February 2022 – Page 39

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Abba Kyari: IPOB wants me to go down at all means

The embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has claimed that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) are behind his travails. Kyari made this claim when he appeared before a probe panel led by Joseph Egbunike, a Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, according to a report obtained by Daily Trust. In a report submitted by the panel to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, which was in turn forwarded to the Police Service Commission (PSC), Kyari said the outlawed IPOB and its armed wing were after him due to the onslaught launched against them in the South East. Kyari, who did not deny violating social media rules of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), was berated by the panel for the fact that the officer had been warned against the same practice previously. “It is a campaign to smear his reputation by members of IPOB/ESN who vowed to destroy him, due to his onslaught against them in the South East,” the embattled ‘super cop’ was quoted to have said in the report. But the panel, which faulted his claim, saying it is watery, ordered his demotion from the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police to Assistant Commissioner of Police. Efforts to reach the Police Service Commission to find out whether it jettisoned the report on Kyari proved abortive. Several calls made across to the mobile phone of the commission’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, were unanswered. He also did he respond to a text message sent to him. Similarly, the acting spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi, did not answer calls nor responded to text messages when Daily Trust sought clarifications on the allegations that the force wants to protect Kyari. Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police and members of the Force Management Team, on Wednesday visited the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, in his office at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Abuja. The reason for his visit, according to a senior officer, was not unconnected with Kyari’s case but the Force in a statement said the visit was aimed at solidifying the synergy between the Police and the Judiciary as key players in the Criminal Justice System of the nation with a view to ensuring a smooth and efficient dispensation of justice.

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Nigeria embassy visits German city to issue passports to Nigerians

The Nigerian embassy in Germany, on Wednesday, visited Cologne, a city in Germany, to conduct a passport intervention exercise. The Nigerian embassy is situated in Berlin, the capital of the country. According to Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany, the decision to issue passports in Cologne was an intervention to save applicants the trouble of travelling to Berlin and Frankfurt to renew their passports. The ambassador said the embassy also hopes to visit other cities to conduct a similar exercise. “Today the Embassy of Nigeria Germany was in Cologne issuing passports to Nigerians,” Tuggar said in a Twitter post. “It’s an intervention, first of its kind, to save applicants the trouble of travelling to Berlin and Frankfurt to renew their passports. We hope to visit other cities and plead for your cooperation.” The Nigerian embassy in Germany, on Wednesday, visited Cologne, a city in Germany, to conduct a passport intervention exercise. The Nigerian embassy is situated in Berlin, the capital of the country. According to Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany, the decision to issue passports in Cologne was an intervention to save applicants the trouble of travelling to Berlin and Frankfurt to renew their passports. The ambassador said the embassy also hopes to visit other cities to conduct a similar exercise. “Today the Embassy of Nigeria Germany was in Cologne issuing passports to Nigerians,” Tuggar said in a Twitter post. “It’s an intervention, first of its kind, to save applicants the trouble of travelling to Berlin and Frankfurt to renew their passports. We hope to visit other cities and plead for your cooperation.” Last year, Nigerians had complained of inability to get passports from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) due to a scarcity of passport booklets in issuing centres within and outside the country. TheCable had reported how contractors in charge of the passport booklets were not able to source for forex from official sources and had to resort to the parallel market. As a result of the scarcity, the house of representatives gave the NIS 72 hours to clear the backlog of applications for passport booklets. Subsequently, the NIS suspended the request for passports until June 2021 in order to clear the backlogs. However, in January 2022, the NIS said the delay in passport processing will be over by March. Isa Idris, acting comptroller-general of NIS, also said the enhanced e-passport service is part of the efforts put in place to address the situation. Meanwhile, in February 2022, the Nigerian embassy in Germany had announced a disabling of the passport appointment system and asked applicants to schedule appointments via email.

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Man dies during sex with prostitute in Delta

A young man has reportedly died during rounds of sex with a prostitute in Jesse, Idjere Kingdom, Ethiope West Council of Delta State. The Guardian learnt that the deceased took the commercial sex worker to one of his friend’s house where they met and died after a sexual binge. Sources said the commercial sex worker rushed the deceased to Sawbrade Hospital in Jesse, near Otortor House, abandoned him in the hospital, after she took his ATM Card, mobile phone and absconded. However, nobody including the friend whose house was used as a Brothel could identify the lady. The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Edafe Bright, could not be reached for confirmation, as his phone was not going through when contacted.

