Dr. Maduakor. Who noted that their charges were different and so they should be treated on individual basis.

    In the case of  Dr. Nwikwu Mezie Vitalis he was charged for leaving his clinic open for service without any trained hand to man it in his absence leading to death of a patient who came in for treatment in his absence. He pleaded not guilty when the case charge was read to him.

    Other Medical doctors standing trial are Shehu Abdullahi Muhammed and Umar Nasiru Ibrahim.

  • 2019 UTME slips: Adhere strictly to printing order, JAMB tells candidates

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has urged candidates for the 2019 UTME to adhere strictly to the printing order of their examination slips, to avoid unnecessary issues.

    This is contained in the board’s weekly bulletin tagged ‘JAMBULLETIN’, by the Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, in Lagos.

    According to the bulletin, printing of the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) notification slip is on-going, as the board has since made it ready for all candidates who registered for the examination.

    Over 1.8 million candidates registered for the examination which has been scheduled to commence on Thursday, April 11.

    “The notification is to allow candidates know their examination schedules, which includes time, date and venue of the examination.

    “Candidates are therefore advised to take the printing order seriously in order for them to have an idea of the location of their centres, well ahead of the examination.

    “It is also to enable them prepare for all necessary logistics of being at their respective centres on time,” the bulletin stated.

    It added that the e-slips of the candidates had been placed on their JAMB profiles created at the point of registration.

    “For those who are unable to access their slips through their portal at www.jamb.org.ng, the board has provided a step by step process of making the printing easy.

    “First, they should go to the official JAMB portal, www.jamb.org.ng/efacility /printexaminationslip.

    “Next, candidates would be required to enter their registration number, telephone number used in vending the pin at the point of registration or email in the appropriate column and follow the next command,” it said.

    “Candidates are advised to print two copies of the examination slip in full, as one copy will be submitted at the centre while the second copy will be kept by the candidates for reference purpose,” it said.

    The bulletin added that it was important to note that there would be no rescheduling of the examination, no matter the reason.

    It added that all candidates must ensure that they are verified using the Biometric Verification Machine.

    Meanwhile, the board has also warned candidates and parents or guardians to desist from paying UTME application fees to schools or tutorial centres.

    Read Also: LASPOTECH vows to punish molesters of JAMB officials

    It said that the warning became necessary owing to the growing practice of some elite schools/colleges and tutorial centres that collect money in bulk from candidates to register them en masse.

    According to the bulletin, through diligent investigation, the board discovered that schools involved in the practice usually levy candidates exorbitant sums running into millions of Naira for the purpose of the UTME registration.

    “In this regard, it should be reiterated that the board does not do group registration, as candidates are required to do individual registration.

    “The board has noted with displeasure a series of some of the unfortunate situation some of these schools, especially the elite ones, have put some candidates through.

    “In their bid to make money, they engage in series of infractions in the name of group registration and other acts inimical to the interest of the candidates and the sanctity of the examination.

    “This kind of fraudulent registration end up distorting candidate’s data,” it said.

    It warned the public to be mindful of such unscrupulous schools or centres who more often than not, register candidates at unauthorised centres.

    According to the bulletin, the board’s examination is not a school based examination and therefore does not require candidates registering in groups.

  • Senate Presidency: Kano senators endorse Lawan

    The ambition of Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, to become the Senate President in the 9th Senate has received a boost with three senators from Kano State endorsing his candidacy.

    The three senators, namely Barau Jubrin, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and senator-elect Malam Ibrahim Shekrau, threw their weights behind Senator Lawan’s candidacy, describing him as eminently qualified to occupy the exalted seat, going by international parliamentary best practices.

    Senator Barau Jubrin, who is the secretary of Ahmed Lawan Campaign Organization, led other members of the campaign train to the residence of Senator-elect Shekarau, who also endorsed Lawan.

    Among those who visited Kano with the Senate Leader were Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), chairman, Ahmed Lawan Campaign Organization; Senator Danladi Sankara who is the new Senator-elect for Jigawa North-West Senatorial District; Senator Bello Maudiya (Katsina South); Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan (Lagos West); Senator Degi-Eremienyo (Bayelsa East) and Senator Lekan Mustapha (Ogun East).

    According to Senator Jubrin, “the National Assembly leadership is elected based on international parliamentary best practices. What used to be the case was a beat appellation to that parliamentary best practices.

    “In every parliament, leaders are elected based on ranking, based on experience, and once a parliament goes by election and the party that gets the majority in that election produces the leader, and in this case, the majority leader in such a parliament automatically becomes the Senate President or the Speaker, as the case may be.

    “Now, Ahmed Lawan is the current leader and he will be the oldest senator, the most ranked Senator in the 9th Senate. He was a two-time member of House of Representatives and four-time member of the Senate. So, he is the most experienced and most ripe for the job of the Senate presidency, going by intentional parliamentary best practices.”

    Read also: ‘How PDP plans to frustrate Lawan’s ambition in ninth Senate’

    On his part, Shekarau, two-time governor of Kano State and senator-elect for Kano Central who hosted the Lawan’s campaign train, said: “I am so highly honoured to be visited by this high-powered delegation led by the leader of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan.

    “I am now a Senator-elect and I pray the 9th National Assembly will be a very peaceful and smooth one, where we will all join hands together to move Nigeria forward.

    “I also congratulate you for aspiring to lead the National Assembly. It is one thing to be there, it is another thing to be identified as a leader. It is a challenge and we are all proud of the fact the it is one of those that we have known before that is aspiring to lead the National Assembly.

