₦airaland Forum

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said he is surprised that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Ministry of Education are yet to resolve their face-off, which has led to the current strike by the union.

Ngige, while speaking at the resumed conciliation meeting with the union on Tuesday, said the government was surprised ASUU negated on the understanding and assurances it gave the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and the Chairman of CAN, Rev. Supo Ayokunle.

The minister, who said he was in Botswana for the meeting of the African Regional Labour Administrative Centre (ARLAC) when ASUU declared the strike, stated that the government was taken aback by the renewed strike by the university lecturers, which started on February 14, 2022.

He said, “I sincerely thought ASUU and the Ministry of Education would have resolved the issues, which, hopefully, are not major areas of dispute, warranting industrial action. To my surprise, I came back, and the strike is still on. Be that as it may, it is the mandate of my ministry to apprehend industrial disputes wherever they occur and we have apprehended this.

“From this negotiation we are having today, ASUU will appreciate that government means no harm. This is because even if there are still lapses in the implementation of the agreement, they are not such that will lead to industrial action. To that extent, we have to do everything possible to resolve this.”

Ngige continued, “But I must tell you that on the government side, they were taken by surprise in that before then, NIREC met with you (ASUU) and reported to the President. Having met with you (ASUU) and having given the details of their meeting with you, we sincerely hoped we won’t again take this route of industrial action.

“So, the government side is taken by surprise – Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and all are taken aback.”

Ngige, however, assured that the strike had been apprehended by his Ministry and that the ongoing conciliation would prepare the ground for an expanded meeting that would involve NIREC.

“It is my mandate to apprehend industrial disputes and this has been apprehended; so, we can discuss, and later expand to what is called tripartite plus meeting, involving members of NIREC who are top religious and traditional rulers we cannot push aside. And that is as soon as we are done and agree on issues here,” he added.

Candidlady:
You are one of em dude irespect on here

Kyase:
that thing wey na stress sef

Ojemedad:
Baba forget that thing, e get some kind babe u go knack u most to brag

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has narrated the encounter he had with Boko Haram members in 2011.

The former president had met with members of the sect and some family members of Mohammed Yusuf, founder of the group.

Upon his arrival at the Maiduguri airport, Obasanjo was received by the then deputy governor, Zanna Umar Mustapha.

The 2011 meeting

The meeting, which held at Yusuf’s family members at Railway Quarters, the demolished headquarters of the sect, lasted about 90 minutes.

Speaking at the meeting, Obasanjo had said, “This is a personal initiative. I urge you to forgive and forget the past. I plead with you, give me the chance to mediate between the family and government.”

In response, Babakura Fugu, Yusuf’s brother-in-law, whose father was executed in 2009, had said, “Since 2009, this is the first time any high profile figure would be commiserating with the family.

“We are happy with this visit. About 30 to 40 per cent of our members are scattered in neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroun.”

Sadly, Fugu was gunned down 24 hours after Obasanjo’s visit.

Murtala Muhammed Foundation Lecture

Speaking at the 2022 annual lecture of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), which held on Monday, Obasanjo said his fear about Boko Haram insurgency had materialised with their links with international terrorist organisations.

He said the group did not have external connection at the time he met with them but the poor handling on the part of the government made the crisis to go out of hand.

He also blamed insecurity in the country on the access to weapons after the Nigerian civil war.

The programme had as its theme, “Beyond Boko Haram: Addressing Insurgency, Banditry and Kidnapping across Nigeria”.

Obasanjo said, “We are not going anywhere until we take national building seriously. Justice and equity. We must build a society where everyone feels it has a stake. The insecurity in the country was caused as a result of the ease to access weapons and since then we have been unable to address the issue; it keeps getting worse.

“In 2011 when Boko Haram was just rearing its ugly head, I went to Maiduguri to try and find out a little bit more about Boko Haram and to also find out what their objective was apart from being interested in Sharia, they also complained that their followers had no job and, in their effort, to getting something legitimate efforts to help their members.

“In the process the government started chasing them and gunning them down. What I feared at that time seem to have been happening at that time, Boko Haram had not much external connections then, the ones they had would be Nigerians who had resources abroad, who were helping them.”

What even motivated that man called Frederick Luggard in the first place to even think of bringing people with different beliefs and cultural values together.

