Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday lambasted the Department of State Security, DSS, for fragrant disregard for a court order that an accused person be remanded in prison.
Justice Dimgba had on Thursday ruled that Umar Mohammed, a retired Air Commodore, who was arraigned before him, be remanded in Kuje Prison pending the hearing of his bail application.
But according to the Counsel to the accused person, Hassan Liman, the DSS whisked his client away to their headquarters immediately after the court proceedings ended on Thursday.
When hearing resumed on Friday, the DSS did not produce the suspect in court as his counsel argued his bail application.
But the prosecuting counsel explained that the defendant was taken to the DSS office for some documentation.
Dimgba was visibly angry with the action of the DSS, describing it as an embarrassment to democracy.
“I take a strong exception to this type of behaviour; when the court orders that someone be kept in prison custody, the person ought to be kept in prison and not in the office,” the Judge said.
“If the people at the DSS want to become judges and do their job as well, I am ready to vacate my office for them, but as long as I am still here, I take an exception to them flouting the orders of the court.
“Once processes have been filed in court, it is no longer in their hands and the order of the court must be obeyed,’’ Dimgba warned.
He asked the prosecuting counsel, E.A Orji, to inform the office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the development.
The accused person, a member of the presidential team investigating the arms deal in the country, was charged with money laundering, possession of fire arms and violation of provision of Official Secret Act.
Another incidence of a missing plane is playing out in India where the country’s Air Force has confirmed to the BBC that a military plane with more than 20 people on board has gone missing over the Bay of Bengal.
The Antonov-32 transporter aircraft took off from Chennai at 08:30 local time, heading to Port Blair in the eastern archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar and was scheduled to land at 11:30 local time.
The missing aircraft was carrying service personnel to strategic islands near the Malacca Straits, where India has a military base.
The ministry of defence said four aircraft, 12 ships and a submarine have been deployed to search for the plane.
The Indian Air Force operates more than 100 Antonov-32 aircraft.
The BBC reports that the IAF has a relatively poor safety record and the Russian-made aircraft which form the backbone of the Indian fleet have been the most accident-prone.
The Industrial Training Fund, ITF, has begun a training programme for more than 9000 youths from 18 states of the federation under the National Industrial Skills Development Programme, NISDP, as part of effort to address skills shortages in all sectors of the nation’s economy.
The programme which is in its fifth phase was kicked off at the headquarters of National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, in Kaduna state.
Dickson Onuoha, the acting Director General of the agency, said the training is aimed at equipping young Nigerians with skills for employment opportunities thereby fast tracking the National Industrial Revolution Plan, NIRP, of the federal government.
The DG urged the participants to take their training very serious, saying that the trade areas were carefully selected based on their anticipated importance to the participants’ immediate environment.
Explaining how the programme would address poverty and unemployment, Onuoha stated that majority of the trainees of the programme would start up their businesses upon graduation while some would be employed in various sectors of the economy.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state who was represented by his Special Adviser on Vocational Skills Development, Peter Ayim expressed optimism that the programme, if given the necessary support and attention, will play an important role in the country’s economic development and poverty reduction.
Participants are expected to undergo intensive training on technical and vocational skills for three months in different trade areas, namely tailoring, carpentry, Domestic Electrical installation and interior decoration.
Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has described the reaction of Abdulmumin Jibrin, ousted chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriation, as a joke, adding that he would not join issues with the aggrieved lawmaker.
The speaker made the remarks via the social media after his followers on twitter had pressed him to state his own side of the story.
“Thought I’ve said it’s a joke. I won’t respond to jokes. I’m not a mud wrestler,” the speaker said in one of the tweets.
Jubrin, an All Progressives Congress, APC, member of the House of Reps. representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State, took to twitter on Thursday to vent his anger and displeasure at the decision of the speaker to remove him as the appropriation committee chairman.
Jubrin accused the Speaker, his deputy, Yusuf Lasun, Chief Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, of ganging up against him because he refused to accede to their demands, including inserting N30 billion interests and his opposition to immunity for lawmakers.
