Nigeria Newswatch

Italy To Pay Nigerians, Others €700 To Stay In Its Villages

2019-09-12T07:53:00.009+01:00

The town of Caltanissetta in Sicily, Italy, have opened the doors of its vacant homes to asylum seekers, who have crossed the Mediterranean from Libya.

In another region in the south of Italy called Molise, new comers including Nigerian migrants will be given €700 to stay in one of its villages for three months, according to The GuardianUK.

These persons are, however, mandated to open a business and the population of each village is to be kept under 2,000.

“We wanted to do more; we wanted people to invest here. They can open any sort of activity: a bread shop, a stationery shop, a restaurant, anything.

“It’s a way to breathe life into our towns while also increasing the population.

“If we had offered funding, it would have been yet another charity gesture,” Donato Toma, President of Molise, said.

Toma said if a village can keep its population under 2,000, they will be given €10,000 per month to build infrastructure and hold cultural activities.

The International Organisation for Migration reports that in the second quarter of 2018, Nigerians made up 13 per cent of the migrant population in Italy, a spot it shared with fellow West African state, Guinea.

The offer by the President of Molise is appetising to Nigeria’s Igbo retailers and importers, who build dynasties as well as expand their footprint through informal apprenticeships.
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NLNG Signs Letter Of Intent On Delayed Gas Expansion Project

2019-09-12T07:53:00.007+01:00

The Nigerian Natural Liquefied Gas LTD has signed a letter of intent for the engineering, procurement and construction of its long held up Train Seven project.

In a statement released by the company on Wednesday, it said that the $10bn project will be executed by a consortium of Italian firm Saipem, Japan’s Chiyoda and South Korea’s Daewoo.

The statement reads, “The project will form part of the investment of over $10bn including the upstream scope of the LNG value chain, thereby boosting the much needed Foreign Direct Investment profile of Nigeria.”

Managing Director of NLNG, Tony Atta, said in 2018 that the Final Investment Decision would be made in the fourth quarter of that year.

This did not however, materialize.

According to the release, the project will have a four to five-year execution time after the signing of the FID.

The project is expected to add an extra 8 million tons per annum of gas to the 22 mtpa currently exported by the company.
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Ondo Government To Begin Clamp Down On Pubs In Reserved Areas

2019-09-12T07:53:00.005+01:00

A clamp down on pubs would soon begin mostly in Government Reserved Areas in Ondo State.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in the state, Rasheed Badmus, disclosed this on Wednesday.

Badmus said the decision to demolish such facilities was occasioned by rising cases of insecurity in the state.

He said, “All pubs in Alagbaka and Ijapo areas would soon be demolished and we have already marked them.

“We have visited and served all of them quit notice that we will not tolerate any attachment in our GRAs.

“We noticed that those engaging in this illegal activities failed to respond and we need to take prompt action.

“After drinking, they always terrorise the area, we have given them notice for over 10 months now.”
Badmus further explained that the state government will not pay any compensation to owners of structures being used as pubs.
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Tribunal Verdict: Shehu Sani, Fani-Kayode React To Buhari's Victory

2019-09-12T07:53:00.003+01:00

Reactions have continued to trail the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja upholding the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 2019 elections.

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, had filed a petition challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s announcement of Buhari as winner of the election.

But following Wednesday’s verdict by the tribunal, former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode tweeting @realFFK, wondered why Nigerians were surprised at the outcome of the tribunal.
He alleged that Buhari rigged the courts in his favour.

He said, “If anyone is surprised by today's ruling in the @Atiku/@MBuhari case, then they still don't understand the nature of the beast we are fighting and the gravity of the situation we are in.

“They didn't just rig the election, they rigged the courts too! They control all three arms of government.”

Using a biblical illustration, Senator Shehu Sani called on Nigerians to girdle up for the journey ahead.

He said, “All yea who climbeth the Mount Sinai today, hoping to see the Sun riseth from the West, can now descend and head to Damascus, and taketh along with thee a stock of olive and pots of water from the Euphrates. The journey ahead is of the Lord.”
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10 Women Released By Bandits In Katsina

2019-09-12T07:53:00.001+01:00

No fewer than 10 women including a four-year-old baby have been released by repentant bandits in Katsina State, a statement by the state government said on Wednesday.

