Governor Zulum Offers Scholarship To Orphans, Donates N180m, Foodstuffs To Civilian JTF.

 Zulum Offers Scholarship To Orphans, Donates N180m, Foodstuffs To Civilian JTF

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved government scholarship for children, most of them orphans, whose fathers were volunteers among Civilian JTF, hunters, and vigilantes killed at battlefronts while fighting Boko Haram in the last seven years.

Zulum also flagged off a welfare package of N50, 000 each for widows of killed volunteers and the distribution of N180m and 27,000 bags and cartons of food variety to 9,000 volunteers.

He announced all the interventions made on Wednesday in Maiduguri, while addressing a gathering of about 9,000 volunteers who have been fighting alongside the Nigerian armed forces to contain Boko Haram insurgency in Borno. The volunteers were gathered at the campus of Borno State University.

Each of the 9,000 volunteers is to receive N20, 000 cash, a 50kg bag of rice, a carton of spaghetti and a gallon of cooking oil, all of which were outside their regular monthly allowances.

He said the state government will award education scholarship to the vulnerable orphans of Civilian JTF who have been killed at battlefronts.


He told a gathering of Civilian JTF personnel in Maiduguri that the scholarship would be awarded in phases, starting with the youngest and most vulnerable families of the earliest fallen volunteers, down to the most recently killed.

Zulum said he would constitute a multi-stakeholder committee which shall thoroughly evaluate vulnerabilities, come up with a list of children to benefit in the first phase, recommend schools, and develop a feasible and sustainable structure of the scholarship. The committee will be tasked with securing admissions, uniforms, fees and monitoring the academic progress of the children

Federal Gov't begins Payment of N30,000 to 330,000 to Nigerians.

 Buhari govt begins payment of N30,000 to 330,000 Nigerians.

Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has announced that beneficiaries nationwide will receive a one-time grant of N30,000 with Lagos, Kano, State and Federal Capital Territory, FCT and nine more States in the first batch.

He said that enumeration and verification are still ongoing for Payroll Support Scheme

The VP said that free CAC Business Names’ Registration for 250,000 MSMEs has also commenced.

He said that as the implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan progresses, the payment of N30,000 one-time grant to 330,000 artisans across the country is now in progress.

The payments are being made to sets of verified beneficiaries of the Artisan Support Scheme, a track under the MSMEs Survival Fund,” Osinbajo said in a statement made available to Reporters by Laolu Akande, his Spokesman.

“In the first stream of payments starting today, beneficiaries are being drawn from the FCT, Lagos, Ondo, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Bauchi, Anambra, Abia, Rivers, Plateau and Delta States. They form the first batch of applications for the scheme submitted between October 1 and October 10,” he added.

The MSMEs Survival Fund scheme is a component of the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan, NESP, which was developed by an Economic Sustainability Committee established by President Muhammadu Buhari in March 2020.

The President asked Osinbajo to head the committee which produced and is overseeing the implementation of the plan.

Under the ESP, the Survival Fund is generally designed to, among other things; support vulnerable MSMEs in meeting their different obligations and safeguard jobs in the sector.

It would be recalled that applications for the Artisans’ Support Scheme under the MSMEs Survival Fund opened on October 1.

Meanwhile, the enumeration for the second stream of States under the Artisan Support Scheme has also commenced with enumerators in various States compiling the lists of artisans through their association leaders. All artisans are expected to liaise with their association leaders to document their details.

The registration of applicants for Stream 2 began on the 19th October 2020. States under Stream 2 are: Edo, Ogun, Ekiti, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Enugu, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Taraba, Bayelsa

In the same vein, enumeration and verification of the documents of applicants under the Survival Fund Payroll Support scheme is still ongoing. Dates for the commencement of payment would be announced in due course.

The application process for the payroll support scheme, which began on September 21, had ended on the 15th of October 2020. Accepted applications are categorized by industry sectors, including Education and Hospitality, among other sectors.

However, there may be an extension for applications for some States that have not met their quota on beneficiaries. The Artisan Support Scheme is to benefit about 9,000 Nigerians per State and FCT.

We Shared 70,000 Tonnes Of Food Stuff To State Governors – Humanitarian Minister

We Shared 70,000 Tonnes Of Food Stuff To State Governors – Humanitarian Minister

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farooq has said that the ministry shared 70, 000 tonnes of foodstuff to the 36 state governors during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

Speaking to the reporter service on Tuesday in Zamfara state, the minister said she also shared 145 trailers of rice to the states.

“About 70,000 tonnes of foodstuff was shared. The rice we get from custom was shared to the 36 states, only some grains that was shared to 24 states only,” the minister said.

On the reasons given by some state governors that they didn’t share the stuff in anticipation of the second phase of COVID-19, the minister said that is left for them.

“That is left for the governors to answer this question. I have shared the stuff and have the record with us and the truth has revealed itself,” she added.

She added that the ministry directed the governors to share the foodstuff from the days they were delivered to them during the lockdown period, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

She said plans are underway to look at the possibilities of giving another foodstuff to the states since hoodlums have taken away some of them.

