Sen. Sunday Karimi (APC–Kogi) says there is nothing wrong with the purchase of 360 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for senators of the 10th National Assembly.

Karimi, also the Chairman, of the Committee on Senate Services, said this when he spoke with newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that Nigerians should also raise questions about Ministers having four official vehicles.

“Somebody that is a Minister has more than three land cruisers, Prado, and other vehicles and you are not asking them questions, why us?

“These vehicles that you see, go to Nigeria road. Today, if I go home once, to my senatorial district, I come back spending a lot on my vehicles because our roads are bad. Am I talking to somebody?

“I said the decision that we took on using land cruiser is the cost and durability.

“Before they came up with this. It is not the decisions of the senators alone, we did an analysis before arriving at land cruisers,” he said.
He added: “It was based on comparative analysis of the cost of technical issues and durability on Nigeria roads, are you getting me?

“We want something that we can maintain for another four years and the issue of buying vehicles for national assembly, you know it is a reoccurring issue, it occurs every assembly, it will always come up.

“If you got to state houses of assembly today, check out, most of them before they were even inaugurated, the governor would have bought vehicles waiting for them even local government chairmen.

“I drove the vehicle my local government chairman uses, so why the National Assembly.”

Karimi said that part of the money paid to the contractor was for the settlement of about N16 billion in liabilities.

“The cost, let me tell you, listen to me, you know I am the chairman, senate service. When I came into the senate, when they gave me their liabilities, they had liabilities of over 16 billion that was made up of different vehicles of the 7th assembly 8th and 9th assembly.

“If you are a businessman and you supply vehicles for somebody in 2014 or 2015 or so and up till now they owed you.

“I am not trying to defend anybody, if you see them selling land cruisers in the market let’s say it is A cost, you don’t expect somebody that will supply it to supply it at the price they are selling it in the market.

“It has to leave a margin. And the civil service for supply, allowed for a 25 percent margin plus that and VAT and I think that VAT is 7.5. Out of that 25% margin, they will still remove 5% tax from it.

“You are telling someone to supply and he may even not end up making payment for three years and you want him to supply at the price they are selling in the market, it is not possible,” Karimi said.(NAN)

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has said the nation’s electoral body must examine the causes of failure to upload results of the presidential poll to the INEC results viewing portal (IReV).

In an interview with ARISE Television, the former INEC chairman said he could relate with many of the challenges faced during the general election but that of uploading of results should be looked into.

“And if you are so confident with the planning process, and at the end of it all, there is a failure somewhere, you will take the blame because you are the leader,” Jega said.

“But it does not mean you are the one who has deliberately done it because you are compromised. We need to be fair in our assessment.”

The former INEC chairman said the assessment of the success and failure rate of the card reader was implemented before he left the commission.

He said, “The card reader failed in five percent of places of deployment which is 95 percent success. But the pressmen and politicians were just focused on where it failed. But it can never be perfect,” Jega said.

“I can tell you that the BVAS that was developed to replace the card reader is of significant value to the electoral process. The major failure experienced during the polls relates to the upload to the IREV as promised by the chairman.

“I think we need to interrogate why the uploading, specifically with regards to the presidential election, failed.

“This needs to be done, not just in-house by INEC, but in a very transparent manner. I think there will be a lot of revelations with regards to what happened in order to properly apportion blame to who is responsible for what happened.”

In the ever-evolving realm of public service, the true measure of leadership lies not in words but in actions. It is indeed a rarity to find an individual whose tenure at the helm of an institution leaves an indelible mark, one that turns it into a powerhouse of growth and development. Sir Joseph Ntung Ari is one such extraordinary leader, whose remarkable journey as the Director General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has been marked by colossal achievements and an unwavering commitment to national development.

Taking the reins of ITF in 2016, Sir Joseph Ari embarked on a path of transformative leadership that has set him apart as an exemplary public servant and a source of inspiration for future leaders. His tenure has been a testament to the power of visionary leadership, and a closer look at his accomplishments reveals the exceptional qualities that have defined his legacy.

