News Frigate

Boko Haram Attack IDP Camp In Niger Republic, Abducts Nigerian Women, Children

2020-08-04T01:23:00.000+01:00

Boko Haram terrorists have kidnapped many people mostly women and children during an attack on an internally displaced persons camp in Garin Wanzam area of Diffa, Niger Republic. The attack took place on Sunday night while many Muslim families were still celebrating the Id el Kabir festival.

A security source said those abducted were displaced people from Abadam and Mobbar local government areas of Borno State.

He said despite the fact that the area was well guarded by soldiers, the insurgents easily made their way into the camp to carry out their mission before leaving.

"Most Nigerians from Abadam and Mobbar staying in a refugee camp in Garin Wanzam were abducted last night by Boko Haram,” the source said. “The total number of people taken away can’t be ascertained now,” he added.

There are an estimated 75,000 Nigerian refugees from Borno State in Niger Republic.

This is aside the estimated 50,000, who fled to neighbouring Cameroon from communities such as Bama, Gwoza, Kala-Balge, Gamboru-Ngala and Dikwa following consistent attacks by Boko Haram terrorists.

Thousands of persons have been killed in the decade-long deadly campaign by Boko Haram while millions more have been displaced after their communities were razed by the insurgents.

Constitution amendment: NASS expects inputs from NBA, says Lawan

2020-08-01T22:59:00.001+01:00

Punchng.com reports: The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has congratulated Olumide Akpata on his election as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association.

Lawan, who also congratulated other newly elected executives of the association, noted that the National Assembly counts on inputs from the NBA to amend the country’s constitution.

This was contained in a statement on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi.

In the statement titled, “Senate President congratulates new NBA President, Olumide Akpata”, Lawan noted that Akpata and his team convinced their learned colleagues that they possess the experience, integrity, and capacity to lead the association, urging them to live up to the high expectations.

He added, “The need for cooperation between the National Assembly and the NBA is even more cogent now in the light of the impending process of constitutional amendment on which the designated parliamentary Committee is poised to go full blast as soon as Parliament resumes from the current recess.

“We at the National Assembly will count on the inputs of members of the public and in particular the respected members of the bar in the efforts to finetune our constitution.”

Worship centres to reopen in Lagos on August 7

2020-08-01T22:57:00.002+01:00

Guardian.ng reports: Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday announced that worship centres in the state will be opened from Friday, August 7.

Sanwo-Olu announced the reopening of worship centres at a press conference where he gave updates on how the state is managing the global pandemic.

“Places of worship in Lagos will now be opened from Friday, the 7th of August for our Muslim worshippers, and on Sunday, the 9th of August for our Christian worshippers,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Worship centres and other social gatherings were banned in the state since March as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Although the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 had approved the reopening of churches and mosques in the country, the Lagos State government said the centres will remain shut as it is the epicentre of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Currently, Lagos State has 14,983 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 2,200 discharged and 194 deaths recorded.

While the government is gradually easing the lockdown, Sanwo-Olu, however, stated that persons of 65 years old and above are advised to stay at home.

He noted that places of worship are to have their “regular once a week service at designated days. For the avoidance of doubt, there will be Friday worships for our Muslim followers and Sunday worships for our Christian followers.

“We will monitor this for the next couple of weeks and see how the observation and compliance get as we move along. They are encouraged to have multiple services on those days but they should restrict it to those designated days of worship.”

The governor announced that the gatherings should not exceed 50 persons from the previously announced 20 people limit per social gatherings.

Sanwo-Olu stated that restaurants, social clubs who have met the conditions are permitted to open from Friday, August 14 for in-dinning but did not permit reopening of night clubs.

Panel led by ex-Irish president clears Akinwumi Adesina of all allegations

2020-07-28T15:11:00.000+01:00

TheCable.ng reports: Akinwumi Adesina, president of the Africa Development Bank, has been exonerated of all whistleblower allegations by the independent review panel led by Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, TheCable can report.

This clears the way for Adesina, who is the sole candidate for the upcoming election, to seek a second term.

“The panel concurs with the committee in its findings in respect of all the allegations against the president and finds that they were properly considered and dismissed by the committee,” a document made available by TheCable sources quoted the panel to have said.

Some whistleblower allegations of favouritism had been levelled against Adesina and although he had been cleared by the ethics committee of the bank, the US had requested for an independent investigation saying it was not satisfied with the report of the committee.

In a letter signed by Steven Mnuchin, its treasury secretary, the US government said it had ” deep reservations about the integrity of the committee’s process”.

On June 5, Niale Kaba, chairperson of the bureau of the board of governors, said the bureau had agreed to authorise an independent review of the committee’s report in the interest of due process and the “need to carry every governor along in resolving it”.

Speaking on the standards that the AfDB ethics committee used in investigating the whistleblower claims, the panel wrote in its report: “It took proper note of the criteria laid down for evaluating complaints and the sufficiency of supporting evidence.

“It consulted PIAC and the auditor-general. It engaged in discussion and debate of each individual complaint and reached a consensus on the outcome. It applied the correct standard and prepared a report for submission to the chairperson of the bureau of the board of governors”.