Police Arrested Kano Native Doctor Trying To Remove Newborn Baby’s Eye

How Police Arrested Kano Native Doctor Trying To Remove Newborn Baby’s Eye

suspected native doctor in Kano, Yahaya Shehu, has been arrested after trying to remove an eye of a newborn baby for rituals.

The incident happened in Hotoro, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano.

Reports said the native doctor had promised one Kabiru Sani N8m and a car in order to get a new born baby for the ritual.

The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the incidence saying that the suspect has already been arrested and will soon be prosecuted.

Kiyawa said, “After Sani went to the native doctor for medication, he then prescribed something for him and ordered that he mixes it with his urine and bathe with it for three days.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said they arrested him after Sani, who earlier went to the native doctor, reported the issue to them.

Kiyawa said, “After Sani went to the native doctor for medication, he then prescribed something for him and ordered that he mixes it with his urine and bathe with it for three days.

“Upon his resumption after the three days period, the doctor still gave him some water to be used, which made him to start misbehaving and doing anything the native doctor ordered him to do, until the day he asked him to go and bring a new born baby from his relatives whose left eye is to be removed for ritual.

“This was what prompted him to meet his elder sister pleading with her to sacrifice her son for the ritual which he said is for one soldier.

“It was at that point that the sister became so worried and took Sani to the police station where they reported the native doctor,” Kiyawa said.

The PPRO said the police, upon receiving the complaint quickly arrested the native doctor in Hotoro area of Kano metropolis.

He said they were also able to recover coffin, sand, calabash with some ritual inscriptions on it and other ritual materials at the point of his arrest.

Kiyawa said the state Commissioner of Police, Habu Sani, had ordered the case to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and subsequent arraignment.

New Committee Nominated by FG, to Create jobs as nationwide rampage continues

 Nigerian govt announces committee to create jobs as nationwide rampage continues

The National Executive Council (NEC) has set up a committee charged with addressing unemployment and national security in the country.

This was part of the council’s resolutions at its meeting on Monday, vice-president Yemi Osinbajo’s publicist, Laolu Akande, said in a mail sent to Reporeters Tuesday.

The decision was taken on the backdrop of issues triggered by the weeks-long EndSARS protests where young Nigerians sought an end to police brutality, before it was hijacked by hoodlums who have caused chaos across the country in the past week.

Headed by the vice-president, the committee has the governors of Sokoto, Borno State, Niger, Ondo, Ebonyi, Delta States as members.

The committee, Mr Akande said, is expected to engage “relevant stakeholders” to chart a way forward on “employment, social safety net programmes, and national unity among other key issues of concern” for the country.

This, he said will be done alongside engaging with security agencies, including at state level, “to provide compensation for those who have incurred losses in the last few weeks and a framework for social security to deal with the problem of unemployment and poverty in the country.”

Four in 10 Nigerians are poor and the country’s unemployment rate rose to 27.1% in the second quarter of 2020, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

“The council observed the low morale of security operatives during the period and members resolved to commend the Nigeria police and all the security agencies for their handling of what is clearly an unprecedented problem,” Mr Akande said in his statement.

IPPIS: FG, ASUU’s Meeting Ends In Stalemate Again.

 

IPPIS: FG, ASUU’s Meeting Ends In Stalemate Again.

It was gathered that the union also disagreed with Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, to pay the N30 billion earned allowance of the university lecturers as agreed during the last meeting via the same platform.

Speaking with Reporter over the phone on Thursday, spokesperson of the ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan, said there was no conclusion for Wednesday’s meeting which had spilled over till Thursday morning.

He said, “Presently, no communique. There was no conclusion for the meeting. It has been adjourned till Monday by 3pm with a view to continuing where they stopped.”

Reporters had reported that there were hot arguments between both parties last Thursday when the duo maintained their positions on issues related to IPPIS.

This happened three days after Senate President Ahmed Lawan waded into the crisis rocking the tertiary institutions in the country.

He had urged the federal government to implement the agreement it signed with the union in order to resolve an eight-month-old strike the union embarked upon.

Nigeria Army Reduced The Minimum Qualification Joining into Military For Citizens

EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian Army Reduces Academic Requirement To Woo More Citizens Into Joining Military Unit

This is to allow more citizens join the army and make more soldiers available to execute the war against terrorism in the North-East region of the country, documents sighted by Reporters have revealed.

The Nigerian Army has reduced the academic requirement needed to join the military unit.
This is to allow more citizens join the army and make more soldiers available to execute the war against terrorism in the North-East region of the country, documents sighted by Reporters have revealed.

As part of the basic requirement for enlistment into the Nigerian Army, interested applicants must now possess “a minimum of four passes in not more than two sittings in WASSCE, GCE, NECO or NABTEB at O' Level including English Language”, the document said.

In the internal memo dated August 20 and signed by Lieutenant General L. O. Adeosun on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, he lamented that soldiers were reluctant to dedicate themselves to the fight against insurgency and banditry in the country.

He said that soldiers preferred to take less risky jobs or further their education in order to avoid being enlisted into battle zones.

