Blog

NAN-H-60
Judgment
By Umeh Sandra
Lagos, Sept. 15, 2016 (NAN) A Federal High Court in Lagos, has fixed Friday, Sept. 16, to deliver judgment in a suit, challenging the appointment of Retired Col. Hameed Ali, as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suit which was instituted by a Human Rights Activist, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, in November 2015, was argued before Justice Sule Hassan.

Adegboruwa sought the interpretation of the court as to whether the President could appoint anyone as comptroller-general of customs without complying with Section 3 of the Official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made on March 25, 2002.

He argued that the said gazette stipulated that only those within the rank of Deputy Comptroller -General of Customs could be elevated as substantive Comptroller- General.

Adegboruwa asked the court to nullify the appointment.

In response to the case, the Nigeria Customs Service filed a preliminary objection dated April 29, 2016, challenging the locus standi (legal right) of the applicant to file and maintain the suit.

The Customs Service contended further that Adegboruwa’s suit was a mere academic exercise raising hypothetical questions that the court must not entertain.

NAN reports that the court heard arguments from counsels to the parties on June 15 and adjourned for judgment.

The judgment is now slated to be delivered on Sept. 16. (NAN)
UNS/AJA
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(Controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)

NAN-DS-10

Military

Damaturu, Sept. 15, 2016 (NAN) Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe on Thursday said Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari had a new military with determination to fight and defeat insurgency.

Gaidam stated this in Damaturu while receiving the new Commandant of the 27 Joint Task Force Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Chinenye Ekwesi.

He said the Buhari-led administration gave the military a rebirth and necessary equipment to fight and defeat Boko Haram insurgency.

He assured the military of continuous support and cooperation to effectively defeat Boko Haram in the state and the country.

“We are confident that Boko Haram will in the next few months be history in Nigeria,” he said.

Earlier, Ekwesi solicited the support of the government and people of the state, especially by offering useful information to the military to enable it to succeed in the fight against terrorism.

“We have the mandate of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, to ensure that Yobe is safe and secure, we will leave no stone unturned to achieve that,” he said. (NAN)

MM/DUA/AMY
Edited by Dada Ahmed and controlled by Abdullahi Yusuf

NAN-DS-9

Police

By Maureen Ojinaka-Nwanosike

Enugu, Sept. 15, 2016 (NAN) The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, has commended the command’s spokesman, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, for writing a book to enhance police-public relations.

Ojukwu made the commendation after receiving copies of the book on behalf of the command in Enugu on Thursday.

He, however, challenged officers and men of the command to come up with intellectual works to strengthen police-public relations.

“I have read the book and discover that it meets the yearnings of those seeking to maintain effective and functional relationship which in turn facilitates mutual understanding and remove communication gap.

“The book will equally serve as a veritable material for practitioners of public relations, protocol management as well as a guide for those that want to be public relations professionals,’’ he said.

He advised officers and men of the command to read the book.

“This book will help you carry out your duties with mutual understanding of the members of the public.’’

Earlier, Amaraizu said that the ever changing face of the public relations profession prompted his desire to write the book.

He added that he was motivated to embark on the exercise to advance the cause of police-public relations.

The image maker stressed the need for proper enlightenment to enhance mutual and beneficial relationship between the police and members of the public.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the book, titled “Public Relations – A Practical Approach,’’ will be presented to the public on Sept. 23. (NAN)

OJI/DUA/MVO
(Edited by Dada Ahmed/Mbadiwe Okwor)

NAN-HG-6
Parents
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 15, 2016 (NAN) Mrs Elizabeth Adebanjo, the Controller of Male Borstal Home Rehabilitation Centre at Ganmo, Ilorin, has urged
parents and guardians to make necessary  follow-ups to the home  so as to monitor the improvements in their wards’ behaviours.

She  made the call  when a Non-Governmental Organisation called “Pious Women Organisation” visited  the centre as part of its activities to mark
the  Eid-el- Kabir  celebration.

According to her, it is displeasing if parents and guardians abandon their young ones at the home and refuse to return and check their  well-being.

Adebanjo thanked the organisation for the visit and commended their interest in the welfare of children under her supervision.

In her remarks, the Coordinator of the organisation, Dr Hamdat Yusuf, urged wealthy individuals, institutions and multi-national companies to assist orphanages and the less privileged members of  the society.

Yusuf,  who is a lecturer at the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, advocated the establishment of a borstal home for females who indulged in criminal activities as they also  needed rehabilitation  like  their male counterparts.

She assured the children of the home of better future if they were determined to change their ways for the better.

The senior lecturer described the centre as “a giant stride” toward remoulding the character of  juvenile delinquents.