The committee also said the evidence provided by Adesina in his own statements before the panel were found to be “consistent with his innocence and to be persuasive”.

Tonto Dikeh says she would have been jailed in Dubai

2020-07-28T15:09:00.003+01:00

DailyPost.ng reports: Nollywood actress, Tonto Dike has made clarification on her scuffle with some security authorities in Dubai sometime last year.

There were reports sometime in November 2019 that the actress was arrested and deported from Dubai after her scuffle with security authorities.

However, the mother of one on Instagram on Sunday revealed that she had a faceoff with Dubai authorities not because of drugs but because a guard called her a ‘prostitute’ in Arabic language.

She said that if she was caught with drugs according to some media reports, she should be in jail by now.

”Far from it. That incident in Dubai was not drugs because if it was I would be in jail. It had nothing to do with drugs or alcohol even.

“On that day, I was insulted by one of the guards. He said something very derogatory to me in Arabic, I think Lebanon. It’s called Sharamuta which means prostitute, it means a call girl and I was not so dressed.

“But it was a show, so I had like a very amazing bra inside and this blazer on top. To them, it is Haram when you are not dressed properly. So that is where all of the altercation started. That was the only problem, any other information is just false,” Tonto said.

According to her, she did not give details about the incident earlier because she has a home in the country and would not want to jeopardise her stay there.

“I really don’t want to go into so much detail about Dubai because I have a home there now and I want to be able to enter freely after all of this and that is why I never really talked about it,” the actress added.

Buhari says he's pleased with APC’s interim leaders

2020-07-28T15:07:00.003+01:00

Punchng.com reports: The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Tuesday quoted the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), as expressing satisfaction with the performance of the ruling All Progressives Congres’ interim leaders.

Shehu said the President made the remark at a virtual meeting he had with state governors elected on the platform of the party and members the Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee.

The presidential aide disclosed this in a statement titled “President Buhari interacts with APC governors, commends party caretakers.”

Recall that Adams Oshiomhole was recently suspended as the party’s national chairman.

In June, the party’s National Executive Committee met and dissolved the National Working Committee.

It then appointed the Yobe State governor and others as the chairman and members of the caretaker committee as well as of the extraordinary National Convention Committee.

Shehu said at the Tuesday’s virtual interaction with the governors of the APC-controlled states with the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in attendance, the President said he was pleased with the work that the caretaker committee has been doing.

He quoted the President as saying, “I am pleased with the chairman and the work of the committee. “He is highly mobile in the efforts to coordinate and strengthen the party. “I am happy with his personal efforts.”

Buhari Names Train Stations after Osinbajo, Jonathan, Ekwueme, Awolowo, Tinubu, Saraki, Soyinka, Others

2020-07-27T21:36:00.004+01:00

ThisDayLive.com reports: President Muhammadu Buhari Monday approved the naming of Train Stations on the Lagos-Ibadan corridor and others on the Itakpe-Ajaokuta /Aladja-Warri corridor after some prominent Nigerians.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed this Monday in a statement by his ministry’s Director of Press, Eric Ojiekwe.

He said, “for the Lagos-Ibadan with extension to the Lagos Port Complex at Apapa railway station, the beneficiaries are Bola Ahmed Tinubu ( Apapa station), Mobolaji Johnson (Ebute Metta Station), Babatunde Raji Fashola ( Agege station), Lateef Jakande (Agbado station) and Prof.Yemi Osinbajo (Kajola station).

According to him, “Others are Funmilayo Ransom Kuti (Papalanto station), Prof. Wole Soyinka (Abeokuta station), Segun Osoba (Olodo station), Ladoke Akintola (Omio-Adio station) Chief Obafemi Awolowo (Ibadan station) and Chief Alex Ekwueme( Operation Control Centre).”

He added that, “For the Itakpe-Ajaokuta/Aladja-Warri Railway, the names are, Alhaji Adamu Attah (Itakpe station), Dr. Olushola Saraki (Ajaokuta station), Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (Itogbo station), Brigadier General George Innih (Agenebode station), Anthony Eromosele Enahoro (Uromi station), Chief Tom Ikimi (Ekehen station) and Brig.Gen Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia (rtd), (Igbanke station).

“Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (Agbor station complex), Brigadier General David Ejoor (Abraka station), Micheal Ibru (Opara station), Alfred Rewane (Ujevwu station) and Chief Mike Akhigbe (Railway village, Agbor).”

Amaechi noted that the deserving citizens had contributed to the progress and development of their respective communities and the nation at large.

Nwaoboshi Denies Akpabio’s allegation; says He didn’t get 53 contracts from NDDC

2020-07-27T21:35:00.002+01:00

Punchng.com reports: The Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, has described as false, the allegation that he was awarded 53 contracts by the Niger Delta Development Commission in 2018.

The Senator’s denial was contained in a statement he signed on Monday, titled, “Re: Allegations of NDDC Contract Award to Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (Chairman: Senate Committee On Niger Delta) by the Hon. Min of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.”

Nwaoboshi challenged Akpabio to send details of the projects listed against his name to the anti-graft agencies in the country if he was sure of his facts.

