September 2021 – Page 17

Post Date : September 6, 2021

Ngige: FG to recover millions of naira wrongly paid to 588 doctors

The federal government says it is planning to recover “millions of naira wrongly paid to 588 medical doctors” across the country. While fielding questions from state house correspondents, Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, said the affected doctors wrongly benefitted from the medical residency training fund meant for a particular category of doctors. The minister said the names of the doctors were uncovered after a scrutinisation of the 8000 names submitted by chief medical directors of federal government health institutions for the training programme. The minister said a substantial amount of the money has been refunded by some of the affected doctors while efforts are being intensified to recover the remaining balance. He said the delay in making the refund by the affected doctors is holding back the residency fund payment by the government. “Ministry of health has gotten the list of doctors who supposedly are to benefit from the medical residency training fund,” he said. “Total submission of about 8000 names were gotten and the ministry of health is scrutinising them. “We have done the first round of scrutinisation and they will now compare what they have with the Post-Graduate Medical College and the chief medical directors who submitted the names. “The Association of Resident Doctors, in each of the tertiary centres, worked with the CMDs to produce those names, but now that the names are being verified. “We discovered that about 2000 names shouldn’t be there because they don’t have what is called Postgraduate Reference Numbers of National Postgraduate Medical College and (or) that of the West African Postgraduate Medical College. “So, this is it and that is the only thing holding back the residency fund payment because it is there already for incurred expenditure has been done by the finance minister and it’s in the accountant-general’s office.” “So, once they verify the authenticity of those they are submitting, the Accountant-General will pay. “We are doing that verification because we do not want what happened last time in 2020 to reoccur. “In 2020, the submitted names didn’t come through the appropriate source, which is the Postgraduate Medical College and payment was affected and it was discovered that about 588 persons, who were not resident doctors benefited from such money. “They are now finding it difficult to make the full refund. But they have to refund that money. Some are refunding, but there is no full consideration of the account. “That account has to be reconciled to enable the accountants pay the next round of funding for 2021.” The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has been on strike for a month over “irregular payment of salaries”, among other issues. Efforts by stakeholders, including the national assembly, to mediate between the federal government and the resident doctors have not yielded results.

Post Date : September 6, 2021

Kidnappers Of Abuja Pastor’s Wife, Daughters Demand N50m Ransom

The kidnappers of an Abuja-based pastor, whose wife, Mrs Nikola Oladapo, and her two daughters, Glory Oladapo, 14 years old, and Moyo Oladapo, 17 years old, were abducted, have demanded a N50 million ransom. Daily Trust reports that the kidnappers had in the wee hours of Sunday invaded the victims’ house at Zone (A) Resettlement Area in Pegi community in Kuje area council of Abuja and whisked them away. It was gathered that the woman’s husband, who is a pastor of the Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Pegi community, had traveled out of Abuja when the kidnappers struck. A family source, who preferred anonymity, confided in our reporter that the kidnappers made their demand known on Sunday night. He said the kidnappers, who called around 11:pm on Sunday through one of the of family members of the victims, had earlier demanded for N100 million ransom. “Actually, they called on Sunday night at about 11:pm and the family members spoke with the pastor’s wife and her daughters.” “The abductors demanded N100 million, but later brought it down to N50 million,” he said. He said negotiations were ongoing with the kidnappers. The spokesman of the FCT police command, ASP Daniel Y Ndiparya, could not be reached for comment as of the time this report was filed as he neither answered calls nor replied a text message sent.

Post Date : September 6, 2021

Boma, Tega, Peace, Michael Evicted From BBNaija

Four more Big Brother Naija housemates have been evicted from the ongoing Season Six of the reality TV show tagged ‘Shine Ya Eye’. Tega, Peace, Michael, and Boma left the house on Sunday evening following the ‘King Size’ eviction earlier announced by the organisers of the show. Their exit from the house comes after six weeks of fun, games, tasks, and, of course, mild controversy as the housemates target the top prize. “I miss my husband, my son, and my mum; I can’t even explain it,” Tega told the show host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, when asked if she missed her husband. The quartet – who were up for eviction along with other housemates except Jackie B and Jay Paul – were asked to leave the house after polling the lowest number of votes. Jackie B and Jay Paul were exempted from the threat of leaving the house after the duo won the Head of House task. Michael, who was with Jackie B throughout his stay in the house, was evicted from the show after about two months. He was brought into the house two weeks into the show alongside Kayvee, Queen, and JMK. He had won a sum of N2,500,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to One Africa Music Fest in Dubai after winning a Pepsi task. Peace, who is also one of the housemates evicted on Sunday, emerged as the first runner-up in the task. This earned her N1,500,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to One Africa Music Fest in Dubai. She also won the Eva Soap task with the grand prize of N250,000. Queen is the only housemate still in the show among the quartet brought in on August 8. While JMK was evicted just like Michael, Kayvee was withdrawn due to health issues.