Baawaa:
They should transfer him to Evans cell

olorunthobby:
Person wey them detain still Dey drag FG to court keh? This country suppose Dey Netflix

Detained Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, has dragged the Federal Government before a Federal High Court in Abuja challenging his continued detention by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/182/22, Kyari who is currently on suspension from the Nigerian Police Force is seeking an order of court to immediately release him.

In the alternative, the suspended DCP, being held by the NDLEA over his alleged involvement in hard drug trafficking wants the court to admit him to bail in liberal conditions.

Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo is expected to take the ex-parte application filed along with the suit any moment today.

Details later.

lwisee:
Shey una dey see high level of desperation,this is the second time Tinubu will visit Oyo state this year.
When Fulani were killing people in Oyo state, he never deem it fit to pay them a courtesy visit.

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has described the federal government of Nigeria and the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration as slave merchants.

The union said the federal government led by Buhari only listens and implements destructive policy recommendations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank against the interest of the citizens.

The union maintained that the government treats lecturers like slaves because of poor policies formulated and implemented in the education sector.

ASUU Chairman at the University of Ibadan, Professor Ayo Akinwole made these disclosures in a statement made available to DAILY POST in Ibadan on Sunday.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had last week commenced a one-month warning strike.

DAILY POST recalls that the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu had few hours after the union declared the strike claimed that he was looking for ASUU to resolve the issues before he heard they had declared a strike

Akinwole while reacting, said the union will battle the federal government and the Buhari led administration whom he described as slave merchants.

He added that the union will liberate lecturers in the country by getting better conditions of service including salaries and allowances as well as their preferred conducive working and learning environments for students.

Akinwole said those in charge of the education ministry have displayed total incompetence and nonchalant attitudes to what matters to Nigerians.

He remarked that it was a total falsehood for anyone in the country to claim not to have heard or read about a series of ASUU warnings on the pages of newspapers.

Akinwole accused the federal government of lacking in integrity saying they can’t be trusted any longer.

He said, “Due to stress arising from failure of the federal government to recruit more staff, ASUU has lost many of her members to death while others have simply moved out of the country in search of greener pastures.

“The federal government lacks integrity. It is sad. The government cannot be trusted longer. We have been on the same salary for 13 years and it is even shameful to show anyone your payslip.

“When compared to the work we do, we have sacrificed for Nigeria to the detriment of our wellbeing and this is already dampening the morale of our people.

“Federal government should sign the renegotiated agreement, implement it, roll out UTAS, pay unpaid earned academic allowances, and commit more funds into the revitalization of universities.”

“Impress it on the government to sign the new welfare package for our members. If we fail to fight for our rights, the slave merchants in the government will continue to trade with our future and the future of the children of the masses”.

Penguin2:
The writer said Tinubu lost control of his bowel

Savagery

SmartProf:
Lol...Since it's not an offense in Nigeria's Constitution, he should be allowed to express himself by peeing on his agbada. It may even be a platform for job creation cos more aides will be recruited to dry him up and change his diapers.

Unknown gunmen Sunday morning attacked a team of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives on duty along the Ezzamgbo axis of the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway, killing one of the personnel and seriously injuring one other.

A credible source, who spoke to LEADERSHIP on the ground of anonymity, said that the incident happened at about 3am on Sunday, adding that the gunmen after carrying out the attack escaped.

The source further disclosed that the gunmen also collected one riffle from the officers while the NDLEA patrol Hilux Van was burnt by the attackers.

The source said, “On 20th Feb. 2022, Sunday morning at about 300hrs at Drug checkpoint along Enugu Abakaliki highway Ezzangbo, unknown gunmen attacked Drug law enforcement agents and shot two drug officers on duty.

“One officer killed while the other one was shot on the leg which fractured his leg. One riffle collected, one patrol Hilux Van burnt. The names of the victims not yet disclosed.”

Leadership also gathered that the attack was carried out at a place not too far away from a Military checkpoint along the expressway.

The attack is coming barely six days after three policemen were shot dead by unknown gunmen at Ezillo axis of the Enugu-Abakaliki expressway in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi State.

It would also be recalled that the three policemen were gunned down in front of the Ezillo police station having mounted a roadblock along the expressway.

The policemen were at roadblock for the routine stop and search operation when the gunmen stormed the place and opened fire on them, killing three of the men.

