Police in Jigawa State have arrested 23-year-old Islamic school teacher, Yusuf Yunusa for allegedly sodomizing twelve of his students in Gwaram Local Government.

State Commissioner of Police A T. Abdullahi disclosed this while parading the suspects at the Command’s headquarters, Dutse, the state capital.

According to him “on 11/07/2024 at about 2100hrs, information was received at Gwaram Divisional Police Headquarters that, on the same date at about 1400hrs, one Yusuf Yunusa, 23 years of Gwaram town, a teacher of an Almajiri Islamic school, formed the habit of taking some of his pupils out to different locations and forcing them to massage his penis and suck it, in the process compels them to swallow his semen”

“On receipt of this very unfortunate and ugly report, detectives attached to Gwaram Division swiftly swung into action and arrested the suspect. He was brought to the Division for preliminary investigation”

He said a medical report confirmed the commission of the crime on 10 out of the 12 victims.

CP. Abdullahi said the suspect was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Dutse for a discreet investigation.

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading, an amendment to the 2024 Appropriation Act to the tune of N6.2 trillion for capital and recurrent expenditure for the 2024 fiscal year.

The amended bill was presented to the Senate by Senator Michael Bamidele Opeyemi, indicating that the sum of N3.2 trillion is for capital expenditure, while N3 trillion goes for recurrent expenditure, to be spent before the end of 2024.

In his contribution, Senator Adamu Aliero representing Kebbi South, said the amendment, which would create opportunity for funding of critical projects that were not captured in the principal Act, was in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda. 

He reminded the Senate that the amendment will take care of the minimum wage that is being discussed with labour, adding that it was important that senators expeditiously pass it into law to avoid strike.

Speaking on the bill, Senator Seriake Dickson differed, saying that the Senate should not pass the bill in a hurry to avoid pitfalls.

He recalled the backlash from the public over a bill he said was previously passed in a hurry, noting that legislators should avoid public ridicule in the handling of legislative activities.

Dickson also disagreed with suggestions that the amendment to the Appropriation Act and the amendment to the Finance Act, 2023, be lumped together, stating: “I don’t believe we lumped the two bills together in a way and manner we are doing and if I have my way Mr President, I like to suggest that we step the Finance bill down.

“Let it not be that without the experts and critical stakeholders participating in public hearing. I think that we should be very cautious when we are discussing taxation and even these banks we intend to generate N500 billion are all running around to meet recapitalisation. These are two critical bills.”

Senator Sani Musa representing Niger North on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress maintained that banks earn enormous profit which can be inferred from their end of the year reports.

He said the profit was made possible due to robust policies of the government, hence, it should not be difficult for banks to be taxed.

He said: “Money bills are very important bills. The point is that if you look at the end of year report, you discover that commercial banks are making so much money despite the hardship pervading the country.

“I think banks should be well taxed because they make this profit out of the pronouncement made by this government. The reason for removing oil subsidy, the reason for abridging the gap is for the good of this country.”

After contribution by other senators in favour of amendment to the Act, Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary called for voice votes and it was passed for second reading.

Following a mild amendment to the Student Loan Scheme, the Federal Government has effectively commenced the programme.

As of the time of filing this brief report, the President, Bola Tinubu is currently inaugurating a presidential committee to drive the Scheme at the State House, Abuja.

To kick start the programme, the President had recently approved ₦35 billion to be disbursed through specific criteria by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFund, targeting 70,000 initial applicants.

Jim Ovia who was appointed by Tinubu to Chair the Governing Board of NELFund had approved the disbursement of loans to successful applicants during its inaugural meeting in Abuja last month.

At the inauguration currently taking place in the Villa, Tinubu is expected to give the implementation team terms of reference to ensure the scheme does not derail from its mandate.

Details later…

The governor of Taraba State Agbu Kefas has appointed 1,270 executive aides.

A total of 1,075 were appointed within 24 hours between Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th July 2024.

In a press statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government Gebon Kataps, the appointees are to serve as either special advisers, senior special assistants, special assistants, constituency special assistants, or members of boards, commissions, and agencies of the Taraba government.

As of Monday, the state government released a total of 573 names and subsequently released 502 Tuesday night.

The number adds to the previous 195 earlier approved by the state government. The appointees are yet to be given portfolios.

