Blog

Hijab crisis: Court grants UI International School extension of time

Hijab

By Suleiman Shehu

Ibadan, Dec. 21, 2018 (NAN) An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Friday granted an application for extension of time filed by the University of Ibadan (UI) International School Ibadan (ISI) in a suit filed against it over ban on wearing of Hijab by female Muslim students.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suit was instituted by some Muslim parents on behalf of their daughters after an initial protest that led to the brief shutdown of the school.

Other respondents in the suit are the School Principal, Mrs Phebean Olowe, the Chairman, Board of Governors, Prof. Abideen Aderinto and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of the university.

NAN reports that the Muslim parents that sued the school on behalf of their children are Taofeek Yekinni, Idris Badiru, Sikiru Babarinde, Muideen Akerele, Abdurrahman Balogun and nine others.

At the resume hearing of the suit on Friday, Counsel to the respondents, Dr Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) informed the court that he was out of time in responding to the originating summon of the applicants.

Ajibade said he has filed an application for extension of time and urged the court to grant his application.

The counsel to the applicants, Mr Hassan Fajimite, said he was not opposed to the application for extension of time filed by the respondents’ counsel.

Justice Laniran Akintola granted the application and adjourned the matter till Jan. 11, 2019, for mention.

NAN reports that three parties seeking to be joined as co-respondents in the matter where present in the court, but yet to file any processes.

In the originating summon, the applicants are contending that the action of the school authority violates their rights to freedom of thought, religion and education as contained in Section 38 (1)(a) and 42(1)(a) of Nigeria’s Constitution.

Their counsel had urged the court to declare the school’s continuous prevention of female Muslim students from wearing Hijab as wrongful and unconstitutional. (NAN)

SYS/FF/MZA

==========

Edited by Fela Fashoro/Maharazu Ahmed

Genevieve Nnaji and her family at the private screening of ‘Lion Heart’

Premiere
By Anita Eboigbe
Premiere
By Anita Eboigbe
Abuja, Dec. 22, 2018 (NAN) Genevieve Nnaji’s directorial debut ‘Lion Heart’, was premiered for cinema viewings at a private screening in Lagos.

The star-studded premiere was attended by Nnaji’s parents, television host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Peter Okoye of P-Square, Betty Irabor and Phyno in spite of the controversy over its clarification status by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) .

Posting pictures from the event on her Instagram page @genevievennaji, she wrote the caption, “Gather here for a selfie if you have been waiting for this day.”

Her team went on to release viewing times for the movie across the Silverbird and Genesis cinemas in Nigeria on the ‘Lion Heart’ official instagram page @lionheartthemovie.

NAN reports that in September, Netflix announced it had acquired the worldwide rights for ‘Lion Heart’ making it the platform’s first African original film.

This was followed by a world premiere at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) where it immediately gathered positive reviews internationally.

The record-breaking movie, set for Netflix premiere in January, 2019, captures the challenges of a female in a male-dominated industry.

It is a story of Adaeze, a young lady who steps up to the challenge when her father, Ernest Obiagu, is forced to take a step back from his company due to health issues.

She works with her crude and eccentric brother to save the family business in dire financial straits resulting in crazy and often hilarious results.

Patrick Lee, chairman of CEAN in a statement had clarified the association’s position on the movie.

He said that the Lionheart team did not adhere to the processes involved in exhibiting a film in cinemas in the country that’s why most of its members “rightly refused to take the movie.”

“We expect the movie to come from a licenced distributor, we expect the movie to be given adequate run time in the cinemas before it is officially released on other platforms.

“And also for our cinemas to be provided with adequate notice for the inclusion of the movie in an increasingly crowded calendar.

“It is clear from the approach taken by the Lionheart team that these processes were not adhered to and most of our members rightly refused to take the movie.

“It is also important to note that this movie had been signed up by Netflix months ago, thereby giving Genevieve’s team ample time to secure a spot on the calendar.

“An option they did not take until quite recently thereby ensuring the possibility of the movie not being shown by cinemas during their preferred date.(NAN)
AEE/EAL
======
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi

ACJA

By Sylvester Thompson

Abuja, Dec.21, 2018(NAN) Mr Chukwu Emmanuel, a legal practitioner in the FCT has urged states that have not adopted the Administration of Criminal Justice Act(ACJA), to do so, to ensure that the criminal justice system becomes more efficient.

