Three weeks after allegedly assaulting a security guard in Benex Square in Abuja, the upper chamber of the National Assembly began an investigation into the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Danladi Umar.
Clement Sagwak, a security guard who was allegedly attacked by the chairman of the CCT, has petitioned the Senate through his Senator Istifanus Gyang of North Plateau.
Sen Ganger said in his petition to the Senate that the petitioner “is seeking justice having been assaulted by the Tribunal judge for doing his legitimate job.”
Gyang added in the petition that the petitioner stated that “CCT Judge Dandadi Umar beat him and asked him to kneel and slap him”.
The President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, who presided over the plenary asked the Committee on Ethics and Privileges headed by Sen. Ayo Akinyelure, to investigate the matter and report back in four weeks.
The Senate investigation is sequel to the establiment of the fact that the petitioner is yet to seek legal intervention.
It would be recalled that the CCT boss, Umar, was caught on camera physically assaulting Mr Sargwak, at Banex Plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja, on March 29.
Anambra State Police Operatives have arrested five suspects in connection with cult-related incident that occured in the late hours of 18th April, 2021 in the state.
The incident , which led the gruesome murder of two yet-to be identified young men at Miralce Junction by Unizik back gate, Ifite Awka.
In statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, stated that on receipt of the information, police operatives were quickly mobilized to the scene.
The statement read in bits; “Hoodlums on sighting the police took to their heels during the hot chase by police operative five suspects were arrested and investigations was ongoing to apprehend other fleeing gang members.
“At about 7pm on 16th of April, 2021 police operatives attached to Anti-cultism unit of the Command, arrested three suspects namely: Chinedu Aniegbunam ( aged 23years,). Okoye Tochukwu (aged 17years). and Okechuwu Chijioke (aged 23years): all males.
“Some of the exhibits recovered from them include, one English-made pistol, one locally- made pistol, five live cartridges and two motorcycles.
The statement continued; ” The suspect were arrested by police operatives on patrol, who flagged down the suspects when they drove in a suspicious manner along Nise route Awka-south council area of the state.
“All voluntarily confessed to be members of Pyton Confraternity. All suspects will be charged to court on conclusion of the investigations”.
Similarly , the Commissioner of Police CP Monday Bala Kuryas fsi, has reassured the public that the command under his watch will continue to purse criminals from all nooks and crannies in the state, and will involve the communities in ensuring safety of lives and property in the State.
Samuel Ortom, Benue state governor has said that the state government has handed over four persons to the police in connection with the killing of an Army Captain and eleven soldiers in Konshisha Local Government Area (LGA) of the state several weeks ago.
The governor also hinted that with the support of stakeholders in the area, the state had recovered a machine gun and eight other weapons out of the eleven that were snatched by some militia men in Bonta, Konshisha LGA of the state.
Recall that several weeks ago, militia men in Bonta had apprehended and killed one officer and eleven soldiers, a situation which had caused no small a stir in the state.
The development led to the insistence by the state security council that the matter may not be laid to rest, until the weapons were recovered.
Ortom ,while briefing newsmen shortly after an expanded security meeting with stakeholders from the area on Monday, Governor Ortom said the four persons have been handed over to the police to assist them in apprehending those that slew the soldiers.
Those that were arrested include, the Deputy Chairman of the LGA, Sam Kaave; Councillor, representing Mbatser/Mbagwaza council ward, Tersoo Mela, District head of Iwarnyam, Chief Unaha Koko and kindred head of Bonta, Chief Emmanuel Adegbenda.
The arrested persons are expected to provide useful information that may lead to the arrest of persons suspected to have perpetrated the act.
He further stated that the the weapons that were recovered have since been handed over to the military.
The governor stated that it was also resolved that the State Executive Council (SEC) pay a condolence visit on President Muhammadu Buhari and condole him over the death of the soldiers.
He also pointed out that SEC was also mandated to work out modalities on how the state government would assist families of the victims.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire on Monday revealed that over 35,000 people in Nigeria lose their lives annually to accidents due to lack of emergency medical services.
While adding that 50,000 women and 400,000 children under the age of five also die every year as a result of lack of emergency medical care and poor access to health care.