Adeosun therefore directed that the academic requirement for enlistment into the Nigerian Army be lowered to encourage more members of the public to join the army.

The memo reads, “It has however been observed that a sizeable number of enlisted men and women are reluctant to dedicate themselves to the ongoing Nigerian Army operations against insurgents and bandits.

“They prefer instead to pursue other less risky endeavours or further their education in view of possessing their requisite educational qualification to gain admission into tertiary institutions.

“They prefer instead to pursue other less risky endeavours or further their education in view of possessing their requisite educational qualification to gain admission into tertiary institutions.

“This is all in a bid to avoid participating in Nigerian Army operations which ought to be a priority. This undesirable trend could be attributed to the emphasis placed on educational qualifications at the expense of passion and commitment to what a soldier stands for.

8 Officers Face Murder Charges In Lagos

 8 Officers Face Murder Charges In Lagos List Of Ongoing Prosecution Of Cops

                                                    

The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has released list of ongoing criminal prosecution of police officers for offences related to violation of human rights in the State. 

Eight officers are being prosecuted for murder. Others face trial for attempted murder, manslaughter, armed robbery and involuntary manslaughter

The list which contains name of cases, outlining names of plaintiffs and defendants; offences committed, names of court/judge assigned to each case as well as current status of the cases.

Offences outlined in the list ranges from manslaughter to murder, grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, involuntary manslaughter and armed robbery among others.

The Attorney General of the State, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) made known that the Ministry has overtime been committed to the prosecution of the listed related cases of police abuses.

Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu had also tweeted that, “Today seems like a good day to get on to the work of rebuilding Lagos and ending police brutality. To show our commitment to the latter, here is a list of ongoing prosecution of police officers for offences related to the violation of human rightLagos.”

                                               

Military, Police Chiefs Must Go – Northern Leaders

 Military, Police Chiefs Must Go – Northern Leaders

They described as disappointing, the President's failure to appreciate the magnitude of the threats, which the protests posed to national security, stability and unity.

group of northern leaders has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately change the leadership and structures of the military and police in Nigeria.

They described as disappointing, the President's failure to appreciate the magnitude of the threats, which the protests posed to national security, stability and unity.

The group stressed that the continuation of protests could lead to negative consequences that include more dangerous acts of lawlessness.

This, it said, would worsen the state of insecurity of citizens as well as pose serious damage to the economy, increase the negative influence of foreign interests in the country's national affairs as well as further damage the image and confidence of security, law and order institutions.

They urged the government to show a more determined effort at fighting the Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and kidnapping in the North, as well as the assumption of full responsibility to maintain all Internally Displaced Persons' (IDP) camps in the northern states.

It called for an immediate resolution of the strike by ASUU and immediate resumption of all tertiary institutions as well as commitment from governments not to prosecute or punish peaceful protesters and the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into the killing of protesters in Lagos and other parts of the country.

New Salary Structure For Police, Civil Defence Coming Soon

Buhari: New Salary Structure For Police, Civil Defence Coming Soon 

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission to expedite action on the finalization of the new salary structure of members of the Nigeria Police Force.

Buhari disclosed this when he addressed the country on Thursday night.
He said other paramilitary services, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service and Federal Fire Service, will also have their emoluments reviewed upward.

“With regard to the welfare of police personnel, the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission has been directed to expedite action on the finalization of the new salary structure of members of the Nigeria Police Force.

“The emoluments of other paramilitary services are also being reviewed upwards,” he said.

He also recalled that, in order to underscore the importance of education in preparing youths for the future, his administration had come up with a new salary structure and other incentives for teachers.

Northern Governors Closed-Door Meeting

Northern Governors In Closed-Door Meeting 

Governors of the Northern States of Nigeria have converged on Kaduna for an emergency meeting of the Northern Governors’ Forum.

Reporters that the Governors of 15 northern states walked into the Council Chamber at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna at 1:55pm and after the national anthem, journalists were asked to leave for the Governors to have a closed door meeting.

Some of the state governors, who arrived Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, include: Plateau state Governor and the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Simon Bako Lalong; Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; Governor of Yobe State; Mai Mala Buni; Governor of Gombe State, Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya; Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello; Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq; Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu and Governor of Nasarawa State, Eng. Abdullahi Sule.

Others include; Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum; Governor of Zamfara state, Mohammed Bello Matawalle as well as the deputy governors of Kogi, Kano, Katsina and Kaduna states.

Hoodlums Loot AK 47 From Igando Police Station

Hoodlums Loot AK 47 Rifles, Seized Bikes, TV Sets From Igando Police Station



Campaging urchins stormed Igando Police Station and allegedly carted away several AK 47 rifles, walkie-talkies before setting it on fire.

The Divisional Police Officer, Cheif Superintendent of Police (CSP), Taiwo Kasumu, sustained severe wounds while trying to protect Policemen from being killed.

However, the hoodlums also suffered casuality as five of them were gunned down and many injured during the raid which lasted throughout Wednesday.

It was learnt that the DPO who showed uncommon bravey is presently recuperating in an hospital as a result of the injuries he sustained while battling with the thugs.