Post Date : September 6, 2021

Nnamdi Kanu: IPOB moves to stop extradition of members arrested in Ghana

Indigenous People of Biafra has begun moves to secure the freedom of some of its members arrested in Ghana. Aloy Ejimakor, one of the lawyers representing the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, made this known in a tweet on Monday. The Ghanaian police had arrested some members of the IPOB around Mallam Junction in Accra on Sunday while they were having their monthly meeting. The lawyer noted that he had sent some documents that would aid the release of the separatists. “Update on #IPOB Ghana: A few days ago, I sent to the DOS (via @ChinasaNworu) certain legal documents critical to the defense of the faithful currently distressed in Ghana. The goal is to quickly secure their freedom and prevent their “rendition to injustices” in Nigeria,” he tweeted. Update on #IPOB Ghana: Few days ago, I sent to the DOS (via @ChinasaNworu) certain legal documents critical to the defense of the faithfuls currently distressed in Ghana. The goal is to quickly secure their freedom and prevent their ‘rendition to injustice’ in Nigeria. — aloy ejimakor (@AloyEjimakor) September 6, 2021 Nigerian officials had earlier extradited Nnamdi Kanu. The officials have said that Nnamdi Kanu was brought back after he jumped bail and went on the run in 2017. His family and lawyers say he was illegally arrested in June while in Kenya, tortured, and flown back to Nigeria. Separatist tensions frequently flare up in southeast Nigeria, where a 1967 unilateral declaration of independence for a Biafra republic by Igbo army officers triggered a 30-month civil war that left many people dead.

Post Date : September 6, 2021

Hoodlum sneaks into Fed Govt Girls College in Enugu, attacks JSS 3 student

Fear has gripped the students and management of the Federal Government Girls College, Lejja, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State following a suspected attack on a JSS 3 student by yet-to-be-identified hoodlum. It was gathered that the said student came out in the early hours of Saturday morning to ease herself when the hoodlum emerged from nowhere and attacked her with a knife. Vanguard learnt that the attacker severed his victim’s body until she managed to alert her fellow students. At that point, the hoodlum bolted on sighting other students who emerged from the hostels to rescue their fellow student. It was further learnt that the student was in pool of her blood when her fellow students rushed her to the school clinic for medical attention. Following the incident, sources said fear has gripped the entire students and staff alike since such an incident should not have happened with the many internal security outfit guarding the school premises. “We are afraid since the incident happened. The school is fenced round, so I wonder how the attacker gained entrance into the girls hostels. “There is no police station nor police post in the school. Though there is internal security but I don’t think they are enough to secure the school,” a source disclosed. A parent who visited the school on the day of the incident said they were not allowed free access to their children like before. The source who spoke on condition of anonymity said “Before they allowed us to go close to the hostels but last Saturday was different. “They will not allow parents to go near the hostels but rather asked students to come to the field and corners to receive their parents and guidance who came to visit them,” he said. However, when contacted, the principal of the school, Dr. C.A Ogar, denied the incident but refused to provide more information on what happened at her school.