He alleged that Akpabio was deliberately blackmailing him to divert public attention from the alleged serious mismanagement of the NDDC by the Interim Management Committee under his supervision.

Akpabio had in a document attached to the letter he sent to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday, alleged that Nwaoboshi got 53 contracts from the NDDC in 2018.

He was reacting to the ultimatum given by Gbajabiamila, to name the beneficiaries of the claim during his appearance before the House Committee on the NDDC investigative hearing that 60 per cent of the NDDC jobs were awarded to National Assembly members.

Nwaoboshi said, “In the said (PUNCH) publication, Mr Akpabio alleged that I was awarded contracts for 53 NDDC projects.

“I wish to state unequivocally that this allegation has no bearing with the truth and challenge Mr Akpabio to send the so-called list to anti-graft and other security agencies if he can substantiate the apparently baseless allegation.

“Indeed I would have made further comments but for the fact that the matter is currently before two competent courts of law.

“However, suffice it to say that this unsubstantiated allegation is in line with Mr Akpabio’s well-known agenda to continuously blackmail me so as to keep diverting public attention from the serious mismanagement of the NDDC by the Interim Management Committee under his supervision and under the guise of a phantom forensic audit that has no operating timeline.

“My advise to Mr Akpabio and the IMC is to focus their energy on explaining to Nigerians how they spent a whopping N81.5bn within a period of five months”

Nwaoboshi alleged that IMC spent N58m on refreshment/logistics for project verification paid to IMC and staff of the agency.

He also said NDDC paid N370m as expenses to IMC for 2019 and 2020 budgets defence, respectively, at the National Assembly.

He alleged that staff medical checkup gulped N4.9bn under the IMC

He further alleged that the IMC was paying N51.8 million every month as an allowance to the MD IMC and N18 million every month to each member of the IMC.

He said, “The above revelations are just a tip of the mind-boggling and reckless payments running into billions of naira paid by the IMC members to themselves.

“They were expended with the approval of Mr Akpabio on mundane and useless projects that have no developmental impact on the life and livelihood of the Niger Delta people as envisioned by the founding fathers of the NDDC.

“Mr Akpabio and his IMC should apologise to the Niger Delta people in particular and Nigerians in general for this grand wastage arising from their crass incompetence.

“As a realist, I am confident that a day will come when Mr. Akpabio and his IMC will have a date with the law.

“I will in the meantime express my unwavering commitment to improving the lots of our people in the Niger Delta, supporting quality legislation in the National Assembly, and working for a society every Nigerian can be proud of.

“This is my mission in politics and I would not be distracted by the antics of political mudslingers and their agents.”

Report: Akpabio names lawmakers who got NDDC contracts

2020-07-27T21:33:00.001+01:00

TheCable.ng reports: Godswill Akpobio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, has named lawmakers who got contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), THISDAY is reporting.

The newspaper said the names of the lawmakers were attached to the letter the minister sent to the house of representatives.

The former Akwa Ibom governor was responding to an ultimatum by Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, who had given him 48 hours to name the lawmakers who got the contracts or face the “wrath of the house”.

While appearing before a house panel probing the alleged mismanagement of N81.5 billion by the interim management committee (IMC) of the commission, Akpabio had said federal lawmakers were the biggest beneficiaries of the contracts awarded by the commission.

When Gbajabiamila read Akpabio’s letter on the floor of the house on Thursday, he did not mention that there was a list of contract beneficiaries attached to the letter.

Peter Nwaoboshi, senate committee chairman on NDDC; Matthew Urhoghide, senate committee chairman on public accounts, and James Manager, senator representing Delta South, were reportedly listed as beneficiaries.

Sam Anyanwu, a former senator representing Imo east, and Nicholas Mutu, a lawmaker from Delta who chaired the house NDDC committee in the last assembly, were also named as beneficiaries.

Mutu currently chairs the house committee on gas resources.

While Nwaoboshi’s name was tied to 53 projects, Mutu was said to have got 74 contracts.

Urhoghide, Manager and Anyanwu were said to have got 31 contracts in total.

There were no costs attached to the contracts said to have been awarded to these legislators.

14 Airports Now Open To Domestic Flights

2020-07-27T21:31:00.001+01:00

SaharaReporters.com reports: The Federal Government on Sunday announced that 14 airports were now opened for domestic and commercial flight operations.

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who announced this in a tweet through his official Twitter handle, said the airports had resumed full domestic flight operations.

He said ministerial approvals for private and charter operations in and out of the 14 airports were not required, as the public would be informed of the other airports in due course.

Sirika listed the 14 airports to include the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; and Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.

Others include the Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri; Maiduguri Airport, Maiduguri; Victor Attah Airport, Uyo; Kaduna Airport, Kaduna; and Yola Airport, Yola.

Sirika list also included the Margaret Ekpo Airport, Calabar; Sultan Abubakar Airport, Sokoto; Birni Kebbi Airport; Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos; and Benin Airport, Benin.

Commercial flight activities in Nigeria's airports were shut down by the Federal Government for about three months as a measure to contend the spread of COVID-19.

