File photo: Wole Soyinka | PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images)
Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has described the wanton arson and killings perpetrated by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), operating in the Southeast by killing policemen, setting INEC offices on fire as brother of Boko Haram.
Professor Soyinka, in a statement he issued in the wake of Twitter ban in Nigeria, said that the militants are not genuine liberators.
“I hold no brief for those who resort to burning down police stations, slaughter their occupants simply for the crime of earning a measly monthly pittance, torch electoral offices, assassinate politicians in calculated effort to set sections of the country against others in the promotion of their own political goals. These are largely nihilists, psychopaths and/or criminal lords, soul mates of Boko Haram, ISWAP, Da’esh and company, not to be confused with genuine liberators. “All over the world, throughout history, elections are denounced, boycotted, and generally delegitimized without recourse to wanton butchery,” Soyinka said.
A concerned citizen of Kogi State, Ismaila Isa has drew the attention of the Chief Justice of Nigeria to the alleged falsification of the date of birth by the currently serving President of Kogi Customary Court of Appeal, Justice John Bayo Olowosegun.
In a petition addressed to the Chief Justice, Ismaila also alleged that Olowosegun never did National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), neither did he have certificate of exception from such Service as required by the law before he began his working life.
The petitioner, who provided some documents to support his claim, said that the aim of Justice Olowosegun is to elongate his retirement time.
He explained in yet another statement to the media that Justice Olowosegun was supposed to retire in 2021 but that with his newly concocted age, he will retire in 2024, adding: “such act constitutes an offence which in legal parlance is called perjury and is punishable by long years of jail.
“The case becomes even more odious when committed by an officer of the judiciary who ought not only to personify and and model the best human character traits but also understand the position of the law on such a malfeasance.”
Full text of his petition to Chief Justice of Nigeria is reproduced below, with the response of Justice Olowosegun at the tail end of the write up:
No. 9, Enyinare Quarters,
Okene – Kogi State.
2nd June, 2021.
Hon. Dr. Justice I.T. Muhammad CFR, GCON,
Chief Justice of Nigeria,
Supreme Court Complex,
Three Arm Zone,
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
A REMINDER ON THE NOTICE OF ALLEGATIONS OF FALSIFICATION OF AGE AND FRAUDULENT MANIPULATION OF OFFICE AGAINST THE HOLDER OF THE OFFICE OF HONOURABLE PRESIDENT, KOGI STATE CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, HON. JUSTICE JOHN BAYO OLOWOSEGUN.
You may recall, my noble Lord, that I have earlier submitted petition to you on the 6th of May, 2021, bothering on the above subject matter.
It is interesting to know that the Hon. Justice John Bayo Olowosegun who finished his University programme in 1985 and his call to Bar in 1986 never Partook in the National Youth Service Scheme. One of the grounds for exemption, which is the situation in the case at hand, is if a person is 30 years of age and above. However, all that is required to clear the air on this score is to present his NYSC exemption certificate, which will clearly show that he had already clocked 30 years in 1986. The implication of the following is that we have 35 years from 1986 to 2021, making the current age of Hon. Justice John Bayo Olowosegun to be 65 as against 62 that he claims. It is equally interesting to know that the Hon. Justice did not indicate it in his Curriculum Vitae that he served.
More importantly, aside the curriculum vitae prepared and signed by the Hon. Justice, in which his age as the time he started work at the Federal Civil Service was put at16, there are documents, as attached, a year 2009 memo, in which a former Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Umaru Eri and Former Late Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Nasiru Ajanah, submitted the nomination of qualified persons to fill the vacant space of judges in the state’s judiciary to the National Judicial Council, which clearly states the date of birth of Hon. Justice John Bayo Olowosegun to be 28th February, 1956.
Accordingly, Hon. Justice John Bayo Olowosegun, having attained the statutory retirement age of 65 years on the 28th February, 2021, ought to have retired by now.
However, if his fraudulently revised CV is allowed to stand, it will mean that he has three more years in office. He would have successfully gamed the system if this happens.
My Lord, if this anomaly is not corrected, it could bring the judiciary to disrepute in no small measure, making the image and integrity of the Arm of Government questionable whilst at the same time exposing it to ridicule.
With these points, which can easily be verified, it is hoped that the National Judicial Council will swing into action to establish the true situation and follow up with necessary actions.
To avoid manipulation of justice, it is advisable that the Hon. Justice John Bayo Olowosegun be sent on compulsory leave so that he does not have undue influence on the course of Justice.
Yours faithfully,
Ismaila Isah
Responding to a WhatsApp enquiry put across to him by our Editor-In-Chief in respect of the petition and press statement, Justice Olowosegun simply said that all the allegations are false.
