Thirty six drivers who were arrested for allegedly committing traffic offences in the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have passed psychiatric tests as recommended by the minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello.
The suspects, who were arrested by the Police Command in collaboration with officers of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, were subjected to psychiatric evaluation at the Karu Psychiatric Hospital. The drivers were conveyed in ambulances to the hospital after which they were certified by the doctor to be medically fit. Those arrested have been made to face the consequences of their actions as they have been made to pay fine to serve as a deterrent after bearing the cost of the psychiatric test. The culprits have also been made to attend a compulsory three-day lecture at the headquarters of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services on the importance of complying with traffics signs and road markings. It would be recalled that the Nigeria Police Force recently deployed very senior officers within the ranks of Assistant Superintendent of Police and Inspectors to man the speed bikes to ensure high level of discipline from them to curb impunity and work in disciplined, efficient and effective manner. [myad]
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has praised the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the ongoing construction of the Dangote Refinery with the capacity to refine 650,000 barrels a day. He added that the government is proud that a Nigerian company has undertaken to construct such a gigantic refinery and the largest in the world. Speaking today, Monday, at the ongoing Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, the Vice President said: “once the Dangote refinery comes on stream, it will help with the forex issue and create jobs for our people.” Osinbajo who described the Dangote Group as an example of a game changer that has been supporting the economy in many areas, said that the Muhammadu Buhari government has a very clear policy and objective, even as he urged Nigerians to have confidence in the government change mantra. Declaring the summit opened, President Muhammadu Buhari said that the private sector is key to his administration. He noted that the theme for the 22nd summit: ‘Made in Nigeria,’ is apt in view of the need to look inward and support local manufacturers. Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group(NESG), Alhaji Kyari Bukar also commended the Dangote Group for its sponsorship, saying that the private sector is the engine of the economy. He said that the summit would provide opportunity “to tell ourselves the bitter truth and swallow the hard truth.” Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma said that the government as a regulator, is not only interested in policing the private sector but providing the enabling environment for local businesses to thrive. “We concede that the private sector is the true engine of growth.” An Associate Professor from the Lagos Business School, Doyin Salami said that the Made in Nigeria concept was apt but that it must cover production, global competitiveness, inclusiveness and value addition to global economy. He regretted that the economy is shrinking and contracting, “and worse than stagflation. “We don’t live in the past. It is not what has been done that matters. But what remains to be done,” he said. Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi said that his ministry is bringing in big ticket player into mining sector, just as he said that the sector has great potentials as Nigeria diversifies its economy. According to Dr Fayemi, the Buhari government has pruned down the cost of governance. The Dangote Group is one of the major sponsors of the three-day Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja. [myad]
The Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) has accused the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) of trying the truncate the war against corruption, being waged by President Muhammadu Buhari. The group, in a statement said that the arrest of the judges is a fight against corruption and not against the judiciary as an institution. The group said that no judge in Nigeria is granted immunity by the 1999 Constitution as amended and that like in other democratic climes, the security agencies can arrest and prosecute judges who have fallen outside the favour of legally-accepted conduct. The BMSG said, in a statement signed by its coordinator, Malam Muhammad Labbo and secretary, Cassidy Madueke that the DSS followed due process and rule of law in carrying out the arrests, as they had valid and legally-issued search warrants before embarking on the assignment. It said that the DSS followed the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 to the letter in every move they made, adding that the call by the NBA for a state of emergency and the ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to “call his security agencies to order” does not only tantamount to impeding the anti-graft war of the administration, but also amounts to shielding suspects from facing the law against the ethics and obligations of the legal profession. “As a responsible organization, it is expected that the Nigerian Bar Association will be in the forefront in educating Nigerians on the legality and propriety of the DSS action, and lend their total support to the reformation and cleansing of the Nigerian judiciary as it will ultimately serve the general good.” The group reminded NBA that President Buhari was elected with the core mandate to rid Nigeria of corruption and asked Nigeria to give him all the support he need to succeed. [myad]
The Presidency has insisted that the Saturday raids on the residences of some judges and arrest of four of them were assaults on corruption and not on the judiciary.
A statement by the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said that the President reserves his highest respect for the institution of the judiciary as the third arm of government.
Garba Shehu described the raids as ‘surgical’ and that due process was followed in the arrests.
“The Presidency has received assurances from the DSS that all due processes of the law, including the possession of search and arrest warrants were obtained before the searches.
“To this end, the President will not do anything to undermine its independence. President Buhari remains a committed democrat, in words and in his actions, and will not take any action in violation of the constitution.
“The recent surgical operation against some judicial officers is specifically targeted at corruption and not at the judiciary as an institution.
“In a robust democracy such as ours, there is bound to be a plurality of opinions on any given issue, but there is a convergence of views that the country has a corruption problem that needs to be corrected. But reports by a section of the media are giving us cause for concern.” [myad]
The Turkish embassy in Abuja has denied that 50 students from Nigeria were detained in Turkey in connection with Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
In a Facebook post on the issue, the embassy said that there were “not any Nigerian students under custody in Turkey” nor were any Nigerian students deported from the country.
