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 Identity theft: NECO procures 8000 biometric machines for May/June exam

YEKEEN Akinwale
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 Identity theft: NECO procures 8000 biometric machines for May/June exam

THE National Examination Council (NECO) says it has procured a total of 8000 biometric machines to verify the identity of candidates that would sit for the 2019 NECO senior secondary certificate examination scheduled to start this month. 

Registrar of the Council, Abubakar Gana who disclosed this in Minna, Niger State said the biometric machines which were procured late last year following approval from the Governing Council of NECO and the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) would also address the problem of attendance and impersonation during the examination.

The event was the commissioning of 20 Toyota Hilux vans and the biometric machines by the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Education, Sunny Echono.

The biometric machines, he said, is worth N500million while the newly 20 Toyota Hilux vans procured for distribution of examination materials were procured at 327,800,000.

Gana said NECO has saved well over N2 billion through its prudent management of funds, adding that the agency will save more in the future as it has fully integrated its transactions into the Treasury Single Account, (TSA).
He noted that leakages were being blocked and reduced to the barest minimum at the agency even as the exam body is ensuring prudent management and utilisation of the nation’s scarce resources.
“We were able to procure 20 single cabin Hilux vans. The last time the council bought vehicles was in 2013. We have also bought 8000 units of biometric capture machines, which can verify the identity of candidates as well as record attendance.”
On whether the 8,000 biometric capturing machines can serve the 10 thousand NECO centres across the country, he said one machine can be used in two schools to verify candidates at registration and before they commence any SSCE exams.
He assured that with the purchase of 20 new Hilux vans, examination materials would arrive their destination on time and eliminate arbitrary postponement of the examination, stressing that the last time government procured vehicles for NECO was in 2013.
Speaking also, Chairman Governing Board of NECO, Abubakar Sadiq,  announced that the examination body has eliminated the use of scratch cards and adopted pin vending to check the activities of fraudsters who may take advantage of the system to defraud unsuspecting candidates.
Sadiq lamented that impersonation has become a major problem to public examinations in Nigeria while assuring that the biometric capturing machines would reduce incidents of identity theft up to 90 or 95 per cent.
He noted that although NECO has the capacity to adopt the Computer Based Test (CBT) method like the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the council would continue with the paper-pencil method for the time being.

 

 

New Polio Virus, CPV, hits Kano

Nneoma BENSON
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New Polio Virus, CPV, hits Kano

AFTER a three-year polio-free record witnessed in the state, a recent case of Circulating Polio Virus (CPV) was discovered in sewage located at Darmanawa Ward in Tarauni Local Government Area of Kano State.

Nura Haruna, the primary health care coordinator of Tarauni Local Government Area (LGA) told newsmen that the virus was suspected to have come from Zaria LGA in Kaduna, where two cases of CPV were uncovered earlier in 2019.

He explained that the scientific test carried out shows CPV is mostly linked to poor environmental sanitation, sewage, although unable to cripple a child, but poses a threat of Wild Polio Virus (WPV).

“Before this discovery in Tarauni LGA, there were two cases recorded in Zaria, so we are suspecting that it is either the affected children travelled down to Kano to spread the disease or the CPV came through the sewage due to poor environmental sanitation in the area, because we have conducted some scientific tests and discovered the CPV inside a sewage in the local government area,” Haruna said.

PREMIUM TIMES reports, that all under-five children in the area are at risk of contracting the CPV, so the state ministry of health and some stakeholders had organized a mop-up immunization exercise in the area to prevent the spread of the virus, following the turnout of the event.

Haruna complained that there were elites in the area not complying to polio and routine immunization, as they hardly release their children for vaccination in spite of its importance, especially at Darmanawa, Hotoro and Daurawa quarters.

“Sometimes our workers spend an hour in a particular house without seeing anyone attending to them. We need the intervention of relevant authorities to compel them to take the polio immunization seriously.

“Whether you are elite or not, we need your household to be vaccinated because if we vaccinate nine out of 10 houses, the remaining one will still put the entire community at polio risk,” Haruna said

He further enjoined parents to take their personal hygiene and environmental sanitation important, as well as presenting their children for immunization to prevent an outbreak of poliovirus in the state.

