Civil Servants in Kaduna State will soon be in a happy mood following the approval by the state government to begin the payment of the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments from September 1, 2019.

The government disclosed this on its verified Twitter handle @GovKaduna.

READ MORE:https://thewhistler.ng/minimum-wage-kaduna-commences-payment-sept/

The former registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Bello Salim has urged the board to enforce mobile courts for examination malpractice and offenders in the country.

Recall that the results of over 30,000 candidates were withheld by JAMB on the premise of examination malpractices.

Salim, in a JAMB bulletin released on Sunday, lamented the slow pace of prosecution of examination offenders.

He urged current JAMB registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, to enforce mobile courts as examinations had gone digital.

He said the law governing the conduct of examination should go digital as well and fast-tracking trials were needed so that examination malpractice cases did not get bogged down in courts.
He said, “Examination malpractice is a global malaise. The battle is ongoing; we haven’t won it. When you present examination malpractice suspects at the beginning of August, for instance, and a court hearing is fixed for the middle of October, the hearing is adjourned almost as soon as it starts to maybe January. The court process will thus keep dragging on.

“Let there be mobile courts just like the election tribunals to treat all cases of examination malpractices and other unwholesome practices promptly. We should have penalties that are enforceable. The prescribed seven-year jail term for anyone involved in examination malpractices should be enforced.”

https://thewhistler.ng/jamb-enforce-mobile-courts-for-examination-malpractice-ex-registrar/

The oil and gas world is set to see a more transparent Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the days ahead as its Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari has promised to further open up the books of the Corporation for all stakeholders.

Kyari, who was appointed GMD on July 8, spoke at the Corporation’s headquarters when officials of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) paid him a courtesy visit this morning.

Kyari disclosed that the NNPC under him would publish its audited accounts next week and would henceforth publish all crude oil term contract holders and the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP).

The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Waziri Adio, who led the delegation, had earlier described GMD Kyari as “a transparency champion” and “a key member of global transparency community.”

Adio further stated that NEITI was excited by Kyari’s appointment as GMD and expressed a desire to partner with NNPC to improve
transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

NEITI also requested among others, that the NNPC should use its website to publicize NEITI activities and advocacy; improve on its commendable monthly operations and financial records and help in the disclosure of contracts and beneficial ownership.

Responding, Kyari said “NNPC and NEITI share a lot in common and NNPC will gain more by disclosing its activities to its shareholders.

“This is particularly compelling considering that NNPC is seen by the global community as Nigeria’s window to the world.

“NNPC will publish its audited accounts next week, and it will publish all crude oil term contracts holders and Direct Sales and Direct Purchase.”

The GMD further disclosed that the NNPC would in future publish all monthly reports in soft copies, adding that its report from January-June 2019 was already on the Corporation’s website.

NEITI, the Nigerian chapter of the extractive industry global watchdog, was one of several organizations who had described Kyari’s appointment as worthy.

https://thewhistler.ng/nnpc-will-publish-all-crude-oil-contracts-audited-accounts-mele-kyari/

Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has congratulated Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, on his recent ministerial nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ogah was one of the 43 ministerial nominees recently confirmed by the Nigerian Senate.

The 2019 governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia is an oil magnate and the President of Master Energy Group which controls about 15 subsidiaries in different industries.

In his congratulatory message contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, Governor Ikpeazu described Ogah as “a worthy and successful son of Abia State with a deep passion for public service.”

“There comes a time when primordial political considerations must give way for deliberate and concerted efforts geared towards the collective good of our people. This is such a time. As the sole representative designate of the people of Abia State at the Federal Executive Council; statesmanship, good conscience and love for our people demand that we forge a strategic collaboration that will benefit the generality of the people of Abia State irrespective of political affiliations,” said the Governor.

Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has congratulated Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, on his recent ministerial nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ogah was one of the 43 ministerial nominees recently confirmed by the Nigerian Senate.

The 2019 governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia is an oil magnate and the President of Master Energy Group which controls about 15 subsidiaries in different industries.

