Court Threatens To Imprison DSS Boss Over Continued Detention Of Sowore

November 25, 2019

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has threatened to imprison the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, over the agency’s refusal to release detained publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare widely.
A notice of consequence of disobedience of court order (Form 48) marked FHC/ABJ/CR/235/2019 which was served on the DSS Boss by the court’s bailiff today, November 25 reads:“Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this court order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, made on November 6, 2019 which ordered you to release the defendants/applicants in suit no: FHC /ABJ /CR/ 235/2019 forthwith, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.
“This court has been informed that you are yet to comply with the lawful order of the court by refusing to release the defendants/applicants namely Omoyele Stephen Sowore and Olawale Adebayo (Mandate) in your custody.
“You are hereby directed to comply with the court order forthwith or you will be guilty of contempt of court.”
Sowore was arrested in Lagos on August 3, 2019 for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in what he called”resolution” against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Oshiomhole Pleads With APC Governors To Be The First To Pay New Minimum Wage

Editorial staff

November 25, 2019

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole, has pleaded with all APC state governors to be the first to implement the new N30,000 minimum wage and the consequential adjustments.
Oshiomole, at a parley of the Federal Government-Progressives Governors Forum in Jos, the Plateau State capital today, November 25, said: “as progressives, let us be the first to pay the new national minimum wage and not just the wage but also the consequential adjustments arising from it.
“Already, there are some proactive progressive governors that have taken steps to address this.
“I plead that you give this a priority, because when other governors are fighting whether or not to pay, you will say that progressive governors have paid.
“Where there is will, there will certainly be a way.”
Source: NAN.

Police Arrest 6 Suspects Over Murder Of Kogi PDP Woman Leader

Editorial staff

November 25, 2019

The Police Command in Kogi have announced the arrest of six suspects in connection with the killing of the woman leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, Mrs Salome Abu.

Mrs. Salome Abu, who was also a Councillor, was burnt to death in her residence at Ochadamu, Ofu Local Government Area of the state, on November 18.
The spokesman for the state police command, DSP William Aya, who confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lokoja today, November 25, said that the suspects were brought in on Friday.
DSP William Aya said that the police had started interrogating the suspects to ascertain their level of culpability in the death of the woman.
He said that the outcome of the investigation would be made public as soon as it was completed.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, yesterday, November 24, directed the police to arrest the killers of Mrs. Abu with a view to bringing them to justice.

Most Of The Boko Haram Displaced Kids Don’t Know Their Parents, No Homes, Buhari Laments

Greenbarge Reporters

November 25, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has painted a sordid picture of the children displaced in the war with Boko Haram insurgents, saying that most of them don’t know their parents and have no homes.

The President, who spoke today, November 25 as he received in audience, the President of the 74th United Nations General Assembly, Nigeria’s Professor Tijjani Muhammad-Bande at the presidential Villa, Abuja declared: “most of the displaced children do not know their parents, or where they come from.”

He stressed that the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs), most of who are those children, is urgent and imperative, adding that delays could constitute a big problem to Nigeria in future.

“We have to look at the issue now, properly rehabilitate them, otherwise, we will have a problem on our hands in the future.”

He called on the UN General Assembly President to make Nigeria’s challenges glaring to the world, even as he commended him for his hard work and competence so far.

President Buhari said that his government is committed to education and health care to the young and old, among other welfarist policies.

Responding, Professor Muhammad-Bande said that he had come to express appreciation to President Buhari for the support given, which led to his emergence as UNGA President, and the continued cooperation from Nigeria.

“Everything I have requested for, in terms of personnel and funds, has been delivered. I thank President Buhari very much. I also thank other member states for the support I am getting.”

Professor Muhammad-Bande also appreciated Nigeria for rebuilding the UN Building in Abuja destroyed by Boko Haram.

Private Jet With 18 Occupants, Crashes Into Residence In Congo

Editorial staff

November 25, 2019

A privately owned jet, Dornier-228, with 16 people on board and two crew members, yesterday, November 24, crashed into homes in Goma city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

North Kivu regional governor, Nzanzu Kasivita Carly, who confirmed the crash could not give details of the casualties though he said that there were deaths.

According to him, the plane crashed into houses in the Mapendo neighbourhood after “missing” it’s take-off from the city’s international airport.

A source at Goma airport told the BBC that the ill fated plane was supposed to fly to Beni, 350km (220 miles) north of Goma, when it came down about a minute after take-off.

