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  • APC kicks against life pensions for Bayelsa lawmakers

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has kicked against a bill passed by the state’s House of Assembly awarding life pensions to its members.

    The party said it also observed how the strange idea, which was proposed as a bill and passed by the House on Wednesday, had set the public pulse racing.

    The party completely rejected the idea describing the bill as unjust, ungodly and self-serving.

    The State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, said it was unsympathetic for members of the House of Assembly to seek to enhance their lives at the expense of the vast majority of Bayelsa people living in pain and penury.

    Buokoribo described the life pension bill as an unspeakable crime against our people.

    He said the party was making efforts to enthrone a regime of better life for the people of Bayelsa.

    Buokoribo said: “And we have led a robust opposition to the current system of anti-people governance in the state for close to eight years.

    Read Also: Niger APC legislators back Gbajabiamila

    “Regarding this latest move by the House of Assembly, we again say that the idea is avaricious, wicked, and insensitive.

    “By proposing such a law, the lawmakers have merely portrayed themselves as a people who feel no concern for the feelings of their suffering constituents.

    “They have once again confirmed that they are in cahoots with the executive in the serial impoverishment of the people of Bayelsa State.

    “APC advises the legislature to withdraw the obnoxious pension bill and avoid the appalling crime against the people of Bayelsa State.

    “In the event of the legislature’s refusal to heed this solemn advice, we appeal to Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, if he is still in touch with his essential humanity, to refuse assent to the pension bill when it is transmitted to him.

    “Failing this, the party calls on the people of Bayelsa State to embark on a campaign of peaceful resistance against the rogue assembly and the poverty regime of Governor Dickson”.

     

  • Edo ready to pay N30,000 minimum wage, says Shaibu

    Edo State Acting Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has assured of the state government’s commitment to pay the N30,000 minimum wage recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, as part of deliberate effort to improve the welfare of civil servants in the state.

    Shaibu gave the assurance at the 2019 state’s delegate conference organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in Benin City, the state capital.

    The acting governor said, “As a government, payment of 30,000 minimum wage is not an issue. We are putting a lot of reforms in place that will make the new minimum wage take you home and as well have savings. I want to use this medium to assure workers that their welfare is our priority. We are ready to pay the newly approved N30,000 minimum wage signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    The acting governor also assured that the state government would not sack any of its worker, but would rather re-train them for efficient service delivery to tax payers, noting, “When we say we want to train you, the training is not meant to sack you, but rather to enhance your productivity to enable you create wealth for the people.”

    Shaibu urged delegates attending the conference holding in Benin City to elect credible leaders with proven character, adding that the state government would collaborate with elected leaders in piloting affairs of the state in the next four years.

    Read Also: Shaibu calls for increased funding of army

    Representative of the National President, NLC, Dr. Comfort Okoh, called on the delegates to elect leaders that would be serve their cause and advised to rejig their finances to enable them implement the new minimum wage of N30,000.

    Outgoing Chairman of Edo State chapter of the NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun expressed appreciation to the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration for construction of the new Labour House complex which he said is 80 per cent complete.

  • Impersonator of army officer faces trial in Lagos

    A 26-year-old man, Nonso Nwosy, on Thursday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court over alleged impersonation and possession of the Nigeria Army uniform.

    Nwosu is standing trial before Chief Magistrate Olufunke Sule-Hamzat on a two-count charge of impersonation and breach of the peace.

    He, however, pleaded not guilty.

    The defendant committed the alleged offences on April 11 at 10.00a.m. at No. 16, Aina St., Ahmadiya Ijaiye-Ojokoro, a Lagos suburb, according to the  prosecutor, ASP Benson Emuerhi.

    Emuerhi said that the defendant unlawfully possessed the Nigerian Army uniform and presented himself as an army officer.

    He added that the defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace by threatening a lady.

    Read Also: Army commences competition to stay fit

    “The defendant, while claiming to be an officer in the Nigeria Army, threatened to leak a nude picture of the complainant (the lady) on the internet,” he said.

    The alleged offences contravene Sections 168 (d) and 330 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The magistrate granted the defendant N200, 000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

    She said that the sureties should provide evidence of three years’ tax payment.

    Sule-Hamzat adjourned the case until June 6 for mention.