The government started reopening the airports from July 8 when it first opened the Lagos and Abuja airports.

About four other airports followed subsequently on July 15 before the announcement of Sirika on Sunday.

The minister said that inspection had been completed on the 14 airports and resumption of operations at the facilities had been approved.

COVID-19 infections top 40,000 as NCDC confirms 555 new cases

2020-07-27T21:29:00.001+01:00

TheCable.ng reports: Twenty-four hours before Nigeria enters its fifth month after confirming the index case of COVID-19, the country’s tally has exceeded 40,000 infections.

The first case of the coronavirus was confirmed in the country on February 27, 2020.

With 555 new cases confirmed in 17 states and the federal capital territory (FCT) by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Sunday, a total of 40,532 infections have now been recorded across the country.

According to the breakdown given, Lagos topped the list of states with new cases with 156 infections, followed by Kano with 65.

The number of recoveries has also exceeded 17,000, with a total of 17,374 people discharged so far across the country.

However, two patients were confirmed to have died of COVID-19 complications, bringing the country’s current fatality toll to 858.

Lagos currently accounts for a significant number of infections with 14,456 people confirmed to have contracted the virus, but 2,075 of them have been discharged, while over 12,000 are still active cases.

Meanwhile, Kogi has the lowest figure of confirmed cases with five infections, out of which three persons have been discharged, while two have died.

So far, more than 260,000 samples have been tested across the country.

The figures for Sunday showed a significant increase over the past one month, with more than 15,000 fresh cases, and over 300 new deaths.

As of June 26, 2020, while 554 deaths had been recorded, a total of 23,298 infections were confirmed in 35 states and the FCT — Cross River was yet to record any case at the time.

However, within the same four-week period, the recovery rate has more than doubled, increasing from 8,253 to over 17,000 recoveries.

ECOWAS holds extraordinary summit over Mali's political crisis

2020-07-27T21:27:00.001+01:00

Aljazeera.com reports: West African leaders have kicked off an extraordinary summit to propose measures to help resolve an escalating political crisis in Mali.

The virtual meeting of the 15-member ECOWAS regional bloc on Monday comes days after unprecedented mediation efforts by the presidents of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal in Mali's capital, Bamako, failed to end the impasse.

For weeks, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been locked in a tense standoff with an opposition protest coalition known as the June 5 Movement that has been demanding his resignation.

After the daylong talks on Thursday, influential Muslim leader and protest mobiliser Ibrahim Dicko told journalists that no progress had been made.

"Nothing has moved for the movement," he said.

For his part, Mahamadou Issoufou, Nigerien president and current ECOWAS chair, told reporters: "We have decided that we will report back to all the heads of state during an extraordinary meeting on Monday, July 27.

"ECOWAS will take strong measures that will contribute to the resolutions of the crisis."

West African leaders on high-stakes mission to end Mali standoff (9:40)

Led by Dicko under the umbrella of the June 5 Movement, a disparate alliance of political, social and civil society groups, tens of thousands of people have in recent weeks poured onto the streets of Bamako to demand Keita's resignation.

Although dissatisfaction over the country's economic woes, corruption and worsening security situation has been simmering for a while, the trigger for the current crisis was a decision by the Constitutional Court in April to overturn the results of parliamentary polls for 31 seats, in a move that saw candidates with Keita's party get re-elected.

The protests turned violent earlier this month when three days of clashes between security forces and protesters killed 11 people. Several opposition leaders were also briefly detained.

An ECOWAS mission days before the Bamako visit of the five West African leaders proposed setting up a government of national unity that would include members of the opposition and civil society groups. It also suggested, among others, the appointment of new judges to the Constitutional Court, which had already been "de facto" dissolved by Keita in a bid to calm unrest.

But the proposals were rejected by the June 5 Movement, with protest leaders insisting that Keita must go and calling for accountability for the killings in the June 10-12 protests.

INSIDE STORY: Will Mali's president be forced to step down? (24:35)

Regional leaders are eager to avoid further instability in Mali, a country of some 20 million people that has been plagued by a conflict that began in 2012 and has since spilled into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

According to the United Nations, attacks grew fivefold between 2016 and 2020, with 4,000 people killed in the three countries last year, up from about 770 in 2016. The fighting has also forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes and led to the closure of thousands of schools.

In central Mali, a multitude of armed groups has been jockeying for control while exploiting the poverty of marginalised communities and inflaming tensions between ethnic groups.

The presence of thousands of foreign troops has failed to stem the violence, while allegations of abuses and extrajudicial killings by Malian forces have perpetuated deep-rooted mistrust and enmity in parts of the country with little government presence otherwise.

"The [regional] security concerns are real," Demba Moussa Dembele, president of the Dakar-based African Forum on Alternatives, told Al Jazeera.

"If the crisis lingers on, Mali is likely to descend into chaos, which will affect the morale of the military and weaken its fight against the terrorist groups. In that case, there is a risk that neighbouring countries, like Senegal and Guinea, will be affected, which in turn will affect other countries."

But the Institute for Security Studies think-tank warned on Thursday that there was an "unfavourable prejudice" towards the regional leaders amid suspicions they were protecting their own narrow interests.