Empowering Through Staff Capacity Building: Central to Sir Joseph Ari’s extraordinary journey has been his unwavering dedication to staff capacity building. He recognized that a knowledgeable and skilled workforce is the bedrock of any organization, and he championed numerous training programs within ITF to enhance the competencies of its employees. His commitment to the professional development of ITF’s workforce is a hallmark of his visionary leadership.

Fueling Innovation: Under Sir Joseph Ari’s leadership, ITF has witnessed a surge of innovative solutions. He embraced technology as a potent tool for efficient service delivery. Initiatives such as the ITF Mobile App have made training opportunities and resources more accessible to the public. Furthermore, his emphasis on Research and Development at ITF has opened new horizons for Nigeria’s industrial growth.

Harmonizing Labor Relations: Sir Joseph Ari’s tenure has brought about significant improvements in labor harmony. His exceptional ability to foster an environment of mutual respect and understanding has led to a reduction in industrial disputes, benefiting not only the organization but the entire nation.

Nationwide Impact: Beyond the confines of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari’s influence on the nation’s workforce development is immeasurable. His tenure has played a pivotal role in equipping numerous Nigerians with the critical skills necessary to excel in various industries. This has significantly contributed to the reduction of unemployment and the empowerment of countless individuals and communities.

The Personal Touch: Sir Joseph Ari’s exceptional success as the Director General of ITF is not only attributable to his strategic vision but also to his exceptional personal qualities. Renowned for his unwavering integrity, humility, and unwavering dedication to service, he has fostered an open-door policy that has made him accessible to both staff and stakeholders. This approach has cultivated an atmosphere of trust and unity.

As Sir Joseph Ari moves, it is only natural to reflect on the remarkable strides he has achieved. However, this moment should also be an opportunity to contemplate the future and how best to harness his expertise for the nation’s benefit. The Federal Government should proactively identify areas where his knowledge and skills can be effectively utilized to further advance our nation’s interests, ensuring that his wisdom and experience remain within reach.

In conclusion, Sir Joseph Ari’s legacy at the Industrial Training Fund is a resounding testament to the transformative potential of effective leadership, not without its fair share of controversies. However, he came, he saw and indeed he conquered!

His efforts in staff capacity building, innovation, and labor harmony have profoundly reshaped the organization and made a significant contribution to Nigeria’s workforce development. We celebrate his unwavering commitment, applaud his monumental achievements, and eagerly anticipate his continued service to the nation in future endeavors. Sir Joseph Ari is not just a leader; he is an enduring source of inspiration for others to follow in the path of transformative public service.

A RECENT report that no fewer than 50 “repentant thugs” in Kano were converted to Police Special Constabulary, PSC, by the Kano State Police Command has generated understandable concerns among the populace. The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, while addressing the “repentant thugs” at a ceremony held at Sani Abacha Stadium was quoted as saying: “Today is a happy day for the good people of Kano State and the Police Command because we passed out 50 youths from the 222 repentant thugs, who have since surrendered themselves and promised never to engage in thuggery and other social vices that have been bedevilling the state, especially during the second quarter of the year 2023.”

The CP recalled that about three months earlier, the Command invited some identified “notorious individuals” believed to be “behind the escalation of thuggery and other heinous crimes” in the state for dialogue. “We forwarded their details to the state governor for them to be supported by way of engaging them in some life-changing programmes…. It is from this number that 50 volunteered to work with the police and to contribute to the security and development of the state. Taking into consideration their commitment to ensuring peace in the state since their repentance, we trained them in classes and the field and kitted them as members of the Special Constabulary.”

It was not clear from the reports how long the ‘thugs’ had been repentant or the duration of their training before they “volunteered to work with the Police”. Kano State is, however, not the only state that has tried to rehabilitate ‘thugs’. The Daily Nigerian of September 5, 2022 reported that “two gangs of political thugs in Zamfara State embraced peace and urged the state government to engage them positively so as to contribute positively to societal development”. Members of the gang reportedly said they regretted being used by some politicians to cause mayhem on innocent citizens. The groups, said to be led by one Baba Karami and Garba Lawal, aka Vice, said they have joined the All Progressives Congress, APC, and would “support government efforts to restore peace in the state”.

