President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted a supplementary budget for consideration and approval by the National Assembly. Buhari’s letter was read on the floor by Senate President Ahmad Lawan. Buhari said while N106billion provided in the Supplementary Bill would be used as capital expenditure, N43.87billion would be spent on recurrent expenditures. Details Shortly
Suspended Deputy Commissioner of police, Abba Kyari has been taken into custody by the police. This is coming hours after he (Kyari) was declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over alleged drug links. He is under detention at the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Bureau in Area 10 of Garki District in Abuja, the Nation’s capital. It will be recalled that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, declared Abba Kyari wanted for alleged involvement in drug-related offences. According to The PUNCH, he was arrested alongside four others on Monday. A senior police officer at the Force headquarters told the Newspaper that Kyari was handcuffed and arrested like any other suspect. “He has been arrested. He was handcuffed and will be handed over to the appropriate agency. He was not given any preferential treatment,” the police officer said. When contacted, the spokesperson for the Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, also confirmed Kyari’s arrest. He, however, did not give details, saying that a press release would be issued soon. When asked to confirm Kyari’s arrest, Adejobi replied, “Yes and four others. A statement will be issued soon.” NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, had at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, chronicled how Kyari belonged to a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline. The anti-drug agency said Kyari contacted one of its officers in Abuja and struck a deal to secure the release of a total of 25kg seized cocaine. Babafemi said, “After the Agency gave the officer the green light to play along, he and Kyari began a WhatsApp call for the rest of the day. The officer conveyed “their” willingness to play the game.” “He (Kyari) brought with him the money from the sale of the 5kg share of the NDLEA team, a total of $61, 400. Our officer, however, preferred to take the money inside his car. Well, the car was wired with sound and video recorders. And the moment was documented, part of which I will play for you at the end of this briefing. “We have a trove of intelligence, hard facts, from chats to photos and video and a detailed transcript of the communication between him and the NDLEA officer,” NDLEA spokesperson said. The suspended DCP is also under investigation after the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America indicted him in the case of fraud involving Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi. Abba Kyari Moved To NDLEA custody Abba Kyari, the suspended deputy commissioner of police (DCP), has been transferred to the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had earlier announced the arrest of Kyari over his alleged links to drug cartels. NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement confirmed that the police handed Kyari over. Others are ACP Sunday J. Ubua; ASP Bawa James; Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu. They were driven into the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja at about 5pm on Monday for interrogation and further investigation. The agency vowed that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that suspects in custody and those that may still be name face the full weight of the law. How Abba Kyari Proposed Sale Of 25kg Cocaine, Offered $61,400 To NDLEA Officers A full briefing by the the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has revealed how suspended police officer DCP Abba Kyari, proposed to sell about 25kg of cocaine and offered undercover NDLEA officers the sum of $61,400. Before his suspension over links with convicted fraudster Hushpuppi, Mr Kyari was the Commander of tbe Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force. Spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi in a briefing on Monday revealed that the embattled cop is a member of a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline, an accusation to which he needs to answer questions. According to Babafemi, Kyari had initiated a call to one of its officers on Friday, January 21, 2022. “When the officer returned the call two minutes later, Kyari informed him he was coming to see him, to discuss an operational matter after the Juma’at service,” Mr Babafemi explained. “He appeared at the agreed venue of the meeting with the officer and went straight to the crux of the matter. This was it: His team had intercepted and arrested some traffickers that came into the country from Ethiopia with, according to him, 25kg of cocaine. He proposed a drug deal whereby he and his team are to take 15kg of the cocaine and leave 10kg for the prosecution of the suspects arrested with the illicit drug in Enugu. In the meantime, the purloined cocaine will be replaced with a dummy worth 15kg. He asked the NDLEA officer to persuade men of the FCT Command, to play along as well. “By 11: 05 am on Monday, January 24, after the Agency gave the officer the green light to play along, he and Kyari began a WhatsApp call for the rest of the day. The officer conveyed “their” willingness to play the game. “At this point, Kyari disclosed that the 15kg (already taken out) was shared between the informants that provided information for the seizure and himself and his men of the IRT of the Nigerian Police. According to him, the informants were given 7kg while his team took 8kg which was already sold. “He then offered to pay the NDLEA team (that is the officer and the FCT commander) by selling, on their behalf, half of the remaining 10kg, thereby further reducing the original cocaine for the prosecution to just 5kg. At N7m per kilogram, the proceed from the 5kg would amount to N35m, at the exchange rate of N570 per dollar being the black market rate for the day, January 24, 2022. In effect, he would be delivering $61, 400 to the NDLEA team. He put pressure on our officer to wrap up the arrangement with the commander of the
