Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Save Lives Foundation, an NGO, yesterday, said it was targeting one million vulnerable women and children for free medical assistance in Adamawa State.
The Programme Officer of the NGO in Adamawa State, Miss Tanso Maken, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Yola.
Maken said that the NGO planned to carry out its medical outreach in the 21 local government areas of the state, noting that the outreach had already commenced in Ganye local government and that the turnout was encouraging.
She said the medical assistance which targeted mostly indigent women and children, would give priority to the insurgency-affected local councils in the state.
The programme officer said the returned Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the affected areas were in dire need of medical care, stressing that “our NGO’s objective is to affect mostly the vulnerable people.”
She urged the Adamawa Government to collaborate with the NGO to achieve the task of giving medical assistance to indigent communities.
She added that “Save Lives Foundation is immensely concerned about the health conditions of indigent communities.
Benue
Eight persons were feared dead following an attack by suspected herdsmen, on two villages in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, a police statement said.
The Spokesman of the Police Command in Benue State, ASP Moses Yamu, confirmed the attacks in a statement recently in Makurdi.
Yamu said the attacks on Akaa and Tse-Orlalu villages in Mbamar, Ugondo communities, were perpetrated by suspected herdsmen late last Sunday.
He said that the police were yet to establish the motive for the attack and that adequate personnel had been drafted to the villages to restore normalcy.
He said the attackers invaded the villages, killed eight people and injured many others.
FCT
The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said it has registered 321 visually impaired candidates for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The Head, JAMB Information and Media, Dr Fabian Benjamin, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Bwari yesterday.
Benjamin said that the figure was higher than the 201 candidates registered for the examination in 2016.
He said that adequate arrangement has been made for the visually impaired candidates to participate fully in the forthcoming UTME.
According to him, the board used to conduct the Computer Based Test (CBT) using Braille Apex Machine, but most of them complained about its usage.
Kwara
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has ordered residents of Alagbado Community in Ilorin to vacate the land allegedly encroached upon by the people.
NAF Coordinator, 303 Medium Airlift Group (MAG), Mr Adeniyi Mathew, told newsmen in Ilorin yesterday that the land was allocated to the Air Force in 1987.
Adeniyi, who presented the land chart to newsmen, said that 20 acres out of a total of 220 acres of the land belonging to NAF was encroached upon by the community.
He said that he was part of the delegation that visited Alagbado in 2010 to inform the community that the land belonged to NAF.
“Take it or leave it, the land belongs to the NAF; it has been so as far back as 1987 as you can see in the chart.
“They started encroaching on the land since 2008 and in 2010, I was part of the NAF team that went to the community to inform them of the encroachment,” he said.
Kogi
Kogi State acting Head of Service (HOS), Mrs. Kehinde Lawal, recently, advised the state’s striking medical doctors against placing monetary gains over service to humanity.
“Your calling is to save lives; monetary gains should be secondary,” Lawal said at a meeting with the health workers’ union and the management of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, in Lokoja.
She said that government had an excellent package for health workers in the state, but stressed the need to place effective service delivery above other considerations.
Lawal urged the union leaders to always channel their requests through her office for prompt action, “instead of embarking on strike”.
She appealed to the doctors to go back to work, promising that government would clear the backlog of salaries owed them “very soon”.
Lagos
A 25-year-old fashion designer, Jamiu Ayoade, has been shot dead by a trigger-happy police officer in Lagos, according to dependable sources.
The sources told newsmen that the police officer, who is believed to be a senior officer at Ijeshatedo Divisional Police Headquarters (name withheld) allegedly shot and killed Ayoade last Sunday evening in the area.
The incident which occurred at about 7.30 p.m. at No. 49, Wosilat Daudu Street, Ijeshatedo, also left two persons injured.
The deceased, Ayoade had gone to the area to attend a friend’s birthday party when he met his untimely death, one of the sources said.
It was learnt that the officer and his men had stormed the venue of the birthday party in two patrol vans at about 6. 30 p.m. and left after observing what the youths were doing.
Niger
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, has described the release of the 82 girls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) Chibok, Borno in 2014 by Boko Haram insurgents as fulfilled campaign promise by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The CAN Chairman in the state, Rev. Mattew Echioda, said this in an interview with newsmen in Minna yesterday.
Echioda said the release of the girls would give hope to parents of the remaining girls who were still in captivity that their daughters would also be freed soon.
He also described the release of the girls as “gallant” and outstanding achievement by the Federal Government that should be commended by Nigerians.
Ogun
Personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja, recently, killed a suspected smuggler at Sango-Ota in Ogun State.
Confirming the incident newsmen on telephone, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Bimbola Oyeyemi, said the suspected smuggler was killed during a gun duel.