The government is currently engaged in dialogue with bandits terrorising Katsina in order to restore peace and normalcy to the affected areas.

It was gathered that the victims regained their freedom few hours after the government released seven bandits, who had been in detention.

The statement issued by Director of Press in the office of the Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Mr Abdullahi Yar’adua, said that those released were kidnapped two weeks ago from Shimfida Village in Jibia Local Government Area.

Governor Aminu Masari had in the last one week been meeting with the bandits to broker agreement for lasting peace in the state.

The council areas affected by the activities of bandits are Dandume, Sabuwa, Faskari, Kankara, Safana, Danmusa, Batsari and Jibiya.
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BREAKING: Nigerians Evacuated From South Africa Arrive Lagos

2019-09-12T03:48:00.019+01:00

Some Nigerians evacuated from South Africa over the recent spate of xenophobic attacks in the country, have landed in Lagos.

The Air Peace flight, which evacuated them on Wednesday, arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at exactly 9:35pm.

More to come...
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BREAKING: Buhari Reacts To Tribunal Victory, Says "We Are Now Vindicated"

2019-09-12T03:48:00.017+01:00

President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to his victory at the election petition tribunal on Wednesday, calling it a vindication of his well deserved victory.

The tribunal dismissed Atiku Abubakar's petition challenging the results of the 2019 presidential election for not being able to prove satisfactorily all the allegations he brought before the panel.

In his response on Wednesday evening in a series of tweets, President Buhari tweeting @Mbuhari said, "Today’s ruling is a well-deserved victory for Nigerians who trooped out overwhelmingly to elect us for a second term in office.

"I was unperturbed all along because I knew Nigerians freely gave us the mandate. We are now vindicated!

"I dedicate this victory to the Almighty God and to all Nigerians. And I commend the judiciary for dispensing justice without fear or favour.

"I am hereby extending a hand of fellowship to everyone who felt aggrieved at the outcome of the election and went to court."
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HURIWA Condemns Judgment Of Presidential Election Tribunal

2019-09-12T03:48:00.015+01:00

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has condemned the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal THAT dismissed the petition filed by candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari during the February 23, 2019, election.

In a statement on Wednesday, the group said it was horrified by the judgment, stating that the judicial system is compromised and tainted by political loyalty.

The statement reads, “We are not surprised that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has wrongly confirmed the overwhelming perception of most critical-minded Nigerians that nothing good will ever come out from the current contraption we call the Nigerian judicial system.

“The Nigerian judicial system as it is currently constituted is dysfunctional, is compromised, is tainted politically, is populated and driven physically by people with the wrong mindset who are not patriotic, who are not committed to the real essence of justice as it should be.”

The group said it was befuddling that the tribunal dismissed important issued raised by Abubakar and his party, stating that Nigerians are interested in verifying if President Buhari indeed has a secondary school certificate as required by law.

The tribunal had upheld that the certificate of President Buhari with the Nigerian Military was higher than a secondary school certificate and therefore he was ‘eminently’ qualified to contest for the position of president.

However, HURIWA said the constitution was clear on the educational requirement for anyone willing to participate in Nigerian elections.

The group said, “It is inconceivable that the judiciary would close its eyes to the fact that there are lingering debates and argument strong enough to disqualify one of the candidates which are the exact whereabouts of the secondary school certificate.

“If the constitution says you need at least a (secondary) school certificate, what the constitution means is that the secondary school certificate is the minimum benchmark.

“Secondly, we are highly disappointed in the first instance by the dismissal of the application that was filed by the petitioner seeking to get the Supreme Court's nod to compel INEC to allow the petitioners to supervise the server.”
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FBI Arrests 167 Alleged Scammers In Nigeria, Seizes $3.7m

2019-09-12T03:48:00.013+01:00

The United State Federal Bureau of Investigation said it has arrested 167 alleged Business Email Compromise fraudsters in Nigeria and seized nearly $3.7m.