In 2004, the World Health Organisation (WHO), expressed its readiness in the support of eradicating polio in Kano state, through Polio immunization campaigns.

 “The Initiative re-affirms its commitment to support Kano’s state, traditional and religious leaders, as well as Nigeria’s federal ministry of health to ensure the country reaches its goal of stopping poliovirus transmission by end 2004.”

In 2005 WHO reports that Polio Victims Trust Association (PVTA), was determined to ensure that polio cripples in Kano live respectably and that no other child in Kano State is again disabled by the disease.

“Kano’s decision to vaccinate children against polio comes at a critical time in the polio eradication programme. Sub-Saharan Africa is on the verge of the largest polio epidemic in recent history. Cases recorded in the region are five times that for the same period in 2003 (483 compared to 95), due to the outbreak originating from Kano and surrounding states.”

SEC bars Oando’s boss from being director in any public company for five years

Amos ABBA
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SEC bars Oando’s boss from being director in any public company for five years

The Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, on Friday released the final report of its investigation of Oando Plc instructing the Group Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the company, Wale Tinubu, and other indicted board members to resign.

In a statement issued by SEC, Tinubu and the Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer of the company, Omamofe Boyo, were barred from holding a position as directors of public companies for a period of five years.

It also directed that an Extraordinary General Meeting should be convened on or before July 1, to appoint new directors.

The Commission also listed several punitive measures taken against the company which includes payment of monetary penalties and refund of improperly disbursed remuneration by the affected Board members to the company.

The statement signed by the management of the Commission goes thus: “The general public is hereby notified of the conclusion of the investigations of Oando Plc. The findings from the report revealed serious infractions such as false disclosures, market abuses, misstatements in financial statements, internal control failures, and corporate governance lapses stemming from poor board oversight, irregular approval of directors’ remuneration, unjustified disbursements to directors and management of the company, related party transactions not conducted at arm’s length, amongst others,” the statement reads.

The company is also expected to pay an undisclosed monetary penalty while board members are expected to refund improperly disbursed remuneration.

However, SEC stated that other aspects of the findings would be referred to relevant bodies which include Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

FUOYE: Governing Council election cancelled over alleged rigging

YEKEEN Akinwale
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FUOYE: Governing Council election cancelled over alleged rigging
THE election of Congregation Representatives into the Governing Council of Federal University, Oye (FUOYE), Ekiti, scheduled to hold on Friday was cancelled following an allegation of manipulation and rigging by members.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the results of the election were declared and later cancelled by the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Kester Ojokheta.
The chairman, while justifying the cancellation, said that the total number of votes cast 955, was higher than 440 eligible voters.
He explained that the objective of the election was to elect two representatives from both academic and non-academic staff into the governing council of the institution as stipulated in the establishment Act of the university.
Earlier, Vice Chancellor of the university, Kayode Soremekun, said there would be a maximum of eight nominations from both the teaching and non-teaching cadres, which was objected to by the majority of congregants.
The congregants though raised objections to the vice chancellor’s decision but were denied to express their views as he declined to recognise anyone to speak.
Seven congregants comprising one teaching staff and six non-academic staff were nominated to contest for the election.
They‎ include: Dosu Malomo,(Teaching cadre) while  Adelani Efuntade, Abayomi Oshatimi, Samson Durojaye, Usman, Ayodele Fatuase and L.A Eni are Non-Teaching cadre.
After reading the nominations, the vice chancellor announced the closing of nominations which attracted stiff resistance from members of the congregation, who alleged that most of the nominees were his close associates.
But after an extensive, rowdy and shouting session, the vice chancellor announced the extension of nomination to 10 and three additional members were nominated.
The three added nominees were Toibudeen Sanmi (Teaching cadre), Ademiju Aganga (Teaching cadre) and Victor Ige (Non-Teaching cadre).
While the voting process which was conducted through the secret ‎ballot was ongoing, some members of the congregation raised accusations that the Director of Administration in the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Olatunbosun Odusanya, had allegedly ‎dropped some ballot papers in one of the ballot boxes.
The allegation was reported to the Vice Chancellor and the Chairman of the electoral committee but was ignored, as nothing was done to either verify or confirm the allegation.
At the end of the voting process, Chairman of the Electoral Committee,  Kester Ojokheta, announced the results with L.A Eni, polling 85 votes, Abayomi Oshatimi had 29 votes, Usman polled 13 votes, Ayodele Fatuase polled 105 votes and Ademiju Aganga had 307 votes.
Others were Dosu Malomo who scored 148 votes, Victor Ige 162 vote, Adelani Efuntade 79 votes, Samson Durojaye 2 votes and Toibudeen Sanmi polled 25 votes.
When the results were announced,  Aganga and Dr. Victor Ige had the highest votes cast.
The electoral committee chairman, however, observed that the total number votes cast (955) was higher than the 440 total number of eligible voters‎ and consequently cancelled the outcome of the election.
Speaking with NAN after the election, the electoral committee chairman said he was disappointed with the behaviour of the academic staff of the university towards the outcome of the election.
“I never compromised the rules and regulations of the election, in spite of the fact that my close friend was leading in the election, I cancelled it for fairness.
“If I was biased, I could have pronounced my friend winner of the election. More so, it is an internal affair and it should be handled internally without the media interfering.
“Most of the people complaining about the process of the election and result‎ were my friends and I was only appointed by the Vice Chancellor to oversee the election.
“I do not have ulterior motives because I am on sabbatical leave at FUOYE ‎and once my leave is over, I will return to the University of Ibadan which is my base,” he told NAN on telephone.‎
‎(NAN)