The embassy cited detention of four Nigerian citizens on September 27 on the Turkish side of the Turkish-Syrian border as they were trying to infiltrate into Turkey from Syria.
“These people are not students, they appeared in the court and the court decided to deport them to Nigeria,” embassy’s statement said.
The Turkish embassy noted that Nigeria and Turkey have “very cordial relations” and more than 3,000 Nigerian students are already studying in Turkey while the Turkish government granted scholarships to 29 Nigerian students just this year.
Nigerian media outlets have earlier claimed students, attending FETÖ-run universities in Turkey, were detained for links to the terror group.
Turkish authorities detained and arrested hundreds of FETÖ-linked suspects since the July 15 coup attempt by a small Gülenist junta but no foreigners were implicated in any investigations into the terror group. [myad]
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has advised the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to ensure that the judges who have been arrested by the security agents for alleged corruption are immediately arraigned in court without delay. He added that because the detained judges “are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the State, they should be admitted to bail in self recognizance.”
The Senior Advocate, who reacted to the furor over the arrest of the judges by the Department of State Security (DSS) both in Abuja and Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital, accused the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) of shielding corrupt judges despite having information about their activities.
He described the failure of NBA to deal with corrupt officials in the judiciary as an embarrassment to the “incorruptible members of the bar,” adding that it is responsible for the current state of the country’s judiciary.
“In particular, the Nigerian Bar Association which has information on all corrupt judges and lawyers in the country has continued to shield them to the embarrassment of incorruptible members of the bar and the bench.
“The few lawyers who have plucked up the courage to expose corrupt judges and lawyers have been stigmatised and treated like lepers by their colleagues.
“It is on record that when both the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission sent invitation letters to judges suspected of corruption they had rushed to the Federal High Court to obtain interlocutory injunctions to prevent their arrest, investigation and prosecution.”
He said that members of the legal profession should have themselves to blame for the harassment of judges by security forces as they had failed to take advantage of the relevant statutory disciplinary bodies to purge the bar and the bench of corrupt elements.
“It is on account of negligence on the part of the legal profession that the SSS which screens candidates before they are recommended by the National Judicial Council for appointment as judges has now engaged in the arrest of judges for alleged corruption and abuse of office.
“It is a matter of grave concern that the legal profession has allowed the denigration of the hallowed temple of justice because of the misconduct of a few corrupt judges.
“For several years, judges who committed grave criminal offences were not prosecuted but merely retired by the authorities on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.
“Although the National Judicial Council recently recommended the dismissal and prosecution of a judge for extorting the sum of N197m from a litigant the authorities had paid lip service to the menace of judicial corruption in the country.”
It would be recalled that the operatives of the DSS had raided the official quarters of judges at Abuja, Gombe, Kano and Port Harcourt and ended up arresting at least four judicial officers. The arrested judicial officers comprised two Justices of the Supreme Court – Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and John Okoro – as well as Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court and another judge of the Gombe State High Court, Justice Mu’azu Pindiga.
In a statement issued at the end of the raid, the DSS alleged that the suspects had engaged in judicial misconduct and corrupt practices, adding that a huge amount of money was recovered from three of the judges.
In response to the raid, the NBA had declared a state of emergency and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the judges.
A group, known as Rivers Professionals for Good Governance (RPGG), has alleged that Governor Nyeson Wike of the state prevented security agents from arresting a judge to cover up the sum of $250,000 he personally gave to the judge to deliver a judgment in the favour of his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The group, which claimed to be committed to over sighting the activities of the Rivers State Government and the 23 LG Councils, said that the judge allegedly collected the said amount from the governor for the purpose of giving favourable judgments in cases such as the Tai rerun election matters and others which are either before the judge or will end up before the judge and other federal judges.
A statement by jointly signed by the President of the group, Engr. Edmondson Jamabo and General Secretary, Johnson Amaewhule said that the said judge was able to quickly make contact with governor Wike as soon as security operatives surrounded his residence, adding: “this explains why the governor personally mobilized his associates to obstruct the arrest of the judge and the possible retrieval of the 250 thousand USD which was still in the judge’s home mainly to provide opportunity for the exhibit to be taken away.
“The RPGG, as a watchdog for good governance, regrets that the security agents succumbed to the blackmail by Gov. Nyesom Wike and vacated the premises. We condemn in strongest terms the obstructionist stance exhibited by the governor of Rivers State. The event of today has convinced us that Gov. Wike systematically corrupts the judiciary to do his bidding.
“We recall that the governor has been accused severally of obstructing security agencies from doing their job. He is accused and we now believe that the governor shields key criminals such as Solomon Ndigbara and many others. Now the governor has moved to physically shield judges he has compromised.
“In Ogoni, he confronted and blackmailed soldiers to discontinue the cleansing of the area of criminals and hoodlums. Same was the case in Orashi region and elsewhere.
