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Buhari bans use of private emails by govt officials

Beloved JOHN
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Buhari bans use of private emails by govt officials

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has prohibited government officials from using private emails for official purposes.

The President gave the directive on Thursday, February 2, during the launch of the National Policy on Nigeria Government Second-Level Domains at the State House, Abuja, according to a statement released by his spokesperson, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

Buhari also ordered all federal public institutions to migrate their websites to the relevant government domains.

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“I hereby direct that all government officials should refrain from using private emails for official purposes,” he said.

“We are glad Starlink services are already deployed in Nigeria. This has made Nigeria the first and only African country to have this link.”

Buhari also said he was pleased with the deployment of Starlink services by SpaceX in Nigeria, saying the country now has 100 per cent broadband penetration.

“With the deployment of Starlink services in Nigeria, we have 100 per cent broadband penetration in Nigeria,” the President said.

Number of casualties unknown as building collapses in Abuja

Ijeoma OPARA
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Number of casualties unknown as building collapses in Abuja

THE number of casualties resulting from the collapse of a three-storey building in the Gwarimpa area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is still yet to be ascertained.

Sector Commander of the FCT Federal Road Safety Corps Ochi Oga disclosed this in an interview with The ICIR.

“We are only removing victims to the hospital as they are. We cannot confirm the number now because as they are bringing them out, the ambulances are carrying them straight to the hospital. We will collate the numbers. But as the rescue is going on, it may not be easy to give you specific numbers.

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“But I’m assuring you that this operation will continue until everybody involved in this is rescued,” he said.

The three-storey building located at 7th Avenue, Gwarimpa, which was still under construction, collapsed at about 10.00am on Thursday, February 2.

Eyewitnesses reported that at least 40 people were trapped in the building at the time of the collapse.

An eyewitness, who gave his name as Samuel, said at least ten people had been rescued from the rubble. He, however, noted that some of those rescued died on the way to the hospital.

“They are up to 10. Some died on the way to the hospital, according to what we heard, but I’m not sure how many,” he said.

Several response teams were involved in the rescue operations, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Nigerian Police Force (NPF) among others.

The FCT Police Command released a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) Josephine Adeh, pledging its commitment towards the success of the rescue operations.

Parts of the statement read, “The Commissioner of Police, CP Sadiq Abubakar, mni, who personally visited the scene, has assured that the FCT Police would provide all necessary support to ensure the ease of the rescue operations and to ensure hoodlums do not take advantage of the situation. He equally pledged the support of the Command to aid the functions of Building Regulatory and Investigative Bodies within the FCT.

“The CP, who described the situation as very unfortunate, called on the residents of the area to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious movement to the Police. He prayed that the victims, especially those reportedly trapped under the rubble, would be rescued and stabilised accordingly.”

The leadership of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), who were also present at the scene, urged prospective house owners to pay attention to designs made by structural engineers ahead of construction.

Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Building Project Evaluation and Monitoring Unit of the CORBON Omale Ameh, encouraged individuals to consult with professional builders before embarking on building projects.

“If you are doing any endeavor that is related to building, we have the built environment professionals that we encourage individuals going into such projects to consult. In this clime, we run solo and bring in quacks, people that have no knowledge or ideas,” he said.

EU launches Election Observation Mission in Nigeria

Fatimah QUADRI
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EU launches Election Observation Mission in Nigeria

THE European Union (EU) has launched the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Nigeria ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Barry Andrews, a member of the European Parliament and the Chief Observer of the EU EOM, announced the launch of the election observation mission at a press conference.

“This is the seventh EU Election Observation Mission to Nigeria since 1999. The EU attaches great significance to these elections,” Andrews said.

He urged the Nigerian government, candidates and the political parties to ensure that the general elections are peaceful and election-related violence is prevented.

As part of its overall analysis, the EU EOM will follow the implementation of the 2022 Electoral Act which has introduced new measures aimed at enhancing various aspects of the electoral process.

The EU EOM was deployed by the EU following an invitation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria’s electoral umpire.

The EU EOM operates under a separate and distinct mandate from the EU Delegation in Nigeria, and it is independent in its finding from EU Member States and all EU institutions.

Edwin Clark accuses Okowa of mismanaging 13% derivation funds

Vincent Ufuoma
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Edwin Clark accuses Okowa of mismanaging 13% derivation funds

IJAW National Leader and convener of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark, has accused Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, of mismanaging the state’s share of 13 per cent derivation funds for oil-producing communities.