Our Correspondent gathered that the riotous hooligans who arrived the station around 7am on Wednesday were dispersed by the policemen on duty, but that the hoodlums later regrouped and stormed the station.

It was learnt that they did not leave until the Police Division was set on fire.

It was learnt that the DPO had earlier approached the hoodlums with his Station officer , identified as Inspector Aminu idako, during which he appealed to hoodlums in Yoruba, and in English urging the restive crowd to sheath their swords and disperse, reminding them that the police hierarchy and Government were working tirelessly to meet the demands by the EndSARS protesters.

The hoodlums who appeared to have made up their mind, smashed a plank on the unarmed DPO and in the process of the attack wounded his Station Officer, and three other officers.

The injured DPO still managed ensure that the about 200 officers attached to the Division rescued to safety.

He was said to have removed over 30 AK47 rifles and other arms from his armoury, Two police Hilux vehicles, and police Radio communication equipment, before the hoodlums over ran the remaining armed 11 officers he placed on stand by.

The hoodlums succeeded in carting away some AK47 rifles which they couldn’t remove.

As at the time of filing this report, four hoodlums who allegedly engaged the retreating police officers in a gun duel, were said to have been killed, while five officers who sustained various degrees of injuries, including machete wounds, were said to be receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in Lagos.

JUST IN: ASUU May Call Off Strike

JUST IN: ASUU May Call Off Strike

Wednesday As FG Agrees To Pay N30bn Earned Allowance 

There are indications that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may call of its strike next Wednesday as the federal government has agreed to release N30bn earned academic allowance to the university lecturers.

The was part of conclusion reached after its meeting as which ended late Thursday night between officials of the government and the leadership of the union.

In a communiqué signed at the end of the meeting, while responding to the demand by ASUU for the payment of the two tranches which cumulated to 40 Billion Naira that has become over-due since November, 2019, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) committed to release N30 billion on or before 6thNovember, 2020.

The remaining 10 billion it was agreed would be spread equally over the two tranches to be paid in May 2021 and February 2022 respectively.

On the funding for revitalization of Public Universities, the Government said, in spite of the Economic downturn as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, offered N20 Billion payable by the end of January 2021and ASUU agreed to take the offer to its members for consideration and revert by Wednesday 21st October, 2020.

According to the communique, The Minister of Education will follow up with the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning on its earlier Memo to President Muhammadu Buhari on sources of alternative funding for revitalization to facilitate the process of additional funding of the University system.

“This is with a view to reactivating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of 2013 as agreed in the Memorandum of Action (MoA) of 2019,” it stated.

On the the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), the meeting was informed that ASUU has met its timeline regarding the first stage of the initial demonstration of the efficacy of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) to Government as this was done on Wednesday, 14th October, 2020.

It reads further, “The Meeting also agreed that if UTAS passes all the different stages of the integrity test which would involveNational Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)and the Office of the National Security Advisers (NSA) and after ascertaining its efficacy; it would be adopted for the payment of the University staff.

“Meanwhile the meeting could not agree on how payment would be done for ASUU members during the transitional period of UTAS tests as the Government side again appealed to ASUU to enroll on IPPIS platform in view of the Presidential directive that all Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) employees should be paid via IPPIS. They can thereafter be migrated to UTAS whenever certified digitally efficient and effective with accompanying security coverage. The ASUU maintained that given ASUU’s invention of UTAS, it should be exempted from IPPIS in the transition period.”

It was therefore agreed that the meeting will reconvene next Wednesday, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting for ASUU to report back on the decision of her NEC, in order to facilitate the calling off their strike.

Nigerian Youth Have Right To Protest, Says President Buhari

Nigerian Youth Have Right To Protest, Says President Buhari. 

This was disclosed by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, after meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said that it was the right of the youth to protest and make certain demands from their leaders.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, after meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Relaying Buhari’s opinion on the ongoing EndSARS protest after their meeting, the minister revealed that the President had vowed to see the reforms he promised were fully implemented.

Dare, who spoke to journalists after the meeting, added that President Buhari also appealed to the protesters to give government time to address their demands as the team set up had already gone to work.

He said, “Mr President said the youth of this country have spoken and he has heard and he has since gone to work for the youth of our country. The President promised that he will ensure that the reforms he had promised are met, he will make sure that the reforms are long lasting and that the reforms will deliver for our country a police that we will be proud of.

“He appreciates the fact that they have brought the SARS issues to the fore through their peaceful protest. He recognises the fact that they have called upon the government to do what is necessary and that as the President and a father, he will make sure that the demands as put forward are met.

“The President said that as far as he is concerned, it’s important to allow the younger generation to exercise the freedom to protest and make sure that such protest is in a peaceful manner.”

FG vs ASUU Northern group said

FG Vs ASUU: Northern Groups Seek Zulum, Matawalle’s Intervention 

The National Professional Group and Northern Nigerian Youths Frontiers, have called on eminent leaders in the country to help break the deadlock in the ongoing negotiations between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The groups made the call at a joint news conference on Sunday in Kaduna.
They said that eminent Nigerians should bring the Government and ASUU together to iron out all differences, for an end to the lingering strike by the university lecturers.

