Home Blog Page 2308

Extra-judicial killings: Civil society group urges President Buhari to respect Rule of Law

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
-
0
Extra-judicial killings: Civil society group urges President Buhari to respect Rule of Law

A group of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Nigeria on Thursday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to respect the rule of law and ensure the security forces under his command do same.

The coalition which includes Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project (SERAP), Falana Falana Chambers, Public Interest Lawyers League (PILL) among 43 others told the President to check comments capable of promoting extrajudicial killings in the country.

The group stated that despite his title as Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Buhari is constitutionally bound to obey, and ensure that the apparatus of the state under his command comply with, and uphold the rule of law.

Buhari had directed, last Saturday 17th August, 175 officers of the 17th Army Brigade and Nigerian Air Force 213 Operational Base in Katsina State to identify, pursue and ‘eliminate any bandit’ terrorising the country.

The president was condemned to have also made a similar comment in February, prior to the 2019 poll when he asked the military and Police to be ruthless against ‘ballot box snatchers’. Though, supported by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the comment attracted public criticism and was perceived as a form of anarchism.

The coalition, however, noted that “No person is above the law and no one is below it; nor do we ask any person’s permission when we require them to obey it. Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favour.”

The group stressed that the security operatives including the military could exercise their functions against criminals and still respects the rule of law, especially the fundamental human rights.

The statement reads: “This week, Nigerians received the bewildering news of President Buhari’s order to the 175 officers of the 17th Army Brigade and Nigerian Air Force 213 Operational Base in Katsina state to identify and ‘eliminate any bandit’. This strongly suggests the extrajudicial elimination of suspects. Also contained in the official press statement about the occasion at which the President had made this statement, he was further quoted as telling them. ‘We will give you all the right equipment so that you can deal with them with dispatch. I appreciate all your efforts, but you can do more. I don’t want any bandit spared”.

“Unfortunately, this is not the first time President Buhari would order the extrajudicial killing of suspects of crime by security forces. It will be recalled that he had issued a similar directive at the cusp of the 2019 elections, ordering the summary execution of “ballot box snatchers” and that his comments most, unfortunately, contributed to the inordinate recourse to violence by some security agents in the discharge of their duties.”

Citing the recent Taraba incident where persons were murdered, the coalition emphasised on the increasing trend of extrajudicial killings and violations of human rights.

“For quite some times, there have been many allegations of rogue security officers working with criminal elements – terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and cult gangs, to perpetuate their reign of terror. This brings into question the recruitment process for security forces and the need for a more meticulous check of their background and past records to ensure criminals are not recruited into our security agencies.

“Finally, we wish to place on record that not all our security agents are rogue elements. We salute the courage and gallantry of the core of our security agents who have continued to uphold our peace and unity in extremely difficult circumstances, and sometimes under extreme provocation.” It stated.

Here is a complete list of the coalitions.

SIGNED BY:

  1. Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)
  2. Centre for Democratic Research and Training (CRDDERT)
  3. Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC)
  4. Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre)
  5. Public Interest Lawyers League (PILL)
  6. Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
  7. Partners for West Africa – Nigeria
  8. Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD)
  9. Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project (SERAP)
  10. Falana Falana Chambers
  11. International Refugee Rights Initiative (IRRI)
  12. Zero-Corruption Coalition (ZCC)
  13. Accountability Maternal New-born and Child Health in Nigeria (AMHiN)
  14. Partners on Electoral Reform
  15. State of the Union (SOTU)
  16. African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL)
  17. National Procurement Watch Platform
  18. Say NO Campaign—Nigeria
  19. Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civil Education (CHRICED)
  20. Social Action
  21. International Press Centre
  22. WANGONET
  23. Community Action for Popular Participation
  24. Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress (BOCODEP)
  25. Global Rights
  26. Project Alert
  27. Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
  28. Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE)
  29. Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA)
  30. Tax Justice Nigeria
  31. Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria
  32. Women In Nigeria
  33. African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD)
  34. Centre for Social Justice
  35. HURIDAC
  36. Protest to Power
  37. Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN Foundation)
  38. Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC)
  39. Education As a Vaccine Against Women
  40. Baobab for Women’s Human Rights
  41. Nigerian Feminist Forum
  42. Alliances for Africa
  43. Space for Change
  44. CLEEN Foundation

Health ministry denies fake Twitter account of newly appointed minister

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
-
0
Health ministry denies fake Twitter account of newly appointed minister

THE Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) on Thursday denied a Twitter account @osagieehanire registered in the name of the newly inaugurated Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire.