The appointment is however in addition to the five others appointed with portfolios in his cabinet on assumption of office.

The last batch of appointees is awaited as the state government says the appointment is in four phases.

Assembly Appeals Judgement

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has reinstated Philip Shaibu as the Deputy Governor of Edo State, months after he was impeached by the state assembly. 

In the Wednesday judgment, Justice Omotoso declared the impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly as illegal, unconstitutional, null, and void.

The court held that the said impeachment was in gross violation of the provisions of both sections 188 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The judge held that the impeachment was in gross violation of the Constitution.

Aside from restoring Shaibu, the court also ordered that his salaries and allowances should be paid to him from April when he was impeached as the deputy governor of the state.

The court issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Edo State House of Assembly from stopping Shaibu from performing the functions of his office.

Justice Omotosho also ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to restore his security details. 

Meanwhile,  the Edo State House of Assembly has appealed the judgement of the High Court and has filed a motion for a stay of execution pending appeal.

Wednesday’s verdict came about three months after the lawmakers impeached the embattled 54-year-old as the state’s deputy governor.

In a move that was seen as the culmination of the long-drawn battle between him and Governor Godwin Obaseki, the lawmakers after investigations said they found Shaibu guilty of disclosure of government secrets.

The seven-man panel set up by the Edo State Assembly therefore recommended his impeachment on that ground.

The assembly then upheld and approved the recommendation of the seven-man panel and subsequently impeached him as the state’s deputy governor.

Eighteen out of 19 members present at plenary voted for Shaibu’s impeachment. Only one abstained from the headcount and voting process, ending the process.

The President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, has forwarded a letter to the Senate, seeking their approval to add ₦6.2trillion to the ₦27.5trillion 2024 budget.

The President’s request was contained in a letter read during plenary on Wednesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Details of the letter show President Tinubu seeks Senate approval for the withdrawal of ₦3.2 trillion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, for capital expenditure.

The President, in the second leg of the request as contained in the letter, seeks approval for the withdrawal of another ₦3 trillion from the consolidated revenue fund for additional recurrent expenditure for the year ending on the 31st day of December , 2024.

He also requested in the letter, an Act to amend the Finance Act, 2023, to impose and charge windfall tax on banks and to provide for the administration of the tax and matters related thereto.

Naija News understands the President’s requests have already been listed on the Order Paper as Executive bills for consideration by the Senate.

The president said, “Pursuant to section 58 (2) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I forward herewith the above-named bills for consideration and passage by the senate.

“The appropriation act amendment bill seeks to amend the principal act to provide the sum of N3,200,000,000,000 for Renewed Hope Infrastructure Projects and other critical infrastructure projects to be undertaken across the country and the sum of N3,000,000,000,000 to meet further recurrent expenditure requirements necessary for the proper operation of the federal government.

“They shall be funded by accruing to the federal government of Nigeria.

“Furthermore, the proposed amendments to the Finance Acts 2023 are required to a one-time windfall tax on the foreign exchange gains realised by banks in their 2023 financial statements to fund capital infrastructure development, education, and healthcare as well as welfare initiatives all which are components of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has denied knowledge of conditions struck with the Federal Government regarding visa applications for Nigerians.

Naija News recalls that many Nigerians were thrilled on Monday after the minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the three-year travel ban from the UAE had been lifted.

However, the resolution had conditions that were mutually beneficial, which included obtaining a document verification number (DVN).

According to the DV hub, the process is a specialised service designed to authenticate and verify documentation essential for visa applications to the UAE.

The DVN costs a non-refundable N640,000, excluding VAT, for each application, which does not include the visa fee.

In addition to obtaining a UAE visa, Nigerians must provide proof of a six-month bank statement with a minimum balance of $10,000.

In an interview with Cable News, the UAE’s Department of Economy and Tourism said the DV hub website is not affiliated with the UAE government.

Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFAD), while explaining the process for a visa application, said, “You will need a personal photo and a copy of your passport, which must not have less than six months validity.

“A tourist visa costs about 200-300 dirhams (N60,000 – 90,000) depending on the stay.

“You will also need a travel ticket and valid medical insurance within the UAE.”

Speaking on the bank balance of $10,000, the directorate said: “We are not aware of such requirements. Make your visa applications through the GDRFAD.”