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Tag: The Senate

  • Senate probes irregular migration of Nigerians across Sahara, Mediterranean

    Senate probes irregular migration of Nigerians across Sahara, Mediterranean

    The Senate Wednesday asked its joint committee on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora to investigate the rising cases of irregular migration across Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.

    It also urged the Federal Government to strengthen National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) and the Nigerian Immigration Service to take effective measures towards preventing the trafficking in persons and illegal migration.

    The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion entitled “Trans-Sahara-Europe migration crisis” sponsored by Senators Francis Alimikhena (Edo North) and Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South).

    Alimikhena who led the debate noted that negative trend of migration by Nigerians and other African through illegal routes across the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea which has continued to result in colossal loss of lives.

    He also noted the definition of a migrant under the United Nations International Organisation for Migration as “any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a state away from his/her habitual placed of residence, regardless of the person’s legal status, whether movement was voluntary or involuntary, what the cause of the movement are and the length of stay.”

    The Edo North lawmaker said that the Senate should aware that Nigerians who embark on illegal/irregular migration find their route through Liyba, Morrocco and Algeria.

    He expressed worry that the International Organisation for Migration’s report 2016 revealed that the more than 5,070 people were estimated to have lost their lives on migratory routes around the world and the Mediterranean alone witnessed a record of 3,870 out of which 2,000 of the casualties were from the central Mediterranean route used by the West and North African countries and Nigeria alone has more than 1000 of the central Mediterranean casualties.

    Alimikhena further expressed concern that because of the involvement of many Nigerians in the irregular migration, the International Organisation for Migration made Nigeria and Iraq a case study in one of their researches, the result of which was mind-boggling.

    He noted that in addition to the tragic loss of lives, a substantial number of victims are not recovered and even those recovered are buried with at best a number and not a name.

    He said that it is important to emphasize that each unidentified migrant represent a missing person for a family who live in perpetual grief without certainty of the whereabouts of their loved ones.

    The phenomenon, he said, is aggravated by the activities of unrepentant human traffickers who deceive unsuspecting Nigerians with promises of leading them to greener pastures only to sell them as sex slaves and where possible, even harvest their body organs for money.

    He prayed the Senate to show determination to reverse the negative trend and inhuman treatment suffered by Nigerians migrants in the hands of Immigration officials in neighbouring countries.

    Most Senators who contributed asked the government to step up efforts to save Nigerians who might be deceived to toe the same line like those who lost their lives.

     

  • CBN, commercial banks killing SMEs, says Senate

    CBN, commercial banks killing SMEs, says Senate

    The Senate Tuesday said that policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and activities of commercial banks are strangulating Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

    The upper chamber also claimed that a cartel has effectively taken over the control of commercial banks in the country to the disadvantage of the growth of the economy and small businesses operating in Nigeria.

    Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, made the claims while contributing to a motion on “the dire need for a stakeholders round table to address increasing interest rates in Nigeria” sponsored by Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim (Kwara south).

    Na’ Allah asked why interest rates in Nigeria remained high despite the fact that the country is yet to get out of its economic recession.

    The Kebbi South lawmaker noted that the cartel allegedly running the commercial banks in connivance with the CBN, refused to review the interest rates downwards to reflect the economic situation of the country.

    He said, “The banks are run by a powerful cartel. They do what they like and jerk up interest rates. Over the years, we have seen the exchange rates go up, but it is not the same in other economies of the world. Nigeria has the most unpredictable economy in the world and we have to be worried about this.”

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who also gave credence to the claims, expressed worry about what he called the twin evil of interest and exchange rates.

    Saraki said that it is unreasonable for companies to continue to lay off staff while declaring huge profits annually.

    He insisted that the Senate will step into the development to ensure that the right thing was done.

    Saraki said: “There has always been the twin evil of exchange rate and interest rates. We cannot live in a country where companies are folding up, yet organizations are declaring mega profits. The committee should swing into action. Whatever comes out of the committee’s work, we must see to it that it is implemented to the fullest.”

