Crime Facts

JAMB shifts registration date for 2021 UTME, DE

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has shifted the commencement of registration for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry to a later date. Head, Public Affairs and Protocol of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, who made this known in a statement, on Thursday, in Abuja, said the registration exercise was speculated to have begun on April 8, 2021, explaining that this date was not realistic because some hitches. Benjamin said the delay was caused by some unforeseen circumstances occasioned by the determined effort to have a National Identity Number (NIN) integration. He said: “To be sure all processes are completed before the commencement, the Board didn’t place its advertorial as it was yet to complete the process of a smooth pin vending and candidate access to the registration app for the 2021 UTME/DE. “The advertisement is the surest indication of the beginning of the exercise as it has all the step by step process that candidates are required to follow. “However, this delay is caused by some unforeseen circumstances occasioned by our determined effort to have a NIN integration. “This challenge is being resolved and once that is done, all processes shall commence. Candidates are therefore requested to exercise some patience. “The process shall be up and running shortly for our advertisement to be rollout so that candidates can begin the creation of profile,” he said.

Bandits Release Five More Students In Kaduna

Three days after bandits released five students out of the 39 abducted from Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka in Kaduna State, five more students have been freed. This brings to 10, the total number of students that have been released while those still in captivity are 29. Daily Trust gathered that the students who just regained freedom are currently on their way to the hospital. Reliable sources told Daily Trust that four male and a female students were picked up by policemen around Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State. One of the sources, a security agent, told our correspondent that plans are being made for the students to be moved to a police facility for treatment. Five students, who were released by bandits on Monday, were later picked up by the Nigerian Army and conveyed to an army hospital for health evaluation. One of the earlier released students, Francis Paul, had narrated how the bandits selected five of them and asked them to mount motorbikes after which they were dropped off on a highway. Daily Trust had reported that following continuous negotiations between the bandits and parents of the students, the bandits hinted that the students would be released in batches. This is the second batch of release; the first batch comprise of Mary Danladi, Abubakar Yakubu, Francis Paul, Obadiya Habakkuk and Amina Yusuf who were reunited with their family on Wednesday. When contacted for additional information, Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, did not respond to several calls.

Owerri Jailbreak: Okorocha tells Gov Uzodimma, FG to apply wisdom instead of confrontation

Former Governor of Imo State Chief Rochas Okorocha called on both the State and Federal Government to apply wisdom rather than confrontation in trying to address security challenges facing the State, said the idea of using the Airforce and Army as a first measure would further aggravate the situation. Speaking with newsmen in Jos, Chief Okorocha said Nigeria is passing through a very difficult moment as a nation, said the recent attack on Police Headquarters, Correctional Centre in Imo State and unending banditry, Boko Haram, kidnapping and others in the country were products of poverty and injustice. ” I think the time has come for political leaders to tell ourselves the truth and address this ugly situation and also help our arm forces and the police. We are currently fighting the symptom and not the disease of poverty and injustice, something must be done urgently if we are willing and ready to address the situation. “However, I condemn in its entirety, the killing of any innocent soul because life is sacred and is a property of God. No one has the right to take anyone’s life under any guise. So while I call for peace, I call for understanding. We have a duty as leaders to correct this ugly issue of injustice in this country and poverty ravaging our nation,” he said. He implored both the state and federal governments to apply wisdom and engage the youths constructively instead of trying to politicise the issue at stake. “During my time as a Governor of Imo State, we applied wisdom in the sense that we talked to the traditional rulers and other stakeholders. There was a moment that IPOB wants to close down Imo State after shutting down Anambra and Abia States, I engaged the youths to convince me that, that was the way to go. But after the engagement, we all reasoned together. “But this idea of bringing Airforce and Army as a first measure aggravate the situation. But for anybody to say politicians are involved is trying to politicise the matter. I don’t think any sane politician will go and ask the youths to shoot at police headquarters. “Meanwhile, what I will urge the Imo State Government to do is to relocate the Police headquarters and the correctional service because the location is wrong. When I was the Governor I built standard Correctional Service that can occupy about 3,300 inmates at a good location but it is not being put to use.” He charges Governor Hope Nzodimma taking the challenge of leadership serious and engage in wide consultation, adding that if the Governor had contacted him on how he addressed the situation during his time he would have preferred useful advice. “If the Governor had contacted me on how I handled IPOD, kidnapping issues during my time, I would have told him how I handled them. We must always understand that these children, the youths are our children. What we need to do is to engage them, if we are saying they are criminals, we are also fathers of criminals and mothers of criminals. “The situation is overwhelming because we are not engaging them. There’s no difference between these youths and mine. I am able to control mine because I engaged them. So we should toe the path of peace instead of politicising the issue. On the new Inspector General of Police, the former Imo State Governor said the military and the police were being overloaded in terms of the situation on the ground, adding that for as long as injustice and poverty continued, there’s nothing the police and army forces can do.

