Crime Facts

Renew Your Faith In This Govt To Make A Lasting Difference, Buhari Tells Nigerians At Christmas

President Muhammadu Buhari wants Nigerians to use the season of goodwill and joy to renew their faith in the ability of the present administration to make a lasting difference in their lives. He made the remark on Thursday in his message of the nation on the occasion of this year’s Christmas celebrations in various parts of the country. The President who acknowledged that the country was facing various challenges noted that they were beyond the simplistic options being debated. He, however, gave an assurance that the Federal Government would remain focused on following the complex, multi-dimensional route to reduce the incidents of insecurity to the barest minimum. President Buhari stressed the need for people to live and move freely without let or hindrance, noting that security was also crucial for the growth of the economy. He said the worthy values of the Christmas season such as joy, peace, hope, love, goodwill, and imminent salvation, were very much needed at this time to overcome the challenges facing the country. President Buhari added that the social intervention measures and other economic policies of the government have begun to yield positive results, even at modest rates. He congratulated Nigerians, especially the Christians, and urged them to celebrate while observing all the non-pharmaceutical measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Read the full text of the President’s message to the nation below: PRESIDENT BUHARI’S 2020 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO NIGERIANS I felicitate with our Christian brothers and sisters in particular and all Nigerians in general on this joyous occasion of Christmas 2020, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. In Christendom, the Christmas season represents joy, peace, hope, love, goodwill, and imminent salvation. These worthy values which Jesus’ Advent symbolise, are very much needed in our country at this time when we are confronted with diverse challenges like the rising spate of armed banditry, kidnappings, insurgency, economic recession and an upsurge of COVID-19 infections. I wish to, therefore, enjoin fellow compatriots to appropriate the hope that comes with Christmas and reinvest trust in this administration’s determination and unwavering commitment to restore peace, security and prosperity to our dear country. Under my watch, the Federal Government will continue to provide the needed support within available resources to the gallant members of our armed forces and security agencies as they confront threats to our citizens. While I commend them for their efforts so far, I urge them to do more to checkmate increasing incidents of security threats especially in the northern parts of the country as well as the entire nation in varying degrees. Their display of tact, camaraderie, and expertise that led to the recent return of abducted schoolboys of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, will remain a milestone in the annals of the country. For me, providing security for all residents in the country remains an article of faith. It formed a vital segment of this Administration’s three-point agenda right from inception, and we must follow through with it. I cannot in good conscience shirk this cardinal responsibility to secure lives and property. I feel pained each time a breach of peace and security occurs in any part of the nation. I am even more distressed when our youths, especially schoolchildren, are the targets and victims of mindless and malevolent elements in the society. As a parent, I share the emotional torture and agony parents and guardians go through whenever their children and wards fall into the cruel hands of these enemies of decency and good society. I plead with fellow compatriots to give our military and other security agencies more time, cooperation, and support by volunteering credible intelligence/information on activities of armed bandits, insurgents, and other criminal elements within their communities in order to put an end to this blight on our security landscape. To be sure, the problems are beyond the simplistic options being bandied around. We shall remain focused on following the complex, multi-dimensional route to reducing the incidents of insecurity to the barest minimum. Our people must be free to live and move without let or hindrance. This is crucial not only to enthroning an atmosphere of calm and social cohesion but for the economy to grow. Let us use this season of goodwill and joy to renew our faith in the ability of this administration to make a lasting difference in the lives of our hard-working people. Our Social Intervention measures and other economic policies are already yielding positive results even at modest rates. We shall deliberately target our youths so that they will not fall into the trap of unpatriotic elements to foment social disobedience leading to avoidable loss of lives and property. Let me reiterate that while the right to peaceful association and protest is guaranteed under our laws, this administration will not fold its arms and watch protests however well-intended, degenerate into wanton killings of law enforcement and other security personnel, as well as destruction of private and national assets. It is gladdening to note that the various schemes and components of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) are being implemented faithfully to support micro-small businesses. I am particularly delighted that artisans, small-time transporters, traders, and farmers are the main beneficiaries as we continue to provide safety nets to the most vulnerable members of our society as well as business owners to mitigate the harsh economic environment occasioned by COVID-19. In spite of dwindling national revenue worsened by the pandemic, we will do all that is required to fully implement the 2021 Budget of Economic Recovery and Resilience. We are optimistic that all things being equal, we should be able to exit recession in the shortest possible time. There is every indication that our country is already experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 infection. As we celebrate Christmas with families and friends, I urge all citizens and residents to adhere strictly to the non-pharmaceutical prevention guidelines of regular hand-washing, wearing masks, and social/physical distancing with a view to mitigating the spread of