    Senator Ibrahim in his lead debate noted that the current Monetary Policy Rates (MPR) of 14 per cent has remained high compared to other developing nations such as Brazil which has 10.25 per cent Kenya 10 per cent, South Africa 7 per cent, Rwanda 6.25 per cent, Bangladesh 6.75 percent , Botwana 5.50 per cent and many West Africa countries with single digit rates.

    He said that despite all the negative indices, banks continued to declare huge earnings and profitability which as at 31st March 2017 increased significantly by 151.02 per cent while profit before tax (PBT) stood at N186.155 trillion as against N74.160 trillion in December 2016.

    Ibrahim further said: “Most of this profitability are derived from investment in risk free Government securities such as Treasury Bills and Bonds. The CBN is now faced with difficulties in decision- making on some of its core mandates of controlling the inflation rate, exchange rate and interest rate.

    “Available and reliable records indicate that between January to December, 2016, the CBN as regulator of the banking industry had mopped up about N5.784 trillion in interest expenses for liquidity Management thereby targeting inflation at the expense of economic growth, development and employment.

    “The current regime of high interest rate continues to place a major burden on business investments and household consumption spending in Nigeria, thereby negatively impacting on the survival of Nigerian businesses.

    “This is perpetuating the indicator which shows that only about 3% of SMEs starting up in the country having access to credits from banks which ironically employ about 88% of our work force and therefore the backbone of the economy.”

    He further expressed worry that the reported explosive increase in net credit to the government in April, 2017 annualized to 72% compared to a programmed rate of 33.12% for the year and significant decline in credit to the private sector below 14.88% target for 2017 portend grave challenge for future macroeconomic stability if allowed to entrench, crowding out private sector borrowing from the economy.

    The Senate mandated its committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions to organise a round-table session with the CBN, commercial banks, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), other relevant stakeholders and industry experts with a view to finding immediate, sustainable and lasting solutions that would help usher in a new interest rate regime that supports enterprise development in Nigeria.

     

  • Senate to confirm appointment of CG of Customs Service

    Senate to confirm appointment of CG of Customs Service

    The Senate has passed a bill that would make it mandatory for the President to seek confirmation of the appointment of the Comptroller General for the Customs Service.

    The bill also makes it mandatory for the President to appoint the Comptroller General from officers within the Customs Service. The present CG, Col. Hammed Ali was appointed from outside the service.

    Introduction of the new bill has caused a repeal of the existing Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    It has scrapped the Customs Governing Board and replaced it with the Customs Service Commission.

    The upper legislative chamber argued that “The office of the Comptroller General of Customs is sufficiently sensitive to warrant scrutiny by the Senate and thus ensure that the best possible candidates occupy that position”.

    Senators also inserted a clause that makes it mandatory for the federal character law to reflect in the appointments of Deputy Comptrollers General, Assistant Comptrollers General.

    A provision in Clause 13 Subsection (2) makes it mandatory for the Customs Service Commission to determine the numbers and duties of Deputy Comptroller General and Assistant Comptroller General.

    The Commssion is to be headed by a chairman, who would be a retired career Comptroller General or Deputy Comptroller General, who would be appointed by the President an initial tenure of four years.

    The appointment of the chairman of the commission is also subject to confirmation by the Senate, and the tenure is renewable once.

    The bill, entitled, “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Customs and Excise Management Act, to Establish the Nigeria Customs Service, Reform the Administration and Management of Customs and Excise in Nigeria, was passed following the adoption of the report of its Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff.

    Section 13 of the Bill made it clear that only a serving officer in the Customs Service should be qualified to be appointed CG

    The section stated in parts, “The President shall appoint from the Customs Service, subject to the confirmation of the Senate, a Comptroller General who shall be responsible for the over all management of the Customs Service.

    According to the bill, the Commission would be responsible for managing policies of the Customs Service or matters pertaining to administration, assessment, collection and accounting for revenues, as may be directed by the Minister of Finance from time to time.

    It would also be responsible for managing all issues relating to employment, training, welfare, and discipline of officers of the Customs, with the approval of the appropriate authority of the Federal Government.