Oyeyemi said that officers of the NCS had intercepted some smugglers at the toll gate in Ota.
They, however, resisted arrest and opened fire and in the exchange, the yet to be identified man was killed.
“There was a gun fire between the officials of the NCS and the smugglers at the toll-gate, Ota, Ogun State, that brought about the death of one of the smugglers,” he said.
The spokesman said that the police had, however, restored peace in the area and prevented loss of innocent lives.
Ondo
An Okitipupa Magistrates’ Court in Ondo State yesterday admitted a 35 year-old commercial motorcyclist to bail in the sum of N50, 000 over alleged dangerous driving.
The accused, Solomon Ikudairo, of no fixed address, is facing a three-count charge of dangerous driving, driving without a driver’s licence and driving an unregistered motorcycle on a public highway.
The Magistrate, Mr Banji Ayeomoni, who admitted the accused to bail, however, ordered him to produce one surety in like sum.
Osun
A Modakeke Magistrate’s Court in Osun State yesterday remanded three accused persons, Timileyin Muyiwa, 25; Sunday Oluwole, 19 and Ayomikusibe Olunlade, 19- in prison custody over alleged armed robbery.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Ona Glory, told the court that the accused committed the offence on February 22, 2016 around 12:30 a.m. at Irebami Area of Modakeke in Ife East Area Council of Osun.
Glory said that the accused conspired with others now at large to commit the offence.
The prosecutor said that the three accused persons, while armed with dangerous weapons such as gun and machetes, robbed one Bosede Ayoola of her properties.
Plateau
The Duk Community in Pankshin local government Area of Plateau State has closed-up the well where four youths drowned on April 19.
The community also banned visiting irrigation farmers from the village.
According to its leader, Andrew Damulak, banning the visiting farmers will save the community from “more mysterious deaths”.
Recall that the youths – Tonzum Ngwalamba, Nentawe Leptak, Sati Tongleb and Ngompang Ngoshim – aged 18-25, drowned in the said well while trying to push the nozzle of a water pumping machine into it.
The first victim had tried to push the nozzle when he fell into the well.
The second victim jumped into the well to rescue the first, but did not come out; such rescue effort continued until the well swallowed four of the youths within a very short time.
Zamfara
The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo would be part of dignitaries slated to commission multi-billion naira projects executed by Zamfara State Government to mark Governor Abdul’aziz Yari’s six years in office.
The Chairman, Anniversary Committee, Alhaji Lawal Liman, made the disclosure in Gusau yesterday while inspecting Danturai Government Day Secondary School, one of the projects to be inaugurated.
Liman, who is the state Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, said 34 different projects executed by the state government would be inaugurated.
“Some of the important personalities will comprise state governors, ministers, royal fathers and leaders of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC),” he said.
According to him, the projects to be inaugurated include, roads, schools, hospitals, rural water supply and electrification among others.
Liman said the Army Command Secondary Schools established in the state and constructed by the state government, would also be inaugurated.
Nation
SIM-NIN: Subscribers Kick Against Today’s Deadline, Demand Extension
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers has requested that the Nigerian Communications Commission extend the deadline scheduled for the disconnection of telephone lines not linked to National Identification Numbers beyond Friday, March 29, 2024.
The subscribers’ body argued that telco agents were failing to capture all necessary information needed for verification, just as it also cited difficulties in uploading the captured data on the National Identity Management Commission’s server.
The President of NATCOMS, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, told The Tide’s source last Wednesday that NCC needed to order telcos not to disconnect telephone lines, considering the ongoing difficulties faced by subscribers.
The telecom regulator had insisted that there would be no changes to the deadline for the next phase of disconnection
The disconnection process was rolled out in stages, with the second phase scheduled for March 29, 2024, following the initial phase that occurred on February 28, 2024.
The third phase is slated to commence on April 15, 2024, as previously announced.
Earlier, the Director of Public Publicity at the NCC, Reuben Mouka, told The PUNCH, “We issued a publication that you can refer to. We specified certain deadlines and stipulated that subscribers who do not comply with the directive would be barred. And that has not changed.”
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers has requested that the Nigerian Communications Commission extend the deadline scheduled for the disconnection of telephone lines not linked to National Identification Numbers beyond Friday, March 29, 2024.
The subscribers’ body argued that telco agents were failing to capture all necessary information needed for verification, just as it also cited difficulties in uploading the captured data on the National Identity Management Commission’s server.
The President of NATCOMS, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, told the source on Wednesday that the NCC needed to order telcos not to disconnect telephone lines, considering the ongoing difficulties faced by subscribers.
The telecom regulator had insisted that there would be no changes to the deadline for the next phase of disconnection
The disconnection process was rolled out in stages, with the second phase scheduled for March 29, 2024, following the initial phase that occurred on February 28, 2024.
