August 2022 – Page 112

Post Date : August 4, 2022

Taiwan detects guided missiles fired by China, defence ministry says forces on combat readiness

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry has confirmed that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fired “several Tongfeng-class guided missiles” into waters north-east and south-west of the island on Thursday afternoon. A ministry spokesperson said shortly that Taiwan’s armed forces had tracked the firings in real time after they were detected at 1:56 pm (0556 GMT) and had activated related defence systems. The ministry condemned “this irrational action that is undermining regional peace.” The confirmation by the Defence Ministry appeared to be one of the first indications that China had actually commenced “live-fire” air and sea military drills as previously announced by the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command of “joint training drills” in six areas surrounding Taiwan. Chinese manoeuvres around Taiwan went into full swing with widespread firing exercises. The eastern military command of the PLA reported that long-range shells were fired in the Taiwan Strait, which separates Taiwan from the mainland, and east of the island on Thursday. “Precision strikes” were also made in the east for practice, Chinese state television reported. China had ordered the most extensive military exercises in a long time in response to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The visit by the top U.S. politician, who continued her Asia tour in South Korea on Thursday, had further fuelled tensions over Taiwan. It was the highest-ranking visit from the U.S. in a quarter of a century. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry has said that the country’s armed forces were on combat readiness, monitoring all six manoeuvre areas around the democratic island republic as well as islands further offshore. According to the ministry, Taiwan is prepared for conflict, but is not seeking it – but will defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ministry complained that China’s military had deliberately chosen the manoeuvre areas in location and scale to violate Taiwan’s status quo and undermine regional peace. The remarks referred to the fact that the six areas partly encroach on Taiwan’s territorial waters, which was not the case in previous exercises. The manoeuvres had already started on Tuesday evening, but were ramped up to full scale on Thursday.

Post Date : August 4, 2022

17-yr-old commits suicide over SS 1 exam in Kwara

The police in Kwara said a 17-year-old student of Offa Grammar School in Offa Local Government Area committed suicide over his failure to pass his promotion examination from SS1 to SS2. This is contained in a statement issued by the State Police Public Relation Officer, SP Okasanmi Ajayi, in Ilorin. He said the corpse was removed from a tree behind Ariya Garden Hotel, Offa, by a team of policemen from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Offa, at about 15.34hours on Tuesday. He said that the student was asked to repeat the class because he failed the exam. ”The corpse was taken to the Offa General Hospital for autopsy, while an investigation has been launched into the matter,” he said. In another development, the spokesman said an alleged notorious cultist on the wanted list of the anti-cultism team and other members of his gang, on a mission to carry out another gruesome attack on a target yet to be identified, were traced and arrested in a supermarket located in the Unity area of Ilorin on Tuesday. “The Commissioner of Police in Kwara, Tuesday Assayomo, advised parents to monitor their wards and show them love at all times”, he said.