Just like the attack on officials of the Drug Law Enforcement Agents that was carried out at about 3am, the Ezziloo attack was carried out at about 12 midnight.

Ezzilo in Ishielu local government area of the state is about few kilometers to Ezzamgbo where the latest attack was carried out by gunmen.

When contacted, the NDLEA Public Relations Officer, Ebonyi State Command, Mr. Audu Benji, said he was in a meeting and will get back to our reporter after the meeting.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Loverth Odah, did not pick calls put across to her as at the time of filing this report.

President Muhammadu Buhari and former president, Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday said former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has the capacity to handle higher responsibilities in the future.

Buhari and Jonathan spoke in separate remarks during Anyim’s 61st birthday in Abuja.

Anyim, a former senate president, is in the race for 2023 presidency on the platform of the PDP.

Represented by the SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha at yesterday’s event, President Buhari noted that Anyim put Nigeria first in all the national responsibilities he held in the past.

Describing Anyim as a patriotic Nigerian and one of stabilising voices in the politics, Buhari said;

“That many Nigerians cutting across various political divides are gathered here today to celebrate you is a glowing testimony of your contributions to the growth of our nation and its political development.”

He said the experiences Anyim had garnered over the years afforded him a strategic leverage to occupy higher political office.

“Let me say on a personal note, as the current and 19th SGF that I have drawn a lot from the wealth of wisdom that has been the source of strength and the endowment that Senator Anyim has brought to the fore of governance in this country. We don’t often meet but whenever we meet, we share knowledge about the responsibilities of the office and the enormity of the act of balancing contending forces and interests, that is always vested on any occupant of that office.

“And I want to thank you (Anyim), for the wealth of experience and the depth of knowledge that we have. I made bold to say whoever had occupied the office of the SGF for four years in an evolving democracy like Nigeria, with diverse contentious issues, is capable and able to occupy any office,” he added.

On his part, Jonathan said the diverse persons who came to celebrate with Anyim was indicative of the trust Nigerians reposed in him.

“Some people are very busy and on most Saturdays, some people don’t like to wake up early. For you to have gathered this number as early as this time today means a lot.

“We thank God for you today, your wife, your children, all your friends, with all of us here your friends, otherwise, we wouldn’t have been here to celebrate you today.

“You were the senate president when I was the governor of Bayelsa State and I remember you visited me in the house one day and of course by divine providence, you became the engine of my government as SGF.

“The first day I became president, Anyim Pius Anyim wanted to be chairman of PDP and he came to me with a lot of dreams and we spoke. I may not bother you with details but he was never the chairman of PDP.

“When he became the SGF he did not even come to me with a biscuit but we found him worthy as a Nigerian that had experience in managing systems, managing issues and also somebody who had friends across the country and when we were looking at the person we wanted to be the SGF, of course we wanted somebody from the South-East because PDP then normally made sure that every geo-political zone had one key office. Now, we don’t have enough people, so we don’t have that.

“Up to the time I was the president, something somehow happened in a way that we never expected. The PDP philosophy then was that the president will come from one geo-political zone, the vice president from one geo-political zone, SGF from one-geo political zone, the chairman of the party from one geo-political, the senate president from one geo-political zone and the speaker from one geo-political zone but that was when PDP had a lot of spread across the country.

“Now it is difficult to package that because even the APC doesn’t have that kind of spread. So, it is difficult to get that package. That was very unique and it was a good way of accommodating every sections of the country.

“And so we zoned the SGF to the South-East. We looked at our brothers and sisters, the characters, and they were very nice people. They had many competent people but let me say that it’s like a lot of it fell on Anyim Pius Anyim and we made him the SGF, and I don’t regret committing him. He is a very hard working young man, committed to serving this nation and I believe if he has the opportunity to serve more, he can do better,” Jonathan said.

“Having served in that position for the period, I know he is fully baked and I didn’t received too many complaints. You know as a president, ever day you receive complaints from those who work for you, the ministers, your aides, advisers, assistants and so on. I didn’t receive too many complaints about Anyim Pius Anyim,” he added.

Former vice president, Namadi Sambo who came with Jonathan, also took to the podium to pour encomiums on the celebrant, saying, “His leadership stabilised the senate and we must be grateful for that. He was a team player who worked towards a prosperous nation. He can be trusted with higher political responsibility in the future.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed is a retired federal permanent secretary, and currently, the Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF). In this interview, he spoke on what the Forum considers as criteria for supporting the next president of Nigeria and why they are yet to endorse any aspirant.