Spokesman of the groups, Mr Mustafa Gwarzo, specifically called on Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno and Gov. Bello Mutawalle of Zamfara, to urgently wade into the dispute.He said that after

wide consultation with critical stakeholders, the groups resolved to seek the intervention of the two respected governors, to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of ASUU to resolve the issues.

“The two governors command respect and recognition, based on their outstanding leadership qualities, especially with regards to issues that affects survival of the common man and their commitment to humanity.

“Students are tired of staying at home and children of the masses are suffering, while some have become hardened criminals and restive individuals due to the prolonged strike.

“The ongoing protests across the country is as a result of the idleness and frustration among the teeming Nigerian youths, that have nothing doing he said (NAN)

ADAMAWA DECORATED NEWLY PROMOTED IMMIGRATION OFFICERS

Immigrations Promotes 211 Officers In Adamawa

The Nigerian Immigration Service in Adamawa has promoted 211 personnel.

Comptroller of the service, Muhammad Alhassan, disclosed this during the decoration of newly promoted personnel which comprises of both junior and senior officers in the state.

“So far 8, 099 senior and junior officers are promoted nationwide by the Nigeria Immigration Service, 211 are from Adamawa Command.

“One hundred and thirty out of the promoted personnel in the command are senior officers and 81 junior.

The promotion comes in 2020 but takes effect from January 2019.

Alhassan lauded President Muhammad Buhari and Comptroller – General of Immigration, Muhmadu Babandede for the promotion of a high number at the command.

He urged them to focus on their responsibilities and be good leaders.

Responding on behalf of the newly promoted officer, Deputy Comptroller, Sali Bello assured of their loyalty to the service in the state.

BORN TO EMPLOY 776 TEACHERS IN 3 WEEKS

Borno To Employ 776 Teachers In 3 Weeks

                                 

Borno State government, Tuesday, said a total of 776 qualified teachers would be employed and sent to various secondary schools in the next three weeks.

The new employment, which is meant to address acute teacher deficit, will be completed no later than November 1, 2020, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has said.

The governor made the statement in Maiduguri after a meeting with commissioners of higher education, senior secondary education, and the chairman, Borno State Universal Basic Education Board (BOSUBEB).

Zulum also directed the ministries of education and BOSUBEB to recruit some retired teachers, particularly science teachers on an ad hoc basis.

He said as soon as the ongoing verification exercise of primary schools teachers was completed, new teachers for primary and junior secondary schools would be employed.

The governor announced that the Executive Council had extended the retirement age of tutors at tertiary institutions to 65 years and that a bill was sent to the state assembly to that effect.

NIGERIA POLICE NEW SWAT TO REPLACE-SARS

IGP Puts Up New SWAT To Replace SARS

Inspector general of police Mohammed Adamu has set up a new Special Weapons and Tactics team to fill gaps arising from the scrapping of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

Members of the SWAT team will undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility.

They are to begin training at different police tactical training institutions next week.

Personnel from police commands in the south east and south south will train at the Counter-Terrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers State.

Personnel from commands in the north at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State

Those from the south west will train at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State.

Meanwhile personnel of the defunct SARS are to report at the Force Headquarters Abuja for “debriefing, psychological and medical examination,” according to a statement released Tuesday by Force Spokesman Frank Mba.

“The officers are expected to undergo this process as a prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.”

A newly set-up Police Counselling and Support Unit will carry out medical examination on the defunct SARS personnel on recall.

The unit will henceforth engage in psychological management, reorientation and training of officers deployed for tactical operations.

Its members include psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors, pastors, imams, public relations experts, civil society and human rights groups.

Domiciled in the Police’s medical department and coordinated by a medical officer.

DRIVER GETS BAIL FOR KILLING AROTILE

Driver Charged For Killing Arotile Gets Bail 

State High Court on Monday granted bail in the sum of N2 million to Nehemiah Adejoh, the driver of the car that knocked down Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, in July.

Adejoh, who was charged for culpable homicide not punishable by death, was told to produce a surety in like sum who must be resident in Kaduna and an owner of a property in the state.

Earlier, counsel to Adejoh, James Ndam, had submitted to the court that his client was suffering from a medical condition, which was stated in the affidavit presented to the court.
He explained that the custodial institution where Adejoh was kept had no facility to attend to his condition hence cited, sections 171, 174 and 175 of the Kaduna State Administrative Justice Law 2017 for the bail application.

On his part, the prosecutor, Deri Bayero did not object to the bail due to the nature of the charge but urged the court to discountenance the paragraph of the affidavit that explained the nature of the ailment.

In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Darius Khodo, ordered that the defendant be remanded pending when the bail conditions are fulfilled.

Daily Trust reports that Flying Officer Arotile was killed on July 14 after a Kia Sorento SUV allegedly driven by Nehemiah Adejoh knocked her down while reversing to exchange pleasantries with her.

Other occupants of the car, Festus Gbayegun and Igbekele Folorunsho have been discharge by the federal magistrate court.