Post Date : August 4, 2022

2023: INEC will scrupulously apply electoral laws without fear, favour – Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will scrupulously apply laws , particularly the Electoral Act, 2022 without fear or favour to ensure free, fair, credible, inclusive and transparent elections in 2023. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja, at the 4th Memorial Lecture in honour of Late Director-General of The Electoral Institute (TEI), Prof. Abubakar Momoh, who who died on May 29, 2017. Yakubu was represented by Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, National Commissioner and Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute. Yakubu assured Nigerians that INEC has no preferred party or candidate, but shall only ensure that all valid votes count and the winners are decided solely by the voters. The chairman said that as the 2023 general elections draws near, it was imperative for all stakeholders especially the political parties to note the major features introduced by the new Electoral Act 2022. He also advised party leaders to note the possible implications of these changes on the upcoming elections, saying the happenings that accompanied the recent party primaries attest to this. “These changes include amongst others, the conduct of early party primaries by political parties, technological changes in the electoral process; “The Commission’s power to review the decision of the returning officer and overvoting based on the number of accredited Voters. Yakubu said that those new initiatives served as the bedrock for the reviewed Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022, and the review of the Manual for Election Officials, 2022. He said that the use of electronic devices were now legally allowed in the accreditation process for voters, collation of results and in the general conduct of elections. These according to him includes the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED); INEC Results Viewing Portal (IRev) and other technological devices. “Please be assured that these innovations are intended to deepen the electoral process in our country. “Their optimal performance in the just concluded gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States is an eloquent testimony to their electoral value. “We shall only do more to consolidate their deployment,” Yakubu said. He described the Electoral Act as ingredients for party building, stabilisation of electoral rules and democratic consolidation. He expressed the conviction that party chairmen and members would be committed to ensuring that the 2023 general election would be devoid of deliberate infractions to the 2022 Electoral Act. The INEC chairman said that should be done essentially by allowing the electoral process to run smoothly thereby growing a rich democratic culture and acceptable election outcome. In his remarks, the Director-General of TEI, Dr Sa’ad Idris, said that this year’s memorial lecture and training was held to interact with party executives and discuss the implications arising from the New Act for the 2023 General Elections. Idris said that the theme of the lecture was apt, to train the political parties executives on the various sections of the new Electoral Act and the critical implications embedded in many of its sections. He said that the unfortunate preponderance of many legal cases arising even from the pre-election period up till after the conduct of the elections, had at many times brought a lot of challenges to the electoral process and the country’s political development at large. “It is hoped that with this lecture and training for party executives, due influence can be brought to bear and reduce the swift race to the courts that has characterised our political space in the last 10 years. “For an umpire and stakeholders who are conscious of their responsibilities of ensuring conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections, the Electoral Act has brought on board solutions to many issues that in the past have fuelled endless litigations in our courts,” he said. Idris expressed believe that the lecture would interrogate the relationship between the new Act and the roles of all stakeholders particularly the commission and the 18 political parties and 2023 General Elections. He also expressed hope it would suggest ways of conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections without unnecessary litigations that could be drawbacks to the election. The Guest Speaker, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, former Professor of Law, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti, advised political parties to obey their own rules and others by INEC and the Constitution of Nigeria. “The Supreme Court has decided in several cases that political parties must obey their own constitutions as the court will not allow them to act arbitrarily or as they like.” Akinseye-George, a scholar and renowned legal practitioner, advised Nigerians to change their mindset where people see politics as dirty and reckless game. “Politics is not anarchy; it is not disorderliness; it must be punctuated by justice, fairness and orderliness,” he said. Akinseye-George also advised INEC to monitor political parties and enforce them to comply to its laws including the parties’ finances “Until we put the political parties right on their finances, our elections cannot be right,” he said. The widow of the late D-G, Mrs Tawa Momoh, appreciated INEC for sustaining the lecture after five years of her husband’s death.

Post Date : August 4, 2022

NCAA audits domestic airlines, expresses hope for Dana, Aero resumption

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, yesterday said that it is currently carrying out economic and financial audits of domestic airlines in the country in order to determine their health conditions. This is just as the regulator expresses optimism that Dana Air and Aero Contractors will resume operations after their audit. Captain Musa Nuhu, the Director-General, NCAA who disclosed this in an interview with journalists at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA , Lagos said that the regulatory body was already carrying out audits on three airlines, while the others would be done in batches. Recall Aero Contractors recently voluntarily suspended its operations, while NCAA grounded the services of Dana Air. Only eight domestic airlines are currently operating. They are Air Peace, Arik Air, Max Air, Green Africa, United Nigeria, Overland, Azman Air and Ibom Air. Nuhu, however, lamented the current difficult operating environment for operators, which was further escalated by the scarce of foreign exchange and the skyrocketing price of Jet A1, but said NCAA would not relegate safety to the background. The DG said: “We are currently conducting financial and economic audits of airlines in the country. We have done two or three of the airlines and other airlines would be taken in batches. I will sit down and discuss with the management on the airlines on the way forward.” “Like I said, we have a financial crisis and we don’t want it to cross over into a safety crisis. We need to manage the situation. For now, we remain focused, while working to address the solution to the financial difficulties in the airlines. This cannot go on forever. So, we are working around the clock to find a solution to the problem.” “Yes, it is a very difficult situation, but we are just going to do what we are doing. We are working together and collaborating with others to address the situation in the industry. We, at the NCAA, are trying our best to keep the industry safe. Safety is paramount to us. Anything that affects safety will not be compromised or whatsoever. It is better for the airlines to be shut down than having a major incident or accident.” On the suspension of operations of Dana Air, he said that the audit of the airline was still ongoing, adding that the agency would give the airline a clear chance to resolve whatever issue it is having. According to him, during the financial and economic audit of the airline, the NCAA discovered some “grave concerns” in the operations of the airline that may affect safety. “What we found out was of grave concern to us. Investigations are still ongoing we are still talking to the management of Dana Air,” Captain Nuhu revealed.