In his congratulatory message contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, Governor Ikpeazu described Ogah as “a worthy and successful son of Abia State with a deep passion for public service.”

https://thewhistler.ng/youre-a-worthy-son-of-abia-ikpeazu-lauds-uche-ogahs-ministerial-nomination/

Two soldiers at Dogon Dawa village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have been killed by suspected armed bandits.

A youth leader and two civilians were also killed by the assailants during the siege that lasted several hours Thursday evening.

According to Channels Television, an indigene of Dogon Dawa disclosed that the bandits attacked the soldiers during an ambush, and later shot at them with a rocket-propelled grenade.

Some others said to have been injured during the attack have been moved to a military hospital in the Kaduna state capital.

According to eyewitnesses, the bandits trailed and killed the youth leader and his friend at his farm in Kuduru village.

When the news got to the security operatives deployed to the area, the soldiers who were quickly moved to the village were said to have been ambushed by the suspects.

The assailants, according to sources, also abducted many people including travellers along the Birnin Gwari-Kaduna road and Dogon Dawa between Wednesday and Thursday.

In the last three years, hundreds of people have been kidnapped and several others killed in Birnin Gwari, a community that has suffered banditry, armed robbery, and cattle rustling recently.

The One Division of the Nigerian Army has yet to confirm the incident at the time of this report.

Recall that only yesterday, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin inaugurated four locally manufactured Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, MRAP vehicles for the Nigerian Army to aid the war against insurgency in the Northeast and Northwest zones of the country.

READ MORE:https://thewhistler.ng/suspected-bandits-kill-two-soldiers-civilians-in-kaduna/

Barely two weeks after the attack on Reverend Father Ikechukwu Ilo, another Catholic priest, Paul Offu, has been killed by unknown Gunmen in Enugu State.

The Catholic Diocese of Enugu on its Facebook page, disclosed that the reverend father was shot dead Thursday evening by “some hoodlums suspected to be the notorious and murderous Fulani herdsmen, along Ihe-Agbudu Road in Awgu Local Government Area of the state”.

The Communication’s Director, Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Benjamin Achi, who confirmed the killing of the priest, said details of the incident would be made available after the meeting of the priests today.

“We (priests) are going for meeting now at the diocese. After the meeting, I will give you the details and the position of the church on the incident,”

The Enugu state Commissioner of Police, Sulieman Balarabe said he will disclosed the information to newsmen later after getting details from the Area Commander.

Recall that Fr. Ugwu, the parish priest of St Mark Catholic Church, Obinofia Ndiuno in Ezeagu Local Government Area of the State, was kidnapped on March 20, 2019. He was found dead in a bush decomposing after a one-week search by his parishioners.

Offu hailed from Okpatu in Udi LGA of Enugu State and, until his death, he was the parish priest of St. James the Greater Parish, Ugbawka.

https://thewhistler.ng/catholic-priest-shot-dead-by-suspected-fulani-herdsmen/

Barely twenty hours after suspending its protest, more troubles have hit the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiites, as Suhaila Zakzaky, daughter of its leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky has disowned the group.

The spokesman of the group, Ibrahim Musa, had announced suspension of street protests overdemand for the release of Elzakzaky and his wife, Zeenat.

“If at all any protests occur anywhere in the country, it might be this notice hasn’t reached those in the field or this message is misunderstood or it is some security agents who are mischievously behind it,” the statement had read.

But Zakzaky, in a video she released insisted the group will continue its protest till her father is released.

She further said Musa cannot speak on behalf of the group, adding that his comments are not the official view of the IMN.

She said, “Even as I speak right now, earlier today, there was a protest in Abuja and there will be tomorrow.

“And there will continue to be on every weekday. I just wanted to clarify because I saw news agencies stating that spokesperson of this movement released the statement.

“First of all, the Islamic movement has no such thing as a spokesman. And the person who wrote this article (is) the chairman of the media forum; the media forum, just like the numerous forums we have in the Islamic movement, is just a forum that is there for people within that field to have their own space and activities within the Islamic movement.”

El- Zakzaky’s statement is a new twist to the Shiite saga and an indication of a split in the rank of IMN over how to respond to the proscription of the organization.

https://thewhistler.ng/el-zakzakys-daughter-disowns-imn-says-protest-will-continue/

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it will intervene in the postgraduate programmes of three selected Nigerian universities; Ahmadu Bello University, University of Ibadan and University of Nigeria.