NAN reports that the Act, was enacted in 2015 at the federal level.

Lagos enacted its in 2011.

Other states like Anambra, Enugu and few others have adopted theirs in various forms.

NAN reports that 28 states have yet to comply with that reform.

“The remaining 28 states, must reform their criminal justice system and every state must key into this arrangement.

“That some states have not actually keyed in is one of the issues that is not good”, he said.

“We don’t have any uniform criminal law system pertaining to legal apparatus, statutory enactment when it comes to criminal law in Nigeria.’’

He noted that before the ACJA , states used the Criminal Procedure Act, (CPA) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), depending on whether such a state was created out of the former northern or southern region.

He said while the CPC was used for states across the north, the CPA was effective in the southern parts of the country.

“The ACJA was introduced to ensure that the criminal justice system becomes more efficient as well as responsive to the rights of the people.

“The provisions in the ACJA has come to bridge the inadequacies or lapses which the criminal law of those states could not provide,” he said.

He cited most of these lapses to include, the arbitrary arrest and detention of persons and plea bargain.

He said the FCT’s ACJA and Lagos ACJL are balanced with respect to the  criminal law of jurisdictions.

He said to harmonise the criminal laws across the federation, the states which have different laws should copy those states which have imbibed the ACJA to balance their new criminal justice laws.

The lawyer added that an example of the state which has recently adopted its own ACJL is Enugu state.(NAN)

SET/SH

=======

edited by Sadiya Hamza

Volleyball

Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos Dec. 21, 2018 (NAN) Nigeria’s national beach volleyball teams will participate in the 2nd edition of the Carmtel International Championships scheduled for Cameroon later this month.

The Head Coach of the Beach Volleyball teams, Francis Imougu, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after their morning training in Kaduna on Friday.

The Borno-based coach said on telephone that the teams were selected based on their outing at the recently concluded National Sports Festival in Abuja.

He expressed optimism that the teams would have a good outing in Yaoundé.

Imougu said, “The players have been in one week camping in Kaduna and the players are mentally and physically fit for the international championships.’’

According to him, the President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Musa Nimrod, has been the brain box behind the success of beach volleyball in Nigeria,

Promises not to let Nimrod down, he recalled that “during the inaugural championships, the Nigeria women’s team won gold medal, while the men’s team settled for silver.

“This time around, we are prepared to bring home both gold medals.’’

The team comprises of two males (Godwin Shekaru and Andrew Sunday) as well as two females (Tochukwu Nnourge and Francisca Ikhiede).

The Carmtel International Beach Volleyball Championships is scheduled for Dec. 27 and Dec. 30 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. (NAN)
BAO/PDE
=======
(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Internet
By Constance Imasuen
Abuja, Dec 21, 2018 (NAN) Internet users in Nigeria increased marginally to 108.5 million in
November, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said.

The NCC made this known on Friday in its Monthly Internet Subscribers Data for December posted on its website.

According to the data, Airtel, MTN and Globacom gained more internet subscribers during the month under review, while 9mobile remained on the same figure as in October.

The data also showed that overall internet users increased to 108,457.051 in November from the 107,106,975 recorded in October, showing an increase of 1,350,076 new subscribers.

The breakdown revealed that MTN gained more with 707,023 new internet users in November, increasing its
subscription to 41,678,804 as against October.

It said that Airtel gained 438,560 new users, increasing its subscription in November to 28,958,253 compared
to 28,519,693 in October.

Globacom gained 204,493 new internet users, increasing its subscription in November to 27,761,281 from 27, 556,788
recorded in October.

It further showed that 9mobile recorded 10,058,713 internet users in October, same as in November. (NAN)
COA/CHOM/HA
=============
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Ships

By Aisha Cole

Lagos, Dec. 21, 2018 (NAN) Twenty-four ships carrying various products are waiting to berth at the  Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said in its daily publications of Friday in Lagos.

It said 18 out of the vessels were carrying petrol, while the remaining six ships would berth with general cargo, container, bulk gypsum and buckwheat.

The NPA also said that 44 ships carrying buckwheat, frozen fish, container, buckwheat, general cargo, steel products and bulk sugar were expected at the ports between Dec. 22 and Jan. 12, 2019.

