Senate demands special security cover for foreign workers, tourists

The Senate on Thursday urged the security agencies to give special security cover to foreign workers and tourists in view of the killing of a Briton, Ms Faye Mooney, in Kaduna on Friday.

Senators also urged government to set up inter-agency task force to tackle cases of banditry and kidnapping in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Niger states.

Members of the Red Chamber urged security agencies to intensify the search for the perpetrators of the attack n Kajuru Castle, which led to the killing of Mooney.

They equally resolved to invite the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu Abubakar to brief them on the actions taken against kidnappings and banditry so far.

Adopting a motion by Sen Shehu Sani (PRP, Kaduna) and over 100 others, the Senate urged security agencies to immediately deploy the use of drones and interceptors in tracking kidnappers asking for ransom.

The Senate said the various telecommunications companies in the country should provide security agencies with information in areas where there are kidnappings, noting that community leaders, traditional rulers and all stakeholders should cooperate with security agencies.

While observing a minute of silence in honour of Ms Mooney and a Nigerian killed, Senators resolved to send a delegation to the British High Commission in Nigeria and condole with the British Government.

Breaking: Buhari jets off to the UK

President Muhammadu Buhari has proceeded to the United Kingdom for a private visit — The federal government announced on Thursday morning.

This will be after he has commissioned “developmental projects especially in the sectors of education, healthcare and roads”, in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The details of the impromptu visit were not given but according to presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina, Buhari will be back in the country on May 5.

Kogi govt shuts schools for not participating in annual census

The Kogi State Government has directed the closure of all schools that refused to participate in the 2019 Annual School Census (ASC), the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, has said.

Osikoya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lokoja, that all schools, both public and private, that intentionally refused to participate in the just-concluded 2019 ASC would be closed down as from April 25.

NAN reports that the 2019 school census started in Kogi on April 15 and was concluded on April 24.

Osikoya said that any school that intentionally refused to submit its data as at April 24 would be deemed not to operate within the provisions of the law.

”By Thursday April 25, we will seal the premises of all schools that refused to participate in the 2019 school census.

”This closure will take immediate effect from today. We will seal the schools until we are satisfied that they are okay to operate,” Osikoya said.

The commissioner disclosed that the reports received at the end of the census showed that some schools intentionally failed to participate in the census.

According to her, the erring schools are presumed not to be under any form of supervision and having their own system that operates outside the provision of the state and federal government education policies.

”It means they must not be seen operating in Kogi. If you operate within our domain, you will have to comply with the state laws and policy that have been put in place.”

Osikoya further stated that the law provides that there are statutory records that must be kept and required for the purpose of administrative planning and intervention.

”The government will seal the premises of those erring schools until their management come back to the ministry to re-verify that they have the right approval to operate.”

The commissioner blamed the erring schools for holding back the state level performance appraisal in education, warning that ”we will start shutting them down.”

She, however, commended the stakeholders, particularly the enumerators, evaluators and others for the success recorded during the census.

”This is the first time in the history of the state that we are having a holistic coverage of all schools in the state. The data the ministry has, in term of the total number of schools in the state is 100 per cent accurate.“

NYSC speaks on Buhari govt ‘increasing’ corps members’ allowance to N31,800

The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has reacted to reports that the allowance of corps members have been increased to N31,800 following President Muhammadu Buhari’s signing of the new minimum wage bill into law.

It stated that the Federal Government was yet to inform the scheme of such increment.

Speaking with Vanguard on Wednesday, NYSC’s Deputy Director, Eddy Megwa insisted that there was no new development yet on corps members’ allowance.

Megwa said the NYSC does not pay corps members directly, and that any new development will be duly communicated.

He said: “The NYSC does not pay corps members any sum of money directly as stipends but the federal government does.

“Until the government is ready to implement the N30,000 minimum wage, we cannot say what corps members will earn for their service to the nation.

“Disregard any figure you find making the rounds on social media. When the federal government is ready, it will inform NYSC and we will announce it to corps members through official channels.”

Appeal Court reserves judgment on Osun governorship election

The Court of Appeal on Wednesday in Abuja reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, challenging the declaration of Ademola Adeleke as the duly elected governor by the state election petition tribunal.

The appellate court also reserved judgment in the two other appeals filed by Mr Oyetola’s All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), challenging the same judgment of the tribunal.

The tribunal gave its judgement declaring Mr Adeleke winner of the election on March 22.

A five-member panel of the appeal court led by Jummai Sankey announced that the judgments were reserved after the parties had adopted their final briefs of argument.

Mr Adeleke contested the governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). INEC declared Mr Oyetola winner after a supplementary poll but the tribunal said Mr Oyetola won the election at the first ballot.

During the court session on Wednesday, in his appeal argued by Wole Olanipekun, Mr Oyetola pleaded with the court to void the judgement for the tribunal.

Mr Olanipekun said the tribunal’s decision violated the Electoral Act 2010 and judicial precedence of the Supreme Court.

Specifically, he faulted the judgment as unknown to the law because Justice Peter Obiorah who prepared and read the lead judgement did not participate fully during the hearing of the petition.

Mr Oyetola whose appeal was first heard by the court of appeal drew the attention of the court to the February 6 proceedings in which Mr Obiorah was absent at the tribunal and did not sign the proceeding of that day.

The appellant contended that what Mr Obiorah did amounted to judicial hear-say because the proceedings of February 6 when he was not in court was copiously copied in his lead judgement.

Insisting that judicial hear-say has no place in law, Mr Oyetola asked the appeal court to quash the judgement, allow the appeal and uphold the governorship election

Arguing on his part, counsel to APC, Akin Olujinmi, also faulted the judgment of the tribunal led by Ibrahim Sirajo, on the ground that the petition was based on the rerun election of September 27.

