Enugu is set to join other states to enjoy oil producing status.
This is the outcome of an impactful meeting of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, ( RMAFC), in Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital.
Quoting an inside source, Freedom Square Tv said the netting ratified the request of Enugu to join other states in getting the revenue accrued to oil producing states.
In October 2021, Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi made a passionate appeal to the leadership of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to expedite action on the process to formally designate Enugu State as an oil-producing state in the country.
The governor drew the attention of RMAFC to the fact that “Enugu is about the only state in Nigeria which produces crude oil in commercial quantities without being formally accorded the status of an oil-bearing state”.
An official of the Labour Party (LP) in Kaura axis of Kaduna State has been shot dead by unknown gunmen Monday night.
Mrs Victoria Chintex, who leads women of the LP, was reportedly trailed to her residence and shot dead while her husband, who narrowly escaped, sustained gunshots injuries from the assailants.
While the police spokesman in the state, Mohammad Jalige, was unreachable as at press time, Edward Simon Buju, the publicity secretary of the opposition party confirmed the incident.
Mr Buju while briefing journalists on Tuesday described the deceased as an industrious, hardworking and dedicated woman who died at a time the Party and the country needed her most.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, sentenced the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to three months in prison for flouting a 2011 court order.
The IGP’s committal followed a suit that was filed by a police officer, Patrick Okoli, who was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Nigerian Police Force.
The court also ordered the payment of N10 million to the applicant, being special and general damages for the unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional denial of his (Patrick’s) rights and privileges as a Senior Officer of the Nigeria Police Force from 1993 till date.
The PUNCH reports that the court in a ruling that was delivered by Justice M. O. Olajuwon, held that the police chief should be committed to prison and detained in custody for a period of three months, or until his office obeys an order made by the court since October 21, 2011.
Olajuwon noted that though the Police Service Commission recommended Okoli’s reinstatement into the NPF, a decision that was affirmed by the court, the IGP’s office, refused to comply with the order.
Olajuwon said, “If at the end of the three months, the contemnor remains recalcitrant and still refuses to purge his contempt, he shall be committed for another period and until he purges his contempt.”
The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, told our correspondent on Tuesday that the police would soon respond to the verdict.
The Kaduna State chapter of the All Progressives Congress appears to be heading to golgotha as Sani Mahmoud Sha’aban, a gubernatorial aspirant has officially resigned from the ruling party.
Sani, who is President Muhammadu Buhari’s in-law lost the governorship primary of the APC to Senator Uba Sani. He also lost a legal battle to seize the ticket at the Federal High Court.
In his resignation letter addressed to the APC Chairman in Hanwa Ward, Sabon Gari Local Government, the governorship aspirant accused Governor Nasir El-Rufai-led government of failure to bring dividends of democracy to the citizens in every part of the State.
Bar. Joshua Danladi Ephraim, the Director-General of his Campaign Organization, in the letter dated 28th November, 2022, lamented that the recent activities and events within the APC in Kaduna State, in particular, compelled him to reconsider his membership of the APC.
According to Sha’aban, “Despite all our best efforts, admonitions and best intentions, it is disheartening to note that the APC has become more alienated from the masses, and rather than foster peace, social cohesion and integration in Kaduna State as we envisaged and worked for, the APC in Kaduna State is now seen as synonymous with hardship, division and with total disregard for human lives, communal and family values.”
Furthermore, he noted that rather than work to bring the dividends of democracy closer to the masses, “some few elements in the APC in Kaduna State have hijacked the party structure and turned it into their personal estate to serve their personal greed and avarice, for the benefit of only their families, friends and cronies”, saying that they have no regards whatsoever for the feelings, yearnings and sensibilities of even the many members of the party who supported them, and the general populace of Kaduna State.
As one who strongly believes in God, and in the belief that the commonwealth of the land is for the common benefit of all, the governorship aspirant explained that he has found himself unable in good conscience, to sit back and allow what he called “this reign of impunity” to go on without a voice of dissent.
He said that at various times, he has had cause to express his displeasure with the policies and actions of the APC in Kaduna State to the State leadership, stressing that his stance on good governance, rule of law, social justice and equity “has caused us to be treated with disdain, and to be seen as a Pariah to those who are personally benefiting from the skewed realities presently in the APC.”
Nigerian journalist and presenter, Oseni Rufai, while speaking at the Arise TV morning show, condemned the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for using words like “don’t even mention that party” and “tier-tier umbrella” during presidential rallies.
Rufai stated that it is very wrong to use vulgar and abusive words during rallies. He further stated that it would be better if candidates could just focus on their political ambitions rather than insulting other candidates.
According to him, “I think when people show you who they are, believe them.” And this is a representation of our political class. And these are people that want to run Nigeria, a country that is already on its knees as we speak. a country that is suffering. “It is a sad reminder of the kind of political call that we have.”
