₦airaland Forum

Lamasta:
You will walk alone today o

Lamasta:
Can Leeds make us proud today

Triangles1:
Leeds lead Liverpool.

Executiv:
Leed is winning this one

SuperBlack:
This Hate speech

SuperBlack:
That is not the topic here sir

BlueOrion:
I no belive jare

A yet-to-be identified man has died while attempting to exhume a corpse at a cemetery in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the incident happened at the Muslim cemetery in Iberekodo, Abeokuta North Local Government area of Ogun state.

Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson in Ogun State, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday.

He, however, said he could not confirm what killed the man, adding that the corpse has been deposited in a mortuary in Abeokuta.

“Yes, a lifeless body was found at the Muslim cemetery close to Iberekodo there. The body has been taken to a mortuary and investigations have commenced”.

Muheed Adeniyi, a witness, said the man was found dead inside the cemetery on Sunday morning.

According to him, the deceased man was seen lifeless near a grave he had already dug to exhume the corpse inside it.

“Nobody knows what killed the man, he must have sneaked into the cemetery at night to exhume a dead body. Many people do this for money rituals.

“But unfortunately for him, he died there beside the grave. We saw the grave he was digging and the tools. We didn’t know how he died. Maybe the dead body killed him,” Mr Adeniyi said.

Residents of the area said the man died in a pool of his blood, with several of them believing that he must have been struck dead by a ghost.

Fejoku:
The Holy Spirit doesn't forgive whosoever lies with His name. You have incurred His wrath already so expect a heavy hand on your useless head.
So much for a born again Christian.

Restructuring Nigeria’’ is a quandary. There is no concord on the complexion or dimension which the re-engineering of Nigeria should take. There has been a cacophony of arguments, but one opinion which a good number of Nigerians hold is that the orbital states that make up the country should determine, manage and control their own resources. This is reasonable.

It will be duplicitous to argue that the present complex is sustainable or rewarding. It is clearly not. We have been on this tenuous scaffolding for decades without measurable progress. Really, it makes no moral sense that the accruals from certain states are prodigalised among other states which seem not be making efforts to become financially viable. What this system has created is indolence and a predilection for sponging off the federal government.

States naturally should be self-sustaining and competitive. What is the sense in creating states that end up sticking their proboscis deep into the national wealth bank, running it down with every gulp? This charade has effectuated stunted development across the board. While the productive states do not have enough for developmental projects and have to borrow in deficit, the beneficiaries of the ‘’papa-dash-me system’’ cannot drive themselves to growth. Both the giver and the taker are suspended in a loop of unrealised potential.

States should be able to compete on the basis of innovation, education and productivity. No state in Nigeria – whether in the north or in the south – is economically unviable. But the current arrangement is sapping them of the needed oomph to drive their development.

For example, Zamfara is the state with the highest gold deposit in Nigeria. This is in addition to other minerals which are in commercial quantity -- asbestos, columbite, chronite, iron ore, manganese, marble, lithium and tantalite. This alone is enough to make the north an affluent region.

Other states in the north as well are rich in mineral resources. Adamawa has nentonite, gypsium, Kaolin and magnesite; Borno is blessed with bentonite, clay, diatomite, gypsium, hydro-carbon, kaolin and limestone; Kebbi is weathly in gold; Kaduna is endowed with amethyst, asbestos, clay, flosper, gemstone, gold, graphite, kaolin, hyanite, mica, rock crystal, ruby, sapphire, sihnite, superntinite, tentalime, topaz and tourmaline; and Kano is opulent in gassiterite, copper, gemstone, glass-sand, lead/zinc, pyrochinre and tantalite.

As a matter of fact, it is an exertion of ignorance and bigotry to say the north brings nothing to the national till. The north is blessed with tremendous resources enough to be self-sustaining. But the defective system is also holding it down. Most of the mineral resources in the north are unquickened – because of the flawed structure. So, it is only logical to say, all are victims of the impaired set-up.

