Federal Republic of Nigeria
Nigerian government declares Thursday, Friday public holidays to mark Eid-el-Kabir
The Federal Government has declared Thursday 30 and Friday 31 July, as public holidays to mark 2020 year’s Eid-el-Kabir. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, through a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, ministry of Interior, Mrs Georgina Ehuriah, on Tuesday in Abuja. Aregbesola congratulated Muslim faithful and all Nigerians both at home and abroad on the occasion. He called on Muslims to continue to imbibe the spirit of love, peace, kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him). The minister also called on Muslims to use the period to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the country especially as the world is witnessing global health challenges cause...
Boko Haram: 601 ex-insurgents finish de-radicalisation programme in Gombe
The Nigerian Army on Saturday released 601 ex-Boko Haram members after undergoing six months de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration (DRR) programme in Gombe State. The graduation ceremony of the ex-insurgents took place on Saturday at Malam Sidi community in Kwami Local Government Area of the state. Speaking during the event, Bamidele Shafa, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor (OSC), said the ex-insurgents were ready to be re-integrated into the society. Shafa, a major-general, said the graduating batch four clients were admitted in December 2019 and within the six months undertook a comprehensive medical test to ascertain their health status that enabled their proper care. According to him, out of the 606 clients received into the camp; 601 were graduating, three died,...
MNJTF: Why Boko Haram, ISWAP terrorists are surrendering
The incessant power tussle, ethnic tension and failure to actualise the establishment of a caliphate in the Sahel in the top echelon of Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorist groups are forcing their members to lay down their arms, the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) has said. In a statement Friday, the MNJTF said 47 terrorists recently surrendered to its troops in the Lake Chad and surrounding areas. Timothy Antigha, the Chief of Military Public Information, MNJTF N’Djamena – said in the statement that the terrorists surrendered with their families in Sector 1 of the MNJTF. He said a member of the group, who admitted to have participated in various attacks on Banki, Fotokol, Gambarou Ngala, New Marte, Chikun Gudu, among others, had expressed frustration w...
Senator Lawan: Nobody is above scrutiny of the National Assembly
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that nobody is above the scrutiny of the National Assembly. Lawan stated this in his closing remarks moments before the Upper Chamber adjourned plenary till September 15, 2020. Speaking on the gains of a harmonious working relationship between the Legislature and the Executive arm of Government, the Senate President advised appointees of the President against needless confrontation with the Committees of the National Assembly. According to him, engagements with Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government by the Committees of the National Assembly are carried out to serve public interest and in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended. “As for what has been happening recently, let me take this opportunity to adv...
Court adjourns suit challenging Akindele, others’ conviction
Reuters A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday adjourned until July 21, to hear a suit challenging the legality of the conviction of Funke Akindele, her husband, Abdu-rasheed Bello, and 236 others. A Lagos-based Lawyer, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, had approached the court seeking a declaration that the law upon which Akindele and others were convicted was inconsistent with the 1999 constitution. Recall that Akindele, a popular actress; Bello, and others were arrested, tried and convicted for violating the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020. She was said to have hosted a birthday party in her Lagos residence to celebrate her husband’s birthday, an act viewed as a violation of the state government’s regulation on infectious disease prevention. Akindele rose to...
Sports ministry denies appointing new AFN chief
The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has denied appointing Mr. People S.Y Pepple as Director-General for the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), warning the sporting public, MDAs and law enforcement agencies not to do business with him. This was made known in a press statement issued by the Permanent Secretary Youth and Sports Development Mr. Gabriel Aduda, saying such designation does not exist in the 38 National Sporting Federations. The statement reads: “This is to bring to the notice of the sporting public, MDAs and law enforcement agencies the impersonation of the Office of the Secretary General of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) by one Mr. Pepple S.Y. who claims to be the Director General of the Federation. “Nigeria has 38 National Sporting Federations under the supe...
Oyo Assembly holds special sitting in honour of deceased Senator Ajimobi
The Oyo State House Assembly on Tuesday held a special sitting in honour of the late Abiola Ajimobi, the immediate past governor of the state. Addressing the Assembly, the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, said the news of the death of Ajimobi filtered into the state like a dream. Ogundoyin said that Ajimobi’s death was unexpected and painful because he died at a time that his wealth of experience was needed by the nation, especially APC, his political party. “O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? Ajimobi was endowed with supernatural wisdom and intelligence, the virtues which he displayed in the governance of the state in particular and the nation in general. “He was a statesman of note as he served as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and governor of Oyo State for ...
HURIWA drags President Buhari to court over federal character principle
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has instituted a legal action against President Muhammadu Buhari. HURIWA explained that the suit was instituted against Buhari at an Abuja Federal High Court due to violations of the Federal Character Principle as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A statement by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf disclosed that the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/534/2020 was filed on May 27, 2020. The rights advocacy group said Buhari violated the Federal Character principles in the constitution of the Board of Nigeria Police Trust Fund. Reliefs being sought in the suit by HURIWA include: “Principally, a nullification of the Act or the section...
Gombe Assembly passes local government joint project bill
The Gombe State House of Assembly has passed into law a bill for a law to provide for the establishment of a joint project development agency and other matters related thereto. However, the bill did not have a smooth sail following the ‘dust’ raised against the bill by Mr Rambi Ibrahim Ayala, representing Billiri East State Constituency. Mr Rambi is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary. The State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya had sent the bill which in other words, subjects initiation and execution of Local Government projects to the proposed agency. During its sitting on 4th February, 2020, the House, in receipt of the bill, after deliberations, referred the bill to the joint committee for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and that of Judiciary for further scruti...
Akwa Ibom speaker hails President over executive order on financial autonomy
Speaker of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Mr Aniekan Bassey, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari, for signing into law Executive Order No. 10, of 2020. The law is for the implementation of Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary. Bassey made the commendation on Sunday in Uyo while fielding questions from newsmen on the legislative autonomy. He, however, warned his colleagues not to take the autonomy as an avenue for legislative “rascality”, but as a means of cooperation among the three arms of government. He described granting financial autonomy to the legislative and judicial arms of government across the country as a means of ensuring smooth conduct of government businesses within the three arms of government. “Financial autonomy granted to the two arms of governme...
Imo governor abolishes pensions, gratuities for former governors, speakers, deputies
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has assented to a bill repealing the law that created pension allowances and gratuities for former governors, deputy governors, assembly speakers and deputy speakers. Signing the bill into law in Owerri on Friday, the governor noted that the erstwhile law runs contrary to the 1999 Constitution as amended, which stipulates that a pensioner must have worked for at least 10 years and must be up to 45 years of age. He regretted a situation where some of the beneficiaries of such payments also get a huge amount of money as salaries and allowances in other positions they occupied, such as serving as senators or members of the House of Representatives. He said: “Apart from the inconsistency of such a law to the provisions of the ground norm, which is the Consti...
Eid-el-Fitri: CAN felicitates with Muslims, seeks prayers for peace, unity
File Photo The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Friday congratulated the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar 111 and all Muslims for the completion of Ramadan. CAN General Secretary, Joseph Daramola, in a statement in Lagos, also congratulated the Sultan who is Head of Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI) and President-General, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). “As we appreciate your coming to the end of this year’s Ramadan prayers, we implore you all not to cease from continuously praying for the peace, unity and stability of our country. “We wish to encourage Muslims in Nigeria and the world to continue to pray for a speedy end of COVID-19 in the entire world to which the CAN is also fully committed. “We commend Nigerians for their cooperation with the government so...