The US Department of Justice made the disclosure in a statement released on Tuesday, stating that a total of 281 arrests were made within the United States and overseas.

There were “167 in Nigeria, 18 in Turkey and 15 in Ghana. Arrests were also made in France, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom”.

The FBI said the alleged fraudsters do not only focus on businesses but also individuals.

It said same criminal organisations that perpetrate BEC also exploit individual victims, often real estate purchasers, the elderly, and others, by convincing them to make wire transfers to bank accounts controlled by the criminals.

The statement said, “Foreign citizens perpetrate many BEC scams. Those individuals are often members of transnational criminal organizations, which originated in Nigeria but have spread throughout the world.”
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US Charges 22-year-old Nigerian For Money Laundering

2019-09-12T03:48:00.011+01:00

A 22-year-old Nigerian, Abasiakara Ekanem, has been charged alongside four others for alleged offences of conspiracy and money laundering in the United States.

The United States Department of Justice disclosed that Ekanem and the other defendants were part of those indicted in another court in Witchita for international fraud.

Others mentioned include King Essien, 26, Franklin Okapu, 20, Oluwatimileyin Diyaolu, 21, Emmanuel Daramola, 22.

According to the DoJ, the indictment alleged that the defendants received money from victims of fraud in the United States and foreign countries.

The department said, “Essien’s account received cash depots of more than $190,000, international wire transfers of more than $120,000 and domestic wire transfers of more than $88,000. Two-thirds of the money was transferred to bank accounts in Nigeria and Ghana.

“Okapu’s accounts received cash deposits of more than $67,000 and total deposits of more than $337,000, including domestic transfers, money orders and cashier’s deposits.

“Diyaolu’s accounts received total deposits of more than $572,000. Three-quarters of the money was transferred to bank accounts in Nigeria.

“Daramola’s accounts received total deposits of more than $283,000. More than two-thirds of the money was transferred to bank accounts in Nigeria.

“Ekanem’s accounts received total deposits of more than $208,000. Almost half the money was withdrawn as cash.”

Together, the defendants allegedly transferred more than $923,000 to an unindicted conspirator in Lagos, Nigeria, and more than $211,000 to another unindicted conspirator in Lagos, Nigeria.

If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $500,000.
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Court Strikes Out Akume’s Petition Against Orker-Jev

2019-09-12T03:48:00.009+01:00

The National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, has thrown out the petition filed by Senator George Akume challenging the victory of Senator Emmanuel Orker-Jev representing Benue North-West Senatorial District.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had returned Orker-Jev of the Peoples Democratic Party as winner of the February 23, 2019 election.

Akume had approached the tribunal to upturn Orker-Jev's victory and declare him as the substantive winner.

In his judgment, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice P. O Odudu, maintained that the petition challenging the election did not cover less than 404 polling units but the petitioner had brought less than 20 witnesses.

Odudu said, “The petitioner is required to provide evidence polling unit by polling unit, ward by ward.

“Even if all 20 witnesses’ evidence were to be proven, it would just be like a drop of water in an ocean and therefore of no consequence to the overall result.”

He, therefore, dismissed the petition and awarded N100,000 damages each to the first and second respondents (Orker-Jev and INEC), who were joined in the petition to be paid by the petitioner.
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Scientists Discover New Planet With Water

2019-09-12T03:48:00.007+01:00

Astronomers at the University College London, say they have discovered water on a potentially habitable planet.

The BBC said their findings were published in the Scientific Journal.

The scientists believe that up to half of the planet is made up of water.

Prof Giovanna Teneti, the lead scientist on the project, said the discovery made on the planet named K2-18B, was ‘mind-blowing.’

She said, “This is the first time that we have detected water on a planet in the habitable zone around a star where the temperature is potentially compatible with the presence of life.

“Within the next 10 years, we will know whether there are chemicals that are due to life in those atmospheres.”

K2-18b is the only planet that showed it had water in it out of all the planets discovered by the Hubble Telescope between 2016 and 2017.
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Tribunal Verdict: We’ll Study Judgment, Secondus Says

2019-09-12T03:48:00.005+01:00

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, has said that the party would study the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal that affirmed the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari during the February 23 election.

