The financial industry and Nigerians were hit with a report that President Muhammadu Buhari had granted Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele study leave.
An online news platform had claimed Emefiele applied for study leave as a means to flee the country before the May 29 assumption of office by President-elect Bola Tinubu.
The report claimed that the Department of State Services (DSS), which attempted to arrest and detain Emefiele in the past over certain allegations against him, “kicked against the study leave reportedly granted to Emefiele as it means he will flee the country before May 29 when another government comes in.”
But sources in the presidency and the apex financial institution denied any study leave approval by Buhari.
Responding to The Nation in a short message on the topic, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said: “If the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has been granted study leave, supposedly, by President Muhammadu Buhari, this is unknown to us.
“It is also unknown to the President’s Secretariat, headed by the Chief of Staff.”
A source in the CBN also denied knowledge of such approval by the President.
However, another Presidency source informed The Nation that there was an application from Emefiele seeking approval for study leave overseas.
“I heard the CBN Governor applied to the President for study leave, but I don’t know if the President has granted the application,” the source said.
Close associates of Emefiele disclose that he had confided in some of his aides that he intends to serve his second term as the apex bank’s chief.
Emefiele was in Lagos on Tuesday for the third biannual non-oil export summit in Lagos with the theme: “RT200: Challenges and Prospects to Success.”
Recall that Emefiele was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 and appointed for a second term by Buhari in 2019.
The current deal runs till June 2024.
[NaijaNews]
A police constabulary and vigilantes in Akwukwu-Igbo, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, have been accused of brutalising their cousin, Uchenna Nmakwe, over N250,000.
City Round gathered that the suspects brutalised the victim at a family meeting and went away with the N250,000 bride price brought to them by their in-law.
Narrating his ordeal on Thursday, Uchenna alleged that his cousins used a cutlass and a hammer to beat him up over the money.
He said, “Our in-law said they don’t want a ceremony for the marriage which was held on May 7, 2023. The N250,000 they brought was paid into our elder’s brother account, so we could not share it that day.”
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr Paul Odama, on Friday, paraded a medical doctor, Ayodele Joseph, for allegedly sedating and raping a nurse.
The suspect was reportedly performing an operation on the nurse in his hospital in Ilorin, Kwara State, when the incident happened.
Joseph, the Chief Medical Director of Ayodele Hospital, Sawmill, Ilorin, was among 13 suspects paraded before journalists at the police headquarters.
The CP said, “On May 5, 2023, a female victim (name withheld), a nurse by profession, reported to the police that she went to Ayodele Hospital at 290, Sawmill area, Lagos Road, Ilorin, for surgery. The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Ayodele Joseph, during the treatment, sedated the patient, which led her to become unconscious.
“Before the sedation, fearing any mishap, the patient activated her telephone and placed it in a vantage position to record the surgery unknown to the doctor before the expected surgery.
“She woke up from sleep after the surgery to find herself fully naked, and when viewing the recorded video, she discovered that the said Dr Ayodele Joseph had unlawful sexual intercourse with her while under sedation.
“Investigation led to the recovery of the video recording of the sexual action of the said doctor on the victim, which was also corroborated by the medical examination conducted on the victim.”
The police boss said the suspect had earlier been arraigned for causing the death of one Nneka Akanike in his hospital.
He noted that the leadership of the state branch of the Nigeria Medical Association had been contacted on the recent case, adding that his hospital premises had been condoned off.
Odama said the medical doctor would be charged with rape at the conclusion of ongoing investigation.
However, Joseph denied the allegation, saying the nurse was his girlfriend.
The director, who said the nurse was his employee and had been his girlfriend for eight years, described the allegation of rape as a set-up.
He said, “She is my girlfriend and we have dated for eight years. I trained her as a nurse; I sponsored her to a school of nursing in Lagos and I employed her. How can I rape a lady that I have had intercourse with several times? What else do I want to see in her body? She only wanted to set me up to rip me of some money. Already, she has collected a substantial amount of money, which is with her. She has already collected about N500,000 from me on this issue and she is still demanding more money.”
rutalising us.