THE Federal Government has described the strike action embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as unwarranted as no notice of strike was received from the leadership of the Union either verbally or in writing to that effect. But the National Association of Nigerian Students has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack the Miniter of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu and Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige for failing to resolve the impasse between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and Federal Government to allow for industrial peace in public universities. The lecturers declared a one-month nationwide warning strike on Monday over the failure of the Federal Government to implement agreements reached with ASUU. President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke announced the strike action at a news conference in Lagos. The strike is coming barely one year and one month after the protracted strike that lasted for nine months was suspended by ASUU, with the students arguing that no compensation was made to students for rent paid without occupation, death of students and loss of a full academic calendar among other brunt born by the students during the period of the strike. Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, while reacting to the development said he was not informed by the ASUU that they were going on strike. Adamu spoke through the Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Mr Ben. Bem Goong. The Minister said the Federal Government has been implementing the agreements reached with the Union. National President of NANS, Comrade Sunday Asefon, who led scores of students to protest against the strike action by ASUU on Monday in Abuja, said President Buhari should remove Adamu and Ngige, he noted have done nothing to end the incessant strikes in the nation’s tertiary institutions. The protesters temporarily blocked the entrance gate to Phase I, Federal Secretariat Complex, housing the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment among others until the intervention of a Police Officer, Abdullahi A.H, who tried to pacify the students with the promise to arrange a meeting for them with the Minister. Asefon, vowed that students from all over the country would relocate to Abuja to occupy the Federal Ministry of Education and Labour to prevent the two ministers from gaining access to their offices as long the public universities are shut. He said a similar directive has been given to students to ensure that all offices of the Academic Staff Union of Universities are also locked by the students, saying the lecturers also have their own share of the blame. A statement signed by the NANS National Vice President (Special Duties), Odiahi Thomas Ikhine, and made available to newsmen during the protest read: “The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) has over the years displayed a high level of disregard for students and it’s leadership. ‘The Union has continually seen students as objects for selfish negotiation, blackmail etc. In the classroom, her members are monsters known for oppressing and extorting innocent students, and when her members are disciplined for such erring behaviour by constituted authorities, they react by looking for something to pick on to blackmail and subdue the authority concerned all of which they always have their way. “It is now crystal clear that ASUU as a union is made up of selfish individuals. They have bastardized a lot of future, frustrated many and continually see our girls as sex slaves. “The Federal Government has equally done less in the area of educational funding as they have in all ramification failed Nigeria students in her entirety. “Our call is that ASUU as a union should look for alternative ways of sorting things out with their employer and stop seeing students as objects of blackmail or a tool for negotiation. “On the above note, NANS is calling on ASUU and the Federal Government to urgently look for a way to sort out whatever issue they may have as Nigerian students and her future will no longer be used as an object of negotiation or settlement of a dispute. “ASUU should know that their action is not in the interest of students or the educational sector and so we shall as the organization saddled with the responsibility of defending the rights and privileges of students do everything possible to ensure that students are not again pushed back home unjustly. All union Presidents, joint Campus Committees, Zonal structures of NANS are by this notice mandated to begin to mobilize Nigeria students to barricade all major highways in the country as well as prepare to occupy all academic Staff quarters all over the country within 48 hours starting from today Monday the 14 February 2022. “We urge all students not to vacate the school halls of residents as well as remain calm as a further directive will be given by the National Executive council of NANS.”