It said the ships would also be carrying bulk gypsum, Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), diesel, aviation fuel and petrol. (NAN)

AIC/PAD

=======

Edited by Peter Dada

Obla faults House of Reps over sack call

By Kamal Tayo Oropo

Lagos, Dec. 21, 2018 (NAN) The Chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono Obla on Friday dismissed calls by the House of Representatives for his dismissal as a ploy to derail investigations into corrupt practices.

Obla said recent attacks against him, over an alleged forged WAEC certificate since he commenced investigations into the activities and finances of some senators and members of the House of Representatives, were premeditated.

He said: “The call by the House of Representatives on Mr President to sack me for alleged certificate forgery is hogwash, balderdash and absolute rubbish!

“It is a hatchet job by agents and merchants of corruption and graft that have looted the country for the past 19 years to intimidate, hound and harass me.

“They are agents of looters that I have investigated. Is the house of representatives the police?” he queried in a statement in Lagos.

On the allegation of certificate forgery, Obla stated that he graduated from the university over 30 years ago.

“I left university 30 years ago. I graduated and went to law school. I left Law School in 1990 and was called to Bar in June 1991.

“The university screened me and awarded me a degree after deeming me worthy and after fulfilling the entry requirements.

“I wrote JAMB and scored excellent grades in all the subjects I wrote.

“It is a blackmail contrived by looters and their agents using the House of Representatives,” he said.

Meanwhile, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obla has also filed a lawsuit against the House of Representatives over the matter.

He is challenging the power of the House of representatives to conduct such an investigation, adding that the report is a hatchet job with a premeditated mission, illegal and unconstitutional.

According to him, the call for his sack was a reaction to the information released by his panel forwarding the names of those under its investigation to the Nigeria Immigration Service.

He said the information required the Service to implement the travel ban stipulated by the Executive Order No 6 of 2018 for those under trial and investigation for corruption and abuse of office.

“I must be a genius to pass through University and Law School, practice law for more than two decades without a school certificate.

“The whole issue is really laughable but it is sad the extent to which corruption can fight back,” he said. (NAN)

KTO/SA

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Salif Atojoko

=============================

Badminton

By Babatunde Ogunrinde

Lagos Dec. 21, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian team has emerged the overall winner of the 2018 edition of the Africa Schools Badminton Championship which ended in Tema, Ghana, on Thursday evening.

Nigeria won five gold medals, three silver and three bronze, while South Africa finished second with a gold and two silver.

Uganda came third with one gold and four bronze medals.

The Nigerian team made its first appearance in the championship since it began in 2006.

Rufai Sidi, Daniel Egbonyi, Khalil Shamsuddeen, Umar Balarabe and Bankole Timileyin represented Nigeria in the boys’ category.

Obanishola Arinola, Obasanmi Olajumoke, Taofik Romoke and Mosun Shogbade represented the country in the female category.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team departed the country on Dec. 19, and was led by Coaches Suleiman Tajudeen and Ismaila Mohammed.

On the final day of the tournament, the Nigerian team won three gold medals to add to the two it won in the team event on Sunday.

In the Boys Doubles Final, the pair of Babatunde Bankole and Egbonyi Daniel defeated Balarabe Ahmad and Shamsuddeen Khalil 2-0 (21-17, 21-16).

Similarly, in the Girls Doubles, Nigeria’s Obanishola Sofiat and Obasanmi Olajumoke beat Morgan De Beer and Kent B of South Africa 2-0 (22-20, 21-16).

In the Mixed Doubles, which also involved two Nigerian teams, Balarabe Ahmad and Obanishola Sofiat beat Babatunde Bankole and Taofiq Romoke 2-1 (21-18,17-21).

However, the Nigerian team lost in the boys and girls single’s final.

The President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, praised the team for the feat, saying that the victory would encourage children to take to badminton.

He said that the team showed discipline throughout the event and were good ambassadors of the country.

Orbih, the newly-elected Second Vice President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, said that BFN would continue to hold programmes to  develop players at all levels.

“I must commend the team for this achievement. They have done well, and we will continue to encourage them by providing the necessary support for them to excel.

“ I am sure that we are on the right track in our quest to grow our talent base,” Orbih added. (NAN)

BAO/ESAN/IGO

Edited by Abiodun Esan/Ijeoma Popoola

Terminal
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Dec. 21, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has commenced the upgrade of its Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Category three (CAT3).