Secondus disclosed this shortly after the ruling of the tribunal in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that the legal team of the party would go through the verdict and come up with an official position for them to decide whether to appeal or not.

But while reacting to the tribunal on his own part, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, urged the PDP to close ranks with the administration of President Buhari in moving the country forward.

He said, “It is time now to close ranks and work with the President and assist him to deliver on his mandate.

“It is a win-win for all and I don't think PDP has lost. They suspected that we cheated and they have been reassured that they were not cheated.

“I want to appeal to PDP and let them know that Nigeria is one country and the argument is about who is preferred to rule and govern the country.

“Now that we have put this behind us, there should be no further distractions.

“We all can come together both the opposition and the ruling party through constructive engagement and assist government to do what it has to do to ensure that life is better for the average Nigerian.”
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PDP Rejects Tribunal Ruling, Heads To Court

2019-09-12T03:48:00.003+01:00

The Peoples Democratic Party has rejected the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, describing it as a “subversion of justice”.

The tribunal had on Wednesday in Abuja struck out the petition of the PDP and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 23 election.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement after the ruling said that the party was shocked that the tribunal failed to point to justice despite the flawless evidence laid before it.

He insisted that President Buhari was not only unqualified to contest the election but also did not score the majority of valid votes at the polls.

He said, “The PDP finds it as bewildering that a court of law could validate a clear case of perjury and declaration of false information in a sworn affidavit, as firmly established against President Muhammadu Buhari even in the face of incontrovertible evidence.

“The tribunal raked up all manner of excuses to make up for the yawning gaps occasioned by the total absence of any evidence from the respondents.

“Nigerians and the international community watched in utter disbelief when the tribunal ruled that one need not provide a copy or certified true copy of educational certificate such individual claimed to possess. This is contrary to established proof of claims of certification.”

He urged all the party supporters not to lose hope and remain calm as the PDP’s lawyers are “upbeat in obtaining justice at the Supreme Court”.
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Foreign Students To Be Allowed To Stay Two Years In UK After Graduation

2019-09-12T03:48:00.001+01:00

Britain’s Government on Wednesday announced new post-Brexit immigration plans that will allow international students to work in the country for two years after graduating.

Business Secretary, Andrea Leadsom, said the change was aimed at attracting the “brightest and the best from around the world” and a sign of “the United Kingdom’s ambition once we have left the European Union”.

“Instead of being open to free movement from just the, the United Kingdom will be able to take advantage of a global talent pool… and that’s something that’s a great advantage for us,” she told BBCradio.

Leadsom said the government wanted to increase the number of international students in Britain 30 per cent to 600,000 by 2030, with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and maths, collectively known as STEM subjects.

International students currently make up half of all full-time post-graduate STEM students in the country.

They can currently remain in Britain for up to four months after completing their studies, with the new rules now set to come into effect for those starting courses next year.

“Giving them that two-year period will enable them to find a job that befits their degree,” Leadsom added.

“There are so many new skills and new industries that are just now emerging, and we do want to be able to attract a global talent pool of people,” she added.

Students will need to have successfully completed a degree from a “trusted” British university or higher education provider, which “has a proven track record in upholding immigration checks and other rules,” according to the government.
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Armed Security Agents Surround Tribunal Venue As Atiku, Buhari Await Judgment

2019-09-11T15:41:00.013+01:00

Security has been beefed up around the Appeal Court Abuja venue of 2019 presidential election petitions tribunal ahead of the judgment by the five-man panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, today.

Armed anti-riot policemen have taken positions on the premises and outside to forestall a possible breakdown of law and order.

Water canon trucks are also on standby to deal with likely protesters.

The courtroom is filled to the brim and with security operatives subjecting journalists and lawyers to rigorous checks.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari's Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, Minister of State for Niger Delta, Festus Keyamo, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu are already inside the court .
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‘Atiku Is Coming’, Some Nigerians Say As Nation Awaits Tribunal Judgment

2019-09-11T15:41:00.011+01:00

The presidential election petitions tribunal will in a matter of hours today decide if President Muhammdu Buhari actually won the 2019 presidential poll or Atiku Abubakar was the legitimate winner.