    “I believe you have all it takes to lead the National Assembly. We are already your canvassers. Whether you are around or not, you need not to be out to it, or recruit us to do it. We understand where we need to go and who needs to have the responsibility to lead us.

    “It is not that you a super person among the rest, but one thing is that you are the first among the equals, and I believe that with all the other experienced people around, you will be able to give Nigeria, a Senate that everybody will be very proud of.

    “So, I pray Allah in his wisdom will see you through and I pray you will make it, you will succeed. For the fact that others are interested is nothing new. It is a contest, many others may want to come in.

    “Sometimes it is more interesting to say that I won election than just say it is dashed over. So, I pray Allah in his wisdom will grant you the success. Allah will give you the required guidance and bless you.”

    In his response, Senator Lawan said they were in Kano to solicit the support of Malam Shekarau whose wealth of experience he said is much needed to move the 9th Senate forward.

    According to him, “we are very happy you are going to be part of the 9th Senate. The 9th Senate will be a very good one because we have so many people who have gone through some other experiences in life.

    “Even before you became a governor, you were a very disciplined person, a very thorough person and a very considerate person.

    “Now, when you became a governor, you introduced sanity in Kano. You have gathered a lot of experience in life. We hope and pray that such experience will be made available in the Senate and I want to say that you are going to be one of our leaders in the Senate because we always have a small group of people that we refer to as leaders, not because they are former governors, but because they have seen so much in life.

  • Police apprehend suspected killers of Kolade Johnson

    The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday said it has apprehended suspected killers of Kolade Johnson.

    Johnson was shot dead by operatives of the Anti-Cultism Squad at Mangoro area of Lagos State.

    The police via Twitter identified the suspects as Inspector Olalekan Ogunyemi and Sergeant Godwin Orji both attached to the Anti-Cultism Squad.

    The statement reads “The men suspected to have carried out the shooting of Kolade Johnson have been apprehended and subjected to internal disciplinary procedures. The CP has revealed their names as (1) Insp Ogunyemi Olalekan and (2) Sgt Godwin Orji attached to Anti Cultism Squad.”

    The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, on Tuesday, also paid a condolence visit to the family of late Kolade Johnson.

    Photos of his visit were posted on the verified Twitter handle of the Nigeria police, @PoliceNG.

  • Why we need Security overhaul in Ondo, says Akeredolu

    Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said that the state security apparatus needed total overhauling in view of the emerging position of the state in investment and industrialisation.

    He spoke while receiving the report of the first Ondo State Security Summit held in January 2019.

    Akeredolu assured that the report would be looked into by the State Security Council, State Executive Council and Ondo State House of Assembly to have a Security Policy Document for the state.

    The governor who acknowledged that Ondo State was relatively peaceful however said the peace being enjoyed in the state would further be improved when the Security Policy Document comes into operation.

    Akeredolu appreciated the Committee Members, the Resource Persons and the Lead Speaker at the summit, Professor Olufemi Odekunle for efforts put into the assignment.

    The Chairman of the Committee, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Administration and Policy Planning, Mr. Jones Ogunmusire had informed the governor that the summit had over 500 participants that cut across the entire strata of the society both within and outside with fourteen Resource Persons who led robust deliberations on the summit theme and sub-themes.

    The Chairman said that the report came in two volumes which included the one that distilled the various contributions from the public in form of memoranda and the second being the compilation of the presentations made by Resource Persons.

    While thanking the governor for the confidence reposed in the committee, Ogunmusire expressed optimism that the security architecture of the state would improve considerably in view of the integration of a Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism to constantly measure the performance indicators of the state in terms of sustainable peace and development.

    Some members of the committee present at the Report Presentation Ceremony were: the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Olugbenga Ale; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Orientation, Mr. Deji Akinwalere.

  • Adeboye’s secretary, Pastor Olorunnimbe dies at 60

    The Chief-of-Staff and Chief Private Secretary to the General Overseer (Pastor Enoch Adeboye),  Pastor Adetokunbo Abayomi Olorunnimbe is dead.

    According to a statement announcing his demise, Olorunnimbe died on  Saturday, March 30th 2019, at the age of 60.

    His death was confirmed in Lagos by his son, Olaolu Olorunnimbe, who also revealed that burial arrangements will be announced soon.

    Tokunbo Olorunnimbe was born on May 26th, 1958 in the United Kingdom to Ishola Adekunle Olorunnimbe and late Simisola Adetoun Olorunnimbe.

    The statement reads “Tokunbo was deeply devoted to the life of the church. He served in many ways at the Redeemed Christian Church of God: He served as the pastor of several parishes and was pastor of RCCG City of Palms. As Private Secretary to the General Overseer, he was a highly trusted and respected member of the church. He never wanted praise for any of his labour of love, but always saw his service to the church, to the community, and to his family as a way of sharing his love for God.

    ” Tokunbo was trained as a lawyer in the University of Lagos and Cambridge University. He was stimulated by cerebral debates and was a man who was always up for the adventure of life. But no matter what he was doing, he enjoyed his time with his family – including his church family – more than anything.

    “Tokunbo Olorunnimbe is survived by his wife Dr Modupe Olorunnimbe, their children: Folasayo Williams, Laolu Olorunnimbe and son in law Bode Williams. His legacy of love and life lives on in his surviving grandchildren: Olasheni and Oluwateniola Williams.

    “Tokunbo Olorunnimbe is also survived by his father Hon. Justice I. A. Olorunnimbe, OON, brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.”