Post Date : September 5, 2021

Sowore’s brother drove into kidnapping scene – Police claim

The Edo State Police Command on Sunday shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the Saturday killing of Felix Olajide Sowore, younger brother of the convener of Revolution Now, Omoyele Sowore, by persons suspected to be kidnappers. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Bello Kontongs, who gave the clarification at a press briefing in Benin City, said that the younger Sowore was not an occupant of the bus from which five persons were kidnapped. According to him, Sowore was driving from Okada to Benin City, when he ran into the suspected kidnappers who were shooting at the commercial bus which broke down on Friday night and the occupants had to find somewhere else to sleep. Kontongs explained that the stranded commuters had returned early on Saturday to pick their personal effects from the bus when the kidnappers, who had laid ambush, opened fire on the commuters and Sowore drove into the firing line unknowingly. The PPRO added that the tactical team of the Command and some local vigilantes, including the DPO of Okada Police Station, had already gone into the bush, looking for the kidnappers, with the aim of arresting them and rescuing the victims. The Edo Police spokesman added that three occupants of the bus, who escaped had been brought to the command’s headquarters and profiled, while the kidnappers had not made any contact with the police over the victims, though he would not know if the families of the kidnapped victims had been contacted. The text of Kontongs briefing reads: “It has become very necessary to inform the general public because of the panic that the incident is creating among the general public, especially, the residents of Edo State, as regards the killing of one Felix Olajide Sowore on September 4, 2021 at about 6:45 hours yesterday (Saturday). “It has become necessary for us to brief the press to inform the general public that police is on top of the situation since the incident happened. Bush combing has started, the Commissioner of Police has directed the tactical team to put hands together with the Divisional Police Headquarters at Okada for the bush combing since yesterday. “As I speak to you the local vigilantes in that area, the police tactical team from the state command and the Divisional Police Headquarters at Okada are all together in the bush right now combing the forests in an effort to arrest the assailants and possibly rescue five other persons that are still with the kidnappers. “Sowore Felix was not one of the occupants of the bus that some of them were kidnapped. He was just someone that ran into the incident. He was coming and met the situation on ground. “The bus actually was coming from the South going towards Lagos. The bus belonged to a private transport company, and broke down at around 2 am in the early hours of Saturday, and the occupants look for somewhere to sleep. “That early hours in the morning the occupants came with the intention to pack their belongings from the bus, but unknown to them, the kidnappers have laid ambush, and immediately they opened the bus. the kidnappers came out from the bush and started shooting at the bus in an attempt to create fear in them, but some of them try to escape. “Sowore was coming from Okada to Benin. He was just a victim. The kidnappers tried to stop him, but he refused to stop. The bullet hit his car and one of the bullets got him, and he died on the spot. He was confirmed by the doctors, and his corpse has been deposited at Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital. “That is the situation, and the Commissioner of police is doing everything possible to ensure that they are arrested and those kidnapped are rescued. “Until now, there is no contact from the kidnappers. We don’t know if they have contacted the families of those kidnapped but to the police and those who escaped they have made no contact. “The police is also trying to use tactical means in order to tract the kidnapped victims. “Some of the occupants of the bus who escaped and some we met hiding in the bush we brought to the police headquarters, and we have profiled them. They are three in number.”

Post Date : September 5, 2021

Nobody can fraudulently write Anambra election results – PDP chieftain

THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, South East zone, weekend stated that nobody can fraudulently write the forthcoming Anambra gubernatorial Election. The PDP National Vice Chairman, South East zone, Chief Ali Odefa who stated this during a town hall meeting at Salt Lake Hotel, Abakaliki, organized in honour of the Party’s candidate for the Anambra Election, Vincent Ozigbo, added that anybody attempting to do so, should first of all write his Will and face the consequences. “This man is a child of destiny. God has blessed you with a gentleman as an incoming Governor. If you write Anambra Election results, you will not leave to see it. Election must be free and fair. You cannot write results again and your votes must count. “Is not possible to write Ebonyi and Anambra state results. Before you do that, write your will first. We must vote for PDP in the November election. As God will liberate Anambra, he will also liberate Ebonyi State.” Speaking to the large crowd that gathered in his honour, Vincent Ozigbo, the candidate of PDP in the forthcoming Election in Anambra state explained that what the country was undergoing was the consequences of bad leadership. He promised to restore the lost glory of Anambra, if elected Governor of the State even as he assured Anambra Indigenes in Ebonyi State of his plans of fixing the broken down infrastructure of the State. “What we are suffering in Nigeria is the consequences of bad leadership. Anambra is supposed to be the light of the nation. The light has become so dime that we begin to wonder. It’s time to rekindle the hope and rewrite the narratives. “Anambra will soon become the best states in the country. We want to transform Anambra where the infrastructure will begin to work. We have articulated our blueprint for the State. We intend to unify and create good inter-border relationship with other states of the region. “When we are done fixing Anambra, you will be proud of it. Ebonyi is the first state am visiting after my emergence as PDP candidate.”