“I was brutally attacked around 6pm in my grandfather’s house by my own cousins, Anthony Nmakwe, Ezindu Nmakwe, and Chinedu Nmakwe.
“They mercilessly assaulted me using a cutlass, hammer, and a pump-action gun. They used the hammer to hit my father’s mouth.
“Anthony is the vigilante chairman of Akwukwu-Igbo; Chinedu is a constabulary with the police, and Ezeidu serves as a vigilante within the Akwukwu-Igbo community. The police have refused to arrest them.”
A human rights activist, Mr Victor Ojei, petitioned the state Commissioner of Police over the incident, accusing the suspects of attempted murder and abuse of office.
In the petition, Ojei urged the police to bring the suspects to book.
The petition noted that the incident was not an isolated case as a previous marriage in the family also led to Anthony allegedly biting Uchenna on his back.
Anthony, who spoke to our correspondent on the phone, said the injuries on Uchenna were a result of the fight over the “N250,000 marriage fee”.
He noted that “bamboo was used to hit him for insulting his elder brother at the meeting.”
The state police spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident, adding that the case had been transferred to the police headquarters.
He said, “We have not arrested the suspects; the Area Command, Asaba, arrested his brothers and could not keep them, so they were released. But the case has been transferred to the headquarters.”
Suleiman Isah, a Kano man who married a 46-year-old American citizen, Janine Sanchez, has joined the California Army National Guard, a reserve of the United States Army.
According to records, the California Army National Guard comprises 18,450 soldiers.
On Friday, Isah posted a picture of himself wearing the uniform of the US Army and captioned it “Alhamdullillah- forever grateful”.
The two lovers, who met on social media, got married on December 13, 2020.
Ms Janine, a chef based in Lindon, California, had flown to Nigeria for the wedding ceremony.
The wedding, which took place at MOPOL 52 Barracks Juma’at Mosque in Panshekara, Kumbotso Local Government of Kano State, had thousands of well-wishers from within and outside the state in attendance.
A former Senator who represented Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, who is also a relative of the groom’s father, stood in as Janine’s representative (waliy).
Commenting on the new development on his Facebook page, Sani congratulated the officer and taunted those who criticized him when he supported the union.
“They criticised me for this inter racial marriage and now Suleiman Isah is happily married and got enlisted into the California Army National Guard. Congratulations,” he said.
The Police in Oyo State, on Friday, arrested the suspected killers of an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ogunleye Daniel, alongside their 80 years old spiritual healer, one Gabriel Adeniyi.
The PUNCH Metro reports that the deceased, Daniel, who was a resident of the Ori-Agogo community, Odo-Ona Kekere in the Oluyole Local Government area of the state, was killed by the suspects after robbing him and other members of his family.
Daniel was serving at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku in Ibadan, the state capital before he was murdered.
The suspects were Oyetumbi Ademola, Michael Adeniyi, Gabriel Adeniyi, and Kafilat Tiamiyu.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, who paraded them at the Command Headquarters in Ibadan, said they were arrested through a painstaking intelligence-led investigation.
He said, “On 29/04/2023 at about 0100hrs, a group of suspected armed robbers, numbering five invaded the area and robbed several residents of their belongings. During the robbery operation, ASP Daniel was killed.
“Three suspects including their spiritual healer, one Gabriel Adeniyi ‘m’ 80yrs, Oyetumbi Ademola ‘m’ 25 yrs, Michael Adeniyi ‘m’ 26 yrs were arrested, while their gang leader named Fatai Fasasi ‘m’ 30 yrs, popularly known as Ogun who allegedly shot and killed the deceased officer was neutralized at an encounter with Police operatives during their trail.
“Thus far, two Samsung phones belonging to their victims alongside; a 1999 Hyundai Elantra vehicle (Their getaway car) and a cut-to-size locally made barrel used by the assailants have been recovered.”
“In the same vein, during the process of voluntarily confessing to the crimes committed, they further revealed one Kafilat Tiamiyu ‘f’ a.k.a Iya Alaye as a criminal receiver who receives jewelry (gold) proceeds from them, based on this, the said Kafilat Tiamiyu was tracked and arrested at Oranyan area of Ibadan,” he explained.