There are rumors that the Northern Elders Forum has adopted a northern aspirant ahead of the 2023 election. How true is this?

The Northern Elders Forum has not adopted any aspirant, and all the aspirants who engage us know this. We are in touch with all the aspirants, including some from the South, and our position has remained consistent. We have successfully made the case that all political parties have the right to field candidates that meet their criteria, and the choice of who becomes president should be left to all Nigerian voters.

The NEF recently visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo, what exactly informed the meeting, and what are some of the issues discussed?

Our convener, Professor Ango Abdullahi, has had a long and valuable relationship with President Obasanjo. Our Forum also has a policy of engaging key stakeholders in the country, such as Obasanjo on many issues that affect the country. The visit you refer to was to afford them to share insights and opinions on the state of the country and its future. They had substantial agreements on the need to improve the electoral and leadership selection processes, particularly in view of the current state of the country. The visit also afforded them an opportunity to deepen personal relationships, a factor that is vital to the health of the country today.

Does the Forum have its own criteria for supporting any candidate?

Under our circumstances, it is vital that all those who aspire to lead this country after President Muhammadu Buhari understand the challenges they would have to meet decisively, as well as the basic requirements for effective leadership that should prepare them to lead a Nigeria that needs strong, visionary leadership to turn it around. We have a clear picture of the key issues that future leaders will need to address, and we plan to interrogate the qualities of all aspirants and candidates to establish whether they are prepared to lead better than others.

What are some of these issues?

First, we need leaders with a very good understanding of politics and leadership in Nigeria; it must not be business as usual. Our security situation needs major and urgent improvements, the economy is not working for most Nigerians, and it must be re-engineered in a manner that addresses its basic flaws and weaknesses. It needs fresh and bold strategies to tap into all our assets and place them at the disposal of a population that will benefit from a vibrant economy, which will substantially reduce all our exposure to insecurity and forces that create the impressions that our unity can be trifled with by opportunists. For us in the North, insecurity and poverty must be addressed holistically and we would want our younger generation to live in a country that does not treat the northerner as a liability and a nuisance. We want leaders who will appreciate the fact that revisiting the foundations, systems, structures and governance processes need genuine re-evaluation and informed changes. Above all, we want leaders who will be accountable and respect the inherent diversity of the people of this country.

Are there issues regarding the current state of the contest that the Forum is worried about?

Well, the delay in assenting to the amendments to the Electoral Act is a major source of concern. It is holding up the progress of the electoral process and its being delayed against the desire of Nigerians to see substantial improvements to the electoral process and political recruitment systems.

The rhetoric around zoning and rotation is heating up the polity, and this could represent serious threats to an election that needs to be free of threats to security and survival of the democratic process. There is also the concern that candidates and citizens may not be as free to canvass for support freely in all parts of the country as the law provides. We want to see an environment that is not threatening or intimidating. And all candidates must be free to cover every inch of this country to seek support.

What are the priorities of your Forum at this stage?

Obviously, the security of the citizen and the state comes first. We are worried over the targeting and killing of northerners in Abia State last week and the outrage it is generating in the North. We have been active in calming nerves and asking that those responsible must be fished out and punished. It is important that we hear voices of leaders and elders from the South-East condemn these killings and offer assurances that northerners are safe in the East.

We make case for peaceful co-existence with Igbo people who live lawful and productive lives in the North. Obviously, events like these do not help the creation of an environment where Nigerians can make rational decisions and undertake activities that will yield the best leadership the country deserves. We also watch the escalating levels of exposure of northern communities to armed criminals, and this informs our steadfast insistence that we will only support a candidate who shows a potential to understand the nature of the security threats which make our region so vulnerable, and who possesses the will to tackle them.

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court will on Monday decide the fate of the detained Deputy Commissioner of Police and former head of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abba Kyari and four others involved in the 25 kg cocaine scandal.

The NDLEA has filed multiple applications before the court bordering on the incident preparatory to charging them to court.

Sources from the court informed Saturday Sun that the court is expected to rule on some of the decisions, including the one seeking an abridgement of time which was filed on Thursday by lawyers from the agency.

The motion for accelerated hearing is to fast track the determination of the preliminary issues which are conditions precedent for the official filing of charges against the suspects.