Atiku: $1.5bn earmarked for loss-making refinery can build hospitals for Nigerians

Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, has asked the federal government to spend the $1.5bn meant for rehabilitating the Port Harcourt refinery on building hospitals for Nigerians. In March, the federal executive council (FEC) had approved the sum for the project. Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum, said the contract was awarded to Tecnimont SPA, an Italian company. He added that the rehabilitation will be done in three phases of 18, 24, and 44 months. On Tuesday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) signed the engineering procurement and construction (EPC) contract with the Italian firm. In a Twitter post on Thursday, Atiku described the facility as a loss-making refinery. He said using the money meant for the refinery to build hospitals will give citizens quality access to healthcare. “Rather than spend $1.5 billion on a loss-making refinery, would it not make better economic sense, as well ensure social justice, to use that money to build mass hospitals for our people,” Atiku said. “And provide our doctors with better working conditions, so every Nigerian has access to quality healthcare?” Rather than spend $1.5 billion on a loss-making refinery, would it not make better economic sense, as well ensure social justice, to use that money to build mass hospitals for our people. — Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) April 8, 2021 Atiku had earlier faulted the decision of the federal government to expend the $1.5 billion on the project, describing it as suspicious. Atedo Peterside, the founder of Stanbic IBTC and Anap Foundation, also said the funds to be spent on the refinery can build 12 world-class hospitals.

Attacks: Army begins show of force in Imo

The Nigerian Army on Thursday began show of force in Imo State. The Punch gathered that the military exercise was an offshoot of Monday attacks on Owerri Correctional Center and the Imo State Police Command headquarters. The attackers, who operated between 1am and 3am also attacked a military base at Ukwuorji on Owerri-Onitsha expressway, burnt a soldier in a car and razed four military operational vehicles. The military exercise was intended to burst the moral of security agents and to restore the confidence of the people in the security agents, a source told The PUNCH The source said, “The operation show of force is a military exercise targeted at restoring the confidence of the people in the security agencies. It is also a way of raising the morale of the operatives after the Monday’s deadly attacks. It is a reassurance that the security agents have the capacity and capability to enforce public order and decorum.” Our correspondent, who monitored the development, saw huge presence of military men on Orlu-Owerri Road, Owerri-Onitsha expressway and Owerri-Okigwe Road. Also, high presence of military men also patrolled the metropolis as fear continued to pervade the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the leadership of the Imo State Police Command had on Thursday begun the deployment of no fewer than one thousand cops to strategic places and security facilities in the state.

Gunmen kidnap monarch, families, cabinet members in Imo

The traditional ruler of Umuezie community in Nguru, Aboh Mbaise local government area of Imo state, Eze Charles Iroegbu, has been kidnapped by suspected hoodlums terrorizing Villagers around Okigwe zone and Mbaise axis. Vanguard in Owerri, was told by an indigene in the area that the monarch was kidnapped on Wednesday evening alongside his cabinet members when they were returning home from a traditional wedding ceremony. It was said that the monarch, who is said to be the managing Director of All States mass transit connect, was also with some of his family members. Several calls and messages put across to the State Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwo, he did not respond as of the time of filing this report. However, tension has enveloped the Umuezie community as the subjects of kidnapped monarch, were said to be discussing the possible whereabouts of their monarch.

DSS alerted Uzodinma, police three times before Imo attacks, says ex-directtor

A former Assistant Director with the Department of State Services, Dennis Amachree, has said the secret police alerted the Nigeria Police Force and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, at least three times before Monday attacks in the state. Amachree, however, said the police and the governor, who is the chief security of the state, failed to act on the intelligence by the DSS. The former DSS official spoke on Thursday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme monitored by The PUNCH . The PUNCH had earlier reported that gunmen on Monday attacked the Owerri Correctional Centre and freed over 1,800 inmates. The attackers also razed the Imo State Police Command headquarters situated in Owerri and burnt all the vehicles parked at the command headquarters. Speaking on the television programme, the ex-DSS director said, “There was enough intelligence, enough actionable intelligence. Actionable in the sense that it allows for space for people to execute it; one week ahead of the event and of course 72 hours before the event and then 48 hours before the event. “So, three times, the Nigeria Police Force was informed by the DSS that this is going to happen because some suspects that are being geolocated around the area were found surveilling the prisons and the police headquarters but you know in our lackadaisical way, when the intelligence came, they threw it by the side and when something happens, everybody runs around.” “All security reports are shared with the governor in a state first, then, it is shared with other sister agencies like the police, the military, if there is military installations there, all of them got this particular report. So, the governor is very much aware,” he said. The ex-DSS director, however, said, “Apparently nothing was done (to forestall the attacks). You can see that the governor was referring to that particular report that it is not IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra).” Amachree lamented, “Some people are just too lazy to do their jobs.” He also faulted claims by the then Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, that members of IPOB masterminded the attacks. “He (Adamu) doesn’t have his fact right because I don’t see how he can identify them. You identify people by either arresting some of them or from what they say but there was no person that was arrested,” the ex-DSS director said, adding that the DSS was investigating the attacks and would identify who the attackers were.