She stressed the need for them to shun  life of criminality and  get re-branded as  good children.

The National Vice President of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Hajiya Biliqees Oladimeji, encouraged the inmates to have  faith in God  and  be obedient to their parents and constituted authorities.

Oladimeji also urged them to be determined toward being good citizens who  would make positive contributions to the development of the nation.

She urged government at all levels to give priority to the wellbeing of  children so as to curb social ills, saying that social intervention programmes
would impact the deviants  in the society. (NAN)
OOH/OSA/HA
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(Edited by Shittu Obassa/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-68
Institutes
By Sumaila Ogbaje

Abuja, Sept. 15, 2016 (NAN) The UN has decided to establish two Aviation Security Training Schools in Nigeria to help  boost safety and security in the country’s aviation sector.

Mr James Odaudu, Deputy Director, Press & Public Affairs, Ministry of Transportation,  announced the plan in a statement  in Abuja on Thursday.

The  United Nations-appointed Project Manager for the schools, Douglas Melvin,  made the disclosure when he visited the Minister of State for  Aviation, Mr  Hadi Sirika, in Abuja, according to Odaudu.

Melvin said the main objective of the project was to support the nation’s overall counter-terrorism strategy by providing a key element of a robust national aviation security policy.

He said that this would help  to mitigate effectively the threat posed to civil aviation by terrorist operatives and their organisations.

Melvin said the initiative would also enhance the capacity within the UN system to help interested member states  implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in an integrated manner.

He  said that the objective also involved assisting the partnering member states with the implementation of their strategy in addressing the multiple dimensions of countering terrorism.

Melvin said the choice of Nigeria out of 25 countries considered was in appreciation of its clear  roadmap in developing the aviation sector, with particular emphasis on safety and security.

“The country stands to reap more benefits than the training of its aviation security personnel by the best available security experts, Melvin said.

He said other benefits included the provision of, and exposure to hi-tech Aviation Security equipment and the generation of revenue from training of aviation security personnel from other countries.

The UN representative also informed the minister that the forthcoming UN General Assembly was billed to make a proclamation on aviation security with specific reference to Nigeria.

He said the step underscored the importance attached to the project as a flagship and high profile one which the country was privileged to be a beneficiary.

Responding, Sirika commended the UN for recognising and identifying with the government’s vision and efforts to establish and nurture a safe and secure world class aviation industry.

He assured him of the government’s readiness to provide all that was needed for the effective take-off and operation of the two institutes to be located in Abuja and Lagos.

The minister emphasised the need for an integrated international counter-terrorism strategy which the organisation was set to address through the establishment of the schools.

He also described the choice of Nigeria for the institutes as a massive boost to the nation’s desire to become a regional aviation hub.

“The project is to be fully funded by the UN and delivered by the UK Department of Transportation.

“Nigeria is expected to participate in the provision of training premises and supply of low-cost aviation training equipment, among others,’’ he said. (NAN)

OYS//DO/JCE

(Edited by David Onilede/Chukwudi Ekezie)

Philanthropist advises FG to provide farm inputs for IDPs
NAN-AE-9
Inputs
Yola, Sept. 15, 2016 (NAN) Mr Daniel Richard, a philanthropist in Adamawa on Thursday urged the Federal Government to provide farming inputs for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Richard gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola.

According to him, keeping IDPs without engaging them poses a security threat in the near future.

He noted that the bulk of the IDPs were farmers, and wonder why government would continue to spend huge resources to feed them.

“The problem of IDPs in the Northeast will be the worst catastrophe we shall experience in the near future if not addressed.

“All the IDPs are farmers, because you cannot find traders among them, neither will you find civil servants among them.

“It will be better if government can open farms and provide farm inputs for them, and you will discover that all of these people will be engaged and leave the camps.

“This idea of keeping them and feeding them is providing opportunities for some people to make money.

“It is not humane to subject people who have their way of life to confinement under the platform of IDPs for too long.

“Their continuous stay in those camps could breed a lot of vices, especially now that you find a lot of indecent activities going on in the camps.

“I believe the government knows what to do but decided to do the reverse, and I advice government to try this and it will see that camps will empty within shortest possible time.’’

The philanthropist urged the people of the state to improve their agricultural practices for self sustainability.

According to him, the era of sharing money on the table is gone because the crude oil business has crashed.

He encouraged the youth to learn to be self-employed, adding that white-collar jobs now, would be difficult to come by in a recessed economy.

He also advised the government to provide an enabling environment for entrepreneurship.

“I want to sound it clear that the era of sharing money is gone

“It is not about APC or PDP, even if Goodluck Jonathan had won, it would have been the same because our economy is in recession.