The ministry advised the public to disregard the unverified Twitter handle.

Ehanire was among the cabinet members sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He was the minister of state for health during Buhari’s first tenure in office.

He is to be assisted by Sen. Adeleke Mamora as junior minister attached to the ministry.

The Health Ministry, via its verified handle @Fmohnigeria, however, tagged Mrs. Akinola Boade, the Director of Media and Public Relations for the ministry @akinolaboade, Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director-General of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) @Chikwe_I, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) @drfaisalshuaib and Dr. Ngozi Azodoh, Director Special projects and National Coordinator Health Response to Humanitarian Crisis in Nigeria @Dr_NRC_Azodoh.

 

Osagie, a surgeon attended the College of Medicine, Ludwig, Maximillians University, Munich. He also holds postgraduate Diplomas from the Teaching Hospital of the University of Düsseldorf and Essen, Germany in the areas of Anesthesiology, General Surgery, and Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery.

NANS demands prosecution of Ukrainians alleged of killing Nigerian student doctor

Rebecca Akinremi
-
0
NANS demands prosecution of Ukrainians alleged of killing Nigerian student doctor

THE National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has demanded the prosecution of two Ukrainians alleged to have killed Gbolade Ibukun Ejemai, a 30-year-old Nigerian who was, before his murder, a medical student at Kharkiv International Medical University, Ukraine.

Expressing its grief via a statement published on its official twitter handle on Wednesday, NANS called the Ukrainian police to immediately apprehend and prosecute Victoria Popravko and her father, who had reportedly murdered Gbolade. This it said would ensure justice.

“Despite arresting her at murder scene after collaborating with her father to kill Gbolade Ibukun Ejemai, the investigating authorities in Ukraine have released Ms.Victoria Popravko to return home,” lamented NANS.

NANS said the Ukrainian embassy owed Nigerians explanations about the “notorious killing and assurance of the safety of other Nigerians schooling or residing in Ukraine”.

Gbolade who was in his final year had been invited by Victoria, a 36-year-old Ukrainian mother of two, to her house to have a discussion. Having lived in Ukraine for 10 years, the deceased had developed an acquaintance with Victoria. Unknowingly to Gbolade that day, the two Popvrakos had planned of killing him.

Gbolade’s wife, Luganska Victoria who is a Ukrainian, recounted that she had received a distress message from him where he demanded her to call the police.

“Traktorostroitelei 95, 188 apartment, call police! that there is a conflict,” the message read.

Before she could get there, Luganska said she met an ambulance conveying him to a hospital. He had initially slipped into a coma but after five days of the incident, he gave up the ghost. He died on August 14 from complications as a result of the injuries sustained.

Meanwhile, Victoria was initially apprehended on the day of the incident but was granted bail after 24 hours, while the father was also walking as a free man.

The Nigerian Embassy in Ukraine is already involved in the matter. On Monday, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission announced that the Ukranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Police Department in Kharkiv had been petitioned.

She said the petition demanded a full and thorough investigation into the circumstance surrounding his demise, with a view to ensuring that justice is carried out.

NANS called for the safety of Nigerian students outside the country as the deaths of Nigerians in the diaspora through alleged attacks keeps growing.

According to available data, about 118 Nigerians were killed in South Africa as of July 20.

On Wednesday, Abike Dabiri also said she was in China to ask the authority in investigating the death of Joseph Nwajueze. The Nigerian Pastor in China was reported to have died at Guangzhou Guandong Province when he was being chased by the Police.

The 34-year-old Thomas Ewanishia who was a PhD student of Management at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Malaysia was also a victim of an unknown death in the foreign land. He had been arrested on July 4, 2019, but died five days later.

“Even with a valid visa, they took him away and locked him up and the immigration didn’t inform the school until he died in their custody,” His wife, Blessing had said.