Clark, who said this in a statement on Thursday, February 2, described the administration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice presidential candidate as a “reign of unaccountability.”

According to him, the funds, which come from the Federation Account to oil-producing communities through state governments as stated in Section 162, Sub-section 2 of the Nigerian Constitution, should be dedicated solely to the development of affected communities.

The elder statesman claimed that the state government has not properly utilized the derivation funds on important areas and projects but rather on “favoured areas.”

According to him, the funds should be directed towards schools and projects in the oil-producing communities.

Clark pointed out that the inclusion of three state higher institutions recently converted by the Delta state government does not qualify under the scheme. He argued that three other higher institutions in Warri, Burutu, and Agbor would qualify for conversion.

The former Information Minister wondered why the new Osadebey University in Asaba, which used to be part of Delta State University, has now been singled out to be qualified for the 13 per cent derivation funds.

He questioned why the old Delta State University in Abraka, an oil-producing area, was not qualified for funding from the 13 per cent derivation fund while Asaba, which does not produce oil, was included.

The Ijaw leader also demanded that the Delta State government release records and amounts spent on the projects, warning that failure will result in PANDEF releasing its own records.

Clark stressed that all educational institutions in Delta State, including tertiary institutions, are provided for in the state’s yearly budget and have nothing to do with the 13 per cent derivation funds.

He called on Okowa to stop favouring certain parts of the state and to provide a clear financial record concerning the 13 per cent derivation funds, stressing the need for all deserving and other communities to benefit from the funds.

Clark equally questioned the statement made by the Delta State Commissioner of Finance, who claimed that N5 billion from the 13 per cent derivation was used to pay pensions for both state and local government workers.

He criticized the governor’s decision to amend the enabling legislation of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) to include more oil-producing communities in Delta State, including his own local government area, Ika.

Clark noted that the amendment to the principal law by inserting “Ika” after the word “Isoko” in the interpretation of ethnic nationalities goes against the definition provided in the Delta State Gazette, which stated that ethnic nationalities in the state include Ijaws, Itsekiris, Urhobos, Isokos and Ndokwas.

According to Clark, the governor’s interpretation or definition of ethnic nationalities only includes Ika, his own ethnic nationality, while ignoring other ethnic nationalities in Delta North, such as Oshimili North and South, and Aniocha North and South.

He expressed concern that Okowa may reduce Warri to a deserted village, similar to what the state’s former governor, James Ibori, did to Sapele.

“It may be too late, but finally, I wish to again advise you not to reduce Warri to a deserted village as Chief Onanefe Ibori did to Sapele, as he removed most of the offices from Sapele to Oghara, his hometown. This is exactly what you are carrying out now,” he said.

“I can see you smiling at Alhaji Atiku Abubakar when you said that Owa-Alero was your humble small village and that it is now a big town. The question is, with whose money?”

Nigeria joins 11 African countries to end AIDS in children by 2030

Marcus FATUNMOLE
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Nigeria joins 11 African countries to end AIDS in children by 2030

NIGERIA has joined 11 other African countries to end Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in children by 2030.

The West African country joined its peers in Tanzania on Wednesday, January 31, where they endorsed the Dar-es-Salaam Declaration, supporting the Global Alliance to end AIDS in children.

Other countries with Nigeria at the meeting are Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The meeting had heads of global agencies and development partners working on HIV/AIDs in attendance.

In partnership with networks of people living with HIV and community leaders, the countries laid out their action plans to help find and provide testing to more pregnant women and link them to care, a statement released about the meeting by the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

The plans involve finding and caring for infants and children living with HIV. 

The meeting marks a step up to ensure that all children with HIV have access to life-saving treatment and that mothers living with HIV have babies free from HIV. The statement stated that the alliance will work to drive progress over the next seven years to ensure that the 2030 target is met.

The statement noted that a child dies from AIDS-related causes every five minutes worldwide.

“Only half (52 per cent) of children living with HIV are on life-saving treatment, far behind adults of whom three quarters (76 per cent) are receiving antiretrovirals.”

According to the WHO, 160 000 children newly acquired HIV in 2021, and children accounted for 15 per cent of all AIDS-related deaths, even though only four per cent of the total number of people living with HIV are children. 

Addressing the ministers, Tanzanian Vice-President Philip Mpango said, “Tanzania has shown its political engagement. Now we need to commit to moving forward as a collective whole. All of us, in our capacities, must have a role to play in ending AIDS in children. The Global Alliance is the right direction, and we must not remain complacent. 2030 is at our doorstep.”