"The search for solutions will have to take into account the need to improve the daily lives of Malians," the think-tank said.

Nigerian schools resumption and Waec examination date: Federal goment say Secondary schools fit reopen on 4 August

2020-07-27T21:24:00.003+01:00

BBC Pidgin dey report:

Nigeria goment don tok say Secondary schools for di kontri fit reopen as from di 4th of August, 2020.

But dis na for those wey dey for examination classes.

How private school owner turn garri seller

Students go get two weeks within which to prepare for di West African Examinations (WAEC) due to start on di 17th of August, 2020.

Na di Federal Ministry of Education, Honourable Commissioners of Education of di 36 states, di Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), di proprietors of private schools, and Chief Executives of examination bodies dem agree on dis decisions today, 27 July afta dem do virtual meeting.

WIA DIS FOTO COME FROM,ANADOLU AGENCY

Wetin we call dis foto,

Kenya pikin dey draw.

Dem agree say make examination classes resume immediately after di Sallah break wey go shelle on Friday, so make dem for prepare for di WAEC examinations wey go start from 17 August.

Di joinbodi dem com appeal to di Federal Goment say make dem assist schools for di kontri say make di schools reopening fit dey fast and safe.

WIA DIS FOTO COME FROM,FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

Di Federal Ministry of Education go still do anoda meeting on Tuesday 28 July but dis time dem go meet di joinbodi of Chief Executives of examination bodies like NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS.

Dem wan make dem harmonise dia examination dates wey di goment go come announce to stakeholders.

US Court Dismisses Fraud Case against Woodberry

2020-07-25T01:41:00.000+01:00

ThisDayLive.com reports: A United States court has dismissed the case against Olalekan Ponle, a Nigerian accused of multi-million dollar wire fraud.

Ponle, popularly known as Woodberry, was arrested, alongside Ramon Abbas (Hushpuppi) in the United Arab Emirate on June 10 for multiple fraud charges after a raid by operatives of the Dubai crime unit.

The duo were extradited to the US on July 2.

According to the complaint against Ponle, an unnamed Chicago company was tricked into sending wire transfers totalling $15.2 million. Companies based in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New York and California also were victims of the fraud, prosecutors say. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) nabbed Ponle through details accessed from his WhatsApp, iPhone and Bitcoin transactions. He was extradited to the United States on July 2.

The 29-year-old was facing charges bordering on wire fraud conspiracy at a United States District Court in Illinois.

In fact, a report of the grand jury, a group of lawyers empowered to conduct legal proceedings and investigate potential criminal conduct, indicted him.

The jury summed up the allegations against him to an eight-count charge of wire fraud, which violates Section 1343 of the United States Codes.

However, according to Premium Times, United States government on Monday filed a motion through its attorney, John R. Lausch, requesting that the case against Ponle should be dismissed without prejudice.

“Counsel for the government has spoken with counsel for the defendant and defendant’s counsel has no objection to this motion. Respectfully submitted,” Lausch stated.

He said it is in pursuant with Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure 48, which states that the government may, with leave of court, dismiss an indictment, information, or complaint.

Also, the government may not dismiss the prosecution during trial without the defendant’s consent.

A court order issued by Judge Robert W. Gettleman on Tuesday, said the government’s motion to dismiss complaint without prejudice was granted.

“Without objection the complaint against defendant Ponle is dismissed without prejudice. Motion presentment hearing set for 7/23/2020 is stricken,” Gettleman ruled.

When a case is dismissed with prejudice, it is over and done with, once and for all, and can’t be brought back to court.

However, when it is dismissed without prejudice, like in the case of Ponle, the dismissal is temporary as the prosecutor can refile the case within a certain period of time.

The probable causes of dismissal range from unavailability of sufficient evidence, an improper criminal complaint or charging document, to loss of evidence necessary to prove the defendant committed the crime.

While the reason for the dismissal against Ponle is yet to be given, there are indications that the prosecutor will re-file a case against him.

He was yet to be released from detention at the time of this report.

FG retains 10pm curfew despite partial closure of Third Mainland Bridge

2020-07-25T01:33:00.003+01:00

Punchng.com reports:

The Federal Government has maintained the 10pm curfew despite the Lagos State despite the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge which is expected to worsen the traffic congestion in strategic parts of the state, The PUNCH has learnt.

The Federal Government had through the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 on June 2, 2020, imposed a curfew from 10pm to 4am nationwide.

The move was expected to prevent the resurgence of nightlife amid the raging pandemic.

However, with the partial closure of Third Mainland Bridge from 11.59pm on Friday, it is expected that traffic congestion will increase in some parts of the state.

Briefing journalists on Thursday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said only about 25 per cent of the regular traffic on the bridge would be affected while 75 per cent of vehicles that normally ply the route will still have access to move on the bridge during the period of repair.

When contacted on the telephone, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said there had not been any communication to the effect that the curfew had been relaxed.

Elkana said the government had announced alternative routes which motorists could use, adding that this would cushion the effect of the partial closure of Third Mainland Bridge.

He subsequently directed The PUNCH to the appropriate authorities.

