Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State in charge of Petroleum Resources, has refuted claims that the cost of Premium Motor Spirit has increased (PMS).
This is stated in a statement that Horatius Egua, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources’ Senior Advisor (Media & Communications), has signed.
President Muhammadu Buhari has not approved any price increases for PMS, as has been rumored, according to a statement released by Sylva on Friday in Abuja.
According to him: “President Muhammadu Buhari has not approved any increase in the price of PMS or any other petroleum product for that matter. There is no reason for President Muhammadu Buhari to renege on his earlier promise not to approve any increase in the price of PMS at this time. Mr President is sensitive to the plights of the ordinary Nigerian and has said repeatedly that he understands the challenges of the ordinary Nigerian and would not want to cause untold hardship for the electorates’.
“Government will not approve any increase of PMS secretly without due consultations with the relevant stakeholders. The President has not directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) or any agency for that matter to increase the price of fuel. This is not the time for any price increase in pump price of PMS” Sylva stated further.
The Minister noted that “What is playing out is the handiwork of mischief makers and those planing to discredit the achievements of Mr President in the oil and gas sector of the economy. I appeal to Nigerians to remain calm and law abiding as the government is working hard to bring normalcy to fuel supply and distribution in the country”.
In the early hours of Friday, a group of suspected armed robbers raided over thirty off-campus hostels where students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka reside. No less than 17 students suffered various degrees of injuries, and about nine female students are alleged to have been sexually assaulted.
Around 12.30 am on Thursday night, the robbers, who were estimated to number over 20, stormed the Ifite Road in Awka, where the hostels were situated, shooting randomly and robbing from room to room and hostel to hostel. This uncontested crime spree lasted for about three hours.
A student of the university who would not want her name mentioned told reporters that the robbers were heavily armed with guns axes and matchets going from room to room rapping female students and robbing them phones , ipads and money.
“We were at the hostel when we had gunshots that lasted for about ten minutes and we ran for our lives because they have not gotten to our own hostel and we had hide at the back of some shops in the area”
“Then we had loud noise of female students shouting for help but nobody could summon the courage to stop them because they are well armed”
“Those that attempted to resist were beaten blue black and many people got injured but I cannot say the number of people affected.”
“One of the female students that was rapped is a virgin and they rapped her twice and we are holding her because she wants to commit suicide”
The student further narrated that:
“The number of hostels in Ifite -Awka is about 300 and including upstairs and bungalows but from what we got after the incident more than seventeen students were injured and that number of those rapped may be nine or ten or even twelve”.
It was however gathered that a call was placed to Governor Charles Soludo who ordered security operatives to battle the robbers but before they could arrive the operation was almost over.
It will be recalled that four days before the incident suspected robbers have been visiting restaurants and bars robbing students and bar owners at gun point between 7pm and 9 pm which has resulted in the restaurants closing early while some students have fled their hostels for fear of attacks.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer DSP Tochukwu Ikenga who confirmed the incident:
“Our men on getting wind of the information got to Ifite Awka and was able to battle the criminals “
No figure of arrest were given by the police as according to him making it public would interrupt investigations.
Meanwhile there was a joint meeting between the University Authorities and the security operatives which also had in attendance a representative of the Anambra state government#
MoreCommunity Protest Abduction In The White House
Just over two weeks after the kidnapping of over 20 people at the Igueben railway station, suspected herdsmen allegedly attacked the Emokpae community in Edo State’s Ovia North East Local Government Area, murdering three people and adopting 12 others, including schoolchildren.The event occurred on Wednesday afternoon, according to the group’s leader, Commander Egua, who was speaking to reporters at the Edo State Government House during a peaceful demonstration.He claimed that suspected Fulani herdsmen ambushed and kidnapped other market women and the bus carrying their children as they returned from school. The bus was then taken into the forest.Egua said the Herdsmen who appeared from the bush have killed three of their persons already while others are still being held captive.”I am commander Egua, commander in charge of Agor Emokpae environ under Edo State Security Network .” Yesterday, as at 3pm, when our children were returning from school from the neighbouring community, the Herdsmen invaded the road, took our children even the bike men that went to take them from the school, they were also kidnapped in the process. “One minibus that was also taken passengers to the nearby community was stopped and the passengers were also kidnapped.”As we speak, 15 persons have already been kidnapped and three of them are already been killed by the Herdsmen”, he said.Egua said they have decided to take the protest to the government house having heard about how the governor mobilized all the security agencies in the state to rescue the over 20 train passengers kidnapped by Herdsmen recently at Igueben.”So, we have come to solicit the help of the government because we heard of an incident that happened at Igueben were about 20 persons were kidnapped, they mobilized all the security agencies in the state in freeing their hostages.”So, the government should rise up and act fast”, he said. When asked if the kidnappers have contacted them for ransom, he said “the information we just got before we left the community, a woman that was also kidnapped in the community has called her family saying the kidnappers have asked her to bring N20m”Another protester, Esther Matthew, appealed to the state government to help rescue her husband from the hands of the kidnappers ” I am here to beg our governor, our father, to help me. “They have kidnapped my husband and my son and my brother who went to rescue them, they have also killed him. We have seen his dead body”, the 28 years old woman said. Also lamenting the adoption of her children, Mrs Gift Omoruyi said her two children were also kidnapped “My two children were coming from school when they were kidnapped. The boy is 13 while the girl, is 15”, she said.When contacted, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said he was not aware of the incident.
