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Three Killed, 12 Injured In Kano Mosque Attack

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Three Killed, 12 Injured In Kano Mosque Attack

The Police in Kano on Wednesday confirmed that gunmen killed three persons and injured 12 others in Kwankwaso village, Madobi Local Government Area of Kano State.

Some gunmen had on Tuesday night attacked a mosque in Kwankwaso, where the district head of Madobi, Musa Sale-Kwankwaso, was attending the late evening prayers.

A statement issued in Kano by the state police public relations officer, Magaji Majiya, an assistant superintendent of police, said the incident took place at about 7:30 p.m, when people were praying inside the mosque.

“The District Head of Madobi and father to the state governor, Alhaji Musa Sale Kwankwaso, who was also in the congregation, escaped unhurt. Although the attack was repelled by policemen who were in the congregation, three persons were killed and 12 others sustained various degree of injuries,’’ it said.

The statement said those injured had been taken to hospital where they were receiving medical attention.

“The identity, motive and target of the assailants is not yet established, but investigation has already commenced,” the police spokesman said.

Oil And Gas Workers Suspend Strike As Govt Gives Assurance On Refineries

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Oil And Gas Workers Suspend Strike As Govt Gives Assurance On Refineries

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN, announced Tuesday the suspension of their proposed strike.

The decision to suspend the strike is contained in a communique issued at the end of a six-hour meeting between the representatives of the unions and the federal government held at the ministry of labour and productivity in Abuja.

The ministers of labour and petroleum resources, Emeka Wogu and Diezani Alison-Madueke respectively, signed the communique on behalf of the federal government, while the presidents of NUPENG and PENGASSAN, Igwe Achese and Babatunde Ogun signed on behalf of their unions.

According to the communique read by Wogu on behalf of all the parties, both unions have agreed to engage in dialogue with the federal government to develop viable and workable business models for the country’s refineries.

“Based on the above understanding, the trade unions in the oil and gas sector shall not embark on any form of industrial actions over the subject matter. The Federal Government is not selling the nation’s refineries,” the communiqué read.

Others who attended the meeting included the permanent secretaries of labour and petroleum resources ministries, Clement Illoh and Danladi Kefasi respectively, as well as national executive members of the two unions.

Medical Doctors In Edo Issue 21-Day Ultimatum To Oshiomhole

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Medical Doctors In Edo Issue 21-Day Ultimatum To Oshiomhole

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has drawn the battle line with the state government with the issuance of a 21-day ultimatum to address what it describes as the decay in infrastructure and poor working conditions of doctors.

The 21-day ultimatum commenced January 6 and would expire on January 27.

Chairman of the association in the state, Emmanuel Ighodaro, while addressing journalists in Benin said the ultimatum will, among others things, ensure that the healthcare system in the state meets International standards and best practice.

He said in spite of efforts made by the NMA and other stakeholders to address the issues plaguing the health sector in Edo state, the government has not shown any “convincing commitment” to address them.

According to Ighodaro, the 150 doctors in the state’s employment work in overcrowded hospitals across the three senatorial zones while doctors cannot meet up with the huge health needs of the Edo people.

He also expressed displeasure about the multiple taxation imposed on private health facilities in the state and the incessant harassment of the association’s members by both legal and illegal agents of the state government.

The chairman urged governor Adams Oshiomhole to urgently address the issues raised and avert the imminent health crisis that might befall the state if nothing is done at the expiration of the ultimatum.

It would be recalled that Oshiomhole had scolded doctors in the state for abandoning their jobs and embarking on a warning strike in solidarity with their colleagues under the payroll of the federal government in December.

He described the action of the doctors as provocative, illegal, avoidable and unnecessary.

Oshiomhole at a meeting with the Association of Resident Doctors, Medical and Dental Consultants Association in government House in Benin, said doctors in the state had no business joining the strike when the issues behind the strike had no direct impact on them.

Keyamo To Sue Jonathan, Mark Over Illegal Appointment Of Service Chiefs

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Keyamo To Sue Jonathan, Mark Over Illegal Appointment Of Service Chiefs

A Lagos-based lawyer, Festus Keyamo, has threatened to sue President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President, David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, should they fail to comply with a court judgement which in July 2013 declared the appointment of the nation’s service chiefs illegal.

The lawyer made the threat today in a letter he wrote to Nigeria’s president, the Senate president and the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, a copy of which was made available to tue media.

He gave all concerned 14 days to act on the judgement failing which he would head for the courts.