On July 8, Obasanjo Adeola Owoyale, a 33-year-old Nigerian doctoral student of architecture at Cyprus International University, was found in the boot of his car dead and oozing out bad smells.

Recently, Elizabeth Ndubuisi, deputy director-general of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) was found dead in a hotel room in South Africa when she was there for an official conference.

Anti-graft war: Five Buhari ministers perceived as corrupt by Nigerians

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
-
1
Anti-graft war: Five Buhari ministers perceived as corrupt by Nigerians

PRESIDENT Mohammadu Buhari on Wednesday inaugurated the 43 ministerial nominees screened by the Nigerian Senate in July. 

But the list contains names of persons with allegations of corruption, despite the president’s disposition towards corrupt practices.

While a few of the individuals allegedly committed the crime while in office, a number of those who made the cabinet list are perceived by Nigerians to be dishonest public officers.

Though the president has frequently boasted about his commitment to end corruption in the country, and has been recognised by the African Union for his fight against corruption, some of his decisions put those claims s to question.

Here is a list of the ministers with an allegation of corruption attached to their names.

Chris Ngige 

Dr Chris Ngige, Former Minister of Labour and Productivity
File Copy

Senator Chris Ngige, a former Minister of Labour and Productivity is among the lucky ones who has just been re-appointed. But many Nigerians are of the opinion that the minister hands are not clean.

An ex-Governor of Anambra State from May 2003 to March 2006, Ngige was accused of purchasing  $922, 600 worth of property in the United States allegedly bought with public fund

In a petition to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Advocates for Peace and Effective Justice Development Initiative (APEJDI), a non-profit organisation claimed the minister purchased the house located at 13910, Crest Hill Lane, Crest Hills Acres, Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland, US on March 8, 2008.

Chris Ngige US Property Document        Source: US Corporate and Property Record (https://sdat.dat.maryland.gov/RealProperty/Pages/default.aspx)

Findings by The ICIR, however, revealed that the two-storey building with basement was sold by Longview VII LLC to the  Minister on June 6th, 2008. This fact is also contained in the petition submitted to the anti-graft agency in June 2017.

The purported property has a registered deed number 35727/00006 as provided by the Department of Planning and Mapping.

The report states: “The Federal government cannot be seen to be paying lip service to her much orchestrated fight against corruption. Nobody is above the law.

“We, therefore, implore you, sir, to cause an investigation to be carried out in the overall interest of the people of Anambra State and the country in general”. But no public statement has been made by the anti-graft agency on the allegation in the recent time.

Sen George Akume

Sen George Akume, former Benue State Governor  File Copy

Also, George Akume was the governor of Benue State between 1999 to 2007. Akume, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain was accused of beating EFCC operatives at the office of a former Commissioner for Police and allegedly destroyed documents capable of implicating him in a corruption case.

The petition on Akume’s case at the EFCC was reportedly filed by Abubakar Tsav, a retired police commissioner on July 20, 2006. After several investigations, the state government later asked the court to declare the EFCC as an illegal body.

But on February, Governor Samuel Ortom, challenged the EFCC to revisit the N2 billion case.

“Akume, who was governor for eight years, you would recall, took N2 billion from the state coffers before leaving the office. Up till today, the case is still with EFCC. It’s just that he is in APC so, nobody is concerned about prosecuting him, but he should be prosecuted,” Ortom stated.

“That is why I am saying that EFCC has become a department in APC, otherwise Akume would have gone to jail by now if he were prosecuted.”

Akume, through his former media aide, Mr Abua Yaji, has since debunked the claim, describing it as falsehood.

Godswill Akpabio

Sen Godswill Akpabio, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State
File Copy

Godswill Akpabio, former Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is one of Nigeria’s top politicians perceived to be corrupt. Though, this accusation remains a mere allegation until the court decides.

Between 2007 and 2015, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State was indicted to have stolen N108 billion from the state’s coffers. His loyalists would often call him a cheerful giver for his wasteful spending when he was the governor. Prior to his decamp to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in August 2018, Akpabio has been under investigation by the EFCC.

Three months after he left office, while his successor was yet to resume into the Government House, officers of the Department of State Security in September 2015, stormed the Government House where arms and undeclared millions of dollars were reportedly confiscated.

