The Enugu State Government says it will pull down property, whether a private residence or business premises, used for kidnapping for ransom in any part of the state.
The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed the government’s threat in a statement issued on Tuesday in Enugu by the Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Peter Mbah on External Relations, Uche Anichukwu.
Onyia stated that the step was in continuation of the determined efforts by Mbah’s administration to rid the state of all forms of crimes and criminalities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Enugu State House of Assembly had in November 2016, amended the Criminal Code Law of Enugu State, which was subsequently signed into Law by former Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, on January 20, 2017.
Section 315 of the Criminal Code (Second Amendment) Law Cap. 30, Laws of Enugu State, currently provides that, “If the building or structure owned by the offender or any other person, who knows or ought to reasonably know that the building or structure is so being used for that purpose, the building or structure shall be demolished or forfeited to the State Government.”
The SSG was quoted to have said that Enugu citizens had wondered why the government was yet to enforce the law, eight years after.
“Responding to the citizen’s agitations over what they perceived as a lukewarm attitude to the law, the current administration is taking time to carry out due diligence to ensure that nobody suffers undue losses or miscarriage of justice.
“The government warned property owners to take necessary steps to know their prospective tenants before leasing their property to them,” Onyia reportedly said.
“He said that after due diligence, the government had compiled the list of property used for kidnapping purposes in the state,” the statement added.
According to him, the property will go down sooner than later, to serve as a deterrent to others.
“There is no hiding place for criminal elements in Enugu State.
“They either repent, leave town, or meet their Waterloo, the choice is theirs,” he reportedly said.
Following the ongoing face-off between it and Nigeria Police, the leadership of Nigeria Labor Congress has asked its members to be ready to commence a nationwide strike if need be by midnight of Tuesday.
The labor center said in a communique issued after its emergency National Executive Council in Abuja that it had directed all the state chapters and affiliates to mobilize workers for an indefinite strike from midnight if anything happened to the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, who was invited by the police for questioning over terrorism financing allegation.
The police invitation to Ajaero comes weeks after policemen conducted a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, while justifying the raid, said the police were on the trail of one of the terrorists who masterminded the crisis in Sudan.
The police added that the raid was to search for seditious materials in connection to the recent nationwide #EndBadGovernance or hunger protest, which turned violent in parts of the country, particularly in the North, where some protesters were seen waving the Russian flag and demanding President Bola Tinubu’s resignation.
On Monday, the police said Ajaero should appear for questioning at 10 am over allegation of terrorism financing and treasonable felony.
But the NLC National Executive Council convened an emergency for Tuesday morning to weigh the situation.
Rising from the meeting, the NLC leadership, in their communique, said they viewed Ajaero’s summon as “a clearly unfounded and politically-motivated investigation.”
In the communique signed by NLC Deputy President, Ado Sani Minjibir, the congress warned that “it will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labor movement.”
“The NEC directs all affiliates and state councils to immediately commence the process of mobilizing their members across the nation.
“The congress will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labor movement.
“If anything happens to the President of the Congress or any other leader of the congress in furtherance of these tendentious allegations by the state;
“NEC puts all its affiliates and state councils alert to proceed on indefinite nationwide strike action by 12:00 midnight today.”
The NLC also called on all civil society allies and the general populace to stand in solidarity with the union at “this critical moment”.
The meeting expressed grave concern ‘that rather than extending the demand by the congress for the earlier invasion of its national headquarters by security agencies, the Nigeria Police has chosen to embark on this spurious and fortuitous journey of intimidation, harassment, and witch-hunt.
“This is nothing but a travesty and a blatant attempt to stifle the voice of the working people and their leadership, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the International Labor Organization Conventions 87 and 98.In light of this, the NEC of the NLC resolves as follows,” it said.
NLC said that it had decided to honor the police invitation as a responsible labor center committed to the rule of law and due process.
It however added that it would not sit idly while the rights and freedoms of its members and leaders were trampled upon with impunity by the state.
“The NLC shall honor the invitation extended to its President by the Nigeria Police but will demand for extension of time given the nature of the invitation.
“However, we wish to state unequivocally that this does not in any way legitimize the baseless allegations levelled against him.
“The Nigeria Labor Congress remains resolute in its commitment to defending the rights and interests of workers and the Nigerian people. We shall not be cowed or intimidated by these desperate attempts to silence us.