Air accidents are relatively frequent in DR Congo, amid lax safety standards and poor maintenance.

All the country’s commercial carriers are banned from operating in the European Union.

Source: BBC.

Nigerian Government Begins Digital Registration Of All Citizens, Legal Residents

Editorial staff

November 24, 2019

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has reaffirmed the commitment of the federal government to the implementation of digital registration of all citizens and legal residents, which, in turn, will be linked to the civil registration of birth and death.

He stressed that Muhammadu Buhari’s government recognizes the potential benefits to government from the capacity for better forecasting, to greater accuracy with budgetary planning, enhanced security by overcoming the challenges of anonymity and, especially for citizen empowerment through the ability to be able to bring more of the excluded populace into an inclusive economic participation through digital identification of each and every citizen.

“This explains the Federal Government’s commitment to the digital registration of all citizens and legal residents, which, in turn, will be linked to the civil registration of birth and death.”

Professor Osinbajo, who spoke yesterday, November 23, at the graduation ceremony of the Senior Executive Course 41 of 2019 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru near Jos, the Plateau State capital, said that in 2015, “we began to harmonize existing databases of government bodies.”

He confirmed that so far, the harmonization process has increased the records of Nigerians in the central identity database from 7 million to more than 37 million.

“We are adopting an approach similar to the Indian Aadhaar model, aiming to provide all Nigerians with a unique identity by leveraging the existing enrolment facilities of Government Agencies such as the Immigration and the Federal Road Safety Commission, INEC, CBN (through BVN registration) and enforcing this enrolment of Nigerians for the National Identification Number (NIN) so that we have accurate and up-to-date information on our citizens.
“With a reliable data base of all Nigerians we are positioned to attain our aspirations for financial inclusion, delivery of social programmes to the remotest parts of the country, and the creation of more effective e-commerce opportunities.”

Murder Of PDP Woman Leader In Kogi Worries Buhari, Wants Thorough Investigations

Greenbarge Reporters

November 24, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari is worried over what he called “heinous murder” of Madam Achejuh Abuh, Woman Leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Wada/Aro campaign council, in the just concluded gubernatorial election in Kogi State, insisting on scrupulous investigation into the matter.

A statement today, November 24 by the special dviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, quoted Buhari as decrying whatever could spur anyone to take the life of another human being, particularly a woman, who was burnt to death in her home in the most gruesome manner.

Buhari stressed that any descent to barbarism, as was visited on the PDP Woman Leader, has gone out of the realm of politics, and is pure criminality and bestiality.

“Such evildoers must be brought to justice, irrespective of whatever allegiances they hold.

“We must learn to behave decently, whether during elections or at other times. No life should be taken wantonly under any guise, and the fact that this reprehensible act occurred two days after voting shows primitive behavior, which should not be accepted in a decent society.”

The President then ordered all security agencies involved in the investigation to do a thorough and expeditious job on the matter, so that justice would be served without fear or favor.

He sympathized with the family of the deceased, even as he vowed that the law would catch up with the malefactors, and justice would be done.

I’m Running For President To Rebuild America, Billionaire Bloomberg Declares

Greenbarge Reporters

November 24, 2019

Billionaire and former New York City mayor, 77 year old Michael Bloomberg, one of the world’s richest men, has formally launched a Democratic bid for US president in the 2020 election. This is coming about 10 weeks before the primary voting begins.

The former Republican announced his candidacy today, November 24 in a written statement posted on a campaign website, describing himself as uniquely positioned to defeat President Donald Trump.

He declared: “I’m running for president to defeat Donald Trump and rebuild America,” Mr Bloomberg wrote.

“We cannot afford four more years of President Trump’s reckless and unethical actions,” he continued.

“He represents an existential threat to our country and our values. If he wins another term in office, we may never recover from the damage.”

Bloomberg’s entrance is considered as an unorthodox move that reflects anxiety within the Democratic Party about the strength of its current candidates.

As a centrist with deep ties to Wall Street, Bloomberg is expected to struggle among the party’s energized progressive base.

He became a Democrat only last year but yet his tremendous resources and moderate profile could be appealing in a primary contest that has become, above all, a quest to find the person best-positioned to deny Mr Trump a second term next November.

Forbes ranked Bloomberg as the 11th-richest person in the world last year with a net worth of roughly 50 billion dollars (£39 billion).

President Trump, by contrast, was ranked 259th with a net worth of just over three billion dollars (£2.3 billion).