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Ngige Chides NANS Over ASUU Strike Protest

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Wednesday, berated the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) for staging a protest in his ministry over a strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Ngige described as “inflammatory and misguided”, the comment credited to the student’s body, which threatened to mobilise students to disrupt the activities of the ministry. The students’ body led by its president, Sunday Asefon, had on Monday demonstrated against a pronouncement made by ASUU leaders that they would embark on a one-month strike to press home their demands from the Federal Government. But Ngige, while reacting to the demonstration in a statement issued by the ministry’s spokesman, Charles Akpan, said the students lack enough information about his commitment to return stability and excellence back to the universities. The statement partly read, “Indeed his (Ngige) untiring efforts to enthrone a peaceful national industrial milieu, it is imperative we make salient clarifications on the misinformation and misrepresentation on what has become an unending ritual of strike by ASUU vis a vis the ongoing action. “The reason is to carry along, all genuinely concerned Nigerian students and parents on the commitment of the Buhari administration to resolve age-long challenges besetting the university system as well as apprise them of the steps being taken by the Minister of Labour and Employment in discharging his responsibilities.” The minister argued that his ministry is not the employer of members of academic staff in any tertiary institution, saying it only serves as the conciliator of disputes between workers and their employers in various ministries. He said, “First is to note that university lecturers who operate under a union of workers, the ASUU affiliated to the NLC are employees of the universities being overseen on behalf of the Federal Government by the National Universities Commission, a parastatal under the Ministry of Education. “The Federal Ministry of Education being in charge of everything education is hence the employers of all workers in the education sector including the academic and non-academic staff of federal universities. The Ministry of Labour for clarity, is the conciliator of disputes between workers and their employers in various ministries, in this case, ASUU and the Ministry of Education. He further stated, “It is thus completely false that the Minister of Labour and Employment hasn’t paid attention to monitoring the implementation of the December 2020 ASUU/ FG Memorandum of Action. “Apart from the Federal Ministry of Education, other ministries, departments and agencies involved in the agreement include the National Universities Commission, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget & National Planning, Budget office of the Federation, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). “Though not assigned to it in the MOA, the Minister of Labour and Employment has been monitoring the implementation of the MOA to ensure compliance.” Ngige also criticised ASUU for not notifying the ministry before it declared a strike, saying the Ministry never received any official communication from the union on any impending strike as required by Labour Laws. He added, “Further enquiries at the Ministry’s Labour Desk in the Federal Ministry of Education in case ASUU chose to drop the notice there also revealed none. Ask the reason ASUU is in regular breach of this laid down procedure for embarking on strike.”

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Teacher remanded for assaulting two-year-old girl in Lagos

two-year-old girl, Cherish Ohamadike, at school. The Guardian had reported on Monday, February 14, 2022 that the little girl was flogged 24-strokes of cane and left with bruises for her inability to pronounce letters S and I on Monday February 7, 2022 at Unic Vilos Montessori School, Maza Maza, Lagos. The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), claimed it was informed of the alleged abuse on February 11, 2022. It said the arrest followed investigation conducted by the joint team comprising the office of Education Quality Assurance, Department of School Social Work of the Ministry of Youth and Social Development and Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency. It stated that the teacher failed to express remorse but rather boastfully stated that she would continue to physically assault the child. The teacher revealed she beat the toddler because the child was distracting the class. DSVA said that as a result of the physical abuse, the toddler was referred to Amuwo Odofin General Hospital on Saturday February 12, 2022 and the case was reported at the Family Support Unit of Festac Police Station on Monday, February 14, 2022. The offending teacher was arraigned before Ajegunle Magistrate Court, Sikiru Adagun Court House, on February 15, 2022. “In view of this, we reiterate the State Government’s zero tolerance to all forms of child abuse whilst reassuring all Lagos state residents of the commitment of governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration in upholding the tenets of the safeguarding and Child Protection Executive Order,” said DSVA. When The Guardian contacted the agency, it claimed it can’t disclose any information about the teacher. A lady, who simply identified herself as Suzan, said: “I am sorry, we can’t disclose anything, we can’t tell you where she was remanded.”

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Reps Pass S*xual Harassment Prohibition Bill

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, passed through Third Reading the bill which seeks to prohibit sexual harassment of students in Nigeria. The Senate bill which was transmitted to the House for concurrence seeks to make comprehensive provisions for the prohibition and punishment of sexual harassment of Students by Educators and other persons in and out of Tertiary Educational Institutions and for related matters. The bill was passed after the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Majority Leader, Hon Alhassan Ado-Doguwa. Also at the plenary, the Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila set up the Conference Committee to harmonize the NIPOST Bill with the Senate. Also at the plenary, the House mandated its Committee on Public Petitions to investigate a petition presented by Hon. Ben Igbakpa on behalf of Mr Richard Oghene who complained about the Minister of Works and Housing, Raji Fashola and some other senior officials of the Ministry bothering on intimidation, threat to his life, abuse of power, as well as an allegation of fraud in the award of fake employment letters in the Ministry. The Committee on Public Petitions is also expected to investigate a petition laid by Hon. Preye Oseke on the wrongful dismissal of a complainant from the Nigerian Army.

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Man, 30, rapes 87-year-old grandmother

The police have arrested a 30-year-old man for allegedly raping an 87-year-old woman in Delhi, the Indian capital. The police said the suspect was a sweeper who lived near the victim’s home in the city of Tilak Nagar area where he had committed the crime. The woman, who is paralyzed, was alone at home on Sunday afternoon when she was attacked and robbed, BBC reported the police as saying. The victim’s family earlier criticised the police for registering only a complaint of theft and not rape but the agency has denied the allegation, the BBC reported. The police said the woman’s family on Sunday had reported only theft and alleged rape in the second complaint on Monday. But a family member told the Indian Express newspaper that the police had allegedly told the victim and her daughter not to pursue the rape case as it would be ‘‘stressful’’ for them. “The police registered a theft case and didn’t even inform us,” the local newspaper said. The Indian national women’s commission said on Monday that the commission had written to the Delhi Police seeking action against the officers who had allegedly not reacted promptly, BBC said. India has recorded more rape and sexual violence since the 2012 gang rape and the murder of a young woman on a bus in Delhi.