“The NEC strongly condemns the continued harassment of the leadership of the Nigeria Labor Congress and other Labor leaders. We view this as a calculated attempt to weaken and destabilize the labor movement, which has always stood as a bastion of democratic principles and the voice of the Nigerian masses.
Following cases of fake certification recently detected by the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB), examination boards in Kenya and Uganda are now writing Nigeria to verify records presented by Nigerian candidates seeking admissions into tertiary institutions in their respective countries.
JAMB made this known in a document ‘Registrar’s Report on 2023 ADMISSION & 2024 UTME Policy Meeting’ document obtained by Channels Television on Wednesday.
According to the document, JAMB stressed the need to protect Nigeria’s tertiary institutions from international disrepute, adding that it would not falsify the records of any students.
“Uganda and Kenya examination boards are now writing to JAMB to confirm records presented by candidates for admission of candidates. JAMB would not falsify record,” the Nigerian exam body stated.
Recently, the Federal Government suspended the verification of degree certificates from Uganda, Kenya, Benin Republic, Togo and some other countries over allegations of certificate racketeering.
The Federal Government’s decision comes on the heels of an investigation by Daily Nigeria reporter, Umar Audu on how he obtained a degree within six weeks in the Benin Republic.
After his report, the Federal Government set up an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to probe the activities of certificate racketeers and it had reported that JAMB threatened to sanction higher institutions that fail to submit lists of students admitted immediately after matriculation.
According to JAMB’s Public Communications Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, the initiative is one of the recommendations made by a committee set up by the Federal Government to combat fake degree racketeering in the country.
According to a ‘CLARIFICATION ON DISCLOSURE OF ADMITTED CANDIDATES OUTSIDE CAPS( 2017-DATE)’ by JAMB obtained by Channels Television, institutions are to “regularly submit their matriculation lists to the Federal Ministry of Education not later than three months after matriculation ceremonies.”
The list is expected to be submitted through the dedicated channel of JAMB.
“The Board has observed a large number of candidates thronging its offices to resolve issues related to the disclosure of candidates admitted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) from 2017 to date. While we appreciate the enthusiasm, we must correct the misconception that the focus is on candidates’ actions. The true emphasis lies with the institutions, which must disclose all candidates admitted outside CAPS before the August 31st, 2024 deadline.
“This directive requires immediate attention and compliance. We urge institutions to carefully review our initial letter and ensure full compliance, as failure to disclose will result in severe consequences. Candidates are also reminded not to accept admissions outside CAPS.
“The Board reiterated that candidates not disclosed by institutions would not be entertained. The Board will not tolerate any condolement of undisclosed admissions moving forward.”
In a similar development, a memo addressed to the JAMB on July 15, 2024, the education ministry said, “You may recall that following the publication of allegations of certificate racketeering involving some foreign institutions, especially in Cotonou, Benin Republic, and other countries, the ministry constituted an inter-ministerial committee to investigate the allegations to find lasting solutions.
“The committee has submitted its report and the Honourable Minister of Education has approved its recommendations for implementation.
“In that regard, I hereby convey the request of the honourable minister for the implementation of the following recommendations of the committee:
“Enforce the mandatory requirement for all tertiary institutions in Nigeria to exclusively conduct their admissions processes through the Central Admissions Processing System under the auspices of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board; mandate all tertiary institutions in Nigeria to regularly submit their matriculation lists to the Federal Ministry of Education not later than three months after matriculation ceremonies through the dedicated channel of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
“You are kindly requested to implement the above recommendations and furnish the ministry with implementation updates.”
Last Thursday, Channels Television reported that the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) had demobilised 54 corps members who were illegally mobilised by the University of Calabar.
This is in addition to the earlier 101 certificates that were recently voided by the scheme, making a total of 178.
Given the developments, the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman has since vowed to flush out holders of fake degrees from the Nigerian educational system.
Prisoner holding metal cage in jail, no freedom concept
The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) on Tuesday arrested the Permanent Secretary of the Kano Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ibrahim Kabara, along with the State ALGON Chairman and interim Council Chairman of Tarauni Local Government, Abdullahi Bashir.
The duo and five other individuals were detained in connection with alleged corruption in the procurement of drugs and medical equipment for Kano State’s 44 local governments.
The commission has also invited the Managing Director of Novomed Pharmaceuticals, Musa Garba, and the nephew of former Kano State Governor Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, for questioning as part of its ongoing investigation.
