Blog

Freedom
By Tukur Muntari

Kano, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Alhaji Nasiru Muazu, the Chairman of Kiru Local Government  Council in Kano State, has confirmed the release of his kidnapped son, Babangida by his abductors.

Muazu confirmed the release in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Wednesday

He said Babangida was released by his abductors on Sunday, Sept. 23, after paying a ransom.

The Chairman, who, declined to state the amount paid, expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah for making it possible for his son to return alive.

“We paid ransom before his release but the most important thing is that God has made it possible for him to return alive,” he said.

He also expressed gratitude to journalists, his friends and associates for the concern they had shown over the unfortunate incident.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank all those who showed concern and sympathised with us during the trying moment,“ he said.

NAN recalls that 28-year-old Babangida, a father of two, was kidnapped by gunmen around midnight on Wednesday, Sept.19, at his residence in Kiru.(NAN)
MTM/MZA

Polaris

Chinyere Bassey

Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) says it is satisfied with issues related to workers in the take-over of Skye Bank.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), had on Sept. 21, announced the revocation of operating licence of Skye Bank and the injection of N786 billion into Polaris Bank.

The CBN announced that Polaris Bank would take over the assets and liabilities of the defunct Skye Bank.

Mrs Oyinkan Olasanoye, ASSBIFI President, told journalists at a news conference in Lagos on Wednesday that her union was comfortable with the state of the welfare of workers transfered from the defunct Skye Bank to Polaris Bank.

” As at today, there is no disparity in salary or position of any worker. Our members from Skye still maintain their salary level and position while in Polaris Bank.

”But we are prepared for any changes that could occure after the sale of Polaris Bank as the CBN has directed the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to begin the process of sale,” Olasanoye said.

She said that ASSBIFI would engage the management of the new bank in discussions to enable it realise its objectives, while commending the CBN for its efforts in ensuring soundness and efficiency of the banking system.

Olasanoye advised that the process of the sale by AMCON should be transparent and that only credible investors should be considered.

”AMCON must be allowed to undertake the sale without undue interference and ensure that the exercise does not go the way of Mainstreet Bank Plc,” the union president said.

She urged her members in Polaris Bank to continue to work hard to support the management in its efforts to make the bank a financial power house. (NAN)
CHIN/IKU/TÁ
Edited by Tayo Ikujuni/Tajudeen Atitebi

Empowerment
By Flora Okorie and Vivian Ihechu
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) The Youth Empowerment Foundation (YEF) says it is empowering girl-child to ensure she is able to carry the socio-economic burden of family which largely depends on her.

“We train the girl-child in such a way that we are already preparing them for their roles as mother, leader at community level and even at the national level,’’ Iwalola Akin-Jimoh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Akin-Jimoh, the Executive Secretary of YEF, spoke to NAN during a GOAL Event 2018 on Wednesday in Lagos.

NAN reports that the GOAL project is a girl empowerment project by YEF supported by Standard Chartered Bank.

Nigeria is one of about 15 countries running the programme which focusses on the need to be healthy, empowered, generate income and manage finances through financial literacy programme, as well as life skills.

The intervention has been on since 2010 and focusses on every aspect of a child’s life.

According to her, a woman is closest to the child from the womb.

“So, if you train a woman or a girl properly, the person is in a better position to raise children that are well behaved and their capacity well built.

“If you train a girl and a woman, you are basically training the nation because her role is not only child bearing, but also in terms of leadership in Nigeria.

“So, access to education and information is important; if she appreciates and knows the strength of education, then, she is more likely to raise her children properly.

“Nigeria’s population is about 49 per cent women and 51 per cent men and if you want economic empowerment or development in the country, we have to take that 49 per cent along.

“Otherwise, the pressure of the development will fall heavily on the men.

“Also,  it is important to start early with girls because when they are in primary and secondary schools, they may be misled, especially when it comes to issues on sexual behaviours.

“If they are not properly guided, it is the girls that get pregnant and bear the consequences including complications that could accompany pregnancy, abortion, stigmatisation, school-drop out, depression and even suicide,’’ she said.

Akin-Jimoh said that some of the challenges a girl-child faces include sexual abuse, lack of access to WASH facilities, especially during menstruation, not being given equal opportunities and lack of adequate information on her sexuality.

She said a girl-child needs information, as well as opportunity to recreation and creativity.

On the GOAL project, she said that the foundation had put pregnant girls chased out of their homes and those who have been abused in shelter.