    The bill consolidated into a single reference document, the Customs Service legal authority, which is embodied in multiple enactments, with the view to bringing the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) 1958, in line with modern day reality and international best practices.

    Chairman of the Senate Customs committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma explained that the service would also be financed from a seven percent cost of collection of import duty, excise and fees, special levies, revenues derived from assessment and collection of cost based user fees, and from budgetary provisions.

    Uzodinma said, “The new bill will substantially enhance revenue generation and facilitate trade through full implementation of modern customs procedures that will evolve consistent, transparent and predictable environment for international trade in line with internally accepted norms and practices”.

    The senator added that the bill would also ensure pre-shipment and post shipment inspection at point of origin and destination, to reduce the incidence of illegal importation of weapons and other lethal items.

    “It strengthens the full implementation of pre-shipment laws of the country through the provisions for screening as a prerequisite for clearing goods into the country, not only adds to the expedited clearing system, but empirically improves the security of the nation by minimising the unfettered access into the country of illicit goods, prohibited narcotics, proliferation of small arms and toxic cargoes”, Senator Uzodinma added.

    The bill also made provisions for the use of modern Information Technology (IT) platforms and systems, including electronic documents, signatures and electronic payments, as well as application of Risk Management and other IT related issues.

    It also provides for the publication of a tariff handbook, subject to approval of the National Assembly, with the view to curtailing arbitrary tariff reviews.

     

  • Nigeria loses $2.5bn to gas flaring annually, says Senate

    Nigeria loses $2.5bn to gas flaring annually, says Senate

    …Gas flaring a national embarrassment, says Saraki

     

    The Senate Wednesday said that the country loses $2.5 billion annually to gas flaring.

    The upper chamber also said that gas flaring is contributing to air pollution, heat, rainforest damage and climate change.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas Resources, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, stated this at a public hearing on Gas flaring (prohibition) bill 2017.

    Akpan noted that Nigeria has estimated 188 billion cubic feet of proven natural reserve making the country the ninth largest concentration in the world.

    According to him, “Due to unsustainable exploration practices coupled with lack of gas utilization infrastructure, we flare more than 75 per cent of the gas produced and re-injects only 12 per cent to enhance oil recovery.”

    He said that it is estimated that more than two billion standard cubic feet of gas is currently being flared in the country annually.

    The figure, he said, is the highest in any member-nation of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

    He added that consequently, Nigeria accounts for about 19 per cent of the total amount of gas flared globally.

    Akpan noted that in the over 1,000 oil fields located across the country, the towering flames resulting from gas burning seems to villagers as an inevitable consequence of oil production.

    He recalled that the first attempt to address gas flaring was made in 1969 through the Petroleum (Drilling & Production) Regulation which merely required that oil producing companies submit Gas Utilization Plan (GUP) five years into the commencement of production.

    This, he said, was followed by the Associated Gas Rejection Act of 1979 and later the Associated Gas Rejection Regulation, 1985 made to specify conditions for issuance of certificate for continued gas flaring.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki who inaugurated the public hearing described the issue of gas flaring in the country as a matter of great national embarrassment

    Saraki who was represented by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah noted that Nigeria has no reason to continue to ‘flare this precious resource God has endowed us with.”

    He said that the seeks to make provisions for the prohibition of the flaring and venting of natural gas in any   oil   and gas production   operation   in   Nigeria.

    Saraki said that gas flaring is as old as the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria.

    “While it remains   a global   environmental   malaise   with   attendant environmental consequences, we must move with the rest of the world to seriously put an end to it. Gas flaring is not inevitability.

    “Whilst statistics may not be accurate, the quantity of gas flared in Nigeria exceeds over 40% of the gas flared annually across Africa which amounts to about $7billion in waste.

    “Apart from economic waste being a consequence of gas flaring, flared   gas   is also   known   to   contain   toxic   substances   which   cause respiratory diseases and air pollution, leading to depletion of the ozone layer, ultimately having an adverse effect on weather and climate.

    “Only God knows how many of our citizens have lost their lives as a result of gas flaring.