He wrote on June 5: “Grateful for your kind consideration and thoughtfulness. The allegation is false and unfounded.
“By the ethics of our profession, we are prohibited from giving press conference as l cannot defend myself through the media but only the NJC. Once again, am grateful for your professionalism and integrity.”
Foremost televangelist and founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua is dead.
His passing is coming exactly seven days to his 58th birthday, June 12.
This was contained in a statement posted on the official Facebook handle of the church. According to the release, the cleric passed on Saturday, June 5, 2021.
“Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. – Amos 3:7. On Saturday 5th June 2021, Prophet TB Joshua spoke during the Emmanuel TV Partners Meeting:
“Time for everything – time to come here for prayer and time to return home after the service.”
God has taken His servant Prophet TB Joshua home – as it should be by divine will. His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God. This is what he was born for, lived for and died for.
“As Prophet TB Joshua says, “The greatest way to use life is to spend it on something that will outlive it”. Prophet TB Joshua leaves a legacy of service and sacrifice to God’s Kingdom that is living for generations yet unborn.”
Temitope Balogun Joshua (born June 12, 1963), commonly referred to as T. B. Joshua, was a Nigerian charismatic pastor, televangelist and philanthropist. He was the leader and founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), a Christian megachurch that runs the Emmanuel TV television station from Lagos.
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola has described those who are agitating for a Yoruba nation and their supporters as foolish.
Aregbesola, who spoke at Zenabab Hotel, Ilesha, Osun State today, June 5, during his 64th birthday celebration, warned that agitators must consider the women, children, old people and those living with disabilities who are mostly affected.
He said Nigeria must be more united, else African countries will be enslaved once again.
He noted that Nigeria is the country that will liberate Africa from all oppressions and therefore, Nigerians must not give nod to secessionists.
“Anything that threatens and creates a problem for Nigeria may cause backwardness for our country for 50 years.”
People holding mobile phones are silhouetted against a backdrop projected with the Twitter logo in this illustration picture taken in Warsaw September 27, 2013. Twitter Inc, the eight-year-old online messaging service, gave potential investors their first glance at its financials on Thursday when it publicly filed its IPO documents, setting the stage for one of the most-anticipated debuts in over a year. Picture taken September 27. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel (POLAND – Tags: BUSINESS TELECOMS LOGO) – RTR3FL8C
The Nigerian Presidency has accused Twitter for opening its platform to all manner of fake news and misinformation to spread and cause security havoc to the country.
It said that the temporary suspension of the medium is not just a response to the removal of the President’s post but the fact that it joined other social media platforms through which misinformation and fake news spread.
“All the while, the company has escaped accountability.
“Nevertheless, the removal of President Buhari’s tweet was disappointing. The censoring seemed based on a misunderstanding of the challenges Nigeria faces today.”
A statement by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu recalled the address of the President at the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA in 2019 where he said: “the world was shocked and startled by the massacre in New Zealand by a lone gunman taking the lives of 50 worshippers.”
The statement said that thiis and similar crimes which have been fueled by social media networks risk seeping into the fabric of an emerging digital culture.
The President cautioned that major tech companies should be alive to their responsibilities, saying that they cannot be allowed to continue to facilitate the spread of religious, racist, xenophobic and false messages capable of inciting whole communities against each other, leading to loss of many lives.
“This could tear some countries apart.
‘President Buhari has therefore been warning against social media’s disruptive and divisive influences and the government’s action is not a knee-jerk reaction to Twitter’s preposterous deletion of his tweet which should have been read in full.
“The tweet was not a threat, but a statement of fact.
“A terrorist organisation (IPOB) poses a significant threat to the safety and security of Nigerian citizens.
“When the President said that they will be treated “in a language they understand,” he merely reiterated that their force shall be met with force. It is a basic principle of security services response world over.
“This is not promotion of hate, but a pledge to uphold citizens’ right to freedom from harm. The government cannot be expected to capitulate to terrorists.
“IPOB is proscribed under Nigerian law. Its members murder innocent Nigerians. They kill policemen and set government property on fire. Now, they have amassed a substantial stockpile of weapons and bombs across the country.
“Twitter does not seem to appreciate the national trauma of our country’s civil war. This government shall not allow a recurrence of that tragedy.”
The Islamic State West African Province, ISWAP has confirmed that its fighters pressured the factional leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau to blow himself up because he deviated from the original concept of the group by killing believers.
An internal message from ISWAP leader, Abu Musab Albarnawi, whose recording was obtained by HumAngle today, June 5 said that Shekau blew himself up after refusing to surrender, following the invasion of his hideout on May 19, 2021.