According to her, we are also handling different types of abuse cases in courts.

“Annually, the foundation distributes information to 10,000 girls on several basis, where they are told about their rights, go through financial settlement; we also let them know that their lives come with responsibilities.

“We take them through a session where we empower, talk to them very early in life about facts that as a woman; we have leadership roles to play, not only at homes, community level, but also at national level.

“It is important for them to understand some of these roles because economic empowerment and development of Nigeria also rest on women.

“Currently, we are working with 15 schools in Lagos, 16 schools in Abuja and 10 schools in Ibadan.

“In addition, we now work with boys because we understand the fact that we cannot take the girls without taking the boys along.

“This is because in any community we have leaders mostly men and so if they push the agenda of women, one is likely to have a better result,’’ Akin-Jimoh told NAN.  (NAN)
FLOK/VIV/GOK
Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Olagoke Olatoye

Experts call for inclusion of sign language in school curriculum

Inclusion

By Lydia Ngwakwe

Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Experts have called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to include sign language in school curriculum for the growth and development of the deaf individuals.

The experts made the call at the first International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) to commemorate the maiden edition of the International Day of Sign Languages at the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), on Wednesday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was themed: “With Sign Language everyone is included.”

The programme was organised by UNIC in collaboration with Speaking Fingers, a non-governmental organisation, which focuses on teaching life skills to deaf young people.

According to the United Nations General Assembly, the day is to be celebrated annually on Sept. 23.

The resolution to declare Sept. 23 as the International Day of Sign Languages was adopted on Dec. 19, 2017.

The resolution acknowledged that early access, services and quality education in sign language was vital to the growth and development of the deaf individual.

Mrs Olayide Akanni, Executive Director, Journalist Against Aids, said sign language should be included in school curriculum from the onset.

“For us to actually attain the inclusion that we are talking about in sign language, we need to include it in our schools’ curriculum right from the onset.

“It is not only sign language that we are advocating for though, our focus today is on sign language; there are also the issue of persons with visual impairment as well as people with physical disability,” she said.

Akanni said the culture of inclusion should not be a government thing, but should cut across every sphere and strata.

In the same vein, a sign Language Specialist, popularly known as speaking Fingers, Mrs Treasures Uchegbu, called on the media to help bridge the gap between the hearing impaired and the hearing people.

“One of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is partnership.

“It is their work to partner with us as the media to track institutions that still exclude the most vulnerable in the society and report same and those who already have, we celebrate them,” she said.

Uchegbu, therefore, appreciated UNIC for hosting and celebrating sign language, saying it was the beginning of good things to come for the deaf.

The Proprietor of Hope Fountain Schools for the Deaf, Mr Tony Nwokolo, called on stakeholders to ensure sign language was given due recognition.

“Language is an extremely fundamental human need for day to day living and interaction, deaf people are human beings too; they have their own language which is sign language.

“In Nigeria, there are about 15 million deaf people; the deaf suffer a lot of discrimination and frustration in everyday life,” Nwokolo said.

Earlier in his speech, Dr Roland Kayanja, the Director of UNIC, said there was need for stakeholders to ensure people with hearing impairment were engaged meaningfully.

“We need to ensure that we provide a voice and platforms for the meaningful participation and engagement of the most marginalised, vulnerable and excluded communities and individuals,” he said.

Kayanja congratulated all of the people promoting the use of sign language in Nigeria, saying they were contributing to social inclusion and the goal of leaving no one behind.

He pledged that the United Nations would strive to sustain the momentum.

Participants at the event were students from Wesley Schools for the Hearing Impaired, Surulere, Hope Fountain Schools for the Deaf, Ijaiye-Ojokoro, Parents, NGOs among others. (NAN)

LED/ERO/SA

Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Salif Atojoko

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2019: Buhari best presidential candidate , says Saraki’s former aide

Re-run

By Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, says he is confident that the party will ultimately win the governorship re-run election holding on Thursday in Osun.

Babatope, a former Minister of Transport, made the assertion in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.

NAN reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed Thursday for  the re-run election after declaring the main election on Saturday inconclusive.

Justifying the declaration, INEC said the vote margin of the two leading candidates, PDP’s Sen. Ademola Adeleke (254,698) and Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (254,345) was less than the 3,498 cancelled votes.

The INEC Returning Officer, Prof Joseph Fuwape, said the votes were cancelled in Ife North, Ife South, Osogbo and Orolu council areas owing to irregularities, ballot box snatching and malfunctioning of the card reader.