Since the notice became public, Nigerians have spared no comment in anticipation of the judgment.
Supporters of President Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and that of Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been trending #AtikuBusted and #Atiku hashtags, respectively on Twitter.

Tosin Olaluwoye who tweets @tosin_olaluwoye said today's judgment was the first phase as the case might drag up to the Supreme Court.

“Today is really not the end of the presidential election wahala. Regardless of who the #PEPT declares winner today, those saying #AtikuIsComing and those saying #AtikuBusted (and NOT coming) will have to wait for the supreme court judgment. May Nigeria win,” he said.

Other more partisan supporters are hopeful that the judgment would further scuttle Abubakar’s ambition.

“Today is the day that the Lord has made. Judgment day. Thanking God Almighty because #AtikuIsNotComing because #AtikuHasNoCase as #AtikuBusted several times,” ‘Kunle Adeniran tweeted.

Another user, Kenneth Cole tweeted, “Today! Today!! pesin go cry sooteeeeey!!!#AtikuIsNotComing #AtikuHasNoCase #AtikuBusted.”

Similarly, Benard Loveth @Benardloveth said, “Atiku will finally enter RELIGATION tomorrow.”
However, some others are hopeful that “Atiku is coming”.

Eze Otuonye, @ezejeanpaul, tweeted: “#AtikuIsComing The solution for the judges is cancel the Feb 19th election Give a 60 days to conduct fresh presidential elections, give Buhari a warning to present original weac in 60 days or forfeit contesting while Buhari is confused, elections held and Atiku wins.”

“Today I'll know whether it's safer for somebody to choose a path as a bus conductor or as someone that will end up in this gown/wig. They call them lawyers but by end of today, I'll have a name for them. #AtikuIsComing is not about Atiku but about JUST WEIGHT for #Nigeria,” Ayemojubar said.

Grace Okagbare also tweeted: “Dear Daddy @atiku In d public court, you have obviously been served justice as d winner of the presidential poll. And at the tribunal, one thing is now clear and would be registered in our history forever; Nigeria was raped & you rose to the occasion to save her. #AtikuIscoming.”
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CBN Governor Emefiele Shuns Panel Investigating Nigeria's Abandoned Projects

2019-09-11T15:41:00.009+01:00

Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria's governor, and the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Nelson Braimbraifa, as well as his directors were absent as the House of Representatives began probe of abandoned projects in Niger Delta in Abuja on Tuesday.

The House Committee on NDDC, who frowned upon the development, therefore ordered Braimbraifa and his directors to appear before them on Friday.

However, they asked Emefiele to appear on Monday.

The panel threatened to order their arrest if they failed to invitations.

A member of the committee, Buba Yusuf, raised a point of order to call the attention of the panel to the fact that the stakeholders critical to the investigation were not at the event.

Yusuf cited Section 89(1) of the Constitution, saying, “I have observed that the very relevant stakeholders that are supposed to be here for the success of this public hearing are not here. The NDDC is a major stakeholder in this investigation and I am sure we have written to them twice and there was no response.

“We all know that Section 89 of the Constitution has empowered this committee to summon anybody, no matter how highly placed, to come before us to give evidence.”

The Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, was represented by the Director, Federation Account, Sabo Mohammed, while the Auditor General of the Federation, Anthony Ayine, was represented by the Director of Audit, Julius Isiuku.

The chairman of the panel, Nicholas Ossai said their first letter was received by the NDDC on August 14, with a reminder sent on August 23 when there was no response from the commission to the first letter.

He said, “Up till now, there is no response from them and it shows that they are above the law. But our constitution does not allow that.”

Ossai also read a letter by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to the committee in which the ministry sought permission to appear before the committee at a later date.

However, the chairman said, “You will recall that recently the ministers (Godwin Akpabio and Festus Keyamo) gave instructions to the NDDC on a national daily. So, I find it very difficult to believe that they have not been interacting with the commission. It is strange for such a letter to have come.

“The NDDC is not above the National Assembly or the management of the NDDC. I believe that Yusuf Buba is in the right direction.”

The House unanimously agreed to summon Emefiele and Braimbraifa.

