President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the direct deduction from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of government agencies to be reduced from 50% to 20%.

The move is part of efforts to ease the financial burden on the government agencies and encourage financial autonomy.

Based on the fresh directive, the leaders of several unions in the aviation sector, who had earlier threatened to embark on a strike, have opened discussions with the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to deliberate on their stance and the implications of this policy change.

The outcome of these discussions could have significant ramifications for the operational and financial strategies of affected agencies across the nation.

Details later…

A 36-year-old woman, Natalie Harris has been sentenced to 4 years imprisonment for engaging in s3xual intercourse with two 13-year-olds in her son's bedroom while he was at school.

The woman started sending s3xual messages to one of the schoolboys on Snapchat before inviting them both to her address.

In a 'total disregard of any moral compass', the mother-of-six developed an 'obsession for s3x with young boys' and wanted 'attention' after a break-up, a court heard.

She was arrested after a video of the thr33some filmed by one of the boys was circulated around their school.

Harris, from Waterlooville, Hampshire, wept in the dock on Thursday as she was jailed for four years, having admitted four counts of engaging in s3xual activity with a child.

A mother of one of the 13-year-old boys told Portsmouth Crown Court that Harris 'has taken away his childhood'.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said both boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were 13 at the time of the incident which took place in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth, in November 2022.

Mr Lawson told Portsmouth Crown Court: 'The case came to light in January of last year.

'There was a video that had been circulating around the school both boys attended.

'The police got a call from a concerned parent which showed an adult female engaging in s3xual activity with a boy.'

The court heard the two boys initially denied involvement before one of them eventually told their mother.

Mr Lawson said Harris was identified as the woman in the video via her distinctive hand tattoos.

Her mobile phone was seized by police and a 'thread of messages' between her and one of the boys was found - who she had saved in her contacts as Rachel.

It was heard she told him he 'shouldn't tell anyone' as she could go to prison.

Telling the court how the boy came forward to tell his mum he had been the one who took the video, Mr Lawson said: 'He said in November 2022, around the time of the World Cup, the defendant had started to message him on Snapchat and by text.

'He said the messages became s3xual and invited both boys to go to her house.

'It was clear to both boys they were going there for s3x.'

The court heard that when they arrived at the address, Harris took them to her son's bedroom, where they had s3x for roughly 40 minutes and left before her own boy was due to return from school.

She was arrested and initially claimed 'no knowledge' of who the woman was in the video.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the mother of the boy who came forward said she had seen her son 'fade away' as a result of the 'awful nightmare'.

She added her 'poor boy' has lost interest in several hobbies and now stays indoors as a result.

'My heart just breaks, I couldn't have imagined this happening to my son - he is a child,' she said.

'Natalie has completely turned our family upside down.

'The worst thing about all of this is she has taken away his childhood and I will never forgive her.

'He will never get back the childhood that has been taken from him. This will stay with us now for the rest of our lives.'

Harris, who has since been diagnosed with bipolar and multiple personality disorder - was suffering from a 'manic episode', it was heard.

In mitigation, criminal barrister Berenice Mulvanny said Harris was 'deeply remorseful' and 'devastated' about her behaviour.

She said it had been 'triggered' by a break-up with a partner.

On Harris' split with her partner, Judge Sarah Munro KC said: 'You reacted to his departure dramatically.

'In your behaviour, you became extremely promiscuous.'

She said a 'dramatic change' was noted in Harris's mood which included 'an obsession in you for sex with young boys'.

'The boy described how you started to send him messages and invited him to your home,' she said. 'You took them to your son's bedroom and engaged in s3xual activity with both boys.

'They left because it was time for your son to come home from school.'

On the boy who reported the incident, she said: 'The impact upon him has been dreadful. He feels guilty about what happened. You have clearly turned that family upside down and taken his childhood away from him.'

Sentencing her, she continued: 'No sentence I can pass can give him his childhood back or undo the damage you have done to him.'

The judge said the trigger for the 'manic episode' which resulted in 'erratic behaviour' was her split with her partner.

'You felt unloved and you began to act in a way to get attention,' she added. 'In your desire for attention, you gave no consideration on the long-term detrimental impact on these young boys.

'There was significant planning and grooming behaviour used by you, a serious abuse of trust and a very significant disparity in age.'

She added there had been a 'total disregard of any moral compass' and jailed her for four years.

Harris was also made the subject of a ten-year restraining order and a S3xual Harm Prevention Order of the same length.

Gunmen have kidnapped over 20 medical and dental students and a House Officer in Benue State.

The students were en route to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) annual convention in Enugu.

The students, said to be from the University of Maiduguri and University of Jos, were traveling together when they were ambushed by gunmen around 5:30 p.m. in the Otukpo area of the state.