    “We are yet to ascertain how many are suffering irreparably from the aftermath of gas flaring.

    “What we know is that if we have not been flaring gas, our people in the oil producing States will have fared better in health and in life expectancy.

    “Like other countries blessed with gas, we would have   had   more power generating   capacity   and   attained   greater industrialization of the country,” Saraki said.

    He added that the 8th Senate recognizes that gas flaring is not just an environmental issue but that it is a developmental issue, a justice issue, a human rights issue and an opportunity issue.

    He said, “To us the continued drain on our revenue that gas flaring represents is no longer affordable. We are therefore committed to bring to an end this obnoxious business practice.

    “We are committed to once and for all prohibit gas flaring to save our people’s lives, save our environment   and   change   the   corporate   behaviour   and   attitude   of businesses towards environmental protection.

    “Today, we are attempting to use the instrumentality of the legislature to drive that process.”

  • Senate probes concession of Port Harcourt refinery to Agip, Oando plc

    Senate probes concession of Port Harcourt refinery to Agip, Oando plc

    …Asks petroleum ministry to suspend all transactions

     

    The Senate Tuesday resolved to investigate the planned concession of the Port Harcourt Refinery to Agip and Oando plc by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

    The upper chamber also asked the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to stop all processes and transactions regarding the concession pending the conclusion and submission of the report of its ad-hoc committee set up to probe the deal.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion entitled “Non transparent transaction relating to the planned concession of the Port Harcourt Refinery to Agip and Oando by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources,” sponsored by Senator Sabo Mohammed (Jigawa South).

    Mohammed in his lead debate expressed worry about alleged non-transparent transactions of the planned concession of the Port Harcourt Refinery to Agip and Oando by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

    The lawmaker said that he is aware that the Federal Government recently entered into an agreement with Nigerian Agip oil company, a subsidiary of ENI, an Italian oil giant to construct a $15 billion refinery in the Niger Delta region, a deal which also includes investment by Agip in a power plant with the Italian company assisting Nigeria in repairs of the Port Harcourt Refinery.

    The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachukwu, he said informed that the agreement was part of a broader Federal Government plan to increase capacity for local production and consumption of petroleum products with the aim of ending fuel importation in the country by 2019.

    He noted that while the resolve by the Federal Government to increase local refining capacity is laudable and should be applauded by all Nigerians, the observance of corporate governance principles and the country’s extant laws must be followed to the latter.

    Mohammed said that he is concerned that it is not yet clear if the new arrangement is a concession agreement or an agreement to build a new refinery.

    He noted that the confusion became obvious following the disclosure on May 11, 2017 by the Chief Executive Officer of Oando plc on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange that the group had received approval of the Federal Government to repair, operate and maintain the Port Harcourt Refinery with their partner Agip.

    He said that the development would have been wonderful because it would mean an end to importation of refined products by the year 2020, “but many questions are begging for answers, such as it it Agip/ENI or Oando plc that is taking over Port Harcourt Refinery?

    The lawmaker also wanted to know whether there was observance of the privatization law as regards due diligence, selection from preferred bidders before ceding the Port Harcourt Refinery to Agip/Oando.

    Mohammed said that the Senate should be concerned that the planned concession of the Port Harcourt Refinery to Agip/ ENI in partnership with Oando plc without recourse to due process is illegal and a clear attempt at ridiculing Nigerians and would definitely create a big hole that would be hard to fill in the anti-corruption crusade of the present administration.

    He said that he is aware that in such transaction, “the best practice is to select partners through open and competitive bids.

    He insisted that any exclusive arrangement that does not follow due process, one hatched in the dark without the knowledge and participation of relevant stakeholders tend to lead to sub-optional outcome for the seller, in this case the Federal Government.

    He lamented that major stakeholders such as BPE that was empowered by law to conduct such exercise and labour unions are not aware of the deal that is supposed to be signed officially in July this year.

    He said that the Senate should be concerned that since Agip has no technical record/history in the Port Harcourt Refinery that was built by a Japanese firm, “one would have expected the concerned authority to look at the Warri Refinery that was built by Agip where they have technical record.