There are a number of issues involved here: One is the notion of thugs. It would appear that the Kano State government used the word ‘thug’ as a generic sense to encompass all manner of socially unacceptable activity – from ruffians who may not necessarily have engaged in crimes to those suspected to be behind sundry crimes. For instance, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting in a report on October 17, 2023 noted: “On Monday, October 16, the ICIR saw pictures of Nasiru Abdullahi, popularly known as Chile Maidoki, donning a Kano State constabulary uniform alongside the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Kiyawa. Sometime this year, Abdullahi and two other notorious criminals were declared wanted by the Kano State Police Command with a bounty of N100,000 each. A subsequent statement by the command confirmed that he surrendered himself to the command upon hearing the bounty placed on his head.”

While in Kano State we were told of “repentant thugs”, in Zamfara State, it seemed that the focus was more narrowly on “political thugs”. Though this is narrower than the concept of ‘thug’ it is still broad because it could be an umbrella term for all manner of people working for politicians – from private security men to political enforcers, hangers-on and hired political assassins. Again, like in Zamfara, it is not clear if the political thugs had committed any crime, and if so, whether they have been convicted by a competent court of law.

It would seem that in Kano State, the apparent inability of the police to segregate the ‘repentant thugs’ into groups according to their suspected levels of involvement in crime and then convince the populace that those allowed to become members of the Special Police Constabulary are no threats, is one of the reasons for the push back by the people. The truth is that not all thugs are criminals – which may partly explain why ‘agberos’ these days want to be called ‘road transport workers’.

To be “repentant” means that one is conscious of having down something wrong. An average motor park thug or political thugs will most likely opt for a more respectable job if offered the opportunity to do so, which means that in their own case, there may be nothing to ‘repent from’. The notion of ‘repentant thugs’ thus unfairly criminalises the dregs of the society who have never committed any crime but took to a life of hustling only because they have no other options.

Two, related to the above is the question of recidivism. Recidivism in penology and criminology is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behaviour after having been trained to abandon such. It is also used to refer to the percentage of former prisoners who are rearrested for a similar offence. Since the terminology of ‘repentant thug’ implies association with crimes, there are legitimate concerns about the said ‘repentant’ thugs returning to their old ways.

Recidivism is in fact a general concern across the world in conversations about the rehabilitation of offenders such as former prisoners or terrorists. For instance, in Norway, which has one of the lowest recidivism rates in the world, about 20 per cent (or a fifth) of former offenders, still end up re-offending? In the United Kingdom, figures from the National Statistics show that proven re-offending statistics for the period January to March 2021 was 24.3 per cent – meaning that nearly one-fourth of every rehabilitated offender ended up re-offending.

In the US, which has one of the highest recidivism rates in the world, almost 44 per cent of criminals released returned to prison within their first year out. In Nigeria, though there is a dearth of reliable data, a 2021 study of recidivism published in the African Journal of Social Issues, found that recidivism rate increased from 37.3 per cent in 2005 to 52.4 per cent in 2010, meaning that more than half of offenders released either from prison or under various reformation programmes, re-offended.

These figures will, therefore, seem to validate the fears about injecting “50 repentant thugs” into the Police Special Constabulary. As mentioned earlier, these concerns were exacerbated by the Police’s failure to segregate the thugs according to their levels of exposure to crime, and ensuring that only those who had not taken part in crimes or been convicted of crimes were recruited into the PSC. In fact, had the Police segregated the ‘repentant thugs’ according to their levels of exposure to different forms of crimes, it would have been easier to discuss integration programmes that could be appropriate for each category of the ‘repentant thugs’.

Three, given the unsavoury image of the Police, there is a special angst about the ‘repentant thugs’ being integrated into the Special Constabulary Police. Typically, Special Constables are volunteer Police Officers who have the same police powers, uniforms and equipment as regular Police Officers but sacrifice their free time on a voluntary basis. In the United Kingdom and most parts of the Western world, they do not get paid, but are reimbursed for expenses. A Special (as they are often called) is someone who will be valued, supported and integrated into the wider policing family.