Mr Olujimi added that the petition was incompetent and should be dismissed.

INEC in its own appeal argued by Yusuf Ali informed the appeal court that the findings of the tribunal were wrong because they were based on uncertified form documents dumped on the tribunal by Mr Adeleke and the PDP.

Responding, counsel to Mr Adeleke and the PDP, Onyechi Ikpeazu, asked the court to dismiss the three appeals.

Mr Ikpeazu told the court that going by the record of the tribunal for February 6, there were indications that Mr Obiorah was at the tribunal.

Mr lkpeazu argued that the three appellants did not complain of a miscarriage of justice.

He added that the effect of the judgement should be considered by the court.

Mr Ikpeazu further said apart from February 6, Mr Obiorah was in attendance throughout and that on that day only two witnesses testified, whereas over 100 witnesses testified during the hearing of the petition.

After taking arguments from parties in the appeals, Ms Sankey reserved judgment. She said the judgment date for the three appeals will be made public as soon as they are ready.

Fulani group gives FG, Governors condition for peace between herdsmen, farmers

In a bid to avert crisis in the 2019 farming season, a Fulan group, Kullen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has appealed to the Federal Government and the 36 state governors to hurriedly assist towards preserving the existing grazing reserves and cattle routes from encroachment or total blockage by farmers.

National President of the association, Khalil Mohammed Bello made the appeal in Damaturu on Wednesday in a statement released and made available to us.

He said the appeal was necessitated due to the fact that it is only through protecting grazing reserves and cattle routes as well as developing them for pastoral use that permanent peace and stability can be achieved between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria.

“Because, if grazing reserves and cattle routes are encroached or totally blocked by farmers or whoever else, more especially in the Northern parts of the Country, where they exist for several years, it would be very difficult for our animals to move freely on their way to reach water points or for grazing.

“As a result of which some time they entered into the farmers’ farms and destroyed crops which in many occasions led to the avoidable clashes or conflicts”, he added.

Bello described KACRAN as an association that is registered to bring peace and unity between cattle rearers and farmers.

“In this regard, if action is taken timely on the appeal under reference, intermittent or perennial conflicts between the two parties will be reduced minimally or even to an end in totally,” Bello declared.

Buhari to Ambode: Your performance is satisfactory

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday; he gave the Lagos State governor, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode a pass mark for the audacious projects he has delivered to the people and congratulated him for his giant strides in the state.

He said: “The Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has performed satisfactorily in delivering governance to the people of Lagos and we should all congratulate him for working for the good people of Lagos State.”

He spoke at the Oshodi Interchange, where he had come to commission the project and flagged off the Bus Reform Initiative with 820 medium and large capacity buses at the Oshodi.

President Buhari had earlier commissioned the Institute of Maternal and Child Health, (Ayinke House), and the Lagos Theatre project at Oregun, in the Ojota area of the state, and the 10-lane Airport Road, all of which began in 2017.

Buhari singled out Lagos as the only state he would be visiting twice within two years, having come to the state March 29 last year when he commissioned the Ikeja Bus Terminal.

He said: “I also came here in February during our campaign and I am very grateful to all of you for voting our government back into office and pledge my total commitment to taking our country to the peak of our development and growth.

Buhari was accompanied to Lagos by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, (Ogun), Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Alhaji Bindo Jibrilla (Adamawa), Mr Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, and the Governor-elect of Lagos State Mr Babajide Sanwoolu and his deputy Dr Obafemi Kadiri Amzat.

Also on the president’s entourage are the Minister of Communications Dr Adebayo Shittu, and the Special Adviser to the President on Media Mr. Femi Adesina among others.

Buhari said he is happy that Ambode is leaving impressive legacies that would have a huge impact on the people of the state.

He said the terminals when fully operational will ensure that commuters are made more comfortable as they wait for more comfortable buses that will move them faster, better and cheaper.

Highlighting the contributions of the Federal Government to the state’s infrastructure, Buhari said recently the Federal Government approved the repair of Oworonsoki-Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, which was last touched in the past 40 years, while the Lagos-Ibaan standard gauge rail line is almost at the completion stage.

When completed, the rail line would complement efforts to improve intermodal transportation as more passengers and cargo movement will be moved by rail.

He said it is worthy of note that both the Federal and the Lagos State governments are delivering on high impact infrastructure that would take care of more people at the same time.

Speaking earlier, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said all the projects being inaugurated by the President are product of the tremendous support the state has obtained from the Federal Government.

He said while the first Paris Club disbursement was used as seed fund for the 820 buses, the second Paris Club disbursement went into the construction of the Oshodi Interchange.

“Lagos State has never had this measure of support from the Federal Government and we are grateful to Mr. President for this gesture.

All these projects are our modest contributions to the growth and development of our state and our dear country.

He said all the projects opened by the President are ready for full operation, adding that while the 10-lane expressway, including the U-turn Bridge at 7&8 Bus Stop can be used immediately after the opening, the two flyover bridges on the road would be opened for use within two weeks.

For the Oshodi Ambode said while Terminal 3 will begin full operation by May 1, Terminals 1 and 2 would come on stream by end of May.

He said the Interchange will change the travel pattern and public transportation infrastructure.

In his short brief of the Oshodi Interchange, the Managing Director of Planet Projects Mr. Biodun Otunola said the project; the first in Africa will change the skyline of Oshodi and Nigeria.

According to Otunola, Oshodi before was home to crime and violence, adding that with the interchange the face of Oshodi is changing and soon, it would be the most beautiful place in the state.

He said whereas anywhere you have huge crowd are the most beautiful, in Nigeria and indeed Lagos, the most crowded places are the dirtiest, a narrative he said the interchange will change.

Otunola said the interchange’s skywalk of 157 metres, is the longest in the world and everything is being delivered within 24 months.