Festus Keyamo (SAN), the chief spokesperson for the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, was called an embarrassment to the legal profession by the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council on Friday because of his lawsuit against the former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
Festus Keyamo, the state’s minister of labor and employment, followed through on his promise to sue Atiku, the PDP’s presidential candidate, for allegedly engaging in corrupt activities on Friday.
When the EFCC, ICPC, and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) were given a 72-hour deadline to detain, question, and prosecute Atiku for allegedly stealing public funds, Keyamo brought the three anti-graft organizations to court and joined Atiku in the January 20, 2023 lawsuit.
Listed as First defendant is Atiku Abubakar Campaign Office in Wuse II Abuja while second defendant is Federal Secretariat Complex, Annex III, Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja.
The Third defendant is Plot 802, Constitution Avenue,Central Area, Abuja while the 4th defendant is Plot 301/302, Institution and Research Cadastral, District Jabi, Abuja.
Announcing the suit on Friday on Twitter, Keyamo wrote: “#ATIKUGATE: Following the expiration of my 72-hour ultimatum, I have proceeded to the Federal High Court, Abuja suing Atiku, CCB, ICPC & EFCC and asking for invitation/arrest and investigation of Atiku over the SPV saga. I have a rich history of such battles and I am not stopping.”
However, speaking with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Dr. Daniel Bwala, a legal expert and spokesperson of the Atiku Campaign Council described Keyamo’s suit as laughable.
He said “I saw the processes that was filed by the spokesman of APC against our candidate and he joined, very strangely in addition to the EFCC and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), he joined address of buildings”.
” This is laughable because even students of law in universities or chambers attachments during Law School, they know the legality or otherwise of personalities that can sue or be sued. They know whether the case is one that is dead or arrival or not”.
“Secondly, it is so intriguing that somebody who is a serving Minister of the cabinet is also appearing in court by proxy using his own chambers”.
“We have even heard that their campaign is struggling due to lack of finances while some people are using this case as means of getting their own professional fees”.
“Otherwise all you need to do is just to go to the streets and ask University students of law who can sue and be sued and juxtapose that with the address of buildings that he put there as defendants. It is a embarrassment to the legal profession, quite frankly”.
Godswill Akpabio will represent the All Progressives Congress in the upcoming general elections in the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, the Supreme Court confirmed on Friday. Justice Ibrahim Saulawa stated in a lead opinion that the “appeal wins on the merits and is permitted.”
The decision was made in response to an appeal Akpabio filed against the Court of Appeal Abuja’s decision to overturn his victory at the Federal High Court Abuja.
In arriving at the decision, the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgement said each of the 10 issues formulated by the appellant was resolved in his favour, and against the respondent.