He said: “My offence was asserting my independence and insisting that we do the right thing at all times and expose corrupt people in the House.”
Jubrin called Dogara a “coward, hypocrite and pretender of the highest order (who) wines with Mr. President and dines with Mr. President’s enemies.”
He threatened that “if I am not allowed to exercise my privilege, I shall consider legal options and testify against Speaker Dogara, Deputy Lasu, Whip Doguwa and Minority leader, Leo Ogor on why they should resign.”
The speaker however made a joke of Jubrin’s threats saying: “He threatened the heavens will come down if he is removed and we thought to ourselves it’ll be fun watching it happen,
“We’re waiting for the heavens to come down first. That’ll be a lifetime experience. Until that happens, it’s all jokes.”
When someone reminded Dogara that Jibrin used to be his right hand man and as such Nigerians expect an explanation from the speaker, he said: “I owe a word on the subject to my friends on this platform. The rest will be dealt with by the institution.”
Speaker Dogara on Wednesday announced Jibrin’s removal as chairman of the House committee on appropriation, explaining that Jibrin had asked to be replaced as the pressure of the work was too much on him.
The www.icirnigeria.org has learnt that 16 soldiers, including their commanding officer, from a unit in 29 Brigade in Borno State, are still missing following an ambush on the troops while returning from a clearance operation on Friday morning.
The attack happened, according to military sources, when the soldiers unsuccessfully tried to retrieve one of their vehicles stuck in mud on their way from a clearance patrol in Guro Gongon village.
“They had an impressive outing against the terrorists. They killed many of them and recovered some heavy weapons, including APC, RPG and AA. On their way back, one of their vehicles got hooked in mud, you know how the terrain is here when it rains. So, they tried to remove the vehicle from the mud and spent a long time trying to do it and I think the insurgents must have sighted them and went to reinforce,” the source said.
Despite the attack by the insurgents, this website learnt, the soldiers held their ground until military reinforcement came four hours later. After the attack, it was discovered that some soldiers were not accounted for, including the commanding officer.
“Some returned later but 16 are still missing, including the CO,” the source added.
The Nigerian army issued a statement confirming the incident, saying 19 soldiers and three members of the youth vigilante group, Civilian JTF, were injured and had been evacuated for treatment.
Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, a Colonel, said a team of Special Forces personnel was dispatched to locate the missing soldiers.
“It is pertinent to state that, no stone would be left unturned until every person involved in the operation has been accounted for,” Usman said.
The United State Agency for International Development, USAID, has launched a two year partnership programme to increase access to smart tractors, improved seeds and profitable markets for over 45,000 smallholder farmers across Nigeria.
The initiative is designed to support the ‘Feed the Future’ initiative which accelerates production, improve processing and increase firms and marketing capabilities to meet food security.
Michael Harvey, USAID Mission Director, made this known in Abuja at the inauguration of a two million-Dollar US government/private partnership towards strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Harvey said the ‘‘US Embassy has been a major player in agriculture for a number of years, whether it is regional exception or commercial services through the USAID. The simple reason is that Nigeria is incredibly important to the economies of Africa and food security of Africa.’’
He added that the US government was committed to working with the private sector to grow Nigeria’s agriculture sector.
Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Chief of Mission of USAID, Maria Brewer said a changing world requires innovation and that in sub-Sahara Africa, up to 70 percent of young people engage in the agricultural value chain.
‘‘Nigeria is one of the most innovative, dynamic and entrepreneurial countries in the world. The US government is proud to partner with the private sector for the good of the Nigeria’s agriculture sector. Together we are creating a new model of development,
“This model includes working with international organisations, civil society, local governments, researchers and the private sector. In turn this partnership would help feed a growing population with access to fewer natural resources,’’ Brewer said.
With the 60 percent level of youth unemployment in Nigeria and eight million youths expected to enter the workforce in the next 20 years, the need to increasing Nigeria’s agricultural production has become necessary.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbe, pledged government’s commitment towards improving the agricultural sector by ensuring food sufficiency in the country through training and support programmes for the youths.