The federal government is to stop feeding of the over 75, 507 inmates in the 244 federal correctional facilities nationwide as from December 31, 2023, as state governments are expected to commence feeding of state offenders from then.
The decision was revealed yesterday by the minister of interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the commissioning of command headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Owerri, Imo State.
Aregbesola, who said more than 90 per cent of inmates are state offenders, said it was important that state governments begin to invest in corrections.
This is coming less than 24 hours after the federal government revealed Thursday that it would spend N22.4 billion feeding inmates across the country, saying the fund was budgeted for in the 2023 Appropriation Act.
While arguing that the move would help to further decongest custodial facilities nationwide, Aregbesola
said there had been a steady rise in the population of prisons with at least 80 per cent of the inmates awaiting trial.
He said there are 244 prisons nationwide with a 75,507-inmate population, thereby leading to 82 of them being overcrowded.
He reiterated the need for a comprehensive review of the nation’s criminal justice system to address the alarming figure of inmates who are awaiting trial languishing in jail.
He noted that so far, the Buhari-led administration had done a lot in making the reform process at custodial centres impactful through increased budgetary provisions as well as upgrade of old and the construction of new infrastructure at the facilities.
The minister said, “One big challenge we have at corrections is congestion, especially at the urban centres where the population density is high and human relations are more complex, leading to higher crime rates and the need to keep some people behind bars.
“We are addressing this challenge with the construction of six mega custodial centres in the six geopolitical zones of the country. The ones in Kano and Abuja are ready and with regular funding, the remaining will be completed.
“It is also hoped that state governments will take advantage of the constitution amendment recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari which makes corrections a concurrent affair. It is on record that more than 90 per cent of inmates in our facilities are state offenders. It is important therefore that state governments begin to invest in corrections.
“It is even more important to reform the criminal justice system. I have been making the case and I will continue to do so, that 70 per cent of inmates are awaiting trial and constitute the majority in our facilities. The sad thing about this is we cannot statutorily begin their process of reformation because they are assumed to be innocent, except for those who voluntarily wish to participate in any of our programmes.
“Many of them have spent time in detention longer than the maximum sentence their alleged offence carries. This predisposes them to violent conduct and they are the biggest source of the challenge of discipline and control we have at the custodial centres.
“State governments should reform their justice administration system by putting a cap on the trial period and ensuring swift administration of justice. This will eliminate the long periods of trial and the perpetual detention of suspects and the injustice this constitutes,” he stated.
Bricklayer Jailed For Selling Indian Hemp In Prison
The minister also said neither him nor the NCoS can on their own release inmates.
“Let me use this opportunity to clarify a misconception in the public. NCoS or the minister have no power of detention or release of inmates. They are brought to our facilities through a valid court warrant and it is by the same process that they are released.
“Convicts can also be released by the president or a state governor exercising the prerogative of mercy. Our own responsibility therefore is to keep them in safe custody and keep society safe from them, while we rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society when they complete their terms,” he added.
Aregbesola also said efforts of the federal government had continued to yield positive results with various feats recorded by inmates in detention, also declaring that President Muhammadu Buhari had signed into law a constitutional amendment removing the correctional service from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List in the Constitution.
The minister further stated that custodial facilities across Nigeria are daily strengthened to contain various attempts by enemies of state to break into the vital national security arm.
He said; “On the later, we have been successful. While there have been unfortunate cases of recidivism, the overwhelming number of our inmates have returned to society to be better citizens and contributing their own quota to national development.
“For instance, we were treated to sublime entertainment at Ilesa by a musical band of inmates whose performance will dwarf most of the bands we have in our society. Hopefully they will continue and become great in the land upon their release.
“We also have a robust educational programme for inmates which has been very successful. From our records, 23 inmates are undergoing post graduate programmes comprising of one PhD; 16 masters degree and six post graduate diploma programmes.
“A total of 465 inmates are studying various degree programmes.
“In addition, 1,404 wrote SSCE and 634 passed with five credits including English and Mathematics, while 4,757 enrolled for adult education programmes and 1,162 graduated.