This intervention as stated in a tweet by the financial institution follows its developmental role in the financial services industry.

According to details from the bank, the CBN Collaborative Postgraduate Programme (CBN-CPP) is aimed at producing a mass number of well-educated postgraduate degree holders in the fields of Accounting, Banking and Finance, Business Administration and Economics for the financial services industry, and the Nigerian economy as a whole.

READ MORE:https://thewhistler.ng/cbn-intervenes-in-educational-sub-sector-offers-postgraduate-programme/

A Deputy Registrar of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Henry Adewunmi has said President Muhammadu Buhari obtained a Cambridge University West African examination certificate with five credits.

His testimony is contrary to claims by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that the president may not have a WAEC certificate following his failure to provide his secondary school leaving certificate.

Testifying before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja, Adewumi said Buhari wrote the 1961 WAEC exams in eight subjects and emerged successful in five.

He passed Oral English, C 5; History, A3; Geography, C6; Hausa, C5; and Health Science, C6.

According to him, Buhari wrote the exams with 17 others and had an aggregate of 32. He was number 2 on the list of those who had taken the examination that year.

He also said that Buhari’s first name on the Cambridge assessment educational certified statement presented in court had typographical error.

The first name written on the Cambridge assessment educational certified statement presented in court was typographically different from that of the president. The name on Buhari’s assessment statement was “Mohamed” Buhari, rather than “Muhammadu Buhari.”

The witness, however, said the statement cannot be regarded as a certificate because it is “only a foundation for the award of certificate and not a certificate.

“The document is the foundation for issuing a certificate. It is not a certificate,” Adewunmi said.

The PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, are challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the 2019 presidential election at the election tribunal.

https://thewhistler.ng/buhari-obtained-five-credits-waec-official-testifies-at-tribunal/

The prevalence of prostitution, though illegal in Nigeria, has become a source of concern for the residents of the Mabushi community in Abuja, as it is treated as a legal business by some persons.

Research by HipCity Innovation Centre (HipCity Hub), a non-governmental organisation in Abuja, indicates that sources of economic support are hard to come by in the community due to factors such as lack of education and the general unemployment in the country. Because of this, some girls and women in the slum have become commercial sex workers in order to provide financial support for themselves and their family.

Also, the rate of teenage pregnancy in the community is high and has affected the chances of young women going to school.

While some of the sex workers are willing to quit and get decent jobs, most of them have one limitation or the other preventing them from leaving the job.

These sex workers are said to make between N1, 500 to N6, 000 from sleeping with an average of three men per day. It was also learnt that sex workers in the community pay between N1, 000 to N2, 000 a day for their accommodation depending on the size of their room.

Decent families in this slum are however said to be paying way less than what the commercial sex workers pay. While others pay 30,000 to 45,000 a year for a room, a sex worker in the slum pays N360, 000 for a similar house in a year, according to HipCity Hub.

READ MORE:https://thewhistler.ng/abuja-slum-where-prostitution-is-legal/

The Nigerian Government has announced the official ban of activities of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, in the country.

The government said Shiites will henceforth be treated as terrorists following the group’s official proscription.

This was according to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who stated this during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

Adamu said Shiites “will be treated like terrorists and enemies of state” and prosecuted under the Terrorism Act, adding that “all forms of procession or protest by IMN is now illegal and thus banned.”

The development followed a series of clashes between the Islamic group and security operatives in the country.

The IMN had staged violent protests to demand the release of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who has remained in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) despite a court order for his release.

A recent protest by the Islamic group had led to the death of a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Usman Umar, and a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Precious Owolabi, who was attached to Channels Television.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Government had last week obtained an ex-parte order from the Federal High Court in Abuja to proscribe the Shiites and declare the group as as a terrorist organization.

A Kaduna State High Court has again shifted the ruling on a bail application filed by the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat till August 5th 2019.

Recall that the Court in November, refused to grant the duo bail on the grounds that El-Zakzaky did not attach a medical report to his application.

El-Zakzaky has been in detention, alongside his wife, since 2015 when he was arrested by the Nigerian government for alleged inciting activities of his followers during one of their Qudd processions.