The ISWAP said the interim leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS, ordered them to take action on Shekau for deviating and killing “believers.” Al-Barnawi described Shekau as “the leader of disobedience and corruption.”
According to him, Shekau, who took over after the death of Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf in 2009, was apprehended “in the most humiliating manner.
“This was someone who committed unimaginable terrorism. How many has he wasted? How many has he killed? How many has he terrorised? But Allah left him alone and prolonged his life.
“When it was time, Allah set out brave soldiers after receiving orders from Amirul Muminin [leader of the believers],” he said.
He initially escaped and roamed the bushes of Sambisa for five days, where he suffered seriously. However, ISWAP fighters were able to locate him. Still, Abu Musab narrated, Shekau managed to run away a second time but was chased down.
The rival fighters urged him and his followers to repent, assuring him that if the ISIS leader decided to make him their leader after he had surrendered, they would have no choice but to obey.
Dangote Fertilizer Limited has announced the formal commencement of production of Urea in commercial quantity and the plan to hit the Nigerian market on Monday.
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote said today, June 5 that the plant, with a capacity to churn out three million metric tonnes per annum of urea, has been classified as the biggest project in the entire fertiliser industry in the world.
He told top bankers, including the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, who were on hand to witness the commencement of production: “this Phase 1 of the project, which is estimated to cost $2.5 billion, is to manufacture 3mmtpa of urea per annum. This capacity will later be expanded to produce multi grades of fertilisers to meet soil, crop and climate specific requirements for the African continent.”
According to Dangote, the fertiliser plant would make Nigeria the biggest urea exporting country in sub-Saharan Africa and biggest producer of polypropylene and polyethylene.
The Fertiliser complex consists of Ammonia and Urea plants with associated facilities and infrastructure, to produce 3 MMTPA Urea. The complex comprises: 2 x 2,200 MTPD Ammonia Plants based on Halder Topsoe technology, 2 x 4,000 MTPD Melt Urea Plants based on Snamprogetti technology, and 2 x 4,000 MTPD Urea Granulation Plants based on Uhde Technology.Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman , Dangote Group, made the disclosure at the facility’s final inspection tour by the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, on Friday in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.
The CBN Governor was at the plant in the company of senior bankers, who consisted of Chief Executive Officers of First Bank, Guarantee Trust, Access Bank Plc , United Bank of Africa and Zenith Bank.
Dangote said: “The three million tonnes of Urea is certified, licensed by all regulatory authorities in Nigeria. We have gotten all licenses from the National Security Adviser, the Ministry of Agriculture, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), NAFDAC and all other authorities.
“So, our Urea will be in the market from Monday, and by God’s grace before the end of this month, we will start bringing in dollars from the first line that we have commissioned. He added that the urea is a small percentage utilization of gas that the country is actually flaring.”
He said the company planned to saturate the market with Urea and having already collected the database of farmers would also ensure adequate training of farmers on best application of Urea.
“Our primary interest is to saturate the local market. Training farmers will help to sustain farming activities, and this will ensure food security.”
Dangote commended Emefiele and the banks CEOs for being there to ensure the success of the plants, adding that the time had come for the country to move away from selling crude oil to value added petroleum products.
He urged them to target mostly gas-based industries so the country’s economy could improve and make a lot of dollars.
“We need to look at transforming the industrial capacity of the country earning dollars and at the same time doing what we call import substitution,” Dangote noted.
Speaking on the occasion, Emefiele said that Nigeria has the potential to export at least 3.5 million metric tonnes of urea to different parts of the world.
“Nigeria needs between 1 million metric to 1.5 million metric tonnes of Urea to meet the local demand. So, we have potentials to export at least three to four million metrics tonnes of Urea to different parts of the world. With this latest development, Nigeria has become one of the major producers of Urea in the world. This for me, is a story, which no one would have believed would happened in Nigeria.”
“Nigeria now ranks amongst the leading countries in the production of Urea in the world. This, for me is a story that no one would have believed will happen in Nigeria.”
He also said that the mechanical commissioning of the Petrochemical and Refinery plant would kick off by the end of the first quarter of next year.
“Dangote has committed that mechanical completion will be achieved by the end of this year and we are expecting that the refinery will be completed by the first quarter of next year.”
Speaking on behalf of the bankers, Herbert Wigwe, the Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, expressed joy for the support they gave to Dangote to create a world class manufacturing enterprise in Nigeria.
”There was a lot of skepticism along the way as we moved on; can this project be completed, are we sure we have the right financing models and all of that.
