Governor Alex Otti of Abia State says non-enrollment of school-age children in the state  will now be criminalised.

He warned that parents and guardian who don’t register their children or wards of school age will be seriously penalised. 

He issued the admonition while speaking at Umuahia Township Stadium during the 2024 Children’s Day celebration.

He stated that the policy will receive a legislative backing from the Abia State House of Assembly which would prescribe a penalty for offenders.

“From now on it is an offence for any child that is of school age not to be sent to school. 

“We are going to back that up with a legislation and that legislation will prescribe penalties for any parent who refuses to bring out his child for education,” he said.

He also disclosed that there will be scholarship for children whose parents are financially disadvantaged, to ensure that every child of school age goes to school, promising that no child in the state would be marginalized or molested.

He further abolished payment of levies for special books by students of the school for the blind, Afaraukwu, and donated a bus to them.

The governor, who broke down in tears at Umuahia Township Stadium while taking salute from pupils, said he was pained by the plight of the children with special needs like the deaf.

He apologized to Abia children for the past administrations which owed teachers salaries and environments left to rot.

The House of Representatives has announced plans to investigate allegations of widespread financial misappropriation in the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs.

Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, disclosed this during an investigative hearing regarding petitions from contractors. The petitions concern the payment of N510 million to contractors who did not participate in the bidding process. This hearing was convened by the House Committee on Procurement, chaired by Hon. Unyime Idem.

At the hearing last Tuesday, Hon. Unyime Idem presented the petitions to the Minister, addressing the issue of the N510 million payments to non-participating contractors.

He said: “The matter that brought all of us here this afternoon is about a petition that was brought to us last month. The petition is about some projects in your ministry to the tune of N510 million that were bidded and subsequently award letter was given to the bidders, that is the contractors.

“But surprisingly, while some of the contractors according to their claims said they have executed the projects and some said they were still waiting to get mobilisation from your Ministry to enable them execute the projects, they were shocked to know that some of those projects were already paid for by the Ministry of Finance.

“From their discoveries, when they visited the Ministry of Finance and they found out that while either the money they spent to execute the contracts were not paid or the request they made in your Ministry asking for mobilisation was not paid and the Ministry told them that all those projects we’re paid for.

“And unfortunately they paid into the wrong account. What I mean by wrong account is that the people they paid the money to or the contractor they paid the money to, did not take part in the bidding process they were not given award letters but were surprised too that the money were paid to the account that did not take part in the entire procurement process.

“So, the contractors numbered about 10 came to the National Assembly to protest of irregularity that is going on regarding the process. In fact, they described the process as procurement fraud, that it’s incumbent upon the Committee in charge of Procurement to come to their rescue by asking the Ministry to reverse the N510 million from the wrong accounts that the money were paid to, to their own accounts.

“Because they claimed that some of them have already done the job while some said that ‘wait they are waiting for mobilization’. So, that’s why we are here,” the lawmaker noted.

Idem further disclosed that the Committee has written the office of the Accountant General, to furnish this Committee with the position of this alleged malpractice or fraud that is rocking this particular contract. We wrote to that office and they have given us the details of the payment they have made in respect to the projects in question.

“So, we have those documents with us here, so we’d like to hear from you because I think the last time we met I gave the Ministry the assignment to contact the Ministry of Finance and Accountant General to confirm if the documents submitted to us are anything to rely on in terms of being the evidence before this committee.

“So, I don’t know whether you have been able to confirm what we sent to you or whether you have gotten independent information regarding these transactions?”

Hon. Udem also affirmed that there are some of the aggrieved contractors present during the investigative hearing.

In her intervention, Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Ogbara who expressed displeasure over the inordinate attitude of the Minister to the Committee, argued that she has not been cooperative despite all efforts made to synergize with her.

She said: “I’ve got so many petitions already against her. Even the people working with the Ministry, have complained that she works alone.

“Apart from the excuse she has given that she wants to try and get her people to come with her, the Perm Sec and relevant personnel that need to appear before this Committee, I will just want to appeal to the chairman to give her time, not too long because we also inviting her from the Committee on Women Affairs very soon.

