Business

Aluu 4:Monarch, Three Others Get Bail

Published

12 years ago

October 18, 2013

General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo (left), welcoming Prof. Winston Bellgam to the event.

The traditional ruler of Umuokiri Community in Aluu, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Alhaji Hassan Welewa and three other persons standing trial for allegedly killing four students of University of Port Harcourt, Choba last year has been granted bail by a Port Harcourt High Court.
Three accused persons also granted bail out of the 12 standing trial are Okoghroh Endurance, Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Evans Samuel who were arraigned as 10th, 11th and 12th accused persons in the matter.
The students who were allegedly killed by the accused persons at Umuokiri Aluu on October 5th, 2013 include, Ugonna Obuzor, Lloyd Toku Mike, Tekena Elkanah and Chiadika Biringa.
Ruling on the bail application of the 12 accused persons yesterday, the trial Judge, Justice Letan L. Nyordee said the charge before t he court was murder, negligence and felony, adding that while the murder charge carries capital punishment the carries two years jail term upon conviction.
According to him, the law does not give protection to denial of bail, adding that granting of bail is the prerogative of the court.
He averred that the charge of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd 4th, 5th, 6th 7th and 8th accused persons is murder and attracts capital punishment upon conviction stating that he can not exercise such powers to grant their bail application as sought by their counsels.
Justice Nyordee however granted the four accused persons bail to the one of N2 million each with two sureties on the ground that their charge were bailable and attracts two years jail terms upon conviction.
Sureties are to show evidence of landed property with certificate of occupancy (COS) within the jurisdiction of the court, show proof of last tax payment within two years, reside within the jurisdiction of the court and deposit two passport photograph, while the court registrar will verified the particulars of the sureties.
The trial judge also ruled on the admissibility of some documents such as photographs, negative films and video clips which was tendered by the state prosecuting counsels led by the solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice, Mr Rufus Godwin which ws tendered at the last sitting of the court.
The court ruled and accepted the photographs, negative films and CD in evidence which the court will use in the trial of the case the court adjourned the matter to the 31st October, 2013 to rule on an objection whether or not the video clip which was recorded and tendered by the prosecuting counsel as an evidence in the matter can be admitted by the court.
All the 12 accused persons were represented by their lawyers and were also brought to the court during the trial.
Although the proceeding of the court did not start early as scheduled without some hitches and moments of emotional feelings. At about 900am when the court was initially scheduled for the commencement of the trial, while the counsels who represented the accused persons and their relatives were in the court all the accused persons were yet to be brought to the court by the prison officials which force the court to rise for one hour before the accused persons could be brought to the court.

Business

Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations

Published

5 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Director, South South Zone National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacist Chujwuma P.Oligbu has said its thorough implementation of its core mandate of monitoring has no link with witch-hunting or fault finding as perceived at some quarters.

Oligbu, made this known when he spoke as as guest at the maiden Rivers state Supermarkets stakeholders’ Seminar/Workshop in Port Harcourt recently.

Rather, he said they were mere opportunities for education, correction and continuous improvement.

The Agency’s South South Boss, noted that Supermarket operators who maintain transparent records, cooperate during inspections, and promptly address identified gaps demonstrate professionalism and commitment to public health standard.

He listed the deserving essence of supermarket operation to include the key aspects of supermarket operation that deserves emphasis is product sourcing.

“Supermarkets must ensure that all regulated products stocked on their shelves are duly registered with NAFDAC and sourced from legitimate manufacturers or distributors”, he said .

According to him, the presence of unregistered, expired, counterfeit, or improper labelled products undermines consumer confidence and poses serious health risks.

He pointed out that such has the likelihood of exposeing supermarket operators to legal sanctions that could damage their reputation and financial stability.

The NAFDAC Operator, further enlightened the participants that mere registration of a particular product with the Federal agency do not guarantee absolute consumption safety.

“Temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, stock rotation, and proper shelving are not optional practice; they are essential components of compliance”, he said.

The South South zonal director also told the operators of supermarket that their employees rotine training on the basis of the product they display for sale is of utmost importance.

In her presentation a Breast Milk Nutrition Expert , Professor Alice Nte of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), was against the body’s prime attention to breast milk substitute or baby milk in supermarkets as well as its advertisement or promotion.

Nye jerked up the importance of mothers breast milk to the newborn baby and added that it help in fighting against childhood diseases, infections and combating cancer in breastfeeding mothers.

Meanwhile, NAFDAC Deputy Director, South – South Zone , Mrs. Riter Chujwuma educated the participants on the guidelines for global listing, and the need to adhere strictly to rules guiding global listing to avoid confiscation of their imported products.

By: King Onunwor

Business

BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS

Published

5 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.

According to the data, more than 4.3 million new BVNs were issued within the one-year period, underscoring the growing adoption of biometric identification as a prerequisite for accessing financial services in Nigeria.

NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.

Analysts linked the growth largely to regulatory measures by the CBN, particularly the directive to restrict or freeze bank accounts without both a BVN and National Identification Number (NIN), which took effect from April 2024.

The policy compelled many customers to regularise their biometric records to retain access to banking services.

Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.

The programme has been widely regarded as a milestone in integrating the diaspora into Nigeria’s formal financial system.

A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.

However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.

The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.

Business

AFAN Unveils Plans To Boost Food Production In 2026

Published

1 week ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.

The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.

The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.

In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.

He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.

Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.

According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.

He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.

The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.

He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.

He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.

Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.

He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.

Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.

As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.

Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.

Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.

He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.

Lady Usendi