‘‘The government is sending one thousand youths for training and extension to teach the farmers how to plant, we are working on seed improvement, trying to reform the Bank of Agriculture, to cheaper credit and bargaining for five percent agric credit to farmers, organising farmers to form cooperatives so that they become the borrowers,’’ the Minister said.
He assured investors in the Agricultural sector that government was taking proactive steps towards ensuring the safety of farmers and investors in the sector adding that government was working at preventing the movement of cattle-herdsmen from place to place in search of grazing.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, has directed the Commissioners of Police in Imo and Kogi States to ensure proper coordination of security operations and adequate deployment of Police personnel, for the conduct of the re-run elections in the States.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has scheduled the Senatorial elections in Imo North Senatorial District and Kogi East Senatorial District for Saturday, July 23.
Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, in a statement on Friday said the security arrangements put in place would also cover the Houses of Assembly re-run elections taking place on the same date in the two States.
He said the IGP has approved the deployment of additional Police Mobile Force personnel, Counter Terrorism Units and Conventional Policemen from other states of the federation to Imo and Kogi States.
“The Commissioners of Police in the two States are under strict instructions from the Inspector-General of Police to provide adequate security for INEC Staff, election materials, the electorates, election observers and other individuals and bodies that have statutory roles to play in the conduct of the elections at the polling booths, collation centres and at INEC offices throughout the election period,” Aunah added.
The statement quoted the IGP as advising politicians, community leaders, parents and guardians to prevail on their supporters, subjects, children and wards to be law abiding and desist from any act that is capable of causing disturbance of the peace or disruption of the electoral process.
He warned that the full weight of the law would be meted out on anyone who violates the electoral act or indulges in other act capable of causing violence during the election.
Awunah urged Nigerians especially residents of Imo and Kogi states “to cooperate with the Police Personnel in discharging their duties,” while also warning “all security details to refrain from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election, as only security personnel specially assigned for election duties must be seen within and around the election venues.”
It was a mixture of joy and sadness for the Nigerian troops on clearance operations in the Northeast on Friday Morning when the troops stormed Guro Gongon village and environs to rout out remnants of Boko Haram terrorists hibernating therein.
Army spokesman, Sani Usman, said the troops destroyed terrorists’ makeshift camps and recovered a number of weapons, equipment and foodstuff in the process including 1 Gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft Gun, a MOWAG Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube, 1 Light Machine Gun, 3 AK-47 rifles and motorcycles.
“However, the gallant soldiers basking on the recorded success, returning to their defensive locations, ran into an ambush by a group of Boko Haram terrorists who came to reinforce their fleeing comrades,
“The troops fought back gallantly killing several of the insurgents,
“Sadly however, 19 soldiers and 3 civilian JTF members were wounded while a few others were missing in action,” Usman stated.
The army spokesman added that the wounded have been evacuated and are responding to treatment, while a search and rescue party comprising of Special Forces personnel has since been dispatched to establish contact with the troops missing in action, “some of whom, as at the time of filing this report, have started returning to their defensive location.”
Usman said “no stone would be left unturned until every person involved in the operation has been accounted for.”
The last may not have been heard of the alleged sacking of the former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, as the Kano State representative has mounted a fierce battle against the leadership of the House.
Jibrin was a key player in the embarrassment that trailed the 2016 budget, with allegations that he added N4billion projects into the budget for his Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State.
Announcing his removal on Wednesday, the Speaker had said Jibrin had indicated his willingness to resign due to pressure but that the decision had already been taken to replace him.
However, it is clear the Kano-born politician is not taking his removal lightly. In a series of tweets, he accused the Speaker, his deputy, Yusuf Lasun, Chief Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, of ganging up against him because he refused to accede to their demands, including inserting N30 billion interests and his opposition to immunity for lawmakers.
“My inability to admit into the budget almost N30bn personal requests from Mr. Speaker and the 3 other principal officers also became an issue,” he tweeted.