I condemn in totality the PDP campaign’s claim that the APC presidential candidate is a comedian. I also condemn in totality what the APC presidential candidate has constantly done, namely, abuse his political adversaries. words like they would labor in vain. Words like “don’t even mention that name” words like “tier-tier umbrella.” “Words like that are not good.”
We drove through the very deadly Udi-4 corner road in Enugu State, on Sunday, 27th November, 2022. I prepared to leave leave Awka for Enugu in my car, but after church, I changed my mind.
The social media has been awash with videos of happening on that road, and many people have been said to have been kidnapped and shepherded into the bushes, and ransom paid in millions of naira. So, after church I shelved the idea of driving to Enugu.
The idea was to join public transport, with the belief that commercial drivers are more knowledgeable about which other road to use.
It was a surprise that upon getting to Udi, instead of driving straight to Ngwo and using Milliken Hill, the driver turned right, straight to the very road leading to 4 corner, which has been in the news for days now.
Some passengers made to protest, but the driver remained adamant, saying that he used the road this morning, while coming to Awka, and that security agents were everywhere on the road, and it is now safe. True to his words, we drove through the road and it was safe.
Below are the little changes I noticed on the road – Just immediately one enters the road through the crossbar from the Udi end, a gate has been erected on the road. There is also a checkpoint consisting of a combined team of security personnel.
A few metres away was another checkpoint manned by stern looking soldiers. Down into the bowels of the zigzag road is also another checkpoint, manned by a Federal highway patrol team and soldiers too, then, yet another check point, and the last as you make to exit the crossbar on the 4 corner end, and was manned by soldiers, after which a similar gate like the first one was seen to have been constructed too.
What these means is that, for the short length of road, leading from Udi to 4 corner, there are five checkpoints, consisting of teams of heavily armed security agents. That road is just about a kilometer long.
May I thank the governor of Enugu State, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his proactiveness in this area. I was among those who thought that Ugwuanyi was more occupied in following Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike about, with other governor-colleagues, and leaving ‘Enugu in the hands of God’, in the name of politics, than delivering the dividends of democracy, for which he was elected.
For every chief executive, the buck for everything done wrong in your area of authority stops at your table. It is heartwarming that Ugwuanyi knew this and took charge immediately.
The alarm of the deteriorating level of security along the Udi-4corner Road was made known, and escalated widely by social media users. That is one benefit of the social media. Since the happenings on the road, it has been difficult to read of it on conventional media, and even when you get to do, you read horrible stories in beautiful grammar, delivered in the finesse that erodes the scary nature of the report. But trust citizen journalists – they deliver amateur videos, without even the liniency of avoiding scenes showing brutal killings and flow of human blood.
To make things worse, citizen journalists do not wait to confirm stories from police authorities or anyone else like the conventional journalists who get told all forms of lies by the authorities to water down the facts they already have. Citizen journalists just run commentaries on their amateur videos, in very strong Igbo language, that leaves a chill running up your spine, to show you the enormity of the evil in the story.
Kudos to the social media for this, and kudos to Ugwuanyi for reacting promptly. But away from these, let me ask – for how long will Ugwuanyi keep that hordes of security men on that short stretch of road? Will it last for this week alone, or will it stretch to next week? Can Ugwuanyi sustain it until December, will it last up to Christmas? How about up to new year, and even to January 2023 when fun-seeking holiday makers will be making their way back to their respective places of residence? Will Ugwuanyi also sustain it until February when many people will be seeking to come home to participate in the 2023 crucial election? If he does, where will the money come from? Will be cut money meant for other areas to ensure that this continues to be?
If you ask me, it is not just about flooding that short stretch of road with security operatives. While that is a temporary solution, a permanent solution should also be sought. Security is more about technology now, than brute force. Ugwuanyi can relate with the leadership of 82 Division and let drones fly into the bushes around that area to seek out the location of the kidnappers.
Those who know the road said kidnap victims are usually taken far into the bush where the kidnappers have a camp. They also say that the kidnappers are not Igbo (meaning they can’t know the terrain better). So, why can’t we think of dislodging the kidnappers and even taking them out? If we do not, it will only take a while before the kidnaper will return, probably when the security operatives have left, thinking that normalcy has returned.
Drones, helicopters need to comb the entire bushes to take out the criminals. The locals in Udi need to be partnered with too. The bushes we refer to are people’s lands, people’s farms. No matter how interior and wide a bush or forest is in Igboland, it belongs to people, and those people know the terrain far more than criminals who decide to come in to camp there.
Let’s not station our prestigious security agents under the scotching sun, day and night, just to ensure that some blood suckers will not emerge from the bushes and take travellers. Let’s rather take the fight to the den of the criminals, end them once and for all and let our soldiers return to the barracks and wait for another assignment where their attention is needed.
Osun Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke has sacked 12,000 workers and ordered the dethronement of three monarchs barely 24 hours after his inauguration.
The Governor also nullified the appointment of 30 Permanent Secretaries and suspended the chairman and members of
Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC).