“Vocational education enrolment also soared as 280 inmates made up of 267 males and 13 females acquired trade test grades.”
The governor of Imo State who was represented at the event by his deputy, Prof. Placid Njoku, promised that the state government would rejig its budget to make adequate provision for her inmates henceforth.
“We will go back to the drawing board and accommodate the Nigerian Correctional Service and our inmates in custody in the 2024 budget,” he said.
Says demand not negotiable
Hundreds of Northerners who converged on the Arewa House Kaduna on Friday, have threatened to withdraw support for the government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) unless the North was given the leadership of the National Assembly and other ministerial appointments.
The Northerners attended a one day round table on Nation Building and Democracy with the theme,’ The imperative of participation,equity and equitable development of Northern Nigeria ‘ , powered by the Democratic Research Institute (DRI).
“In the communique signed by Prof.Tukur Muhammad- Baba, Chairman of the Communique Committee and Dr.Benjamin Izra Dikki, Secretary, the Northerners emphasized that because the North was not in control of both the Executive and the Judiciary arms of government, their demand was non-negotiable..”
“In a table that was contained in the communique that showed the percentage of votes across the 6 geo- political zones, the Northwest zone gave a total vote of 2,652235,the North Central 1,742,993 while the North East gave 1,185,458. The total contributions of the North was 63.5%.”
The communique indicated that the South-west gave 25.7%, the South-south 9.10 while the South-east delivered 1.45% of the votes for the ruling APC.
The communique reads:
“Based on the contributions of the North in the just concluded General Elections, as evidenced in the table above, the round table, which drew participants from all the nineteen Northern states, concluded that the progress, transformation and development of the region are hinged on its stake in government, particularly access to political, economic incentives and opportunities and therefore resolves as follows:”
“Demand the leadership of the National Assembly in consonance with the provisions of section 14 and sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. This is necessary because the North is not in control of both the Executive and the Judiciary arms of government. This demand is non negotiable.”
“The North also demands fair share of ministerial and other appointments. Such appointments should take cognisance of competence, integrity and track record, otherwise, the region is left with no option than to de-invest its support for the government and the party in subsequent elections.”
Earlier in a welcome address delivered by Prof.Al-Mustapha Ussiju Medanar, he said
the central objective of the Roundtable discussion was to highlight and deepen the conversations around the roles and the place of the Northern region in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and fostering nation-building through key players and partners of the region, among others.
He said: “For me, it is a privilege to be a participant of this preparation for an all-inclusive recognition of the place of northern Nigeria in the Nigeria calculations and the veritable focus on the equitable development of northern Nigeria.”
“The theme of today’s discussion, “Nation Building and Democracy: The Imperative of Participation, Equity and Equitable Development of Northern Nigeria” is key to addressing the socio-political challenges that face the contiguous northern region of Nigeria.”
“The central objective of this Roundtable discussion is to highlight and deepen the conversations around the roles and the place of the Northern region in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and fostering nation-building through key players and partners of the region, among others. “
“I must state emphatically that the northern region of the country, constituting the North-West, North Central and the North-Eastern states, respectively, is a uniquely indispensable part of the nation, Nigeria. The region consists of approximately 68.67% of the population of Nigeria; it is the sole sustenance of the country agriculturally, and remains by providence, the major contributor to the political evolvement of the country from independence.”
“The northern region has effectively engaged its diverse endowment in population and various capacities to benefit the nation, in all ways possible; having been a pillar of strength on many fronts for the country.”
“It is indeed my great honour to welcome all of you; the Panelists, Discussants and selected representatives across the States of northern Nigeria. I am confident and sure that we will have a very vibrant discussion and tailored solution for an equitable development of our dear region.”
“The decision to hold this Roundtable was a response to the current political situation in the country and the preparation for the promulgation of the 10th National Assembly, particularly its leadership. The need to avoid the crisis of misrepresentation of our people and region in the distribution of rewards for political participation in the 2023 general elections, most especially the presidential election and to accept a common ground to hold all political office holders responsible for the job they are expected to carry out in the incoming administration.”