Ehanire made this known while speaking as a guest of honour during the opening ceremony of the three-day Bayelsa Health Summit, which began on Monday in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Ehanire said that, “Even after all said initiatives are place, many people lose their lives when they have medical emergency either because they do not have the money (that is lack of financial access) or they are not able to get healthcare on time (that is lack of physical access.
“These are needless deaths, they are not acceptable in any country that respect itself. Nigeria loses over 35,000 people annually to accidents. Nearly 50,000 women die in emergency every year.
“Majority of these can be saved if you just provided physical access, that is to say if you have primary health centre and you also have a transport system, first aid system and also financial support for it.”
The Minister further stated that the Federal Government was coming up with the National Emergency Medical Service System (NEMSS) in collaboration with private medical practitioners and governments of 24 states where the NCC 112 emergency call line was already in operation to render ambulance services and save lives.
Ehanire said the remaining states would join the NEMSS when the NCC call line had been installed in their areas, adding that the pilot of the scheme would be launched in Abuja very soon.
He commended Governor Douye Diri and members of his administration for choosing to use the summit to re-evaluate the Bayelsa health system.
Earlier, Diri said the health summit was important to his administration because it sought to achieve a goal considered as a critical benchmark to good governance.
“The healthcare system has everything to do with efficiency and effectiveness of governance. Our healthcare arrangement from primary to tertiary level must be in the best functional state in terms of physical structures, equipment, consumables and staff morale at all times,” the governor said.
Also , the former President Goodluck Jonathan noted that planning was key to successful healthcare delivery system, stressing that government plans should include private sector initiatives “to give solid healthcare delivery to Nigerians.”
The upper chamber of the National Assembly was on Monday briefed that out of 500 million Illegal weapons circulating in West Africa, about 350 million, which represents 70%, are domiciled in Nigeria for nefarious activities by criminally minded people.
This alarming revelation was made at the public hearing organised by the Senate Joint Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Navy and Marine Transport on Firearms Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2021 and Exclusive Economic Zones Act 2010 (Repeal and Re – Enactment) Bill 2021.
Senator Uba Sani (APC Kaduna Central), while making his presentation at the public hearing, the sponsor of the Bill hinted that the country needs to urgently address the worrisome situation, lamenting that proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition in the country with little or no control by relevant authorities has profound implications for collective survival of Nigerians and Nigeria .
His words : “We are gathered here to deal with a matter that has profound implications for our collective survival.
“We are under siege from murderous non- state actors. They have been acquiring arms illegally, maiming our people and threatening the continued existence of our dear Nation.
“We either take measures to deny them of the oxygen that sustains their nefarious activities, or we watch helplessly as they overrun us and our country.”
The lawmaker explained that the main aim of the proposed amendments to the Firearms Act, is to curtail the proliferation of illegal arms and bring the existing law in line with global best practices.
Speaking further on the frightening development, the lawmaker said, “the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), recently reported that the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Nigeria, has reached an alarming proportion.
“Analysts estimate that out of the 500 million weapons circulating in West Africa, 350 million, which represents 70% of such weapons, can be found in Nigeria.
“A pointer to this effect can be cited with the incidence of January 31st, 2017, when the Nigeria Customs Service confirmed the interception and seizure of 661 Pump Action Riffles imported from China into our country .
“More recently in Benue State, a local militia had the temerity to kill an Army Captain and 11 Soldiers not to talk of reign of terror in Owerri, Imo state by gunmen who launched coordinated attacks on the Police headquarters and Correctional Centre.
“Something must be done urgently to curtail arms proliferation, the very reason for the proposed amendment bill on the existing Firearms Act.”
One of the major penalties for offence under the Act is the one under section 27 (sub section 1c) , which proposed increase of fine from N1,000 to N1million.
Objecting to the N1 million fine for illegal possession of firearms, the representative of Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Oladayo Amao, in his submission, said that the fine should be increased to N2 million.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senator Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central), who spoke earlier, said the purpose of the two bills were to further strengthen the nation’s extant laws against illegal firearms possession and proliferation.
He added that other purpose was to make provisions for the Act on Exclusive Economic Zone to be in line with global practices as far as protection of the nation’s territorial sea or waters are concerned.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday decried the spate of violence and threats to lives and property that trail party primaries in Nigeria.
While, vowing to henceforth boycott any rancorous primaries of any political parties.