Chief Judge of Zamfara State, Justice Kulu Aliyu, has inaugurated a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations levelled against the state Deputy Governor, Alh Mahdi Aliyu Gusau. Inaugurating the panel on Monday, Justice Kulu disclosed that their inauguration followed a letter she received from the speaker advising her to constitute a panel to investigate the deputy governor. According to her, section188 (5) gave her the mandate as chief judge of the state to appoint a panel of seven persons to investigate the allegations. “The constitutional provisions are very clear. The use of the word ‘shall’ in section 188 (5) imposes a duty on the chief judge of Zamfara State to appoint a panel of seven persons. “The speaker told me to appoint a panel of seven persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative house or political party to investigate the allegation in this section. “The panel must consist of people of proven integrity and I found you worthy of the job. “I have therefore after careful consideration of your track records as persons of proven integrity appointed you for this arduous task. “I believe that you will discharge your duty without fear or favour, affection or ill-will in accordance with the oath you have just taken. “I urge you to remain resolute in your new assignment and discharge your duty with utmost sincerity.” Recall that the State House of Assembly had passed a resolution, requesting the state chief judge to constitute a panel to investigate all the allegations levelled against the deputy governor.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors on Monday said President Muhammadu Buhari is unwilling to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Following the refusal of the president to sign the document over the mode of primaries, the National Assembly had on January 31 transmitted the reworked bill to the president for assent. The presidency had on February 10 said President Buhari is desirous to assent to the bill and is still consulting with critical stakeholders on whether to sign the electoral act amendment bill or not. Buh the PDP governors in a communique issued after their meeting which was held in Bayelsa State asked Buhari to sign the document. “The PDP Governors urged Mr President to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law,” the communique signed by the 11 governors read. “Waiting to run out the 30 days is yet another sign of unwillingness by Mr President to give Nigeria a reformed Electoral framework. If there are still misgivings on any aspect of the Bill Amendments may be introduced at a later stage.” They also reacted to the just concluded polls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), congratulating their party for the victory recorded in 43 out of 62 Councillorship positions in Abuja. In spite of improvements in the conduct of elections, the governors noted that Gwagwalada and Abuja Area Council results show that manipulations are still possible. They, therefore, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to tighten all observed loopholes and further improve on the functioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) machine for future elections. COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE PDP GOVERNORS’ FORUM AT THE END OF THEIR MEETING IN YENAGOA BAYELSA STATE The PDP Governors’ Forum held its regular meeting on Monday, 14th February 2022, at the Bayelsa State Government House, Yenagoa. The meeting reviewed once again the state of the nation, the readiness of the PDP to rescue the nation from APC misrule and issued the following Communique: The PDP Governors urged Mr. President to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law. Waiting to run out the 30 days is yet another sign of unwillingness by Mr. President to give Nigeria a reformed Electoral framework. If there are still misgivings on any aspect of the Bill Amendments may be introduced at a later stage. The Governors congratulated PDP for winning 43 out of 62 Councillorship positions in the Abuja Area Council election results, just concluded. Inspite of improvements in the conduct of elections, the Gwagwalada and Abuja Area Council results show that manipulations are still possible. They urged INEC to tighten all observed loopholes and further improve the functioning of the BIVAS Machine for future elections. The Governors expressed their displeasure on the issue of contaminated Fuel supplied to Nigerians and urged the government to bring perpetrators to account. The Governors frowned at the duplicity, inconsistency, insincerity of the APC-led Federal Government on the fuel subsidy regime, which has been badly and corruptly administered. The figures of consumption and ascribed to Nigerians appear fictitious and bloated. They called for a proper investigation to be conducted on this matter. The Forum welcomed the Court decision on Police Trust Fund deductions from the Federation Account, a suit at the instance of Rivers State and urged the Federal Government to stop similar unconstitutional deductions from the Federation Account. In the same vein, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission should expedite action on the new Revenue Allocation formula in such a way as to increase allocation to States and Local Government. The Forum once again deplored the way and manner the CBN is being run as an alternate government, indeed, a government within a Government. It is time to streamline its functions and processes to be constitutionally compliant. The Forum once again decried the opaque nature of NNPC operations. They called for accountability and reconciliation of NNPC remittances into the federation account. As the National Assembly winds down this current phase of the Constitution Review exercise, the Forum urged that they revisit the issue of devolution of more powers to the States and Local Governments. This opportunity to rejig the framework for policing and securing Nigeria should not be missed. To this end, the Forum would set up a Panel of Consultants to have a thorough look at the security architecture of Nigeria and make recommendations. The Governors also urged the National Assembly to transfer some items from the Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent List. The PDP Governors congratulated His Excellency, Governor Douye Diri on his second anniversary in office as he has made a positive difference for the people of Bayelsa State. They thanked him for being such a gracious and wonderful host. In attendance are: Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu – Abia State – Vice-Chairman Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri -Adamawa State -Member Gov. Udom Emmanuel – Akwa Ibom State – Member Gov. Bala Mohammed -Bauchi State – Member Gov. Sen. Douye Diri – Bayelsa State – Member Gov. Samuel Ortom -Benue State -Member Gov. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa – Delta State – Member Gov. Godwin Obaseki – Edo State -Member Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Enugu State – Member Gov. Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde – Oyo State – Member Gov. Nyesom Wike, CON – Rivers State – Member