According to a report by Economic Confidential, a financial intelligence magazine, six states – Lagos, Rivers, Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo, and Anambra generated more internal revenues than 30 other states put together in 2020. The report says eight states are insolvent.
The report says: ‘’Lagos remained steadfast in its number one position in IGR among the states with a total revenue generation of N418bn compared to FAA of N299bn which translate to 139% in the 12 months of 2020. It is followed by Rivers state which generated IGR of N117bn compared to its FAA of N198bn representing 58%; Ogun with N50bn compared to FAA of N88bn representing 57%; Kaduna State with N50bn compared to FAA of N124bn representing 40%; Oyo with IGR of N38bn compared to FAA of N127bn representing 29.7% and Anambra generated N28bn compared to FAA of N94bn representing 29.6%. The total internally-generated revenues of the six most viable states in 2020 at N695bn as computed by Economic Confidential was more than the entire IGR collected by the remaining 30 states put together which was less than N600bn.’’

Why should any state in Nigeria be in the red – when all of them have the latent capacitance to be economically fecund? It is lucid that the present complex discourages innovation and retard the development of the states. So, should there be a tilt towards economic independence by the states? I think so but within the bounds of the constitution.

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, asserting the right of his state to collect Value Added Tax (VAT) did a derring-do no doubt.

In August, a federal high court in Port Harcourt issued an order restraining the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) from collecting VAT and Personal Income Tax (PIT) from the state, and directed the Rivers government to take charge of the process.

The epochal judgment compelled the FIRS to file a stay-of-execution application. But the court declined to grant the application.

It is judicious that our laws are tested on matters of this character. Already some states like Lagos and Adamawa are mulling following the Rivers example. I believe this will only precipitate economic restructuring and push the states to be forward-thinking and innovative.

However, there seems to be some politics to the Rivers’ feat. Wike’s politics has always been belligerent, caustic and brash. The governor, by his utterances on the case, appears to be foe-fighting. By making infantile statements like, ‘’Rivers VAT not for Abuja people’’, and threatening to seal off FIRS offices in the state, the governor is betraying his real intentions. This may not be about Rivers people, but about Wike’s personal agenda.

I do not think any rational Nigerian will resist a process that will spur the development of the states, but Wike should desist from seeking ‘’restructuring’’ with a machete.

By Fredrick ‘Mr OneNigeria’ Nwabufo

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Maikudi Usman, zonal secretary of south-west MACBAN, made the plea on Wednesday at the public hearing of the Lagos state anti-open grazing bill.

He said the members of the association need time to be educated on “how they will be breeding cattle in one place and not transfer to anybody’s land”.

“Our breeders are not used to breeding cattle in one place. They move from here to another place. When we say we’ll keep cattle in one place, the owner of the cattle will not have funds to feed the animals in one place,” Usman said.

“They’ve already depended on going from one place to another. Because in the rainy season time, we have where we settle down, and we also have for the dry season.

“We are pleading with Lagos state government to give us time to go tell our people and train them how they will be breeding cattle in one place and not transfer to anybody’s land.

“But breeding in one place, right now, our people do not have the power to do so. What you’re not used to, you have to be taught. And gradually, everybody will understand.”

On Monday, the anti-open grazing bill passed the second reading at the Lagos state house of assembly.

If the bill is passed, Lagos will be joining some other states in the country’s southern region that have codified the prohibition of open grazing into law.

The Federal Executive Council has approved the National Policy on fifth-generation (5G) networks for the country’s digital economy — which will see the deployment of the network.

The 5G policy was approved at the weekly council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

Femi Adeluyi, technical assistant (on Information Technology) to Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), minister of communications and digital economy, said this in a statement.

The statement added that the implementation of the National Policy is with immediate effect.

“The National Policy has been developed over a period of 2 years, due to the need for extensive stakeholder engagement and the need to ensure adequate public awareness and sensitisation,” the statement reads.

“The stakeholder engagement was thorough and multi-sectoral. It also took into account the report of the 3-month 5G trials that commenced on the 25th of November 2019.

“The report critically reviewed and studied the health and security implications of deploying 5G In Nigeria.

Leading international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an organ of the United Nations, have confirmed that the deployment of 5G networks leave no adverse health effect and are safe.”