The third phase is slated to commence on April 15, 2024, as previously announced.
Earlier, the Director of Public Publicity at the NCC, Reuben Mouka, told the source, “We issued a publication that you can refer to. We specified certain deadlines and stipulated that subscribers who do not comply with the directive would be barred. And that has not changed.”
At the last deadline on February 28, 2024, about 40 million lines that were not linked to NIN were barred.
The NATCOM president said before the first deadline, subscribers had appealed to the NCC for a one-month extension.
However, the NCC explained that there was no issue as the process was designed to occur in phases.
According to the president, the Operator’s Consumer Centre stands as the primary location for consumers to complete their registration fully, with data provided there being verifiable.
However, the president noted that telecom agents were bypassing crucial information during the registration process, resulting in incomplete registrations of subscribers.
“For example, during interactions with telecom representatives, some agents fail to collect all required the information from subscribers.
“If a subscriber cannot provide certain details, agents often leave the registration incomplete. Consequently, these incomplete registrations are deemed unverifiable,” he said.
Further, Ogunbanjo noted that NIMC also shares responsibility in this process.
He said the challenges often arise when telecom companies attempt to upload collected data on NIMC’s server, owing to network issues.
“These network difficulties, beyond the control of subscribers, hinder the timely completion of the registration process,” he said.
“NIMC’s inadequate network infrastructure exacerbates the problem. While they intend to accept data uploads, technical issues prevent them from doing so effectively.
“We urge the NCC to address NIMC’s shortcomings, improve their services, and acknowledge that meeting the deadline will be challenging given the current issues,” the president added.
NIMC is a statutory Nigerian organisation that operates the country’s national identity management systems.
NIMC’s enrollment figures as of December 31, 2023, stand at over 104.16 million unique records.
About 530,345 Nigerians in Diaspora have gotten NINs. 59.12 million male and 45.04 million female Nigerians have NINs.
When The PUNCH reached out to NIMC for comments on technical glitches, the Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, clarifies that the commission’s server has consistently remained operational, debunking reports suggesting otherwise.
He emphasizes that the NIMC’s services are fully functional and accessible to all users
“Our server has never been down. You can go to the various NIN centres and confirm.
Adegoke further explained the process for subscribers to link their NIN to their SIM cards,
“These individuals only need to submit their NIN and complete the verification process through their respective telcos providers.
He encouraged those who have not yet obtained their NIN to visit any NIMC centre for enrollment.
Adegoke assured Nigerians that upon enrollment, individuals can expect their NIN to be available within three hours.
However, for those requiring corrections, such as rectifying date of birth errors, the process may take up to 72 hours.
Last week, the National Identity Management Commission and the NCC issued a joint statement unveiling a strategic partnership aimed at simplifying the NIN-SIM linkage procedures for telecommunications subscribers nationwide.
Both agencies reaffirmed their dedication to enhancing the processes involved and improving efficiency regarding the NIN and SIM card linkage initiative.
They acknowledge the importance of this initiative in bolstering security measures and enhancing service delivery across the country.
The SIM-NIN linkage initiative is a crucial step towards improving the integrity of subscriber data and enhancing security measures within the telecommunications industry.
The NIN-SIM linkage policy was initially introduced by the Nigerian government in December 2020. This directive requires all telephone line users in Nigeria to associate their SIM cards with their NIN.
In December of the previous year, the NCC issued a directive stipulating that all telecommunications operators in Nigeria, including major providers like MTN, Airtel, and Globacom, among others, must enforce complete network barring on all phone lines for which subscribers have not provided their NINs by February 28, 2024.
Barely two weeks ago, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project issued a warning to take legal action against the NCC if it does not revoke the directive instructing network providers to block the phone lines of individuals who have not linked their SIM cards to their NINs.
Nation
Reps Query N15bn Payment To Remita
The House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee has queried the N15billion payment made to Remita from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for two years.
This is just as the committee accused the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks of complicity in the sharing of the N15billion remittance.
The committee’s Chairman, Bamidele Salam, made the allegation at the resumed investigative hearing on revenue leakages in Abuja yesterday.
Remita is a payment solution that helps individuals and businesses make and receive payments, pay bills, and manage their finances.
The round table: Delta Bloodbath: Senate Meets Service Chiefs As Troops Comb Creeks.
Salam said that the Remita payment from the OAGF from 2016 to 2018 was questionable, adding that the OAGF paid the money without agreement or contract.
“The money is an illegal payment. There was no budget provision. So, where did they source the money from?” the chairman queried.
“If someone pays N150,000 as a Remita, you will pay 7.5 per cent Value-Added Tax in addition to it.