The Supreme Court held that the court below lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case, adding that whatever decision arrived at by the court amounted to nullity. It would be recalled that the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal had on November 14, 2022, set aside the judgment of Federal High Court Abuja, removing Godswill Akpabio as the All Progressives Congress candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District. A three-member panel of Justices led by Justice Danlami Senchi held that Akpabio failed to file a proof of arguments within the time provided by the rules. The panel further ruled that Akpabio, having contested the presidential primary of the APC, could not participate in the valid primary of the party held on May 27 and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which produced Udom Ekpoudom as a candidate. But Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court Abuja, had on September 22, 2022, ordered the INEC to reinstate Senator Akpabio as APC’s candidate, being the candidate nominated by the party in the second primary of June 9. The trial court had directed INEC to accept the former Minister of Niger Delta as the APC flagbearer. Justice Nwite also ordered INEC to publish Akpabio’s name as APC senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North/West senatorial district in 2023, stating that the Commission acted illegally by refusing to accept and publish the former governor’s name when it was submitted to it by the APC as its candidate. Justice Nwite added that Akpabio was validly nominated as the Akwa – Ibom North/West Senatorial District candidate of the APC from the primary conducted by the party’s National Working Committee on June 9, 2022. The trial Judge faulted INEC for electing to monitor the May 27 primary, conducted by an illegal faction of the party led by Augustine Ekanem as against the June 9, primary authorized conducted by the APC NWC.
An decision for the temporary confiscation of 40 landed properties owned by the troubled former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, was overturned by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In the UK, Ekweremmadu and his wife are currently on trial for allegedly violating a ban on organ harvesting.
On an ex-parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Justice Inyang Ekwo had directed that Ekweremadu lose the 40 properties in the interim in November 2022.
However, ruling on Friday on an application by Ekweremadu challenging the ex parte order, Justice Ekwo held, “I find the Applicant has established the grounds upon which this action is predicated by credible evidence and this application ought to succeed on the merit and I so hold.
“Consequently, I make the following orders: “An order is hereby made setting aside the interim forfeiture order of the properties of Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his companies made by this Court on 4th day of November, 2022, upon the ex parte Originating Motion filed by the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 27th July, 2022.
“The entire proceeding initiated by the Respondent is hereby set aside” Justice Ekwo ordered.
In order to establish their innocence, the shooters who broke into the home of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, must be apprehended, according to the CUPP.
CUPP encouraged the relevant security services to make sure that the shooters who broke into their Spokesman’s home were apprehended and brought to justice in order to establish their innocence and guarantee justice is done.
In a statement released by its co-spokesman, Mark Adebayo, the CUPP charged Imo state’s police, Department of Security Services, and state government with participating in a plot against Ugochinyere.
It would be recalled that on Saturday, January 14, 2023, motorcades conveying gunmen, arsonists stormed the residence of Ugochinyere, who is also the House of Representatives, PDP Candidate for Ideato North South federal constituency, at his hometown in Akokwa, where four persons were killed including his Uncle.
Speaking on behalf of the opposition parties, Adebayo accused the security agencies of being part of the attempt on Ugochinyere.
Insisting that the security agencies should prove their innocence, the CUPP said, “failure to do so, the opposition parties will be forced to review the continued stay in office of Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba over his nonchalant attitude and delay in arresting governor Uzodimma’s aide who threatened Ugochinyere and other culprits.
“Saturday January 14th, 2023, gunmen attacked the country home of the National Spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, with the sole aim of assassinating him. Weeks ago, Ikenga was openly threatened by one Chinasa Nwaneri who is one of the aides of the incumbent governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodinma.
“It’s been days since the attack yet nothing has been done, we are still calling on the the Nigeria Police and relevant security agencies to ensure that all the perpetrators of this heinous crime get arrested quickly for immediate prosecution and necessary punishment as stipulated by law. Does human life mean nothing to those who are supposed to protect us?
“We state unequivocally that we are holding the government Imo state solely responsible for this heinous crime and demand the immediate arrest of the Mr. Chinasa whose threats against Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere is already in the public domain and the Police authorities are aware of this but did nothing on the threats until he succeeded in carrying out his dastardly threats.”
The crisis afflicting the Edo State-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, has gotten worse as word has it that Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the Executive Governor of Edo State and a visitor to the university, has allegedly ordered the immediate dismissal of an unspecified number of university employees due to the university’s recently completed fruitless staff biometrics verification exercise.
According to the report, the staff who are allegedly accused of disobedience and refusing to participate in the biometrics verification exercise, the staff who participated in the exercise but were denied printouts, and the employees who took part in the recently suspended strike of ASUU, NASU, and other unions are among the affected workers in the alleged gale of sack.