The ministry said 5G networks “offer significant advantages over the current technologies.”

“Some of its advantages include much lower latency, higher bandwidth, greater device density, longer battery life for nodes and greater network flexibility.

“Several countries have already commenced the deployment of 5G and are enjoying its benefits.”

It listed countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, South Africa and Lesotho, currently operating on the network.

TheCable did a fact check on the rumours that COVID-19 was associated with the deployment of the 5G communications network.

“The National Frequency Management Council (NFMC), chaired by Minister Pantami, will soon release spectrum to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) that meet all the required conditions,” the statement adds.

“The NCC, as the regulator of the telecommunications sector, will continue engaging stakeholders to develop the regulatory instruments required for the successful deployment of the technology in Nigeria.”

Last month, Pantami had said that the decision to deploy the 5G network followed an outcome of thorough investigations, research and trial absolving it of posing security or health threat.

He explained that the work on the national policy on 5G stands at 95 percent done and will be presented to the federal executive council (FEC) for approval.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has said the Federal Government does not owe the striking members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors or other health workers in the country.

He stated that only “illegally recruited” doctors are not being paid because they were neither captured by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation nor were their payments provided for by the Budget Office.

Speaking during the open session of the meeting of the Presidential Committee on Salaries with the leadership of the Joint Health Sector Unions in Abuja on Tuesday, Ngige referred to the presidential waiver for employment into the health and defence ministries in view of the general embargo on employment and assured that doctors illegally recruited would have their service regularized in due course.

He noted, “NARD goes about telling Nigerians that government owes them salaries and that government is not taking the problems in the health sector seriously. But this is not true. It is incorrect.

“No doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or any other health worker including the driver is owed monthly salary; the government pays as and when due.
“The truth is that NARD doctors fail to tell Nigerians that their colleagues who are owed salaries are the ones illegally recruited and were, therefore, neither captured by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation nor were their payments provided for by the Budget Office of the Federation.

“Monthly salaries are done as and when due for those legitimately employed by the Federal Government but not to those illegally employed and who need their appointments regularized and captured in the finances of government for payment. This takes a process which is not accomplished overnight.”

The minister further said the FG owed few doctors and other workers the 2020 COVID-19 allowance, besides the arrears of the consequential adjustment of the National Minimum Wage and skipping allowance which cut across other sectors, noting that work was in progress to clear these.

He blamed the Nigerian Medical Association and JOHESU for bringing segreworkers.in the negotiation for the new hazard allowance which he said the Federal Government already budgeted N37.5billion for.

The Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, said it was a wrong time to go on strike, noting that despite financial constraints, the government was committed to payment of salaries of doctors and health workers.

The Minister of State for Finance, Budget, and Planning, Clement Agba, regretted the expanding budgetary expenditure of the government even as revenue continues to dwindle.

President of JOHESU, Josiah Biobelemonye, pressed for the swift resolution of the challenges facing its members to avoid forcing them to strike.

The meeting is still ongoing as of the time of filing this report.

The minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami says President Mohammadu Buhari has empowered only security institutions in the country to gain access to people information without confronting the ministry, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC or the service providers to make their work much easier.

This he said has led to the achievement of many successes in the sector, but added that such measures were kept secret because they were not meant for public consumption.

The minister disclosed this on Tuesday while unveiling the NCC Strategic Vision Implementation Plan (2021-2025), NCC Global Connect Podcast and a Compendium of speeches by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta at NCC Annex office, Mbora, Airport Road, in Abuja.

He said the move by the President became necessary since the Cybercrime Act 2015 and the subsidiary legislation of the Commission allow government to give such approval, when a crime is committed that this will be done after the security agencies established a prima-fasi case, then it can be conveyed to the relevant institution.

He noted that ‘‘it will be wrong for anybody to contact ministry, the NCC or the telecom operators to provide data of any subscriber or whatever reason.

‘‘It is only the security institutions that have power and access to peoples’ lines, we do not have such power, if not it will be abused. It will be wrong for anybody to contact NCC or ministry to provide data of any subscribadded.ive such approval, when a crime is committed that this will be done after the security agencies established a prima-fasi case, then it can be conveyed to the relevant institution.