BUHARI LAUNCHES PRESIDENTIAL EMPOWERMENT SCHEME

774,000 Jobs: Buhari Launches Presidential Empowerment Scheme

President Muhammadu Buhari has launched the Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme (P-YES), aimed at creating 774,000 jobs across the local government areas in the country.

He restated his administration’s commitment to youth development and poverty alleviation.

He promised that the Federal Government policies of social protection and people empowerment would continue on track, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic.
The president, who described P-YES as a cornerstone of his administration’s social and economic development strategies, said it was part of the overall policy of ensuring that 100 million Nigerians were lifted out of poverty in ten years.

“The P-YES is also part of the plan we adopted in 2016 in which we empowered One hundred youths from each of the 774 local government areas with the necessary tools to acquire skills and establish small businesses.

Buhari, who took a tour of P-YES tools and equipment displayed at the forecourt of Presidential Villa, expressed delight that the materials showcased represent the fruits of the initiatives embarked upon by his administration in 2016.

“All the tools, machines and equipment that are exhibited here, are products of the efforts of these empowered youth entrepreneurs.

“I note with particular pleasure that they were all fabricated in Nigeria by Nigerian youths using locally sourced materials. This is a wonderful and uplifting achievement.

“As an entrepreneurship empowerment project, the P-YES programme aims to address the needs of unskilled and less educated youth.

“It targets key areas of activities that are of practical importance and are essential to every aspect of our economy.

“These include areas such as agriculture and food processing, restaurant and catering, tailoring and fashion design, technical skills such as in the Information and Communications Technology sector, artisanship, welding, carpentry and joinery, other small businesses and activities associated with the micro-economic sector of this economy,” he said.

He called on state governments, ministries, departments and agencies of government to factor the P-YES into their programmes to assist the youth realise their potentials in their chosen fields.

He also urged local and foreign private sector operators in Nigeria to also contribute their share to the expansion of this programme through channelling their corporate social responsibility efforts towards skills acquisition, creation of start-ups, and other intervention measures.

SARS PROTESTERS

Musician Injured As ‘Banned’ SARS Officers Brutalise Manager In Lagos

Nigerian singer, Ikuforiji Abdulrahman Olaitan, popularly known as Oxlade was injured during the ENDSARS protest in Surulere.

The Hold on crooner on Monday joined other young Nigerians to protest against police brutality, extortion and extra-judicial killings.

Police officers shot indiscriminately to disperse the protesters.

His manager, Ojabodu Ademola was not lucky as operatives of the banned Special Anti-Robbery Squad arrested him.

He was brutalised as seen in the videos shared on social media.

Recall that the Inspector General of Police, IGP on Sunday announced the dissolution of SARS.

THIEF INSIDE LAW MAKER OFFICE

THIEF INSIDE LAW MAKER OFFICE


                                 

Reporters gathered that Kabiru was a Special Assistant to one lawmaker from Adamawa State and was known by many people in the complex.

young man identified as Kabiru on Friday beat security checks at the National Assembly complex to gain entry into the office of a member of the House of Representatives and carted away dollars and other valuable items in the process.

The incident happened at 2:30pm when the suspect allegedly sneaked into another lawmaker's office located on the fourth floor of the Assembly complex using a master key.

The suspect reportedly made away with the hard currency and some other office equipment including computers, photocopy machine and printer.

Reporters gathered that Kabiru was a Special Assistant to one lawmaker from Adamawa State and was known by many people in the complex.

He was said to have been identified by security operatives, who analysed the footage before he was arrested.

At the time of filing this report, some lawmakers including Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Benjamin Kalu, security personnel were all sighted at the ground floor of the complex where the suspect was being held.

reporters gathered that there was pressure from the boss of the suspect to release him and bury the matter.

A CCTV footage obtained by reporters showed the suspect while carrying out the operation.

The suspect also confessed to the crime in another video seen by our correspondent.

It was gathered that a similar incident took place last week when the office of Hon. Ali Datti Yaku representing Bebeji Constituency of Kano State located on the third floor of the complex was burgled by unknown persons, who made away with valuable items.

ATIKU SAID ABOUT BUDGET

Atiku To Buhari: Recall 2021 Proposed Budget 



                                

former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to recall the 2021 budget proposal he presented to the National Assembly on Thursday, saying it contravenes Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general election, in a statement on Friday night said the President should recall the budget and recalibrate it to reflect the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, and the current economic realities of the nation.
He argued that doing otherwise would not only be unpatriotic but catastrophic for the nation’s economy.
“The budget deficit in the proposal is 5.21 trillion.

“This amount is just over 3.5% of Nigeria’s 2019 GDP.

“This is contrary to the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, which provides in Part II, Section 12, subsection 1 that: ‘Aggregate Expenditure and the Aggregate amount appropriated by the National Assembly for each financial year shall not be more than the estimated aggregate revenue plus a deficit, not exceeding three per cent of the estimated Gross Domestic Product or any sustainable percentage as may be determined by the national Assembly for each financial year’.”

LEGALISATION OF CANNABIS

Law To Legalise Cultivation Of Cannabis Underway






Law To Legalise Cultivation Of Cannabis Underway

A bill for the legalisation and usage of non-toxicant cannabis plants for medical and scientific research is presently before the House of Representatives.