Jibrin called for the leadership to resign, warning that should it fail to do so, he would seek legal means, including testifying against the four.
He accused the Speaker of ignoring his revelations that new projects were included into the budget by committee members but that nothing was done. In fact, he claimed the principal officers did everything to prevent him from bringing this to the knowledge of other House members.
“My offence was asserting my independence and insisting that we do the right thing at all times and expose corrupt people in the House.
“I gave Mr. Speaker statistics of 2000 new projects introduced into the budget by less than 10 committee chairmen yet he is talking about improving the budget system without the knowledge of their committee members he did nothing about it because he was part of the mess that I believe must be addressed if we intend to build a better budget system for the House.
“Since after that meeting, Mr Speaker with the support of the three other principal officers effectively blocked me from briefing members ensured I was not at the last executive session and refused to investigate issues I raised,” he said.
Abdulmumin Jibrin
He challenged the speaker to tell the world the reason why he was removed, “Seeing as the Speaker claimed that they have taken the decision or were going to take a decision to replace me.”
He added that President Muhammadu Buhari should be careful with the speaker, who he called “coward, hypocrite and pretender of the highest order (who) wines with Mr. President and dines with Mr. President’s enemies.” According to him, Dogara wants to be seen by the President as the only good person.
“He forgot that he sees heads of MDA’s daily which he enjoys doing more than his job as Speaker for reasons best known to him anyway without Mr. President’s knowledge because he wanted to be seen by the president as the only good man and went on to scuttle all our efforts to help the president during the budget process,” he stated.
The House of Representatives has vehemently denied the allegations and wondered why Jibrin waited for his removal before revealing he has evidence of misdeeds against the principal officers.
In a statement signed by House Committee Chairman on Media and Publicity, Abdulrazak Namdas, the House said the “it is the prerogative of the Selection Committee of the House to appoint and remove Committee Chairmen,” adding that his claims that he was removed because of his opposition to immunity for lawmakers and the allegations against him over the 2016 budget process were non-issues.
“Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, like any other member of the House knows that there are conventions and precedents as it relates to budgets and projects for principal officers of the National Assembly. Why is he making it an issue now? In any case, he is entitled to his opinion as a Nigerian and as a legislator while acting within the laws of Nigeria and rules of the House.
“We must make it abundantly clear that he was not removed because of his support or otherwise on immunity bill. After all he is not the only one who opposed the bill. The bill is still pending before committee on review of constitution and it has to be voted upon by each and every member of the House, get Senate concurrence, endorsed by two-third of the 36 State Houses of Assembly and be assented to by the President,” the statement read.
President Buhari presenting the outgoing German Ambassador with a gift
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his administration is in talks with the Niger Delta militants through oil companies and law-enforcement agencies to find a lasting solution to insecurity in the region.
In a press release by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu on Thursday, President Buhari made the remarks at a farewell audience with Michael Zinner, the outgoing Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria at the State House.
The President said that government is studying the instruments of the Amnesty Programme inherited from the previous administration with a view to carrying out commitments made that were undelivered.
“We understand their feelings,” the President said. “We are studying the instruments. We have to secure the environment, otherwise investment will not come. We will do our best for the country,” he promised.
The President used the opportunity to thank the government of Germany for its continuing support to Nigeria in the efforts to tackle insecurity and the on-going rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced citizens in crisis areas in the North-Eastern parts of the country.
President Buhari also thanked Nigeria’s neighbours for their firm and unflinching support in the war against terror.
The outgoing German Ambassador noted that bilateral relations between Nigeria and Germany “had improved very much in the last 12 months of this administration.”
He expressed the readiness of Germany to assist Nigeria in the rehabilitation process in the Northeast to help displaced persons return to their villages, as well as the readiness of German businesses to invest in the country, now that “conditions for investment have been put in place”.
The German Ambassador reiterated the standing invitation of Chancellor Angela Merkel to President Buhari to visit Germany.