The wife of Namibian President Monica Geingos agreed with Npango. She said, “This gathering of leaders is uniting in a solemn vow – and a clear plan of action – to end AIDS in children once and for all. There is no higher priority than this.”

The country’s work will centre on four pillars namely: early testing and optimal treatment and care for infants, children, and adolescents;

  • closing the treatment gap for pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV, to eliminate vertical transmission;
  • preventing new HIV infections among pregnant and breastfeeding adolescent girls and women; and
  • addressing rights, gender equality and the social and structural barriers that hinder access to services.

UNICEF, WHO, UNAIDS, others welcome decision

Reacting to the development, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said every child “has the right to a healthy and hopeful future, but for more than half of children living with HIV, that future is threatened”

Speaking through its Associate Director Anurita Bains, the agency said children must not be left behind in the global response to HIV and AIDS. 

In her response, Executive Director of The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Winnie Byanyima said with the science available in the world, no baby should be born with HIV or get infected during breastfeeding, and no child living with HIV had to be without treatment.

WHO’s Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus submitted that the world had come a long way in preventing infections among children and increasing access to treatment, but progress in caring for children with HIV had stalled globally 40 years after AIDS first emerged.

 “The Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children is a much-needed initiative to reinvigorate progress. WHO is committed to supporting countries with the technical leadership and policy implementation to realise our shared vision of ending AIDS in children by 2030.”

Peter Sands, Executive Director of The Global Fund,  PEPFAR’s John Nkengasong, and EGPAF President Chip Lyons also shared the same thoughts as others who attended the meeting.

The ICIR reports UNAIDS as saying 1.5 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2021; 38.4 million people lived with the disease, which killed 650,000 people that year.

 

Elections: IPOB urges South-East residents to ignore sit-at-home order, disowns Simon Ekpa

Vincent Ufuoma
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Elections: IPOB urges South-East residents to ignore sit-at-home order, disowns Simon Ekpa

THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged residents of the South-East to ignore any sit-at-home orders during the 2023 general elections.

IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, made this known in a statement on Thursday, February 2.

He emphasised that the pro-Biafra movement had not ordered a boycott of the election.

IPOB distanced itself from any individual or group behind any purported sit-at-home order and described those issuing such orders as criminals sponsored by the enemies of Biafra.

The IPOB statement warned the Pan Nigeria President of Igbo Extraction Coalition (PANPIEC) not to link the pro-Biafra movement with the group issuing sit-at-home orders.

IPOB clarified that it has no plans or intention to obstruct the election process in Nigeria, stressing that its focus is the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and securing a date for the Biafra Referendum.

The statement also emphasised that IPOB is a peaceful and indivisible organisation under one command and does not have any splinter groups.

It denied any link with Simon Ekpa and his collaborators, who are claiming to be IPOB and issuing sit-at-home orders in the South-East.

IPOB reiterated that it has not issued any sit-at-home order nor called for a boycott of the upcoming elections.

It warned that any group claiming to be IPOB while issuing sit-at-home orders are criminals and state-sponsored agents and do not represent IPOB led by Kanu.

INEC debunks reports of over-voting in Osun election

Vincent Ufuoma
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INEC debunks reports of over-voting in Osun election

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports that its Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mutiu Agboke, claimed that there was over-voting during the July 16, 2022, governorship election in the state.

The Commission debunked the reports in a statement issued by the INEC Head of the Department of Voter Education, Publicity and Inclusivity in the state, Adewale Francis, on Thursday, February 2.

The statement said the comments credited to Agboke werr incorrect and misleading.

The Commission stressed that the REC only spoke about the efficacy of the Biometric Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) as a tool for voter accreditation during his visit to the Oluwo of Iwo, AbdulRasheed Akanbi.

While calling on the media to verify their sources of information before publishing any reports, INEC stated that any extrapolation made beyond the context of the statement should be disregarded.

The statement reiterated that Agboke’s visit to Oba Akanbi in Iwo on Tuesday was aimed at explaining the workings of the BVAS machines.

However, some media outlets reported that Agboke claimed that some INEC staff and politicians manipulated the BVAS machines to commit over-voting during the Osun governorship election.

Last month, the state governorship election Petition Tribunal led by Justice Terste Kume nullified the election of the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Ademola Adeleke, and declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, as the actual winner of the election.

The tribunal also stated that there were over-votings in 10 of the 30 local government areas of the state during the election.