Recall that the electoral umpire is statutorily required to exercise oversight responsibility over the conduct of political party primaries in line with the extant laws but the commission is worried that the conduct of the political parties is constituting serious impediment to the smooth discharge of its mandate.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by Barrister Festus Okoye, saying, INEC Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education warned the parties that it would not allow them to continue on the part of destructive politics.
The statement read in bits; ” The Commission have watched with utmost dismay and profound concern the recurrent acrimony, violence and destruction of property, including the Commission’s property and equipment, which have characterized some recent political party congresses across the country.
“This is the season of political party congresses and conventions to elect their leaders at various levels of party organization and INEC is mandated by law to monitor them. These meetings constitute a very important aspect of the electoral process and democracy generally in Nigeria.
“The level of violence in some of the Congresses is making it extremely difficult for the Commission to exercise its statutory oversight responsibility enshrined in Sections 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended). In one such Congress in Kaduna recently, violence broke out leading to the destruction of the Commission’s ballot boxes.”
He insisted that the parties must align themselves with tenets of healthy democratic practice or face the wrath of the law .
“Political parties are reminded that they have a clear obligation to ensure that their Congresses and Conventions are orderly, democratic and in accordance with extant legal framework, their own constitutions and guidelines, as well as INEC’s regulations and guidelines.
“This Commission will not stand askance and watch party conventions and congresses degenerate into farcical rituals and violent fiascos that threaten lives and destroy property.
“For the avoidance of doubt, INEC will henceforth reconsider its involvement in these events, should they continue to put lives of members of the public and staff of the Commission at risk.
The statement continued; “Henceforth, there will be far-reaching consequences in any situation where party congresses and conventions degenerate into violence and destruction of INEC property.
“Apart from replacing such destroyed materials, parties may be blacklisted from the receipt of INEC materials for their activities in the future. The Commission may also withdraw its staff from monitoring such violent political party meetings, with the resultant non-recognition of their outcomes”.
With special reference to the upcoming governorship election in Anambra State, and Council elections in FCT, the commission cautioned that the political parties must stick to the Timetable and schedule of activities released by INEC.
“Parties must stick to the respective Timetable and Schedule of Activities for these elections as released by the Commission, which have been communicated to them and are available at the INEC website (www.inec.gov.ng).
Parties must ensure that their primaries are peaceful and orderly. Above all, they must adhere strictly to the Electoral Act, INEC Regulations and Guidelines, as well as party constitutions and rules, which are domiciled with the Commission.
“In the conduct of their internal processes, political parties must hold themselves to the same standards they hold the Commission during elections namely, openness, fairness, adherence to rules and peaceful conduct.
” INEC remains deeply concerned about the acrimony and violence within parties such that there are now more suits in various courts of law arising from party congresses and primaries than from elections conducted by the Commission. Still, the Commission will continue to work with political parties in support of their internal functioning in order to build strong and democratic parties in Nigeria.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has hinted that it’s has registered a total of 130, 749 candidates for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) as of Sunday, April 17th, 2021 according to their chosen examination centres.
It would be recalled that amidst initial hitches, the board announced the commencement of registration for the 2021 UTME/DE on Thursday, April 8 and fixed the closing date as Saturday, May 15, 2021.
This was contained in the latest edition of jambulletin announced that 130, 749 candidates have registered for the examination across the 36 states of the Federal including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
An analysis of candidates’ registration across the country showed Kaduna State taking the lead with 17, 494 candidates ahead of Lagos, and the FCT, Abuja, respectively.
The table showed Lagos State and the FCT, Abuja had 14,628 and 12,319 total number of registered candidates as of Sunday, 17th April 2021, respectively.
Lagos State and the FCT were followed by Benue 6,848, Delta 5,197 and Yobe State 4,931, respectively.
Besides, the table showed Sokoto, Bayelsa, Zamfara and Ebonyi States occupying the rear with 63, 491, 597, and 927, respectively.
Kaduna metropolis with 10,175 had the highest number of registered candidates’ followed by Abuja Municipal 3,811, Makurdi 3,541 and Jos with 3,423 candidates, respectively.
Meanwhile, JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede has warned scammers and other merchants of fraud to stay away from the Board, saying its system would get anybody who perpetuates or attempts to act against established norms.
The Registrar who revealed that the Board had embedded fail-safe mechanisms that are capable of taking care of such developments knowing that some bad eggs in the society would want to try the resolve of the Board.