The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, who confirmed the incident, said an investigation had been launched into the abduction.

“Yes, the report of kidnapping is true. The report was received around 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and an investigation is ongoing.”

The Federal Government has appealed to aviation unions to shelve their plans for a strike over the deduction of 50  per cent of the internal revenue of aviation agencies. 

In a memo dated August 14, the unions comprising the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE) had threatened to strike.

But the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has appealed to them to shelve the planned strike.

Keyamo in a statement he signed on Friday, assured the workers’ unions and other stakeholders in the sector that President Bola Tinubu is “very concerned about the improvement of the Aviation sector and will give their demands due consideration with the goal of finding a lasting solution that balances both the fiscal needs of the government and the operational requirements of the Aviation Agencies”.

“We appeal to all workers to remain calm and maintain industrial peace while the Government is working assiduously towards amicably resolving the matter. The Ministry appreciates their patience and understanding and remains committed to ensuring a conducive work environment for all,” Keyamo said

READ PRESS STATEMENT BELOW

Friday, 16th August, 2024
​​
Press Statement by the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Regarding the Call to Action by Aviation Unions over the Deduction of 50% of the Internal Revenue of Aviation Agencies

​The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has been made aware of the call to action by the workers’ unions within the aviation sector to protest the Federal Government’s deduction of 50% of all internally generated revenue of Aviation Agencies at source. The concerns of the workers, especially regarding the negative impact these deductions have on investment, maintenance of critical infrastructure, and overall operations of the Agencies, have been duly noted.

 

2. ​We understand the significance of the issues raised and recognize the vital role that our aviation workforce plays in ensuring the safety, efficiency, and smooth operation of the industry. The Ministry is committed to addressing these challenges in a manner that ensures the continued viability and sustainability of the sector while maintaining the highest standards of service delivery.

3. ​The Honourable Minister wishes to assure the workers’ Unions and other stakeholders that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very concerned about improvement of the Aviation sector and will give their demands due consideration with the goal of finding a lasting solution that balances both the fiscal needs of the government and the operational requirements of the Aviation Agencies.

4. ​We appeal to all workers to remain calm and maintain industrial peace while the Government is working assiduously towards amicably resolving the matter. The Ministry appreciates their patience and understanding and remains committed to ensuring a conducive work environment for all.

5. ​We thank the workers for their understanding and continued dedication to the aviation sector.

 

 

Thank you,

Festus Keyamo SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK)
Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
Federal Republic of Nigeria

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says three drug kingpins and 16 other offenders have been convicted and sentenced to a total of 302 years in prison.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Friday, said they were sentenced for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs.

They were convicted for trafficking cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and opioids among others.

To Babafemi, the 19 convicts lead the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court across Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, between July 1st and 31st, 2024, following charges brought against them by the NDLEA.

“Three drug kingpins and 16 other offenders have been convicted and sentenced to a total of Three Hundred and Two years in prison for trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and opioids following their arrest and diligent prosecution by the NDLEA,” he said.

“The 19 convicts top the list of 414 drug traffickers and dealers convicted by the Federal High Court in Benue, Bauchi, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe, and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja between July 1st – 31st, 2024, based on charges filed against them by the anti-narcotics agency.”

One of the three kingpins, a 50-year-old Bolanle Dauda, was arrested during an intelligence-led raid by operatives of a special operation unit in NDLEA at Ibiye, along Lagos-Badagry Expressway while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana on May 25, 2024.

He was subsequently arraigned before Hon. Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos in charge number FHC/L/537C/2024.

“At the point of his arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilograms were found on him. A swift follow-up operation in his residence at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo road, Agbara, Ogun state, led to the recovery of an additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the cocaine seized from him to 57.5 kilograms,” Babafemi said.

Popular Nigerian businessman and socialite, Obinna Oyiegbu, aka Obi Cubana, has disclosed that nobody in his family attains the age of 80.

Obi Cubana said his late mother tried to break the generational jinx but could not because she died at the age of 79.

Speaking with media personality, Chude Jideonwu, Obi Cubana said his family decided to throw a lavish funeral ceremony for their mother because she could not break the generational jinx.

He said: “In my family, nobody has lived up to 80 years, and I’m saying this for the first time. My father died at 66, my grandmother died at 75, my grandfather died at 78, and it ran through to my mom.

“All my siblings are married and successful, and we were praying for my mother to break the generational jinx and the kind of party we would throw for her, nobody would have ever done it; we even started saving up for that. And she died on December 31, at the age of 79, after celebrating 78.