According to the PCACC, the arrested officials are suspected of breaching the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law, the Public Procurement Law, and the Financial Management Law.
The allegations revolve around the awarding of a contract for the supply of drugs and medical equipment, reportedly conducted in violation of statutory provisions and without obtaining the requisite consent and approval from Kano State Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf.
A source close to the commission disclosed that Abdullahi Ibrahim Bashir, the ALGON Chairman, has confessed to directing the illegal payment of ₦402.6m for the procurement. Of this amount, ₦347.7m was allegedly paid by 38 of the state’s local governments before the Commission launched its investigation.
“The actions taken by these officials were in clear contravention of the law,” said the source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation. “They bypassed necessary protocols and proceeded with the contract without proper authorization.”
The arrested officials, who were brought to the commission’s office at 11 AM on Tuesday, were still in custody as of 11:15 AM, undergoing intensive questioning by the commission’s operatives.
The PCACC has vowed to continue its investigation into the matter, promising to uncover the full extent of the alleged corruption.
“We are committed to ensuring that all those involved in this illegal act are held accountable,” the source added.
Atletico Madrid have signed England midfielder Conor Gallagher from Chelsea for a fee believed to be in the region of £33m.
The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the Spanish top-flight club.
Gallagher joined Chelsea at the age of six and went on to make 90 appearances, scoring 10 goals.
He had entered the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge so Chelsea wanted to sell now to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer.
Atletico forward Joao Felix, also 24, is set to move in the other direction after Chelsea agreed a fee in principle for the Portugal international.
The collapse of Chelsea’s talks to sign Atletico striker Samu Omorodion had delayed Gallagher’s move to Spain, but the Felix deal frees up the required funds for Atletico to complete the transfer.
Gallagher spent five days in a hotel in Madrid earlier this month expecting a deal before flying back to London when the move stalled.
No fewer than 30 kidnappers, including members of the Biafra Auto Pilot, also known as Unknown Gunmen, a notorious breakaway faction of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) loyal to the Finland based, Simon Ekpa, which terrorised Enugu and its environs had been gunned down in shoot-outs with security operatives at various locations across the state in the past two weeks, a police detective has disclosed.
This was contained in a statement on Wednesday morning by Governor Peter Mbah’s media office which quoted a Police Superintendent, SP Onochie Ezeh, who led a joint security operation to rescue some kidnap victims at Ugwuogo Nike-Opi Road in the early hours of Wednesday.
The operation led to the killing of a seven-man gang kidnappers at Ogbeke Nike where the kidnappers used a large poultry farm to hide their hostages.
The police chief explained that Wednesday’s successful operation was part of the sustained operations in the state to flush out criminals operating from other neighboring states, including kidnappers, unknown gunmen and other unscrupulous elements.
“We were on the trail of these kidnappers for more than three months now. They had been operating within this axis where they kidnapped their victims and kept them at a large poultry farm at Ogbeke Nike until ransoms are paid.
“So, on a tipoff from members of the public who suspected the strange movements in the area and the accounts of some of the victims of these criminals, we swung into action. On sighting us, these men of the underworld opened fire on my men, and we quickly retaliated and overpowered them with our superior firepower,” he stressed.
Speaking further, SP Ezeh disclosed that the combined security task force, set up by the Enugu State governor, Mr Peter Mbah, as a tactical squad against kidnappings and activities of unknown gunmen, had recorded milestones in policing the state and flushing out criminal elements.
“This is a gallant crack squad with the mandate to eliminate every form of threat in the state. We have recorded huge successes over the past months. You know our role is not to rush to the media to tell our story but to ensure that every citizen and resident of the state has peace.
“I can tell you that we have already neutralized over 7 criminal gangs who were mostly kidnappers and unknown gunmen. We are going after them. We are taking the battle to their doorsteps because the governor said we should not come back home if we don’t completely rid the state of threats.
“So we are on it. In fact, during our operations, we identified many criminal hideouts that serve as rogue premises where kidnap victims and dangerous weapons are kept. These places include New Artisan Market, Akwuke community, Akegbe-Ugwu, Four Corners, Awgu, Mgbowo, Emene, Eke and Afa in Udi and some parts of Isi Uzo local government. During rescue operations, we were able to neutralize over 30 of the kidnappers and recovered guns and valuables,” the police chief added.