He had repeatedly tried to obtain bail from the court but the federal government has insisted on holding him.
The embattled leader and his wife were however not in court during today’s ruling
According to their counsel, Femi Falani, the reason for their absence was due to their bad health condition

The Shiites’ leader is seeking permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.

Recall that last Friday, the Prosecutor-General of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammed Montazeri, urged the Nigerian government to allow El-Zakzaky come to Iran for medical treatment.

Recall also that three days after a Federal High Court in Abuja granted the federal government the power to proscribe the group.

https://thewhistler.ng/el-zakzaky-court-shifts-ruling-on-bail-application-to-august-5/

Four armed men allegedly stormed one of the female hostels in University of Uyo, (uniuyo) Akwa Ibom state, early this morning stabbed a female student and also robbed others of their gadgets.

According to reports, the female student has been rushed to the school clinic. Meanwhile no arrests have been made in connection with the robbery as at the time of filing this report.

The incident has since sparked reactions from several people and personalities on social media.

One of such personalities is Kogi senator, Dino Melayi who said “Nothing is safe, no one is safe, no where is safe… Even school hostel that’s meant to be the safest place in school is no longer safe”.

Below are some other reactions from Twitter users:

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the 2019 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) result which took place 8th April, 2019 and ended on 3rd June, 2019.

This was confirmed by the Public Relations Officer, Demianus Ojijeogu through a statement signed and released on the council’s official Twitter page on Thursday, @waecnigeria.

”This is to inform candidates and the general public that the results of the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2019 in Nigeria will be released by the Council within the next 24hours,” the official said.

Recall that over 1.6 million candidates in SS3 sat for the May/June 2019 WASSCE in Nigeria.

The official noted that candidates who are not indebted to the council will be able to access and check their results online, using the results checker pin on their smart identity cards used during the conduct of the examination.
https://thewhistler.ng/breaking-waec-releases-may-june-2019-results/

https://thewhistler.ng/breaking-waec-releases-may-june-2019-results/

The Nigerian Government has advised intending and existing couples in the country on steps to take to ensure their marriages are legal and recognized by the government.

This comes as the government has introduced a new Federal Marriage Certificate for all types of marriages in the country.

The government advised existing couples whose marriage certificates were not issued by the Ministry of Interior to visit the ministry’s website to recertify their certificates.

According to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Georgina Ehuriah, only marriages whose certificates are issued by the principal registrars in federal marriage registries are legally recognized by the Ministry of Interior.

Ehuriah, who disclosed this at a stakeholder conference in Abuja on Wednesday, also noted that not all places of worships in the country are licensed to conduct marriages.

“This is for the marriage to be credible and registered in the National database of legally certified marriages,” she said.

“If the certificate is not printed and delivered by the principal registrar of marriages, then it is illegal and cannot serve the desired purpose,” she said.

READ MORE:https://thewhistler.ng/your-marriage-certificate-is-illegal-if-not-issued-by-principal-registrar-fg/

Amidst the screening of ministerial nominees at the senate today, a remark by senate majority leader, Abdullahi Yahaya threw all lawmakers in a fit of laughter.

After a female ministerial nominee, Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, introduced herself to the senate, the senate minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, asked her to take a bow and go.

The senate majority leader also stood up to give his comment and caused bout of laughter in the senate when his colleagues mistakenly thought he addressed the nominee as beautiful.

He had eulogized the nominee as eloquent and intelligent and added that she was also dutiful. But his colleagues who probably heard beautiful, burst into laughter throwing the senate chamber into a moment of rowdy laughter.

If the majority leader actually described the ministerial nominee as “beautiful”, it would have been regarded as a sexist statement.

The majority leader still standing had to explain that he said “dutiful” and not “beautiful”.

But before she was asked to take a bow, another senator also rose to put the records straight quoting a senate rule. He said “the senate leader did not say beautiful, he said du-ti-ful!”

After this, the senate president Ahmed Lawan asked her to take a bow and go.

https://thewhistler.ng/beautiful-female-ministerial-nominee-distracts-senate/

The Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, has said the implementation of the tripartite minimum wage cannot be aborted by the labour unions as the government have decided to move ahead with its implementation.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari approved and signed into law a bill to increase Nigeria’s minimum wage recently.