Ossai said, “My ruling is that this honourable committee, in line with Sections 62, 88 and 89(1)(a)(b) and (c) of the Constitution that empower this committee to investigate the abandoned projects in the NDDC and to procure all necessary instruments to arrive at a reasonable conclusion, also summons the CBN Governor to appear before this committee on Monday next week.”

Meanwhile, a former Minister of Housing, Chief Nduese Essien, on Tuesday, faulted the governors opposing the constitution of the NDDC board.

Essien, who is also a former member of the House of Representatives, made his position known in a statement.

Essien, who was part of the team that drafted the NDDC Act, said the claims and counter-claims on the distribution of key posts in the agency were unnecessary, saying the government did the right thing.

He said under the law establishing the commission, the post of the chairman was to rotate among the nine-member states, Punch reports.
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Ekiti University Student In Possession Of Weapon During Protest - Police

2019-09-11T15:41:00.007+01:00

The police in Ekiti State said that they had recovered a weapon from one of the protesting students of Federal University, Ado Ekiti.

Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, Caleb Ikechukwu, stated: “A weapon has been recovered from the protesting student."

The management said three students were injured in the protest.
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Ajimobi 'Constituted Authority' Loses Bid To Join Club Of Ex-Governors In Senate

2019-09-11T15:41:00.005+01:00

Reputed for his disdain and arrogance, former Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has lost his battle to join the horde of ex-governors in the Nigerian senate.

He lost the bid to become a senator at the election petitions tribunal sitting in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo.

The tribunal on Tuesday dismissed his petition challenging the victory of Senator Kola Balogun in the Ibadan South senatorial district election.

The tribunal held that Ajimobi failed to prove all the allegations of corruption against the lawmaker.

It noted that a margin of 13,502 votes between the votes cast for Balogun and Ajimobi, adding that the discrepancy of 11,759 votes alleged by the APC was far lesser than the difference.

He held that even if the 11,759 was deducted from the total difference of 13,502 votes, Balogun still led by 1,743 votes.

The tribunal added that Ajimobi rested his case on card reader malfunction which could not invalidate the accreditation of voters.

In a related development, the tribunal in another judgment delivered by Justice Sambo Daka upheld the victory of Senator Fatai Buhari in the Ibadan North senatorial district election.

It dismissed the petition filed by a former majority leader in the federal parliament, Mulikat Akande, challenging Buhari’s election.

Justice Daka held that Adeola and her party, PDP, failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt to warrant cancellation of the election held in the senatorial district.
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Tribunal Returns Olujimi To Senate, Cuts Short Dayo Adeyeye's Hope

2019-09-11T15:41:00.003+01:00

The national assembly election petitions tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State has nullified the election of the Senator Dayo Adeyeye.

Delivering the judgment on Tuesday, the three-man tribunal led by Justice Daniel Adeck nullified the victory of Senator Adeyeye as the winner of the Ekiti South senatorial district election.

It nullified elections in some polling units and declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, as the winner of the poll.

The tribunal also anchored its verdict on the recount of the ballots by the contending forces as granted by the court.

Reacting to the ruling, counsel to the senate spokesperson, Rafiu Balogun, faulted the judgment and said it would be challenged tat the court of appeal.
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Bandits, Kidnappers Killed 1,400 People In Nigeria In 6 Months - UN

2019-09-11T15:41:00.001+01:00

At least 1,400 people have been killed by kidnappers and bandits in the last six months, says the United Nations.

The UN Country Director, Edward Kallon, disclosed this in Makurdi, at a meeting with Governor Samuel Ortom, noting that killings by armed herdsmen and bandits outweigh killings by the Boko Haram.

“Pockets of conflicts and insecurity in the country at large especially where I am today (Benue), the herders and farmers crisis and also kidnapping and banditry. This is now really getting out of hand.

“The last statistics I saw from the government was that over 1,400 people were killed as a result of kidnapping and banditry since the elections.

“This is not a pleasant statistics,” he said.