Others to be charged alongside Kyari are ACP Sunday J. Ubua; ASP Bawa James; Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu.

They are currently in the custody of the NDLEA where they are being investigated on allegations on involvement in a drug deal.

Besides the application for the abridgement of time, the agency has equally filed an application seeking a warrant to detain the suspects in its facility beyond the statutory period of 48 hours.

The 1999 Nigerian constitution clearly states that persons arrested or detained shall be brought before a court within a “reasonable time”.

According to the constitution, the reasonable time means a period of 24 hours when a court of competent jurisdiction is within a radius of 40 kilometres to the police station or a period of two days in any other case. The NDLEA had on Monday February 14, declared Kyari wanted for aiding and abetting drug pushing and running his own cartel.

Five hours after the declaration, the Nigerian Police Force handed over the suspended DCP Abba Kyari, and four others to the anti-narcotic agency for interrogation.

The suspects have been in the custody of the agency since Monday, a period exceeding the constitutional time limit for charging an accused person to Court.

The application by the agency for a detention warrant of the suspects is to make their detention beyond the constitutional period legal.

NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi confirmed to Saturday Sun that a team of lawyers from the legal department of agency have filed necessary applications including the proof of evidence containing the statements extracted from Kyari and other suspects in the 25kg cocaine saga.

He explained that a reasonable time is needed to allow the agency to critically examined the exhibits and other evidence that would be used to strengthen it’s case against the suspects.

dawnomike:
There was never a legacy other than the owing of salaries...

Revolution2022:
Unpaid workers salaries

The Minister of Interior and former governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said yesterday that he begged his successor, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, for two years not to fight him or destroy the policies and legacies he enacted during his eight years tenure.

He said Oyetola waged a war against him after he emerged as the governor because he alleged that he did not support his candidature in 2018.

Aregbesola, speaking at Isale Abata in Ikire during the Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole Federal Constituency meeting with stakeholders of the party at a rally to endorse former Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, ahead of tomorrow’s All Progressives Congress (APC) primary, said: “I begged Oyetola for two years. I sent people to help me beg him that he should not destroy my legacies and policies. He refused the pleas.

“Our hope is in God and the good people of Osun State. Nobody can overcome God. It is not a sin to contest for a position in a democratic government. The constitution of the party stipulates that after four years, we can change our candidate. But if he abides by the tenets of the party, we will support him for another term.”
Speaking about his aspirant, he said: “The leaders of the party have agreed that we should go back to where we missed the road in 2018. We have realised our mistake that the person we ought to put in front, we neglected him. We followed an ingrate and a wicked soul.”

Osun State Government has alleged in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Funke Egbemode, that some persons have stockpiled the uniforms of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigerian Correctional Service with intent to distribute them to non-state actors for use during tomorrow’s APC governorship primary.


The government warned those behind the plot to jettison the idea, as security operatives have been put on the alert and mandated to deal with anyone bent on causing violence and destruction in the state.

The leaders of parties have signed an agreement with the police command to be of good conduct during the primaries.


Addressing the leaders before they signed the agreement at a peace meeting held at the command headquarters in Osogbo yesterday, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Valentine Kanayo, warned politicians and residents against taking the law into their hands before, during and after the election slated for July 16.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, on Friday urged lawmakers, both at the federal and state levels from the state, to work assiduously to actualise the presidential ambition of Chief Bola Tinubu.

Sanwo-Olu gave the advice in Ikeja, during the 17th Edition of the Executive/Legislative Parley, with the theme: ”Mobilizing Citizens as a Social Capital Towards 2023 General Elections, NAN reports.

He said that Tinubu had selflessly given himself to the people of Lagos during his tenure as the governor, and to Nigeria as a whole, and recorded many achievements.

”This, indeed, is the time to pay him back with our unwavering support. He is, no doubt, the right and best man for the job. He knows the issues plaguing our nation like the back of his hands and he has the magic wand to fix it.

”So, because of our Apex leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is time for us to take Lagos to Nigeria agenda. It is time for us to work assiduously and ensure that all of these successes in Lagos can be reflected in Nigeria as a whole.

”That is why I am calling on all of us to ensure that we do everything we can do politically and otherwise, to ensure that we can help to activate and actualise the next president of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

”Let us rally behind our great party, the All Progressives Congress, let us rally behind the great man that indeed, we believe can help us take our country to the next level,” he said.