He noted that ‘‘it will be wrong for anybody to contact ministry, the NCC or the telecom operators to provide data of any subscriber or whatever reason.

‘‘It is only the security institutions that have power and access to peoples’ lines, we do not have such power, if not it will be abused. It will be wrong for anybody to contact NCC or ministry to provide data of any subscriber.

‘‘Ours is when we are contacted that we will provide to the security agencies the data they need and even when we are contacted there are requirements constitutionally to do that because telephone conversation are meant to be confidential as stipulated by section 37 sub section 39 of the constitution.

‘‘The Cybercrime Act 2015 and the subsidiary legislations of the Commission allow government to give such approval when a crime is committed after the security agencies established a prima-fasi case, then it can be conveyed to the relevant institution.

‘‘I can tell you that many successes have been recorded but not meant for public consumption. Today criminals usually block highways and used phone of victims to contact their families. There are a lot of things the sector has been doing to support the stability and security of the nation. I am clarifying this because I am being confronted with so many questions and citizens need to understand that we have procedures and it is only when the procedures are respected that we are mandated to provide data.

‘‘Sometimes, security institutions can gain access without confronting us because Mr. President has approved that for security institutions to gain access to people information without confronting us make their work much more easier that they would have access to many things than when they contact NCC or operators.’’

‘‘At any point in time, in telecom sector, our position is security takes precedence over economic gains, but if two things must be pursued, this is our priority. But when it is only one, no way can two things can be supported, security is priority followed by economic benefits and this is our position. And so far, so good,’’ he added.

GeorgeTheCoder:
"Becoming"

Bashir Magashi, minister of defence, says the bandits wreaking havoc on the north-west and north-central are becoming a nuisance.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed the need for urgency in dealing with them.

The minister spoke on Tuesday after the national security council meeting which took place at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He said: “This meeting was called in order to keep the C-in-C abreast on the current happening in the north-west and north-central, in respect of the improvements, problems and any other thing associated with the insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and the rest of it.

“From the meeting, we believe that the spate at which these things are happening in Zamfara state and north-central is a source of concern to the government and to all agencies that are responsible for the execution of the operations in the north-central.

“We discussed the need for urgency in our dealing with the bandits. We believe they’re becoming a nuisance; killing people, they are doing what they like, they make careless statements, they say what they think they should say in order to solicit the kind of audience they want from the society.

“We believe that we have gone a long way in keeping this country together. If one looks back, prior to our coming, 2014, you’ll find that there’s a lot of improvement, but people are not seeing it anymore.

“They believe probably we are incapable or there is something which we don’t know, but we are trying to find out why people are not appreciating the efforts of government.

“We have appraised our position, we’ve found that we are capable, we can do this thing, but we need the cooperation of every Nigerian in order to ensure a free society.”

During the security meeting, the president also mandated the service chiefs to find methods to deal with the country’s security challenges.

Iseoluwani:
Is the chief lsf??

One finger for ayua

Moneyboyz:
Right now the police are back on the street harassing boys, as long as you dress good they will stop you, no one wants to see you successful in this country.

Preliminary report from an autopsy conducted on Monday has revealed that a university student who died in police custody in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria’s South-south, was tortured.

Kubiat Akpan, 28, a fresh graduate of architecture, University of Uyo, was arrested by the police on August 29, while he was sitting out with some friends at a popular store in Uyo.

He was reported dead some hours later, tortured by some police officers, his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said.

The autopsy report invalidates the claim by the police that the student died of illness.

“The suspect (Mr Akpan) said he was sick. He was taken to the police clinic for treatment but gave up the ghost in the process,” the police spokesperson in Akwa Ibom State, Odiko MacDon, said in the statement on Saturday.

Mr MacDon said the late student was being investigated for robbery and cultism, a claim the lawyer, Mr Effiong, said was false.

A pathologist with the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, who performed the autopsy, said there were visible bruises on the body which indicated torture.

A PREMIUM TIMES reporter witnessed the autopsy.