When contacted, the Spokesman for the Minister of Works and Housing, Hakeem Bello, said, “There is an interface with the Lagos State Government. I expect that the state government will handle it. I will advise you direct your enquiry to the federal controller of works in Lagos but I will find out from the police commissioner to find out what is happening.”

The Third Mainland Bridge which spans over 11.8km is reported to be the busiest in Nigeria.

The bridge along with the Carter Bridge and Eko Bridge connects Victoria Island to the mainland.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians on social media have expressed fear over the 10pm curfew despite the partial closure of the bridge.

A tweep, Segun Awosanya, wrote, “Third Mainland Bridge closure no doubt will increase the pressure on the alternative routes and add more to the logistic woes of Lagosians. Already, oppression by the Nigeria Police even before the 10pm curfew is being recorded and this will get worse. The curfew must be lifted for ease.”

Another tweet by @adetoyeee read, “As the Nigerian government and the Lagos State Government and Babajide Sanwo-Olu begin the sex-month palliative hardship of Third Mainland Bridge closure today, is the 10pm curfew going to be extended or removed totally? We need answers because it is Lagos we are talking about here.”

“That curfew that has been enriching the lives of the Nigeria Police needs to be lifted. You don’t expect me to be in traffic when it is not my fault and then get pulled over,” @shizzie4nizzie tweeted.

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force, Dr Sani Aliyu, did not respond to calls as of press time.

JUST IN: Residents trapped as building collapses in Lagos

2020-07-25T01:27:00.003+01:00

TheCable.ng reports: Some residents are said to be trapped in a two-storey building which collapsed in Ebute Metta area of Lagos.

The building, which caved in on Friday afternoon, is situated opposite the Health Centre along Cemetery street.

Operatives of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) are currently trying to rescue the residents.

Ondo poll: I’m not leaving PDP, says dep gov

2020-07-25T01:24:00.001+01:00

Punchng.com reports: Despite losing the primary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, has said he would not leave the party.

Ajayi lost to a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Eyitayo Jegede, in primary of the party held on Wednesday in Akure, the state capital.

This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Director-General of the Agboola Ajayi Campaign Organisation.

The statement titled ‘ Press Statement’, read, “He (Ajayi) proved that he is a grassroots politician by polling 657 votes, coming second in a contest amongst seven other aspirants, barely thirty days after rejoining the PDP.

“This is why commendations kept pouring in from the state and even from outside the state. It was a great performance, a great day for him and democracy.

“We are equally using this medium to state unequivocally that, PDP remains our party and we, therefore, want all our supporters to remain loyal to the party as we work towards the way forward.”

BBNaija 2020: My life would have been ruined if I attended UNILAG – Dorathy

2020-07-25T01:21:00.001+01:00

DailyPost.ng reports: Big Brother Naija, BBNaija female housemate, Dorathy has said her life would have been ruined if she attended the University of Lagos (Unilag).

Dorathy said this while telling housemates the story of how she was denied admission at two Nigerian universities.

“I wanted to go to the University of Benin and Unilag but was not admitted by any of the schools.

“I had to attend Joseph Ayo Babalola University, JABU. My life would have been ruined if I gained admission and attended Unilag,” she said.

Dorathy is one of the most preferred housemates by viewers in this year’s BBNaija ‘Lockdown’ reality show alongside Laycon and Nengi.

At Arotile’s burial, cleric advises goverment to stop neglecting patriots

2020-07-25T01:18:00.002+01:00

Guardian.ng reports:
Olonisakin, Jonathan, others eulogise fallen female combat pilot

The authorities in Nigeria have been advised to halt the practice of neglecting young men and women who served the country with dedication. Group Captain (Rev.) Dogo Gani gave the charge yesterday while officiating at the funeral of the nation’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja.

Urging the bereaved family, in his sermon, to be strong and take solace in the fallen heroine’s impactful life to her relatives and the biggest economy on the African continent, the cleric regretted that successive administrations had not valued youths who patriotically served the nation.

His words: “Successive Nigerian administrations have not placed high premium on young men and women who have been found to serve the country at the peak of patriotism, dedication and commitment.”

“Nigerian leadership has always used and dumped such patriots, a tradition those in authorities, should stop,” he added. The 24-year-old Kogi indigene, who died in Kaduna on July 14 this year of head injuries sustained from a crash masterminded by her classmate at Air Force Secondary School in the same northern state, was laid to rest with full military honours.

A twenty-one gun salute was accorded the slain officer before her remains, which arrived at the graveyard at exactly 8.38am, were eventually lowered at 11.05am amid tears from colleagues and relations.

The military high command, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, thereafter paid tributes.Governor Yahaya Bello and his wife, Rasheedat, Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, as well as chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives committees on Air Force, Senator Bala Ibn Na’lla, and Shehu Koku, were among the dignitaries that graced the event.

In his remarks, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar Abubakar, said the departed young officer performed her ground and air duties in her short stay with dedication and professionalism.

“It’s indeed with a heavy heart and a deep sense of loss that I stand here today (yesterday) to welcome you all to this burial ceremony, and to bear the heart of the NAF (Nigerian Air Force) as we lay to rest the remains of a national heroine, a daughter and a highly impactful officer, the late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.