“The notice is already out, I don’t know whether they’ve sent it to her office. So, we also invited her, because I don’t understand, I have been trying to work cordially with her as a woman. As women supporting women, we should work together, but when you’re trying to work with somebody and the person is not even trying to learn or trying to work in the way you expect.

“Now, there are so many petitions, diversion of money, misappropriation of funds, people’s jobs in the Ministry. You just misappropriate paned the money, anyway, anyhow from all the complaints that we have got, so we are going to invite her from the Committee as well, and I want the Chairman to choose the nearest day possible.

“All the personnel she’s talking about, they are right there, they are indoors in the Ministry, if you want them to come tomorrow morning, they should be here. Even when the Committee went to the Ministry on oversight, they didn’t have records to show and they were just mixing up different things, with different terminology, misappropriated a lot of funds for different projects, they used the same name just turn it to another name, you know, duplication of contracts and all that. I can go on and on,” Ogbara lamented.

In response to the inquiry, Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye said: “after we came here the last time, the information given by the Accountant General’s office was wrong, they gave you totally wrong information.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the seizure of N10.7m traced to Ecole Supérieure de Gestion et de Technologies (ESGT), Cotonou in Benin Republic University.

Recall the Federal Government of Nigeria sometime in 2023, set up a committee to investigate activities of degree mills in the university.

The panel was set up by the Federal Ministry of Education following an investigative report, exposing the activities of degree mills in Benin Republic.

However, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) through its spokesman, Demola Bakare, in a press statement on Monday evening, said N10.7m was traced to the account of Togboui Gnadzo Soncy Koakli, Vice Chancellor of the University.

According to Bakare, an ex-parte motion filed by Aniekan Ekong, Esq on behalf of ICPC before Hon. Justice Binta Nyako, alleged that the money, found in account number 1007884857 domiciled in Zenith Bank, was proceeds of degree racketeering.

The ICPC legal counsel had informed the court on how ICPC acted on intelligence and launched an investigation into an alleged criminal conspiracy and degree racketeering involving Togboui and his agents, the promoters of Access Institute of Advance Learning (AIAL) supposedly based in Kano.

Bakare gave the names of the promoters as Mubarak Hamza Adam, and Abdullahi Shehu Yusuf as well as one Abdulrahma Hadi Badamosi of the Federal College of Education, Kano.

According to the prosecutor, the group was investigated for alleged involvement in issuing fake degrees to Nigerians for a fee and explained to the court that they usually collect money from Nigerians desiring to procure degrees from ESGT and share it with Togboui.

Ekong further explained that some of their victims paid in cash while others paid through bank transfers as tendered before the court.

Meanwhile, the court granted the request made by the Commission for the interim forfeiture of the N10.7m.

The court also ordered for the publication of the said Preservation Order in a widely circulating national newspaper calling upon any interested party to show cause why the forfeiture should not be made.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) Abubakar Kyari, on Monday, said N309bn was used to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands across the country.

Abubakar Kyari, at the ministerial briefing in Abuja, said 6,750 tons of wheat were imported from Mexico and 5,500 seeds procured and sourced locally.

According to Kyari, the move followed the President’s directive, to step up a plan to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands across the country to grow maize, rice, wheat, millet and other staple crops

Speaking on the development, Kyari said, “In the last year, in the area of food and nutrition security, we launched the dry season farming with cultivation of 118,657 hectares of wheat in 15 states.

“We launched that all-year round farming in November in Jigawa State which has the largest share of the 118,000 hectares with 40,000 allocated to it.

“I am happy to announce that at the end of the season, Jigawa had produced 55,000 thereby exceeding the allocated 40,000 by 15,000 hectares.

“We also supported 107,429 wheat farmers with inputs resulting in an output of 474,628 metric tons of wheat that was given, a 50 per cent subsidy of all inputs, fertilizer, agrochemicals as herbicides and insecticides and also seeds, wheat seeds, free of charge”.

Kyari also said, that to tackle food inflation, the ministry commenced the distribution of 60,432mt of improved seeds, 887,255mt of seedlings, 138 value kits, 501,726 litres of agrochemicals, 62,328.5mt of inorganic fertilisers, 1,000kg fungicide, and 33,200 equipment to farmers across different value chains to enhance production.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has said that the controversial national carrier, Air Nigeria, remains suspended Indefinitely.