9-Yr-Old Girl Emerges Best Qur’an Reciter In Lagos

A nine-year-old girl, Nuroh Nasir, has bagged the Faith Unites Muslims Charity Initiatives (FUMCI)’s Children Award for Excellence in Qur’an Recitation and Islamic Practice 2020. The sixth edition of the annual competition, themed ‘Recipe for the making of Godly children’, was held in Lagos with the support of the Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Sabit Ikuforiji Foundation. It had contestants drawn from the five divisions of Lagos State, competing for prizes in Adab, Salat, Fiqh, Qur’an, Hadeeth. Nuroh, who represented Ketu, Alapere in Ikosi-Isheri local council, had won the 2019 edition of the competition and was awarded N100, 000 and other consolation prizes. Speaking during the prize presentation to winners, Amir of FUMCI, Ustadh AbdulMuiz Zubayr, commended all the contestants for their brilliance and their parents for exposing them to Islamic knowledge. In his lecture, the Mudir, Darul-Naim Schools, Sheikh AbdulMajeed Imran Eleha, urged Muslims to select religious and morally upright spouses in order to raise pious children.

FG announces fresh rules for passengers from UK, South Africa

The federal government has announced new travel rules for passengers coming in from South Africa and United Kingdom, where a new variant of COVID-19 has been discovered. Sani Aliyu, national coordinator of the presidential task force on COVID-19, made the announcement at Thursday’s media briefing. He said effective from Monday, all passengers coming from the UK and South Africa must use the Nigerian international travel portal to register, fill in the health questionnaire and upload a negative COVID-19 result with a validity of not more than five days. He said they must pay for a COVID PCR test to be done on day seven of arrival in the country without which they will not be allowed to board flights. Aliyu also said a special register would be opened at the airports for passengers from these two countries specifically to track and ensure they present for COVID test on day seven. “We continue to be concerned about the emergence of the new variant coronavirus in the UK and additional mutate that was described coming from South Africa,” he said. “The system for travels in terms of ensuring the safety of our citizens and preventing the importation of cases in the country is one of the most strict. We are one of the few countries that do double testing, that have a travel portal where you can go in and enter your details including your health questionnaire and pay for a test. “Specifically, for the UK and South Africa, the PTF has met and we have decided that additional measures would be required to ensure the safety of our citizens. When you are leaving the UK or South Africa, you need two documents that you have to present to the airlines. “The first document is a negative COVID-19 PCR result, second is a permit to travel document, which we use to refer to as the QR code. The only way you can get the permit to travel on the travel portal is by filling in your health questionnaire electronically, uploading your PCR result and paying for the day seven test. “If you do not present a permit travel or you cannot present a travel permit, the airlines are being directed not to board. So if you are coming into Nigeria from the UK and South Africa, it is in your best interest to familiarise yourself with the Nigerian International Travel Portal and make sure that you put in your health details, upload your PCR result that has to be negative and you pay for a day seven test upon arrival in Nigeria. “The second enforcement that we will have has to do with the seven day self-isolation upon arrival in the country. We had a lot of debates as to if we should institute mandatory quarantine when the people arrive. We have decided that when you arrive, we will open a special register for all passengers arriving from these two countries. We will have an enhanced surveillance where these passengers will be contacted after they have arrived home, we will be checking on them to see if they are having any symptoms. But more importantly, we expect these passengers by day seven to unfailing go for your COVID PCR test which you must have before boarding the aircraft. “Penalties, we have already mentioned right from September when we opened up International airspace that there will be penalties for not abiding by the protocols. Mr. President on Tuesday approved that from now on particularly for those coming from the UK and South Africa, we will pay special attention to these flights. “If you do not do your day seven tests by day 10, you will automatically go into the suspension list. Your travel document – passport will be suspended for a minimum period of six months. If you carry a Foreign passport with a visa, we will revoke your visa. And because it is easier to track a smaller group of persons than a larger group of passengers, that has always been our challenge, we are now able to enforce this specially for passengers from the UK and South Africa until further notice.”