“Nobody should think Buhari is bad, it is a situation we have found ourselves, but I must mention that most of our challenges are self inflicted.

“No one drinks oil and go to sleep but everybody eats food, but we neglected agriculture and depended on crude oil for too long and today, we are facing the hardship.

“People should only improve on their agricultural practices, farming has been a way of live to our people so, you must not wait until you are told to go back to farm,’’ Richard said.

Richard, who is also an international business mogul recently renovated the Garkida General Hospital in Garkida, his home town at the cost of N65 million.

He also had distributed several trucks of fertiliser to farmers in his community. (NAN)
by Ekemini Ladejobi/Felix Ajide
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NCC conducts compliance exercise on Automated Vehicular tracking services

NAN-H-64
NCC
By Constance Athekame
Abuja, Sept 15, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), on Thursday said it had conducted a compliance monitoring exercise on Automated Vehicular Tracking Service (AVTS) Licensees in the second quarter of 2016.

The commission made this known in its 2016 Second Quarter Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Reports.

“Given the peculiar security issues associated with the provision of vehicle tracking services and given concerns of increasing activities of illegal operators in this market segment.

“It became most imperative that a comprehensive compliance monitoring checks is done,’’ the commission said.

According to the report, the monitoring checks centred on the Registration of SIM Cards used for the Automatic Vehicle Tracking Services (AVTS), is consistent with the provisions of the NCC Telephone Subscribers Registration Regulation 2011.

“The prevalence of unauthorised/illegal operations in the AVTS segment of the market.

“Appropriate pricing or tariff for AVT Services in Nigerian market to ensure that service providers get adequate returns for their investment and guarantee the sustainability of this market.

“Delays in obtaining security clearance from the Directorate of State Security Services (SSS) as a prerequisite for licensing of AVTS operators.

“Competition within the AVT Services, especially given the activities of Mobile Networks Operators (MNO) who appear interested in both the upstream and downstream segment of the market;

“Emerging services from technological advancement in mechatronics engineering, among others,’’ it said.

The report said that the commission intended to commence enforcement action against all defaulters to recover the debt.  (NAN)
COA/EAL/GY
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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi/Grace Yussuf

NAN-HG-4

Subsidy

Bauchi, Sept. 15, 2016 (NAN) The Bauchi State chapter of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN), has introduced a 50 per cent subsidy on drugs purchased by diabetic patients at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.

The DAN state Secretary, Mrs Uwa Abubakar, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Thursday that the measure was aimed at making the drugs affordable to the registered members of the association.

She said that the sum of N1.5 million assistance given to the association by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, would be used to sustain the subsidy.

“Diabetes drugs are very expensive and most of those battling with diabetes in the state are low income earners, who cannot afford sustaining themselves on the drugs indefinitely.

“In most cases, the condition of members degenerates because of lack of enough resources to keep to the rules, one of which is the use of drugs.

“We are therefore hopeful that the initiative of subsidising the drugs will go a long way in addressing the challenge,” she said.

Abubakar, however, noted that continuing the subsidy arrangement after the N1.5 million had been exhausted, would depend on any further assistance from government, individuals or organisations.

“The N1.5 million assistance is not a revolving fund and will therefore keep depleting; by the time it is exhausted, there will be no more money to continue the gesture.

“We are therefore imploring the State Government, public-spirited individuals and organisations to help in sustaining the gesture,” she pleaded.

The secretary thanked the management of the ATBU hospital for supporting the association with medical personnel and facilities.

According to her, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr Mohammed Alkali, who is the National President of DAN, has assisted immensely in sustaining programmes initiated by the association.

Meanwhile, some members of the association, who spoke to NAN on the subsidy, described the initiative as ‘long overdue’.

“On each clinic day, I spend at least N5, 000 in purchasing different types of drugs that will last for just two weeks.

With the 50 per cent subsidy, I will now spend N2, 500 and this is a big relief; N2, 500 in this hard times is no small money,” said Mohammed Aliyu, a pensioner.

Also, Mrs Hauwa Usman, a housewife, lauded the gesture but lamented that its sustenance would depend on further assistance.

“During clinic days, 70 per cent of those in attendance are women, which means that we (women) are the key beneficiaries of the subsidy,” she said. (NAN)

AE/ASH/ASH/YEMI

Edited and controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju

NAN-DS-8

By Angela Atabo

Collaboration

Abuja Sept.15, 2016(NAN) Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal ,Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), said the commission would collaborate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to fight corruption through data sharing and training.

Oyeyemi made this known when Mr Ibrahim Magu, Chairman, EFFC, paid a courtesy call on him on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the visit was in furtherance  of  President  Muhammadu Buhari’s call for stronger  bond  among all the security agencies in the country.