“Today we saw Urea produced, we saw it bagged and we saw it loaded on trucks, and by Monday it will be in our markets. This for us is a very important milestone for Nigeria and Africa,” Wigwe said.
Nigerian government is scouting for and may resort to send to prison, violators of its suspension of Twitter usage in the country.
Already, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami has ordered the prosecution of offenders.
In a statement today, June 5, Malami directed the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) in his office to swing into action and commence in earnest, the process of prosecution of violators of the Federal Government De-activation of opetations of Twitter in Nigeria.
He directed the DPPF to liase with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, National Communication Communication (NCC) and other relevant government agencies to ensure the speedy prosecution of offenders without any further delay.
As part of its efforts at modernizing tax administration in the country, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has introduced a new Tax Administration Solution (TaxPro-Max) for ease of tax compliance.
A Public Notice signed by the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Muhammad Nami, said that TaxPro-Max would enable seamless registration, filling, payment of taxes and automatic credit of withholding tax as well as other credits to the Taxpayer’s accounts, among other features.
The notice said that the TaxPro-Max would also provide a single-view to Taxpayers for all transactions with the Service.
Nami said that as from June 7, the TaxPro-Max would become the channel for filing Naira-denominated tax returns in the country.
Nami asked that all Naira-denominated tax returns should be filed via the TaxPro-Max Solution in order to generate the obligatory Document Identity Number (DIN).
“Taxpayers will not be able to pay without DIN; as such taxpayers wanting to submit their tax returns manually must visit the relevant tax office where FIRS personnel will be on hand to assist them to upload the returns and generate the DIN.
“In view of the time it might take to upload manual returns and generate the DIN, taxpayers are encouraged to bring manual returns for upload, at least, two weeks before the due date; Qualified Personnel of the Service are on hand to assist taxpayers experiencing challenges in filing returns on the TaxPro-Max. They may be reached via email, taxpromax@firs.gov.ng.”
Nami advised taxpayers that are yet to get their user credentials to visit the nearest FIRS Tax Office to be on board immediately.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has expressed confidence that workers in courts across the country and their counterparts in the state Houses of Assembly will return to work next week after about two-month sit-at-home industrial action.
Addressing newsmen today, June 4, the minister said that the Chairman, Governors Forum, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, and his Deputy, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, have put their pen on paper on behalf of their colleagues on the historic agreement which they reached on May 20th.
According to the minister, with what we achieved at the meeting, it is expected that the courts and state assemblies will re-open next week, since all the grey areas have been smoothened.
“So, today we met with the unions in a small dialogue to dot the i’s and cross the t’s in the agreement which we agreed on May 20.
“Right now, we expect the unions to go back to their members and give them final briefing on what we have achieved today.
“And with this achievement of today, we are hopeful that by next week, the chambers of our courts and the doors of the state assemblies will be open for business activities, ” he said.
Ngige said they were not oblivious that this situation has posed serious challenges to the nation, especially as the courts were closed and the law enforcement agencies have no place to take arrested criminals.
He commended the unions for the efforts put in place in the final round of the dialogue where modalities that were not very clear have been sorted to the satisfaction of both sides.
The Deputy President of JUSUN, Mr Emmanuel Abisoye, commended the minister for his efforts in resolving the dispute, saying that he expects all the parties to fulfill their part of the agreement.
Abisoye assured that JUSUN would play its part and expressed hope that the governors would do the needful to ensure that industrial harmony returns to the courts.
Also, the President of PASAN, Mr Mohammed Usman, expressed optimism that all stakeholders would do the needful within the shortest possible period to see that the workers in the state legislatures return to work.
Mr Ayuba Wabba, the President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), commended all the parties for reaching the milestone.
“It is necessary to ensure that industrial harmony strives in these sectors of our economy. It is important that this issue is put behind us.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Secretary of the Implementation Committee for Judicial/Legislative Autonomy, Sen. Ita Enang, commended Mr President and the Labour Minister for their efforts thus far to attain autonomy for the state legislature and judiciary.
He said the country cannot afford further closure of the courts and state assemblies having arrived at this stage.
He added that the latest development would heal the security, human rights and political temperature of the country.
It would be recalled that the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) had embarked on nationwide strike on April 6. They began the strike after the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum earlier given, over the failure of the government to implement the law recognizing financial autonomy for the judiciary and the legislature.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on May 22, 2020, signed into law an Executive Order granting financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the federation.
The Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 made it mandatory for all states to include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.
The order also mandates the accountant general of the federation to deduct from source amount due to the state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each that refuse to grant such autonomy.
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As part of its efforts at modernizing tax administration in the country, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has introduced a new Tax Administration Solution (TaxPro-Max) for ease of tax compliance.