He states: “Kindly recall that on the 1st day of July, 2013, I obtained a court judgment in the case of FESTUS KEYAMO V. PRESIDENT & 4 ORS, delivered by the Honourable Justice A. Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja wherein he declared that the appointments of Service Chiefs (The Chief of Air Staff, the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff) without the approval of both the Senate and the House of Representatives is null and void in line with Section 18(1) and (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“Up till now, no appeal has been filed against that judgment. It goes without saying that all the present Service Chiefs namely: Lt-General Azubuike Ihejirika (Chief of Army Staff), Air Vice Marshal Alex S. Badeh (Chief of the Air Staff) and Rear Admiral Dele J. Ezeoba (Chief of Naval Staff), were all appointed without the confirmation of the National Assembly. Their appointments are therefore null and void ab initio.”

He emphasized that the appointment of the service chiefs should be done in line with the rule of law which requires the confirmation of the National Assembly, adding that the armed forces must be subjected to civil authority.

He noted that the inability of the National Assembly, with all its constitutional powers, to comply with the court judgement portends a grave danger to the nation’s democracy.

“The most embarrassing of this scenario is that the custodians of the power of confirmation, that is the National Assembly, despite folding its arms whilst my humble self (a private citizen) proceeded to court to give life to its constitutional powers, has even refused to do anything to comply with the judgment when a court of law has clearly given life to that power. It is sad for our democracy,” he said.

“In the circumstance, and the spirit of compliance with court judgements, obedience to and respect for the rule of law, I would humbly require that you direct, advice and enforce compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court given on the 1st of July, 2013.

“If within fourteen days of the receipt of this letter you all fail to act, I, as a patriot and free citizen of this country, will have no option but to head back to the court to compel compliance,” he stated.

South Sudan: Talks On Ceasefire Begin

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South Sudan: Talks On Ceasefire Begin

Caption: South Sudan President Salva Kiir (right) and his Sudan counterpart Omar al-Bashir hold a joint news briefing in the state house in capital Juba on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Rebels in South Sudan and a government delegation started peace talks on Tuesday to try to end fighting that has left the world’s newest state on the brink of civil war.

The talks in neighbouring Ethiopia will focus on brokering a ceasefire to halt three weeks of violence that has killed at least 1,000 people and driven 200,000 from their homes.

“We have begun our meeting on the cessation of hostilities,” a member of the government delegation told Reuters.

The fighting, often along ethnic fault lines, has pitted President Salva Kiir’s SPLA government forces against rebels loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar.

Mabior Garang, a member of Machar’s delegation to the Addis talks, confirmed that the talks had begun.

The two sides delayed talks for several days, haggling over the fate of 11 detainees held by the government in Juba, with the rebels initially insisting on securing their release before negotiations started.

Security Votes: Court Strikes Out Suit Against 36 Govs, Fct Minister

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Security Votes: Court Strikes Out Suit Against 36 Govs, Fct Minister

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday struck out a suit seeking to stop the 36 state governors and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, minister from deducting monies from statutory allocation as security votes.

Justice Adamu Bello threw out the suit while delivering judgment in a case filed by a constitution lawyer, Nkereuwem Akpan, against the governors and the FCT minister in 2010.

Akpan had urged the court to determine, by virtue of Sections 16(2) and 120 of the 1999 Constitution, Cap C 23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, if the governors had the power without lawful authority, to deduct monies as security votes from the Federation Account.

In his judgment, Bello held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

He said that the governors and the minister of the FCT were neither the federal government nor its agencies and the court had no authority to determine the case.

The judge held that if the defendants were the federal government or its agencies, the court could entertain the case.

“Though the plaintiff has the locus standi to institute the case against the defendants, the court can only entertain a suit involving the federal government and its agencies,” Bello said.

He said that the suit involved state governors and the minister of FCT which had their own jurisdictions.

2015: PDP Rules Out Automatic Ticket For NASS Members

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2015: PDP Rules Out Automatic Ticket For NASS Members

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday said it would not offer automatic tickets to its incumbent national assembly members in 2015 in spite of the spate of defections from its fold.

“There will be nothing like automatic tickets for anyone; incumbents and challengers seeking the PDP ticket must go through the normal process to secure it,” PDP chairman in Kaduna State, Joseph Gumbari, said.

Recent reports had quoted some federal lawmakers as insisting on automatic tickets for the 2015 race to stop them from joining others that defected to the rival Alliance for Progressives Change, APC.

The ruling PDP has lost five governors, some key leaders and 37 members of the House of Representatives to the APC in the wave of defections that hit the party in the past few months.

But Gumbari, a former member of the House of Representatives, said conceding to the demand for automatic ticket would “kill the PDP’’.