Post Date : August 4, 2022

Niger Republic must refund N1.4bn ‘gift’ to settle ASUU — SERAP tells FG

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to demand a refund of the N1.4 billion given to Niger Republic for the purchase of official vehicles. SERAP made the demand on its verified Twitter handle. Finance Minister Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, on Wednesday, confirmed that the Federal Government approved N1.4 billion for the “supply of 10 Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles to the Republic of Niger.” The minister said Nigeria has always been providing such interventions to neighbouring countries including Chad, Cameroon, and many others. Ahmed explained that Buhari reserved the right to take decisions in the interest of the country and its citizens. “Let me just say that over time, Nigeria has had to support its neighbours, especially the immediate neighbours, to enhance their capacity to secure their countries as it relates to us. “This is not the first time that Nigeria has assisted the Niger Republic, Cameroon or Chad. “The President makes an assessment as to what is required based on the request of their Presidents. Such requests are approved and interventions are provided. “It is to enhance their capacity to protect their countries, as it relates to security and also to Nigeria. “Nigerians have the right to ask questions, but also the President has the responsibility to make an assessment of what is in the best interest of the country and I cannot question the decision myself,” she said. However, Nigerians have shown disapproval over the gift, especially in the face of crisis such as the nearly six-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). SERAP Reacting to this, SERAP tweeted, “The Buhari administration must immediately ask Niger Republic authorities to refund the N1.4 billion approved for them to buy vehicles, and use the money to offset the funding for ASUU, so those poor children can go back to school”.

Post Date : August 4, 2022

ASUU: Kaduna Varsity Lecturers Dare El-Rufai, Refuse To Supervise Exams

Academic Staff Union of University ( ASUU) Kaduna State University ( KASU) branch has refused to resume to classes despite threat by Governor Nasir El-Rufai to sack them. The Management of the school had asked students to resume classes for their examination after the governor’s threat. Academic Staff Union of University ( ASUU) Kaduna State University ( KASU) branch has refused to resume to classes despite threat by Governor Nasir El-Rufai to sack them. The Management of the school had asked students to resume classes for their examination after the governor’s threat. On Monday, some of the students were seen in classes writing their examinations under the supervision of the Vice Chancellor and other staff of the institution. Daily Trust gathered that the ASUU members refused to take part in the supervision claiming that the ongoing strike in still on and so they will not take part in the examination. The Union in a ‎resolution issued at the end of it Congress of Kaduna University held on Monday said there were irregularities during the examination. The resolution was signed by the ASUU -KASU branch chairman, Comrade Peter Adamu, and Comrade Usman Abbas, the Secretary. The resolutions read as follows ‎” The Union Should compile all the infractions and irregularities noticed in the conduct of few examinations that took place and forward to National University commission. ” Members of ASUU-KASU did not participate in the conduct of any, examination in the university because of the ongoing strike action and have remained committed, resolute and uncompromising in the struggle. “All forms of violation of the strike action by members are being recorded and disciplinary action in accordance with the constitution of the union will be applied appropriately at the appropriate time,” he said. In his reaction, the Vice Chancellor Professor Abdullahi Ashafa, said as far as the institution was concerned, KASU- ASUU was only in solidarity with the Federal Universities because they were not directly affected by the issues which caused the strike. ” On the basis of this we thought we should be patriotic, our students have been at home for over five months with no any sign that this thing will be resolved. “Just yesterday, the strike was rolled over by four weeks, but we are not affected by the demand of the ASUU with the federal government,” he said.