“We must have it at the back of our minds as we go into the subject of our discussion that our region contributes more than any other, as a major stakeholder in the current political dispensations including the victories of the ruling party at the polls, and as such, the region would rightly deserve and ask for commensurate rewards from the spoil of the war fought.”
“Democracy is an investment; vote is an investment. In a democratic politics, the party with the highest votes takes it all. Our region is well aware of this, and we have invested robustly in the incoming administration. The size of our votes and the consistency of our participation across the region in what we stand for is our testament. Figures do not lie; of the 8,794,726 million votes that gave the president-elect victory at the poll, 5,200,589 million representing approximately 60 percent came from our region. And for every elected Senators and HOR members from the platform the ruling party that won election, the margin of difference in their votes and that of the president-elect from each constituency is minimal; an indication of total commitment to the total cause of the party, unlike some other regions.”
“The North knows its problems and challenges; and that is the reason why we made so much political investment as a means to get the solutions we desire for our region and our people.”
“Our region is beclouded by non-ending insecurity. From North-East to North Central and splitting to the North-West, the consequences of insecurity in all its ramification has left trails of poverty, death and displacements of people from their homes and survival.”
“The poverty figure of the country placed our region as the most hit; with about 65 percent of the population of poor Nigerians living in our region. We are mostly referred to in the academic parlance as the least educationally developed region of the country. Unemployment is at the highest in the region as well.”
“At the back of all our discussion today would be the plight of our common region in the larger Nigeria entity. We must therefore take a stand of what must be done to return affirmative and commensurate dividends for our all-inclusive participation and investment in the Nigeria democracy and political business. We must take a decision as a region that has an equity that is well above 60 percent of the shared equity of the Nigeria business.”
“As part of the plans for an intrinsic discussion, we would be having sectorial pre-discussions on various topical issues with regard to the northern region after which we will break into discussion syndicates. The panelists would arise from the syndicate meetings to make a submission of the consensus agreements from the syndicate meetings which would form the crux of the final Position paper, which is the stand of the roundtable. “
“Here today, we will commence a process that will continue to strengthen the reach and take of our region without jeopardising that of others in the Nigeria entity; taking what equates to our input.” “Today, I want to hear your ideas, and frankly too. Your ideas about how to drive inclusive, equitable development of our region, because that is something that we all owe our people and what our positions have placed on us to do.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, has stated that the Igbos have no desire to join opposition political parties.
Following Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi’s petition at the Presidential Election Tribunal, the group warned Ndigbos to brace themselves for the worst.
Ohanaeze, on the other hand, stated that Obi should be commended for choosing to fight for his mandate.
Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, told the Daily Post that Obi should be commended for his efforts thus far.
He did, however, warn Igbos to tread carefully because they cannot oppose the government in power.
According to Isiguzoro:
I want to use this opportunity to commend Peter Obi for fighting a good fight in the struggle to ensure that an Igbo man becomes the president of Nigeria, even though he never ran as an Igbo candidate, but as a Nigerian project.
As a first timer, he ran against some veterans and pulled a lot of surprises that rattled the old political order in Nigeria. Coming into a party under nine months and winning in some states is a good move.
But, at this point in time, Ndigbo must prepare their minds to accept the worst, even as Obi has gone to court to challenge Tinubu’s victory. At this point, Igbos must be very conscious not to allow what happened in 2015 to happen in 2023.
After the 2015 election, Ohanaeze Ndigbo was at the forefront supporting the ex-president against Buhari despite trying severally to see the Ohanaeze’s leadership led by Joe Nworgu and Gari Iwe.
Fast forward to 2023, Ndigbo are not ready to be in an opposition political party, it has never been in our culture to play opposition politics, and in our wisdom, we vowed to help Obi sort out his constitutional right by challenging Tinubu’s victory at the tribunal.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the names of candidates for the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State on Friday.
In a statement to journalists, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, announced that it would publish the personal details of governorship candidates in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states.
He revealed that the publication would take place in the three states’ state capitols and local government offices.
INEC’s list for Kogi named Olayinka Braimoh as the Action Alliance’s governorship candidate, with Mr Simon Ogwu as his running mate.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Hon. Leke Abejide, and Dauda Ismaila Onuoroiza as running mates are also on the list, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has Sen. Dino Melaye and Habibat Mohammed Deen as running mates.