Bayelsa Assembly approves Diri’s N3.5bn loan request

The Bayelsa State Assembly has again approved a request by Governor Douye Diri , to obtain another loan of N 3. 5bn loan. The request was contained in a letter forwarded to the legislative arm by Diri, which was read on the floor of the House, in Yenagoa , during plenary on Wednesday . The Assembly had in March approved a request by the governor to obtain a loan of N 2. 9bn loan to buy official vehicles for top government functionaries while in November, he was also given approval to obtain another loan of N 17bn from multiple sources to pay the states counterpart funds for the Sustainable Development Goals , oil palm project and funding of state financing gap over a temporary credit facility . According to the latest letter, the Diri administration is seeking for a fresh N 3. 5bn loan to enable the state meet its counterpart funding obligations in order to access Universal Basic Education funds . Moving the motion for the approval of the governor ’ s request , the Leader of the House, Monday Bubou – Obolo , explained that the N 3. 5bn was 50 per cent of a total N 7bn targeted to fund educational infrastructure in the state. He claimed that out of the N 7bn, the UBE was demanding for Bayelsa ’ s 50 per cent counterpart fund to enable it access the total sum meant for the state. Bubou -Obolo , who represents Southern Ijaw Constituency 2, said , “ This N 3. 5bn is a counterpart contribution. What this simply means is that, the UBE headquarters is giving Bayelsa N 3. 5bn, but before we can get that fund , they are also telling us to provide N 3. 5bn and they will add their own to make it N 7bn. “ All that money will be used to build schools . At the moment , the state government cannot immediately provide those funds. So , we ( the House ) have to approve it for the bank to give the loan. ” The 24- member House under the speakership of Abraham Ingobere , unanimously approved the loan request .

Nigeria records 1,041 new COVID-19 cases, total now 81,963

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 1,041 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 81,963. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Thursday. “1041 new #COVID19 cases Lagos-316 FCT-210 Kaduna-83 Plateau-70 Gombe-56 Oyo-56 Katsina-47 Nasarawa-35 Kano-33 Ogun-21 Rivers-17 Niger-14 Imo-14 Delta-12 Kwara-12 Edo-12 Benue-9 Anambra-8 Taraba-4 Ekiti-4 Ebonyi-6 Bayelsa-1 Sokoto-1.”

UPDATED: Boko Haram On Rampage In Adamawa, Many Feared Dead

Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram fighters are currently attacking Garkida town in Gombi local government area of Adamawa state. According to reports, the insurgents thronged the town through the main road in the late afternoon, forcing residents to flee to the surrounding mountains. ” I saw them moving in to the town in five trucks and then heard sounds of gun shots and people running to the mountains”, said a fleeing resident.. When Crimefacts.News contracted Adamawa state police public relations officer, DSP Yahaya Suleiman said the command in the state are still trying to verify whether it is Gunmen or Bokoharam. DSP Suleiman said, “as I am talking to you right now, we got report that there is a certain village situated in Gombe out sketch that has close border with Borno state called Garikida was invaded by some gunmen. According to him, ” the command has already directed some security men to go after the situation and restore normalcy in the area. “As of now, we are yet to be officially informed whether it was bandits or Bokoharam, we are still getting in touch with them. When asked if there is any causalities from the attack, he said, ” We have just gotten information, if it is Bokoharam, police won’t kill issue any statement because the military have been mandated to the task. But if it is bandits that is when I will issue a statement. “For now we are yet to ascertain whether it is bandits or Bokoharam. Our men are there to update us, “Yahaya said . More to follow…….

COVID-19: President Buhari cancels Christmas homage

In line with the prevailing protocol put in place by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, restricting large gatherings, President Muhammadu Buhari will not be hosting the usual Christmas homage by religious and community leaders in the Federal Capital Territory. The President urges all citizens to, in line with the prescribed protocol, observe social distancing, use face masks, wash hands frequently and avoid overcrowding of public spaces, markets, shopping centres, offices and places of worship. President Buhari equally appeals to citizens to discourage all non-essential travels during the holiday season. He wishes everyone a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year ahead.