Thousands of university staff in the United Kingdom have embarked on strike to demand better working conditions. According to BBC, the industrial action is due to issues bordering on poor pay, pension scheme, and other concerns about the varsity system. The media outlet said in terms of salary, the University and College Union (UCU), the body representing varsity staff across the UK, is demanding a £2,500 pay increase for members. Other demands also include an end to “pay injustice” and zero-hours contracts as well as action to tackle “unmanageable workloads”. On pension, it is understood that the union and the UK government had been in a lingering face-off for over a decade. The latest twist over the issue was said to have been triggered by concerns on the valuation of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), the pension scheme used for academic staff in varsities. The UCU had argued that the valuation of the scheme was “flawed” since it took effect at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic “when global markets were crashing”. The union also said sustaining the new arrangement would take a toll on its members’ guaranteed retirement income by 35%. It is understood that the industrial action will hold for 10 days and spread across three weeks. The first week of the strike — which would address pension-related issues — is billed to hold in 44 varsities across the UK between February 14 to 18. This would be followed by a two-day march scheduled for February 21 and 22 across 68 institutions over pensions, pay, and working conditions. In the third week, about 63 institutions will embark on a three-day strike from February 28 to March 2. The last day of the industrial action is expected to hold simultaneously with a strike also declared by some students across the UK’s most-populated institutions such as the Open University, University College London, and the University of Manchester. The development has continued to elicit concerns over possible disruption in the UK’s education system still trying to recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The UCU estimated that more than a million students may be affected by the latest round of strikes. But Raj Jethwa, chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), said such disruption has so far been at “low levels.” The industrial action in the UK comes at about the same time when the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Nigeria also declared a one-month nationwide strike over the federal government’s failure to meet its demands.
Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, says the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) approached the court on executive order 10 to prevent arbitrary removal of state funds. On May 22, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the order, granting financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary in the 36 states of the federation. Days after signing the order, Buhari suspended its implementation following reservations expressed by governors. The order empowers the accountant-general of the federation to deduct funds for the state legislature and the judiciary from the federation allocation to the states. On February 11, 2022, the supreme court nullified the executive order 10 following a suit filed by the 36 states through their attorneys-general, contending the constitutionality of the order. Speaking on the development in an interview with Channels Television on Monday, Fayemi said governors are still committed to financial autonomy for state judiciary and legislature despite the supreme court verdict. The Ekiti governor, who doubles as the chairman of the NGF, said the forum remains committed to its position on the agreement reached with representatives of the judiciary and legislative workers in 2021 on financial autonomy. “Let me state upfront that governors are committed to the agreement we reached with the representatives of the legislature and the judiciary, in the presence of the honourable minister of labour and employment, that the memorandum of understanding we reached is sacrosanct,” Fayemi said. “We are not changing our position on that. Virtually, all state governments have incorporated this in the 2022 budget. “Autonomy is on course. There is no running away from that in principle position that the NGF and my other governors have taken in all the states. “However, we were after a principle — this is a democracy that is founded on the rule of law and on extant position of the constitution. “The constitution has already stipulated clearly how the notion of judicial and legislative autonomy should be addressed. “We felt that Mr President was misadvised by his officials who asked him to go for executive order 10. “We said as much to Mr President and he was gracious enough to ask that our position be considered when he asked the chief of staff to set up a meeting between myself, my vice-chairman, as well as the honourable attorney-general of the federation and federal minister of finance. “At that meeting, we stated this position that we were only going to court to ensure that this does not become a precedent in which the federal government can go into the federation account and remove funds belonging to the state in an arbitrary manner. “That is the principle we are after. We are not after stopping our commitment to judicial autonomy and our discussion and agreement with the conference of speakers and the national judicial council.”