In Nigeria, there remains a lack of clarity on the status of the Special Constabularies such that in August 2022, some 1,056 Special Constables recruited in Kwara State took to the streets to protest the non-payment of 18 months’ salary by the government and police authorities. It should be recalled that the idea of Police Special Constables was mooted in October 2020 when President Buhari directed the police hierarchy to commence recruitment of some special constables with a N13 billion take-off grant.

It is obvious that the Police Special Constables cannot work on the basis of volunteer scheme in Nigeria as is the case in other parts of the world because most of those recruited into the scheme do not seem to have any other visible means of livelihood. Whatever may be the status of the Nigerian Special Police Constabularies, the mere fact of giving people considered to be “undesirable elements” police uniforms, after only two months or so of training, is a legitimate source of concern.

Four, what are the options for the government when it comes to rehabilitating and re-integrating undesirable elements into the society? A starting point will be a proper segregation of the undesirable elements into their levels of exposure to crimes and then targeting each group with a rehabilitation programme appropriate for each category. For some categories of offenders, the state will have no option but to accommodate a community’s often justified unwillingness to welcome such elements into its fold

Barely 3 weeks to the opening of ballots in the off cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised serious concerns over the spate of violence that is threatening the delivery of a free and fair polls in the respective states.

Prof Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of INEC stated his concerns during the commission’s Quarterly Consultative Meeting with Political Parties in Abuja noting that all the parties and their candidates have a responsibility to call their supporters to order during the campaigns and procession.

While he charged the political parties, Inter-Party Consultative Advisory Council, and the security agencies to actively engage to mitigate the tension, Prof Yakubu maintained that a free and fair poll can only be possible under a peaceful atmosphere, saying the election is a process involving humans whose personal safety is equally important.

“As electioneering campaigns continue to intensify, the Commission reiterates its concern about the spate of violence in the three States involving parties and candidates. I wish to remind you as party leaders that free and fair elections are only possible in an atmosphere of peace. After all, an election is a process involving human beings such as voters, election officials, observers, and the media whose safety is of paramount concern to us.

“While we will continue to work with the security agencies in this regard, political parties acting individually or collectively through the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) also have an obligation to impress on your members, candidates, and supporters to maintain peace during the campaign rallies and procession. I urge you to also appeal to them to maintain the same disposition on Election Day and beyond”

On the readiness of the INEC for the election, the INEC chairman explained that following the mock accreditation carried out in the State , the commission’s State offices have concluded the readiness assessment of our facilities as well as the movement of critical facilities to our 56 Local Government offices across the three States.

“These changes have been reflected in the updated list of parties and candidates on our website. However, this decision is without prejudice to any pending appeal by the affected candidates or their political parties” he stressed.

[DailyIndependent]

An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday sentenced the Medical Director of Optical Cancer Care Foundation, Dr Olufemi Olaleye, to double life imprisonment for defiling his wife’s 16-year-old niece.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the prosecution proved the two-count charge of defilement and sexual assault by penetration brought against Olaleye.

DAILY POST reported that Olaleye was prosecuted on a two-count charge of defilement and sexual penetration against a minor.

The defendant had pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.

However, Justice Oshodi said that the evidence adduced before the court against the defendant was compelling and proved the offences beyond reasonable doubt.

According him, the confessional statement of the defendant, made before his lawyer, Mr Olalekan Buruji, and the DPO of Anthony Police Station, in which he stated that he regretted his act, proved that he committed the offences.

The judge said that the oral statement which the defendant denied, had the Buruji’s NBA seal on it and his denial did not hold waters.

“You are dangerous offender and you must be ashamed,” the judge said, referring to the convict.

[DailyPost]

The Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark, has called for the exclusion of Abia, Imo and Ondo states from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Clark said the states were included in the first place in the 2000 NDDC Act for convenience, though a political aberration.

The former national commissioner therefore urged President Bola Tinubu to re-enact a new bill for the Oil production that is Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo and Akwa Ibom.