Post Date : September 5, 2021

Okorocha, Araraume pull out as Imo APC chairman hails LGA congress

The Imo State Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Prince Marcelinus Nlemigbo, has described the Saturday Local Government Area Congresses of the party, held across the 27 LGAs of the state for the purpose of electing the Local Government Executive Committee of the party, as a huge success. Kajethan Duke, said that the exercise which was conducted in a most transparent, peaceful and credible manner in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines, witnessed an unprecedented enthusiasm from delegates and stakeholders alike. He said that the successful conclusion of the Ward and LGA congresses of the party in the state had reinforced his commitment to lay a solid foundation for a robust and vibrant political party in the state. Nlemigbo said that the exercise, which began with the flawless distributions of sensitive congress materials at the state party’s secretariat, to members of the Local Government Congress Committee, for onward movement to their respective local government areas, signalled a significant departure from business as usual. The chairman expressed his gratitude to the governor of the state, Hope Uzodimma, for providing an enabling platform for an inclusive and participatory political space in the state. While welcoming and congratulating all the elected LGA officers who emerged victorious at the end of the exercise, the chairman also commended all members and stakeholders for the peaceful and successful conduct of the congress. Nigerian Tribune reporter, who monitored the exercise in Owerri, reported that while some LGAs held a consensus congress, others participated in the election by voting their right choices. At Mmahu which is the headquarters of Ohaji/Egbema LGA, the congress was conducted in a peaceful manner as delegates voted in their choice. Nigerian Tribune reports that two critical stakeholders and staunch members of APC in the state; former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha and one-time governorship aspirant in the state, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, pulled out of the congress. Their supporters also did not participate in the exercise.

Post Date : September 5, 2021

‘We Are Starving Here,’ Nigerians In Dubai Lament Work Permit Restrictions

It’s been a tough period for many Nigerians living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), especially those in Dubai, as they lament the loss of jobs and difficulty in obtaining a work permit. Bisi Kazeem, one of the affected Nigerians, believes authorities in the Middle East country are punishing them for the sins of a few. “As far as I’m concerned, I can only say maybe it is one out of 10, or 10 out of 100 Nigerians that are doing the bad things,” he told Channels Television. “Every other person is facing his/her job.” She continued: “It has not been easy at all. I have been feeding from hand to mouth. Even as I speak, in the next two to three days, the rent here will expire. I don’t even know how I am going to pay the owner.” Reports of a ban on work permits for Nigerians living in the UAE first surfaced over two months ago. Since then, hundreds of legitimate workers have lost their jobs, or have been unable to secure new employment. The effect, for most, has been devastating. “We are starving here,” Azeez Akogun, a technician, said. “We are facing a lot of stress. A lot of people are being frustrated; I am being frustrated. Every day, being at home without any income; so, it’s kind of crazy.” “I never had any issue with my company,” said Olabanji Folorunsho who is still in shock after he was relieved of his security job. “Not a single warning letter from my company.” Officials at the Nigerian Embassy in the UAE say they are doing everything in their power to resolve the issue, but the question the victims are asking is for how long? “I am begging them (UAE authorities) to lift the ban so I can continue my job,” a disturbed Kazeem pleaded. “They should just pity we the innocent ones so that in the nearest future, one will not become a destitute or a nuisance in the land of UAE.” Crime rate is said to have been rising among foreigners in the UAE. Earlier this year, videos surfaced online, showing the aftermath of a violent cultist-related altercation linked to Nigerians – an incident many believe has now led to work restrictions. Similarly, in February, it was reported online that an Indian was robbed of Rs 55,30,806 by four Nigerian women in Dubai. The 33-year-old man was reportedly lured into a fake massage parlour through a dating app. Following an investigation, Dubai Police say three women were arrested in Sharjah – a city also in the UAE – in connection with the crime. Amid concerns raised by law-abiding Nigerians and nationals of other African nations said to have also been affected, the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor and ImpACT International released a joint report on Thursday. The document, titled “They told us that they hated black Africans,” contains alleged widespread state-sponsored violations of human rights on African migrant workers in the UAE. According to the international bodies, the report was compiled based on about 100 interviews with migrant workers from Nigeria, Cameroon, and Uganda, and over 20 of those who spoke confirmed a massive campaign of arrests against African workers in the UAE. The workers said the attacks, carried out on June 24 and 25 allegedly by authorities, were planned, targeted, and racially motivated. At least 800 workers were reportedly taken over the course of two nights, with an unknown number still under detention. Many were said to have been deported despite having valid residence visas and/or work permits. “I was kidnapped on 25 June at 2am on my bed sleeping,” Melachio Carlos, a Cameroonian who worked as a waiter, was quoted as saying in the 54-page report. “They took me and asked about my ID, passport, valid residency permit, and phone. “They stole everything in my room. They beat me and took me half-naked, only with my sleeping clothes, to Al Wathba prison in Abu Dhabi. We arrived there and they put us in prison. They also took our wives, some of them were pregnant.” “They took us to the prison, and when we got there, they did not give sanitary pads for the women who were doing their menstrual cycle,” a Ugandan nanny, Catherine Kuheisa, said. “Blood was running down their legs and when we went to ask for pads, they were just laughing at us.” The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) is responsible for issuing work permits to foreigners willing to work in the country. According to the law of the country – Article 1 of Ministerial Decree No. 766 of 2015, a worker whose employment is terminated due to contract expiration can get a new work permit whenever he/she wishes to join new employment. The law also allows an employee to get a new work permit for all limited and non-limited contracts if it is determined that the employer has failed to meet the legal and contractual obligations, among other conditions. In his reaction, the UAE Ambassador in Nigeria, Dr Fahad Obaid Al Taffaq, stated that the said ban is not official and not from UAE authorities. “From what I believe as an official position from the UAE, the UAE is a very welcoming country. We have no discrimination against any nationality,” Taffaq said in a conversation with the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Post Date : September 5, 2021