Post Date : August 4, 2022

US Ratifies Finland, Sweden Accession To NATO

The US Senate ratified the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO Wednesday, strongly backing the expansion of the transatlantic alliance in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Senate voted 95 to 1 in favor of the two Nordic countries’ accession, making the United States the 23rd of the 30 NATO countries to formally endorse it so far, after Italy approved it earlier Wednesday and France on Tuesday. President Joe Biden hailed the Senate’s quick ratification process — the fastest since 1981. “This historic vote sends an important signal of the sustained, bipartisan US commitment to NATO, and to ensuring our Alliance is prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow,” Biden said in a statement. The sole opponent was Republican Josh Hawley, who agreed that the United States should focus on protecting its homeland, but that Washington should concentrate on the challenge from China rather than Europe. One senator, Republican Rand Paul, voted “present” rather than endorsing or opposing the motion. Senate leader Chuck Schumer said it was a signal of Western unity after Moscow launched a war on Ukraine on February 24. “This is important substantively and as a signal to Russia: they cannot intimidate America or Europe,” Schumer said. “Putin has tried to use his war in Ukraine to divide the West. Instead, today’s vote shows our alliance is stronger than ever,” he said. All 30 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization must agree if Finland and Sweden, officially non-aligned but longtime adjunct partners of the alliance, are admitted. According to a NATO list, seven member countries have yet to formally agree to the new double-entry: the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Turkey. Only Turkey has raised a challenge, demanding certain concessions from Finland and Sweden to back their memberships. Ankara has demanded the extradition of dozens of government opponents it labels “terrorists” from both countries in exchange for its support. Turkey said on July 21 that a special committee would meet Finnish and Swedish officials in August to assess if the two nations are complying with its conditions. AFP

Post Date : August 4, 2022

Repatriate dollar earnings to reduce pressure on naira, CBN tells private sector

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has called for the repatriation of foreign exchange (FX) earnings through official channels to ease the pressure on the naira. Egboagwu Ezulu, CBN deputy director, banking services, said this at the maiden stakeholders’ conference of the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB) on Wednesday in Lagos. Ezulu lamented about the dumping of forex offshore by importers. “We are taking FX out of this country and dumping offshore; when we were told to bring them back. If Nigerians are bringing back FX, we would not be talking about the challenges of FX. There is a challenge for individuals and businesses to do the right thing,” Ezulu said. “That is why the CBN introduced the RT200 to encourage you to bring back the dollar you are saying is scarce, but in the books of the banks, we see billions of dollars that have been exported out of the country, and the OPS is not bringing it back, so how do we finance FX demand?” Ezulu told the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to take advantage of the various intervention schemes of the CBN through the Bank of Industry (BOI), Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), and commercial banks to boost their output. He advised them to approach the two organisations for single-digit loans. “When you talk about financing small businesses, the CBN has done a lot of funding to the sector alluding to trillions of naira and has established two entities for this purpose,” the CBN deputy director said. “Has the manufacturing sector approached the entities for the funds available rather than emphasising the commercial banks? “The manufacturing sector should put pressure on the Bank of Industry and Development Bank of Nigeria to source funds, and when we see a lot of pressure from those two entities, the CBN instead of going through commercial banks would push those funds to those two entities rather than going to the commercial banks who would give double-digit loans. “I want to appeal that industrialists, as well as small businesses, should approach those two entities to get funding.” On his part, Rasheed Bolarinwa, ACAMD president, said the banking sector and the OPS were the main drivers of the nation’s economy. He, however, explained that mutual misunderstanding exists between the two sectors, and all efforts to streamline the perceived gap have not been successful. “One galvanises the credit from the surplus side and redistributes to the deficit size. The other operates principally from the productive side, creating wealth and values. Thus, the two sectors are like two sides of a coin,” he said. “They are co-joined and must function together in an economic sense. So, there is nexus; a link between the two at all time if any economy is to develop and grow.” On Wednesday, the local currency exchanged for N429/$ at the official side of the market. At the black market, it closed at N660/$ as many believe the market is the true reflection of the currency.