But according to Oyo-Ita, some senior staff of the Unions have since been making some unrealistic demands from the government.

peaking at the ongoing retreat for top management staff of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, and those drawn from the Manpower Development Institutes, (MDIs) and Federal Training Centres ( FTCs) in Abuja, Oyo Ita said, “There were what we call unrealistic demand from the Senior Staff Unions and that appears to be delaying the implementation of the well thought out minimum wage policy. We have to go ahead to seek the approval for the implementation while we continue with the consequential adjustment.”

Following this, the HoCSF, assured workers that the government is moving ahead to implement the new salary structure, so as to improve the lives of the junior workers adding that the management is committed to the assignment and would produce the desired results.

“We won’t allow the demands of mainly the Senior Staff Unions to continue to affect those who the minimum wage was really meant to address. We have gone ahead to implement the tripartite minimum wage as approved and signed into law, while we continue the conversation with the Unions.”

https://thewhistler.ng/you-cant-stop-minimum-wage-implementation-oyo-ita-tells-union/
https://thewhistler.ng/you-cant-stop-minimum-wage-implementation-oyo-ita-tells-union/

Fifty five (55) days after he was sworn-in for a second term in office, President Muhammadu Buhari has finally released the list of his “trusted” ministers who would work with him.

Recall that Buhari had on July 11 during a dinner with some members of the national assembly said he was going to pick people he personally knows which explains the initial delay in releasing the list.

Below is the list of the men Buhari trusts to be in his second term cabinet:

1. Chris Ngige

2. Hadi Sirika

3. Rotimi Amaechi

4. Festus Keyamo

5. Uche Ogah

6. Emeka Nwajuiba

7. Sadiya Farouk

8. Musa Bello

9. Babatunde Fashola

10. Godswill Akpabio

11. Sharon Ikeazor

12. Ogbonnaya Onu

13. Akpa Udo

14. Adebayo (Ekiti)

15. Timipre Sylva

16. Adamu Adamu

READ MORE:https://thewhistler.ng/buharis-cabinet-list-of-ministerial-nominees/

The Sister to the Corps Member serving with Channels Television, Precious Owolabi, shot dead in the clash between Shiite members and the Nigerian Police Force, Bera Owolabi has mourned the death of her brother.

Recall that 23-year-old Precious died of a gunshot wound he sustained while covering the clash between the protesters in Abuja.

Bera took to social networking platform, WhatsApp status to post grieving updates to mourn her brother.

Some of her updates reads: “The light has left my life. How am I supposed to survive this? Come back, please.”

Earlier, the management and staff of Channels Television also expressed sadness over “the untimely and unfortunate death of such a promising journalist.”

Bera is not the only one who is grieving over the demise of Precious as other Nigerians have taken to micro-blogging platform, Twitter to express their feelings over the incident.

Below are some of their tweets:
https://thewhistler.ng/precious-owolabi-nigerians-mourn-channels-tv-reporter-who-died-covering-shiite-police-clash/

Reports just reaching us have it that suspected members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, popularly known as Shiites have invaded the Federal Secretariat, Abuja.

According to a source, the Shiites were protesting the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim Yaqoub El Zakzaky when the protest turned violent.

The source who pleaded anonymity said the gunshots were fired by the Police in attempts to disperse the group.

“People started running once they heard gunshots.

“The Shiite people also burnt down NERMA post opposite foreign affairs,” the source said.

Recall that the group recently increased their protest against the detainment of their leader who has been in detention since 2015.

The group said it will continue protesting until they secure the release of el-Zakzaky, the Islamic scholar who founded the IMN in the early 1980s.


https://thewhistler.ng/breaking-gunshots-rock-abuja-secretariat-again/

An unidentified man on Friday prevented an aircraft from leaving Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

A video shared by the founder of Slum2School Africa, Otto Orondaam, showed the man on top the plane, while frightened voices of the passengers were heard.

It was learnt that the aircraft was Port Harcourt-bound.

The man had run from the bush towards the plane that was taxing on the runway before take-off.

When the pilot sighted the man, he was said to have slowed down the aircraft belonging to Azman Air, after which the man climbed the engines and dropped his bags inside.