The minister disclosed this on Monday during the ministerial briefing to mark the one year anniversary of president Bola Tinubu.

The former minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika unveiled Nigeria Air few days before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

However, the controversial national carrier was suspended in August when the new aviation minister announced the suspension of Air Nigeria over ownership concerns.

In his update to Nigerians, Keyami said the contract was unfair to indigenous players.

Keyamo said, “It remains suspended. It was never Air Nigeria. It was not Air Nigeria. That’s the truth. It was only painted Air Nigeria. It was Ethiopian Airlines trying to fly our flag.

“If it is so, why not allow our local people to fly our flag. Why bring a foreigner to fly our flag? So nobody should dispute that it was Air Nigeria.

“Air Nigeria must be indigenous, must be wholly Nigerian, and must be for the full benefits of Nigeria, not that 50 percent of the profit is for another country.”

The prolonged suspension is happening amidst the probe of Sirika by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over N5.8bn alleged fraud.

Sirika, his brother Ahmad Abubakar Sirika and two companies Enginos Nigeria Limited and Samahah Integrated Investment Limited were, on Thursday, May 23, 2024 arraigned by the Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice S.B. Belgore of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court Garki .

Nigerian striker Asisat Oshoala has won the best goal for the UEFA Women’s Champions League 2023/24 season, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Oshoala netted a stunning bicycle kick in Barcelona’s 5-0 win over Benfica in their opening group game en route to the Catalans claiming the Champions League for the second consecutive season.

With the Blaugrana already 4-0 up, Jonatan Giráldez sent the reigning Women’s African Footballer of The Year and she wasted no time in making her mark in the game, scoring the last goal of the encounter in style – her only goal of the competition.

She thereafter made a mid-season move to American side, Bay FC.

UEFA on Monday announced that Oshoala’s goal was the best among other goals selected.

“The top 10 goals of the 2023/24 UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign have been selected by UEFA’s Technical Observer panel, with Nigerian forward Asisat Oshoala taking the prize for Goal of the Season thanks to her stunning bicycle kick for Barcelona against Benfica on Matchday 1,” UEFA wrote on their website.

“Also for Barça, midfielder Aitana Bonmatí took second spot for her bending effort in the quarter-finals second-leg win against Brann, while Lyon’s Delphine Cascarino came third for her long-range strike in the quarter-finals second-leg victory over Benfica.”

Oshoala made history with Barcelona Femení by becoming the first African to win three UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.

The 29-year-old received a winner’s medal despite her mid-season transfer to Bay FC in the United States. The Super Falcons striker contributed to Barcelona’s Champions League campaign by playing in two group-stage matches and scoring once before her move.

The Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Jimoh Ibrahim has announced the formal withdrawal of a lawsuit filed to seek nullification of the primary election that produced Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

From the April 20 primary election, Aiyedatiwa emerged as the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the forthcoming election in Ondo State.

The situation didn’t go well with the senator which made him approach a Federal High Court in Abuja, citing irregularities.

Ibrahim, in a Tuesday statement, said this decision was a result of a personal intervention by President Bola Tinubu who reached out to him and had a productive meeting. 

According to him, he noted that Tinubu assured him of his commitment to enhancing internal democracy within our party.

“Based on his assurances and leadership, I have decided to withdraw the case to support his efforts to pave a new way forward for our party,” he said.

The senator also noted Aiyedatiwa’s effort and urged the general public to see the withdrawn suit as a gift to mark Tinubu’s one year in office. 

These were disclosed in the statement titled, “Presidential intervention and notice of withdrawal suit No
FHC/ABJ/CS/588/2024.”

He acknowledged his “absolute” respect for Tinubu saying that he can never disobey him.

It read, “The suit is now withdrawn due to the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. The President called me and had a meeting with me.

“He assured me that he would as the leader of the party improve on internal democracy within our party, and I would need to withdraw the case to enable him to chart a way forward.

“The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa earlier visited my Asokoro residence for several hours after another unsuccessful visit to my hotel room in Akure.

“I cannot disobey the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because the issue I am fighting for is not personal.

“It is simply to improve internal democracy to which the President has promised improvement. My respect for the President is absolute!