NBET MD demands apology from members of LeaksNG for alleged defamation

Editorial
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NBET MD demands apology from members of LeaksNG for alleged defamation

THE Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), Marilyn Amobi, has asked ‎PREMIUM TIMES, The Cable and Sahara Reporters to apologise over a report exposing graft at her agency.

She said the report is defamatory against her and the agency and demanded its retraction.

The Leaks NG comprising The ICIR, PREMIUM TIMES, The Cable, Orderpaper and Sahara Reporters last year published a series of investigative reports on alleged corruption and victimisation of whistleblowers at NBET under Mrs Amobi.

The first report revealed how the managing director controversially paid at least N2 billion to two power generating companies.

The House of Representatives later investigated the allegations of corruption at the agency, after a civil society coalition called for an investigation.

But in a letter by her counsel, Babalakin&co, dated April 24, Ms Amobi gave PREMIUM TIMES and Leaks NG seven days to retract the publication.

The letter said the reports had caused Mrs Amobi emotional distress and psychological trauma.

“Our clients are understandably very disturbed by the actual and potential damage that this publication has caused and could further cause to the security of Mrs Amobi and the management staff of NBET, as well as our clients’ commercial and public activities.

“Your portrayal of Mrs Amobi as a corrupt pubic official has subjected her to considerable emotional distress and psychological trauma. Indeed, the publication has severely exposed our client to public ridicule and outage as several other local and international media outlet have also picked on these allegations.

“Furthermore, it is noteworthy that our clients are strategically placed in the Nigeria economy and our clients’ commercial operations in the power sector are significantly threatened by the content of your publication.

As you may be aware, our clients, on behalf of the Federal Government, Interface with various local and international stakeholders including investors, diplomats, financial institutions and development agencies.

“And this offensive and baseless publication is capable of adversely affecting our clients’ interaction with key stakeholders.

Ultimately, your publication is capable of orchestrating a serious crisis of confidence in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).”

Allegations

The report of infractions by Mrs Amobi and her management team at NBET was published on February 8 by Leaks NG, a coalition of Nigerian newsrooms and civil society groups.

First of the allegations was that Mrs Amobi authorised overpayment to two power generating companies – Omotosho Electric Genco and Olorunsogo Electric Company.

This act was a flagrant violation of the details of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) the companies signed with the government in February and August 2016, respectively.

The PPA is an agreement between NBET and power generating plants for the sale and purchase of energy generated by the plants.

According to the PPA, to qualify for full payment, generating plants must provide evidence that they have active GSA and GTA or else the power purchase agreement would be deemed inactive and would only receive payment for the power they supplied.

PREMIUM TIMES reported on April 9, how the House of Representatives mandated two of its committees to investigate NBET and its Managing Director, Mrs Amobi, over several corruption allegations.

The resolution followed a motion by Mohammed Sabo representing South West Constituency, State, Jigawa State.