One of the rescued kidnap survivors, Dr Kate Pamela, said she was traumatised by the ugly experiences at the hands of the kidnappers.
“Each time I pass through that poultry, I feel I have been denied justice by still allowing it to operate. They kidnapped us and kept us there for five days. They even killed two of the victims because their families could only afford ten million naira each against the fifty million naira demanded. Notwithstanding that I was able to identify the bodies of three of the kidnappers when they were killed, I still feel that the area should be cleared.
“Government must ensure justice by turning that place to a landfill,” Dr Pamela fumed.
On Tuesday, the Naira depreciated to N1,610 per dollar in the parallel market following its N1,600 per dollar value on Monday.
In the same vein, the Naira undervalued to N1,592.06 per dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market, NAFEM.
According to data from FMDQ, the indicative exchange rate for NAFEM rose to N1,592.06 per dollar from N1,579.22 per dollar on Monday. This indicates N12.84 depreciation for the naira.
Dollars traded in NAFEM fell by 6.5 per cent to $152.26 million from $162.99 million traded on Monday, resulting in the margin between the parallel market and NAFEM rate narrowing to N17.94 per dollar from N20.78 per dollar.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has issued 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, signaling their intent to embark on a nationwide strike.
This was confirmed on Monday in Abuja by sources steeped in the inner workings of ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC).
The notice emerged after an urgent NEC meeting at the historic University of Ibadan, where members engaged in stirring deliberations over the precarious state of the academic landscape.
A formal copy of the notice is poised to be dispatched to key government bodies, including the Federal Ministries of Labour and Education, serving as a stark warning of the impending industrial upheaval.
In a candid revelation, a member of the NEC, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, emphasized the weight of this declaration. “This is not mere rhetoric; it is a formal strike notice. We grant them 21 days, after which the countdown to strike action begins.
“Our purpose in issuing this notice is grounded in legal obligation, as mandated by labor laws. We are resolute in ensuring that every step we take is meticulously in accordance with the law,” the source asserted.
The Presidency has assured that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to ensuring that all higher institutions benefit from a 24-hour power supply to enhance education.
Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Engagement to the President, Comrade Sunday Asefon, provided this assurance during a working visit to the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Abubakar Aliyu, in Abuja.
The Federal Government has spent over N38,965,147 on power generation in several universities in Nigeria as part of the first phase of the Energizing Education Programme (EEP).
The recent increase in electricity tariffs has impacted public universities, with some paying between N150 million and N300 million monthly for electricity bills.
To address this, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Power and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), initiated the Energizing Education Programme (EEP) to provide reliable power via solar hybrid power plants. The programme initially targets 37 federal universities and 7 affiliated university teaching hospitals.
A document from the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) indicates that, due to budgetary constraints, the EEP is being implemented in phases. The first phase, costing over N38 billion, has been completed, and the solar hybrid power plants have been handed over to the beneficiary institutions. According to REA, the second phase, which is currently in the pre-commissioning stage, will be officially launched in the fourth quarter of 2024, while the third phase, now under construction, is expected to be commissioned by the second quarter of 2025.
Enugu State Police Command has debunked the viral video on the social media alleging that a countless number of students were kidnapped at the Enugu State College of Health Technology Oji-River. In a Statement made available to BVI Channel 1 Online , The Police insisted that the viral video did not capture the true picture of the fact on ground. The full statement reads ”The Enugu State Police Command wishes to inform the public that the viral video alleging that a countless number of students were kidnapped at the Enugu State College of Health Technology Oji-River is false and an act of mischief and misinformation aimed at misleading and creating panic among unsuspecting citizens.
Contrary to the spurious narrative in the viral video, in the evening hours of August 15, 2024, Police Operatives at the Oji-River Division of the Command received information alleging an act of abduction around the said college. They immediately hastened to the scene, rescuing two of the victims allegedly abducted, while three (3) others are yet-to-be found. However, vigorous operations are ongoing to locate and rescue them, as well as apprehend the abductors.
A preliminary investigation proves that the victims were driving out of the college, when the seemingly targeted incident occurred.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, *CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, psc (+)*, has ordered the Operatives to ensure that the missing victims are found and rescued, while also arresting the perpetrators. However, he cautions against such mischievous and malicious social media narratives, aimed at creating unwarranted panic and jeopardizing police operational and investigative actions over such incidents” the statement was signed by the Enugu State Police PRO -DSP DANIEL NDUKWE