He,however, advised would-be scammers, like Mr Sahabi Zubair, the ringleader of the group that was allegedly involved in the seizure of the details of some ad hoc staff of the Board, to steer clear of the Board so as not to succumb to the series of booby-traps in its processes.
Drama ensued in Federal Capital Territory Administration has Contractors who supplied the FCTA with medical equipments and Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) during outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic protested and vowed that the Permanent Secretary would not be allowed access into the offices unless he paid them.
COVID-19 contractors as they called themselves claimed they executed various COVID-19 contracts for the administration between March 2020 and April 2021, without being paid.
The over 300 angry contractors, as early as 10am stormed Area 11 where the offices of FCT Ministers and that of the Permanent Secretary are located, and blocked the major entrances with placards with various inscriptions: “Don’t forget you begged us to assist “;”COVID-19 scandal : FCTA diverts funds meant for COVID-19 contractors”; among many others.
The group also alleged that the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola demanded one million Naira bribe per person before they can get paid.
Mr Emmanuel Nwachendu, one of the contractors, who was visibly angry said, ” the accusation of N1 million bribe before you are paid is true. This is one whole year after the supply. The agreement states that two weeks after the supply, once you supply bring your invoice and you will be paid.
” This is one year running nothing, what we are hearing is that each of the contractor has to pay N1 million bribe to the Permanent Secretary before we can be paid .
” That without the N1 million bribe you won’t get paid.
He, however noted that, the Permanent Secretary has been paying some of the contractors , especially those who reportedly agreed to give him N1 million bribe.
They further alleged that they supplied various medical equipment and Personal Protective equipments and other things used in containing the pandemic.
” We supplies medical equipment, agents, PPE but since that last year it has been one story or the other. What we heard initially was that procurement processes was suspended and these money was supposed to have been paid withing two weeks, maximum 1 month, of supply. Some of us took loan to be able to meet up with the supply.
He continued; ” This Permanent Secretary Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Adesola Olusade came and met with us he brought bout procurement process and that day we were over 300 contractors in the room, the hall becoming roudy, that was October 2020. And they told us they were waiting for suplementary budget, that as soon as the suplementary budget is passed that we are going to be aid . As soon as the suplementary budget was passed, they asked us to to bring our documents which we did.
” We followed it up to ensure that everyone made it. We followed the files, what is annoying was that they batched the files , they said they said they were paying is 80% and we told them go ahead and pay. And they paid the 1st batch but when it get to the second batch which has more contractors .
” We even followed it up, from one department to the other, after the 5th week, the Permanent Secretary said for the 1st batch that he only paid those below N10m and there are some of us that are below N5 millon but were not paid.
The Permanent Secretary said it was only one person that was working on the files but now he got more people to work on the files so we said no problem.
We were waiting after two week we started hearing different stories that some were collecting 0.5% and some said they were asking for N1 million bribe from each of the contractor”.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, however, denied ever asking anybody for one million naira bribe.
He also stressed that the delay in paying the contractors was due to their failure to meet all the administrative requirements.
According to him, ” I am not aware of any payment of one million Naira. The only instruction I gave was that all documents should be in file before any payment can be made.The payment is in batches, we have paid others.
” Contractors below N10m have been paid, If there are issues, the contractors are the cause because they are yet to meet up with the requirements”, Adesola said.
In order to boost fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and other health challenges in the nation’s capital, stakeholders under the umbrella of FCT Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee on COVID-19 donated a world-class molecular diagnostic laboratory to the FCT Administration.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) , Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello while speaking during the commissioning and handover of the multi million Naira laboratory project provided by the Committee at the Kubwa General Hospital on Monday said it’s a vital and welcome intervention in the healthcare sector.
Bello said the modern facility, fully equipped molecular diagnostic laboratory, has the capacity of processing about 400 blood samples per day, will boost testing for COVID-19 in the FCT.
The Minister expressed gratitude to the FCT Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar for their enormous contributions to our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him ; “The committee is today bequeathing to the FCT, their legacy project, which is the donation of this molecular diagnostic laboratory here at Kubwa General Hospital.
“It’s to their credit and great work done by our medical personnel and our entire COVID-19 response team that despite the the status of the FCT as an epicenter of COVID-19 in Nigeria, we have recorded relatively low fatalities and met our testing targets.