Mr Sabo warned that if the allegations were not properly investigated, it would create “an institutional system of manipulation of the procurement”, leading to financial losses to the federal government.

In a unanimous decision, the House referred the issue to its Committees on Public Procurement and Power to jointly investigate and report back in two weeks.

Mrs Amobi’s lawyer, in the letter, however, demanded the publication be retracted following published reports by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), on February 28, debunking the claim that it fraudulently paid at least N2 billion to two power generating companies.

”Consequently, it is quite clear that your publication is completely defamatory against NBET in its corporate character and Amobi in her official and individual capacity.

”We hereby notify you of our clients’ intention to institute appropriate legal action against Leaks NG for this defamatory publication within seven days after the receipt of this letter, you tender an unreserved apology and retraction which must be given publicity that is as wide as that of the offending publication.”

Court remands six over JAMB’s N35million allegedly swallowed by snake

Jennifer UGWA
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Court remands six over JAMB’s N35million allegedly swallowed by snake

Philomena Chieshe and five other officials of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board on Friday were incarcerated by a High Court in Maitama, Abuja, over their involvement in the missing N35m from the sale of JAMB e-cards in Makurdi, Benue State.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had previously arraigned her and others on eight counts bordering on refusal to account for the Board’s money between 2014 and 2016.

Justice Peter Afen, who presided over the case ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of EFCC pending the outcome of their bail application.

The case has been adjourned until Monday, June 3, for the hearing of their bail application.

EFCC alleged that Chieshe, a sales clerk with JAMB, told JAMB investigative panel that she could not give account for the money she made in previous years before the Board stopped the sale of scratch cards.

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However, she had claimed that the money was swallowed by a snake. She said her housemaid had conspired with another JAMB employee, Joan Asen, to steal the money from the vault in the accounts office through voodoo.

According to the EFCC, the actions contravened Section 139 (a) of the Penal Code Law.

Chieshe was arraigned alongside Samuel Umoru, Yakubu Jekada, Daniel Agbo, Priscilla Ogunsola, and Aliyu Yakubu.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

 

 

 

Alanamu, former ICPC board nominee dropped after ICIR’s report, convicted of bribery

'Kunle ADEBAJO
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Alanamu, former ICPC board nominee dropped after ICIR’s report, convicted of bribery

 

A FORMER chairman of the Governing Council, Kwara State Polytechnic, Sa’ad Alanamu, has been convicted of bribery and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.

Rasheedat Okoduwa, spokesperson of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), disclosed this in a statement made public on Friday.

Also sentenced alongside Alanamu was Salman Sulaiman, director of Namylas Nigeria Limited, who was found guilty of giving a bribe.

The Attorney-General of the Federal filed an eight-count charge against Alanamu in September 2017 at the Kwara State High Court. He had been nominated the previous month, among 13 others, by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo into the board of the ICPC.

But an exclusive report by The ICIR showed that Alanamu and Maimuna Aliyu, another nominee, were being investigated by the same agency for alleged acts of corruption and were soon to be prosecuted. Alanamu was facing probe for abuse of office while he was head of several institutions in Kwara State.

It was likewise exclusively reported that the federal government failed to run security checks on the nominees before their names were announced. A source had told the Centre that the appointees were simply picked “from a long list of names that had piled up in the two years that the Muhammadu Buhari government came into office”. Such appointments were often used to reward party faithful.

After the publications, the vice president stepped down the nomination of the two individuals “who have ongoing investigation issues with the commission as this presents a conflict”. A month later, Alanamu was formally charged for receiving bribes.

He was accused of collecting N5 million from Sulaiman, a contractor-friend, as bribe for a contract awarded. The ICPC discovered that the company, Namylas Nigeria, had submitted doctored documents while bidding.

Alanamu was also accused of awarding  N182 million contract for the construction and furnishing of an auditorium in Kwara State Polytechnic to a friend’s company though it lacked the capacity to execute it.

The trial judge, Mahmud Abdulgafar, found Alanamu guilty of the charges and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on the second and third counts, as well as five years with hard labour on counts one, four, and five, with no option of paying fine. The sentences are to run concurrently, he noted.

The Honourable Justice also ordered he pays N25 million, in complying with the ICPC Act that mandates a public officer found guilty of receiving gratification to forfeit the bribe and “pay a fine of not less than five times the sum of the value of the gratification”.