“So I said, she tried at 79 and half, so we brought everything together to celebrate her, at least; she tried and almost broke the jinx, that was why we went all out for the burial.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared the results of the 2023 presidential election are “official and authentic.”

INEC dismissed claims that the last presidential election was riddled with discrepancies between the results on its website and those presented by returning officers at the National Collation Centre.

The electoral body was responding to a letter from the Centre for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ), claiming that in the televised announcements, INEC reported 1,578 polling units (PUs) where voting was cancelled due to irregularities.

The letter was dated August 7 and addressed to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

CCIJ made the claim while relying on the Freedom of Information Law.

In the letter, CCIJ said no figures were given for the reason, but officials claimed overvoting, violence, and other irregularities, adding that the total number of registered voters was about 1,205,000.

Responding, Yakubu’s spokesman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said INEC does not announce election results on YouTube, adding that there are no discrepancies either in the number of registered voters or the presidential election results announced by the Commission.

He said: “There are no ‘differences’ in the number of polling units and registered voters in the listed states. The total number of polling units and registered voters remains as announced by the Commission.

“The result of an election may be cancelled for specific reasons, including violence, over-voting, and refusal to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), as stipulated in the extant laws. At the same time, the conditions for making a return when the result of an election is cancelled or declared null and void in specific polling units have also been explained in the Electoral Act 2023 and the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections (2022). You are invited to read the full details on our website, www.inecnigeria.org.

“The results of the 2023 presidential election presented by our 36 State Returning Officers and the Returning Officer for the FCT at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, are official and authentic.

“The figures quoted in your letter purportedly from some local government areas in Imo State are inconsistent with the details/results presented publicly by the Imo State Returning Officer at the National Collation Centre, Abuja.”

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed says he is contemplating a presidential bid but will drop his ambition if former President Goodluck Jonathan decides to contest.

Mohammed made this statement on Thursday after a Non-Governmental organisation, NGO, asked him to consider running for the presidency.

According to the governor, Jonathan has experience and would do a good job if he gets the mandate to manage the country.

“With regard to your call for me to present myself, I am still contemplating my chances as the leader of the opposition.

“I know there are good leaders within the PDP, especially my boss Goodluck Jonathan.

“I have always said that as long as Jonathan is around, I will not present myself for leadership of this country, unless he decides not to run.

“If we can persuade him to come forward, I will support him with my blood. Out of modesty, he is still not ready. I hope you will meet him and encourage him to run.

“He will do a better job because he has the experience. We know the prices of things; we know the level of inflation.

“During Jonathan’s regime, he was inclusive, addressing issues like the Almajiri system and creating initiatives for unemployed youths.

“His leadership recruitment was exemplary. We need leaders like him—young people with energy, foresight, and drive,” he said.

Mohammed further stated that his criticisms of the administration of President Bola Tinubu are part of his responsibility to help put the country on the right path

Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, the Chinese firm that got a court injunction to ground three presidential jets belonging to the Federal Government in Europe, has initiated plans to seize other Nigerian assets in the United Kingdom, United States of America and in six other countries, The PUNCH learnt.

The PUNCH also learnt that the company had instituted legal proceedings in about eight jurisdictions globally, regarding the dispute.

The other countries include Belgium, Canada, France, Singapore and the British Virgin Islands, documents relating to the case, which were obtained by our correspondent, were revealed on Thursday.

This comes as the Federal Government vowed to protect its foreign assets from “predators.”

There has been serious controversy following reports that the Chinese company got judgement to ground three presidential jets belonging to the Federal Government.

In 2001, China and Nigeria signed a bilateral investment treaty aimed at promoting commercial investment between the two countries.

In 2007, Ogun State reportedly entered into a joint venture agreement with a Chinese company and another company to create the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone Company. The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, a Federal Government entity that oversees free-trade zones in Nigeria, then delegated control and operation of the free-trade zone to the company.

In 2010, the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone Company contracted with Zhongshan’s parent company to develop an industrial park in the free-trade zone. The goal was for Zhongshan’s parent company to develop the park and build factories in it for tenants to use.

In the first half of 2016, however, the agreement between both parties was terminated, leading to Zhongshan filing lawsuits in Nigerian federal and state courts seeking reinstatement of its contractual rights but the legal proceedings were discontinued in Spring 2018.

However, a French court, recently, authorised the seizure of three of Nigeria’s presidential jets, two of the jets – a Dassault Falcon 7X and a Boeing 737 – are part of Nigeria’s presidential air fleet that were recently put up for sale and the third, an Airbus 330 purchased by Nigeria, but not yet delivered.

Zhongshan had again dragged Ogun to court, where an independent arbitral tribunal, chaired by the former President of the UK Supreme Court, awarded the Chinese firm $74.5m compensation, which Ogun was yet to pay.