Fuwape, who is the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, added that the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) supported a re-run in seven polling units in the affected areas on the basis of   cancellation votes and votes margin.

Babatope said he was sure that the people would vote for Adeleke in the re-run just as they voted massively for the PDP on Saturday.

“I have no doubt that our great party, the PDP, will win the re-run election on Thursday.

“You see, what happened on Saturday clearly means the people are tired of the APC government and they have great confidence in our party to turn things around.

“And because the people want change, they will seal our victory by voting for us in the re-run.

“We have done what have to do as a party. We have concluded all plans to ensure victory. I am confident our people will vote for us. I am confident PDP will win the re-run,” he said.

Babatope said that no alliance or political gang-up would stop the people in the affected areas from voting Adeleke.

He, however, said it was imperative for INEC to ensure that the conduct of the election was credible and free of manipulation.

The former minister said any outcome that did not reflect the will of the people would be rejected by the PDP. (NAN)
BHB/OSA/SOA

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Edited by Shittu Obassa/Oluwole Sogunle

Orji Kalu to open defence on N3.2bn fraud allegation, Sept. 27

By Sandra Umeh
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday fixed Sept. 27 for the defence to open its case in the N3.2 billion fraud charge against Orji Uzor Kalu, a former Governor of Abia.

Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned the case after hearing the application by the defence, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to continue with the criminal charge.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Kalu, together with his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo and a company, Slok Nigeria Ltd., belonging to Kalu.

The EFCC had on Oct. 31, 2016, preferred a 34-count charge, bordering on N3.2 billion fraud, against the accused.

They had each pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail.

On Wednesday, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), appeared for the first accused. Chief K. C. Nwofo (SAN), appeared for the second defendant, while Mr L. Agwu, held the brief of Chief Solo Akuma (SAN) for the third defendant.

Ozekhome informed the court of defence’s application, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to continue with the trial of the accused.

After several arguments by both defence and prosecuting counsel on whether the motion should be heard, the court finally granted permission for defence to move his motion.

Moving his application, Ozekhome told the court that his motion was brought pursuant to the 1999 Constitution as amended.

He argued that his four-ground application challenges the constitutionality of Justice Idris to continue to try the accused, having been elevated to the Court of Appeal.

“This Judex, having being elevated as a Court of Appeal judge, cannot continue to sit as a Federal High Court Judge, to try this charge. It is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional,” he said.

Referring the court to the provisions of Sections 238, 239, 240, 252 and 253 of the constitution, Ozekhome argued that the provisions made it clear that the Court of Appeal, which is “peopled” by justices such as my lord, cannot sit as a court of first instance but only on appeal.

Besides, he submitted that where the court is indisposed to granting the application to recuse itself, then, the court should be gracious enough to afford the accused a time frame for medical travel overseas.

He noted that on a scale of 57 times, the accused had been present not less than 56 times to stand his trial. He, therefore, urged the court to grant his application.

On his part, the Prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), opposed the application challenging the court’s jurisdiction on the grounds that it was a ploy to stall the case, which he argued had lingered for so long.

He urged the court to refuse the application and call upon the accused to begin his defence, adding that a fiat had already been issued for the judge to continue with the trial, which was already at its concluding stage.

More so, the prosecution argued that the said fiat was sought for and obtained by the defence, adding that it would be unfair for defence to do a turnaround at this point.

He urged the court to proceed with the trial.

Delivering a bench ruling, Idris held that he would resist the temptation of delving into issues which were already filed on appeal.

He noted that although the issues raised by the defence counsel were recondite, he would, however, apply caution in his ruling.

“I have listened to the learned senior counsel and again the issues raised are live issues, already before the learned law lords of the Court of Appeal.

“Being already before the appellate court, it cannot be a live issue in this court. I shall exercise caution, so as not to make comments on issues to be determined by the appellate court.

“Trial shall proceed,” he said.

After the court’s ruling, defence counsel then sought for an adjournment till Thursday, to enable the defence to begin his trial.

“My lord, I crave the indulgence of the court for an adjournment till tomorrow, to enable the lead defence counsel to attend and handle the trial.

“We have absolutely nothing to be afraid of but as a senior counsel, I must make certain observations where necessary,” he said

Idris, consequently, adjourned the case until Sept. 27 for the defence to open its case.

In the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offence between August 2001 and October 2005.

Kalu was alleged to have utilised his company to retain in the account of a First Inland Bank, now FCMB, the sum of N200 million.