The former governor and his associate were accused of illegally withdrawing N22.1 billion from the State-owned account 101037588 domiciled with Zenith Bank Nigeria.

The EFCC later wrote to five financial institutions operating the state’s account requesting for its account information. The banks include Zenith Bank, Keystone Bank, First City Monument Bank, Skye Bank (now Polaris), and the United Bank for Africa where it discovered illegal withdrawals.

Also, the EFCC in 2017  seized a school allegedly belonging to Akpabio’s wife, Mrs. Unoma Akpabio. However, the case is still in court.

Lai Mohammed   

Lai Mohammed, former Minister of Information and Culture
File Copy

Until his appointment as a former Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed was the National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). However, his predicament started when he was mentioned in the N2.5 billion Federal Government Digital Switch-Over project. But he claimed he was misled in awarding the contract.

“The former minister’s involvement had come under questioning following the discovery by the ICPC during investigations, that a government White Paper that governs the execution of the DSO programme was allegedly flouted by the head of the NBC,” the ICPC states.

“Mohammed had however admitted in a statement to the commission that he was misled by Kawu, as opined in court by a witness from the ICPC, Osanato Olugbemi. Olugbemi, led in evidence by counsel for the ICPC, Henry Emore, also told the court that the payment of N2.5bn from the NBC to Pinnacle Communications Limited as seed grant was suspicious because only government-owned company was approved to benefit from the grant according to the White Paper.”

The Federal Government project was basically meant to transit the nation from analogue to digital broadcasting. Though Mohammed made the proposed cabinet list, he is still under investigation alongside Ishaq Modibo Kawu, Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for alleged abuse of office and money laundering. He is in fact scheduled to appear before a Federal High Court, Abuja on the 2nd October, to explain why he approved the release of N2.5 billion sum to the private company.

Rotimi Amaechi

 

Hon Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transport

Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor of Rivers State and former PDP member is one of the prominent Nigerian politicians widely perceived as being corrupt. Having left the PDP to allegedly fund the APC while in office as Governor, his eventual emergence as a cabinet member was described as a litmus test for the President Buhari. Tonye Princewill, the former governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP)  has accused him of “selling” the state property for political gains.

In 2017, while addressing the 106th quarterly meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, his successor, Gov. Nyesom Wike also said there are proofs of fraudulent activities by the former governor stressing that Amaechi allegedly admitted he paid $39 million for a fictitious Justice Karibi Whyte Mega Specialist Hospital.

“The bank statements of the pattern of withdrawals from that account are there for all to see. Can that be forged? The dates and amounts withdrawn are clearly written.”

He was also accused of another N97 billion misappropriation.

But the APC spokesperson at the period, Chris Finebone, justified the sales of government assets, particularly the sale of power stations belonging to the state.

Amaechi was however indicted by Justice George Omeregi-led Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate the sale of state assets.

Nigerians in 2015 patiently waited for the president’s decision, until Amaechi’s appointment as transport minister was eventually announced, despite the allegations of corruption.

The Nigerian Journal of Economic and Financial Crimes (NJEFC) report published by the EFCC in 2009 stated that Nigeria has been rendered undeveloped due to massive corruption in the system, especially by political officeholders.

The new appointment of President Buhari may have further confirmed the finding of NJEFC.

50 per cent of today’s job’ll soon be irrelevant, fix education sector now – Obasanjo tells FG    

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
-
0
50 per cent of today’s job’ll soon be irrelevant, fix education sector now – Obasanjo tells FG    

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has charged the Federal Government to prioritise quality education.

He said both state and local governments should also ensure proper development of the sector as 50 per cent of today’s job would become irrelevant in the near future.

Obasanjo disclosed this on Tuesday while enlightening youths and students from selected schools in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

He spoke at the Youths Governance Dialogue mentorship programme organised by the Youth Development Centre, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.

The former President emphasised the need for a long term plan to foster desired changes in the education sector.

According to him, the current situation in the education sector and the growing population could be an asset if adequately addressed but if not it could spell doom for the country.

However, he expressed optimism that despite the current challenges facing the country, greatness can be achieved if the youth play active roles.