The Special Intervention Team (SIT) of the University which disclosed this at a meeting of the SIT/Principal Officers of the University and all staff of the University on the state of affairs of the University on Thursday, 12th January, 2023 at Ekpoma was said to have announced that all the workers in this category are no longer staff of the University
It was gathered that Mr. Austin Osakue, a member of the SIT, who presided over the alleged rowdy and tension-soaked meeting, revealed that the SIT has directed the issuance of sack letters to the affected staff.
He was said to have specifically disclosed that all staff with alleged multiple ages or conflicting affidavits of age declaration will be sent to the University’s Staff Disciplinary Committee without further delay.
Mr. Osakue who was said to have read the riot act to all staff of the University also threatened tough measures in the following weeks in the University, just as he was also said to have insisted that the meeting was not met to “massage the ego of anybody”,
Mr. Osakue allegedly vowed that certain category of staff whom he described as “agents of darkness” would be sent parking from the University in the coming weeks.
He was also alleged to have hinted that the State Government has no intension to review upward the present paltry 41 million naira monthly subvention to the University and disclosed SIT’s plan to hike school fees payable by students in the university to enable the university run without government monthly subvention.
According to him, the University’s College of Medicine and Faculty of Law have been identified by SIT as “centres of excellence” where students would pay school fees of more than N2 million per academic session with effect from next academic session.
Report further had it that workers who attended the meeting expressed shock over the attitude, character and behavior of Mr. Osakue who was said to have stood in for the Chairman of SIT at the meeting.
They described attitude of Mr. Osakue as a flagrant display of ignorance, coarseness, tyranny, oppression and suppression.
Reports also have it that many staff were not allowed to air their views on the critical issues or make suggestions on how to resolve the problems. Rather, Mr. Osakue allegedly embarked on bullying, intimidation and humiliation of staff, including Professors that attended the meeting. The reports said that the meeting ended abruptly and in fiasco as a result of workers reaction to the outburst of Mr. Osakue.
The workers described Mr. Osakue claims that SIT was on top of the problem of unpaid salaries in the university as a hoax, alleging that the vast majority of workers have not been paid salaries for several months.
Investigation revealed that no fewer than 350 staff of the university have had their salaries stopped on the arbitrary order or directive of the University’s SIT without any form of query or existing disciplinary action against the affected staff.
It was also discovered that no specific reason or explanation has been offered to the affected individual staff for the sudden stoppage of their salaries since January, 2022 and till date this category of staff are being owed 12 months salaries.
It was revealed that during the meeting, SIT did not sympathize with workers denied salaries by the University Administration for twelve (12) months or showed any commitment towards resolving the matter justly and amicably.
Rather, Mr. Osakue was said to have stated that the state Government has terminated the appointments of staff who participated in the recently suspended university unions strike and/or biometrics verification exercise issues.
Mr. Osakue allegedly described the issues of unpaid salaries and biometrics verification exercise as “no go areas” at the meeting against the expectation of workers that the meeting was designed to resolve the myriad problems and issue bedeviling the smooth administration, industrial harmony and progress of the University.
The Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, which is one of the first state universities in Nigeria, has been drowning in avoidable crises allegedly caused by the attitude, policies and actions by authorities saddled with the responsibility of managing the university.
In addition to the visible aberration in the administrative structure of the university causing the institution to take the form of a rudderless ship, the deliberate refusal and failure of the University Administration to pay the salaries of the vast majority of staff of the University for twelve (12) months (January 2022 – December 2022) for no justifiable reasons has provoked uneasiness in the University.
The University’s indebtedness of unremitted check-off dues and sundry deductions to the various staff unions and workers’ cooperative bodies in the University is in millions of naira.
Investigation also revealed that the pain, anger, hunger and demoralization of workers and the administrative profligacy in the University have placed the University on the precipice of total collapse.
Many stakeholders and concerned persons have expressed fear that if the university is allowed to remain in the hands of the SIT, the University will metamorphose to a glorified high school.
In order to prepare for President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state, the Lagos State Government has declared that traffic will be restricted on Monday, January 23, with a detour on the Island on Tuesday, January 24, 2023.
The State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has been deployed, along with alternative routes, to manage traffic flow during the two-day visit, the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation said in a statement on Friday. The commissioner, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde.
“On the first day, which is Monday, 23,” according to Oladeind, who described the routes that will be manned by LASTMA Personnel: “movement around Lagos Rice Mill, Imota in Ikorodu, and the Lekki Deep Port Sea axis will be restricted.