He did not say how much he would be willing to spend overall on his presidential ambitions, but senior adviser Howard Wolfson did say: “Whatever it takes to defeat Donald Trump.”

Wolfson also said that Mr Bloomberg would not accept a single political donation for his campaign or take a salary should he become president.

Even before the announcement was final, Democratic rivals like Bernie Sanders pounced on Mr Bloomberg’s plans to rely on his personal fortune.

“I’m disgusted by the idea that Michael Bloomberg or any billionaire thinks they can circumvent the political process and spend tens of millions of dollars to buy elections,” Mr Sanders tweeted on Friday.

Elizabeth Warren, another leading progressive candidate, also attacked Mr Bloomberg on Saturday for trying to buy the presidency.

“I understand that rich people are going to have more shoes than the rest of us, they’re going to have more cars than the rest of us, they’re going to have more houses,” she said after a campaign stop in Manchester, New Hampshire.

“But they don’t get a bigger share of democracy, especially in a Democratic primary. We need to be doing the face-to-face work that lifts every voice.”

Bloomberg does not speak in his announcement video, which casts him as a successful businessman who came from humble roots and ultimately “put his money where his heart is” to effect change on the top policy issues of the day – gun violence, climate change, immigration and equality, among them.

Don’t Allow APC To Die After My Tenure, Buhari Pleads With Leaders

Greenbarge Reporters

November 24, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has pleaded with the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to allow the party to collapse after his tenure in 2023.

The President, who spoke at the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party in Abuja, said that history would be unkind to the party leaders if the party collapses at the end of his administration.

“The aim is that history will not be fair to us outright if the APC collapses at the end of this term. History will be fair to us if the APC remains strong and not only holds the centre but makes gains. People will reflect with nostalgia that once upon a time, the builders of APC made a lot of sacrifices, worked very hard.

He reminded the party leaders of their responsibility to make the party attractive to their constituents, saying: “anybody who fails to maintain the respect of his constituents and is thrown out, it is his problem.

“Like the chairman has said, all those who left us to the upper house, none of them were voted by his constituents. You want to take our people for granted, but they know what they are doing.

“The sacrifices are physical, material and moral to make sure that we maintain the leadership, politically, of this system. This is what we should all aim at and ensure that our constituencies understand us and follow us to this great objective.

“What we did for you the executive, NWC is bottom to top. You must make sure that people elected to be responsible from polling units to wards to local governments to states and here are respected in their respective constituencies.

“This is the only way we can make this party survive. This is the only way history will be kind to us that we have led with absolute concern for the country and for the people.

“If for any other reason you divide the party at any constituency and it causes failure, then be prepared that history will not recognize you as a leader at any level at any time.”

Buhari Gives Full Support For Ajaokuta Steel To Bounce Back – Minister

Editorial staff

November 24, 2019

“For the past three months, we have been doing everything possible to ensure we make progress and we are happy to let the nation know that the president has given us full backing in this assignment.

“The support given by the president includes political backing to ensure that Ajaokuta works and by the grace of God it will work soon.”

These were the words of the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, in an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja on the proposed Nigerian solid minerals downstream workshop scheduled to hold on December 2.

The minister who spoke through his Special Adviser on Special Duty, Sunny Ekozin said that part of the directives by Buhari was for the sector to solve long intractable problems bedeviling the solid minerals and to ensure that Nigeria relies on the sector to diversify its economy.

He said that after articulating the problems for the past three months, the administration is on the path to harnessing the potentials that abound in the minerals sector for the benefit of the people in the country.

Adegbite explained that one of the steps taken was the current process of developing the Nigerian Downstream Mineral Policy, saying that the policy is first of its kind in the history of the country.

“The downstream mineral policy will trigger the nation with a clear diversification blueprint in a sustainable manner, especially for the revamping of Ajaokuta steel company.

“And also effective harnessing of the abundant minerals endowment spread across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”

“As part of the process leading to the revamping of the entire solid minerals sector, we are sensitising key stakeholders, especially large investors of this novel initiative for the development of solid mineral downstream value chains.

“This will help to create massive jobs, wealth and industrialisation.

Adegbite added that the ministry was determined and committed to ensuring that the president’s mandate was realised within the next three years.

He said that the present government would stem the exports of jobs and wealth by unwittingly exporting 35 million of unprocessed mineral products annually.

The minister pledged to open the sector to genuine indigenous and foreign investors to actively participate in the downstream licensing of mineral plants. (NAN)

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