Orondaam, narrating the incidence , “For 30 minutes we have been stuck at the runway at MMIA by an unidentified man who ran to the aircraft with a bag. Security has not showed up and everyone is panicking.

“The guy approached the plane with gloves and started walking around and under the aircraft holding a bag which he dropped inside the engine.

“Thanks to the Pilot of the Azman Airline for quickly observing and taking swift action.

“He has finally been apprehended and we’ve all disembarked from the flight. FAAN authorities showed up 23 minutes into the scene but were scared to approach him. Security eventually shows up after 37 mins.”

The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki has said as long as he remains governor of the state, he would not allow the state “to be a pawn in anybody’s political chess game.”

Obaseki, in the statement directed at Adams Oshiomhole, his predecessor and National chairman of the All Progressives Party, APC, said the former governor was using “people to fight him and remove him from office.”

The governor who said but for his patience in the 2019 election, Edo would have been in the same situation like Zamfara, added that he would fight back forces trying to “pocket Edo state.”

Obaseki, while speaking to newsmen in the state, further knocked Oshiomhole for creating “disruption at home” and allowing “outsiders to take over.”

Recall that the crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly skyrocketed after the lower chamber of the National Assembly ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to seal off the state complex.

The green chamber ordered that the complex remained shut until a ‘proper inauguration’ was done.

Obaseki said, “If your children are fighting and you cannot settle them, then what authority do you have to be a father?

“Even If I was the worst governor in Nigeria, but I’m the only governor for my party in the whole of south-south and south-east.

“Even if I was a mad man, would you or whoever it is at the top, not protect and cover me? Are you the one that will now begin to create disruption at home? No matter how serious our problems are, would you tell outsiders to come and take over your home?

“Do you want me as your governor to keep quiet and allow all these happen? Should I not fight back? You should not be afraid. Because this can only provide good for Edo State.

https://thewhistler.ng/obaseki-to-oshiomhole-i-wont-allow-edo-become-a-pawn-in-your-political-chess-game-video/

Nelson Mandela was known for his oratorical skills and ability to mobilize people by the power of his words throughout his lifetime.

This made his admirers in Nigeria and other African countries often speculate that if Madiba was alive and still the president of South Africa, he would have mobilized his people against xenophobic attacks on fellow Africans, especially Nigerians.

At least 118 Nigerians are said have been killed in different attacks over the years, 13 of which were by the South African Police.

After his release from the Victor Verster prison on February 11, 1990, and his subsequent emergence as President of South Africa, in public and private speeches, Mandela promoted peaceful coexistence among his people and unity of Africans in particular and humanity in general.

Madiba detested victimization on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion or sex, and fought these vices until he breath his last.

His words in the dock during his 1963 Rivonia Trial for alleged capital offences are proof that Mandela stood for fairness regardless of race.

“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.

READ MORE:https://thewhistler.ng/mandeladay2019-how-madiba-wouldve-tackled-xenophobia-in-south-africa/

The 9th Senate on Thursday confirmed Aliyu Abubakar as a commissioner in the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

Abubakar, who was rejected by the 8th for allegedly possessing questionable academic credentials, was re-nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari for the same job.

Buhari had last week sent Abubakar’s name alongside four other nominees for confirmation by the Senate.

For of the nominees were for appointment into the NCC board while one was for the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

The 8th Senate had rejected bubakar’s nomination as the North-east representative on the NCC board for not allegedly meeting the requirement to be a commissioner as stipulated in NCC Act.

The Act requires commissioners in the NCC to possess qualifications in finance or accounting; law; consumer affairs; telecommunications engineering; information technology; engineering generally; economics; and public administration.

Abubakar, whose highest educational qualification is said to be one-year diploma in computer, was rejected by the Gilbert Nnaji-led committee when he was first nominated in 2016.

Nnaji based the rejection on the nominee’s failure produce credible educational certificates during the screening at the time.

But the 9th Senate today confirmed Abubakar’s appointment, alongside others, following his second nomination by President Buhari.

The President had in the letter he sent to the Senate last Tuesday requested the upper legislative chamber to confirm the nominees based on provisions in section 8 (1) of the NCC Act and section 5 (2) of NIPSS Act.