“While on the second day, which is Tuesday 24, movement around Eko Hotels and Suites, Ahmadu Bello Way, J-Randle through to Broad Street and Outer Marina, will be diverted from 6.00 am to 3.00 pm.”
While pleading with motorists for their cooperation, Oladeinde highlighted the alternative routes made available as options for motorists depending on the desired destinations.
The options, according to the movement plan, will have motorists diverted from Ahmadu Bello Way, Ademola Adetokunbo and Akin Adesola Street to Falomo Bridge (Five Cowries Bridge), to Alfred Rewane Road to connect their desired destinations.
Motorists that are Onikan-bound from Ozumba Mbadiwe and Bonny Camp are enjoined to make use of Falomo Bridge (Five Cowries Bridge) or Awolowo Road.
The Transport Commissioner further stated that motorists from Awolowo Road heading to Onikan Roundabout, Tinubu Square or any other part of the inner Island will make use of Falomo Roundabout to link Alfred Rewane to further their journeys.
Another diversion option made available, according to the statement, is for motorists from King George V Road to connect Moloney Street and then Obalende for their desired destinations, or alternatively link Turton Street through Moloney Street to Lewis and Sandgrouse Streets.
For the motorists from Eko Bridge trying to link Marina, they will be diverted to Elegbata, Ebute Ero to Police Post to link the 3rd Mainland Bridge (Adeniji Adele) to further connect their desired destinations.
While stressing that all the adjourning streets leading to the dedicated routes for the movement of Mr. President will be temporarily closed, Oladeinde assured motorists of a well-mapped out strategy to minimize delays and inconveniences of road users.
Festus Keyamo SAN, the spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign committee, has launched a lawsuit against Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential candidate for the general elections of 2022, before the Federal High Court of Abuja.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and Code of Conduct Bureau are other defendants in the lawsuit.
According to the writ of summons with the filing number FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2022, Keyamo claims that on or around December 2, 2022, a whistleblower by the name of Michael Achimugu went public and detailed in graphic detail some of the events that took place between him and the first Defendant.
The Plaintiff avered that the said Achimugu then made available to the public a Certified True Copy of an affidavit to which he swore capturing those events. The Plaintiff further averred in his statement of claim that he obtained the CTC of the said affidavit.
The statement of claim sighted by our correspondent has an alleged conversation between Achimugu and Atiku.
Specifically, the Plaintiff wants a declaration that the 1st Defendant is under a legal obligation to make available to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants, for the purpose of aiding their investigation, information available to him in respect of a certain bank account belonging to a company named Marine Float and other accounts of two undisclosed companies, which information he disclosed to a certain close aide of his called Michael Achimugu, as to how the said accounts were used as a “Special Purpose Vehicles” to secretly divert and misappropriate public funds between 1999 and 2007 when the 1st Defendant served as Vice President of Nigeria.
Keyamo is also praying for a declaration that the 1st Defendant is under a legal obligation to submit himself to the CCB, ICPC and EFCC for thorough investigation in connection with information available to him in respect of a certain bank account belonging to a company named Marine Float and other accounts of two undisclosed companies.
The Plaintiff is seeking a declaration that the CCB, ICPC and EFCC are under a legal obligation to invite and/or arrest, investigate and (if found wanting) prosecute the 1st Defendant in respect of information available to the 1st Defendant in respect of a certain bank account belonging to a company named Marine Float and other accounts of two undisclosed companies.
Among other reliefs, the APC spokesman wants, “A mandatory order compelling the 1st Defendant to make available information to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants, for the purpose of aiding their investigation, as well as an order compelling the 1st Defendant to submit himself to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants for thorough investigation in connection with information available to him in respect of a certain bank account belonging to a company named Marine Float and other accounts of two undisclosed companies.
“A mandatory order of compelling the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants to invite and/or arrest, investigate and (if found wanting) prosecute the 1st Defendant in respect of information available to the 1st Defendant in respect of a certain bank account belonging to a company named Marine Float and other accounts of two undisclosed companies, which information he disclosed to a certain close aide of his called Michael Achimugu, as to how the said accounts were used as “Special Purpose Vehicles” to secretly divert and misappropriate public funds between 1999 and 2007 when the 1st Defendant served as Vice President of Nigeria. No judge has been assigned the suit.