    NAN

  • Tribunal grants APC leave to serve Tambuwal through substituted means

    The Governorship and National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Sokoto has granted Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, the All Progressive Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, leave to serve Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, through substituted means.

    The tribunal Chairman, Justice Abbas Bawale Abdullahi, Thursday granted the prayers made by Lead Petitioners’ Counsel, Mr. Steve Nwoke, noting that the tribunal had carefully perused the applications and they have merits.

    Abdullahi granted the petitioners’ leave to physically inspect materials used by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on the conduct of main governorship election and re-run election, photocopy some of them, as well as obtain true certified copies.

    The court granted the leave as prayed by the Counsels of the Applicants led by Barrister Steve Nwoke, as it has been difficult to physically serve Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal his copy of the petition filed by the Applicants, challenging the outcome of the March 9, 2019  and March 23, 2019, rerun Governorship polls in the state .

    The Court therefore granted the prayer of the Applicants to allow them to serve Governor Tambuwal the petition, through the State Legal Adviser of the People’s Democratic Party  (PDP).

    Read Also: National Assembly after Saraki and Tambuwal

    In the same vein, , the Court has granted another leave to the Applicants to inspect the election materials like ballot papers, forms and card readers,  used by the Independent National Electoral Commission,  INEC, during the elections .

    Meanwhile, Justice Abdullahi also granted Governor Tambuwal and his party, PDP, to inspect same materials, as well as invite forensic experts to conduct physical inspection of materials used for the elections and obtain true certified copies of documents.

    Justice Abdullahi further granted the applicants’ prayers moved by their Lead Counsel, Barrister Muktar Mahmuda Yabo and the acceptance of the outcome of the physical inspection, statistics sought by forensic experts, among others.

    The All Progressives Congress  ( APC), Gubernatorial Candidate in the 2019 General Elections, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, as well as the Party, had filed a Petition before the Tribunal, challenging the outcome of the polls in which Governor Aminu Waziiri Tambuwal of the PDP had been declared as the purported winner by INEC.

    All efforts to physically serve him with the copy of the petition has been difficult as he was said to have been evasive.

     

     

  • 39 suspected criminals arrested in Bauchi as Police launches “Operation Puff Adder “

    No fewer than 39 suspected criminals were arrested in Bauchi State on Thursday as the State Police Command  launches  a special operation code named  “Operation Adder”  to tackle crimes affecting the  state.

    The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, CP. Ali Janga  , said the inauguration of the operation was in compliance with the directive of the  Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar who recently launched the special operation to tackle security challenges such as kidnapping, Armed robbery, and banditry among other crimes along Abuja- Kaduna expressway and other parts of the country.

    Ali Janga made the announcement at the police headquarters , Yandoka road, Bauchi while parading  the 39 suspected criminals arrested in connection with different crimes in the state such as kidnapping, armed robbery and kidnapping.

    Exhibits recovered from the suspects included, 5 Dane guns, 9 cutlasses , 1 sharp knife , 3 motorcycles and 29 blocks of wrapped dry leave suspected to be Indian hemp.

    Others are; two axes, three long sticks, one tiger electricity generator, one ranki and one gario

    The suspects were said to belong to different gang  groups known as Sara Suka, and Babell .

    Read Also: 13 dead, 6 injured in Bauchi auto crash

    Ali explained that the special squad code named “operation Puff Adder” will prevent influx of criminal elements to the state considering the ongoing security operations.

    He said further that the special squad code named “Operation Puff Adder” will be directly under his supervision while all the police units will be involved.

    He mentioned the units as; The Conventional Police , Police Mobile Force (PMF) Counter Terrorist Units ( CTU) Special Protection Unit (SPU) Rapid  Response Squad (RRS) Special Anti – Robbery Squad (SARS) Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID)

    Janja added that the operation is yielding positive results with the total number of suspected criminals arrested so far.

    “So far the operation is yielding positive results as a lot of criminal activities in the state were nipped in the bud while a total of 39 suspects were arrested in connection with different crimes and exhibits recovered during the operation ”  He said.

    He appealed  to the public for support , cooperation and understanding for the continuous success of the operation.

     

     

  • Air Force strikes Boko Haram in Sambisa forest

    The Nigerian Air Force on Thursday said that scores of Boko Haram terrorists have been neutralized in Sambisa forest as it conducted air strikes on the terrorists’ workshop.