Strike continues, say doctors after NEC meeting

The Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors has vowed to continue its ongoing strike until the federal and state governments concede to its demands. NARD made its position known in a communiqué issued at the end of a virtual extraordinary National Executive Council, meeting, signed by Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, its President, on Thursday in Abuja. The association said that the NEC had unanimously voted that the ongoing strike that started on April 1, would continue. “The strike will last until the federal and state governments meet our demands. “We want to use this medium to reiterate our commitment to the smooth running of all tertiary institutions in the country, and the provision of specialised healthcare to all Nigerians. “However, we need to first of all care for our own health and welfare in order to give standard care to our patients, which is in line with the physician’s oath,” the communiqué reads. NARD claimed the NEC had observed that in spite of efforts by the National Officers Committee, to ensure that the Federal Government did the needful to prevent the strike, it failed to do so. It noted that NARD had given two months ultimatum before going on the strike when it became apparent that the Ministry of Health was not interested in any form of settlement to avert the industrial action. It expressed disappointment over the way and manner the government was passing “spurious” information to the public. The resident doctors also faulted the government for not holding a reconciliatory meeting at the expiration of the ultimatum on March 31. They said, “`Without prejudice to labour laws and other extant laws of the land, the industrial action had already begun before the MOA was signed, and as such, not tenable.” (NAN)

No one can question First Lady’s role again, says Tinubu

A national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Thursday said the concerns by some individuals that the constitution did not recognise the role of First Lady had been “forever laid to rest” by the performance of the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari. Tinubu said this in his remarks at the public presentation of Aisha’s biography, “Aisha Buhari: Being different,” written by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Women Affairs, Dr Hajo Sani. The APC leader, who is the chairman of the occasion, said, “Given the First Lady’s achievements, no one can reasonably question the role of a First Lady any longer. “Remember there were those who argued that the constitution does not assign an official role to the First Lady. “Because of Dr. Mrs. Aisha Buhari, their concerns have been forever laid to rest. “The First Lady has played an uplifting, unifying role both in symbol and substance. “She has been a voice of conscience calling us to be our better selves for the good of the nation and for the betterment of the weakest, most vulnerable among us. “As such, she has been a strong pillar of support not only to the President but also to the Nigerian people whom they both serve with such patriotic commitment and high purpose.” Tinubu said role of the First Lady was instrumental to the society and to how a great number of people relate to government.

German Mayor Suspended For Skipping COVID-19 Vaccine Queue

A German mayor was suspended by his own city council after it emerged he had received a coronavirus vaccination in January, despite not being in a priority group. An overwhelming majority of 34 councillors voted late Wednesday to temporarily suspend Bernd Wiegand, mayor of the central city of Halle. Wiegand, 64, had previously admitted to receiving the vaccine in January, at a time when it was still only available to older citizens. Other city employees and several councillors also reportedly received a jab before their turn. The mayor denied that he had acted illegally or immorally, however, saying he had been offered the jab in order to avoid excess doses going to waste. “It’s easy to criticise my decision in hindsight… but it was not unlawful in any way,” he said in a statement in March, suggesting that the scandal was being exploited to “remove a nonpartisan mayor from office”. Yet his explanations have also varied over time, with Wiegand at one point erroneously claiming that he had been selected at random to receive the excess dose. The mayor must now await the results of a disciplinary procedure and an investigation by local prosecutors, though he could yet appeal his suspension at an administrative court. After raiding Wiegand’s offices in February, prosecutors said he was suspected of “misappropriating some of the vaccine doses available to the city since December 2020”, but stressed the presumption of innocence. Germany’s vaccination rollout has been slower than expected amid supply issues across the EU, with 13 percent of the population currently having received at least one dose. Wiegand is also not the only German politician embroiled in a pandemic-related scandal. Several MPs from Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance have been forced to step down in recent weeks over allegations of corruption in the procurement of protective masks. The graft scandal has hit Merkel’s party in the polls, with the conservatives slumping to record lows of just over 25 percent six months before September’s general election. AFP