The bill, which was presented by Rep. Princess Miriam Onuoha, representing Okigwe North of Imo State, has passed the second reading.

This was disclosed by Dr. Tonye Jaja Clinton, a legal practitioner, during a media parley organized by Grow Cann Africa in Abuja on the benefits and opportunities of cannabis plants and CBD oil.

He said once the bill becomes law, Nigeria has a lot to gain economically.

BREAKING NEWS

New EFCC Chairman Orders Withdrawal Of $153m Fraud Case Against Former Executive Director Of First Bank, Dauda Lawal

Lawal is facing corruption trial for allegedly handling the sum of $25m out of a total of $153m doled out by Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria, in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.
                                      


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has withdrawn the corruption charges against a former Executive Director of First Bank Plc, Dauda Lawal.

Lawal is facing corruption trial for allegedly handling the sum of $25m out of a total of $153m doled out by Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria, in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.

The case involving $153m fraud against Nigeria was withdrawn by lawyers acting on the orders of the new management of the EFCC headed by Mohammed Umar, TVCNews reports.

The court consequently discharged and acquitted Lawal over the allegation against him.A

t the last hearing, the prosecuting team sought an adjournment of the case to Wednesday (today) on technical grounds but rather than resume prosecution, opted to discontinue the trial.

The EFCC lawyers informed the court that the withdrawal was based on the need for further investigation and that the defendant ought not to be charged alone but with others, who are currently at large.

While prosecuting the case, a first prosecution witness told Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, how he delivered 12 padlocked bags containing $70m to an Abuja-based banker on the instruction of Alison-Madueke.

The witness, a former Group General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, gave the testimony before Justice Hassan on Wednesday, July 8, 2020.

ZULUM URGES MILITARY

Zulum Urges Military To Tackle Saboteurs

Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, has urged military authority to rid its system of saboteurs or continue to face criticism.

Zulum, who was a guest speaker at this year’s Chief of Army Staff Conference in Maiduguri, the state capital, said competent and dedicated officers should be appointed to head all formations.

“We need to hail the army whenever the military achieve a certain degree of success and that is what we have been doing before; whenever there is something wrong, we shall not hesitate to criticise but honestly speaking, within these days we have seen a renewed vigour; we have seen a renewed commitment to ending the insurgency.

“Therefore, the saboteurs must be dealt with both within the military operation and civil authority for us to have a high degree of success in fighting insurgency,” Zulum said.

The governor added, “When you talked about the success story of Edo election and the forthcoming election in Ondo, I am a bit scared because I want the attention of the Nigeria Military to be in the forefront fighting the insurgency.”

In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, assured that the army had acquired some equipment and key platform including front-line combat vehicles, and they would soon be inducted into theatres of war.

Reader Globe reports that this year’s Chief of Army Staff conference was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CHANGE YOUR TACTICS -ZULUM SAID

 

Change Your Tactics, Attack Boko Haram In Hideouts, Borno Governor Tells Nigerian Army.

Zulum, who has been attacked at least three times by the terrorists in less than a month, also said all heads of military commands must be competent if the war must be won.

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno State, has asked the Nigerian Army to attack Boko Haram hideouts if it intends to end the insurgency in the North-East.

The region has been plagued by violent extremism since 2009 and the situation has continued to escalate under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Zulum, who has been attacked at least three times by the terrorists in less than a month, also said all heads of military commands must be competent if the war must be won.

He made the comment in Borno on Tuesday while speaking at a conference.

The governor said, “We must also have the courage to tell each other the common truth and be critical of the troops’ operations when things go wrong.

“As part of the ten-point agenda of this administration, the Borno State Government shall sustain its role as a stakeholder in supporting the activities of the Nigerian Army, through the provision of all the needed support and morale-boosting mechanism to all the security agencies to end the fight against Boko Haram crisis.

“In this direction, I wish to ask the Nigerian Army to change the war narratives all together in order to end the crisis.

“Attack, they say, is the best form of defence. 

“The Nigerian Army must have to take the war to all the hideouts of Boko Haram.

“You should not wait and give the terrorists an opportunity for the first attack. You should as a matter of policy, embark on critical clearance operation after successful execution of attacks.

“The Nigerian Army must also embark on confidence-building and confidence sharing mechanism with the communities and civil authorities they find themselves, so as to expose the terrorists, their collaborators and sponsors.”

“Sir, in appraising the performance of the Nigerian Army, there is a need to look at the critical issues of competence, dedication and doggedness of officers and men of the Nigerian armed forces.

“Let me re-emphasise the need for having competent and dedicated officers to head the military commands; because from my little observation, it is noted that all the locations headed by competent and dedicated officers hardly fall into the hands of the insurgents. Therefore we have to weigh the importance of loyalty and competence, which is very important,” he said.

BREAKING NEWS

FG Orders Reopening Of All Schools On Oct 12


                                         

Education minister Adamu Adamu has ordered the reopening of all schools on October 12 after six months of closure due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Adamu who stated this on Friday in a briefing in Abuja, said after due
consultation with the Presidential Committee on COVID-19, “We have decided that all our 104 Unity Colleges should reopen on the 12th of October, 2020.”