The lawyer, Mr Effiong, including an investigating police officer, Udeme Ebong, as well as a man identified as Ene Inyang, said to be an uncle to the late student, were present during the autopsy.

“There are signs of torture on this body, not one, not two. There are also signs of blunt head injury. Someone can have a blunt head injury from an accident, whereas the injuries here are torture-related,” he said pointing at the bruises on the victim’s left arm.

From the mortuary’s record book, sighted by a PREMIUM TIMES reporter, the police team who deposited the corpse lied to the mortuary attendant that the student died in Nsit Ubium, a local government area outside of Uyo where the student actually died.

The attendant said the men who brought the corpse did not identify themselves as police officers.

“It was the next day that some people who said they were from the police came to take photographs of the corpse,” he said.

Mr Effiong had said on Saturday that it was irresponsible for the police spokesperson, Mr MacDon to accuse late Mr Akpan of being a robbery suspect.

“The statement by Odiko MacDon, as far as I am concerned, must have been issued under the influence of alcohol,” he told PREMIUM TIMES.

There was never a case of armed robbery or cultism against the deceased at any time.

“This was just a young boy who was picked up randomly by the police for reasons they are yet to disclose to us, taken into custody and tortured to death,” the lawyer added.

The Nigerian police, over the years, have become notorious for torture and extra-judicial killing, one of the underlying problems that led to the historic #EndSars protest across Nigeria last year.

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the setting up of a Health Sector Reform Committee with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as Chairman.

The team will commence the development and implementation of Nigeria’s health reforms in collaboration with state governments and the FCT administration.

The constitution followed a Health Sector Diagnostic Review Report developed by a consultant, Vesta Healthcare Partners and the Federal Ministry of Health.

The committee will undertake a review of all healthcare reforms adopted in the past two decades and lessons learnt and factor them into the new programme.

Members were drawn from private and public sector health care management professionals, development partners, representatives from the National Assembly, the Nigeria Governors Forum among others.

They include ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State; Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health; Alex Okoh, Director General BPE; Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar, a Professor in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University College London; Babatunde Irukera, Director General, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council.

Others are Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe; Adedamola Dada; Dr. Sani Aliyu; Dr. Mairo Mandara; Dr. Haliru Yahaya, Emir of Shonga; Prof. Uche Amazigbo, Director Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health; Dr Faisal Shuaib; Prof Nasiru Sambo; Dr Ifedayo Morayo Adetifa; Dr Gambo Aliyu.

The rest: Dr. Betta Edu, Chairman Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum representing National Council on Health; President, Nigeria Medial Association; President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria; President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses & Midwives; President, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria; Mrs Temi Marcella Awogboro; Dr. Muhammad Sadiq; Dr. Azubike Tagbo and World Health Organization (WHO).

Vesta Healthcare Partners and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are to serve as resources persons and have observer roles in the committee.

BKayy:
Lol
Mr Umahi let's analyse this "Fear"

After the pogrom of Northern Nigeria, Ndigbo returned to that same North, same place, same house. Where was the fear?

After taking over Igbo properties in PH and other parts of present say rivers state (abandoned property), Ndigbo still returned to the same PH and built more houses, clubs and hotels than before. Where was the fear?

After the Massacre of Obigbo by Wike, Ndigbo still trooped in. Where was the fear?

After the Second World War in Orlu that lasted months, even fighter jets and tanks were deployed, Ndigbo still traded at Night during the heat of the battles as if nothing is happening. Where was the fear?

You yourself threatened people that sat at home, threatened to lock their shops forever, sacked some but the sitting still continues. Where is the fear for you?

So now, you want us to believe that Ndigbo out of fear for someone in you peoples custody refused to come out of their houses. The same Ndigbo that went through all the things I listed above? What would we be afraid of? Death or what?

Mr Umahi, lie with caution oh

Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, described the ‘Prohibition of Open Cattle Grazing Bill’ as timely and one that would ensure harmonious relationships between herders and farmers and protect the environment of the state and the
southwest zone.

The Speaker also suggested that the bill should make provision for the registration of herders and prepare them for ranching

iwaeda:
Trying to warm his heart back to us.