Mr Fola Akinkuotu, NAMA Managing Director, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja said the move was to support the newly inaugurated international terminal.

He said the CAT3 ILS would improve the capability to land airplanes in very poor visibility, adding that the new terminal had avenue for expansion.

The managing director said that increased traffic means more airplanes would come in ”and so we have to provide more manpower in terms of air traffic controllers”.

“We are planning to improve and actually, we are close to achieving a higher level landing navigational aid in Abuja in anticipation of the new international terminal.

“Except for some bureaucratic bottleneck, we should have had a Category 3 landing system here which will improve our capability to land airplanes in very poor visibility, rather than we have right now.

“To a good extent, we have foreseen the possibilities that we are seeing today and we will be able to match whatever are the demands.

“Approval has been given, contracts have been awarded and construction has started for the installation of the Category 3 landing system and I think before the end of January, it will be ready.

“We are planning this category of ILS on Lagos and Abuja airports for a start and the next point of call will be Kano,’’ he said.

Akinkuotu said that all the stakeholders in the airport had been sensitised and were prepared to improve their capabilities to meet up with the demands of the CAT3 ILS.

He explained that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would have to ensure uninterrupted power supply within the airport while airlines had to equip their aircraft and train their pilots.

According to him, the pilots would have to be properly trained for low visibility approaches and approach light would have to meet category 3.

He said that mobile control tower had been deployed to enable air traffic controller to be able to have visible access to both ends of the runway pending when new control tower was built.

He explained that the concept and design of the terminal building had some flaws which made it difficult for the control tower to have a complete aerial view of the two end of runway.

“This will be fixed in medium term because with the adjustment of the master plan, we will achieve that. However, since it is a necessity, we provided a mobile tower.

“NAMA will continue to improve on the services that it provides and we want to achieve our category 3 ILS in major airports in 2019 and improve our aeronautical information system,’’ he said.

NAN recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated the 15 million passenger capacity terminal constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.

The terminal at Abuja airport is one of the four new ones being constructed at the cost of $600 million under the $500 million loan from China-Exim Bank and $100 million counterpart funding from the Federal Government.

The others are in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano.

The Port Harcourt terminal was inaugurated by Buhari in October while the remaining two are expected to be ready for use in 2019. (NAN)
OYS/JPE/IS
==========
Edited by Joseph Edeh/Ismail Abdulaziz

NPA insists on sweeper vessels to evacuate cargoes from terminals

NPA

By Uchenna Eletuo

Lagos, Dec.21, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has directed shipping companies to deploy sweeper vessels to evacuate empty containers from the Lagos port terminals within four months.

A statement on Friday in Lagos signed by Mr Adams Jatto, NPA General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communication said the evacuation was to tackle issues of overtime cargoes at Lagos seaports.

It urged shipping line agencies to make use of Onne ports for the evacuation process.

The NPA stressed that the ports were meant to serve as transit points, not storage facilities.

It added that, “there will be an increase in the demurrage free period on return of empty containers from the current 5 days period to 15 days for a period of four months.

“There will be an increase in rent- free period for cargoes housed in the terminals from the current period of three 3 free days before commencement of rent charges to 21 free days before commencement of rent charges for a period of four months.

”The Nigerian Customs Service is urged to immediately commence the process of auctioning of overtime cargoes.

” These auctions should be carried out on the spot at Port locations and every buyer would be given a stipulated short period to evacuate the cargoes out of the Ports after which they will be re-auctioned.

“Terminal operators are however encouraged to negotiate and grant waivers to consignees to facilitate the evacuation of these cargoes to mitigate against the auctioning which will result in a total loss of revenue by the terminal operator and the loss of cargo by the consignee”.

The NPA explained that the measures were emergency steps taken to immediately reduce the financial burden of congestion on citizens as the Federal Government proceeds to permanently resolve the congestion through reconstruction of the Port access road.

Apart from the roads, NPA said the provision of trailer park and holding bays with e-call up system, was key to ease congestion.

The statement added that the enhancement of cargo evacuation using rail transportation and inland waterways with barges was also necessary. (NPA)

EUC/ESAN/MZA

=============

Edited by Abiodun Esan/Maharazu Ahmed