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Senate Proposes Life Jail For Unlawful Explosive Makers
The Senate has passed the bill recommending life imprisonment without an option of fine for unlawful explosives manufacturers in the country.
Section 11 of the bill seeking to repeal the Explosives Act 1964 and enact the Explosives Act 2023 passed for third reading in the Senate on Wednesday.
The bill states that, “Any person who unlawfully manufactures any explosives, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to life imprisonment without an option of fine.”
The passage followed the consideration and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Mines, Steel Development and Metallurgy, chaired by Senator Tanko Al-Makura.
Senator Adelere Oriolowo (APC, Osun), who presented the report on behalf of the committee chairman, said the problem associated with the use, shipment, manufacture, sale and possession of explosives was huge, adding that criminals were getting more innovative in the use of explosives to perpetrate crimes.
He said suicide bombers had killed dozens of Nigerians using explosives, hence, the need to put offenders in their place so that illegality associated with explosives would be reduced to the barest minimum.
He said, “The Explosives Act of 1964 was prepared to meet the situation as at that time. The penalties and fines in the Act were too mild compared to the gravity of the offences being committed by explosive users nowadays.
“In line with this, the passing of the bill to checkmate the abuse and menace posed by its use by criminal groups, insurgents and non-state actors is justified.
“The manufacture, storage and use of explosives are not to be an all-comers affairs and should be closely regulated. The penalties provided in the bill will serve as deterrent to offenders”.
The bill is expected to be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before taken to the President for possible assent.
Meanwhile, the Senate also set machinery in motion for the establishment of a tribunal for strict implementation of the audit report as adopted by both chambers of the National Assembly.
The need for the audit report tribunal came to the fore in the Senate when a bill sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South), was considered and passed for second reading.
Urhoghide, in his lead debate on the bill seeking an Act to provide for strict implementation of the National Assembly recommendations on Annual Federal Audit Reports and for related matters, said the proposed legislation was very necessary for potency of the war against corruption.
According to him, for the war against corruption to be effective, findings and recommendations made in the audit report must be strictly implemented or enforced.
Similarly the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks, said the missing link of strict implementation of resolutions taken by the National Assembly on yearly audit reports, must be addressed.
“The proposed legislation is very necessary. Something in the mode of a tribunal is needed for strict implementations of recommendations inform of prosecution of offenders.
“Public hearing on this bill must be thoroughly conducted on how the tribunal would be put in place as a potent way of fighting corruption,” he added.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.