    Mohammed said that he is saddened that on assumption of office as the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Kachukwu declared that by the end of 2015, the Port Harcourt, Warrit and Kaduna refineries would be working a 90 per cent capacity, thus reducing  importation and the subsidy controversies.

    He said that it is sad that “up till now in 2017, the refineries are yet to be fixed and cannot even produce at 50 per cent not to mention 90 per cent.”

    Some senators who spoke warned that the Port Harcourt refinery must not be allowed to go the way of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and other privatized organizations in the country.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, raised a seven-man team to investigate the planned concession.

    Senator Abubakar Kyari (Borno North) is named chairman of committee. Other  members of the committee included Mathew Urhoghide, Duro Faseye, Benjamin Uwajumogu, Sabo Mohammed, Dino Melaye, Aliyu Wamakko.

     

  • Senate seeks rehabilitation of rescued Chibok girls

    Senate seeks rehabilitation of rescued Chibok girls

    …Pushes for domestication of Child Rights Act in 13 states

     

    The Senate Thursday asked the Federal Government to take steps to rehabilitate rescued Chibok school girl.

    The upper chamber said that government should provide adequate welfare, education and health services for the girls.

    It said that efforts should also be intensified to rescue the remaining girls who are still in Boko Haram captivity

    The resolutions were made following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Binta Masi Garba and eight others tagged, “2017 Children’s Day Celebration”

    The motion was presented by Senator Biodun Olujimi, in the absence of Garba.

    The lawmakers who stressed the need to secure a better future for Nigerian children, mandated its committee on Women Affairs to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to domesticate the Child Rights Act in the thirteen states that are yet to enact it.

    in his remarks, urged Nigerians to always protect the rights of the Nigerian child.

    Saraki said as leaders, nothing is too big to sacrifice in ensuring that the future of the Nigerian child is secured.

    He said: “There is no gain saying that the children are the future leaders of this country. I want to state that nothing is too big to give to ensure that the Nigerian child is protected. I wish every Nigerian child a happy celebration.

    “We will ensure that the remaining states yet to domesticate the Child Right Act do so. During oversight, our committees must ensure that the relevant agencies implement programmes earmarked for the Nigerian child.”

    Senator Olujimi told the Senate that the infant mortality rate in country has risen to one million deaths per annum as a result of poor nutrition and inadequate medical facilities.

    The upper chamber noted that, despite the exemption granted to all pregnant women, the elderly and disabled under the National Health Act of 2014, this is not obtainable in practice, as children and pregnant women still pay for medical services in public hospitals.

    The Senate, further observed, without quoting any source, that 70 per cent of the people in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps are women and children who have been rendered orphans and widows.

    “The significant role of the Nigerian child in the nation’s development and the need to lay a good foundation and secure their future through the domestication and implementation of the Child Right Act, 2003, in every state of the federation.

    “A proper system of education and good health care are indispensable in making the Nigerian child relevant in the global scheme of things,” the motion, presented by Senator Olujimi further read.

     

     

  • Senate withdraws controversial anti-EFCC motion

    Senate withdraws controversial anti-EFCC motion

    The Senate Tuesday in a dramatic U-turn withdrew a controversial motion targeted at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The motion entitled, “Undue dramatization of the fight against corruption in Nigeria” was sponsored by Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North)

    The motion specifically lampooned the EFCC for alleged “penchant for undue publicity of its body of evidence at the commencement of investigation.”

    Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, had called Utazi to present his motion.

    Senator Utazi is Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes.

    All eyes turned to Senator Utazi’s seat only to discover that he had already left the chamber before Lawan called him to lead debate of his motion.

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the day’s plenary, informed his colleagues that the motion had been withdrawn.

    Though no further explanation was offered on why the motion was withdrawn by its sponsor, sources said that the leadership of the Senate might have felt uncomfortable with the controversial motion.

    One of the sources said that the Senate might have thought it unwise to start a fresh showdown with the anti-graft commission.

    Utazi noted in the withdrawn motion published in the Order Paper “EFCC’s approach tends to compromise the strength of the evidence that could be presented to secure conviction in judicial proceedings.