EXPLOSION IMMINENT

Another Pipeline Explosion Imminent At Abule-Ado Town In Lagos

Emergency workers drawn from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) as well as officials of the state fire service are, on Saturday morning, battling to avert another major pipeline explosion at Abule-Soba in Abule-Ado town, Lagos.

The police have also cordoned off the area to prevent people from being trapped in the event of an explosion.

Members of the community have also been put on the red alert in case of any explosion as a result of the petroleum leakage from a ruptured pipe belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) supply pipes that runs through the quiet town to Ejigbo and Mosemi Depot in Lagos and Ogun States respectively.

An explosion which occurred in the community in March 2020, claimed the lives of about 20 persons including a Reverend Sister, while property worth billions were also destroyed.

In its report, NNPC said the explosion was triggered after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant near the corporation’s pipeline in Abule-Ado area of Lagos State.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso who raised the alarm of an imminent explosion said the state Emergency responders were informed of a major petroleum pipeline leakage at Abule-Soba.

Omotoso said the agency and other first responders remain on high alert.

He added that officials of NNPC have also been informed of the incident.

“Members of the public are cautioned to proceed with extreme caution in and around the area to prevent any form of explosion or ignition from naked flame,” he added.

BELLO YAHAYA SAID

 I inherited N50bn salary burden —Bello

Bello Yahaya

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has said that he was confronted with over N50 billion salary obligations left by the previous administrations.

Bello said the huge debt obligations inherited had impeded his government’s development plans for the state.

The governor, in a state-wide broadcast to mark the country 60th Independence Anniversary, on Thursday, added that he had cleared most of the debt left behind by the past administration.

He maintained that those whose actions hurt the state and people would be made to face a reckoning.

“To give you an idea of the huge scale of this problem, let me inform you that this administration has had to clear over N50bn in salary obligations inherited from previous administrations.

“The bulk of that money was borrowed and along with our other debt obligations continues to impede our ability to free up funds for infrastructural and other development as we would like,” Bello said.

ELECTRICITY TARIFF HIKE

 

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission Suspends Electricity Tariff Hike

The commission’s suspension order of the Multi Year Tariff Order 2020 signed by NERC’s Chairman, Prof James Momoh, was released on its website on Wednesday.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has finally issued an order suspending the September 1, 2020 hike in electricity tariff for two weeks.

The commission’s suspension order of the Multi Year Tariff Order 2020 signed by NERC’s Chairman, Prof James Momoh, was released on its website on Wednesday.

The suspension is in line with the agreement reached with the organised labour on the suspension of strike over the hike in electricity tariff and increase in pump price of petrol on Sunday night.

The order by NERC said that from Sept 28 to Oct 11, the DisCos must revert all charges to the tariff existing as of Aug 31.

The suspension of the hike in tariff for 14 days in the first instance is to enable wider consultations between the government and labour with a view to reaching a compromise and resolution of the contending issues involved.

“This means that for the next two weeks, electricity consumers having power above 12 hours who were affected by the over 100 per cent tariff hike would revert to their old charges,” the order reads.

NEW UPDATE

Why Gov’t Had To Adjust Petroleum Prices – Buhari 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday gave more reasons why Nigeria had to adjust petroleum prices in his address on the occasion of the country’s 60th Independence Anniversary.


President Buhari said the country had suffered a significant drop in our foreign exchange earnings and internal revenues due to 40 per cent drop in oil prices while working to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The President said the government was faced with the task of saving lives and livelihoods in the face of drastically reduced resources.

He explained that Nigeria remained an oil producing country with lower price for its Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol.

He said: “Fellow Nigerians, in addition to public health challenges of working to contain the spread of the Coronavirus, we have suffered a significant drop in our foreign exchange earnings and internal revenues due to 40 per cent drop in oil prices and steep drop in economic activities, leading to a 60 per cent drop in government revenue.

“Our government is grappling with the dual challenge of saving lives and livelihoods in face of drastically reduced resources.

“In this regard, sustaining the level of petroleum prices is no longer possible. The government, since coming into office has recognized the economic argument for adjusting the price of petroleum. But the social argument about the knock-on effect of any adjustment weighed heavily with the government.

Accordingly, in the last three years, we have introduced unprecedented measures in support of the economy and to the weakest members of our society in the shape of Tradermoni, Farmermoni, School Feeding Programme, job creation efforts, and agricultural intervention programmes.

“No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources. We have managed to keep things going in spite of the disproportionate spending on security. Those in the previous Governments from 1999 – 2015 who presided over the near destruction of the country have now the impudence to attempt to criticize our efforts.

“In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions.

“Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted. We sell now at N161 per litre. A comparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point; Chad which is an oil producing country charges N362 per litre. Niger, also an oil producing country sells 1 litre at N346. In Ghana, another oil producing country, petroleum pump price is N326 per litre.

“Further afield, Egypt charges N211 per litre. Saudi Arabia charges N168 per litre. It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia.”