    Its spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola said in a statement that two vehicles and some equipment belonging to the terrorists were destroyed in the attack.

    Daramola said: “The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has destroyed some vehicles and neutralized some Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) at a suspected vehicle workshop in Sambisa Forest, Borno State.

    “The operation was conducted on Wednesday, 24 April 2019, after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform on a routine mission observed significant activities as well as some serviceable vehicles hidden under some trees at a previously abandoned BHT vehicle workshop.

    Read Also: Air Force strikes bandits in Zamfara

    “Accordingly, the ATF scrambled an Alpha Jet to attack the location.

    “Overhead the target area, some of the BHT fighters were seen attempting to flee the location but were taken out by the Alpha Jet’s successful strikes, which also caused the destruction of 2 vehicles and other equipment at the workshop.

    “The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its operations to completely degrade the terrorists in the Northeast.  “

  • Mechanic jailed for three years for unlawful possession of firearm

    An Upper Area Court 3, sitting in Kasuwan Nama in Jos, on Thursday, sentenced a 25-year-old mechanic, Hussaini Buka, to three years in prison for unlawful possession of firearm.

    The judge, Yahaya Mohammed, however, gave the convict an option of fine of N30, 000.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, Ibrahim Gokwat, had told the court that the convict was arrested by a special task force in April 11, and was reported at the State Force Headquarters.

    Read Also: Mobile mechanic service to the rescue

    Gokwat said that the convict was arrested in possession of a locally made pistol by the task force while they were on routine patrol.

    According to the prosecutor, Buka had no license for the pistol.

    On arraignment, he had pleaded guilty to the charge, which the prosecutor said contravened Section 27 (1) (a) (1) (11) (b) (111) of the Firearms Cap F 28 of the LFN, 2004.

    NAN

  • Breaking: Appeal Court reverses conviction of Army General

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside the conviction of a former Chief of Transformation and Innovation at the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Major General Ibrahim Sani, by a Special Military Court Martial.

    The appellate court, in a unanimous judgment of a three-man panel, led by Justice Abubakar Datti Yahaya, voided the proceedings leading to the conviction and sentence.

    The Court of Appeal was of the view that Major General was denied fair hearing in the trial process.

    The judgment, given on April 18, 2019 is on an appeal, marked: CA/A/791/2017 which arose from four interlocutory rulings and the judgment by the Court Martial, which sat at the Army Headquarters Garrison, Mogadishu Cantonment, Asokoro, Abuja.

    The Special Military Court Martial, led by Air Vice Marshal (AVM), Gbum (NAF/1366), gave the rulings and judgment on July 11, 2016; November 1, 2016; April 25, 2017 and July 20, 2017.

    The Court of Appeal, while allowing the appeal by Maj. Gen. Sani, said: “The proceedings and judgment of the special court martial in respect of charge No: NA/COAS/GI/39/16 filed before the lower Special Court Martial was set aside.

    “An order is made for the retrial of the charges against the appellant by another Special Court Martial.”

    Mahmud Magaji (SAN), who led the appellant’s legal team, said: “By this decision, setting aside the judgment of the Special Court Martial, the proceedings, conviction and sentence of the court never existed in the eyes of the law.

    “They are null and void. Therefore, the Nigerian Army is obligated to obey the judgment by restoring the appellant to his rank as a Major General with all his benefits and entitlements in the Nigerian Army.”

    Maj. Gen. Sani was arraigned on July 4, 2016 on a nine-count charge bordering on service property, making of false documents and cheating punishable under sections 56(2), 66(a), 90(a) and 113(3) of the Armed Forces Act (AFA), CAP A20, LFN, 2004.

    The charge was in relation to his alleged role in the management of a large parcel of land allocated to the Nigerian Army in Asokoro, Abuja.

    Read Also: Osun election dispute: Appeal Court fixes hearing for tomorrow

    He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and in the course of the arraignment; count 9 was struck out for being duplication of count 3.

    At the close of the prosecution’s case, the appellant made a no-case submission in respect of all the remaining 8 counts.

    The Court Martial, in a ruling on the no-case submission, struck out count 5 on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case linking the appellant with the alleged act of cheating or unlawfully obtaining N15million from one Brigadier General Koko Essien.