Kallon also claimed that institutional failure at all levels of governance was responsible for the killing of over 1,400 persons since March 2019, particularly by armed herdsmen, bandits, and kidnappings.
“We all know the statistics and the menace of herders/farmers problems. There were more people killed by the herders and farmers crisis than the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria.

“When I said this in Abuja, it was not being welcomed but that was one statistics we have. These are all due to weak institutions and governance deficit at the federal, state and local level,” Kallon said.

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Buhari Regime Proposes N9.78 Trillion For 2020

2019-09-11T11:41:00.013+01:00

The federal government has presented the medium-term expenditure framework and fiscal strategy paper proposing a total budget of N9.78 trillion for 2020.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who made the presentation also proposed a budget of N10.1 trillion for 2021 and N10.4 trillion for 2022.

The crude oil benchmark for the 2019 budget is put at $60pb whilst for 2020-2022 is reduced to $55 per barrel with the oil production benchmark put at 2.18 million barrels per day.

Ahmed also noted that the 2020 to 2022 fiscal years would be challenging with respect to revenue generation and rapid growth in personnel costs.

Thus, she argued that the states would be adversely impacted.

The minister added that oil revenue is projected to decline from N3.688 trillion in 2019 to N2.367 trillion in 2020.

This, she said, was due to lower production and lower oil prices.
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Buhari: Boko Haram Are Bandits

2019-09-11T11:41:00.011+01:00

Boko Haram has been degraded but its members are still a nuisance around Lake Chad and surrounding islands, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

Buhari spoke yesterday at State House, Abuja, while receiving Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

He said Nigeria was cooperating with Chad, Cameroon, Niger Republic, and other countries.

The president stated, “We are also using the air force quite effectively. They are bandits, and we will continue to treat them as such.”

Buhari, according to a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) Femi Adesina, also commended the support of the ICRC and other humanitarian organizations.

He said, “The situation of the displaced persons is very pathetic. Some children don’t know where their parents are; neither do they know where they come from.

“We are focusing on education and healthcare, along with the rebuilding of infrastructure. The agency formerly under the leadership of Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd) and now headed by Major-General Paul Tarfa (retd) is quietly making an impression. We are dedicating lots of resources to the area.”

Buhari said ‘great progress’ had been made in disabusing the minds of people that the insurgency was religious.

Maurer, who said Nigeria was the 5th largest operation of ICRC worldwide, stated that the organization would continue to render humanitarian action to people affected by violence. He said the recent killing of its two officials in the North-east shook the organization but not discouraged.

The ICRC president, who said relationship would be further strengthened with Nigeria, added that “the more we see activity from Nigerian authorities, the easier it is for us to add here and there.”
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Sanwo-Olu's First 100 Days, Celebration Of Failure - PDP

2019-09-11T11:41:00.009+01:00

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, yesterday, gave 30 percent score for the 100 days in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The party said the state governor’s 100 days’ celebration was a charade because the first 100 days were marred by “failure and hopelessness".

The spokesman for PDP in Lagos, Taofiq Gani, in a statement, said, “Even by the governor’s own presentations, he can at best score 35 percent mark. Such a celebration of failure ought to have been avoided by any sensitive and honorable government.”

The party said the 100 days celebration was only attended by “APC apologists” who did not give a credible assessment of the governor’s performance.

The statement said, “This is just as the governor again exposed his unpreparedness for the job when he described the Badagry road as being within the Lagos East senatorial district as well as confusing Kogi for Kebbi in the LAKE rice project.

“In struggling to mention achievements, the governor claimed the renovation of primary health centres and construction of 14 classrooms. These are indeed projects funded by NGO and Redeemed Church. The governor who claimed to have installed functional WiFi in Lagos, however, could not mention those areas but only promised to do so.”

Contacted, the acting spokesman of APC, Hon. Abiodun Salami, described the PDP as “attention seekers”, saying the governor has done so well in 100 days especially in the areas of road construction, waste management, the education sector, among others, Daily Trust reports.

Salami said it was evident all the good works the governor has done, claiming that over 150 roads have been fixed in the last 100 days, adding that has eased traffic in the nooks and crannies of the state. According to him, the fact that the PDP scored Sanwo-Olu 35 percent showed that “the man is working.”
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