Oyeyemi said that the commission had trained EFCC’s personnel on accessibility to the national data base of drivers’ licence, vehicle registration and offenders’ record to make their work easier.

“The visit is more of strengthening the bond between FRSC and EFCC; there are some verification portals that we have that can be useful to EFCC.

“ Having eliminated the paper work, the EFCC has unrestricted access to the platform of the corps to be able to carry out its primary responsibilities.

“These are  in terms of anti corruption issue, money laundering and other areas that they are assigned to .

“So, we are bound and compelled to give them maximum support; we are going to be involved in the training of their personnel for the verification portal to make their work more easier .’’

The corps marshal said that the FRSC had developed a curriculum to be incorporated into the EFCC’s training programme as it did for other agencies.

He said the essence was for all the agencies to work together and achieve the key benefit of the inter agency cooperation.

“We are under the same government and this structure is available to all the security agencies ; we have trained some of them and will continue by providing regular training and update to them.

“That is the best practice, and with the commitment and exposure level of the corps, owing to the fact that we already have a desk officer in EFCC’s intelligence unit, it would be achieved.’’

The Corps Marshal said the FRSC would fortify its activities in terms of patrol to be able to carry out operations to provide necessary feedback to the commission and other security agencies as may be required.

Earlier,  Magu  expressed the need to collaborate with the FRSC because it was  also a  law  enforcement agency.

Magu said his visit to FRSC was an eye opener  on the need for inter agency to cooperate and explore the possible areas of partnership.

“The FRSC have data base that EFCC can use; we are trying to see how we can reduce our work load by working with other similar law enforcement agencies.
“We can share database as FRSC has very useful information to use; so, we will work together to improve each other.(NAN)
ATAB/DO/AMY

Edited by David Onilede and controlled by Abdullahi Yusuf

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NAN-H-55
Aide
Lagos, Sept. 15, 2016 (NAN) A former aide to ex president Goodluck Jonathan, Warpamo Dudafa, on Thursday appeared before a Federal High Court, Lagos charged with 15 million dollars fraud.

Dudafa, a former Special Assistant on domestic affairs to the ex president, is charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  (EFCC) with six others.

The accused persons are charged on  15 counts bordering on conspiracy and fraud.

Others charged with Dudafa are Amajuoyi Briggs and Adedamola Bolodeoku.

Also on the charge sheet are four companies: Pluto Properties and Investment Company, Seagate Property Development Company, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd, and Avalon Global Property Ltd.

When the case was called on Thursday, the four companies announced their representation as follows: Friday David  (Pluto Properties and Investment Company)  and Agbor Obaro (Sea Gate Property Development Company).
Also, Fredrick Dioghowori announced his representation for Trans Ocean Property Ltd, while Taiwo Ebenezer represented Avalon Global properties Ltd.
After the charges were read to the accused, the first, second and third accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Meanwhile, the four individuals representing the companies listed in the charge, each pleaded guilty to the offences.

Following the guilty plea of the companies, the EFCC prosecution led by Mr Rotimi Oyedepo,  prayed the court to allow a short time for review of the facts, adding that he would not waste the time of the court.

The trial judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, however, declined prosecution’s request and said he would adjourn the matter to a future date.
Meanwhile, counsel representing the second and third accused, Messrs Tochukwu Onyiuke, and Joseph Okebiemen, informed the court of a bail application filed on behalf of their clients, which had not been opposed.
They urged the court to admit the accused to bail on liberal terms.
Counsel representing the first accused, Mr Gboyega Oyewole, also informed the court that his client was already on bail on existing conditions granted by a brother judge,

He urged the court to allow his client enjoy same bail.
To this request of counsel, Kuewumi declined granting bail to the first accused and ordered him to file a formal application for bail before the court.
The court however, granted bail to the second and third accused in the sum of N250 million with one surety in like sum.
The judge added that the sureties must be owners of landed properties in Lagos, and if a public servant, such surety must produce a letter of introduction from his employer.
The judge also ordered the sureties to submit evidence of tax clearance.
He adjourned the case to Sept. 27 for continuation and ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody pending perfection of their bail.
In the amended charge, the EFCC alleged that the accused between Nov. 13, 2013 and June 2015, used the different companies to commit the offences.
The accused were alleged to have conspired to retain over 15 million dollars, which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of crime.
The alleged offences are said to be contrary to and punishable under sections 15 (d), 17(a), 18(a), and 27 (3) (c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.
The offences are said to have also contravened the provisions of sections 1(2) (c), and 1(19) (6) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
It also contravened the provisions of sections 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2012. (NAN)
UNS/JCE
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