Post Date : August 4, 2022

Police Officer accused of paedophile in Benue after allegedly defiling mentally unstable girl

A Police officer, John Agbo has allegedly raped a mentally unstable girl (Name Withheld) in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State. The suspect was said to have taken the girl 14 years old to custody on the 11th of July 2022 without the knowledge of the family or any other person from about 10am till about 3pm. The incident was confirmed by a humanitarian in the Benue State Ukan Kurugh, he stated the accused during the time had repeatedly had carnal knowledge of the Girl after which he used a razor blade to shave her pubic hair. The officer also was said to have made an attempt to pay monetary compensation with the help of the DPO and IPO after confessing to having raped the teenage girl. The matter which he said has been reported to the DPO of Uglegi Police station has since not gotten adequate attention according to him. In an attempt to contact the PPRO Benue State Command Sewuese Anene on phone to comment on the incident all failed as her lines were not Connecting.

Post Date : August 4, 2022

Mompha accuses EFCC of blackmail, intimidation

Social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, known as Mompha, has reacted to being declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as he accused the agency of blackmail and intimidation. The PUNCH had reported on June 30 2022 that Mompha’s absence stalled his alleged N6 billion money laundering trial before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Ikeja Special Offences Court. Then in a notice on Wednesday signed by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwajaren, the embattled social media celebrity was declared wanted for criminal offence. Reacting to the notice in lengthy Instagram posts on Thursday, Mompha noted that EFCC, via its lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, used his absence to blackmail him. In the statement titled, ‘Mompha Wanted By The EFCC’ – The Truth Story’, Mompha detailed the history of his arrest and arraignment by the EFCC. Mompha said, “After my arrest and arraignment on the first case at the Federal High Court Lagos, on the 10th of December 2021, the court gave me judgment and ordered EFCC to release my wrist watches and other valuables in their custody to me for having been unlawfully seized. “Being a bitter agency, the EFCC in dissatisfaction with the judgment of the court on the release of my wristwatches came up with other trumped up charges against me. “On the 10th of January 2022, while I was at there office at Okotie Eboh to retrieve my wristwatches in compliance with the judgment of the court and immediately after collecting my wristwatches, they held me down at their office and charged me to court the following day on the frivolous charges. “I was arraigned before a familiar judge to the EFCC and in effect,I was given a very difficult bail to meet as a result of which I ended up spending over two months in prison custody while making efforts to meet the difficult bail. “After several attempts to meet the bail conditions failed, I successfully applied for the bail conditions to be reduced which eventually led to my release. “Upon my release, I traveled outside Nigeria to check on the welfare and wellbeing of my family and returned to Nigeria shortly only for the EFCC Corrupt lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, rather than focus on the establishing his criminal case against me along with the EFCC operative Kaina Garba, chose to capitalize on the fact that I travelled to blackmail me into entering plea bargain with EFCC else he would inform the Judge I travelled and ensure my bail is revoked therefore making me have no choice than to dance to his tune. “I initially refused but after so much blackmail and intimidation by Rotimi Oyedepo, I succumbed and was told to pay N142 million naira to EFCC as compensation and also sign for a one year imprisonment sentence which I was uncomfortable with and they thereafter reduced it to N40 million naira and one year imprisonment. “When it became obvious to EFCC that I wasn’t going to sign the plea bargain and play to their game, they informed the Judge I travelled, without any concrete evidence and disregard.” Speaking on being declared wanted, Mompha added, “Finally it was obvious entering the plea bargain with the EFCC, which they wanted to force me into at all cost, means I would be convicted for a crime I did not commit and therefore become an ex convict. “And this is what EFCC set out to achieve with me to enable them generate more social media publicity hence the desperation in falsely declaring me wanted and misleading the public. “I want the general public to know I am not wanted by the EFCC but rather the court issued bench warrant for my production in court on the next court sitting. “I didn’t steal from anyone or involved in any money laundering. I still don’t know why EFCC are so jobless that they want to tarnish my image. last last na international court go settle this matter.”