Other candidates include Mubarak Musa of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), whose running mate is Tenimu Idris of the Labour Party, Okeme Adejoh of the Labour Party, with Ocheja Edogbo Sunday as his running mate, and Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Monday’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) ticket includes Sheik Ibrahim Jibrin and Ajodo Damian.
As Buhari Relocates To Glass House
President Muhammadu Buhari has relocated from his official residence inside the Aso Rock Presidential Villa to the Glass House ahead of the swearing-in of President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Glass House is a temporary structure that has been the abode of outgoing presidents since 1991.
The President’s relocation also allows maintenance works on the residence in preparation for its next occupant.
Following Buhari’s relocation, presidential aides have also begun moving their personal belongings out of the seat of power to create room for Tinubu’s personal aides and key Presidency officials.
According to Saturday PUNCH, a senior State House source disclosed that the main residence of the president was being coated with white paint while some of its sections were being cleaned and fumigated.
“You know that most of the structure is white. So, the renovation will involve repainting of the stained sections and replacing fittings that have gone weak or bad. The furniture may not be changed. But that will depend on the new President,” the source said.
Buhari’s Aides Move Out
It was observed that the President’s aides started packing their personal belongings out of the Villa earlier this month to avoid last-minute focus on them by “overzealous security officials,” who might be taking pictures to give the impression that the aides were engaging in last-minute looting of the residential apartments.
One presidential aide stated that items being moved out of the Villa included personal books, electronic gadgets, fittings, and other personal effects that he said were not purchased with government funds.
Another aide of the President told The PUNCH, “Since we all know that the tenure of the present administration ends on May 29, which is about 17 days, why will we wait until the new appointees start to resume before we move out?
“Already, the President and his family have also moved from the main building to a smaller one within the Villa, and I am sure that the first family will soon start moving their belongings out of the Presidential Villa.
“The First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has taken the incoming First Lady round the residential areas and buildings in preparation for the handover. So, what are we going to be waiting for? The outgoing First Lady did that because she knows the incoming First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.”
State House Clinic
Meanwhile, the Villa Clinic located at the administrative section of the State House has been relocated to the N21 billion VIP wing of the State House Clinic, now a medical centre.
Officials have evacuated hospital beds, surgical suction machines, oxygen cylinders, mini theatre light stands, pedal bins, dressing bowls, file cabinets, and blood collection tubes, among others.
Speaking to the platform, a medical member of staff said that the old equipment would be relocated to the old Aso Villa Clinic outside of the Villa as they would not be needed at the VIP section.
The medical officer said, “We are moving them to the old Aso Clinic outside, while we move to the VIP Clinic. All our staff members are relocating there since it has been completed.
“Villa staff members can use the clinic as an outpatient clinic, but they will not be admitted there. It is only for senior officials.”
On the State House Management’s plans for the now-empty clinic, the source said, “I don’t know what they plan to convert this place to. But what I know is that we will no longer be there.”
A retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Simeon Ajisafe, has appealed to the the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alikali Baba, to expedite action on the payment of his entitlements, saying that he now begs to feed his family.
Ajisafe, who walked into LEADERSHIP Newspapers office in Ilorin, Kwara State, said the non-payment of his entitlements by the Police authorities has inflicted hardship on him and his dependants.
He dropped a copy of an open letter titled, “Re-Complaint of Non Payment of My Salary Arrears and Other Sntitlements (AP/No.36078, ACP Simeon A.E. Ajisafe (rtd)”, which he addressed to the Inspector General of Police.
“Above matter refers. My letter dated 10th November, 2022 routed through my lawyer, Victoria Echobu of Crescens Legal Associate on same issue to your ( IGP) office , is relevant,” Ajisafe stated.
Looking pale, the troubled retired Police officer said: “My ordeal in the Nigeria Police Force dated back to 25th May, 2011, when I was unlawfully dismissed from the Force. After a long battle, I contested my case at the National Industrial Court , Abuja and was vindicated on 16th December, 2019.