“Let me use this opportunity to thank Mr. President for the words of wisdom and encouragement during my meeting with him which lasted over one hour and his various interactions with me on the telephone during which he emphasized his commitment to internal democracy over and over again. Thank you, Mr. President.”

According to the statement, the withdrawal of this “legendary suit” is concise with the first anniversary of Mr President’s incredible performance in office, and this is my gift of the “cake” of the first anniversary! Thank you all for your support.

Meanwhile, the APC in Igbotako Ward II, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State suspended  Ibrahim, whom they alleged was involved in anti-party party activities.

However, the action was immediately countered.

In a swift reaction, another group of 55 members of the party, who identified themselves as members of the same Igbotako Ward II executive and in Okitipupa Local Government, disagreed with the purported suspension of Ibrahim as they passed a vote of confidence in the senator.

Stanley Okoruwa, a Lagos-based blogger, has issued a public apology for making unfounded allegations against popular businessman Emeka Okonkwo, also known as E-Money, and Jennifer Awele, the wife of the late actor Junior Pope.

The controversy began when E-Money launched a search for two women and a man who claimed he had an affair with Jennifer Awele.

Following this, the blogger was arrested by the Lagos State Police Command after E-Money filed a petition regarding the offensive video.

In a turn of events, Okoruwa retracted his statements and expressed regret for his actions, admitting that his allegations were merely an attempt to gain followers on his Facebook page.

“I made the video to grow my page, I did not have any bad intentions towards E-Money,” he said.

“I did not know the video would go viral. I accept it is wrong for me to make such a video and I did not know it will escalate.

“Everything in the video is not true, I just tried to make the video to get popular and get the opportunity to meet E-Money.

“… I’m very sorry, E-Money. I did not mean to tarnish his image. Everything in the video is false. I’m using this medium to seek E-Money’s forgiveness and I will not repeat the mistake again.”

The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the blogger will be prosecuted for allegedly defaming E-Money, in his online video.

He said E-Money followed due process by reporting to the police.

“He is going to be prosecuted because the things he engaged in were criminal in nature. He has allegedly defamed E-money and he is going to be prosecuted,” Hundeyin stated.

International Breweries announces products price hike International Breweries Plc said it has increased prices of its various product offerings in Nigeria. The brewer said in a statement that reviewing prices in its portfolio has become necessary due to current market realities, and was done to serve its customers better. 

The new price review affects products such as Eagle Lager, Eagle Extra Stout, Trophy Stout, Beta Malt, and Grand Malt. 

Head of Sales of the company, Olaleye Abimbola, disclosed that it is confident that the decision to review the prices benefits all its partners. 

Abimbola however called on the company’s partners to honour the old pricing strategy it had in the previous months until the new changes were announced and implemented. 

This is the second time the company will increase the prices of its products in one year. International Breweries disclosed a forex-related loss of N162.2 billion in its first quarter report. 

Major brewers in Nigeria have been hit by an economic crisis due to inflation, foreign exchange volatility, and rising production costs, which has led to price hikes across the country

The police command in Imo on Monday said it has demoted an inspector seen in a viral video, over his alleged extortion of money from motorists in the state.

The incident happened along the Onitsha express road in Imo..

Following the virality of the video, Henry Okoye, the Imo state police spokesperson, said in a statement the erring inspector, identified as Isong Osudueh has been recommended for a reduction in rank after the necessary orderly room proceedings.

In the statement, Okoye added that Aboki Danjuma, the Imo police commissioner said the officer will face an orderly room trial after which other necessary disciplinary actions will be taken against him.

Ondo: 20-year-old barber bags 14 years imprisonment for burglary, stealing
The statement said that the erring Osudueh supervisor has been issued a query for lack of proper supervision.

“The erring officer, identified as Inspector Isong Osudueh, attached to the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Owerri, has been recommended for a reduction in rank after the necessary orderly room proceedings, for exhibiting such a shameful and unprofessional act, while the supervisory officer has been issued an official query for lack of supervision,” the statement said.

“The disciplinary actions taken against the erring officer underscore the Command’s unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, transparency, and integrity among its personnel, while effectively discharging its lawful duties and entrenching public trust and confidence.

The CP warned that under his watch, the command will not condone any act of extortion or misconduct by its personnel and warned that any supervisory officer who failed to carry out his oversight duties will be severely sanctioned.