“In accordance with section 8 (1) of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) act 2003, I write to forward the under listed names of nominees for confirmation by the senate as non-executive commissioners of the Nigeria Communications Commission,” said Buhari.

https://thewhistler.ng/ncc-senate-confirms-nominee-rejected-by-8th-senate-for-questionable-credentials/

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on the Federal Government to proffer solutions to the issue of desert encroachment in the country.

This, Ortom noted was responsible for the movements of nomadic herdsmen across the nation.

The governor who stated this at the opening of the 43rd annual conference of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria, SSSN at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi advised the government to dump the proposed Ruga settlements for herdsmen.

Represented by his deputy, Benson Abounu, Ortom also called on SSSN to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to put a complete end to the issues of herdsmen migration from the North to the South.

Ortom noted that desert encroachment could be remedied as was done in Israel, where a complete desert was transformed into “a rich agricultural hub that now feeds the rest of the world.”

“If the sandy Negev desert, which had no water or vegetation could be so transformed, there is no reason the same cannot be done in northern Nigeria, where there is water and vegetation but where the only problem is desert encroachment,” the governor stated.

He further expressed fear of an imminent danger if the issue of Fulani herdsmen was not urgently tackled.

“Let me call on the Soil Science Society of Nigeria to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to put a complete halt to the imminent danger that this country is currently facing which can cause the disintegration of this country.”

He urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to engage the services of the SSSN to study the soil in the far North bedevilled by desert encroachment with the view to finding solutions to desertification.

Ortom charged the soil scientists to rise up to the challenge of meeting the growing demand for food occasioned by the negative impact of climate change on food and nutrition and the limitations imposed by insecurity.

READ MORE: https://thewhistler.ng/why-government-should-address-desert-encroachment-ortom/

As a result of the crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly, the House of Representatives has asked the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to shut down the assembly.

The green chambers also gave a one-week ultimatum to Governor Godwin Obaseki to issue a fresh proclamation for the assembly.

Members of the assembly arrived at the resolution today, Wednesday while adopting the report of an ad-hoc committee delegated to investigate the crisis at the assembly.

Recall that the lower chamber of the national assembly had earlier set up a 13-member ad-hoc committee to investigate the crisis in the legislature.

The house according to reports while adopting the recommendations presented by chairman of the committee, Abdulrazak Namdas, also directed that all actions taken by the current assembly in Edo should be declared null and void pending proper inauguration.

“All Members of the Edo State House of Assembly, both those who have been inaugurated and those who have not been inaugurated should dissolve their factions in the interest of peace and stability of the House with the view to moving the State forward.

“The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General (DG), Department of State Service should shut down the Edo State House of Assembly and provide adequate security to allay further fears of intimidation and threat as alleged by Members-elect,” the recommendations read.

Reports further noted that the House agreed that where the above recommendations fail, the National Assembly shall invoke the Provisions of Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which empowers it to take over the State House of Assembly until the situation normalises.

Recall that the assembly has been enmeshed in controversies over the “inauguration” and the “election” of a new speaker for the house.

The development has raised the suspicion of a possible crack in the relationship between the Governor, Godwin Obaseki and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiohmole, who is also the immediate past governor of the state.

https://thewhistler.ng/reps-order-shut-down-of-edo-assembly/

The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, is currently being screened by lawmakers at the National Assembly.

Last Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari requested the confirmation of Muhammad as substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Recall that Muhammad was first appointed in January after the president suspended the then Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, who was accused of false declaration of asset.

More details later….

https://thewhistler.ng/senate-grills-tanko-for-confirmation-as-cjn/

n what can be described as an end of the road for billionaire senator, Ned Nwoko, the Supreme Court today, Tuesday affirmed the election of Peter Nwaoboshi as the senator representing Delta North Senatorial District.

The apex court with a five-member panel dismissed the petition filed by Mr. Nwoko.

Nwoko who is challenging the primary election that produced Mr. Nwaoboshi, noted that he won the primaries but the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP cheated him when it was time to submit nomination to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC

According to the court, Nwoko filed the petition against his party’s decision late which is why it was dismissed.

Recall that Nwoko had approached the apex court challenging the earlier ruling of the court of appeal which declared Nwoboshi as the winner of the election.