“I must confess that even at this moment, the NAF is still in palpable shock and grief on this loss because it is the loss of a mentee whom the NAF has so much confidence in, and our expectations have been cut short. As a combat helicopter pilot for several years, I can tell you that this young and confident first female helicopter pilot in the history of NAF dared so many odds to get to where she was before her demise,” he eulogised.

Also, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan described the departed as a “brave patriot who pushed her self beyond limits to demonstrate her uncommon love for the nation.”
In a statement he personally signed yesterday in Abuja, the Bayelsan-born administrator reminisced that his administration, in 2011, introduced the training of females at the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) for gender equality in the armed forces.

Besides, the Senate observed a minute silence in respect of the youngster, which it extolled for exemplariness.The observance followed a motion, ‘Demise of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile’, sponsored by Senator Adeyemi Smart (Kogi West) on the floor of the hallowed chamber. He implored the Federal Government to immortalise the dead for her “tremendous contribution to the fight against terrorism within.”

Sterling Bank CEO disclose purchase of bank shares

2020-07-23T02:51:00.002+01:00

NairaMetrics.com reports: Sterling Bank’s Managing Director, as well as a number of Executive Directors, purchased shares worth a total of N46 million.

The disclosure, which was filed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and duly signed by the company’s secretary, Temitayo Adegoke, revealed that the shares were all sold by Sterling Bank Staff Cooperative Multipurpose Society. The total transactions filed by the bank included the following:

The Managing Director, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman purchased 18,457,500 units of shares at N1.24 on the 16th of July, 2020
• An Executive Director, Mr. Tunde Adeola, purchased 1,277,777 units at N1.25 on the 13th of July, 2020
• An Executive Director, Mr. Emmanuel Emefienim, purchased 8,368,688 units at N1.25 on the 14th of July, 2020
• An Executive Director, Mr. Raheem Owodeyi, purchased 2,121,258 units at N1.24 on the 16th of July, 2020
• An Executive Director, Mr. Yemi Odubiyi, purchased 7,128,882 units at N1.24 on the 15th of July, 2020.

The transactions cumulatively come to a total of N46 million.

Recall that the company’s Q1 2020 results had been impacted by the regulatory-induced fee cut on e-banking transactions resulting in a decline in Net Fee and Commission of 16% year-on-year, as well as an 8% increase in its operating expenses. The company’s share price was 1.22 as at close of market today; its EPS stood at 0.33, while its price to earnings ratio stood at 3.68.

President Buhari Departs Abuja For Mali On Thursday

2020-07-23T02:48:00.002+01:00

SaharaReporters.com reports: Thursday depart for Bamako, Republic of Mali, on a one-day visit.

This will be the President's first trip out of the country after Nigeria recorded its first COVID-19 case in February.

Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

Adesina said the trip followed the briefing by the ECOWAS Special Envoy to Mali, former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The statement said Buhari and some ECOWAS leaders led by the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the sub-regional organisation, President Issoufou Mahamadou of Niger Republic, agreed to meet in Mali to engage in further consultations towards finding a political solution to the crisis in the country.

A resistance group, M5, in Mali is insisting that the constitutional court must be dissolved and the President resigns before peace can return to the country.

Crisis had erupted after the court nullified results of 31 parliamentary seats in the polls held recently, awarding victory to some other contenders, which the resistance group said was at the instigation of President Keita.

Riots on July 10 had led to the killing of some protesters by security agents, causing the crisis to spiral out of control, hence the intervention by ECOWAS.

Hushpuppi not released, still in U.S. prison – Lawyer

2020-07-23T02:33:00.002+01:00

PremiumTimes.com reports:

Gal Pissetzky, a Chicago-based lawyer, has denied rumours insinuating the release of Ramoni Abbas, an alleged multi-million dollar fraudster facing charges in the U.S.

On Wednesday, screenshots of the Bureau of Prisons website, showing his release, went viral.

According to the details on the website, which were verified by this paper, Mr Abbas (popularly known as Huspuppi) was released on July 20.

Responding to PREMIUM TIMES’s enquiry, his legal representative, Mr Pissetzky, said the bureau’s records showed ‘released’ because of his transfer to California.

“These reports are not true. He has not been released. The Bureau of prisons website shows that he was released simply because he is being transferred now to California,” he said on Wednesday evening.

Mr Abbas’s case was transferred from Illinois to the Central District of California for prosecution, last Monday.

Mr Abbas, 37, who was resident in Dubai and known for flaunting extravagant lifestyle on social media, was arrested last month over wire fraud allegations. He was extradited to the U.S on July 3.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation had earlier alleged that Mr Abbas was part of a network that made “hundreds of millions of dollars” from business email compromise frauds and other scams.

Also, the American government said Mr Abbas funded his extravagant lifestyle with stolen money.

I’m on same level with Tinubu, Ngige tells Faleke

2020-07-23T02:31:00.000+01:00

Punching.com reports: There was a mild drama on the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday as the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, and member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, Lagos State, James Faleke, exchanged words.