    “I am disturbed about the string of losses of corruption and financial crimes-related cases in court in recent past.

    “These losses, due mainly to insufficient and sometimes, shoddy investigation and the presentation of inadequate unconvincing body of evidence has cast a dark cloud on the efforts of the current government to reduce corruption in Nigeria to the barest minimum.

    “The recourse of, especially the EFCC in blaming the judiciary whenever it loses its case in court is a failure to acknowledge the commission’s shortcomings in the build-up to each case.

    “The EFCC’s emphasis on media trial before the conclusion of investigation weakens its case and gives the country a bad image in the comity of nations, discouraging the much-needed foreign investments.

    “Nigeria is not the only country that fights corruption and related crimes with the requisite zeal, but we do not hear of putrid stories of sleazy discoveries put out by countries’ anti-corruption agencies to every medium of communication to portray the country in bad light.

    “The sudden discoveries of abandoned loot, at airports, in septic and water tanks, in high-brow apartments and the dramatization of the process of the discovery of these orphaned monies paint the anti-corruption war in unpalatable colours, giving the world an impression of a group seeking applause through propaganda and engaging in a circus show to a rather grave national effort.”

    The Enugu North lawmaker prayed the Senate to urge the EFCC to de-emphasis propaganda and undue publicity in its operations and concentrate on the competent discharge of its core mandate.

     

  • Senate raises alarm over global cyber threats

    Senate raises alarm over global cyber threats

    …Says $450m lost by Nigerian firms to attacks

    The Senate has alerted the National Security Adviser (NSA), security agencies and financial institutions to the various dimensions of cyber-attacks going on around the world.

    At its plenary on Tuesday, the Senate revealed that some Nigerian firms have lost over $450 million to cyber-attacks in about 3,500 cases.

    The security alert was issued following a motion sponsored by Senator Buhari Abdulfatai who urged concerted efforts to secure Nigeria’s cyberspace.

    According to Senator Abdulfatai, the latest in the series of the attacks were carried out on May 12, 2017.

    Consequently, the upper legislative chamber has mandated its standing committee on ICT and Cybercrime to organise a stakeholders’ conference on the matter.

    The conference will be geared toward stimulating a collective reflection among relevant stakeholders and articulating a national and broad-based approach to keeping the country ahead of the challenge.

    The senator further revealed that over 75,000 computers, in 99 countries were crippled by “ransomware” last week, which he said, rapidly spreads across the globe.

    He cited British hospitals, the Russian Government, German railways and several other big companies among those affected by the attack.

    Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the plenary, urged stakeholders to come together and find a lasting solution to the menace.

    He also warned that strategic institutions of government may equally be targeted if urgent steps were not taken by the relevant agencies to check the spread.

    “They hack into our emails every day. I am also a victim. They open social media accounts in my name and I have said it that I am not on social media.

    “The main threat is that our strategic institutions may be attacked by these hackers. All stakeholders need to come together to deal with this challenge”, Ekweremadu said.

    Addressing newsmen shortly after the plenary session, Senator Abdulfatai said cyber-attacks are taking a dangerous dimension all over the world.

    Abdulfatai said, “For instance, the Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays Bank of UK suffered 48-hour online attack from 11th to 13th of January this year, in which the criminals attempted to block about 20 million accounts.

    “They bombarded Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland with millions of fake requests designed to grind the groups’ systems to a halt and asked for a huge ransom in bit coins to end the attacks, which were being prevented by the Denial of Access (DOS) system.

    “On the 12th of May alone this year, at least 200,000 targets in over 150 countries were hit by cyber-attacks which the Internet Protocol suggested to have originated from the Middle East particularly from Syria and Iran, as well as from Kenya, supposedly using a malware known as Lazarus to compromise systems in banking and information networks, with no clear evidence yet as to how the act was perfected, and that the criminals are already targeting Nigeria.

    “Alarmed about revelations from studies that over 70% of hacking attempts so far, i.e. about 3500 cyber-attacks on the Nigeria lCT space, have been successful resulting in loss of over $450 million and that government servers are currently under serious threat”.