Update: Nine witnesses to testify against Naira Marley, EFCC says

Nneoma BENSON
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Update: Nine witnesses to testify against Naira Marley, EFCC says

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says nine witnesses would be presented in its case against the up-and-coming musician, Naira Marley.

THE PUNCH reports that the witnesses would give an evidential account to the law court; “three of the witnesses were said to have taken the defendant’s and witnesses’ statements

“The remaining are representatives of Mastercard, Visa Inc and Guaranty Trust Bank, who are expected to tender relevant card and account details of the defendant to the court.”

Naira Marley was arrested with three others on alleged cybercrime and identity theft.

He was later arraigned before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

He was yesterday May 30  granted bail worth N2million with two sureties in the same like.

The charges with suit number FHC/L/178C/19 were filed before a Lagos State High Court.

 

Francis Johnson, PENGASSAN President dies

Amos ABBA
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Francis Johnson, PENGASSAN President dies

Current President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Francis Johnson, is dead.

Johnson, who was the current president of PENGASSAN, died early Friday morning after failing to recover from a protracted undisclosed illness.

After his election as President of the petroleum union in 2014, he had advocated for reforms in the petroleum industry calling for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, and the need to separate the Ministry of Petroleum Resources from the Presidency for the effective operation of the ministry.

An employee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Johnson was re-elected for a second term of 3 years that would have terminated in 2020.

He was first elected as the President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on June 2014, and was re-elected in 2017 at the association’s fifth Triennial Delegates Conference, TDC, held in Abuja after defeating two other contestants: Mohammed Saleh and Emmanuel Eze.

Amnesty International launches 8-point human rights agenda for Nigeria

YEKEEN Akinwale
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Amnesty International launches 8-point human rights agenda for Nigeria

FORTY-EIGHT  hours after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari for his second-term of four years in office, the Amnesty International has set an eight-point human rights agenda for his administration.

In the document, Nigeria: Human Rights Agenda, launched in Abuja on Friday, Amnesty International said the inauguration of president  Buhari on 29 May, presents an opportunity for the incoming administration to demonstrate its oft-stated commitment to human rights and undertake urgent and concrete actions to strengthen their promotion and protection in Nigeria.

It explained that the document appraises the human rights situation in Nigeria and provides information regarding cases of human rights violations and abuses across the country.

While noting that the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended) in Chapter IV contains provisions on human rights and Nigeria has ratified several international and regional human rights treaties, the organisation lamented that the country is plagued with decades of human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by state and non-state actors respectively.

Amnesty International said it has documented many and various forms of human rights violations and the victims continue to lack redress.

“As the new administration takes office for a 4-year term, Amnesty International is recommending some concrete measures to ensure that human rights are better respected, protected, promoted and fulfilled in Nigeria,” it said.

“In this regard, Amnesty International calls on the new administration to: 1. End all forms of violence against women and girls, 2. Protect the rights of children, 3. Ensure accountability for the Niger Delta clean-up, 4. Guarantee freedom of expression, 5. End torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions, 6. Secure Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 7. Protect the civic space and improve the operating environment for human rights defenders and activists, 8. Abolish the death penalty and commute all death sentences.”

It further noted that the human rights situation in Nigeria is marked by serious human rights violations such as extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, violence against women and girls, restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, mass forced evictions, environmental pollution and lack of accountability for human rights violations and abuses.

Despite Nigeria’s overwhelming ratification of human rights treaties and commitments at the international and regional level, Nigerians continue to face worsening human rights crisis across the country, Amnesty International said.

It reiterated that the incoming administration of president Buhari can address the perennial human rights violations and abuses in Nigeria, adding that the Nigerian government has clear national and international obligations to promote, protect, respect and fulfil human rights.

“Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian government to seize this opportunity to end decades of human rights violations and pervasive impunity including by making human rights central to its agenda and ensuring that human rights are not suppressed.”

It emphasised that the government must demonstrate its commitment to human rights by taking concrete actions on the proposed recommendations made as a matter of priority.

“Amnesty International will continue to assess the human rights situation in Nigeria and to call for greater protection of everyone’s human rights,” it concluded.

 

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