“We intend to put this laboratory to good and effective use even long after this war against covid19 is won and forgotten, which we pray will not be very long from now.
“We must however, not be complacent despite the low positives, we are currently witnessing as the virus is still very much around”, the Minister stated.
He also urged members of the public to seize the opportunity currently provided to get vaccinated, while observing all non-pharmaceutical preventive measures already prescribed.
Similarly, the Minister of State For Health, Sen. Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora, described the provision of the facility as apt, as it’s one of the most important aspects of medical care, because no one can effectively treat patients without proper diagnosis.
He noted that COVID-19 is a blessing in disguise as several interventions to tackle the pandemic provided opportunity to boost healthcare services.
He, however, commended the FCTA for its efforts to ensure the defeat of the COVID-19
While handing over the facility to the FCT Minister, Chairman of the Advisory Committee, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, expressed optimism that the laboratory will serve as a trigger for the building and equipping at least one laboratory each in the Area Councils of the FCT in the next five years.
Umar disclosed that the committee suggested to the FCT Administration, to give consideration on how this laboratory along with other existing and future ones, can operate on a sustainable basis.
He stated that; “To this effect we wish to suggest the consideration of the FCTA to explore public private partnership arrangement; or to create a full-fledged FCT Directorate of Laboratory Services, which will report directly to the Permanent Secretary and will have its own line vote in the FCTA annually”.
Fallout of a clash between two rival cult groups as left no fewer than Six unidentified persons dead in Ikere-Ekiti at two separate cult clashes which occurred Saturday night and Sunday morning .
The deceased who are all Male were brought down at different locations in the town, said to be the second largest in Ekiti .
ASP Sunday Abutu, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, while confirming the story, disclosed that it was fallout of a clash between two rival cult groups .
He added that 10 suspects have been arrested in connect with the bloody cult clash caused by rivalry and show of strength.
The police spokesman however confirmed that six persons have lost their lives and their bodies have been deposited in the morgue.
According to him; “I can confirm to you that it was a violent cult clash between two rival groups.
“About six persons have been killed as a result of show of strength between the two nefarious groups.
“We have begun serious operations there by combined forces of the men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Amotekun corps and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
“Those arrested are being kept in our custody and by the time we conclude our investigations, they will be charged to court accordingly”, Abutu hinted.
Ikere Ekiti, the second largest city in Ekiti State was on Sunday morning tensed, as six persons were reportedly killed during a bloody clash between two rival cult groups in the town.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident started on Saturday night, when one of the cult groups identified as ‘Ojuale’ was shot dead near Ikere City Hall, Odo Oja area of the town.
A source in the town, who craved anonymity, revealed that Ojuale, an indigene of the town came from Port Harcourt on Friday to attend a friend’s wedding after which he was killed by rival cult members.
The source said: “Shortly after he was murdered, his members came out en masse with dangerous weapons to torment residents of the area.
“Although, the cause of the violence was still unknown, but the suspected cultists went on a shooting spree leaving the community members scampered for safety.
“Before now, residents of the community have appealed to the state Government to beam search light on growing rival cult clashes in the town”, he stated.
To ward off further killings, the police have increased surveillance in the town by conducting stop and search on vehicles coming in and out of the town.
The growing menace of cultism and cybercrime had become a source of worry to management of some tertiary institutions in the state..
On his part, the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) ,Professor Abayomi Fasina has promised to wage war of cultism and cybercrime on campus.
While reacting to the recent unfortunate incident of sporadic shootings at Oye-Ekiti the VC said ” That the alleged unfortunate sporadic shootings did not happen on the Oye Campus of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti
” That it happened off Campus and thus, has nothing to do with our great Citadel of Learning where peace, tranquility and stability have been witnessed ever since, courtesy of good job by our security unit in collaboration with Federal security agencies who provides adequate security on the campus and its environs, as well as good conduct by both students and staff.
“And finally, that the relevant security agencies and operatives have been on top of the situation since and so, no cause for alarm.
“That normalcy has since returned to the allegedly troubled areas in Oye and students should go about their normal businesses without any fear.”
Few months ago,two perdins were also killed at a private Polytechnic (CROWN) in a cult related clashes. The development led to the temporary closure of the insitution.