    In the course of the trial, the appellant made interlocutory applications both orally and formally, challenging the jurisdiction of the Special Court Martial on the basis of contravention of section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the competence of its President and a member and other issues relating to the right to fair hearing, which the court rejected.

    The applications included that of July 11, 2016, where Maj. Gen Sani raised the issue of likelihood of bias and denial of his right to fair hearing under section 36(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) if his trial continued before the Special Court Martial convened by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. T.Y Buratai (N/7630), which the court rejected.

    In a ruling on April 25, 2017 the court ordered the Maj. Gen. Sani to front-load the evidence of all his witnesses, mid-way into his defence, and refused appellant’s application for certified true copy (CTC) of the said ruling.

    On July 20,  2017, the Court Martial,  particularly the Judge Advocate, dismissed defendant’s  motion, challenging its jurisdiction to try him, because two members of the Court Martial – the President, AVM J.M. Gbum (NAF/1366) and a member, AVM A.A. Iya (NAF/1429) – were due for retirement and therefore, incompetent to sit as members of the Court Martial.

    On July 20, 2017 the Court Martial gave its judgment in which it found Maj. Gen. Sani guilty on counts 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8, and sentenced him to a reduction in rank from Major General to Brigadier General, but discharged him of the charges in counts 5 and 9.

    The Court Martial equally made a consequential order of restitution directing the appellant to pay N7m to Col. 0. Idoniboye-Obu; N10m to Col. M. O. Ihanuwaze and N6m to Col. O. P. Sintatali in relation to counts 6, 7 and 8.

    The Nigerian Army Council later confirmed the judgment by a letter of confirmation titled: “Third Army Council decision from implementation Maj. Gen. I. Sani (N7361),” dated 20th October 2017; and another letter titled: “Third Army Council decision from implementation Maj. Gen. I. Sani (N7361),” dated 17th November 2017 by Maj. Gen. Agugo, communicating the decision to relevant authorities of the Nigerian Army.

    Maj. Gen. Sani, by a notice of appeal, filed on the March 3, 2018 challenged the rulings of the Court Martial, delivered on July 11, 2016; November 1, 2016; April 25, 2017 and July 20, 2017 and the final judgement equally given July 20, 2017.

    On appeal, the appellant formulated six issues bordering on lack of jurisdiction and denial of fair hearing among others, for determination from the fourteen grounds in the notice of appeal.

    The Court of Appeal, in the judgment delivered on April 18, 2019, determined the appeal based on issues two and three, which relates to denial of fair hearing.

    The Court of Appeal held that the entire proceedings of the Special Court were conducted in a manner that breached and denied the appellant his right to fair hearing.

    It held that there is merit in the appeal and allowed it.

    The Court of Appeal said: “The proceedings and judgment of the special court martial in respect of charge No: NA/COAS/GI/39/16 filed before the lower Special Court martial was set aside.

    “An order is made for the retrial of the charges against the appellant by another Special Court Martial.”

  • Breaking: IGP orders reversal of shift duty structure in police

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu has ordered the immediate reversal of the shift duty structure of the Nigeria Police Force.

    The shift structure, which is currently a 12-hour, 2-shifts system has been changed to the traditional 8-hours, 3-shifts duty standard.

    Read Also: IGP to Christians: be security conscious

    He said this while declaring open the conference of heads of Police Medical Facilities at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

     

    Details Later….

     

     

     

  • Court remands man for allegedly defiling 12-year-old girl

    An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, on Thursday ordered that a 35-year-old man , Theophilus Tyozenda, be remanded in prison for allegedly defiling a12-year-old girl.

    Magistrate P.E. Nwaka ordered that Tyozenda be remanded in Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, pending advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.

    Magistrate Nwaka who did not take the plea of the defendant, adjourned the case until May 24 for mention.

    Tyozenda, who resides at No.1, Agunmo St., Opposite Seven Star Filling Station, Amuwo Oke-afo, Badagry, Lagos, is charged with defilement.

    Read Also: Court dissolves 9-year-old marriage over deceit

    The Prosecutor, Inspector Christopher John, alleged that the defendant committed the offence on April 6, at 8.30 pm at his residence.

    John alleged that Tyozenda had sexual intercourse with the 12-year-old-girl without her consent.

    The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and is punishable with up to life imprisonment.

    NAN