The governor commended the lawmakers for efforts made at attaining the remarkable strides his administration achieved in the last two and half years.

The Federal High Court is presently tinkering with an idea of shifting the venue of the trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu so as to stop the interruption of other pending cases in court.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho disclosed this yesterday during a courtesy visit on him by the newly elected executives of the Abuja chapter of Nigerian Bar Association(Unity Bar).

Justice Tsoho said the court was worried by the situation where lawyers and other litigants with pending cases in courts are prevented from accessing the court by security agencies because of Kanu’s trial and is coming up with some lasting solution to the issue.

“It is a worrisome development to all of us the courts, counsel and parties,” Justice Tsoho stated.
The Judge was however quick to explain that :”Its not really the making of the court. It is something foisted on us, it is security arrangement that causes this problem. Of course, that has been necessitated because of the altitude of those who also want to witness the trial. So, you find a situation where a trial is coming up involving an individual and a whole lot of communities leave their businesses to besieged the court.

“It is worrisome, but you can’t prevent them. So how to manage it has been challenging to us. We are even trying to think of some solutions. If you observed, for those who were here yesterday(Wednesday), the matter came up, but of course, the roads were free because the matter was shifted to late afternoon.

“So the security operatives were advised not to close the access roads to the court until the time proximate to the trial. We are improving along the line. We are actually solving the problem.

“What will ultimately happen is that, we are exploring the possibility of shifting the venue of the trial. That will be the best way out, otherwise, if the trial continues here, it will interfere with our business. We have 11 courts here but it is only one court that is trying Kanu.

“And anytime the case comes up, the other courts cannot function. It is really not a good development. But I can assure you that we have actually gone far in finding a solution to it.” Justice Tsoho disclosed.

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Meanwhile, the Chief judge has assured the leadership of the Unity bar of the willingness of the bench to work harmoniously with the bar.

He further promised to address the issue of impromptu adjournment of cases by judges of the court without adequate information to lawyers in the matter.

Justice Tsoho however said given the sudden changes in schedule of judges and other court officials, impromptu adjournments of cases cannot be avoided.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Unity Bar, Moses Ebute (SAN) said the courtesy visit was to acquit the Chief Judge of certain development and activities of the unity Bar and to seek a cordial working relationship between the Bar and the bench.

On his entourage were some Senior Advocates of Nigeria including Patrick Okolo (SAN), Paul Harris Ogbole (SAN), Audu Anuga (SAN), the Public Secretary, Ikem Onyenka and other executive members of the association.

Ebute further conveyed the demand of the association to have a yearly judicial calendar that would pinpoint the courts vacation periods to avoid mistaken adjournment of cases.

While lamenting on the inability of lawyers and litigants to access the court during Nnamdi Kanu’s trial, Ebute conveyed the suggestion of the association for trial to either be conducted on Saturday, via zoom or by 2pm “so that lawyers and litigants don’t suffer on account of one person’s trial.”

Following the arrest of a notorious beggar, Hadiza Ibrahim in Abuja, the officials of the Social Development Secretariat, SDS, in the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, have clarified that the suspect has no link with any criminal activity.

Hadiza Ibrahim was arrested a few days ago at the Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, in Wuse 2 District in the nation’s capital, after she was caught with a huge cash amounting to N500,000 and $100.

While addressing reporters on Thursday in Abuja, the Acting Director, Social Welfare Services of the SDS, Malam Sani Amar said the huge cash was an accumulation of her N2,000 daily contribution which she started long ago.

Malam Sani Amar told journalists that preliminary investigations conducted by the SDS showed that Hadiza has no links with any organized criminal syndicates as was earlier perceived by the general public.

While urging residents of the territory to discourage begging, the official noted that Hadiza, a native of Kaduna State was able to make so much money because of the location she usually stays to beg.

Amar said: “Within our little knowledge and experience in discharging our duty, with the assistance of security personnel attached to us, we understand that Hadiza was not involved in any criminal activity and if you look at the money found in her possession, it was accumulated overtime.

“On the profiling we did on her, we gave the Police in our team time to play their role and they did what they could and it was clearly established that she was not into such nefarious acts.

“She was so wise to have selected the areas of her own begging business, where she realises huge money daily.”