“Following the judgment of the court, the chairman, Police Service Commission in his letter Ref. No. PSC/1524/IV/1/8/11 dated 28th July, 2021upheld the court’s judgement; which was further endorsed by you(IGP) through your signal with reference No. CH: 7370/FS/FHQ/ABJ/ VOL.25/124 DTO: 281300/07/2021.
“On the 17th August, 2022, the follow up signal from the office of the Force secretary ref. No. Ap.36078/FS/FHQ/ABJ/T/2 DTO: 171840/08/2022, promoted and upgraded me to my desired rank of an Assistant Commisssioner of Police with the date of my statutory retirement backdated to 1st April, 2021.”
He added: “Much as I appreciated your efforts so far, it is desirable that your clear directive in payment of my salary arrears and emoluments be given paramount consideration. The consequence of not receiving my salary arrears, pension, gratuity and other entitlements since over twelve (12) years ago are better imagined than experienced.”
He lamented his inability to feed his family and finance the education of his children; take care of his health condition and that of his family, adding that: “I have faced serious financial embarrassment from many individuals, landlord, dependants, just a few, amongst myriads of financial challenges.
“In view of thede catastrophic developments, I humbly enjoin the IGP to give urgent directive to whoever is holding onto my salary arrears. The MD, NPF Pensions Ltd and the director general of PENCOM are not exempted from these directives , having perfected all required documentations, with the two bodies.”
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The police in Delta say they have arrested a teenage boy, Ade Segun alongside his friends, Precious and Nonso for allegedly faking his abduction with the intention to extort N20 million from his parents.
The police said Segun was nabbed with friends who allegedly took part in the fake abduction.
Upon the news of his kidnap, Segun’s parents, called Warri headquarters to report his abduction.
According to the police spokesperson in Warri, Bright Edafe to journalists, the kidnappers demanded N20 million and not 2 million he erroneously stated on the micro blogging platform, Twitter before Segun’s release.
He further noted that a woman police played along, pretending to want to pay the ransom which brought about the arrest.
Sharing the photos of the teenage boys, the police spokesperson said: “The suspect, Ade Segun, planned his own kidnapped alongside two of his friends, Precious and Nonso, called Ade’s parent, and demanded the sum of #2,000,000. The parent reported at the police station in Warri, where a woman police played along, pretending to pay the ransom money.
“When the undercover policemen got to the location, they laid ambush and one of them precious came to pick the money, he was rounded up and arrested, he took them to the hideout where Ade and his other friend were arrested and confessed that it was all planned.”
The tour of the Presidential Villa in Abuja with first lady Aisha Buhari on Tuesday was overwhelming, according to incoming first lady Remi Tinubu.
Senator Tinubu stated this to reporters following the tour.
Recall, It was previously reported that Aisha Buhari showed her successor some strategic areas of the first family’s official residence, the Aso Rock Villa.
The first lady explained that the Glass House in the villa is the first family’s transitional home. President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife are currently residing in the Glass House, preparing to leave office.
Mrs. Buhari said in an Instagram video that she was overwhelmed by everything she had been told and prayed to God to help her.
Aisha mentioned that she had taken the incoming first lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, on the tour.
She said:
She has seen the main house, we are now at the popular Glass House. Glass House is a transitional home for the outgoing president.
I’m advising that the Glass House should maintain its tradition of being a transition for the outgoing president. As I am talking to you now, I am residing here with my husband. Only two of us here, I think it should remain so as a norm of the institution and of the house.
Mrs. Tinubu responded;
I have gone around. She has magnanimously shown me around the house. And graciously explained a lot of things to me which is quite a short time and overwhelming for me to grasp.
But, I believe God will help me to be able to make an impactful contribution to the nation.
The founder and General Overseer of Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly, Lagos, High Priest Azuka Kenrick Nnodu, and two others, have been convicted for drug dealing.
58-year-old Nnodu and his two co-defendants, Udezuka Udoka (26) and Oyoyo Mary Obasi (40) were convicted by Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, following their ‘guilty’ plea to a six-count charge.
The trio was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for conspiracy, procurement of persons to unlawfully export, unlawful export of 14.90 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa and 204 grams of Methamphetamine, and unlawful possession of the hard drugs.