Ngige had been invited by the lawmakers over the illegal suspension of the management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.

The minister had accused the management of misappropriating N48bn.

While being questioned by the committee, Ngige queried Faleke’s age, saying he was on the same level with the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

He noted that aside from being age mates with the former Lagos governor, they both had the same political achievements.

“Faleke, they said, is up to 60. You are near my age, but I am at least seven years older than you. I’m sure. I am of the same age with your mentor in Lagos, Asiwaju. I was governor with him at the same time. He was a senator, and I was a senator. I am a two time minister and he was a minister,” he said.

The lawmaker, in an apparent reference to the controversies that trailed Ngige’s election as governor of Anambra State, retorted that Tinubu won his own election “very well.”

The minister then reminded Faleke, who was a former deputy governorship candidate of the APC in Kogi State, how his struggle to replace the governorship candidate of the party, Abubakar Audu, was frustrated after the latter died shortly after they both won the election.

“Mr Minister, please respond,” Faleke fired back.

“I am responding. You yab me, I will yab you 10 times. I am a Lagos boy. You are just a small boy in Lagos. Look at this boy. Mushin boy is talking to a VI boy. I live in Victoria Island,” Ngige said.

Meanwhile, Ngige has said the suspended NSITF management has the opportunity to clear itself of the allegations of financial infractions levelled against them.

A statement on Wednesday by the ministry of labour and employment spokesman, Mr Charles Akpan, said the minister said this in his submission at the investigative hearing by the House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee on the Arbitrary Breach of Presidential Directive on the Suspension of Management and Executive Members of NSITF and other Government Agencies by Ministers.

Ngige stated that he did not go contrary to presidential directives, emphasising that the suspension also followed procedural compliance with the relevant authorities.

Ngige further said that the NSITF had failed to submit Annual Audited Accounts to assist in preparing annual reports to Mr President.

UAE orders Nigerians with expired visas to leave Aug 17

2020-07-23T02:14:00.001+01:00

Punching.com reports: The United Arab Emirates has ordered Nigerian citizens living in the country whose visas had expired to leave before August 17, 2020 or face the wrath of the law.

The Embassy of Nigeria, Abu Dhabi, UAE, has, therefore, advised concerned nationals to join the evacuation flights arranged from the country before the expiration of the grace period.

In a statement titled, ‘Public Notice’ and dated July 21, the Nigerian Embassy in the Emirates urged affected citizens to immediately submit their papers for emigration processing.

The statement read, “The Embassy wishes to inform that the government of the United Arab Emirates has granted waivers on fines/penalties on visas that expired before 1st March 2020 to leave the country on or before 17th of August 2020.

“Consequently, the Embassy is urging fellow Nigerians living in the UAE to avail themselves of this opportunity to return home with the impending Air Peace evacuation flight scheduled for 1st August 2020, and or subsequent Emirates evacuation flights before the expiration of the grace period.

“Accordingly, affected Nigerian nationals who are willing to return home are kindly requested to submit their names and passport numbers to the Embassy and or the Consulate for onward transmission to the UAE authorities in order to obtain the necessary clearance.”

The announcement is coming amid rising public commentaries in what has been described as stern bilateral policies against Nigeria by the UAE.
This is not unconnected to fraudulent activities perpetrated by a few Nigerians based in Dubai including alleged international internet fraudster Abass Ramon aka Hushpuppi who was arrested by the Dubai Police in June and is being prosecuted in the US.

Amongst other moves, the UAE authorities recently excluded Nigeria from a list of countries permitted to fly into the Emirates.

Its aviation authorities had last week impounded a Nigerian aircraft for flouting safety procedures.

Ekiti PDP Warns Governor Fayemi Over Alleged Plot To Sell Oja Oba Market To Crony

2020-07-23T02:08:00.002+01:00

SaharaReporters.com reports: The PDP claimed that it had received credible information suggesting that the governor was planning to sell the entire market to a Lagos-based company that will now rent it out to traders at exorbitant rates.
State has cautioned Governor Kayode Fayemi to drop the alleged plan to sell Oja Oba Market located at the centre of Ado Ekiti, the state capital, to himself using a crony.

The PDP claimed that it had received credible information suggesting that the governor was planning to sell the entire market to a Lagos-based company that will now rent it out to traders at exorbitant rates.

In a statement by the PDP Caretaker Committee Secretary, Prince Diran Odeyemi, the party called on leaders in the state, opinion moulders, students including traditional rulers to prevail on the governor not to sell the market and allow those whose shops were demolished to pave way for the new market to own shops within the facility.

Odeyemi also declared that the PDP administration of former Governor Ayo Fayose left a sum of N327m for the payment of the contractor upon completion of the project while about 75 per cent of the shops were already allocated to people whose shops were demolished to pave way for the modern construction.

The statement however, alleged that Fayemi cancelled the allocation of the shops and refunded the money paid by the traders, which the party considers to be a wicked act.

Odeyemi disclosed that three companies were lined up for consideration of the outright sale of the market, adding that the government had finalised arrangements to use a crony to buy the market on behalf of the governor.