Other Nigerians have repeatedly made similar calls on government to fix the education sector both for the children of the rich and the poor

 

 

Cameroon’s military court sentences Ambazonia leader, nine others to life imprisonment

YEKEEN Akinwale
-
0
Cameroon’s military court sentences Ambazonia leader, nine others to life imprisonment

A MILITARY court in Yaounde, capital city of Cameroon, has sentenced the detained leader of the Southern Cameroonian, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and nine others to life imprisonment.

Ayuk Tabe and his co-detainees were found guilty by the military court of “rebellion, complicity in terrorism, financing of terrorism, revolution, insurrection, hostility against the state, propagation of fake news and lack of identification.”

The verdict was handed down on Tuesday morning.

They were also asked to pay a joint fine of 250 billion CFA francs ($422 million, €381 million) to the Cameroonian government.

Lawyers defending Ayuk Tabe and his supporters were quick to accuse the judge of bias.

“We went to court at 9 a.m. yesterday and left at 6:30 this morning,” barrister Ayukotang Ndep Nkongho Tifuh told DW. “The attitude of the judge does not only confirm his bias and personal interest in sentencing the accused persons, but equally reveals the presumed outcome of the proceedings.”

On January 5, 2018, 12 leaders of the Southern Cameroon Ambazonia Interim Government led by Ayuk Tabe Julius were meeting at NERA Hotel, Abuja to discuss the refugees’ situation and a surge in violence when they were arrested by Nigerian security operatives.

The UNHCR office in Abuja was outraged by the abduction and drew the attention of the Nigerian government to their international obligations under article 33 of the Geneva Convention that protects the rights of refugees and prohibits refoulment, which is expulsion or return of refugees to hostile territory

Ayuk Tabe and 46 other separatists had sought refuge in Nigeria, but were detained in Abuja by the Nigerian government and later deported to Cameroon.

Crises broke out when members of Southern Cameroon Nigeria Council (SCNC) and the Southern Cameroon Ambazonia United Front (SCACUF)  declared independence on October 1, 2017, from Francophone Cameroon.

Hundred of thousands of Southern Cameroonians have since been displaced by the crisis.

There has a continued influx of Southern Cameroonians into Nigeria since the Paul Biya-led government clamped down on them after the declaration.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) estimated that about 246,000 people have fled the South West region alone with about 25,000 believed to have fled to Nigeria occupying 50 locations in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue and Abuja.

How SARS allegedly killed unarmed suspected phone thieves

Abeeb ALAWIYE
-
0
How SARS allegedly killed unarmed suspected phone thieves

A VIRAL video surfaced online on Tuesday, showing operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARs) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) shooting suspected phone thieves being conveyed in a popular danfo bus at Igando, Lagos State.

In the video which looks like a movie scene, two individuals were handcuffed and a voice (suspected to be that of the person filming the incident) said, “You go collect, you go collect,” he said in pidgin English,  adding that they had a gun.

The third suspect was shown on the floor handcuffed in a yellow minibus that appeared to have been hired for the police operation as he reeled in pain.

Then the policemen, who kept threatening to kill the suspects, ordered them out of the bus.

“Come down! Come down!” they barked at the suspects.

One of the policemen was seen pushing one of the suspects to the cops, who had taken firing squad positions.

  “Leave am, make I kill am,” one of the policemen said.

“Kunle, commot there make dem kill the idiot,” another cop said.

Two gunshots followed.

“God punish you! We no dey waste time,” the killer cop said joyfully.

According to the report by Punch, the offences of the suspects, the man who filmed the action, said they usually operated on Jiji, an online sales platform.

He said they lured their victims by promising to buy advertised phones at good prices.

Afterwards, he said the men would collect the phones at gunpoint.

He said, “They post on Jiji that they buy phones. Then, they will call you and price your phone at a higher price.

“After calling you, they will collect your phone at gunpoint. This happens at Igando.

“So, they collected my friend’s phone. My friend then changed his number on Jiji and posted another phone for sale.

“They called him again and he decided to go there with anti-robbery operatives to arrest them so that he could get his phone back.

“The anti-robbery team got there, caught them and shot them.”

Nigerians wondered why the suspects were killed, saying the policemen might be trying to cover up some things.