The sum is alleged to have formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia Government.

In one of the counts, his company, Slok Nig Ltd., and one Emeka Abone, who is said to be at large, were also alleged to have retained in the company’s account the sum of N200 million on behalf of the first accused.

In counts one to 10, the accused were alleged to have retained about N2.5 billion in different accounts, which funds were said to belong to the Abia Government.

Cumulatively, in all the counts, the accused were alleged to have diverted over N3.2 billion from the State Government’s treasury, during Kalu’s administration.

The offence is said to have contravened the provisions of Sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005.

It also contravenes the provisions of the Money Laundering Act of 1995 as amended by the Amendment Act No.9 of 2002 and Section 477 of the Criminal Code Act of the Federation, 1990. (NAN)

UNS/FLP/SN

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Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Silas Nwoha

Salary

Jos, September 26, 2018 (NAN) Mr Jimmy Cheto, a PDP governorship aspirant in Plateau, had said that the payment of workers’ salaries was not an achievement any government should brag about.

“Politicians, especially those in Plateau, keep bragging about regular payment of salaries and identify it as a major achievement of the state government. They want us to see it as a wonderful feat, but I think that is wrong.

“The payment of salaries is a statutory duty and should not be seen as a big deal because only a fraction of the population work with government.

“What we should be talking about are projects that would enhance growth and improve the living standard of the majority of the population. We need roads, bridges, quality hospitals and schools. Talking about salaries is amusing,” Cheto said on Wednesday in Jos.

Cheto, who addressed delegates and PDP members when he visited the PDP secretariat, emphasised the need for a government that would explore available resources toward creating more employment opportunities for Plateau residents.

He said that it was “very dangerous” for Plateau State to depend on  federal allocations for survival, pointing out  that the state had enough resources to be self-reliant.

The aspirant promised to create an enabling environment that would attract private investors into the mining, tourism, agriculture and steel sectors, taking advantage of abundant raw materials wasting away in those areas.

Cheto regretted that Plateau had remained a civil service state in spite of its abundant resources, and vowed to transform the north-central state into an industrial hub so as to curtail the over-dependence on government as the major employer.

The aspirant said that he had the requisite experience to transform Plateau into a land of opportunities, claiming that his vision was the best among the 13 persons seeking the PDP ticket to contest the governorship polls.

Cheto advised the delegates to vote wisely during the state congress slated for Sept. 30, and cautioned them against being misled by anyone. (NAN)

ADY/JEO/ETS
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Edited by Janefrances Oraka and Ephraims Sheyin

Sheriff-Musa hails military’s exploits in North East

Convocation

By Mohammad Tijjani

Kaduna, Sept 26.2018(NAN) A former minister, Amb. Bunu Sheriff-Musa, on Wednesday hailed the exploits of the Nigerian military in the North east, saying they have rescued people in the area from annihilation by Boko Haram.

Sheriff-Musa, also former Nigeria’s ambassador to France, made the remarks on Wednesday in Kaduna at the 17th Convocation Lecture of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

He said, “I can attest to the fact that the military is doing great in wiping out Boko Haram insurgency which ravaged our zone for nearly 10 years .

“On behalf of all our citizens in the North Eastern zone of our country, I wish to thank President Muhammadu Buhari, service chiefs and the entire military for rescuing us from the claws of Boko Haram terrorists since the coming of this administration.”

Sheriff-Musa, who was the chairman of the event, charged the cadets to use their training to the greater service of the nation.

“Today’s military is a military of intellect, you must therefore, develop yourself and strive to translate your knowledge and whatever training you have received to tackle the contemporary security challenges in Nigeria,” the former envoy further admonished the cadets.

He hailed President Buhari for doing a lot to support the military and restore peace and stability to Nigeria.

The guest lecturer, Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), said that one of the mandates of the commission was to promote and safeguard national interest, safety and security.

According to him, the commission is vigorously pursuing this  objective by engaging in aggressive public awareness against cyber crime and providing necessary infrastructure to prevent and detect criminals.

He added that the commission had also provided necessary facilities to assist security and law enforcement agencies in investigating telecommunication related security breaches.

The NCC boss said that the partnership with the military and other security agencies would continue especially “in gathering, analyzing and predicting security concern, thus enabling security agencies to prevent potential conflict, terrorist attacks.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture was titled, `Leveraging ICT for Enhanced National Defence and Security in Nigeria.'(NAN)

TJ/MZA

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