“The RPGG also agrees that Gov. Nyesom Wike, by his conduct and utterances, inflame and exacerbate the present precarious security situation in Rivers State. Indeed, it is very curious why Gov. Wike would obstruct the Federal Government from arresting its erring employees.
“It can only mean that there is an unwritten collaboration between the governor and such employees of the Federal Government. Of course, it must be an unholy collaboration for that matter.
“We call on the DSS and other security agencies to realize that their loyalty is to nation first. Therefore, we call on them to disregard and effectively waive aside, by any means whatsoever, any obstructions to carrying out their constitutional duties irrespective of any possible collateral outcome.
“Rivers Professionals for Good Governance (RPGG) enjoins security agencies to operate within the law without acquiescing to the kind of manipulations to good governance currently being perpetuated by the Nyesom Wike-led Rivers State Government. [myad]
China today demonstrated how it deals with corruption by sentencing a 70-year-old former senior legislator, identified as Bai Enpei, to death for taking ‘a huge amount of bribes’ and holding excessive assets with unidentified sources.
Enpei was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.
Investigation of Enpei for graft began in August 2014. By January 2015, he was expelled from the Communist Party of China by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).
The CCDI investigation found that Bai took advantage of his post to seek profits for others and accepted “a huge amount in bribes.” Thousands of officials at different levels have been punished in the three year long anti-corruption campaign initiated by President Xi. The former senior legislator becomes the latest official to be punished for graft under a campaign launched by President Xi Jingping.
Enpei was a former senior lawmaker with China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC). He had also served as the head of the provincial committees of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) in Qinghai and Yunnan province, respectively.
As part of his punishment, he has been deprived of political rights for life and had all his personal property confiscated.
This came against the background of the current debate amongst Nigerians over the crackdown on corrupt judges by the Department of State Service (DSS) over similar charge. [myad]
Nigeria’s Super Eagles, today, Sunday, threw their Zambian counterpart off-balanced with a 2-1 win in the opening World Cup qualifier in Ndola. The wonder boys for Nigeria are the England-based duo of Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho who connected with brilliant goals. It was Nigeria’s first-ever win in Zambia and the Chipolopolo’s first loss at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. The Super Eagles took their chances in the first half with two goals, but after the interval, Zambia fought back to pull a goal back, but it was too little, too late for the home side. Arsenal youngster, Iwobi, put Nigeria on the lead front from inside the box after poor defending by the home team. Manchester City youngster, Iheanacho then doubled the Eagles advantage in the 42nd minute when he was released by Captain John Mikel Obi. He rounded up goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, before slotting home by the post. Zambia pulled a goal back in the 70th minute through star striker, Collins Mbesuma, when he capitalized on a blunder inside the box by Kenneth Omeruo. Between Nigeria’s goals in the first half, Zambia skipper Rainford Kalaba, was denied an equalizer by the brilliant goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, who kept out a powerful, goal-bound header from the top of the six-yard box. Both sides had chances earlier in the second half to score. As early as third minute, Ikeme barely put out a dangerous Zambia cross for corner. The lively Fwayo Tembo tested Ikeme with a powerful shot from outside the box in the 23rd minute. Moses Simon then cashed in on a defensive slip in the 26th minute only to blast his effort into the stands from inside the vital area. Goalkeeper Ikeme denied Zambia at least twice after the interval as the home team fought back. [myad]
Over 200 pupils of MD School in Lagos, today, Saturday, rose up to clean the Oja-Oba market in Abule Egba, as part of the environmental sanitation.
The exercise, which was part of the activities lined up for the school’s 30 years anniversary celebrations, began at 8am with parents and teachers guiding the students.
A statement by the management of the school said that the Executive Director of the school, Omolara Adedugbe, described the cleanup exercise as part of the school’s corporate social responsibility to the community where the school is situated.
She was quoted as saying: “we chose to be here because the market is a filthy place and this goes to show that we are conscious about our environment and its people. As you can see, the traders are very happy about the exercise. We were well received and have promised not make it a one-off thing.
“We hereby enjoin other corporate organizations in the state and the country at large to adopt the exercise. We want people to come out and should not feel too big to identify with these people.”
Meanwhile, the Secretary of Oja Oba Market, Alhaji Adeshina Akanni Jimoh, on behalf of the market executives and the traders, thanked the school’s management, students and parents for carrying out the exercise.
“Though, we carry out the exercise weekly in collaboration with LAWMA, but today’s exercise is commendable and we are saying a very big thank you to the school’s management for this strategic move.
“For me, this is first of its kind and I must confess that it beats our imagination.”
The exercise was supported by Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and the Highway Managers. [myad]
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Thirty six drivers who were arrested for allegedly committing traffic offences in the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have passed psychiatric tests as recommended by the minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has praised the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the ongoing construction of the Dangote Refinery with the capacity to refine 650,000 barrels a day.
