Records
Leaked testimony from Haiti suspects says plan was to arrest, not kill president
A group of Colombians and Haitian Americans suspected of assassinating Haitian President Jovenel Moise told investigators they were there to arrest him, not kill him, the Miami Herald and a person familiar with the matter said on Sunday. Moise was shot dead early on Wednesday at his Port-au-Prince home by what Haitian authorities say was a unit of assassins made up of 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans, plunging the troubled Caribbean nation into deeper turmoil. The murder and uncertainty about who hatched the plot is the latest in a succession of blows to hit the struggling country, which has appealed for international help. Washington has so far rebuffed Haiti’s request for troops, though a senior U.S. official said on Sunday that Washington was sending a technical team to assess th...
Senate summons ex-NSITF bosses over ‘N84 billion embezzlement’
The Senate has summoned former managing directors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund over alleged missing financial documents in the agency. The former NSITF bosses are expected to appear before the Senate Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday. The Chairman of SPAC, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, at the last meeting of his panel on Thursday, said 50 queries were issued against the NSITF officials by the office of the Auditor General for the Federation. Urhoghide said the ex-NSITF bosses were being invited following the failure of the officials of the agency to respond to the queries of the AuGF regarding some alleged financial infractions. He said, “Twelve out of the 50 queries of the Auditor General of the Federation so far reviewed by the committee revealed that N84bn had allegedly be...
NGO calls for prosecution of security operatives who torture suspects
Access to Justice, a non-governmental organisation that focuses on judicial reforms, has called for the prosecution of security operatives who torture suspects. The NGO on Monday released a statement signed by Joseph Otteh, its convener, and Deji Ajare, project director, to commemorate the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Access to Justice said despite the fact that the Anti-Torture Act 2017 prohibits the torture of suspects, security agencies in Nigeria still engage in “brutal and inhumane tactics”. It noted that since the enactment of the act, no one has been prosecuted for perpetrating acts of torture. The NGO called on Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation, to as matter of urgency make the “rules and regulations for the effective implementation of t...
APC chieftain: Senator Sheriff used his empire to handpick Kashim Shettima as Borno governor in 2011
File Photo A chieftain in the All Progressive Congress (APC) and a former law maker in the Nasarawa state House of Assembly, Hon. Dr Kassim Mohammad Kassim, has recalled how former Borno Governor Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff installed his successor, Senator Kashim Shettima in 2011. The former Nasarawa lawmaker, who is a stakeholder in the ruling party and a close allied told reporters in Lafia, capital of Nasarawa that Modu-Sheriff practically dragged Shettima from the banking sector and made him Governor using his vast networks and goodwill. Responding to an online publication that averred Modu-Sheriff is unfit to become national chairman of the APC, Kassim said: “The writer forget to mention how Senator Ali Modu Sheriff singlehandedly brought Shettima from the banking sector in 2007 and made...
IPPIS: Nigerian government suspends 331 civil servants’ salaries
The federal government says it has suspended the salaries of 331 civil servants for failing to update their Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). Mahmuda Mamman, Permanent Secretary, Career Management office, announced in a statement issued by Abdulaganiyu Aminu, spokesman for the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF) on Saturday in Abuja. Mr Mamman had signed the circular of the suspension on behalf of the HOCSF, Folasade Yemi-Esan. It added that the circular was addressed to all permanent secretaries, accountant-general of the federation, and the auditor-general of the federation. “The salaries of 331 federal civil servants have been suspended on the IPPIS platform for their failure to carry out the online records update of the HR Module of Integrated...
NPC: Census will not consider religion, ethnicity
The National Population Commission says the population census will not take into consideration the number of adherents of any religion or the number of members of ethnic groups. It, therefore, denied including a religious category in the questionnaires being distributed in the first pre-test exercise for the next population and housing census in the country. The Director, Public Affairs of the NPC, Udi Joseph, said this in a statement on Wednesday while reacting to viral Whatsapp messages claiming the NPC had made two separate categories for Muslims and one category for Christians in its questionnaire. In a statement titled, ‘NPC Refutes Fake News on Religion in Census Questionnaires’, the organisation said even in previous population census exercises, religion and ethnicity were not consi...