 

It will be recalled that over the years, Nigerians are demanding a reform of the Police Force or scrapping of SARS after their involvement in extrajudicial killings of Nigerians which sparked so many reactions in the country.

Some of those who have died in the hands of the rogue officers before yesterday incident are: Emeka Ojinze (23), Linda Angela Igwetu (23), Richard Peter Gora (22), Sofiyat Yekin (23), Mrs Kudirat, Anita Akapson, Kolade Johnson (36), Ademola Moshood (the motorcycle rider who was killed over N200) and  a shop owner identified as Biliki killed recently in Lagos while chasing a suspect.

However, the identity of the policemen have been revealed as Fabiyi Omomayara, Olaniyi Solomon, Solomon Sunday and Aliyu Mukaila.

 

 

 

Cabinet List: Buhari remains petroleum minister, appoints Sylva junior minister

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
-
0
Cabinet List: Buhari remains petroleum minister, appoints Sylva junior minister

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari remains the Minister of Petroleum Resources as he on Wednesday announced Timipre Silva from Bayelsa State as the junior minister for the ministry.    

In his first tenure, Buhari appointed self as the Petroleum Minister, and Emmanuel Ibe Kachukwu as the minister for state.

In a list shared by Tolu Ogunlesi, his Special Assistant on Digital and New Media, via his verified social media handle, Babatunde Fashola got the Ministry of Works and Housing but lost the Power Ministry to Engr. Sale Mamman from Taraba State.

While Fashola would be supported by Abubakar D. Aliyu (Yobe), as a junior minister, Godwin Jedi-Agba from Cross River State would serve as the Minister of State for power.

Dr Osagie Ehanire (Edo) got the Ministry of Health while Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) was offered the Ministry of Niger Delta.

Amb. Zubairu Dada (Niger) also got the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Hon. Rotimi Amaechi maintains the Ministry of Transportation. Amaechi would be supported by Gbemisola Saraki as the minister of State.

Here is a complete list of the new cabinet members.  

1) Dr Uchechukwu Ogah – Abia, Mines and Steel Development, State

2) Muhammed Musa Bello – Adamawa, FCT

3) Sen. Godswill Obot Akpabio – Akwa Ibom, Niger Delta

4) Chris Ngige – Anambra, Labour & Employment

5) Sharon Ikeazor – Anambra, Environment, State

6) Adamu Adamu – Bauchi, Education

7) Amb Maryam Katagum – Bauchi, Industry, Trade and Investment, State

8) Timipre Sylva – Bayelsa, Petroleum, State

9) Sen. George Akume – Benue, Special Duties

10) Mustapha Baba Shehuri – Borno, Agriculture, State

11) Godwin Jedi-Agba – Cross River, Power, State

12) Festus Keyamo – Delta, Niger Delta, State

13) Ogbonnaya Onu – Ebonyi, Science and Technology

14) Dr. Osagie Ehanire – Edo, Health

15) Clement Ikanade Agba – Edo, Budget and National Planning, State

16) Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo – Ekiti, Industry, Trade and Investment

17) Geoffrey Onyeama – Enugu, Foreign Affairs

18)Dr. Ali Isa Pantami – Gombe, Communication

19) Emeka Nwajuba – Imo, Education, State

20) Suleiman Adamu – Jigawa, Water Resources

21) Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed – Kaduna, Finance, Budget and National Planning

22) Dr. Mohammad Mahmoud – Kaduna, Environment

23) Mohammed Sabo Nanono – Kano, Agriculture

24) Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd) – Kano, Defence

25) Hadi Sirika – Katsina, Aviation

26) Abubakar Malami – Kebbi, HAGF and Minister of Justice

27) Ramatu Tijani Aliyu – Kogi, FCT, State

28) Lai Mohammed – Kwara, Information and Culture

29) Gbemisola Saraki – Kwara, Transportation, State

30) Babatunde Raji Fashola – Lagos, Works and Housing

31) Adeleke Mamora – Lagos, Health, State

32) Mohammed A. Abdullahi – Nasarawa, Science & Tech, State

33) Amb. Zubairu Dada – Niger, Foreign Affairs, State

34) Olamilekan Adegbite – Ogun, Mines & Steel Devpt

35) Sen. Omotayo Alasuadura – Ondo, Labour, State

36) Rauf Aregbesola – Osun, Interior

37) Sunday Dare – Oyo, Youth and Sports

38) Dame Pauline Tallen – Plateau, Women Affairs

39) Rotimi Amaechi – Rivers, Transportation

40) Mohammed Maigari Dangyadi – Sokoto, Police Affairs

41) Engr. Sale Mamman – Taraba, Power

42) Abubakar D. Aliyu – Yobe, Works and Housing, State

43) Sadiya Umar Faruk – Zamfara, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development