“Our accounts were garnished following court orders― Benue govt reveals why state can’t pay workers’ December salary

Civil Servants in Benue State are to celebrate Christmas without salary. Giving the reason for nonpayment of December salary to its civil servants , the State Commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism, Mrs Ngunan Adingi, said the government ’ s accounts have been garnished following court orders . Adingi, who briefed journalists on Thursday at the Benue Peoples House , Makurdi , lamented that the order by the court has grounded government activities. She explained that the order to garnish government accounts were secured in different courts in Nasarawa and Abuja . The Commissioner said , “ Some aggrieved nonindigenes working in the state who were redeployed to their states in 2007 under the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, took the State Government to court to protest the action . “ Consequently in 2008, the court in the case between Juliana Igweka and 95 others vs SUBEB and Attorney General of Benue State , declared that the affected persons be reinstated in the civil service , ” adding that counsels to the applicants , in turn, went back to court asking for monetary compensation, which was not part of the original judgment . ,“ But when the applicants failed to get the courts to do their wish in the state, they went to different courts in Nasarawa and Federal Capital Territory to secure garnishee orders on all accounts of the state which was served yesterday ( Friday) , thereby crippling all government activities , including payment of salaries. ” Shedding light on the order , the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice , Michael Gus, described the judgment as fraudulent, saying the courts lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter . Gusa noted that the State Government had initiated processes to set aside the garnishee orders as soon as possible , stressing that government would also approach the National Judicial Council for necessary action against the judges involved .

SPECIAL REPORT: Many Nigerians Not Aware Of COVID-19 Available Testing Centres

A poll conducted by Daily Trust via Twitter has shown that many Nigerians are still not aware of available testing centres for COVID-19 neither have they been tested. Nigeria, like other countries around the world, is also impacted by the second wave of the coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases peaked recently. As at Thursday morning, more than 80,000 cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed in Nigeria so far, while 1,236 people have died from the virus and over 67,000 patients recovered. It has been reported that Nigeria, with over 200 million inhabitants, has tested less than one percent of its population across the 69 accredited testing centres in the country. The poll conducted by Daily Trust confirmed the low level of testing and lack of information on where the centres are located. When Daily Trust asked: “Do you know the #COVID19 centres near you? Are they functional?” 49.4 percent of respondents said they were not aware of any testing centre around them while 34.4 percent said the centres available are not close to their locations. While 7.6 percent of the respondents confirmed the availability of testing centres near them, 8.7 percent stated that the centres were not functional. Daily Trust also asked whether the respondents had done a COVID-19 test before and what the experience was like; 77.1 percent responded that they had not been tested for COVID-19 while 22.9 percent confirmed to have been tested. Of 22.9 percent of respondents who confirmed to have been tested, 11.3 percent expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the testing exercise saying “It was a simple process”. However, 8.7 respondents said they paid before the test was done while 2.9 percent said the testing exercise was tasking. The Director-General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had in a recent interview with CNN acknowledged the slow turnaround time for testing and said the response was partly due to the challenge the country faced initially trying to repurpose its laboratories to test for the virus. “We recognise that improving access to testing for COVID-19 is a major priority. “We will continue to work closely with other stakeholders and partners to ensure that Nigerians can be tested in a timely manner that will also contribute to the control of this outbreak,” he said.

Gunmen Kill 3 Policemen, 2 Others In Benue

Gunmen on Thursday morning, shot dead five people – three police men and two civilian – at the residence of Alfred Avalumun Atera, chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area in Benue State. Daily Trust gathered that several others were wounded during the attack which happened at 11:30am Witnesses said the incident caused pandemonium in the rural town which had been under siege by gunmen for nearly five years before a military special squad was drafted to the area to restore sanity. Information Officer of the Council, Tertsea Benga, told our correspondent by telephone that people were trooping into his boss’s residence for Christmas largesse when suddenly the gunmen struck, killing the policemen and two other civilian – one of them, a gateman at the house. Benga confirmed that the incident happened between 11:00am and 12:00pm on Thursday. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state command, DSP Catherine Anene, was yet to confirm the incident at the time of filing this story as she indicated in response to a text message to her telephone that she would called back later.