Details shortly…

[Nation]

The Corporate Affairs Commission says it has uncovered 189 fake companies used to secure land allocations in the Federal Capital Territory.

The Registrar General of the commission, Hussaini Magaji, disclosed this during a press briefing on Tuesday in Abuja.

Magaji stated that the discovery was made following a complaint from the Federal Capital Territory Administration to verify the status of a non-existing company seeking land allocation.

He explained that the discovery of the non-existent company led him to investigate further, resulting in the identification of other companies.

He added that two suspects including a lawyer have been apprehended and a cartel involving staff of Abuja Geographical Information System, lawyers, and the commission have been identified.

He said, “Let me use this opportunity to inform the public that one of the major milestones achieved so far since I assumed office, is our ability to bust a cartel or a link of individuals that are creating havoc for the commission.

“This cartel creates companies through collaboration with some lawyers claiming to be accredited agents of the commission and staff of Abuja Geographical Information System to secure land allocations in the FCT and we only knew this crime after a complaint from the Federal Capital Territory Administration asking us to verify some applications made by some entities, which turned out to be non-existent on our system.

“With the information available to us, I gave a directive on the issue and we have so far identified 189 fake companies used to secure land allocation in the FCT. We have also facilitated the arrest of two suspects.

Explaining their mode of operations, the CAC boss said the cartel manoeuvred the land process to make their applications for land allocation priority over existing applications aiding land fraud in the capital city.

He noted, “The nature of their crime is they create fake entities through connivance with some lawyers claiming to be accredited agents of the commission and staff of Abuja geographical information system and apply for land at the FCT, manoeuvring their ways to a priority application over existing application in other to take over lands and they have been quite successful before we discovered it.

“As of yesterday we arrested two suspects including a lawyer and we are interrogating them to get more information and clampdown on other members of this cartel.

“In the course of our investigation and research, we found that the companies do not exist. And with the collaboration of security agents, we arrested a suspect and by arresting him, he has volunteered some information and from that, we have gotten a clue that something like this is happening and we are working hard to stop this menace.”

Speaking further on the vision of the commission, the registrar-general promised to increase the commission’s revenue base by sanctioning companies who fail to disclose their annual returns amongst other penalties.

He said that increasing its revenue base would enable the commission to perform its objective as a world-class commission.

[Punch]

Galatasaray and Bayern Munich will face off in what will be a top-table leader decider on matchday three of Group A of the UEFA Champions League.

Galatasaray stunned Manchester United in the second round of the Champions League the last time out in a 2-3 win at Old Trafford. They host Bayern Munich with high prospects of extending their points in the standings, as they failed to win their first match against Copenhagen FC. Bayern Munchen might be facing a team that will give them a run for their money in the quest to make it three wins in three games.

Galatasaray are flying high this season; they have a 23-game unbeaten run with eight wins in nine matches in the Turkish Super Leagues, sitting second just below Fenerbahce. Bayern’s rival Leverkusen’s resoluteness is what keeps them from being the league leaders despite their impressive start to the season.

Form 

Galatasaray: WWWWWW

Bayern Munich: WWWDW

Team news

Galatasaray are a bunch of healthy team at the moment, with no senior team player sidelined with it. In their last match against Manchester United in this competition, they lost Lucas Torriera to injury in the second half, but the Uruguayan is back in the squad.

Bayern’s squad is still facing shortages as they prepare for a challenging trip to Istanbul. None of Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Neuer, Dayot Upamecano, Gabriel Marusic, Raphael Guerreiro, or Tarek Buchmann are expected to be available due to various injuries.

The injury situation for Bayern got even worse in their recent victory over Mainz, as midfielder Leon Goretzka was suspected to have a broken finger. Although Serge Gnabry is nearing a return from a fractured forearm, there is uncertainty about his availability as of now.

Predictions 

Galatasaray can take ample advantage of Bayern Munich’s depleted squad and pose a great challenge. It will be interesting to see.

Galatasaray 2 vs Bayern Munich 2

[Vanguard]