Salam said that the Remita payment from the OAGF from 2016 to 2018 was questionable, adding that the OAGF paid the money without agreement or contract.
“Ordinarily, that whole sum of VAT ought to go to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, but what they are doing in this transaction is that they will now add that VAT to the N150.000.
“They will add it up, gather the money together, and take it to the CBN,” he claimed.
He said, “System Spec and Remitta, both collecting revenue for the Federal Government, will share 50 per cent, while the banks and the CBN will also have their share.”
He said that by the time the committee finished its reconciliation, “I am very sure that hundreds of billions of naira will be the VAT component that was not remitted to FIRS.”
Salam stated that each bank ought to take the money and directly remit it to FIRS.
“Now, Remita is saying that each of those collecting the money will come and calculate the money that has been shared into shreds. Now, how do we track this kind of money? “he asked.
The Director, Banking Services, CBN, Mr.Ahmed Abdullahi, said it was necessary to source for an alternative way of remitting revenue, adding that Remita and System Spec were selected because they had been rendering similar services to banks.
The Chief Accountant, Treasury Single Account Department, Oyewole Adewale, representing the Accountant-General of the Federation, accused the CBN of not honouring its letters to reconcile the revenue accrued to the country through the Treasury Single Account.
He noted that the OAGF had developed a system where all revenue generated by the Ministries of Departments and Agencies of Government could now be monitored with little or no interference.
The Director, Remita Payment Services Ltd, Aderemi Atanda, while reading the summary of the TSA collection record, maintained that 10, 20, and 50 per cent were shared among CBN, commercial banks, and Remitta respectively.
Collections, he noted, often vary, saying, “In 2015.
Nation
Nigeria Needs Community-Driven Police, Not State Police -Shekarau
Former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has said that the country needs to adopt community-driven police rather than establish state police.
Shekarau noted that it would be more effective in addressing the current security challenges in the country.
The former minister of education spoke in Akure at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) during the launch of a book titled ‘The Psychology of Growing Old: A Personal Experience for both Young and Old,’ written by Sehinde Arogbafa.
Shekarau argued that community police would be better controlled than state police as well as devoid of political and religious leaders’ influence.
He the involvement of communities in state policing would enhance trust, cooperation, and collaboration between the police and the citizens.
Shekarau argued that community police would be better controlled than state police as well as devoid of political and religious leaders’ influence.
He the involvement of communities in state policing would enhance trust, cooperation, and collaboration between the police and the citizens.
“I’ve been an advocate of community policing. It is different from what is being paraded as state police. Community policing means community watch.
“There is hardly any community in Nigeria that does not have what we call the vigilante group. All we need to do is the government should organise them, the government should own is up, and the government should promulgate a law.
“If I may give you an example of Kano, I’m sure you must have had experience with the Hisbah Guards; that is community watch. We set up a committee of 12 elders in every ward to do the selection of 20 responsible and respected young men for the Hisbah Guards. And we recruited them and mandated that the local government take charge of them. We’re paying them allowances. And they know everybody in the community.
“Within one to two years in Kano State, ask anybody; we don’t have any vices, no drugs, nothing in all the communities because that is community watch.
“We have over 10,000 Hisbah Guards in Kano; I did not nominate a single one; not a single party leader nominated one. It was all the elders in the community. The government created a law; we didn’t leave it in a vacuum. The number one assignment of the Hisbah Guards was to support and complement the work of all the Nigerian armed forces and the police. And they were working with them peacefully.
“Ask anybody in Kano today, and they will tell you that people prefer to report their cases to the Hisbah Guards office rather than even the police stations or even going to court. What we need in Nigeria is community watch, not just when you ask a state to create 2000 to 3000 state police bombarded by party thugs, and you will find out that you are going back to the same intimidation. There will be abuses by political leaders.
“But if you allow the communities to select with the backing of the government, the government will pay them all their allowances, provide vehicles for them, and support them, and there is a chain of command from the state to the local governments, to the wards, and even to the villages.
-
Business4 days ago
MOWCA Strengthens Maritime Crime Prevention
-
News4 days ago
Emulate Otti, Obey Court Order Stopping Pension To Ex-Govs, SERAP, OBJ Tell Tinubu, Govs
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Group Commences Mangrove Restoration Initiative In Cross River Communities
-
Sports2 days ago
Tornadoes Fight-Back To Stun Shooting Stars
-
Rivers9 hours ago
PH NiMECHE Inaugurates 9th Executive
-
News4 hours ago
NHRC Cautions Against Mob Actions, Dehumanisation
-
Entertainment3 hours ago
Wizkid Accused Of Chasing Clout With Comments On Afrobeats
-
Editorial4 days ago
Delta Killings: Need For Caution