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Reps To Probe Nigerian Correctional Service Over Welfare Of Staff, Inmates

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Reformation Services to investigate the state of the Nigerian Correctional Service. The development on Wednesday followed a motion of urgent national importance by the minority leader, Ndudi Elumelu. During plenary, concerns were raised about the “deteriorating” working conditions of staff, as well as the welfare of inmates. The lawmakers also noted that the Arms Unit of the service still parades substandard weapons, despite the N1 billion budget provision in the 2020/2021 budget.

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Efforts on top gear to track invaders of Abia cattle market — Police

The Abia State Police Command has said that efforts were on top gear to track those behind the Tuesday mid-night raid of Omumauzor Cattle Market Ukwa West where about eight persons reportedly lost their lives. Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, Mr Geoffrey Ogbonna told Vanguard in Umuahia that the Commissioner of Police, CP Jenet Agbede had visited the scene of the incident with top officers and other security agencies. He said that those who sustained injuries during the raid had been taken to hospitals where they are now receiving medical treatment. The PPRO who condoled with the family members of the casualties said the remaining traders in the market had been relocated to a place of safety. He said that calm had been restored to the environment and pleaded with members of the public with useful information about those behind the cowardly attack to volunteer same to security agencies. He reassured the preparedness of the police in synergy with other security agencies to ensure the safety of all residents in the state while warning criminal elements to relocate from the state or brace up for hard times.

Post Date : February 17, 2022

Bank loans to private sector rise by N5.1tn, hit N36.7tn – CBN report

Between January and December 2021, the Nigerian banking sector’s credit to the private sector rose by N5.1tn or 16.67 per cent, according to data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria. This was contained in the Money and Credit statistics released by the regulator. The report showed that credit to the private sector stood at N30.6tn during the first month of 2021. The data, however, put credit to the private sector at N35.7tn by December of last year, indicating a N5.1tn increase. A close analysis of the monthly credit value shows a continuous increase throughout the year, except for February when credit to the sector dropped by N100bn. In February, the figure fell to N30.5tn from the N30.6tn recorded in January. However, bank lending to the private sector rose to N31.4tn in March, further to N31.9tn in April, N32.1tn in May, and N32.6tn in June. The climb continued in July as credit to the sector rose to N32.8tn. It increased to N33.4tn in August, N34.39tn in September, N35.3tn in October and N35.7tn in November. On a year-on-year basis, credit to the private sector rose by N5.6tn, from N30.1tn recorded in December 2020 to N35.7tn in December 2021. In June 2019, the central bank introduced a new policy measure, which required Deposit Money Banks to maintain a minimum of 60 per cent Loan to Deposit Ratio. The objective was to grow the economy by making credit available to the real sector of the economy. At the end of the last quarter of that year, the Nigerian banking sector recorded the most credit growth of the real sector of the economy in almost five years, hitting N17.1tn in the fourth quarter of 2019. To further spur growth in the economy, the CBN in October 2019 raised the LDR of banks to 65 per cent, after the September 30 deadline given to the banks to meet the 60 per cent LDR directive. In his personal statement at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting held in November last year, a member of the Committee, Adenikinju Festus, said even non-bank financial institutions contributed significantly to the rise in aggregate credit to the economy. He said, “The report on the Other Financial Institutions showed that they contributed significantly to aggregate consumer credit. Other Financial Institutions granted 22.39m facilities to 9.23 million loan beneficiaries out of which 69.26 thousands were corporate consumers. Overall, OFIs contributed an additional N2.79tn or 10.62 per cent to the banking sector credit in the past one year.” Another member of the MPC, Ahmad Aishah, also said the improvements recorded in the macro economy were propelled by a resilient financial system which channeled significant credit to support growth-enhancing sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, general commerce, as well as individuals and households. She said, ”Total credit increased by N4.1tn (21.12 per cent) between the end of October 2020 and the end of October 2021 , due largely to the increase in the industry funding base and the CBN’s Loans to Deposit Ratio policy, which has encouraged banks to increase lending to the real sector of the economy. This credit to the real sector has been critical for the economic recovery.” In assessing the impact of the LDR policy on the banks, a senior lecturer of Economics at the Pan Atlantic University, Olalekan Aworinde, said, “Also noticeable is that because of the increase in LDR ratio, some banks ventured into other businesses in order to spread their risks,” he said. Aworinde, however, pointed out that the multiplier effect was not visible, because majority of the banks lent at double-digit interest rates. According to him, the structural and cyclical changes in the Nigerian space affect the overall effect of the LDR policy. “The objective has not been totally achieved, because the borrowers do not have substantial collateral securities and this still hampers their access to finance,” he said. He also said the government needed to create an enabling environment for the small and medium-scale businesses to thrive in order to enhance growth.