The court order prohibited Nigeria from moving or selling the presidential jets until the Chinese firm was paid the $74.5m by Ogun, its sub-national.

However, documents indicated that the Chinese company attempted to seize a jet being recovered by the country from Dan Etete as proceeds from fraudulent acts in Canada.

The Federal Government had tracked down and grounded the luxury private jet purchased by former petroleum minister, Etete, with some of the alleged proceeds of the notorious $1.3bn Malabu OPL245 oil deal.

“The goal is clear – that Mr Etete will avoid the seizure of an asset he got with stolen Nigerian money, with Zhongshan’s connivance.”

According to the documents, Zhongshan was originally engaged as a developer and manager of Fucheng Industrial Park but was asked to manage the facility after the government terminated the joint venture with CAI because it didn’t meet the necessary requirements.

The document claimed that the Ogun government cancelled the contract after it received a Diplomatic Note 1601 from the Economic and Commercial Section of the PRC Consulate in Lagos, alleging that Guangdong illegally held shares in China Africa Investment Limited, a state asset and that entity (New South Group) was the company properly entitled to manage OGFTZ.

The document read, “In 2007, the Ogun State Government, in partnership with the Guangdong province in China conceived and set up the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone, which sits on 2,000 hectares in Igbesa, Ogun State.

“Ogun State signed a Joint Venture Agreement directly with China Guangdong Xinguang China-Africa Investment Limited representing Guangdong Province in the joint venture. OGFTZ houses several enterprises as well as subdevelopments, including one Fucheng Industrial Park, measuring 224 hectares. In 2010, OGFTZ contracted Zhongshan to develop and manage Fucheng Industrial Park.

“However, in 2012, Ogun State terminated the joint venture with CAI because CAI had not met obligations under the 2007 JVA. Ogun State then appointed Zhongshan as an interim manager of the Zone, since it was already managing Fucheng Industrial Park. In June 2012, Zhongshan assumed management control of a 51 per cent stake in CAI and subsequently signed another JVA with Ogun State Government in September 2013.”

It further stated that the company had been making efforts to enforce the tribunal award. 

“As of August 2024, there are court proceedings in about eight jurisdictions of the world regarding this dispute.

“These include USA, UK, Belgium, Canada, France, and the British Virgin Islands. Till date, Zhongshan has not realised a single penny from the Award, and all signs indicate that Zhongshan is unlikely to do so anytime soon.”

It added that the company was still tracking the location of Nigerian assets abroad.

Meanwhile, a court document has revealed that the Chinese company was demanding compensation of $130.6m due to a breach of contract by reneging on terms between both parties to create the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone.

The document obtained by our correspondent on Thursday, however, listed the Federal Government as the defendant because the direct agreement was between Nigeria and China and not with the company based on international treaty conditions.

The case filed at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (No. 1:22-cv-00170) was argued April 22, 2024 and decided August 9, 2024 by Circuit Judges Millett, Katsas and Childs.

In presenting its argument, the company stated that Nigeria violated the Investment Treaty with China in five ways “by failing to provide Zhongshan with fair and equitable treatment, engaging in unreasonable discrimination, neglecting to protect Zhongshan, breaching the contract, and wrongfully expropriating investments without compensation.”

Giving details of the deal, the company said it invested millions of dollars and significant resources to develop and build infrastructure in the industrial park, including roads, utilities and opened services such as a hospital, hotel, supermarket, and bank.

By 2016, businesses had moved into the zone and Nigeria had collected approximately N160m in tax revenue from the free-trade zone.

It read, “In the first half of 2016, however, Ogun State terminated its agreements with Zhongshan. Ogun claimed that a different Chinese company was legally entitled to Zhongshan’s share of the free-trade zone and that Zhongshan had defrauded Ogun.

“Things continued to deteriorate. One Ogun official texted a Zhongshan executive, urging him ‘as a friend’ to ‘leave peacefully when there is opportunity to do so, and avoid forceful removal, complications and possible prosecution.’ The next month, Ogun issued an arrest warrant for two executives, alleging a ‘criminal breach of trust.’

“Nigerian federal police arrested one Zhongshan executive at gunpoint and held him for ten days. During that time, the police denied the executive food and water, beat him, intimidated him, and questioned him about the whereabouts of the other executive.

“Based on these findings, the arbitral tribunal found that Nigeria had breached its obligations under the Investment Treaty and that Zhongshan was entitled to $55.6m in compensation from Nigeria and $75,000 in moral damages, along with interest and legal and arbitral fees.”

Reacting, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said his office and that of the National Security Adviser have commenced legal and diplomatic moves to recover the three presidential aircraft seized by the Chinese firm.