The affected monarchs include Akinrun of Ikinrun Oba Yinusa Akadiri; Aree of Ire Oba Ademola Oluponle and Owa of Igbajo, Oba Gboyega Famodun. He ordered the monarch to vacate the palace, asking security operatives to take over.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed on Monday stated that the new Governor signed the Executives orders which covered chieftaincy matters, appointments issues, setting up of review panel, staff audit and employment matters.”
The release reads: “All employments in the service of Osun State Government made in any capacity into any capacity in all the Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Commissions, Boards and Parastatals after July 17th, 2022 be and are hereby nullified.
“Executive Order number five on Chieftaincy Affairs and appointment of traditional rulers. All appointments of traditional rulers made by Osun State Government after 17th July, 2022, are hereby ordered to be reviewed to ensure there was strict compliance with due process of chieftaincy declarations and native law, custom and tradition relating to such chieftaincies. In the case of Ikirun, Iree and Igbajo, to avoid further breakdown of law and order, the appointments of Akinrun of Ikinrun, Aree of Ire and Owa of Igbajo are hereby put on hold pending review. Subsequently, the palaces of Akinrun of Ikirun, Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo should remain unoccupied, while security agencies are hereby ordered to take charge.”
Osun immediate past Governor Adegboyega Oyetola employed over 12,000 workers and appointed 30 permanent secretaries.
A statement by the Secretary to Osun State Government, Tesleem Igbalaye, also announced the suspension of the chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC), Mr. Segun Oladitan and its members.
Others are: Yusuf Oyeniran, Suibat Adubi, Prince Yinka Ajiboye, Abosede Omibeku, Dosu Gidigbi, and Wahab Adewoyin.
He noted that the suspension was a sequel to several petitions bothering on financial impropriety, dereliction of duty, absenteeism and abuse of office against the said Chairman and members of the Commission.
The Anambra Police Command has said that the fire outbreak at Kano Street part of Onitsha Main Market has been put under control.
The state PPRO Mr Toochukwu Ikenga disclosed this in a statement made available to the media today.
The market was in flames earlier today destroying goods and properties worth millions of naira.
Preliminary information according to Mr Ikenga shows that the cause of the fire was a result of electrical upsurge from a Costmetics store in the storey building.
He advised members of the public to always turn off their appliances before leaving the house and offices.
The presidential candidate of the Labour party, Mr Peter Obi has reacted over the claims by the ruling All Progressive Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu that he lies with Arithmetic and statistics.
It would be recalled that the former Lagos State governor during his meeting with Niger Delta stakeholders in Delta state, accused Peter Obi of dishing out wrong statistics and fake Arithmetic.
Reacting over the comments, the media team of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, stated that the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu, dreads facts and figures used by opponents in place of mere rhetoric.
In a statement that was made available to Vanguardngr.com, the media said Obi aways back his assertions with facts and that is why he always ask people doubting him to go and verify.
Our candidate has said repeatedly that his assertions were verifiable and dared anybody with contrary facts and figures to come up. “
Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, has told the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to free the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement on Sunday, challenged the President to be a man of his words by leaving the judiciary to decide on Kanu’s fate without any political interference or vendetta.
The group asked Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to comply with the Appellate Court’s judgment freeing Kanu for the Department of State Services to release the IPOB leader before Christmas.
They noted that the major presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections including Labour Party’s Peter Obi, Bola Tinubu of the All-Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, had all opined that they will explore dialogue to end secessionist agitations in the South-East and restore the economy of the Igbo people.
Onwubiko, therefore, called on the President, to free Kanu, as part of ways to make amends, and as a Christmas gift, and a parting gift to Nigerians and generations unborn. He added that at a meeting with Ebonyi State Stakeholders’ Forum held at the Government House in Abakaliki in May, Buhari had said a political solution to Kanu’s travails was impossible and insisted that only the court will decide his fate, noting that 18 months after his arrest, the administration had failed to free Kanu, despite the decision of the Appeal Court.
Part of the statement reads “As though a norm, all the major presidential candidates for the 2023 presidential election have adopted negotiated settlement to end agitations by IPOB and other secessionist groups like that of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.
“This is a clear signal to President Muhammadu Buhari that he has got it all wrong seven years ago since he opted for only military methodology and extraordinary rendition of Nnamdi Kanu and lastly refusal to comply with Appeal court’s decision freeing Nnamdi Kanu. The President should honour his words and order Malami to heed the Appeal Court’s verdict for Kanu’s release. Anything aside from this shows that Buhari and his regime have no respect for the rule of law, and this is not surprising based on his antecedent as a military general.
This is the most auspicious time for Buhari to make amends and release Nnamdi Kanu immediately, as his Christmas gift and one of his government’s major parting gifts to Nigerians and generations unborn because of the potential that the release of Nnamdi will restore peace and stability to South-East of Nigeria and restore economic growth of the region.”