Fulanisation agenda of Buhari is real, says Obadiah Mailafia

Forrmer Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadiah Mailafia has said that fulanisation of the country is real, just as he disclosed that there is an ongoing plot by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to foist a Fulani and Islamic agenda on Nigerians. Malaifia who stated this in Akure, during a special session organized by Forum for Good Governance Towards Revival for All Nations (TRANS 21) with the theme “The Role of the Church in Nation Building” alleged the present administration in Nigeria of pushing for the Islamisation and Fulanisation of the country. Malaifia said “The kind of Islam that is coming from Sahara is dangerous. They want to take over your land and enslave you. Christians must rise to protect it. They want to take over your land and enslave you. ‌ “In the North East alone, more than 3000 churches have been destroyed, more than 400 priests and pastors have been killed. Last year, the CAN chairman of Adamawa was beheaded, even after a ransom was paid. We have been told that the so call bandits, who should not be called bandits because bandits do not bring down military aircraft.” “No bandit has the capacity to bring down military aircraft. No bandit has the power to attack Nigeria Defence Academy which is the premier institution for the training of armed forces. No bandit has the capacity to do that, only terrorists have the capacity to do that. “We are being told that this terrorists are part of the insurgency because they did these kidnappings to raise money in order to fund the insurgency.” On the state of the nation, the Development Economist said all indications pointed to the fact that Nigeria is drifting towards a failed state, saying that the country may soon become ungovernable if nothing is done to check the drift as the country under President Buhari. He specifically said the country is moving towards the domination of one ethnic group and religion over the other, while Nigeria has fallen from the grace being the most terrorised nation and the poverty capital of the world after India and Afghanistan. According to him, about two million Nigerians have been killed silently in Nigeria in the last few years with the government unable to tackle the menace of Fulani herdsmen, terrorists and bandits. He said Nigeria parades about 90 million people who are poor with 50 percent of the figure from the North particularly the North-East and West geopolitical zones, noting Borno, Zamfrara and Yobe States accounted for 70 percent of the figure. Mailafia said the situation in the North is getting out of hand with no fewer than 20 million of children out of school, lamenting the official unemployment rate in Nigeria is over 33 percent with youth forming 40 percent of the figure. Melaifia said “Nigeria is now a failed state, unable to perform its statutory roles. Nigeria cannot be described as a nation because the power is not concentrated in the hands of government alone. There are other blocs that now have power of coercion.” “Rival groups control territory. Boko Haram is in control of over half of Niger State and if they successfully take over Niger, Abuja will be a walkover. “Government cannot provide security for the people. Nowhere is safe in the country. The forests have been taken over by foreign invaders. “The economy is collapsing. There is collapse of the institution. Police, Universities’ standards are low. Corruption has taken over in the country. What else do we need to say Nigeria is a failed state?” He said “Nigeria has been designated as a failed state, we may not say it is a failed state but certainly it is surely exhibiting the features of a failed state in term of the kind of violence, the widespread insecurity, terrorism, abuse of humanity, criminality, rape, killing, maiming, destruction, we are a failing state, the solution is nothing than the need to give birth to a new Nigeria. “It is clear that the constitution we have presently is a fraud, it is a fraud because it starts with we the people when infact you and I did not sit anywhere to design this constitution, by this fact alone, it is based on lies and fraud. “In the past, people couldn’t know that because former President Olusegun Obasanjo was a fair minded man and he was dedicated. Umar Masa Yardua (of blessed memory) was also a fair minded man, and because Goodluck Jonathan was a fair minded mind too. “So people could afford to live with fraudulent constitution, but now today we are seeing a fraudulent constitution in the hands of people who have hidden agenda, who hate our country, they have nothing to offer us. “Therefore, on this basis, we must reject the evil we are seeing and we must demand for the re-engineering of our federation for the restructuring of our country so that we can have a new Nigeria anchor on social justice, fair representation for all the nationalities of this country and have a government based on transparency, justice and hope for all Nigerians and anchor on devolution of powers, this is the way forward.”