Tax dodgers: Firms owned by Obasanjo, Omisore among others implicated by FIRS

Amos ABBA
-
0
Tax dodgers: Firms owned by Obasanjo, Omisore among others implicated by FIRS

THE Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, on Wednesday released a list of publicly-quoted and privately owned businesses on its website listed among the namely Obasanjo Farms, owned by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Davido Music Worldwide Ltd, owned by singer David Adedeji Adeleke amongst others.

Chairman of the FIRS Babatunde Fowler, who had been questioned recently by the presidency over the dwindling rate of tax collection for the past four years released the list of unwieldy tax defaulters.

Obasanjo Farms Ltd is listed as No. 17705 on the list, Davido Music Worldwide as 2387, while five outlets of Addide supermarket chains located on Lagos mainland areas of Oko-Oba, Ekoro, Fagba and Itire were listed on numbers 13137-13141.

Iyiola Omisore, a former gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, was another high profile tax dodger whose firm Iyiola Omisore & Par was also included in the list.

Click to see the Full: FIRS

Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to the President had, in a letter dated August 8, which he personally signed, asked Fowler to explain alleged discrepancies in budgeted collections and actual collections of tax from 2015 to 2018 when the actual amount collected as tax fell below the budgeted target.

The FIRS chairman was directed to submit a comprehensive variance analysis, which should also state the reasons for poor tax collections between 2015 and 2017, a period when the actual collections turned out to be ‘significantly worse’ than what was recorded from 2012 and 2014.

Fowler, in his response, blamed the decline in tax revenue on the 2016 recession and lower crude oil prices in recent years.

The Federal Government has announced its decision to conduct revenue assurance and Information Technology audit on the FIRS and the Nigerian Customs Service.

The audit is part of the fiscal governance and institutions project, a collaborative programme of the Federal Government and the World Bank.

‘How scavengers, area boys fight almost snowballed into ethnic crisis’

Abeeb ALAWIYE
-
0
‘How scavengers, area boys fight almost snowballed into ethnic crisis’

The Police in Lagos on Sunday arrested five suspects over clash between scavengers and area boys at Oke Odo in Lagos.

This was disclosed in a press statement by the Lagos command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana.

According to the Spokesman at about 10.00am, one Alhaji Adekunle Habib who is a trader at Ilepo market reported at Oke Ode Police Station that there was a misunderstanding between one Hausa scavenger and an Area Boy from Yoruba ethnic group in which the area boy carried some goods on his head and was pushed by the scavenger leading to a fracas.

“The area boy was carrying some goods on his head and was pushed by the Hausa boy in error and the goods fell down.

“Arguments ensued between the two parties which led to an exchange of blows. Friends of the two parties joined in solidarity fight and other miscreants took advantage of the moment to steal and loot.”

The Lagos/Abeokuta expressway was in disarray during the fight before sanity was restored by law enforcement agents.

“What started as a fight between two miscreants almost snowballed into ethnic crises, if not for the timely intervention of the police,” Elkana said.

Police teams from Oke Odo Division , Rapid Response Squads, Taskforce, Tactical Units and Police Mobile Force.  Divisions within the Area Command equally sent reinforcements.

The situation was brought under control and traffic cleared. No dead recorded but four persons sustained various degrees of injuries and are receiving medical attention.

However, five suspects namely, Kabiru Mohammed m’, Kabiru Adamu ‘m’, Bashiru Mohammed ‘m, Saliu Madu ‘m’ and Yusuf Amuda ‘m’ were arrested in connection with the breach of peace.

Normalcy has been restored and patrols are ongoing in the affected areas while suspects will be charged to Court.

1...2,3072,3082,309...3,440Page 2,308 of 3,440