  • Confirmation: Senate bars Lottery Commission nominees from office

    Confirmation: Senate bars Lottery Commission nominees from office

    …Frowns at non-confirmation

     

    The Senate Thursday asked the nominated National Lottery Commission, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, to stay away from office until his appointment is confirmed by the Senate.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, gave the order after listening to the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan on alleged assumption of duty by Gbajabiamila without Senate approval.

    Senator Dino Melaye had on Wednesday told the Senate that President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a DG for the National Lottery Commission who has assumed duty without Senate confirmation.

    Saraki mandated Lawan to follow up Melaye’s information to establish the truth about it.

    Lawan who briefed the Senate yesterday confirmed that “indeed the National Lottery Commission Director General has assumed duty.”

    Lawan said that the DG agreed that he assumed duty without Senate confirmation apparently in error.

    Lawan said, “The nominee for the office of the Director-General of National Lottery Regulatory Commission actually assumed office. I think he was misadvised and therefore assumed office without being confirmed. But there is a genuine appeal that such thing will not happen again. I have advised that the nominee should not be seen around the office.”

    Saraki said, “I think you will agree with me that the Leader has done a very thorough job. Not only that, he has responded promptly within 24 hours first of all to establish that the point raised by Senator Dino was factual and he got the assurances that this type of thing will not happen again.

    “We therefore stamp it out and it must not occur again. He has erred and he must probably have been misguided but definitely he must not be seen reporting in that area. Definitely, that must not happen.

    “Going forward, for nominees and the executive, we must respect our laws and our processes. Even if he did it, somebody should have been there to direct and guided him. Those who are eager to resume should tarry a while and follow the due process. We will close this matter here.”

    Senator George Thompson Sekibo (Rivers East) was not impressed.

    “I rise on the issue and the very good explanation that was brought by the Leader eloquently delivered and truly accepted. I accept it, I am not against it. I am not asking for sanction but my problems are two.

    “When you are bringing a complex matter and you are bringing it under personal explanation, for me it is misdirecting the House. This matter is a complex matter and personal explanation should not be a controversial matter. Then you are bringing major controversial matter. Somebody who is fragrantly violating the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 5(1)(b), and you just bring it under personal explanation and he finished talking and sat down as if nothing has happened.

    “Sir, it is a major issue. I am saying for caution, next time issues of this nature should not come under personal explanation. They should look for other orders to bring it so that it is open to us to debate. We will not remove the man, we will agree with him because he is our leader. But to block and close our mouth, I don’t think it is the best for all of us.”

     

  • Senate probes DSS skewed recruitment

    Senate probes DSS skewed recruitment

    The Senate is investigating alleged lopsided recruitment of personnel by the Department of State Services (DSS), Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character Commission (FCC) Senator Tijjani Kaura, said Thursday.

    Senator Kaura who spoke during Senate in plenary drew the attention of his colleagues to the barrage of reports alleging massive lopsidedness in the recent recruitment exercise by the DSS.

    He said that his committee was concerned about the reports and decided to look into the matter to ensure that justice was done to all zones of the country.

    The dust raised by the recent recruitment of personnel by the DSS has refused to settle.

    Katsina State where the Director General of DSS, Lawal Daura, hails from was reported to have received 51 slots which is more than the combined 42 slots of all the states in the South South

    The total number of recruit is 479.

    Lagos State got seven slots, Akwa Ibom State five slots, Kano 25 slots while Kaduna 24 slots, Edo six, Bauchi 23.

    Kaura said, “I wish to inform the Senate that the Committee on Federal Character is looking critically into the reports of slanted recruitment in the Department of State Services to ensure that justice is done in line with the constitution and the Federal Character Act.

    “We have received similar complaint from other areas which we are also looking into to ensure fairness and equity.”

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, in his ruling noted that since Kaura came under personal explanation there would not be any debate of the issue raised.

    Saraki however said that he was happy that the committee was looking into the matter.

    He asked the committee to take the matter seriously while the Senate awaits its findings.