The United States said Monday it is relocating its embassy in Kyiv to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, citing a “dramatic acceleration” in the buildup of Russian forces at the country’s border. “We are in the process of temporarily relocating our Embassy operations in Ukraine from our Embassy in Kyiv to Lviv due to the dramatic acceleration in the buildup of Russian forces,” Blinken said in a statement. “The embassy will remain engaged with the Ukrainian government, coordinating diplomatic engagement in Ukraine,” he said. “We are also continuing our intensive diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis,” he said. Blinken “strongly urged” any remaining US citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately. Staffing at the US embassy in Kyiv had already been drastically reduced after the US ordered the departure of most diplomats and halted consular services. A small consular presence had already been put in place in Lviv, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) from the Polish border. At the US embassy in Kyiv, a Ukrainian security official outside the gate told AFP that all Americans had left. Lights could be seen on the ground floor, but the embassy in suburban Kyiv was not flying the flag. The United States has warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be imminent, with the West accusing Russia of having massed more than 100,000 soldiers near its borders with Ukraine. AFP
The proprietor of Nobel Kids Academy and North West Preparatory School, Kwanar Dakata, Nasarawa Local Government Area, Kano State, Abdulmalik Tanko in connection with alleged murdering of Hanifa Abubakar has on Monday made u-turn as he denied killing his own pupil, little Hanifa, five years old. The prime suspect, Tanko, alongside his accomplice, Hashim Isyaku and Fatima Bashir were arraigned before the Kano State High court on five count charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, confinement and culpable homicide contrary to section 97, 274, 277, 221 of the penal code. Tanko according to the police had earlier confessed to poisoning the little Hanifa with N100 rat poison when he realised that she had recognised him. The First Lady, Aisha Buhari had joined the call for the public execution of the school proprietor for his action. When the matter came up before the court presided over by Justice Usman Na’abba, the defendants pleaded guilty to the first count charge bordering on conspiracy and denied the remaining four-count charges. The defence counsel led by Bar. Mukhtar Usman Kabo (Legal Aid Counsel) however prayed the court to grant its prayers to prepare its lawyers for a speedy trial. The prosecution Counsel, led by the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Musa Lawan asked the court to allow them to present their evidence at the next hearing. The Judge, Justice Na’abba however adjourned the case till 2nd and 3rd March, 2022 for hearing and ordered the defendants to be remanded in custody.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of 20 landed properties valued at over N3.07 billion belonging to a top military officer to the Federal Government. This followed an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) via its counsels, Cosmos Ugwu and Musa Isah. In a statement issued on Monday by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, the properties were controlled through proxies, including late General Aminu Maude and companies such as Atlasfield Integrated Services Nigeria Limited, Marhaba Events Place, Aflac Plastics, and Atlasfield Gas Plant Limited. In the absence of any objection, Justice Nkeonye Maha ordered the final forfeiture of the properties. The forfeited properties are located in different parts of Kano, Katsina, Calabar and Kaduna. They included fuel stations, event centers, plazas, block industries, a truck assembly plant, a polythene production factory, and a table water factory. EFCC listed the affected properties as an undeveloped plot located at Rake, Adjacent to Dara Orthopedic Hospital, Kano valued at N300 million; 117 hectares of land located at Adiabo, Oduapani LG covered by Certificated of Occupancy No. OD/23/2011 dated 21/2/ 2011 in Calabar, Cross River State, valued at N386 million; truck assembly plant at Ring Road, adjacent to AA Affa Filling Station, Kano, valued at N206 million and Marhaba Event Centre, Guda Abdulahi Road Farm Centre, Kano valued at N250 million. In May 2020, the court had ordered the interim forfeiture of the properties following an ex parte application by the commission, alleging that the assets were proceeds of unlawful activities. The court, having considered the application vis-a-vis Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, more particularly sub-sections 1 and 3 thereof, granted the prayers of the Commission for interim forfeiture and directed the publication of notices, alerting anyone with interest in the properties to show cause why they should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