“No one can blackmail the PDP into making such concessions; we shall give the party’s tickets to only those who deserve it. Those who have performed and are still popular should have nothing to fear. There are many law makers today that cannot visit their constituencies for fear that they could be attacked by their constituents,” he said.

Gumbari stressed that PDP’s tickets would only be given to members that had been consistent in shoring up its image and strengthening it through effective representation.

He said that the APC was not a threat to the fortunes of the PDP in Kaduna State, adding that PDP last weekend received some top politicians that defected from the APC.

“APC members in their thousands, led by Mr Huseini Dembo, on Friday defected to the PDP; so while APC is receiving defecting PDP members in other states, we are equally receiving top APC members defecting to our fold in Kaduna State,” he stated.

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Trial Of Lagos Speaker, Ikuforiji Stalled Again

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Trial Of Lagos Speaker, Ikuforiji Stalled Again

The trial of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, could not proceed on Tuesday due to the appearance of a new defence counsel, Wole Olanipekun.

Ikuforiji is standing trial along with his personal assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi, at a Federal High Court, Lagos, on an amended 54 count charge bordering on money laundering of N600 million.

Olanipekun informed the court that he was taking over from Tayo Oyetibo and that he needed more time to get acquainted with the case files.

“My lord, when a new counsel comes into a case it is natural for him to study the files and know the parties. Criminal trial is a serious business and I must say that I am faced with a `mountain of documents’ to peruse, some of which were just served on us yesterday,” he said.

He therefore appealed for an adjournment of the case to enable him properly study the files.

The prosecutor, Godwin Obla, did not object to Olanipekun’s request for an adjournment.

Justice Ibrahim Buba, in a short ruling, adjourned the case to March 17 for further hearing.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had re-arraigned the defendants on June 24, 2013 on the amended charges.

Both Ikuforiji and Atoyebi had pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of N1 billion with two sureties each in the sum of N500 million.

On November 21, 2013, the prosecution opened its case by calling on its first witness, Adebayo Adedeji, a police investigator, who testified on how Ikuforiji allegedly approved various sums from the house funds for himself.

It was alleged that the duo conspired between April, 2010 and July 2011 to commit “an illegal act of accepting cash payments amounting to N273.3 million’’ from the assembly without going through a financial institution.

Obla also alleged that Ikuforiji used his position to misappropriate about N500 million belonging to the House, adding that the offences contravened Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

Applications Open For Nieman-Berkman Fellowship In Harvard

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Applications Open For Nieman-Berkman Fellowship In Harvard

The Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society is sponsoring at least one fellow for a US$60,000 fellowship at Harvard to carry out an academic year research project on journalism innovation.

Applications are welcome from journalists around the globe working for news organizations in a business, technology, or leadership capacity, as well as independent journalists.

Candidates must propose a project relating to journalism’s digital transformation. Examples might include ideas for new revenue streams to fund journalism, the construction of new tools for reporting or research into news consumption patterns.

Fellows receive additional allowances for housing, childcare and health insurance.

Applicants must submit a personal statement, project proposal, work samples, four recommendation letters and a leave of absence letter by January 31.

All applications will be evaluated by a joint Berkman and Nieman review team. Interviews with finalists will be held in the spring, and, if a satisfactory candidate is found, the winner will be notified in April.

Oshiomhole Denies Being Hospitalised After Road Accident

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Oshiomhole Denies Being Hospitalised After Road Accident

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has denied reports that he was seriously injured, flown abroad and hospitalised following injuries he purportedly sustained in an auto crash between his convoy and a J5 bus stocked tomatoes in late December, 2013.

The accident occurred at Ewu, in Esan Central Local Government Area of the state on December 28, 2013.

While presiding over the first State Executive Council meeting of the year on Monday, said he was neither seriously injured nor flown abroad for treatment, reassuring the people that he is well and alive.

“All those stories about being hospitalized and being under intensive care in an undisclosed hospital are figments of the imagination of those who were parroting the story,” the governor said.

“It is true that on the 28th December, 2013, at about 10am, I was heading from my village to Benin City to receive the Vice President (Namadi Sambo) who was visiting Uromi to attend the birthday celebration of Chief Tony Anenih. Even though he was on a private visit, I am obliged by protocol to receive him,” he narrated.

Continuing he said: “I believe somewhere in Ewu, a bus that was packed with goods veered off its lane and headed straight to my car and hit the car. But for the fact that the car is armored, it would have somersaulted given its impact and the bus driver was clearly on high speed.”

The governor said in spite of the incident, he was still able to go to the airport to receive the Vice President and urged the people of the state to continue to cooperate with his administration.

 

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