Xenophobia: South African police officials arraigned for torturing Nigerian

Sinafi OMANGA
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Xenophobia: South African police officials arraigned for torturing Nigerian

FOUR South African policemen are facing charges for allegedly torturing a Nigerian citizen, according to the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg.

This is coming few days after two Nigerian nationals were reportedly killed in the South Africa’s capital amid a resurgence of attacks on foreigners in the country.

An official of the Nigerian Consulate, Elizabeth Wale-Ayodele, said the suspects were arrested by South Africa’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) on Wednesday, February 1, at the Boksburg North Police Station.

However, Wale-Ayodele did not disclose the name of the Nigerian citizen who was allegedly beaten to coma by the suspects.

“Two weeks ago, 9th January, 2023, a Nigerian was assaulted in Boksburg by four police policemen.

“We received this at the consulate and immediately the CG (Consul General), Mr. Andrew Idi, was here two weeks ago to pay the victim a visit.

“He (the victim) was assaulted, thoroughly beaten, even when he complained of having kidney issues. He fell into coma and was in coma for nine days.

“So when he came out of coma, the CG was here to visit him and we opened the case with IPID. The consulate has followed up the case up till this moment”, Wale-Ayodele said.

She added that officials of the consulate were present during the arrest by IPID, the South African police watchdog.

“We are happy to see justice prevail. The consulate had worked on this day and night. We are happy to see the result,” she added.

The spokesperson for IPID, Lizzy Suping said the suspects are to be arraigned on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, February, 2.

However, Suping noted the police officers had demanded the identification papers of the victim and arrested him after failure to produce the papers.

She added that it was while in detention that the suspects assaulted and tortured the victim, who was in coma for nine days.

Supreme Court dismisses PDP suit against Oyetola’s participation in Osun election

Vincent Ufuoma
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Supreme Court dismisses PDP suit against Oyetola’s participation in Osun election

THE Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the participation of former governor Gboyega Oyetola and his deputy Benedict Alabi in the July 16, 2022 Osun State governorship election.

A five-member panel led by Justice Centus Nweze dismissed the appeal in a ruling on Thursday, February 2.

The apex court stated that the appeal lacked merit and directed the counsel for the PDP, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, to withdraw it.

It held that under the law, the PDP could not question the process that led to the emergence of Oyetola and Alabi as candidates for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.

PDP filed the appeal after a judgment by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the participation of Oyetola and Alabi in the governorship election on September 30, 2022.

The Federal High Court had ruled that the nomination forms submitted by Oyetola and Alabi were endorsed by an acting chairman of APC, who was also a serving governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

The decision of the Federal High Court was later overturned by the Court of Appeal in Abuja in a judgment made in December 2022.

The PDP then took the matter to the Supreme Court, which has now dismissed their appeal, bringing the matter to a close.

Court remands oil company director over alleged N157m fraud

Bankole ABE
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Court remands oil company director over alleged N157m fraud

A FEDERAL High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, presided by Justice P. I. Ajoku on Wednesday, February 1, remanded a director of an oil company, Charles Rudolf Epelle, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N157m fraud.

Epelle was remanded pending the determination of his bail application.

According to a statement by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the defendant was arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence and issuance of dud cheques by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the EFCC.

The alleged offence is contrary to sections 1(1) (a) and (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Charles Rudolf Epelle, Enene Esther Irabor (at large), on or about the 2nd of August, 2021 at Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did obtain the sum of Twenty-two Million, Eighty Thousand Naira (N22,080,000.00) from one Jeremiah Jumbo by false pretence under the guise of rendering catering services to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Abuja, which pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) & (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges preferred against him.

Given his plea, prosecution counsel, K. W. Chukwuma-Eneh, prayed the court to remand the defendant to a Correctional Facility and fix a date for the commencement of the trial.

Justice Ajoku consequently ordered that the defendant be remanded in the prosecution’s custody pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.

The matter was adjourned till February 6, 2023, for a hearing of bail application and April 26, 2023, for trial.

According to the statement, Epelle ran into trouble when the EFCC received a petition alleging extortion under pretences against him.
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The petitioner alleged that, sometime in 2021, the defendant and his cohort, Managing Director of Ehinomen Noble Links Limited Enene Esther Irabor, now at large, approached him that her company was awarded a contract by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and needed a financier.

“They promised to return the money on or before August 30, 2021. In order to convince the victim, they both issued him Cheques worth Eighty-seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N87, 500,000.00),” the statement added.

EFCC said that based on their agreement, the victim transferred a total sum of N192 million to Epelle’s account in tranches.

However, efforts by the victim to recover the said sum were futile.

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