The appeal court’s ruling was against the ruling of the high court which declared Ned Nwoko as the duly elected senator representing the senatorial district.

https://thewhistler.ng/ned-nwoko-cant-be-senator-supreme-court-says/

An Igbo socio-political pressure group, Nzuko Umunna has lamented the killing of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of nonagenarian and Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.

Olakunrin was reportedly killed by some hoodlums, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, along Ore-Shagamu expressway in Odigbo Local Government Area, Ondo state, last Friday.

A statement jointly signed by the groups General Secretary, Mr Paschal Mbanefo and Co-ordinator, Mr Ngozi Odumuko commiserated with Fasoranti over the loss.

The group urged President Muhammadu Buhari to take immediate steps to arrest Nigeria’s descent to lawlessness and speedily bring the perpetrators to justice.

According to the Igbo group, if the current spate of insecurity is not tackled with the decisiveness it deserves, the country risks being plunged into a cycle of violence.

The statement read, “We received with shock the killing of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of nonagenarian and Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti by suspected herdsmen.

“We commiserate with Pa Fasoranti over this tragic incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the entire Yoruba nation. It is instructive that even at a ripe old age, Pa Fasoranti is still at the barricades battling for the soul of Nigeria. It is therefore very ironic and troubling that the 94-year-old elder statesman is made to suffer this heartbreak in his old age. No Nigerian deserves to go through this.

READ MORE:https://thewhistler.ng/nigerians-are-no-longer-safe-nzuko-umunna-laments-killing-of-fasorantis-daughter/

n what many will regard as a response to Obasanjo’s recent letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over the security situation across the country, the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Tukur Buratai has said the security agencies have effectively tackled security issues in the country.

Recall that Obasanjo yesterday, July 15, 2019 in his letter to the president on the issue of security said “Nigeria is on the precipice and dangerously reaching a tipping point where it may no longer be possible to hold danger at bay”.

Continuing, Obasanjo said: “The issue is hitting at the foundation of our existence as Nigerians and fast eroding the root of our Nigerian community.”

Buratai who noted that security officials have recorded “great success” in the fight against insecurity, he said the cries of insecurity across the country are “political game”

According to reports, the COAS made the remark at 1 Division super camp in Kuyello, Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday.

He said: “Apart from some isolated remote areas as a result of some other factors, the attacks have drastically reduced.


READ FURTHER:https://thewhistler.ng/insecurity-buratai-disagrees-with-obasanjo/

Despite security concerns expressed by Nigerians across the country over the suspended Ruga scheme for herders, Zamafara state has gone ahead to embrace the scheme.

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state made this known while hosting the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the State House in Gusau on Sunday.

THE WHISTLER had reported how the Federal Government suspended the proposed Ruga scheme after several groups and prominent Nigerians kicked against it.

The government had planned to resolve the clashes between farmers and herdsmen in the country by establishing the now suspended Ruga settlement.

Speaking on Zamafara’s decision to embrace the scheme despite the controversy that trailed it, Matawalle said: “We in Zamfara have embraced the Ruga concept and will establish three of such in our three senatorial districts.

READ FURTHER: https://thewhistler.ng/zamfara-embraces-ruga-to-establish-settlements-for-herdsmen/

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has written another letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over the recent insecurity situation in the country.

The letter warned that Nigeria is tipping towards a dangerous cliff and only Buhari can forestall such a looming disaster.

Obasanjo who was president between 1999 and 2007, describes four avoidable calamities he is worried about.

According to him, they include abandoning Nigeria in the hands of criminals suspected to be, rightly or wrongly Fulanis and Terrorist of the Boko Hara type, spontaneous or planned reprisals against Fulanis that may mushroom into the Rwanda type genocide, similar attacks against any other tribe or ethnic group in the country and violent uprising beginning from one section of the country that may spread and lead to Nigeria’s dismemberment.

He said Buhari has to stop fanning “the embers of hatred, disaffection and violence,” for him to be able to stop the “smouldering ethnic agitations”.

Read further: https://thewhistler.ng/breaking-obasanjo-writes-buhari-over-insecurity-asks-herdsmen-to-state-grievances/