Prosecution counsel Mr. Abu Ibrahim alleged that they committed the offences with one Chisom, now at large, on February 9, 2023.
Ibrahim told the court that the defendants were arrested with the drugs at the NAHCO Export Shed, a Customs Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The court heard that the offences contravened sections 14(b); 21(2)(d) and 20(1)(a) of the NDLEA Act, 2004, and were punishable under Sections 11(b) and 20(2(a) of the same Act.
All the defendants pleaded guilty.
Following their plea, Ibrahim reviewed the fact of the case and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants in accordance with the NDLEA Act.
But the defendants’ counsel Chief Benson Ndakara expressed shock at the defendants’ guilty plea, saying he was “taken by surprise at their change of mind, after dissipating extra energy and time to prepare and file their various bail applications.”
Nevertheless, Ndakara pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the defendants, on the ground that they were first-time offenders without any record of previous conviction.
Justice Aluko convicted the trio, but reserved judgment till an undisclosed date.
The judge remanded the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending judgment.
The Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima, has explained why the All Progressives Congress (APC) settled for the former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as the Senate President and Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the forthcoming 10th National Assembly.
Shettima said the choice of Akpabio is for the purpose of faith balancing and in Nigeria’s best interest.
According to Shettima, the nation, and the party could not afford a situation where the first four citizens belong to the same faith.
He spoke as returning APC members in the House of Representatives rallied support for the pair of Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House.
Receiving members of the Joint Task 10th Assembly, a multi-partisan forum for Members-elect of the 10th House of Representatives and the main campaign machinery of Abbasin Abuja yesterday, Shettima said the APC should not be seen to be lending credence to insinuations of an agenda to Islamise the country.
Nigeria’s stability, he stressed, was more paramount than any political consideration.
He addressed Abbas as “by God’s grace our Speaker in waiting” and Kalu, “our Deputy Speaker in waiting.”
He said the APC would continue to reach out to those aggrieved by the party’s recent anointing of candidates for the positions of Senate President, Deputy Senate President, House of Reps Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
He said: “I will take it upon myself to reach out to the other contenders. Rt Hon Betara is my brother. We are from the same sub-region; we are from the same state and I have the best relationship with him. I met him two nights ago. I will sustain that.
“Around 1pm today (Friday), I met with Rt. Hon. Ahmed Wase, the Deputy Speaker. We will continue with the engagements so we can have a rancor-free assembly.”
He also advocated a harmonious relationship between the incoming executive and the legislative arm, saying: “When Obasanjo lost grip of the National Assembly, his first tenure was a failure. President Buhari could do little in his first term because of rancorous relationship between the executive and the legislature.
“What was accomplished in the last four years was because of the harmonious relationship between the executive and legislature.
“President Goodluck Jonathan lost grip of the National Assembly when Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal emerged as the Speaker and that rancorous relationship culminated in his defeat in 2015 general election. Mariam Onuoha is my friend. I will reach out to her.
“What we are trying to avoid is a situation whereby the number one citizen, number two citizen, the number three citizen, the number four citizen are all of the same faith. That will validate the negative narrative of Islamization of Nigeria.
“That is why my principal, a fair minded individual, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu insisted the number three citizen must come from the South/South (Christian). The stability of the nation is more important than any other consideration. We are talking about inclusivity.”
The vice president-elect advised Abbas and Kalu to carry other political parties along in the appointment of committee chairmen if they emerged Presiding Officers of the House.
Abbas expressed gratitude to Shettima and Tinubu for their support and pledged that under their leadership, there would be a harmonious relationship between the two sides for the progress of the country.
Also speaking, Kalu thanked the APC, Tinubu and Shetimma for rewarding the South/East despite the abysmal performance of the party in the zone during the last election.
His words: “In your magnanimity you decided to show that cohesion was necessary for nation building. But this time, irrespective of the votes that come from the South East, you considered cohesion and gave us deputy speaker, we are grateful.
“Here we have over 153 members, some of whom are outside, who are in support of the decision that the party has taken, because this is the decision that will give every part of the nation a sense of belonging.”