Troops foil another attack on Imo police command, neutralise five assailants
The Nigerian Army (NA) says its troops operating in Owerri, Imo State capital, on Sunday, foiled an early morning attack on the Imo State Police Command, killing six assailants. The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, disclosed in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Yerima said that the troops, assisted by the Police Special Forces eliminated a top IPOB/ESN operational commander, Joseph Nnachi, alias King of Dragons. He said that Dragon had been orchestrating attacks against security agencies and government establishments in the South Eastern States. According to him, Dragon has been at the centre of several heinous attacks since the death of Ikonso, who gave up the ghost, during an encounter with security forces on April 24, at Awomama Village of Orlu East Local Gover...
APC: PDP governors’ meeting ‘mere jamboree’
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has described Monday’s meeting of governors of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP as a jamboree and a complete waste of time, accusing the state executives of engaging in name calling and abuses. National Secretary of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe disclosed this in a statement issued Monday in Abuja. The statement reads; “Going by the communique issued by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP Governors’ Forum, at the end of its meeting on Monday, it is unfortunate that the PDP governors chose to engage in misplaced name calling and abuses instead of seizing a golden opportunity provided by the meeting to offer meaningful and patriotic contributions on the review of the state...
INEC increases polling units in Anambra to 5,720
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has increased polling units in Anambra from 4,608 to 5,720. Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, INEC Anambra Resident Electoral Commissioner, disclosed this on Monday in Awka during Stakeholders’ Forum on Expansion of Voter Access to Polling Units. Orji explained that the expansion became necessary as the commission last expanded its polling units more than two decades ago. “From INEC records, the existing polling units were created 25 years ago and some of them today are in locations where they no longer promote healthy electoral activities. “Some of the polling units are located in front of shrines, some in private buildings and others in churches,” he said. Orji, who said that INEC national headquarters began the process about two weeks ago, hinted ...
Norwich City seal Championship title finally at Carrow Road
Norwich City have clinched the Championship title on Saturday after coming from behind to defeat Reading 4-1 at Carrow Road. Daniel Farke’s dominant side had already sealed an immediate return to the Premier League with five matches to spare on April 17 and are now celebrating winning the second division for the second time in only three seasons. The trophy was guaranteed on Saturday as Kieran Dowell’s brace, a Xavi Quintilla free-kick and Teemu Pukki’s 26th goal of the campaign saw Norwich fight back from Josh Laurent’s early header to thump out-of-form Reading. The Canaries would have actually wrapped up the title on Saturday regardless of their own result after fellow promoted side Watford were beaten 2-0 at play-off hopefuls Brentford. At the other end of the table, the relegation batt...
Official: TETFund spends N120 billion on academic staff training since 2008
Academic Staff from public institutions across the country have so far accessed over N120 billion for training, within and outside Nigeria, from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) since its inception in 2008. The Chairman, Board of Trustees of TETFund, Alhaji Kashim Imam, disclosed this on Wednesday when he led a delegation of the fund to the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) on an assessment visit. Imam said for 2021 alone, the fund was investing N25 billion on academic staff training and development. Imam said the team was in the university for a verification visit and to assess the impact of the training programmes, through interaction with management and beneficiaries. He noted that the fund had to suspend the sponsorship of academic staff attending international conferences, ...
Nigerian faces 10 years in jail for obtaining U.S. citizenship using fake identity
The United States authorities have charged 48-year old Modestus Nwagubwu Ifemembi to court over fraudulent claims he provided to obtain the US citizenship 10 years back. Ifemembi, who secured his US citizenship in 2001, has worked as a Federal providers’ officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for seven years. According to a report by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), Ifemembi, originally of Nigeria, was arrested in Maryland on Wednesday, April 7, 2020, on a federal charge that he obtained U.S. citizenship under a false name. It added that he made false statements to acquire U.S. citizenship, in addition to employment with USCIS. The report disclosed that Ifemembi was charged under the false name of Karl Nwabugwu Odike Ifemembi. His arrest followed investigatio...
